be the lesse to be passed vpon so that the rest maye profite which wil be more desirous to know the truth then when it is playn enough to contende aboute it and with cōtencious and capcious cauillacions to obscure and darkē it Truthe it is that out awne woorkes doo not iustifye vs to speake properly of our iustificacion that is to saie our workes do not merite or deserue remissiō of our synnes and make vs of vniust iuste before God But God of his mere mercie through the onely merites and deseruynges of his sonne Iesus Christ doth iustifie vs. Neuerthelesse because fayth doth directely sende vs to Christe for remission of our synnes that by faithe geuen vs of God we embrace the promise of Gods mercie and of the remission of oure synnes whiche thyng none other of oure vertues or woorkes properly doth therfore scripture vseth to say that faith without workes doth iustifie And for asmuch that it is al one sentēce in effecte to saye Faithe without woorkes onely fayth doth iustifie vs therfore the olde auncient fathers of the Churche from tyme to tyme haue vttered our iustificacion with this speache Onelye faythe iustifieth vs meanyng none other thing then sainct Paule meant whē he sayd faith without workes iustifieth vs. And because al this is brought to passe through the onely merites and deseruinges of our sauior christ not through our merites or through the merite of any vertue y t we haue within vs or of any worke that cōmeth frō vs therfore in that respecte of merite deseruyng we renoūce as it wer altogether agayn faith workes and all other vertues For our awne imperfeccion is so greate through the corrupciō of original synne that al is imperfect that is within vs faithe charitie hope dreade thoughtes wordes workes and therefore not apte to meryte and deserue any parte of our iustificacion for vs And this forme of speakyng we vse in the humblyng of oure selfes to God and to geue all the glory to our sauior Christ whiche is best worthy to haue it Here you haue heard the office of God in oure iustificacion and how we receyue it of him frely by his mercie without our desertes through true and lyuely faythe Now you shall heare the offyce and duetie of a christian man vnto God what we ought on oure parte to rendre vnto God agayne for his greate mercye and goodnes Oure offyce is not to passe the tyme of his present lyfe vnfruictfully and idlely after that we are baptised or iustified not caryng howe fewe good workes we do to the glory of God and proffite of our neighbors much lesse it is oure office after that we be once made Christes mēbres to lyue cōtrary to thesame makyng our selfes membres of the deuil walking after his inticementes and after the suggestions of the world and the fleshe wherby we know that we do serue the world and the deuill and not God For that faythe which bryngeth furth without repentaunce either euyll workes or no good workes is not a right pure and liuely faithe but a ded Deuilishe counterfeit and feyned fayth as sainct Paul sainct Iames cal it For euen the deuilles know and beleue that Christ was borne of a virgyn that he fasted forty dayes fortye nightes without meate and drynke that he wrought all kynde of myracles declaryng hymself very God They beleue also that Christe for oure sakes suffered moste paynfull death to redeme vs from eternal death that he rose agayn from death the thyrde daye They beleue that he ascended into heauen and that he sitteth on the right hand of the father and at the laste ende of this world shal come agayne and iudge bothe the quicke and the deade These articles of our faith the deuilles beleue and so they beleue all thinges that be writtē in the new and old Testamēt to be true yet for all this faith they be but deuilles remainyng styll in their dampnable estate lackyng the very true christian fayth For the right and true christiā faith is not onely to beleue that holy scripture all the forsaied articles of our fayth are true but also to haue a sure trust confidence in Gods mercifull promises to be saued from euerlastynge dampnacion by Christe wherof doeth folowe a louyng harte to obey his cōmaundementes And this true Christian faythe neyther any deuyll hath nor yet any man which in the outwarde profession of his mouth and in his outward receiuyng of the Sacramentes in commyng to the churche and in all other outward apparaunces semeth to be a Christian man yet in his liuyng and deedes sheweth the cōtrary For how can a man haue this true faith this sure truste and confidence in God That by the merites of Christe his synnes be remitted and he reconciled to the fauor of God and to be partaker of the kyngdom of heauen by Christ when he liueth vngodly and denieth Christe in his dedes Surely no suche vngodly man can haue this faith trust in God For as they know Christe to bee the onely sauior of the worlde so they knowe also that wicked men shall not possesse the kyngdō of God Thei know y t God hateth vnrighteousnes that he will destroye all those that speake vntruly that those that haue doen good workes whiche can not be doen without a liuely faythe in Christe shall come forth into the resurrection of lyfe those that haue doen euill shall come vnto resurrectiō of iudgement and very well they know also that to them that be contencious to them that will not be obedient vnto the truth but wil obey vnrighteousnes shall come indignacion wrathe and affliccion c. Therfore to conclude considerynge the infinite benefites of God shewed and exhibited vnto vs mercifully withoute oure desertes who hath not onely created vs of nothyng from a pece of vile clay of his infinite goodnes hath exalted vs as touchyng our soule vnto hys awne similitude and lykenesse but also wheras we were cōdempned to hel death eternall hath geuen his awne natural sonne beyng God eternall immortall and equal vnto himselfe in power glory to bee incarnated and to take our mortall nature vpō oim with the infirmities of the same and in the same nature ▪ to suffre moste shamefull and paynful death for our offences to thintent to iustifye vs to restore vs to lyfe euerlastyng so makyng vs also his dere beloued chyldrē brethren vnto his only sonne our sauior Christ inheritors for euer with him of his eternall kyngdō of heauē These greate and mercifull benefites of God if they be well considered do neither minister vnto vs occasiō to be idle to liue without doyng any good workes neither yet stirreth vs ▪ by any meanes to do euill thinges ▪ but contrarywise if we be not desperate persones and oure hartes harder then stones they moue vs to rendre our selfes vnto God wholy with all
only to beleue al thinges of God whiche are conteyned in holy scripture but also is an earnest trust and cōfidence in God that he doth regarde vs and hath cure of vs as the father of the child whom he doth loue and that he will be mercifull vnto vs for his onely sonnes sake and that we haue our sauior Christ oure perpetuall aduocate priest in whose onely merites oblacion sufferyng we do trust that oure offences be continually wasshed and purged whensoeuer we repentyng truly do returne to hym with our whole harte stedfastly determinyng with our selfes through his grace to obey and serue him in kepyng his commaundemētes and neuer to turne backe again to synne Such is the true faythe that the scripture doeth somuche cōmende the whiche when it seeth and considereth what God hath doen for vs is also moued through continual assistence of the spirite of God to serue please hym to kepe hys fauor to feare hys displeasure to continue his obedient childrē shewing thākefulnes agayn by obseruyng his cōmaundementes and that frely for true loue chiefly and not for dread of punishement or loue of temporall reward cōsideryng how clerely without our deseruynges we haue receyued his mercy and pardon frely Thys true faythe will shewe furthe it selfe and cannot longe be idle For as it is written The iuste man doth liue by his fayth He neither sleapeth nor is idle when he should wake and be well occupyed And God by his prophete Hieremie sayeth that he is a happy and blessed man whiche hath fayth and confidence in God For he is lyke a tree sette by the water syde that spreedeth hys rootes abroode towarde the moysture and feareth not heate when it commeth his leafe will be grene and will not cease to brynge furth his fruite Euen so faithefull men puttyng awaye all feare of aduersitie wyll shewe furthe the fruite of their good workes as occasion is offered to do them The Wisemā saieth he that beleueth in God wil harken vnto his commaundementes For if we doo not shewe our selfes faithfull in oure conuersacion the faith which we pretend to haue is but a fayned faith because the true Christian faith is manifestly shewed by good liuyng and not by woordes onely as sainct Augustine saith good liuyng cānot be separated frō true faith which worketh by loue And S. Chrisostome saith faith of it self is full of good workes as sone as a mā doth beleue he shalbe garnished with thē How plētifull this faith is of good workes and how it maketh the woorke of one man more acceptable to God then of another S. Paule teacheth at large in the .xj. chap. to the Hebr. saiyng that faith made the oblacion of Abell better then y e oblaciō of Cain This made Noe to buyld y e arcke This made Abraham to forsake his countrey and all his frendes and to go vnto a far countrey there to dwel emong straungers So did also Isaac and Iacob dependyng onely of the helpe and trust that they had in God And when they came to the countrey which God promysed them they would buylde no cities townes nor houses but liued like straungers in tentes that might euery daye be remoued Their trust was so muche in God that they set but litle by any worldly thyng for that god had prepared for them better dwelling places in heauē of hys awne foundacion and buylding This faithe made Abraham ready at Gods commaundement to offre hys awne sonne and heire Isaac whom he loued so well by whom he was promysed to haue innumerable issue emong the whiche one shoulde be borne in whom all nacions should be blessed trustynge so muche in God that though he were slain yet y e God was able by his omnipotent power to raise him frō death perfourme his promyse He mistrusted not the promise of god although vnto hys reason euery thyng semed contrary He beleued verely that God woulde not forsake hym in dearthe and famyne y t was in the countrey And in al other daungers that he was brought vnto he trusted euer y t God would be hys God and his protector whatsoeuer he sawe to the contrary Thys faithe wrought so in the hart of Moses that he refused to be takē for Kyng Pharao hys daughters sonne and to haue great inheritaunce in Egypt thinkyng it better with the people of God to haue affliction and sorowe then with naughtie men in synne to lyue pleasauntly for a tyme By faith he cared not for the threatenynge of kyng Pharao for his trust was so in God that he passed not of the felicitie of this worlde but loked for the rewarde to come in heauen settyng hys hart vpon the inuisible God as if he had seen hym euer present before hys eyes By faith the children of Israel passed through the redde sea By fayth the walles of Hiericho fell doune without stroke and many other wonderfull miracles haue been wrought In al good men that heretofore haue been faithe hath brought furth their good woorkes and obteyned the promises of God Faith hath stopped the Lions mouthes faithe hath quenched the force of fire faith hath escaped the swordes edges faithe hath geuen weake men strength victorie in battaill ouerthrowen the armies of infidels raised y e dedde to lyfe faith hath made good men to take aduersitie in good parte some haue been mocked and whipped bounde and caste in prison some haue loste all their goodes and liued in great pouertye some haue wādered in moūtaines hilles and wildernesse some haue been racked some slayn some stoned some sawē some rent in peces some hedded some brent without mercy and would not be deliuered because they loked to rise agayne to a better state All these fathers martyrs and other holy men whom sainct Paul spake of had theyr fayth surely fired in God when all the worlde was agaynst thē They did not onely knowe God to be the Lord maker and gouernor of all men in the worlde but also they had a special confidence and trust that he was and would be their God their comfortor aider helper mainteyner and defendor This is the Christiā faythe whiche these holy men had and we also ought to haue And although thei were not named christian mē yet was it a christian faithe that they had for they looked for all benefites of God the father throughe the merites of hys sonne Iesu Christe as we now do This difference is betwene thē and vs for they looked when Christ should come and we be in the tyme when he is come Therfore saieth sainct Augustyne the tyme is altered but not the faythe For we haue both one fayth in one Christ. Thesame holy Ghost also that we haue had they saieth sainct Paule For as the holy Ghoste doeth teache vs to trust in God and to call vpon hym as our father so did he teache them to saye as it is wrytten Thou Lord arte our father and
CERTAYNE Sermons or Homelies appoynted by the kynges Maiestie to be declared and redde by all persones Uicars or Curates euery Sondaye in their churches where they haue Cure Anno. 1547. ⧠A TABLE of the Sermones or Homelies conteined in this presente Uolume j. A Fruitefull exhortacion to the readyng of holye scripture ij Of the misery of all mākynde iij. Of the saluacion of all mankynde iiij Of the true and liuely faithe v. Of good woorkes vj. Of Christian loue and Charitie vij Against swearyng and periurie viij Of the declinyng from God ix An exhortacion against the feare of deathe x. An exhortacion to obedience xj Against whoredom and adultery xij Against strife and contencion FINIS THE PREFACE THE Kynges moste excellent Maiestie by the prudente aduyse of hys moste deere beloued Uncle Edwarde duke of Somersett Gouernor of hys Maiesties persone and Protector of all hys hyghnes Realmes Dominions and Subiectes with the reste of hys moste honorable Counsayll moste graciously considerynge the manifolde enormities whiche heretofore haue crept into hys graces Realme throughe the false vsurped power of the Bishoppe of Rome and the vngodly doctryne of hys adherentes not onelye vnto the greate decaye of Christian religion but also if Gods mercy were not vnto the vtter destruction of innumerable soules whiche through hypocrysy and pernicious doctrine were seduced and brought from honoryng of the alone true liuynge and eternall God vnto the worshippyng of creatures yea of stockes and stones from doyng the commaundemētes of God vnto volūtary workes and phantasyes inuēted of men from true religiō vnto Popishe Supersticion considerynge also the earnest and feruent desire of his derely beloued Subiectes to bee deliuered from all errors and supersticions and to be truely and faythefully instructed in the verye worde of God that liuely foode of mannes soule wherby they may learne vnfainedly and accordyng to the mynd of the holy Ghoste expressed in the scriptures to honor God and to serue their Kyng with all humilitie and subieccion and Godly and honestly to behaue theim selfes toward all men Agayn callynge to remembraunce that the next and moste ready waie to expell and auoide aswell all corrupte vicious and vngodly liuynge as also erronious doctrine tendyng to Supersticion and Idolatrie clerely to put away all contenciō whiche hath heretofore rysen through diuersitie of preachyng is the true settyng furthe and pure declarynge of Gods woorde whiche is the principall guyde and leader vnto all Godlinesse and vertue Finally that all Curates of what learnyng soeuer they be may haue some Godly and fruitfull lessons in a readines to reade and declare vnto their parishioners for their edifiyng instruction and cōfort hath caused a booke of Homelies to bee made and set furthe wherein is conteined certain wholsome and Godly exhortacions to moue the people to honor and worshippe almighty God and diligently to serue hym euery one accordynge to their degre state and vocacion the whiche Homelies his Maiestie commaundeth and streightely chargeth all Persones Uicares Curates and all other hauyng spirituall cure euery Sondaye in the yere at hygh Masse when the people be moste gathered together to reade and declare to their parishioners playnly and distinctely in suche ordre as they stande in the boke excepte any Sermon bee preached and then for that cause onely and for none other the reading of the sayde Homelie to be differed vnto the nexte Sondaye folowyng And when the foresayde boke of Homelies is redde ouer the Kynges Maiesties pleasure is that thesame be repeted redde agayn in suche lyke sorte as was before prescribed vnto suche tyme as his graces pleasure shall further be knowen in thys behalfe Also hys maiestie commaundeth that the sayde Ecclesiasticall persones vpon the firste holy daye fallyng in the Weke tyme of euery quarter of the yere shall reade his Iniunccions opēly and distinctely to the people in maner and fourme in thesame expressed And vpon euery other holy and Feuall daye through the yere likewise fallyng in the weke tyme they shal recite the Pater noster the Articles of our fayth and the tēne commaundementes in Englishe openly before all the people as in the sayd Iniunccions is specified that all degrees and al ages may learne to know God and to serue him accordynge to hys holy woorde AMEN ¶ A fruitfull exhortation to the readyng and knowledge of holy scripture VNto a Christian man there can be nothynge either more necessarie or profitable then the knowledge of holy scripture forasmuche as in it is conteyned Gods true word settyngefurth his glorie and also mannes duetie And there is no truth nor doctrine necessary for our iustificacion and euerlastyng saluacion but that is or may be drawen out of that fountain and welle of truth Therfore as many as be desirous to entre into the right and perfect way vnto God must applie their myndes to knowe holy scripture without the which they can neyther sufficiently knowe God and his will neither their office and duetie And as drynke is pleasaunt to them that be drie and meat to them that be hūgery so is the readyng hearyng searchyng ▪ and studiyng of holy scripture to theim that be desirous to knowe God or them selfes and to do his will And their stomackes onely do lothe and abhorre the heauenly knowledge and foode of Gods word that be so drouned in worldly vanities that they neither sauor God nor any Godlines For that is the cause why they desire suche vanities rather then the true knowledge of God As they that are sicke of an ague whatsoeuer they eate or drinke though it bee neuer so pleasaunt yet it is as bitter to theim as wormewoode not for the bitternesse of the meat but for the corrupt and bitter humor that is in their awne toungue and mouth euen so is the swetenesse of Gods woorde bitter not of it self but onely vnto them that haue their myndes corrupted with long custome of synne and loue of this world Therfore forsakyng the corrupt iudgement of carnall men whiche care not but for their carcasse let vs reuerētly heare reade holy scriptures whiche is the foode of the soule Let vs diligently searche for the welle of life in the bokes of the new and old Testament and not ronne to the stinkyng podelles of mennes tradicions deuised by mānes imaginacion for our iustificacion and saluacion For in holy scripture is fully cōteined what we ought to do and what to eschewe what to beleue what to loue and what to loke for at Gods handes at length In those bokes we shall finde the father from whome the sonne by whome the holy Ghoste in whome all thynges haue their beyng and cōseruacion and these thre persones to be but one God and one substaūce In these bokes we may learne to know our selfes how vile and miserable we be also to know God how good he is of hymself and how he cōmunicateth his goodnes vnto vs and to
redemer and thy name is without beginnyng and euerlastyng God gaue thē then grace to be hys chyldren as he doeth vs now But now by the cōming of our sauior Christ we haue receyued more abūdātly the spirite of god in our hartes wherby we maye cōceyue a greater faithe a surer truste then many of them had But in effect they we be al one we haue thesame faith that they had in God thei thesame y t we haue And s Paul so muche extolleth their faith because we should no lesse but rather more geue oure selfes wholy vnto Christ both in profession liuing now when Christ is come then y e olde fathers did before his cōmyng And by all the declaraciō of s Paule it is euident that the true liuely and christian fayth is no dead vain or vnfruictfull thyng but a thyng of perfecte vertue of wonderful operacion and strength bryngyng furth all good mocions good workes All holye scripture agreably beareth witnesse that a true liuely faith in Christ doeth bryng furth good workes and therfore euery mā must examine himself diligētly to know whether he haue thesame true liuely faythe in hys harte vnfaynedly or not whiche he shall know by the fruictes therof Many that professed the faith of Christ were in this error that they thoughte they knewe God and beleued in hym when in their lyfe they declared the contrarye whiche error sainct Ihon in his first Epistle confutynge writeth in this wyse Hereby we are certified that we know god if we obserue his cōmaundemētes he that saieth he knoweth god obserueth not his cōmaundemētes is a liar the trueth is not in him And again he saieth whosoeuer synneth doeth not se God nor knowe him let no man deceiue you welbeloued childrē And moreouer he saieth hereby we know y t we be of the truth so we shal perswade our hartes before hym For if our awne hartes reproue vs God is aboue our hartes and knoweth al thinges Welbeloued if our hartes reproue vs not the◠haue we confidence in God and shall haue of hym whatsoeuer we aske because we kepe hys commaundementes and do those thynges that please hym And yet further he saieth euery man that beleueth that Iesus is Christe is borne of God we knowe that whosoeuer is borne of God doeth not synne but the generacion of God purgeth him and the deuill doth not touche hym And finally he concludeth shewing the cause why he wrote this epistle sayth For this cause haue I thus written vnto you that you maye knowe that you haue euerlastyng lyfe whiche do beleue in the sonne of God And in hys thirde Epistle he confirmeth the whole matter of faith and workes in fewe wordes saiyng he that doth well is of God and he that doeth euill knoweth not God And as s. Ihō saieth that as the liuely knowledge and faith of God bryngeth furth good workes so saieth he likewise of hope Charitie that they cannot stande with euill liuynge Of hope he writeth thus we knowe that when God shall appere we shalbe lyke vnto hym for we shall se hym euen as he is And who soeuer hath this hope in hym doth purifie himself like as God is pure And of charitie he saieth these woordes He that doeth kepe Gods woorde or commaundemente in hym is truely the perfecte loue of God And agayne he saieth this is the loue of God that we should kepe hys commaundementes And s. Ihon wrote not this as a subtile proposicion deuised of hys awne phantasie but as a moste certain necessarie truth taught vnto him by Christ himself the eternall in fallible veritie who in many places doth moste clerely affirme that fayth hope charitie cannot consist without good godly workes Of faith he saith He that beleueth in the sonne hath euerlastyng life but he that beleueth not in the sōne shal not se that life but the wrath of God remayneth vpō him And thesame he confirmeth with a double othe saiyng Forsothe forsothe I saye vnto you he y t beleueth in me hath euerlastyng lyfe ▪ Now for asmuch as he that beleueth in Christ hath euerlastīg lyfe it must nedes consequently folow that he y t hath this faith must haue also good workes be studious to obserue Gods cōmaundemetes obediently For to thē that haue euill workes leade their lyfe in disobedience transgression of Gods commaundemētes without repentaūce perteineth not euerlasting life but euerlastyng death as Christ himself saieth they that do wel shal go into life eternal but thei that do euill shal go into y e eternal fire And again he saith I am the first lettre the last the beginnyng the endyng to him y t is a thirste I wil geue of the welle of the water of lyfe frely He that hath the victorye shal haue all thynges I will be his God and he shalbe my sonne But thei y t be fearfull mistrusting God lacking faith thei y t be cursed people murderers fornicators sorserers Idolaters all liars shall haue their porciō in y e lake that burneth with fire brimstone which is the secōd death And as Christe vndoubtedly affirmeth that true faythe bringeth furth good workes so doth he say likewyse of charitie Whosoeuer hath my cōmaūdementes kepeth thē y t is he y t loueth me And after he saieth he that loueth me will kepe my worde he y t loueth me not kepeth not my woordes And as the loue of God is tried by good workes so is the feare of God also as the Wisemā saieth y e dread of God putteth awaye synne And also he saieth he that feareth god wil do good workes A man may sone deceiue hym self thinke in hys awne phātasie that he by fayth knoweth God loueth him feareth him belongeth to him whē in very dede he doth nothyng lesse For the triall of all these thinges is a very godly christian lyfe He that feleth hys harte set to seke Gods honor studieth to know the wil cōmaundemētes of God to cōforme himself therunto leadeth not hys life after the desire of hys awne fleshe to serue y e deuill by synne but setteth hys minde to serue God for gods awn sake for his sake also to loue al hys neighbors whether they be frēdes or aduersaryes doyng good to euery mā as opportunitie serueth willingly hurtyng no mā Such a mā maye wel reioyce in God perceiuinge by the trade of his life y t he vnfamedly hath y e right knowledge of God a liuely fayth a constant hope a true vnfeined loue feare of god ▪ But he y t casteth awaie y e yoke of gods cōmaundemētes frō hys necke geueth hymself to liue without true repētaūce after hys awne sensual mynde pleasure not regardynge to knowe Gods worde much lesse to
the difficultie to vnderstande it and the hardnes thereof is so greate that it is meete to bee reade onely of Clearkes and learned men As touchyng the firste ignoraunce of Gods worde is the cause of al error as Christ hymself affirmed to y e Sadduces saiyng that thei erred because thei knewe not the scripture How should thei then escheue error that will be still ignoraunt And how should thei come out of ignoraunce that wil not read nor heare that thyng whiche should geue them knowledge He that now hath moste knowledge was at the first ignoraunt yet he forbare not to reade for feare he should fall into error but he diligently redde lest he ▪ should remain in ignoraunce and through ignoraunce in error AND if you will not knowe the truthe of God a thyng moste necessary for you least you fall into error by thesame reason you maie then lye still and neuer go leaste if you goo you fall in the mire nor eate any good meate least you take a surfet nor sow your Corne nor labour in your occupacion nor vse your marchaūdise for feare you lose your sede your labor your stocke and so by that reason it should be beste for you to liue idlely and neuer to take in hande to do any maner of good thyng least peraduenture some euill thyng maie chaunce therof And if you be afraied to fal into error by readyng of holy scripture I shall shewe you how you maie reade it without daunger of error Reade it humbly with a meke and a lowly harte to thintent you maie glorifie God and not your self with the knowledge of it and reade it not without daily praiyng to God that he would directe your readyng to good effecte and take vpon you to expounde it no further then you can plainly vnderstande it For as sainct Augustine saieth the knowledge of holy scripture is a great large and a high palace but the doore is verie lowe so that the high and arrogant man cannot runne in but he must stoupe lowe and humble hym self that shall entre into it Presumpcion and arrogancie is the mother of all error and humilitie nedeth to feare no error For humilitie will onely searche to knowe the truthe it will searche and will conferre one place with another and where it cannot fynde the sense it will praie it will inquire of other that knowe and will not presumpteously and rasshely define any thyng whiche it knoweth not Therfore the humble man maie searche any truthe boldely in the scripture without any daunger of error And if he bee ignoraunt he ought the more to read and to search holy scripture to bryng hym out of ignoraunce I saie not naie but a man maie prospere with onely hearyng but he maie muche more prospere with bothe hearyng and readyng This haue I said as touchyng the feare to read through ignoraunce of the person And concernyng the difficultie of scripture he that is so weake that he is not hable to brooke strong meate yet he maie sucke the swete and tender milke and differre the rest vntill he waxe strōger and come to more knowledge For God receiueth the learned and vnlearned and casteth awaie none but is indifferent vnto al. And the scripture is full aswel of lowe valleis plain waies and easie for euery man to vse and to walke in as also of high hilles and mountaines which few men can ascende vnto And whosoeuer geueth his mynd to holy scriptures with diligent studie and feruent desire it cannot be saieth sainct Ihon Chrisostom that he should be destitute of helpe For either God almightie will sende hym some Godly doctor to instruct hym as he did to instruct Ennuchus a noble man of Ethiope and threasorer vnto Quene Candace who hauyng a great affeccion to read the scripture although he vnderstode it not yet for the desire that he had vnto Gods worde God sent his Apostle Phillip to declare vnto hym the true sense of the scripture that he redde or els if we lacke a learned man to instruct and teache vs yet God hymself from aboue will geue light vnto our myndes and teach vs those thynges whiche are necessary for vs and wherin we be ignoraunt And in another place Chrisostom saith that mannes humain and worldly wisedom or science nedeth not to the vnderstandyng of Scripture but the reuelacion of the holy ghoste who inspireth the true sense vnto theim that with humilitie and diligence do search therfore He that asketh shall haue and he that seketh shal find and he that knocketh shall haue the doore open If we reade once twise or thrise and vnderstande not let vs not cease so but still continue readyng praiyng askyng of other and so by still knockyng at the laste the doore shalbe opened as sainct Augustyne saieth Although many thynges in the scripture bee spoken in obscure misteries yet there is no thyng spoken vnder darke misteries in one place but the selfe same thyng in other places is spoken more familiarly and plainly to the capacitie bothe of learned and vnlearned And those thynges in the scripture that be plain to vnderstande and necessarie for saluacion euery mannes duetie is to learne theim to print theim in memorye and effectually to exercise theim And as for the obscure misteries to be contented to bee ignoraunt in theim vntill suche tyme as it shall please God to open those thynges vnto hym In the meane ceason if he lacke either aptnesse or opportunitie God will not impute it to his foly but yet it behoueth not that suche as bee apt should set aside readyng because some other be vnapte to reade neuerthelesse for the difficultie of suche places the readyng of the whole ought not to be set a part And briefly to conclude as sainct Augustine saieth by the scripture all men be amended weake men be strengthned and strong men be comforted So that surely none bee enemies to the readyng of Gods worde but such as either be so ignoraunt that thei knowe not how wholsome a thyng it is or els be so sicke that thei hate the moste comfortable medicine that should heale them or so vngodly that thei would wishe the poeple still to continue in blindnesse and ignoraunce of God THVS we haue briefly touched some part of the commodities of Gods holy worde whiche is one of Gods chief and principall benefites geuen and declared to mankynde here in yearth Let vs thanke God hartely for this his greate and speciall gyfte beneficiall fauor and fatherly prouidence Lette vs be glad to reuiue this precious gyft of our heauenly father Let vs heare reade and knowe these holy rules iniunccions and statutes of our christian religion vpon that we haue made profession to God at our baptisme Lette vs with feare and reuerence laie vp in the cheste of our hartes these necessarie and fruitfull lessons Lette vs night and daie muse and haue meditacion and contemplacion in theim Lette
vs ruminate and as it wer chewe the cudde that we maie haue the swete ieuse spirituall effecte mary hony kirnell tast comfort and consolacion of theim Let vs staie quiet and certifie our consciences with the moste infallible certaintie truthe and perpetual assuraunce of them Let vs praie to God the onely aucthor of these heauenly meditacions that we maie speake thynke beleue liue and depart hence accordyng to the wholesome doctrine and verities of theim And by that meanes in this worlde wee shall haue Gods proteccion fauor and grace with the vnspeakeable solace of peace and quietnes of conscience and after this miserable life we shall enioy the endlesse blisse and glorie of heauen whiche he graunt vs all that died for vs all Iesus Christ to whom with the father holy ghost bee all honor and glorie both now euerlastyngly AMEN ¶ An Homelie of the miserie of al mankynd and of hys condempnacion to death euerlastyng by hys awne synne THe holy Ghost in writing the holy scripture is in nothinge more diligent then to pulle doune mannes vainglory and pride whiche of all vices is most vniuersally grafted in al mankynd euen from the first infection of our first father Adam And therfore we reade in many places of scripture many notable lessons against this old rooted vice to teache vs the moste commendable vertue of humilitie how to knowe our selfes and to remembre what we be of our selfes In the boke of Genesis almighty God geueth vs al a title name in our great graūd father Adā which ought to admonish vs al to considre what we be wherof we be frō whence we came whether we shal saiyng thus in y e sweat of thy face shalt thou eate thy bread til thou be turned again into the groūd for out of it wast thou taken in asmuch as y u art dust into dust shalte thou be turned again Here as it wer in a glasse we may learne to know our selfes to be but groūde earth asshes that to earth and asshes we shall returne Also the holy patriarche Abraham did well remembre this name and title dust earth and asshes appoynted and assigned by God to all mankynde and therfore he calleth hymself by that name when he maketh his earnest praier for Sodome and Gomore And we read that Iudith Hester Iob ▪ Hieremie with other holy men and womē in the old Testament did vse sacke cloth and to cast dust and asshes vpon their heddes when they bewailed their synfull liuyng They called cried to God for help and mercye with suche a ceremonie of sacke clothe duste and asshes that thereby thei might declare to the whole worlde what an hūble and lowly estimacion thei had of themselfes how well thei remembred their name title aforesayd their vile corrupt fraile nature dust earth and asshes The boke of wisedom also willing to pul doune our proude stomackes moueth vs diligently to remēbre our mortall and earthly generacion whiche we haue all of hym that was firste made and that all men aswell kynges as subiectes come into this worlde and go out of thesame in lyke sorte that is as of our selfes full miserable as we may dayly see And almightye God cōmaunded hys prophet Esaie to make a proclamacion and crie to the whole worlde and Esaie askinge what shall I crie The Lorde aunswered crie that all fleshe is grasse and that al the glory of man therof is but as the floure of the felde whē the grasse is withered the floure falleth away when the wynd of the Lord bloweth vpon it The people surely is grasse the which drieth vp and the floure fadeth awaye And the holy prophete Iob hauyng in himself great experience of the miserable and sinful estate of man doth open thesame to y e world in these wordes Man saith he that is borne of a woman liuyng but a short tyme is ful of manifold miseries he spryngeth vp like a floure fadeth again vanishyng awaye as it wer a shadowe ▪ and neuer continueth in one state And doest thou iudge it mete o Lorde to open thyne eyes vpon suche a one and to bring hym to iudgement with the Who can make hym cleane that is conceiued of an vncleane seede And all men of their euilnesse and natural pronesse wer so vniuersally geuen to synne that as the scripture saith God repēted that euer he made mā And by synne hys indignacion was so muche prouoked against the worlde that he drouned all the worlde with Noes floud except Noe hymself and hys litle housholde It is not without greate cause that the scripture of God doeth so many tymes call all men here in this worlde by this woorde yearth O thou yearth yearth yearth sayth Ieremie heare y e worde of the Lord. This our right name vocacion title yearth yearth yearth pronoūced by the Prophete sheweth what wee bee in deede by whatsoeuer other stile title or dignitie men do call vs. Thus he plainly named vs who knoweth best both what we be and what we ought of right to be called And thus he describeth vs speakyng by hys faithfull Apostle S. Paule all men Iewes and Gentiles are vnder syn ther is none righteous no not one ther is none that vnderstandeth there is none that seketh after God thei are al gone out of the way thei are all vnprofitable ther is none that doth good no not one their throte is an open sepulchre with their tōgues they haue vsed craft deceipt the poyson of serpentes is vnder their lippes their mouth is full of cursing and bitternes their fete are swift to shed bloud destrucciō and wretchednes are in their waies and the way of peace haue thei not knowen there is no feare of God before their eyes And in another place S. Paule writeth thus God hath wrapped all nacions in vnbelefe that he might haue mercy on all The scripture concludeth all vnder synne that the promyse by y e faith of Iesus Christ should be geuē vnto theim that beleue S. Paule in many places painteth vs out in our colours callyng vs the children of the wrath of God when we be borne saiyng also that we cānot thinke a good thought of our selfes muche lesse we can saye wel or do wel of our selfes And the wiseman saieth in the boke of Prouerbes the iust man falleth seuē times a day The most tried approued man Iob feared all hys workes S. Ihon the Baptist beynge sanctified in his mothers wōbe and praised before he was borne called an Aungell great before the lord replenished euē from his birthe with the holy Ghost the preparer of the way for our sauior Christ and commēded of our sauior Christ to be more then a prophet the greatest that euer was borne of a woman yet he plainly graūteth that he had nede to be wasshed of Christ he worthely extolleth and glorifieth his Lorde and
master Christ and humbleth hymself as vnworthy to vnbuckle his showes and geueth all honor and glory to God So doth s. Paule bothe oft and euidently confesse himself what he was of himself euer geuyng as a moste faithfull seruaunt all praise to his master and sauior So doth blessed s. Ihon the Euangelist in the name of hymself and of all other holy men be they neuer so iust make this open confession if we saye we haue no synne we deceyue oure selfes and the truthe is not in vs if we knowledge our synnes God is faithful and iust to forgeue vs our synnes and to clense vs frō al vnrighteousnes if we saye we haue not sinned we make hym a liar and hys worde is not in vs. Wherfore the Wisemā in the boke called Ecclesiastes maketh this true generall confession there is not one iust man vpon the earth that doeth good and synneth not And s. Dauid is ashamed of hys synne but not to confesse his synne How oft how earnestly lamētably doth he desire gods great mercy for his great offences that God should not entre into iudgemēt with him And agayn how well weigheth thys holy man his synnes when he confesseth that they bee so many in numbre and so hid and hard to vnderstande that it is in maner vnpossible to knowe vtter or numbre them Wherfore he hauing a true earnest and depe contemplacion and consideracion of his sinnes and yet not commyng to the botome of them he maketh supplicaciō to God to forgeue him his priuy secret his sinnes to the knowledge of the which he cā not attein vnto He weigheth rightly his sinnes frō the original roote spring hed perceiuing inclinaciōs prouocaciōs stirrynges stingynges buddes braūches dregges infecciōs tastes felinges and sentes of them to continue in hym still Wherfore he saith marke behold I was cōceiued in synnes he saith not sinne but in the plural nūbre sinnes forasmuch as out of one as fountayn spryngeth all the reste And our sauior Christ saieth there is none good but God and that we can do nothyng that is good without hym nor no mā can come to the father but by hym He commaundeth vs all to saye that we be vnprofitable seruaūtes when we haue done al that we can do He preferreth the penitēt Publicane before the proude holy glorious Pharisey He calleth hymself a phisicion but not to them y t be whole but to them that be sicke and haue nede of his salue for their sore He teacheth vs in oure prayers to reknowledge our selfes sinners to aske forgeuenes and deliueraunce from all euilles at our heauenly fathers hande He declareth that the synnes of oure awne hartes do defile our awne selfes He teacheth that an euill worde or thought deserueth condempnacion affirmyng that we shall geue an accompte for euery idle worde He saieth he came not to saue but the shepe that were vtterly lost and cast away Therfore fewe of the proude iust learned wise perfect and holy Phariseis were saued by him because thei iustified themselfes by their coūterfeit holynes before men Wherefore good people let vs beware of suche hypocrisy vainglory and iustifiyng of our selfe Let vs loke vpō our fete and then doune pecockes fethers doune proude harte doune vile clay frayle and britle vessels Of our selfes we be crabbe trees that can bryng furth no apples We be of our selfes of suche yearth as can brynge furthe but wedes netles brābles briers cocle and darnell Oure fruites be declared in the ▪ v. Chap. to the Gala. We haue neither faith charitie hope pacience chastitie nor any thyng els that good is but of God therfore these vertues be called there the fruites of the holy Ghost and not the fruites of man Let vs therfore acknowledge our selfes before God as we be in dede miserable and wretched synners And let vs earnestly repent and humble our selfes hartely and crie to God for mercye Let vs all confesse with mouthe and harte that we be full of imperfeccions Let vs know our awn workes of what imperfecciō they be then we shall not stande foolishly and arrogantly in our awne conceiptes nor chalenge any part of iustificacion by our merites or workes For truly there be imperfecciōs in our best workes we do not loue God so much as we are bounde to do with all our hart mynd and power we do not feare God so muche as we ought to do we do not praye to God but with greate and many imperfeccions we geue forgeue beleue liue and hope vnperfectly we speke thinke do vnperfectly we fight agaynst the deuill the worlde and the fleashe vnperfectly Let vs therfore not be ashamed to confesse plainly our state of imperfeccion yea let vs not be ashamed to confesse imperfeccion euen in all our awne beste workes Let none of vs be ashamed to say with holy s. Peter I am a sinfull man Let vs al saye with the holy prophet Dauid we haue synned with our fathers we haue doen amisse dealt wickedly Let vs all make open cōfession with the prodigal sonne to our father and saye with hym we haue synned agaynst heauen and before the O father we are not worthy to be called thy sonnes Let vs al saye with holy Baruch O Lorde our God to vs is worthily ascribed shame and confusion to the righteousnes We haue synned we haue doen wickedly we haue behaued our selfes vngodly in all thy righteousnes Let vs al saie with the holy prophet Daniell O Lorde righteousnes belongeth to the vnto vs belongeth confusion We haue synned we haue bene naughtie we haue offended we haue fled from the we haue gone backe from al thy preceptes and iudgementes So we learne of all good men in holy scripture to humble our selfes and to exalt extoll prayse magnifie and glorifie God Thus we haue heard how euill we be of our selfes how of our selfes and by our selfes we haue no goodnes helpe nor saluaciō but cōtrariwise synne dampnacion and death euerlastynge whiche if we depely weigh consider we shall the better vnderstande the great mercy of God and how our saluacion cōmeth onely by Christ. For in our selfes as of our selfes we find nothing wherby we may be deliuered from this miserable captiuitie into the which we were caste throughe the enuie of the deuill by transgressing of Gods commaundemēt in our first parent Adam We are all become vncleane but we all are not able to clense our selfes nor to make one another of vs cleane We are by nature the childrē of Gods wrathe but we are not able to make oure selfes the children and inheritors of Gods glorye We are sheepe that ronne astraie but we cannot of our awn power come agayn to y e shepefold so great is our imperfecciō weakenes In our selfes therfore maye not we glorie which of our selfes are nothyng but synfull
Neither we maye reioyse in any woorkes that we do which al be so vnperfect vnpure that thei are not able to stāde before the righteous throne of God as the holy Prophete Dauid saieth entre not into iudgemēt with thy seruaūt O Lorde for no man that liueth shalbe found righteous in thy sight To God therfore muste we flee or els shall we neuer finde peace rest and quietnesse of conscience in our hartes For he is the father of mercies and God of all consolacion He is the Lorde with whō is plenteous redempcion He is that God which of his awne mercie saueth vs and setteth out his charitie and exceding loue towardes vs in that of his awne voluntary goodnesse when we wer perished he saued vs and prouided an euerlastyng kyngdom for vs. And all these heauenly treasures are geuen vs not for our awne desertes merites or good deedes whiche of our selfes wee haue none but of his meere mercie frely And for whose sake Truely for Iesus Christes sake that pure and vndefiled lambe of GOD. He is that dearely beloued sonne for whose sake god is fully pacified satisfied and sette at one with man He is the lambe of God whiche taketh awaie the synnes of the worlde of whom onely it maie be truely spoken that he did al thynges well in his mouthe was founde no craft nor subtilitie None but he alone maie saie the Prince of the worlde came and in me he hath nothyng And he alone maie saie also whiche of you shall reproue me of any faulte He is that high and euerlastyng priest whiche hath offered hymself once for all vpon the aulter of the Crosse and with that one oblacion hath made perfect for euermore them that are sāctified He is the alone mediator betwene God and man whiche paied our raunsome to God with his awne bloud and with that hath he clensed vs all from synne He is the Phisicion whiche healeth al our diseases He is that sauior whiche saueth his people from all their synnes To be shorte he is that flowyng moste plenteous fountain of whose fulnesse ▪ all we haue receiued For in hym alone are all the treasures of the wisedom and knowledge of God hidden And in hym and by hym haue wee frō God the father all good thynges perteinyng either to the body or to the soule O howe muche are wee bounde to this our heauenly father for his greate mercies whiche he hath so plenteously declared vnto vs in Christe Iesu our Lorde and sauior What thankes worthy and sufficient can we geue to him Let vs all with one accorde burste out with ioyfull voyces euer praisyng and magnifiyng this Lorde of mercy for his tendre kyndnesse shewed to vs in his derely beloued sonne Iesus Christ our lord Hetherto haue we heard what wee are of our selfes verely synfull wretched and dampnable again we haue heard how that of oure selfes and by oure selfes wee are not hable either to thynke a good thought ▪ or worke a good deede so that we can fynd in our selfes no hope of saluacion but rather whatsoeuer maketh vnto our destrucciō Again we haue heard the tendre kyndenesse and greate mercie of God the father towardes vs and how beneficial he is to vs for Christes sake without our merites or desertes euen o◠his awne meere mercie and tendre goodnesse Now how these excedyng greate mercies of God set abrode in Christe Iesu for vs bee obteined and how we be deliuered from the captiuitie of synne deathe and helle it shall more at large with Gods helpe be declared in the next Homelie In the meane season yea and at all tymes let vs learne to knowe our selfes our frailtie and weakenesse without any ostentacion or boostyng of our awne good dedes and merites let vs also knowledge The excedyng mercie of God towardes vs and confesse that as of our selfes commeth all euill and dampnaciō so likewise of hym commeth all goodnesse and saluacion as God hymself saieth by the prophet Oze O Israell thy destruccion commeth of thy self but in me onely is thy helpe and comforte If wee thus humbly submit our selfes in the sight of God wee maie bee sure that in the tyme of his visitacion he will lifte vs vp vnto the Kyngdome of his derely beloued sonne Christe Iesu our Lorde to whō with the father and the holy Ghoste bee all honour and glory for euer AMEN ¶ An Homelie of the saluacion of mankynd by onely Christ our sauior from synne and death euerlastyng BEcause all men be synners and offendors against GOD and breakers of his law and commaundementes therfore can no manne by his awne actes woorkes and deedes seme thei neuer so good be iustified and made righteous before God but euery man of necessitie is constrayned to seke for another righteousnesse or iustificacion to be receiued at Gods awne handes that is to saie the remission pardon and forgeuenesse of his synnes and trespasses in suche thynges as he hath offended And this iustificacion or righteousnesse whiche we so receiue by Gods mercie Christes merites embraced by faithe is taken accepted and allowed of God for our perfect and full iustificacion For the more ful vnderstandyng hereof it is our partes and duetie euer to remembre the greate mercie of God how that al the worlde beyng wrapped in synne by breakyng of the lawe God sent his onely sonne our sauior Chrste into this worlde to fulfill the lawe for vs and by shedyng of his moste precious bloud to make a sacrifice and satisfaccion or as it maie bee called amendes to his father for our synnes to asswage his wrathe and indignacion conceiued against vs for thesame In so much that infantes beyng baptised and diyng in their infancie ▪ are by this sacrifice wasshed from their synnes brought to Gods fauor and made his children and inheritors of his kyngdome of heauen And thei whiche actually do synne after their baptisme whē thei conuerte and turne again to God vnfainedly thei are likewise washed by this sacrifice from their synnes in suche sorte that there remaineth not any spotte of synne that shalbe imputed to their dampnacion This is that iustificacion or righteousnes whiche sainct Paule speaketh of when he saieth no man is iustified by the workes of the law but frely by faith in Iesus Christ. And again he saieth we beleue in Christ Iesu that we be iustified frely by the faith of Christe not by the workes of the lawe because that no man shalbe iustified by the workes of the law And although this iustificaciō be fre vnto vs yet it commeth not so frely vnto vs that there is no raunsome paied therfore at all But here maie mannes reason be astonied reasonyng after this fashion if a raunsome bee paied for our redempcion then is it not geuen vs freely For a prisoner that paieth his raunsome is not let go frely for if he go frely then he goeth without
to it Thus it is declared vnto you what true charitie or christiā loue is so plainly y t no mā nede to be deceiued Which loue whosoeuer kepeth not only towardes God whō he is boūd to loue aboue al thinges but also towardes his neighbor aswel frēd as foe it shal surely kepe him frō al offence of God iust offēce of mā Therfore beare well awai this one short lessō y t by true christiā charitie God ought to be loued aboue all thinges all men ought to be loued good euill frend and foo to all suche we ought as we maye to do good those that be good of loue to encourage and cherish because they be good and those that be euill of loue to procure their correctiō and due punishment that thei may therby either be brought to goodnes or at the leaste y t God and the common wealth may be the lesse hurt and offended And if we thus direct our life by christian loue and charitie then Christ doth promise assure vs that he loueth vs that we be the children of our heauenly father reconciled to hys fauor very membres of Christ and that after this short time of this present and mortall life we shal haue with hym eternal lyfe in his euerlastynge kyngdom of heauen therfore to hym with the father and the holy ghost be al honor and glory now and euer Amen ¶ Against swearyng and periury ALmightie God to the intēt his moste holy name should be had in honor euermore be magnified of the people commaundeth that no man shoulde take hys name vainly in his mouth threatenyng punishmente vnto hym that vnreuerently abuseth it by swearyng forswearyng and blasphemy To the intent therfore that thys commaundemente maye be the better knowen and kepte it shalbe declared vnto you bothe howe it is lawfull for christian people to sweare and also what perill and daunger it is vainly to sweare or to be forsworne Firste whē Iudges require othes of the people for declaracion of the truth or for execucion of iustice thys maner of swearynge is lawfull Also when men make faythfull promises with attestacion of the name of God to obserue couenaūtes honest promises statutes lawes and good customes as Christian princes do in their conclusiōs of peace for conseruacion of common wealthes priuate persones promyse their fidelitie in Matrimonie or one to another in honeste and true frendshippe and al men when they do sweare to kepe cōmon lawes or locall statutes and good customes for due ordre to be had and contynued emōg men when subiectes do sweare to be true and faythefull to their Kynge and souereygne Lorde and when Iudges Magistrates and officers sweare truely to execute their offices and when a man woulde affirme the trueth to the settynge furthe of Gods glory for the saluacion of the people in open preachynge of the Gospell or in geuyng of good counsayll priuately for their soules health All these maner of swearynges for causes necessary and honest be lawfull But when men do sweare of custome in reasonynge biyng and sellynge or other daily communicacion as many be common and greate swearers suche kynde of swearyng is vngodly vnlawefull and prohibited by the cōmaundement of God For suche swearyng is nothyng els but takynge of Gods holy name in vayn And here is to be noted that lawfull swearynge is not forbidden but commaunded of almightie God For we haue examples of Christ and Godly men in holy scripture that did sweare themselfes and required othes of other likewise And Gods commaundement is Thou shalte dreade thy Lorde God and shalt sweare by hys name And almighty God by his prophet Dauid sayeth all men shalbe praysed that sweare by hym Thus did oure sauior Christe sweare diuerse tymes saiyng verely verely And S. Paule sweareth thus I call God to witnesse And Abraham waxyng olde required an othe of hys seruaunt that he shoulde procure a wyfe for his sonne Isaac whiche should come of his awne kyndred and the seruaunt did sweare that he would perfourme hys Masters will Abraham also beynge required dyd sweare vnto Abimelech the king of Geraris that he should not hurte hym nor his posteritie And so likewyse did Abimelech sweare vnto Abraham And Dauid did sweare to be and continue a faithfull frende to Ionathas and Ionathas did sweare to become a faithfull frende vnto Dauid Also God once commaunded that if a thynge were laied to pledge to any man or left with him to kepe if thesame thing wer stolne or lost that the keper therof should be sworne before Iudges that he did not cōuey it away nor vsed any deceipt in causyng thesame to be conueyed away by hys cōsent or knowledge And s. Paule saieth that in al matters of controuersy betwene two persones whereas one saieth yea and the other nay so as no due profe can be had of the truthe the ende of euery suche controuersy muste be an othe ministered by a Iudge And moreouer God by the prophet Ieremy saieth thou shalt sweare the Lord liueth in truth in iudgemēt in righteousnesse So that whosoeuer sweareth whē he is required of a Iudge let hym be sure in his cōscience that hys othe haue these thre condicions he shall neuer nede to be afraied of periurie First he that sweareth must sweare truly that is he muste secludynge all fauor and affeccion to the parties haue the truthe onely before hys eyes and for loue thereof saye and speake that which he knoweth to be truth and no further The seconde is he that taketh an othe must do it with iudgemente not rasshely and vnaduisedly but soberly considerynge what an othe is The thyrde is he that sweareth muste sweare in righteousnesse that is for the very zeale and loue which he beareth to the defence of innocency to the maintenaunce of the truth and to y e righteousnes of the matter or cause all profite disprofite all loue and fauor vnto the persone for frendship or kyndred layed a parte Thus an othe if it haue with it these thre condicions is a parte of Gods glory whiche we are bounde by his commaundement to geue vnto hym For he willeth that we shall sweare onely by his name not that he hath pleasure in oure othes but like as he commaunded the Iewes to offre sacrifices vnto hym not for any delight that he had in theim but to kepe the Iewes from committyng of Idolatrie so he commaūdyng vs to sweare by his holy name doth not teache vs that he delighteth in swearyng but he thereby forbiddeth all men to geue his glory to any creature in heauen yearth or water Hetherto you se that othes lawfull are commaunded of God vsed of Patriarches and Prophetes of Christe hymself and of his Apostle Paule Therefore Christian people muste thinke lawful othes bothe godly and necessary For lawfull promises and couenauntes confirmed by by othes Princes and their countreys are confirmed in
threatenynges which should certifye them that as thei do ouer boldely presume of gods mercy and liue dissolutely so doeth God still more and more withdrawe his mercie from theim and he is so prouoked thereby to wrathe at lenght that he destroyeth suche presumers many tymes sodainly For of suche saincte Paule sayed thus when they shall saye it is peace there is no daunger then shall sodayn destruction come vpon theim Let vs beware therfore of suche naughtie boldenesse to synne for God whiche hath promised his mercie to them that bee truely repentaunte although it bee at the latter ende hath not promised to the presumpteous synner either that he shall haue long life or that he shal haue true repentaunce at the laste ende But for that purpose hath he made euery mannes deathe vncertayne that he should not put his hope in thend and in the meane season to Gods highe displeasure lyue vngodly Wherfore let vs folowe the counsaill of the WisemaÌ„ let vs make no tariyng to turne vnto the lord let vs not put of from daie to day for sodainly shal his wrath come and in tyme of vengeaunce he shal destroye the wycked Let vs therefore turne betymes and when we turne let vs praye to GOD as Ozee teacheth saiyng Forgeue vs all oure synnes receyue vs graciously And if we turne to him with an humble and a very penitent harte he wil receiue vs to his fauor and grace for his holy names sake for his promise sake for his truthe and mercies sake promysed to all faithefull beleuers in Iesus Christ his onely naturall sonne To whoÌ„ the onely sauiour of the world with the father and the holy ghost bee all honor glory and power world without end Amen ¶ An exhortation agaynst the feare of Death IT is not to be marueyled that worldly men do feare to dye For death depriueth them of all worldly honors riches and possessions in the fruition whereof the worldely man compteth hymself happie so long as he maye enioye theim at hys awne pleasure and other wyse if he be dispossessed of thesame without hope of recouery then he can none other thinke of himself but that he is vnhappie because he hath loste hys worldely ioye and pleasure Alas thinketh this carnall man shall I now depart for euer froÌ„ all my honors all my treasures from my countrey frendes riches possessioÌ„s and worldly pleasures whiche are my ioy and hartes delight Alas that euer that daie shal come wheÌ„ all these I muste bid farewell at once and neuer to enioye any of theÌ„ after Wherfore it is not without greate cause spoken of the wiseman O death how bitter and sower is the remembraunce of thee to a man that liueth in peace and prosperitie in his substaunce to a man liuyng at ease leading his life after his awne mind without trouble is therwithal well pampered and fed There be other men whom this world doth not so greatly laugh vpon but rather vexe and oppresse with pouertye sickenesse or some other aduersitie Yet thei do fear death partly because the fleashe abhorreth naturally his awne sorowful dissolucion whiche death doth threaten vnto theim and partely by reason of sickenesses and paynfull diseases whiche be moste strong pangues and agonies in the fleshe and vse commoÌ„ly to come to sicke men before death or at the leaste accompany death whensoeuer it commeth Although these twoo causes sâ—me great weightie to a worldly man wherupoÌ„ he is moued to feare death yet there is another cause much greater then any of these afore rehersed for whiche in dede he hath iuste cause to feare death and that is the state and coÌ„dicion wherunto at the last ende death bryngeth all them that haue their hartes fixed vpoÌ„ this world without repentaunce and amendemeÌ„t This state condicion is called the second death whiche vnto all suche shall insue after this bodily deathe And this is that death whiche in deede ought to be dread feared for it is an euerlasting losse without remedy of the grace fauor of God and of euerlastyng ioy pleasure and felicitie And it is not onely the losse for euer of all these eternall pleasures but also it is the condempnacion both of body soule without either appellacioÌ„ or hope of redempcion vnto euerlastynge paynes in hell Unto this state death sent the vnmercyfull and vngodly richeman that Luke speaketh of in his Gospell who liuyng in all wealthe and pleasure in this worlde and cherishyng himself daily with daintie fare and gorgeous apparel despiced poore Lazarus that lay pitifully at his gate miserably plagued and full of sores and also greuously pined with hunger Bothe these twoo were arrested of deathe whiche sent Lazarus the poore miserable man by aungels anone vnto Abrahams bosome a place of rest pleasure and consolacion But the vnmerciful rich-man descended doune into hel and beyng in tormeÌ„tes he cried for comforte complainyng of the intollerable payn that he suffered in that flamme of fire but it was to late So vnto this place bodily death sendeth all them that in this world haue their ioye and felicite all them that in this world be vnfaithfull vnto God and vncharitable vnto their neighbors so diyng without repentauÌ„ce hope of Gods mercie Wherfore it is no maruaile that the worldly man feareth death for he hath muche more cause so to do then he himself doeth considre Thus we se thre causes why worldly men feare death One because thei shal lose therby their worldely honors riches possessions and all their hartes desires Another because of the painfull diseases bitter pangues which commonly men suffre either before or at the tyme of death but the chiefe cause aboue al other is the dread of the miserable state of eternall dampnacion bothe of body and soule whiche they feare shal folow after their departyng out of the worldly pleasures of this present life For these causes be all mortall men whiche be geueÌ„ to the loue of this world both in feare state of death through syn as y e holy apostle saith so loÌ„g as thei liue here in this world But euerlasting thaÌ„kes be to almighty God for euer there is neuer one of al these causes no nor yet thei altogether that caÌ„ make a true Christian man afraied to dye whiche is the very membre of Christe the temple of the holy Ghoste the sonne of God â–ª and the very inheritor of the euerlastyng kyngdom of heauen but plainly contrary he conceiueth great and many causes vndoubtedly grounded vpon the infallyble and euerlastynge truth of the woorde of God whiche moue hym not onely to put away the feare of bodiely death but also for the manifolde benefites and singuler commodities whiche ensue vnto euery faithfull person by reason of thesame to wish desire longe hartely for it For death shall be to hym no death at all but a very deliueraunce from death froÌ„ all paynes cares and sorowes miseries
saluacion and gracious redempcion and beleue hys worde serue hym frō our hartes loue obeye hym and whatsoeuer we haue done heretofore contrarye to hys moste holy wyll now let vs repent in tyme and hereafter study to correct our lyfe doubt not but we shall finde hym as mercifull vnto vs as he was either to Lazarus or to y e thefe whose exāples are written in holy scripture for the comfort of thē that be sinners and subiecte to sorowes miseries calamities in this worlde that thei shoulde not despayre in Gods mercy but euer truste therby to haue forgiuenesse of their synnes lyfe euerlastinge as Lazarus and the thefe had Thus I trust euery christen man perceyueth by the infallible woorde of God that bodiely death cannot harme nor hinder theim that truly beleue in Christ but contrary shal profit promote the christen soules whiche beynge truly penitēt for their offences departe hēce in perfect charitie and in sure truste that God is mercifull to thē forgiuinge theyr synnes for the merites of Iesus Christe hys onely naturall sonne The seconde cause why some do feare death is sore sickenesse and greuous paynes whiche partly come before death and partely accompayneth deathe whensoeuer it cometh This feare is the feare of the frayle fleashe and a naturall passion belonginge vnto the nature of a mortall man But true fayth in Gods promyses and regarde of the paynes and pangues whiche Christe vpon the crosse suffered for vs miserable synners with consideracion of the ioye and euerlastyng lyfe to come in heauen wil mitigate those paynes and moderate thys feare y t it shall neuer be able to ouerthrowe the hartie desire and gladnesse that the christian soule hath to be seperated from thys corrupt body that it maye come to the gracious presence of our sauiour Iesus Christ. If we beleue stedfastly the woorde of god we shal perceyue that suche bodiely sickenesse pangues of death or whatsoeuer dolorous paynes we suffre either before or with death be nothynge els in Christē mē but the rodde of our heauenly and louynge father wherwith he mercifully correcteth vs either to trie and declare the faythe of hys pacient chyldren that they maye be founde laudable glorious and honorable in hys sight when Iesus Christ shalbe openly shewed to be the Iudge of al the worlde or els to chastise and amende in them whatsoeuer offendeth hys fatherly and gracious goodnesse lest they shoulde peryshe euerlastingly And this hys correctynge rodde is common to all them that be truly hys Therfore let vs caste away the burden of synne that lyeth so heuye in our neckes and returne vnto God by true penaunce and amendemente of our lyfes Let vs with paciēce runne thys course that is appoynted sufferyng for hys sake that dyed for our saluacion al sorowes and pangues of death and death it selfe ioyfully when God sendeth it to vs hauynge our eyes fixed euer vpon the heade and capitayn of our fayth Iesus Christe Who considerynge the ioye that he shoulde come vnto cared neyther for the shame nor payne of deathe but willingly conformyng hys wyll to hys fathers wyll moste paciently suffered the moste shamefull and paynefull deathe of the crosse beyng innocent And now therfore he is exalted in heauen and euerlastingly sitteth on the rigtht hande of the throne of God the father Let vs call to our remembraunce therfore the lyfe and ioyes of heauen that are kepte for al them that paciently doo suffre here with Christe and cōsider that Christe suffered all hys paynfull passion by synners and for synners and then we shall with pacience and the more easyly suffre suche sorowes and paynes when they come Let vs not set at light the chastisinge of the Lorde nor grudge at hym nor fall from hym when of hym we be corrected for the Lorde loueth them whom he doth correcte and beateth euery one whom he taketh to be hys chylde What chylde is that saieth saincte Paule whome the father loueth and doth not chastice If ye be without Gods correctiō which al hys welbeloued and true children haue then be you but bastardes finally regarded of God not hys true chyldren Therfore seynge that whē we haue in earth our carnall fathers to be our correctors we do feare them and reuerently take their correction shall we not much more be in subieccion to God our spirituall father by whome we shall haue eternal lyfe And our carnall fathers some tyme correct vs euen as pleaseth thē without cause but this father iustely correcteth vs either for our synne to the intēt we should amende or for our commoditie wealthe to make vs therby partakers of his holynesse Furthermore all correction whiche God sendeth vs in thys present tyme semeth to haue no ioye and comforte but sorowe and payne Yet it bringeth with it a taste of Gods mercye and goodnes towardes thē that be so corrected a sure hope of Godes euerlastyng consolacion in heauē If then these sorowes diseases and sickenesses and also death it selfe be nothyng els but our heauenly fathers rod wherby he certifieth vs of hys loue gracious fauor wherby he trieth and purifieth vs wherby he geueth vnto vs holynesse certifieth vs that we be hys children and he our mercifull father shall not we then with all humilitie as obedyent louyng chyldren ioyfully kysse our heauenly fathers rod and euer saye in oure harte with oure sauior Iesus Christe Father if this āguishe and sorowe wich I fele and death which I se approche maye not passe but that thy wyll is that I muste suffre them thy wyll be done Now the thirde and speciall cause why death in deede is too be feared is the miserable state of the worldly and vngodly people after their death But this is no cause at all why the godly and faytheful people should feare death but rather contrariwise their godly conuersacion in thys lyfe and beliefe in Christ cleauing continually to hys merites should make them to longe sore after that lyfe that remayneth for them vndoubtedly after this bodely death Of this immortall state after thys transitory lyfe where we shal liue euermore in the presence of god in ioye and reste after victory ouer all sickenes sorowes sinne and death there be many bothe playn places of holy scripture which confirme the weake conscience agaynst the feare of al suche dolours sickenesses synne and death corporal to asswage such trembling and vngodly feare and to encourage vs with comforte and hope of a blessed state after thys life Sainct Paule wissheth vnto the Ephesians y t God the father of glory woulde geue vnto theim y e spirite of wisedome and reuelacion that the eyes of their hartes might haue light to knowe him and to perceyue how great thinges he had called thē vnto and how riche inheritaunce he hath prepared after this life for thē that perteyne vnto hym And sainct Paul himself declareth the desire of his hart which was
vs for oure goodnes shewed to them as if he him selfe had receyued lyke benefite at oure handes as he witnesseth in the Gospell saiynge Whatsoeuer ye haue done to any of these symple persones whiche do beleue in me that haue ye doen to my selfe Therfore let vs diligently forese that our fayth and hope whiche we haue conceyued in almightie God and in oure sauioure Christe waxe not faynte nor that the loue whiche we pretende to beare to hym waxe not coulde but let vs studye dayly and diligently to shewe oure selfes to be the true honorers and louers of God by kepynge of his commaundemētes by doyng of good dedes vnto our nedy neighbors releuynge by all meanes that we can their pouertye with our abundaunce their ignoraunce with oure wisedome and learnynge and comforte their weakenesse with oure strength and aucthoritie calling all men backe from euill doynge by Godly counsayll and good example perseuerynge styll in well doynge so longe as we lyue So shall we not nede to feare death for any of those three causes afore mencioned nor yet for any other cause that can be imagined But contrary consideryng the manifold sickenesses troubles sorowes of this present lyfe the daungers of this perilous pilgrimage and the greate encombraunce whiche oure spirite hath by thys synful fleshe and frayle body subiect to death considerynge also the manifolde sorowes and daūgerous deceiptes of this world on euery side the intollerable pride coueteousnes and lechery in tyme of prosperitie the impacient murmurynge of them that be worldly in tyme of aduersitie whiche cease not to withdrawe and plucke vs from God oure sauioure Christe from oure life wealth or eternal ioy and saluacion considerynge also the innumerable assaultes of oure Ghostly enemy the deuill with al his fiery dartes of ambicion pryde lechery vain-glory enuie malice detractiō with other hys innumerable deceiptes engines and snares whereby he goeth busely aboute to catche al men vnder his dominion euer lyke a roreynge Lyon by all meanes searchynge whome he maye deuoure the faythfull Christian man which considereth al these miseries perilles and incommodities whereunto he is subiecte so longe as he here liueth vpon earthe and on the other part considereth that blessed and comfortable state of the heauēly lyfe to come and the swete condicion of them that departe in the Lorde howe they are deliuered from the continuall encombraūces of their mortall and synfull bodye from all the malice craftes and deceiptes of this world from al the assaultes of their ghostly enemy the deuil to liue in peace reste and perpetuall quietnes to liue in the felowship of innumerable Aungelles and with the congregacion of perfecte iuste mē as Patriarches Prophetes Martyrs and Confessors and finally vnto the presence of almighty God and oure sauior Iesus Christe He that doeth consider all these thinges and beleueth theim assuredly as they are to be beleued euen from the botome of his harte beynge established in God in thys true faythe hauynge a quiete conscience in Christe a firme hope and assured trust in Gods mercy through the merites of Iesu Christe to obteyne thys quietnes reste and eternall ioye shal not onely be without feare of bodiely deathe when it commeth but certainlye as saincte Paule did so shall he gladly accordynge to Gods will and when it pleaseth God to call hym oute of thys lyfe greately desyre in hys harte that he maye be rid from al these occasions of euil and liue euer to Gods pleasure in perfecte obedience of hys will with our sauior Iesus Christe to whose gracious presence the Lorde of hys infinitie mercye and grace brynge vs to reigne with hym in lyfe euerlastynge To whome with oure heauenly father and the holy Ghoste be glorye in worldes without ende AMEN ¶ An exhortacion concernyng good ordre and obedience to rulers and magistrates ALmightie God hath created appointed all thinges in heauē yearth and waters in a moste excellent and perfect ordre In heauē he hath appoynted distinct orders and states of Archangelles and Angels In yearth he hath assigned kynges princes with other gouernors vnder them all in good necessary ordre The water aboue is kept and raineth doune in due time and ceason The sunne mone sterres rainbow thūder lightning cloudes and al birdes of the aire do kepe their ordre The yearth trees seedes plantes herbes corne grasse and all maner of beastes kepe thē in their ordre All the partes of y e whole yeare as winter somer monethes nightes dayes continue in their ordre All kyndes of fishes in the sea riuers and waters with all fountaynes sprynges yea the seas themselfes kepe their comely course and ordre And mā hymself also hath al his partes both within without as soule harte mynd memory vnderstandyng reason speache withall and singuler corporall mēbres of his body in a profitable necessary and pleasaunt ordre Euery degre of people in their vocacion callyng office hath appoynted to them their duetie ordre Some are in high degre some in lowe some kynges princes some inferiors and subiectes priestes and laimen masters seruauntes fathers chyldren husbandes and wifes riche and poore and euery one haue nede of other so that in all thinged is to be laudes praysed the goodly ordre of God without the whiche no house no citie no cōmon wealth can continue endure For where there is no right ordre there reigneth all abuse carnall libertie enormitie syn babilonicall cōfusion Take awaye kynges princes rulers magistrates iudges and such states of Gods ordre no man shal ride or go by the high waie vnrobbed no man shall slepe in his awne house or bed vnkilled no mā shall kepe his wife children possessions in quietne sall thynges shal be cōmon and there must nedes folow all mischief and vtter destructiō both of soules bodies goodes and common wealthes But blessed be God that we in this realme of England fele not the horrible calamities miseries wretchednes which al thei vndoubtedly fele suffre y t lacke this godly ordre And praised be God that we knowe the great excellēt benefite of god shewed towards vs in this behalfe God hath sente vs his high gifte our most dere souereigne lord king Edward y e sixt with godly wise and honorable coūsail with other superiors and inferiors in a beautifull ordre Wherefore let vs subiectes do our bounden duties geuing hartie thankes to God and praiyng for the preseruaciō of this Godly ordre Let vs al obey euen from the botome of our hartes al their Godly procedynges lawes statutes proclamacions and iniunctiōs with al other Godly orders Let vs considre the scriptures of the holy ghost whiche perswade cōmaunde vs all obediently to be subiect First chiefly to the kynges maiestie supreme had ouer all next to his honorable counsail and to all other noble men magistrates and officers which by Gods goodnes be placed and ordered for almightie God is the
of God for hereunto verely were ye called For so did Christ suffre for vs leauyng vs an exāple that we should folow his steppes Al these be the very wordes of s Peter s Dauid also teacheth vs a good lesson in this behalfe who was many tymes most cruelly wrongfullye persecuted of kyng Saule and many tymes also put in ieoperdy and daūger of his life by kyng Saule his people yet he neuer resysted neither vsed any force or violence against kyng Saule his mortall enemy but did euer to his liege Lorde master kyng Saule moste true most diligent and most faithfull seruice In so muche y t when the lord God had geuē kyng Saule into Dauides hādes in his awn caue he would not hurt him when he myght without all bodily perill easly haue slain hym no he would not suffre any of his seruaūtes once to lay their handes vpon kyng Saule but praied to god in this wise lord kepe me from doyng that thyng vnto my master the lordes anoynted kepe me that I laye not my hande vpon him seyng he is y e anoynted of the lorde for as truly as the lorde liueth except the lorde smyte him or except his day come or that he go doune to warre in battaill perishe the Lorde be mercifull vnto me that I lay not my hand vpon the lordes anoynted And y t Dauid mighte haue killed his enemye kyng Saule it is euidētly proued in the first boke of the kynges both by y e cuttyng of y e lap of Saules garment also by the playn cōfession of kyng Saule Also another time as it is mēcioned in the same boke whē the most vnmercifull most vnkynd kyng Saule did persecute poore Dauid God did agayn geue kyng Saule into Dauides hādes by castyng of kyng Saul his whole army into a dead slepe so that Dauid and one Abisai with him came in the night into Saules hoste wher Saule lay slepyng and his speare stacke in the groūd at his hed Then said Abisai vnto Dauid God hath deliuered thyne enemy into thy hādes at this tyme now therfore let me smyte him once with my spear to the yearth and I will not smyte him agayn the seconde tyme meanyng thereby to haue kylled hym with one stroke to haue made him sure for euer And Dauid answered sayd to Abisai destroy him not for who cā lay his hādes on the lordes anoynted be giltles And Dauid said furthermore as sure as the lord liueth the lord shal smite him or his day shall come to dye or he shall descend into battaill there perish The lord kepe me frō laiyng my handes vpon the lordes anoynted But take thou now the speare y t is at his head the cruse of water let vs go and so he did Here is euidently proued that we may not resyst nor in any wayes hurt an anoynted kyng which is Gods liuetenaūt vecegerent and highest minister in that countrey where he is kyng But peraduenture some here would saye that Dauid in his awne defence might haue killed kyng Saule lawfully with a safe conscience But holy Dauid did knowe that he might in no wise resist hurt or kyl his souereigne lorde kyng he dyd knowe that he was but king Saules subiect though he wer in great fauor with God his enemy king Saule out of gods fauor Therfore though he wer neuer so much prouoked yet he refused vtterly to hurt the lordes anoynted He durst not for offending God his awne cōscience althought he had occasion opportunitie once lay his handes vpō Gods high officer y e king whō he did know to be a person reserued for his office sake onely to Gods punishmēt and iudgemēt Therfore he prayeth so ofte so earnestly y t he laye not his handes vpon the Lordes anoynted And by these .ii. exāples s. Dauid beyng named in scripture a man after Gods awne hart geueth a general rule and lesson to all subiectes in the world not to resist their liege lord king not to take a sweard by their priuate aucthoritie against their king gods anointed who onely beareth the sweard by gods aucthoritie for the maintenaūce of the good for the punishmēt of y e euil who onely by Gods law hath the vse of the swearde at his cōmaundemēt also hath all power iurisdiction regiment coercion as supreme gouernor of all his realmes dominiōs and that euen by the aucthoritie of god by gods ordinaunces Yet another notable story doctrine is in the second boke of the kynges that maketh also for this purpose Whē an Amalechite by king Saules awn cōsent cōmaūdemēt had kylled kyng Saul he wēt to Dauid supposing to haue had great thāke for his message that he had killed Dauids mortall enemy and therfore he made great hast to tel to Dauid the chaūce bringyng with him kyng Saules croune that was vpon his hed and his bracelet that was vpon his arme to perswade his tidynges to be true But godly Dauid was so farr frō reioysyng at these newes that immediatly he rēt his clothes of his backe he mourned wepte and sayde to the messenger how is it that thou wast not afraied to laie thy hādes on the lordes anoynted to destroy him And by by Dauid made one of his seruauntes to kil y e messenger saiyng thy bloud be on thine awne hed for thy awn mouth hath testified against the grauntyng y t thou hast slain the Lordes anoynted These examples being so manifest euident it is an intollerable ignoraūce madnesse and wickednesse for subiectes to make any murmuryng rebellion resistence commocion or insurrection agaynst their moste dere most dread souereigne lorde and kyng ordeined and appoynted of Gods goodnesse for their cōmoditie peace and quietnes Yet let vs beleue vndoubtedly good christiā people that we may not obey Kynges Magistrates or any other though thei be our awne fathers if thei would cōmaunde vs to do any thyng contrary to Gods cōmaundemētes In such a case we ought to say with the Apostles we must rather obeye God then man But neuertheles in y e case we maye not in any wyse resist violētly or rebell against rulers or make any insurrection sediciō or tumultes either by force of armes or otherwaies against the anoynted of the Lord or any of his appointed officers But we must in suche case paciently suffre all wronges and iniuries referryng the iudgement of oure cause onely to God Let vs feare y e terrible punishmēt of almightie God against traitors or rebellious persones by the example of Chore Dathan and Abiron whiche repined and grudged against Gods Magistrates and officers and therfore the earth opened swallowed them vp a liue Other for their wicked murmuryng rebelliō wer by a sodain fire sent of God vtterly consumed Other for their froward behauiour to their rulers gouernors Gods ministers were sodainly
the euill and vicious people Let vs praye that they may faithfully folowe the moste faithfull kynges and capitaines in the Bible Dauid Ezechias Iosias Moses with such other And let vs praye for our selfes that we maye liue Godly in holy and christiā cōuersaciō so we shal haue God of our side And then let vs not feare what man can do against vs so we shall liue in true obedience bothe to oure moste mercifull kynge in heauen and to oure moste Christian kynge in earthe so shall we please God and haue the excedynge benefite peace of consciēce reste and quietnesse here in this worde after thys lyfe we shall enioye a better lyfe rest peace and the eternal blisse of heauē whiche he graunt vs all that was obedient for vs al euē to the death of the crosse Iesus Christ to whom with the father and the holy ghost be al honor glory bothe now euer Amen ¶ An Homelie of whoredome and vnclennesse ALthough there want not good christian people great swarmes of vices worthi to be rebuked vnto such decai is true godlynes verteous liuinge now come yet aboue other vices the outragious seas of adultery whoredome fornicacion and vnclennesse haue not onelye braste in but also ouerflowed almoste the whoole worlde vnto the greate dishonor of God the excedyng infamie of the name of Christ the notable decay of true religion and the vtter destruction of the publique wealthe and that so abundātly that through the customable vse thereof thys vice is growē into suche an height that in a maner emong many it is compted no sin at all but rather a pastyme a dalliaunce and but a touche of youthe not rebuked but winked at not punyshed but laughed at wherfore it is necessarye at this presente to entreat of the syn of whoredom and fornicacion declaringe vnto you the greatnes of this syn and how odious hatefull and abhominable it is and hath alwaye been reputed before God and al good men and how greuously it hath been punished bothe by the lawe of God and the lawes of diuerse princes Again to shewe you certayne remedies whereby ye maye through the grace of God eschew this moste detestable synne of whoredom and fornicacion and lead youre lyfes in all honestie and cleannesse And that ye maye perceiue that fornicacion and whoredome are in the sight of God moste abhominable synnes ye shall call to remembraunce this commaundemēt of GOD thou shalte not commit adultery by the whiche woorde adultery although it bee properly vnderstande of the vnlawful commixcion of a maryed manne with any woman beside his wife or of a wife with any man beside her husbande yet therby is signified also all vnlawfull vse of those partes whiche bee ordeined for generacion And this one commaundement forbiddyng adultery dooth sufficiently painte and sette out before our iyes the greatnesse of this synne of whoredome and manifestly declareth how greatly it ought to bee abhorred of all honest and faithfull persones And that none of vs all shall thynke hymselfe excepted from this commaundement whether we be old or young maried or vnmaried man or woman heare what God the father saieth by his mooste excellent Prophete Moses there shalbee no whore emong the daughters of Israell nor no whoremongers emong the sonnes of Israell Here is whoredome fornicacion and all vnclennesse forbidden to all kyndes of people all degrees and all ages without excepcion And that wee shall not doubt but that this precept perteineth to vs in deede heare what Christe the perfecte teacher of all truthe saieth in the newe Testament ye haue heard saieth Christe that it was saied to theim of the old tyme thou shalte not commit adultery but I saie vnto you whosoeuer seeth a womā to haue his lust of her hath committed adultery with her all ready in his harte Here our sauior Christe doth not onely confirme and stablishe the lawe agaynste adultery geuen in the olde Testament of God the father by his seruaunt Moses and make it of full strength continually to remain emong the professors of his name in the newe lawe But he also condempnyng the grosse interpretacion of the Scribes and Phariseis whiche taught that the aforesaied commaundement onely required to abstein from the outward adultery and not from the filthie desires and vnpure lustes teacheth vs an exacte and full perfeccion of puritie and clennesse of life bothe to kepe our bodies vndefiled and our hartes pure and fre from all euill thoughtes carnall desires and fleshly consentes Howe can wee then bee free from this commaundement where so greate charge is laied vpon vs Maie a seruaunt do what he will in any thyng hauyng a commaundement of his master to the cōtrary Is not Christe our Master Are not wee his seruauntes Howe then maie wee neglecte our Masters will and pleasure and folowe oure awne will and phantasie Ye are my frendes saieth Christe if you kepe those thynges that I commaunde you Nowe hath Christe our Master commaunded vs that we should forsake all vnclennesse and lecherie bothe in body and spirite this therfore must we do if we loke to please GOD. In the Gospell of sainct Matthewe we reade that the Scribes and Phariseis were greuously offended with Christe because his disciples did not kepe the tradicions of the fore fathers for thei washed not their handes when thei went to diner or supper and emong other thynges Christ aunswered and saied heare and vnderstand not that thyng whiche entereth into the mouthe defileth the man but that whiche commeth out of the mouthe defileth the man For those thinges whiche procede out of the mouthe come furth from the hart and thei defile the man For out of the hart procede euill thoughtes murders breakyng of wedlocke whoredome theftes false witnes blasphemies these are the thynges whiche defile a man Here maie we se that not onely murder thefte false witnes blasphemie defile men but also euill thoughtes breakyng of wedlocke fornicacion and whoredome Who is nowe of so litle witte that he will esteme whoredome and fornicacion to bee thynges of smal importaunce and of no waight before God Christe whiche is the truthe and cannot lye saieth that euill thoughtes breakyng of wedlocke whoredome and fornicacion defile a manne that is to saie corrupte bothe the body and soule of manne and make theim of the Temples of the holy Ghoste the filthy dunghill or dungeon of all vncleane spirites of the Mansion of GOD the dwellyng place of Sathan Agayne in the Gospell of saincte Ihon when the woman taken in adultery was broughte vnto Christe saied not he vnto her Go thy waie and synne no more Dooth not he here call whoredome synne And what is the rewarde of synne but euerlastyng deathe If whoredome bee synne then is it not lawful for vs to commit it For. S. Ihon saith he that cōmitteth synne is of the deuill And our sauior saith euery one that committeth syn
is the seruaunt of syn If whoredom had not been syn surely S. Ihon Baptist would neuer haue rebuked kyng Herode for takyng his brothers wife but he tolde him plainly that it was not lawfull for him to take his brothers wife He wynked not at the whoredom of Herode although he wer a kyng of greate power but boldely reproued hym for his wicked and abhominable liuyng although for thesame he lost his hedde But he would rather suffre deathe then see GOD so dishonored by the breakyng of his holy precept then to suffre whoredome to be vnrebuked euen in a Kyng If whoredome had been but a pastyme a daliaunce and a thyng not to bee passed of as many coumpt it now a daies truely Ihon had been more then twyse madde if he would haue had the displeasure of a king if he would haue been cast into prison and lost his hedde for a trifle But Ihō knewe right well how filthy stynkyng and abhominable the synne of whoredome is in the sight of GOD therefore would not he leaue it vnrebuked no not in a kyng If whoredome bee not lawfull in a kyng neither is it lawfull in a subiect If whoredome bee not lawfull in a publique officer neither is it lawfull in a priuate persone If it bee not lawfull neither in kyng nor subiecte neither in commō officer nor priuate persone truely then is it lawfull in no man nor woman of whatsoeuer degree or age thei bee Furthermore in the Actes of the Apostles we reade that when the Apostles and Elders with the whole congregacion were gathered together to pacifie the hartes of the faithfull dwellyng at Antioche whiche were disquieted through the false doctryne of certain Iewishe preachers thei sente worde to the brethren that it semed good to the holy ghost and to them to charge them with no more then with necessary thynges emōg other thei willed them to abstein from Idolatry and fornicacion frō which said thei if ye kepe your selfes ye shal do wel Note here how these holy and blessed fathers of Christes Churche would charge the congregacion with no mo thynges then wer necessary Marke also how emong those thynges from the whiche thei commaunded the brethren of Antioche to abstein fornicacion and whoredom is numbred It is therfore necessary by the determinacion and consent of the holy ghost and the apostles and elders with the whole congregacion that as from Idolatry and supersticion so likewise we must abstein from fornicaciō and whoredom Is it necessary vnto saluaciō to abstein from Idolatry So is it to abstein from whoredom Is there any nigher waie to leade vnto dampnacion then to bee an Idolater No euen so neither is there a nerer waie to dampnacion then to be a fornicator and an whoremonger Now where are those people whiche so lightly esteme breakyng of wedlocke whoredom fornicaciō and adultery It is necessary saieth the holy ghost the blessed Apostles the elders with the whole congregacion of Christ it is necessary to saluacion saiethe to abstein from whoredō If it bee necessary vnto saluacion then wo be to them whiche neglectyng their saluacion geue their myndes to so filthye and stinkyng sinne to so wicked vice to suche detestable abhominacion But lette vs heare what the blessed Apostle sainct Paule saith to this matter Writyng to the Romaynes he hath these wordes Let vs cast awaie the woorkes of darkenes and put on the armours of light Let vs walke honestly as it wer in the daie tyme not in eatyng and drynkyng neither in chambrynges and wantonnesse neither in striefe and enuiyng but put ye on the Lorde Iesus Christ and make not prouision for the fleshe to fulfill the lustes of it Here the holy Apostle exhorteth vs to caste awaie the workes of darkenesse whiche emōg other he calleth gluttonous eatyng drinkyng chāberyng and wantonnesse whiche all are ministeries vnto that vice and preparacions to induce bring in the filthy synne of the fleshe He calleth theim the deedes and woorkes of darkenes not onely because thei are customably dooen in darkenesse or in the night tyme for euery one that doth euill hateth the light neither commeth he to the light least his workes should be reproued but that thei lead the right waie vnto that vtter darkenesse where wepyng and gnashyng of teethe shalbee And he saieth in another place of thesame Epistle Thei that are in the fleshe cannot please GOD. We are debtors to the fleshe not that wee should liue after the fleshe for if ye liue after the fleshe ye shall dye Agayn he saieth flye from whoredome for euery synne that a manne committeth is without his bodye but whosoeuer committeth whoredome synneth against his awne body Dooe ye not knowe that youre membres are the Temple of the holy Ghoste whiche is in you whom also ye haue of GOD and ye are not youre awne For ye are derely bought glorifie GOD in your bodies c. And a litle before he saieth Dooe ye not knowe that your bodies are the membres of Christe Shall I then take the membres of Christ and make them the membres of an whore God forbid Do ye not knowe that he whiche cleueth to an whore is made one body with her There shalbee two in one fleshe saith he but he that cleueth to the lorde is one spirite What Godly reasons doth the blessed apostle s. Paule bryng furth here to disswade vs from whoredom and al vnclennesse Your members saieth he are the Temple of the holy Ghoste whiche whosoeuer doth defile God wil destroy him as saieth s. Paule If we be the Temple of the holy Ghoste how vnsittyng then is it to driue that holy spirite frō vs through whoredome and in his place to set the wicked spirites of vnclennesse and fornicacion and to be ioyned and do seruice to theim Ye are derely bought saieth he therefore glorifie God in your bodies Christ that innocent lambe of God hath bought vs from the seruitude of the deuil not with corruptible gold and siluer but with his most precious and dere harte bloudde To what intente That wee should fall again vnto our olde vnclennesse and abhominable liuyng Naie verely But that wee should serue hym all the daies of our life in holinesse and righteousnesse that we should glorifie hym in our bodies by puritie and clennesse of life He declareth also that our bodies are the members of Christe How vnsemely a thyng is it then to cease to bee incorporate and one with Christe and through whoredome to be ioyned and made all one with an whore What greater dishonor or iniurie can we do to Christ then to take awaie from hym y e members of his body and to ioyne them to whores deuils and wicked spirites And what more dishonoure can we do to our selfes then through vnclennesse to lose so excellent a dignitie and fredome and to become bonde slaues and miserable captiues to the spirites of darkenesse Lette vs therefore considre first the glory
and deformitie of this most detestable vice your stomackes maye be moued to ryse agaynst it and to detest abhorre that synne which is so much to be hated and so pernicious and hurtful to al mē But emong all kyndes of contencion none is more hurtfull then is contencion in matters of religion Eschewe saieth sainct Paul foolish and vnlearned questions knowyng that they breed strife It becōmeth not the seruaunt of God to fighte or stryue but to be meke towarde all men This contencion strife was in saincte Paules tyme emonge the Corinthians and is at this time emonge vs Englishe men For to many there be which vpon the Alebenches or other places delight to propounde certayne questions not so muche perteyning to edificacion as to vainglory and ostentacion and so vnsoberly to reason and dispute that when neyther partye wil geue place to other they fall to chydynge and contēcion and somtyme from hote wordes to further inconueniēce Sainct Paul could not abyde to heare emong the Corinthians these wordes of discorde or dissencion I holde of Paule I of Cephas and I of Apollo What would he then say if he hearde these woordes of contencion whiche be now almoste in euery mās mouth he is a Pharisei he is a gospeler he is of the new sorte he is of the olde faythe he is a new broched brother he is a good catholique father he is a papist he is an heretique Oh how y e churche is diuided Oh how the cyties be cutte mangled Oh how y e coote of Christ that was without seame is all to rent torne Oh body misticall of Christe where is that holy happy vnitie out of the which whosoeuer is he is not in Christ If one membre be pulled from another where is the body If the body be drawē frō the head where is the lyfe of the body We cannot be ioynted to Christ our head except we be glued with cōcord charitie one to another For he that is not in this vnitie is not of the churche of Christ whiche is a congregaciō or vnitie together not a diuision Sainct Paul saieth that as long as emulacion contencion and factions be emonge vs we be carnal and walke according to the fleshly man And sainct Iames saieth If you haue bitter emulacion contenciō in your hartes glory not of it for where as contencion is there is incōstancy al euill deades And why do we not heare s Paule which prayeth vs where as he might cōmaund vs saiyng I beseche you in y e name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you wil speake al one thinge y t there be no dissencion emong you but that you wil be one whole body of one mynd of one opiniō in y e truth If his desire be reasonable honest why do we not graūt it if his request be for our profit why do we refuse it And if we list not to heare hys peticion of praier yet let vs heare his exhortaciō wher he saith ▪ I exhorte you that you walke as it becommeth the vocacion in the whiche you be called with all submission and mekenes with lenitie and softenes of mynde bearynge one another by charitye studiyng to kepe the vnitie of the spirit by the bond of peace For there is one body one spirit one fayth one baptisme There is he saieth but one body of y e whiche he can be no liuely membre that is at variaunce w t the other membres There is one spirit whiche ioyneth and knitteth all thynges in one And how can this one spirit reigne in vs when we emonge oure selfes be diuided There is but one fayth and howe can we then saye he is of the olde fayth and he is of the new faythe There is but one baptisme and thē shall not all they whiche be baptised be one Contencion causeth diuision wherfore it oughte not to be emong christiās whome one faith and baptisme ioyneth in an vnitie But if we contempne saincte Paules requeste and exhortaciō yet at the least let vs regarde hys obtestacion in the whithe he doeth very earnestly charge vs and as I may so speake coniure vs in thys fourme and maner If there be any consolacion in Christe if there be any comforte of loue if you haue any communion of the spirite if you haue any bowelles of pitie and compassiō fulfyll my ioye beyng all like affected hauynge one charitie beinge of one mynd of one opiniō that nothyng be done by contencion or vainglory Who is he that hath any bowelles of pitie that wyll not be moued with these wordes so pithy whose hart is so stony but that y e sworde of these wordes whiche bee more sharpe then any two edged swoorde maye not cutte and breake a sondre Wherfore let vs endeuour our selfes to fulfil s. Paules ioye here in thys place whiche shalbe at length to our greate ioye in another place Let vs so reade the scripture that by readynge therof we maye be made the better liuers rather then the more contencious disputers If any thyng is necessary to be taught reasoned or disputed let vs do it with all mekenes softnes lenitie If any thyng shall chaunce to be spoken vncomly let one beare anothers frailtie He that is faulty let hym rather amende then defend that which he hath spoken amisse lest he falle by contenciō from a foolish errour into an obstinate heresie for it is better to geue place mekely then to winne y e victory with the breach of charitie which chaūceth where euery man will defende hys opinion obstinately If we be christen men why do we not folowe Christe whiche saieth learne of me for I am meeke and lowely in hart A disciple muste learne the lesson of his scholemaster and a seruaunt must obey the commaundement of hys master He that is wise learned saieth s. Iames let hym shewe hys goodnes by hys good conuersacion and sobernes of hys wysedome For where there is enuy and contencion that wysedome commeth not from God but is worldly wysedome mans wysedome and deuilishe wysedome For the wysedome that commeth from aboue from the spirit of God is chast and pure corrupted with no euil affeccions it is quiet meke and peaceable abhorringe all desyre of contenciō it is tractable obediēt not grudgyng to learne and to geue place to them that teache better for their reformacion For there shall neuer be an ende of striuinge and contencion if we contende who in contencion shalbe master haue the ouerhande if we shall heape erroure vpon errour if we continue to defend y t obstinately which was spokē vnaduisedly For truth it is that stifnes in mainteyning an opiniō bredeth contenciō braulyng and chiding whiche is a vice emong all other most pernicious and pestilent to cōmon peace and quietnes And as it standeth betwixt two persons parties for no man commonly doth chide with him self so it comprehendeth two most detestable
our wil â–ª hartes â–ª might and power to serue him in all good dedes obeyng his commaundementes during our lifes to seke in al thinges his glory and honor not our sensuall pleasures vaynglory euermore dreadynge willingly to offende suche a merciful God louyng redemer in worde thought or dede And the sayde benefites of God depely considered do moue vs for his sake also to be euer redy to geue our selfes to our neighbors and asmuch as lyeth in vs â–ª to study with all oure indeuour to doo good to euery man These be the fruites of the true faythe to do good asmuche as lieth in vs to euery man And aboue all thynges and in all thinges to auaunce the glory of God of whom only we haue our sanctificacion iustificacion saluacion and redempcion â–ª To whome be euer glory prayse and honor â–ª worlde without ende AMEN ¶ A short declaration of the true liuely and Christian Faithe THE firste entrie vnto God good christian people is through faith whereby as it is declared in the laste Sermon we be iustifyed before God And least any maÌ„ should be deceyued for lacke of right vnderstanding thereof it is diligently to be noted that faythe is taken in the scripture two manes of wayes There is one fayth whiche in scripture is called a dead faythe whiche bryngeth furth no good workes but is idle barrain and vnfruitefull And this faith by the holy Apostle sainct Iames is compared to the fayth of deuilles which beleue God to be true and iuste and tremble for feare yet they do nothynge well but al euill And suche a maner of fayth haue the wicked and naughtie thristian people whiche confesse God as saincte Paule sayeth in their mouthe but denye hym in their deedes beynge abhominable and withoute the righte fayth and to all good workes reproueable And this faith is a persuasioÌ„ and belief in maÌ„nes harte wherby he knoweth that there is a God and assenteth vnto all trueth of Gods moste holye worde conteyned in holy scripture So that it consisteth onely in beleuing of the woorde of God that it is true And thys is not properlye called faythe But as he that readeth Cesars Commentaries beleuyng thesame to be true hath thereby a knowledge of Cesars lyfe and noble actes because he beleueth the history of Cesar yet it is not properly saied that he beleueth in Cesar of whome he loketh for no helpe nor benefite Euen so he that beleueth that all that is spoken of God in the Bible is true and yet liueth so vngodly that he caÌ„not loke to enioy the promises and benefites of God although it maye be saide that such a man hath a faith belief to y e wordes of God yet it is not properly saied that he beleueth in God or hath suche a fayth truste in God wherby he may surely loke for grace mercy eternall lyfe at Gods hand but rather for indignacion punishment according to the merites of hys wicked life For as it is written in a boke entituled to be of Didimus AlexaÌ„drinus forasmuch as faith without workes is ded it is not now faith as a ded man is not a man This ded faith therfore is not y t sure and substancial faith which saueth synners Another fayth there is in scripture whiche is not as the foresayde faith idle vnfruitfull and dead but worketh by charitie as S. Paule declareth Gal. v. Whiche as the other vayn faith is called a ded faithe so maye thys be called a quicke or liuely faith And this is not onely the coÌ„mon belefe of the Articles of our faith but it is also a sure truste and confidence of the mercy of God through our lorde Iesus Christ and a stedfast hope of all good thynges to be receiued at Gods hande that although we through infirmitie or temptacioÌ„ of our ghostly enemie do fall from him by synne yet if we returne agayn vnto hym by true repentaunce that he wyll forgeue forget oure offences for hys sonnes sake our sauior Iesus Christ will make vs inheritors with him of his euerlastyng kyngdom and that in the meane tyme vntyll that kyngdom come he will â—e our protector and defendor in all perils daungers whatsoeuer do chaunce and that though somtyme he doth sende vs sharpe aduersitie yet y t euermore he wilbe a louyng father vnto vs correctyng vs for our synne but not withdrawyng hys mercy finally from vs if we trust in hym and commit our selfes wholy vnto hym hang onely vpon hym and call vpon hym ready to obey and serue hym Thys is the true liuely and vnfayned christian faith and is not in the mouthe and outward profession onely but it liueth and stirreth inwardly in the hart And this faythe is not without hope and truste in God nor without the loue of God and of our neyghbors nor without the feare of God nor without y e desyre to heare Gods worde and to folowe thesame in eschewyng euill and doyng gladly all good workes Thys faith as sainct Paule describeth it is the sure ground and foundacioÌ„ of the benefites whiche we ought to loke for and trust to receyue of God a certificat sure expectacion of them although they yet sensiblie appere not vnto vs. And after he saith he that coÌ„meth to God must beleue both that he is that he is a mercifull rewarder of wel doers And nothyng coÌ„mendeth good men vnto God so muche as this assured faith trust in him Of this faithe iij. thinges are specially to be noted First that this faithe doth not lye ded in the hart but is liuely and fruitful in bringing furth good workes Second y â— without it caÌ„ no good workes be doen y t shalbe acceptable pleasauÌ„t to God Thirde what maner of good workes thei be y t this faith doth bryng furth For the first as the light cannot be hid but will shewe furthe it self at one place or other So a true faith cannot be kept secret but when occasion is offered it will breake out shew it self by good workes And as the liuyng body of a maÌ„ euer exerciseth suche thinges as belongeth to a naturall liuyng body for nourishement preseruacion of thesame as it hath nede opportunitie and occasion euen so the soule that hath a liuely faith in it wyl be doyng alwaye some good worke whiche shall declare that it is liuyng and will not be vnoccupied Therfore when men heare in the scriptures so high coÌ„mendacions of faythe that it maketh vs to please God to liue with God and to be the children of God if then they phantasie â–ª that thei be set at libertie froÌ„ doyng all good workes and may liue as thei liste thei trifle with God deceyue themselfes And it is a manifest token that thei be farre from hauing the true and liuely faith also farre from knowledge what true faith meaneth For the very sure liuelye christian faith is not