Christ vndoubtedly affirmeth Charitâ— bringeth furth good woorkes Iohn .xiiii. that true faith bringeth furth good workes â–ª so doth he saye likewyse of charitie Whosoeuer hath my commaundementes and kepeth them that is he that loueth me And after he saith he that loueth me wil kepe my worde and he that loueth me not Iohn .xiiii. kepeth not my wordes And as the loue of God is tryed by good workes so is the feare of god also as the wise manne saith the dreade of god putteth away synne And also he sayeth Eccle. i. Eccle. xv he that feareth god will do good workes ¶ The thyrde parte of the Sermon of Fayth YOu haue heard in the second part of this sermon that no man should thinke that he hath that liuely saith which scripture coÌ„maundeth when he liueth not obedieÌ„tly to goddes lawes For al good woorkes fyringe out of that faith And also it hath been declared vnto you by examples that faith makâ—◠〈…〉 quiet patient in al affliction Now as coÌ„cerning the sainâ— matter you shal heare what foloweth A man may soone deceiue himselfe and thinke in his owne phantasie that he by faith knoweth god loueth him feareth him belongeth to him when in very dede he doth nothing lesse For the trial of al these thinges is a very godly christian life He that feleth his hearte set to seke gods honor and studieth to know the wyl and commaundementes of God and to frame himselfe therunto leadeth not his life after the desyre of his owne fleshe to serue the deuil by sin but setteth his minde to serue god for gods owne sake for his sake also to loue al his neyghbours whether they be frendes or aduersaries doing good to euery man as oportunitie serueth wyllingly hurting no man suche a man maye well reioyce in God perceiuinge by the trade of his life that he vnfainedly hath the right knowledge of god a liuely faith a stedfaste hope a true and vnfained loue feare of god But he that casteth a way the yoke of gods commaundementes from his necke geueth himself to liue withoute true repentauÌ„ce after his own sensual minde and pleasure not regarding to know gods worde and much lesse to liue according therunto such a man clerely deceiueth himself seeth not his own hert if he thinketh that he either knoweth god loueth him feareth him or trusteth in him Some peradueÌ„ture phaÌ„tasy in them selfes that they belong to god although thei liue in sin so they come to the churche and shew themselfes as gods dere childreÌ„ But. s Iohn saith plainly 1. Iohn 1. if we say that we haue any company with god and walke in darkenes we doe lye Other doe vainelye thinke that they knowe and loue god although they passe not of the commaundements But S. Iohn saith clearely 1. Ioh. 1. he that sayth I know God kepeth not his commaundemeÌ„ts he is a lyer Some falselye perswade themselues that they loue God wheÌ„ they hate their neighbors But S. Iohn saith manifestly if any maÌ„ sai I loue god 1 Ioh. 4. 1. Iho 2. yet hateth his brother he is a lier He that saith that he is in the light hateth his brother he is stil in darkenes He that loueth his brother dwelleth in the light but he that hateth his brother is in darknes walketh in darkenes knoweth not whether he goeth 1. Iho 3. For darknes hath blinded his eies And moreouer he saieth hereby we manifestly know the children of GOD from the children of the deuil he that doth not righteously is not the child of GOD nor he that hateth his brother Deceiue not your selfes therefore thinkyng that you haue faith in GOD or that you loue GOD or dooe trust in him or do feare him when you liue in sinne for then your vngodly and sinfull lyfe declareth the contrary whatsoeuer ye say or think It perteineth to a christen man to haue this true christen faith to trie himselfe whether he hath it or no to know what belongeth to it howe it doth worke in him It is not the world that we can trust to the worlde and al that is therein is but vanitie It is GOD that must be our defence and proteccion agaynst al temptation of wickednes and sinne errours superstycyon Idolatry and al euill If all the worlde were on our side and GOD against vs what could the would auayle vs. Therefore let vs set our whole fayth 〈◊〉 trust in GOD neither the world the deuil nor alâ—â—â— power of theÌ„ shall preuaile agaynst vs. Let vs therfore good christian people trie examine our fayth what it is let vs not flatter our selfes but loke vpoÌ„ our workes and so iudge of our faithe what it is CHRIST him selfe speaketh of this matter and saith Mat. 24 the tre is knoweÌ„ by the fruite Therfore let vs do good workes and therby declare our faith to be the lyuely christian faith Lette vs by such vertues as oughte to spring out of faith shewe our eleccion to be sure stable as S. Peter teacheth Endeuor your selfes to make your calling chosyng certaine by good workes 1 Pet. 3 And also he sayth mynyster or declare in youre fayth vertue in vertue knowledge in knowledge teÌ„peraunce in teÌ„perauÌ„ce pacience againe in pacieÌ„ce godlinesse in godlinesse brotherlye charitye in brotherly charitie loue So shal we shewe in dede that we haue the very lyuely christen faith maye so both certify our conscience the better that we be in the right faith also by these meanes confirme other men If these fruites do not folowe we do but morke with GOD deceiue our selues also other men Well may we beate the name of christen meÌ„ but we doo lacke the true faith that doth belonge thervnto For true faith doth euer bring furth good workes Iâ—mes 2 as Saint Iames saith shew me thy fayth by thy dedes Thy bedes and workes must be an open testymony all of thy fayth otherwyse thy faith being without good workes is but the deuils faith the faith of the wicked a phantasy of fayth not a true christen fayth And lyke as the deuils euyll people be nothing the better or theyr counterfeit faithe but it is vnto theÌ„ the more cause of damnacyon so they that be christened haue receyued knowledge of GOD and of CHRISTES merites yet of a set purpose do lyue idlelye without good works thinking the name of a naked faith to be either sufficient for them or els settynge theyr mindes vpon vaine pleasures of thys worlde dooe lyue in synne without repentaunce not vtterynge the fruytes that do belong to such an hygh professyon vpon such presumpteous persones and wylfull sinners must nedes remaine the great vengeaunce of GOD and eternall punyshment in hell prepared for the deuil wicked liuers Therfore as you professe the name of CHRIST good christyan people let no such phantasy imagination
not to lette from sayinge the trueth and doyng truely for fauor loue breade or malyce of any person as GOD maye helpe theym and the holy contentes of that booke They muste considre that in that booke is conteyned Gods euer lasting trueth his mooste holy and eternall worde whereby we haue forgeuenesse of our sinnes and be made inheritoures of Heaâ—en to lyue for ener with goddes Angelies and his sainctes in ioye and gladnesse In the gospell booke is conteined also Gods terrible threates to obstinate synners that wyll not amende theyr liues nor beleue the trueth of God his holy worde and the euerlasting payne prepared in helle for Idolaters Hypoerites for false and vaine swearers for periured men for false witnes bearers for false condemners of innocent and gylteles men and for them whiche for fauoure hide the crymes of euyll doers that they shoulde not be punyshed So that whosoeuer wilfully forsweareth himselfe vpon Christes holy Euangely they vtterly forsake Gods mercye goodnesse and trueth the merites of our sauiour Christes natiuitie life passion death resurrection and assention They refuse the forgeuenesse of synnes promised to all penitente synners the ioyes of heauen the company with Angelles and sainctes for euer All whiche benefites and comfortes are promised vnto true christian persons in the gospell And they so being for sworne vpon the gospel do be take them selfes to the deuilles seruice the master of all lyes falshod deceite and periurye prouokynge the great indignation and curse of God against theÌ„ in this lyfe and the terrible wrath and iudgemente of our sauior Christ at the great day of the last iudgement when he shal iustly iudge both the quicke and the dead accordynge to theyr woorkes For whosoeuer forsaketh the trueth for loue or displeasure of any man or for lucre and profite to hym selfe doeth forsake Christ and with Iudas betrayeth hym Though peâ—iuryâ— do escape here vnespied and vnpunished it shall not do so euer And although such periured mennes falshod bee now kept secrete yet it shal be opened at the last day when the secretes of all mennes heartes shal be manifest to all the worlde And then the trueth shall appeare and accuse them and theyr owne conscience with all the blessed companye of heauen shall beare witnes truely against them And Christ the righteous iudge shall then iustly condemne them to euerlastyng shame and death This sinne of periurye almightie God by the prophete Malachy doth threaten to punyshe sore saying vnto the Iewes Malac. 〈◊〉 I wyll come to you in iudgement and I wil be a swift witnes and a sharpe iudge vpon sorcerers adulterers and periured persons Which thing to the Prophete Zachary God declareth in a vision zachar 〈◊〉 wherin the prophete saw a booke fliyng which was twentye cubites long and tenne cubites broade God saying then vnto hym this is the curse that shall goe furthe vppon the face of the yearth for falshoode false swearynge and periurye And this curse shall entre into the house of the false man and into the house of the periured man and it shall remaine in the middeste of his house and consume hym the tymbre and stones of his house Thus you see how much God doth hate periurye and what punishment God hath prepared for false swearers and periured persones Thus you haue heard how and in what causes it is lawfull for a Christian man to sweare ye haue heard what properties and conditions a lawefull othe must haue and also howe suche lawefull othes are bothe godlye and necessarye to be obserued ye haue heard that it is not lawfull to sweare vaynly that is other wayes then in suche causes and after suche sort as is declared and fynally ye haue heard how damnable a thing it is eyther to forsweare our selues or to keepe an vnlawfull and an vnaduised othe Wherfore let vs earnestly call for grace that al vayne swearing and periury set a part we may onely vse suche othes as bee lawful and godly and that we maye truelye withoute all fraude keepe the same accordinge to Gods will and pleasure To whom with the sonne and holye ghost bee all honour and glory AMEN A Sermon how daungerous a thinge it is to sall from God OF oure goynge from God Euâ—â— â— the wyseman sayth that pryde was the fyrste beginning for by it mannes hearte was turned from God his maker For pride sayeth he is the fountaine of all synne he that hath it shall be ful of cursinges and at the ende it shall ouerthrow him And as by pride and synne we go from God so shall God and al goodnes with him go from vs. Ozee 5. And the prophete Ozee doeth playnly affyrme that they which go away stil froÌ„ God by vicious liuing yet would go aboute to pacyfye him otherwise by sacrifice and entertayne hym thereby they labour in vayne For notwithstandinge all theyr sacrifice yet he goeth stil awaye from them For so muche sayth the prophet as they do not applye theyr myndes to retourne to God althoughe they goo aboute with whole flockes and heardes to seeke the Lorde yet they shall not fynde him for he is gone awaye from them But as touchinge our turninge to God or from God you shal vnderstand that it may be doen dyuerse waies Sometimes directlye by ydolatrye as Israell and Iuda then did sometimes men go from GOD by lacke of fayth and mistrusting of God wherof Esay speaketh in this wyse Woe to them that go doune into Egipt to seke for helpe trusting in Horses â—hauing confidence in the numbre of chariots Esai â—â— and â—â—â—saunce or power of Horsemen They haue n◠〈…〉 dence in the holy god of Israel nor seke for the Lord But what foloweth The Lorde shall let hys hande fall vpon them and downe shall come both the helper and he that is holpen They shal be destroyed altogether Sometyme men go from God by the neglecting of his commaundementes conceining theyr neyghbours which commaundeth them to expresse hartie loue towardes â—uery man â—â—her 7. as Zacharye sayde vnto the people in Gods behalfe Geue true iudgemente shewe mercye and compassion euery one to his brother Imagin no deceite towardes widows or children fatherles motherles towardes straunger or the poore let no man forge euill in his heart against his brother But these thynges they passed not of they turned their backes and went theyr way they stopped theyr eares that they might not heare they hardened theyr hartes as an Adamante stone that they might not listen to the lawe the wordes that the Lorde had sente through his holy spirite by his aunciente Prophetes Wherefore the Lorde shewed his great indignation vppon them It came to passe sayeth the Prophete euen as I tolde them as they would not heare 〈◊〉 7 so when they cryed they were not heard but were scattered into al kingdomes which they neuer knew theyr lande was made desolate And to be short al they that may not abide the
perilous pilgrimage and the great encombraunce which our spirite hath by this sinful fleshe and fraile body subiect to death considering also the manifold sorowes and daungerous deceites of this world on euery side the intollerable pride couetousnes and lechery in time of prosperitie the impaciente murmuring of them that bee worldlye in time of aduersitie whiche cease not to withdrawe and plucke vs from God oure sauioure Christe from oure life wealth or euerlastynge ioye and saluacion considering also the innumerable assoultes of oure gostly enemie the deuil with al hys fierie dartes of ambicion pride lechecie vaine glory enuie malice detraccion or backebiting with other his innumerable deceites engynes and snares whereby he goeth busely aboute to catche all menne vnder his dominion euer like a roringe Lyon by all meanes searchynge whom he maye deuoure 1. Pete v. the faythfull Christian manne whiche considereth all these miseries perilles and incommodities whereunto he is subiecie so longe as he here lyueth vpon earth and on the other parte consydereth that blessed and comfortable state of the heauenlye life to coÌ„e and the swete condicion of them that departe in the Lorde howe they are deliuered from the continuall encoumbraunces of their mortal and sinnefull body from all the malyce craftes and deceytes of thys worlde from all the assaultes of theyr ghostelye enemye the deuill to lyue in peace reste and endelesse quietnesse to liue in the felowshyppe of innumerable Aungels and with the congregacion of perfecte iuste menne as Patriarches Prophetes Martires and confessors and finallye vnto presence of almightie GOD and oure sauioure Iesus Chryste He that doeth consider all these thynges and beeleueth them assuredly as they are to be beleued euen from the bottome of his hearte beeynge established in GOD in this true fayth hauinge a quiete conscience in Chryste a syrme hope and assured truste in Goddes mercye throughe the merites of Iesu Chryste to obtayne thys quietnesse rest and euerlasting ioye shal not only be withoute feare of bodelye death when it commeth but certainely as Saincte Paule did so shal he gladly according to gods will 〈…〉 sp i. and when it pleaseth god to call hym out of this life greatly desier in his heart that he may be rid fromal these occasioÌ„s of euil and liue euer to gods pleasure in perfecte obedience of his wyll wyth oure sauioure Iesus Chryste to whose gracious presence the Lorde of hys infinite mercye and grace bryng vs to reigne wyth hym in life euerlastyng To whom with oure heauenlye father and the holye ghoste bee glorye in worldes wythoute ende Amen ¶ An exhortacion concâ—â—â—â—ng good ordâ—â— and obedience to rulers and Magistrates ALmighty god hath created and appointed all thinges in heauen earth and waters in a most excellente and perfect ordre In heaueÌ„ he hath appointed distincte or seuerall orders and states of Archangels and Angels In earth he hath assigned and appoynted kinges princes with other gouernours vnder them all in good and necessary order The water aboue is kepte and raigneth down in due time and season The sun Mone Sterres rainbow thuÌ„dre lightning clouds and all birdes of the aire doe kepe their order The earth trees sedes plantes herbes corne grasse and al maner of beastes kepe themselues in their order All the partes of the whole yeare as Wynter Sommer monethes nyghtes and dayes contynue in theyr ordre All kyndes of fyshes in the sea ryuers and waters wyth all fountaynes sprynges yea the seas themselues keepe their comely course and order And manne hymselfe also hath all his partes both wythin and wythoute as soule hearte mynde memorye vnderstandyng reason speache wyth all and synguler corporall members of hys badye in a profitable necessarye and pleasaunce orâ—â—â— Euerye degre of people in their vocacion callyng and 〈◊〉 hath appoynted to theÌ„ theyr duety and ordre Some are in hygh degree some in lowe some â—ynges and prynces some iâ—â—eriors and subiectes priestes and laymenne maysters and seruauntes fathers and children husbandes wiues riche and poore and euery one haue nede of other so that in all thinges is to bee lauded and praised the goodly order of god wythoute the whiche no house no citie no common wealth can continue and indure or laste For where there is no right order there reigneth 〈◊〉 abuse carnal libertie enorinitie sinne Babilonycal confusion Take away kinges princes rulers magistrates iudges and such estates of gods order no man shall ride or go by the high waye vnrobbed no man shall slepe in his own house or bed vnkilled no man shall kepe hys wyfe children possessions in quietnes all thynges shal be common there must nedes folowe al myschyefe vtter destruccion bothe of foules bodyes goodes and common wealthes But blessed be god that we in thys realme of England fele not the horible calamities miseryes wretche dues whiche al they vndoubtedly fele and suffer that lacke this godly ordre And praysed be god that we know the great excelleÌ„t benefyte of god shewed towardes vs in this behalfe God hath sent vs his hygh gyft oure moste dere soueraigne Lady Quene Elizabeth with godly wise and honourable couÌ„saile with other superiors inferiors in a beautiful order goodly Wherfore let vs subiectes do our bounden duties geuyng harty thankes to god praying for the preseruacion of this godly order Let vs al obey eueÌ„ froÌ„ the botoÌ„e of oure heartes all their godly procedinges lawes statutes proclamacions and iniunccions wyth all other godly orders Let vs consider the scriptures of the holy goste whiche perswede and commaunde vs all obediently to be subiecte first and chieflye to the kynges quenes maiestie supreme head ouer al next to her honorable counsail and to al other noble men magistrates and officers whiche by Gods goodnes be placed and ordered for almightie god is the onelye authour and prouider of this forenamed state and ordre as it is written of god Prou. viii in the boke of the Prouerbes through me kinges do reigne through me counsailours make iust lawes through me do princes beare rule and all iudges of the earthe execute iudgement I am louing to them that loue me Here let vs marke well remembre that the high power and autoritie of kinges with their makinge of lawes iudgementes officers are the ordinaunces not of man but of god therfore is this woorde through me so manye times repeted Here is also well to bee considered remembred that this good ordre is appointed of gods wisedom fauour loue specially for them that loue god therfore he saith I loue them that loue me Sap. vi Also in the boke of wisedom we may euidently learne that a kinges power authoritie and strength is a great benefite of god geuen of his great mercye to the comfort of our great misery For thus we reade there spoken to kinges Sapi. vi Heare Oye kinges vnderstand learne ye that be iudges of theÌ„des of the earth geue