hath ouerthrowen death that we beleuing in him myght lyue for euer and not dye Ought not this to engender extreme hatred of sinne in vs to consyder that it did violently as it were plucke God out of heauen to make him feele the horrours and paynes of death O that we would sometimes consyder this in the middest of our pompes pleasures it would bridle the outragiousnesse of the fleshe it would abate and asswage our carnall affectes it woulde restraine our fleshly appetites that we shoulde not run at randon as we commonly do To commit sinne wylfully desperatly without feare of god is nothing els but to crucifie Christ a new as we are expressly taught in the 〈◊〉 to the Hebrues Which thing if it were dencâ—â— printed in all mens heartes then shoulde not sinne raigne euery where so much as it doth to the great griefe and torment of Christe nowe sittyng in heauen Let vs therefore remember and alwaies beare in minde Christe crucified that therby we may be inwardly moued both to abhorre sinne throughly and also with an earnest and zelous heart to loue god For this is another fruite which the memoriall of Christes death ought to worke in vs an earnest and vnfayned loue towardes god So God loued the worlde sayth saint John that he gaue his only begotten soÌ„ne that whosoeuer beleued in hym shoulde not perishe but haue life euerlasting If god declared so great loue towardes vs his seely creatures how can we of ryght but loue him agayne Was not this a sure pledge of his loue to geue vs his own sonne from heauen He myght haue geuen vs an angel if he would or some other creature and yet should his loue haue ben farre aboue our desartes Nowe he gaue vs not an angell but his sonne And what sonne His only sonne his naturall sonne his welbeloued sonne euen that sonne whom he had made Lorde and ruler of al thinges Was not this a singuler token of great loue But to whom did he geue him He gaue him to the whole worlde that is to say to Adam and all that should come after him O lord what had Adam or anye other man deserued at Gods handes that he should geue vs his owne sonne We are all miserable persons sinfull persons dampnable persoÌ„s iustly driuen out of paradice iustly excluded from heauen iustly condempned to hell fyre And yet see a wonderfull token of Gods loue he gaue vs his only be gotten sonne vs I say that were his extreme and deadly enemies that we by vertue of his blood shed vppon the crosse might be cleane purged from our sinnes and made righteous agayne in his sight Who can chose but maruaile to heare that god should she we such vnspeakable loue towardes vs that were his deadly enemies Indeede O mortall man thou oughtest of ryght to marueyle at it to acknowledge therein Gods great goodnesse and mercie towards mankind which is so wonderful that no fleshe be it neuer so worldly wyse may wel conceaue it or expresse it For as Saint Paul testifieth God greatly commendeth and setteth out his loue towardes vs in that he sent his sonne Christ to die for vs when we were yet sinners and open enemies of his name If we had in any maner of wyse deserued it at his handes then had it ben no marueile at all but there was no desert on our part wherefore he shoulde do it Therefore thou sinful creature when thou hearest that GOD gaue his sonne to dye for the sinnes of the worlde thinke not he dyd it for any desert or goodnes that was in thee for thou wast then the bondslaue of the deuill But fall downe vpon thy knees and crye with the prophete Dauid O Lorde what is man that thou art so mindefull of him or the sonne of man that thou so regardest him And seeing he hath so greatlye loued thee endeuour thy self to loue him againe with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength that therin thou mayst appeare not to be vnworthy of his loue I report me to thyne owne conscience whether thou wouldest not thinke thy loue ill bestowed vpon him that could not finde in his heart to loue thee agayne If this be true as it is most true then thinke howe greatly it behoueth to thy duetie to loue God whiche hath so greatly loued thee that he hath noâ— spared his owne onlye sonne from so cruell and shamefull a death for thy sake And hitherto concerning the cause of Christes death passion which as yet was on our part most horrible and greeuous sinne so on the other side it was the free gift of God proceeding of his meere and tender loue towards mankind without any merite or desert of our part The Lorde for his mercies sake graunt that we neuer forget this great benefite of our saluation in Christe Jesu but that we alwayes shewe our selues thankefull for it abhorring all kinde of wickednesse and sinne and applying our myndes wholy to the seruice of God and the diligent keeping of his commaundementes Now resteth to shewe vnto you howe to applie Christes death and passion to our comfort as a medicine to our woundes so that it maye worke the same effect in vs wherefore it was geuen namely the health saluatioÌ„ of our soules For as it profiteth a man nothing to haue salue vnlesse it be well applied to the part affected So the death of Christ shall stand vs in no force vnlesse we applie it to our selues in suche sorte as God hath appoynted Almightie God commonly worketh by meanes and in this thing he hath also ordained a certaine meane wherby we may take fruite and profite to our soules health What meane is that forsooth it is fayth Not an vnconstant or wauering fayth but a sure stedfast grounded and vnfaigned fayth GOD sent his sonne into the worlde sayth Saint John. To what end that whosoeuer beleueth in hym shoulde not perishe but haue lyfe euerlasting Marke these wordes that whosoeuer beleueth in him Here is the meane whereby we must apply the fruites of Christes death vnto our deadly wounde Here is the meane whereby we must obtaine eternall lyfe namely fayth For as saint Paul teacheth in his Epistle to the Romanes With the heart man beleueth vnto ryghteousnes and with the mouth confessioÌ„ is made vnto saluation Paul beyng demaunded of the keeper of that prison what he should do to be saued made this aunswere Beleue in the Lorde Jesus so shalt thou and thyne house both be saued After the Euangelist had described and set foorth vnto vs at large the life and the death of the Lorde Jesus in the end he concludeth with these wordes These thinges are written that we may beleue Jesus Christe to be the sonne of God a through sayth obtayne eternall lyfe To conclude with the wordes of saint Paul which are these Christ is the ende of the lawe vnto saluation for euery
vs and he rose agayne to sende downe his holy spirite to rule in our heartes to endowe vs with perfect righteousnes Thus it is true that Dauid song Veritas de terra orta est et iustitia de coelo prospexit The trueth of gods promise is in the earth to man declared or from the earth is the euerlasting veritie Gods sonne rysen to life the true righteousnesse of the holy ghost lookyng out of heauen and is in most liberal larges dealt vppon all the worlde Thus is glory and prayse rebounded vpwarde to God aboue for his mercie and trueth And thus is peace come downe from heauen to men of good and faythfull heartes Thus is mercie and trueth as Dauid wryteth together met thus is peace and ryghteousnesse imbrasing and kissing eache other If thou doubtest of so great wealth felicitie that is wrought for thee O man call to thy mynde that therefore haste thou receaued into thyne owne possession the euerlasting veritie our sauiour Jesus Christ to confyrme to thy conscience the trueth of all this matter Thou hast receaued hym yfin true fayth and repentaunce of heart thou haste receaued hym yf in purpose of amendement thou haste receaued hym for an euerlastyng gage or pledge of thy saluation Thou hast receaued his body which was once broken his blood which was shedde for the remission of thy synne Thou hast receaued his body to haue within thee the father the sonne and the holy ghost for to dwell with thee to endow thee with grace to strength thee agaynst thyne enemies and to comfort thee with their presence Thou hast receaued his body to endow thee with euerlasting righteousnes to assue thee of euerlastyng blisse and lyfe of thy soule 〈…〉 r with Christe by true fayth art thou quickened agayne sayth saint Paul from death of synne to lyfe of grace and in hope translated from corporal and euerlastyng death to the euerlastyng lyfe of glorye in heauen where nowe thy conuersation should be and thy heart and desyre set Doubt not of the trueth of this matter how great and hygh soeuer these thynges be It becommeth God to do no litle deedes how impossible so euer they seeme to thee Pray to God that thou mayest haue fayth to perceaue this greate mysterie of Christes resurrection that by faytâ— thou mayst certaynely beleue nothyng to be impossible with god Onlye bryng thou fayth to Christes holy worde and sacrament Let thy repentaunce shewe thy fayth let thy purpose of amendement and obedience of thy heart to Gods lawe hereafter declare thy true beleefe Endeuour thy selfe to saye with Saint Paul From hencefoorth our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for a sauiour euen the Lorde Jesus Christe whiche shall change our vile bodyes that they may be fashioned like his glorious body which he shal do by the same power wherby he rose from death and wherby he shal be able to subdue all thynges vnto hym selfe Thus good Christian people forasmuche as ye haue hearde these so great and excellent benefites of Christes myghtie and glorious resurrection as howe that he hath raunsomed synne ouercome the deuill death and hell and hath victoriouslye gotten the better hande of them all to make vs free and safe from them and knowyng that we be by this benefite of his resurrection rysen with hym by our fayth vnto lyfe euerlastyng beyng in full suretie of our hope that we shall haue our bodyes lykewyse raysed agayne from death to haue them glorified in immortalitie and ioyned to his glorious bodye hauyng in the meane while his holy spirite within our heartes as a seale and pledge of our euerlastyng inheritaunce By whose assistence we be replenished with all ryghteousnes by whose power we shal be able to subdue all our euyll affections rysyng agaynst the pleasure of god These thynges I say well consydered let vs nowe in the rest of our lyfe declare our fayth that we haue to this moste fruitful article by framyng our selues therunto in rysyng dayly from sinne to righteousnes holines of lyfe For what shall it auayle vs sayth saint Peter to be escaped deliuered from the filthynesse of the worlde through the knowledge of the Lorde and sauiour Jesus Christe if we be entangled agayne therewith and be ouercome agayne Certaynely it had ben better sayth he neuer to haue knowne the way of righteousnes then after it is knowne and receaued to turne backwarde agayne from the holy commaundement of God geuen vnto vs For so shall the prouerbe haue place in vs where it is sayde The dogge is returned to his vomite agayne and the sowe that was washed to her wallowyng in the myre agayne What a shame were it for vs beyng thus so clearely and freely washed from our synne to returne to the filthynesse thereof agayne What a follie were it thus endowed with ryghteousnesse to lose it agayne What madnesse were it to lose the inheritaunce that we be nowe set in for the vyle and transitorie pleasure of synne And what an vnkyndenesse shoulde it be where our sauiour Christe of his mercie is come to vs to dwell within vs as our gâ—este to dryue hym from vs and to banishe hym violently out of our soules and in steade of hym in whom is all grace and vertue to receaue the vngratious spirite of the deuyil the founder of all naughtines and mischeefe How can we fynde in our heartes to shewe suche extreame vnkyndnesse to Christe which hath now so gently called vs to mercie and offered him selfe vnto vs and he nowe entred within vs yea howe dare we be so bolde to renounce the presence of the father the sonne and the holy ghost For where one is there is God all whole in maiestie together with all his power wysedome and goodnesse and feare not I say the daunger and peryll of so traiterous a defiaunce and departure Good Christian brethren and sisters aduise your selues consyder the dignite that ye be nowe set in let not follie lose the thyng that grace hath so preciously offered and purchased let not wylfulnesse and blindnesse put out so great lyght that is now shewed vnto you Onlye take good heartes vnto you and put vppon you all the armour of God that ye may stand agaynst your enemies which woulde agayne subdue you and bryng you into their thraldome Remember ye be bought from your vain conuersation and that your freedome is purchased neyther with golde nor syluer but with the price of the precious blood of that most innocent lambe Jesus Christe which was ordeined to the same purpose before the worlde was made But he was so declared in the latter tyme of grace for your sakes which by hym haue your fayth in God who hath raysed hym from death and hath geuen hym glory that you shoulde haue your fayth and hope towarde god Therefore as you haue hytherto folowed the vayne lustes of your myndes and so displeased God to
made without faith in hym on whom they call but that we must first beleeue in hym before we can make our prayers vnto hym whereuppon we must only and solely pray vnto god For to say that we shoulde beleeue eyther in angell or saint or in any other liuing creature were more horrible blasphemie against God and his holy worde neither ought this fancie to enter into the heart of any Christian man because we are expressly taught in the worde of the Lorde only to repose our fayth in the blessed trinitie in whose only name we are also baptized according to the expresse commaundement of our sauiour Jesus Christe in the last of Matthewe But that the trueth hereof may the better appeare euen to them that be moste simple and vnlearned let vs consider what prayer is Saint Augustine calleth it a liftyng vp of the mynde to God that is to say an humble and lowly powring out of the heart to god Isidorus sayth that it is an affection of the heart and not alabour of the lippes So that by these places true prayer doth consist not so muche in the outward sounde and voyce of wordes as in the inwarde gronyng and crying of the heart to God. Nowe then is there any angell any virgin any patriarche or prophete among the dead that can vnderstand or knowe the meanyng of the heart The scriptures sayth it is God that searcheth the heart and raynes and that he only knoweth the heartes of the chyldren of men As for the saintes they haue so litle knowledge of the secretes of the heart that many of the auncient fathers greatly doubt whether they knowe any thing at al that is commonly done on earth And albeit some thynke they do yet saint Augustine a Doctour of great aucthoritie and also antiquitie hath this opinion of them that they knowe no more what we do on earth then we know what they do in heauen For proofe wherof he alleageth the wordes of Esai the prophete where it is sayde Abraham is ignoraunt of vs and Israel knoweth vs not His mynde therefore is this not that we shoulde put any religion in worshyppyng them or praying vnto them but that we shoulde honour them by folowyng their vertuous and godly lyfe For as he witnesseth in an other place the martyrs and holy men in tymes past were wont after their death to be remembred and named of the prieste at diuine seruice but neuer to be inuocated or called vpon And why so because the prieste sayth he is Gods priest and not theirs Whereby he is bounde to call vpon God and not vpon them Thus you see that the aucthoritie both of scripture and also of Augustine doth not permit that we should pray vnto them O that al men would studiously reade and searche the scriptures then shoulde they not be drowned in ignoraunce but shoulde easily perceaue the trueth aswell of this poynt of doctrine as of all the rest For there doth the holy ghost playnely teache vs that Christe is our only mediatour and intercessour with God and that we muste seeke and runne to no other If any man sinneth saith saint John we haue an aduocate with the father Jesus Christe the ryghteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes Saint Paul also sayth There is one God and one mediatour betweene God and man euen the man Jesus Christe Whereunto agreeth the testimonie of our sauiour hym selfe witnessing that no man commeth to the father but onely by hym who is the way the trueth the life yea and the only dore whereby we muste enter into the kingdome of heauen because GOD is pleased in no other but in hym For whiche cause also he cryeth and calleth vnto vs that we shoulde come vnto hym saying Come vnto me all ye that labour and be heauie laden and I shall refreshe you Woulde Christe haue vs so necessarily come vnto hym and shall we moste vnthankfully leaue hym and runne vnto other This is euen that whiche God so greatly complayneth of by his prophet Ieremie saying My people haue committed two great offences they haue forsaken me the fountaine of the waters of lyfe and haue digged to them selues broken pits that can holde no water Is not that man thinke you vnwyse that wyll runne for water to a litle brooke when he may aswell go to the head spryng Euen so may his wisedome be iustly susspected that wyll flee vnto saintes in tyme of necessitie when he may boldly and without feare declare his greefe and direct his prayer vnto the Lorde himselfe If God were straunge or daungerous to be talked withall then myght we iustly drawe backe and seeke to some other But the Lorde is nygh vnto them that call vppon hym in fayth and trueth and the prayer of the humble and meeke hath alwayes pleased hym What if we be sinners shall we not therefore pray vnto God or shall we dispayre to obteyne any thyng at his handes Why dyd Christe then teache vs to aske forgeuenesse of our sinnes saying And forgeue vs our trespasses as we forgeue them that trespasse agaynst vs Shall we thynke that the saintes are more mercifull in hearing sinners then God Dauid sayth that the Lorde is full of compassion and mercy slowe to anger and of great kyndnesse Saint Paul sayth that he is riche in mercy towardes all them that call vppon hym And he hymselfe by the mouth of his prophet Esai sayth For a litle while haue I forsaken thee but with great compassion wyll I gather thee For a moment in myne anger I haue hid my face from thee but with euerlastyng mercy haue I had compassion vpon thee Therefore the sinnes of any man ought not to withholde hym from praying vnto the Lorde his god But if he be truely penitent and stedfast in fayth let him assure him selfe that the Lorde wylbe mercifull vnto hym and heare his prayers O but I dare not wyll some man say trouble God at all times with my prayers We see that in kinges houses courtes of princes men can not be admitted vnlesse they fyrst vse the helpe and meane of some speciall noble man to come vnto the speache of the kyng and to obtayne the thing that they woulde haue To this reason doth saint Ambrose aunswere verye well writing vppon the first Chapter to the Romanes Therefore sayth he we vse to go vnto the king by officers and noble men because the kyng is a mortall man and knoweth not to whom he maye commit the gouernment of the common wealth But to haue God our frende from whom nothing is hid we nede not any helper that should further vs with his good worde but only a deuoute and godlye minde And yf it be so that we neede one to entreate for vs why maye we not content our selues with that one mediatour whiche is at the ryght hande of God the father and there
the Lorde Which one benefite among all other is so great wonderfull that neyther tongue can well expresse it neither heart thinke it much lesse geue sufficient thankes to god for it But here is a great controuersie betwene vs and the Jewes whether the same Jesus which was borne of the virgin Marie be the true Messias and true sauiour of the worlde so long promised prophesied of before They as they are and haue ben alwayes proude stiffe necked woulde neuer acknowledge hym vntil this day but haue loked and gaped for another to come They haue this fond imagination in their heades that Messias shall come not as Christ did like a poore pilgrime and simple soule rydyng vppon an Asse But lyke a baliaunt and mightie king in great royaltie honour Not as Christ did with a fewe fishermen and men of small estimation in the world but with a great armie of strong men with a great traine of wyse noble mē as knightes Lords Earles Dukes Princes so foorth Neither do they thinke that their Messias shal slaunderously suffer death as Christ dyd but that he shall stoutly conquer and manfully subdue al his enemies and finallie obtayne such a kingdome on earth as neuer was seene from the beginning While they faigne vnto them selues after this sort a Messias of theyr owne brayne they deceaue them selues and accompt Christe as an abiect foole of the worlde Therefore Christ crucified as saint Paul sayth is vnto the Jewes a stumbling blocke and to the Gentiles foolishnes because they thinke it an absurde thing and contrary to all reason that a redemer and sauiour of the whole world should be handled after suche a sort as he was namelye scorned reuiled scourged condempned and last of al cruelly hanged This I say seemed in their eyes straunge and most absurde and therefore neyther they would at that tyme neyther wyll they as yet acknowledge Christe to be theyr Messias and sauiour But we dearely beloued that hope loke to be saued must both stedfastly beleue and also boldly confesse that the same Jesus which was borne of the virgin Marie was the true Messias and mediatour betweene God and man promised and prophecied of so long before For as the Apostle writeth With the heart man beleueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made vnto saluatiō Againe in the same place Whosoeuer beleueth in hym shall neuer be ashamed nor confounded Wherto agreeth also the testimonie of saint John written in the fourth Chapter of his first generall Epistle on this wyse Whosoeuer confesseth that Jesus is the sonne of God he dwelleth in God and God in hym There is no doubt but in this poynt all Christian men are fully and perfectly perswaded Yet shal it not be a lost labour to instruct and furnish you with a fewe places concerning this matter that ye maye be able to stoppe the blasphemous mouthes of all them that moste Jewishely or rather diuelishly shall at any time go about to teache or maintaine the contrary First ye haue the witnesse and testimonie of the angel Gabriel declared aswel to Zacharie the high priest as also to the blessed virgin Secondly ye haue the witnesse and testimonie of John the Baptist poynting vnto Christe and saying Behold the lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the worlde Thirdly ye haue the witnesse and testimonie of God the father who thundred from heauen and sayde This is my dearelye beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him Fourthly ye haue the witnesse and testimonie of the holye ghost whiche came downe frō heauen in maner of a white doue and lighted vpon him in time of his baptisme To these myght be added a great number more namely the witnesse testimonie of the wise men that came to Herode the witnes and testimonie of Simeon and Anna the witnesse and testimonie of Andrew and Philip Nathanael and Peter Nicodemus and Martha with diuers other But it were to long to repeate all and a fewe places are sufficient in so plaine a matter specially among them that are alredye perswaded Therfore if the priuie impes of amechriste and craftie instrumentes of the deuil shal attempt or go about to withdrawe you frō this true Messias and perswade you to loke for another that is not yet come let thē not in any case seduce you but cōfirme your selues with these such other testimonies of holy scripture whiche are so sure certaine that all the deuils in hell shal neuer be able to withstand them For as truelye as God liueth so truelye was Jesus Christe the true messias and sauiour of the worlde euen the same Jesus which as this day was borne of the virgin Marie without all helpe of man only by the power and operation of the holy ghost Concerning whose nature and substaunce because diuers sundry heresies are rysen in these our dayes through the motion and suggestion of Satan therefore it shal be needefull profitable for your instruction to speake a worde or two also of this parte We are euidently taught in the scripture that our Lord and sauiour Christ consisteth of two seuerall natures of his manhood being thereby perfect man and of his Godhead being thereby perfect god It is written The worde that is to say the seconde person in Trinitie became fleshe GOD sendyng his owne sonne in the similitude of sinfull fleshe fulfilled those thinges which the lawe coulde not Christ being in fourme of God toke on him the fourme of a seruaunt was made like vnto man beyng founde in shape as a man GOD was shewed in fleshe iustified in spirite seene of angels preached to the Gentiles beleued on in the world and receaued vp in glorye Also in another place There is one God and one mediatour betwene God and man euen the man Jesus Christe These be plaine places for the profe and declaration of both natures vnited and knitte together in one Christe Let vs diligently consyder and waygh the workes that he dyd whiles he lyued on earth and we shall thereby also perceaue the selfe same thing to be most true In that he did hunger and thirst eate and drinke sleepe and wake in that he preached his Gospell to the people in that he wept and sorowed for Hierusalem in that he payde tribute for him selfe and Peter in that he dyed and suffered death what other thing dyd he els declare but onlye this that he was perfect man as we are For whiche cause he is called in holye scripture sometyme the sonne of Dauid sometime the sonne of man sometime the sonne of Marie sometime the sonne of Joseph and so foorthe Nowe in that he forgaue sinnes in that he wrought myracles in that he dyd cast out deuils in that he healed men with his only worde in that he knewe the thoughtes of mens heartes in that he had the seas at his cōmaundement in that he walked on the water in that
sackcloth and sprinkling them selues with dust and ashes the scripture sayth God saw their workes that they turned from their euill wayes and God repented of the euill that he had sayde that he woulde do vnto them and he dyd it not Nowe beloued ye haue hearde firste what fasting is aswell that whiche is outwarde in the body as that whiche is inward in the heart Ye haue hearde also that there are three endes or purposes whereunto if our outwarde fast be directed it is a good worke that God is pleased with Thirdely hath ben declared what tyme is moste meete for to fast either priuately or publiquely Last of al what thynges fastyng hath obteyned of God by the examples of Ahab and the Niniuites Let vs therefore dearely beloued seeing there are many more causes of fastyng and mournyng in these our dayes then hath ben of manye yeres heretofore in anye one age endeuour our selues both inwardly in our heartes and also outwardly with our bodies diligently to exercise this godly exercise of fastyng in suche sorte and maner as the holy prophetes the Apostles and diuers other deuoute personnes for their tyme vsed the same God is now the same God that was then God that loueth ryghteousnesse and that hateth iniquitie God whiche wylleth not the death of a sinner but rather that he turne from his wyckednesse and lyue God that hath promised to turne to vs if we refuse not to turne to hym yea if we turne our euyll workes from before his eyes ceasse to do euyll learne to do well seeke to do ryght releeue the oppressed be a ryght iudge to the fatherlesse defende the wydowe breake our bread to the hungry bryng the poore that wander into our house clothe the naked and despise not our brother which is our owne fleshe then shalt thou call sayth the Prophete and the Lorde shall aunswere thou shalt cry and he shal saye here am I Yea God whiche heard Ahab and the Niniuites and spared them will also heare our prayers and spare vs so that we after their example will vnfaignedly turne vnto him yea he wyll blesse vs with his heauenly benedictions the tyme that we haue to tary in this worlde after the rase of this mortal life he will bring vs to his heauenly kingdome where we shall raigne in euerlasting blessednesse with our sauiour Christ to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour and glory for euer and euer Amen ¶ An Homilee agaynst gluttony and and drunkennesse YE haue heard in the former Sermon welbeloued the description and the vertue of fastyng with the true vse of the same No we ye shall heare howe foule a thing gluttony and drunkennesse is before God the rather to moue you to vse fasting the more diligently Understande ye therefore that almightie God to to th end that we might keepe our selues vndefiled and serue him in holinesse ryghteousnesse according to his word hath charged in his scriptures so many as looke for the glorious appearing of our sauiour Christe to leade their liues in al sobrietie modestie temperancie Wherby we may learne how necessarie it is for euery Christian that wyll not be founde vnready at the commyng of our sauiour Christe to liue sober minded in this present worlde forasmuche as otherwise being vnready he can not enter with Christ into glorie And being vnarmed in this behalfe he muste needes be in continuall daunger of that cruel aduersarie the roring Lion agaynst whom the Apostle Peter warneth vs to prepare our selues in continuall sobrietie that we may resist being stedfast in fayth To the intent therefore that this sobernesse may be vsed in all our behauiour it shal be expedient for vs to declare vnto you how muche all kynde of excesse offendeth the maiestie of almightie God and how greeuouslye he punisheth the immoderate abuse of those his creatures whiche he ordeyneth to the mayntenaunce of this our needy lyfe as meates drynkes and apparell And agayne to shewe the noysome diseases and great mischeefes that commonly do folow them that inordinately geue vp them selues to be caryed headlong with suche pleasures as are ioyned eyther with daintie and ouerlarge fare or els with costly and sumptuous apparell And firste that ye may perceaue how detestable and hatefull all excesse in eatyng and drynking is before the face of almyghtie God ye shall call to mynde what is wrytten by saint Paul to the Galathians where he numbreth gluttonie and drunkennesse among those horrible crimes with the whiche as he sayth no man shall inherite the kyngdome of heauen He reckeneth them among the deedes of the flesh and coupleth them with idolatrie whoredome and murder whiche are the greatest offences that can be named among men For the first spoyleth God of his honour the seconde defileth his holy Temple that is to wit our owne bodyes the third maketh vs companions of Cayne in the slaughter of our brethren and who so committeth them as saint Paul sayth can not inherite the kyngdome of god Certaynly that sinne is very odious and lothsome before the face of God whiche causeth hym to turne his fauourable countenaunce so farre from vs that he shoulde cleane barre vs out of the dores and disherite vs of his heauenly kyngdome But he so much abhorreth all beastly banquetting that by his sonne our Sauiour Christe in the Gospell he declareth his terrible indignation agaynst all belly Gods in that he pronounceth them accursed saying Wo be to you that are full for ye shall hunger And by the prophet Esaias he crieth out Wo be to you that rise vp early to geue your selues to drunkennesse and set al your myndes so on drinkyng that ye sit swearing therat vntil it be nyght The harpe the lute the shaume and plentie of wyne are at your feastes but the workes of the Lord ye do not behold neither consider the workes of his hands Wo be vnto you that are strong to drinke wyne and are mightie to aduaunce drunkennesse Here the prophet playnely teacheth that feastyng and banquetting maketh men forgetfull of their duetie towardes God when they geue themselues to all kyndes of pleasures not considering nor regarding the workes of the Lorde who hath created meates and drinkes as S. Paul sayth to be receaued thankfully of them that beleue know the trueth So that the very beholdyng of these creatures beyng the handy worke of almyghtie God might teache vs to vse them thankfully as God hath ordeined Therefore they are without excuse before god which either filthily feed themselues not respecting the sanctification which is by the word of god praier or els vnthankfully abuse the good creatures of God by surfetting and drunkennes forasmuch as Gods ordinaunces in his creatures playnely forbiddeth it They that geue them selues therefore to bibbing and banquetting being altogether without consideration of Gods iudgementes are sodenly oppressed in the day of vengeaunce And therfore our sauiour Christe warneth his disciples
saying Take heede to your selues least at any time your heartes be ouercome with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this worlde and so that day come on you vnwares Whosoeuer then wyl take warning at Christe let him take heede to him self least his heart being ouerwhelmed by surfetting and drowned in drunkennesse he be taken vnwares with that vnthriftie seruaunt which thinking not on his maisters comming began to smite his felow seruauntes and to eate and drinke and to be drunken and being sodenly taken hath his iust rewarde with vnbeleeuing hypocrites They that vse to drinke depely and to feede at full wallowing them selues in all kinde of wickednesse are brought a sleepe in that slumbring forgetfulnesse of Gods holy wyll and commaundementes Therefore almightie God crieth by the prophet Ioel Awake ye drunkardes weepe and howle all ye drinkers of wine because the newe wine shal be pulled from your mouth Here the Lord terribly threatneth to withdrawe his benefites from suche as abuse them and to pull the cup from the mouth of drunkardes Here we may learne not to sleepe in drunkennes and surfetting least God depriue vs of the vse of his creatures when we vnkindly abuse them For certainely the Lorde our God wyl not only take away his benefites when they are vnthankfully abused but also in his wrath and heauye displeasure take vengeaunce on such as immoderatly abuse them If our firste parentes Adam and Eue had not obeyed their greedy appetite in eating the forbidden fruite neyther had they lost the fruition of Gods benefites which they then enioyed in paradice neither had they brought so many mischeefes both to themselues and to all their posteritie But when they passed the bondes that God had appointed them as vnworthy of Gods benefites they are expelled and dryuen out of paradice they may no longer eate the fruites of that garden whiche by excesse they had so much abused As transgressours of Gods commaundement they and their posteritie are brought to a perpetuall shame and confusion and as accursed of God they must nowe sweate for their liuing which before had aboundaunce at their pleasure Euen so if we in eating and drinking exceede when God of his large liberalitie sendeth plentie he wyl soone chaunge plentie into scarsenesse And where as we gloryed in fulnesse he wyll make vs emptie and confounde vs with penurie yea we shal be compelled to labour and trauaile with paynes in seekyng for that whiche we sometime enioyed at ease Thus the Lorde wyll not leaue them vnpunished whiche not regardyng his workes folowe the lustes and appetites of their owne heartes The patriarch Noah whom the Apostle calleth the preacher of ryghteousnesse a man exceedingly in Gods fauour is in holy scripture made an example whereby we may learne to auoyde drunkennesse For when he had powred in wine more then was conuenient in filthie maner he lay naked in his tent his priuities discouered And whereas sometyme he was so muche esteemed he is now become a laughing stocke to his wicked sonne Cham no small greefe to Sem and Japheth his other two sonnes whiche were ashamed of their fathers beastly behauiour Here we may note that drunkennesse bryngeth with it shame and derision so that it neuer escapeth vnpunished Lot in lyke maner beyng ouercome with wine committeth abominable incest with his owne daughters So wyll almyghtie God geue ouer drunkardes to the shamefull lustes of their owne heartes Here is Lot by drinkyng fallen so farre beside hym selfe that he knoweth not his owne daughters Who woulde haue thought that an olde man in that heauie case hauing lost his wyfe and all that he had whiche had seene euen nowe Gods vengeaunce in fearefull maner declared on the fiue Cities for their vicious lyuyng shoulde be so farre past the remembraunce of his duetie But men ouercome with drynke are altogether madde as Seneca sayth He was deceaued by his daughters but nowe many deceaue themselues neuer thinking that GOD by his terrible punishmentes wylbe auenged on them that offend by excesse It is no small plague that Lot purchased by his drunkennesse For he had copulation moste filthily with his owne daughters whiche conceaued thereby so that the matter is brought to lyght it can no lenger be hid Two incestuous chyldren are borne Ammon and Moab of whom came two nations the Ammonites and Moabites abhorred of God and cruel aduersaries to his people the Israelites Lo Lot hath gotten to hym selfe by drynking sorow and care with perpetuall infamie and reproche vnto the worldes ende If God spared not his seruaunt Lot being otherwyse a godly man nephewe vnto Abraham one that entertained the angelles of God What wyll he do to these beastly belly slaues whiche voyde of all godlynes or vertuous behauiour not once but continually day and nyght geue them selues wholly to bibbyng and banquetting Butlet vs yet further beholde the terrible examples of Gods indignation agaynst suche as greedyly folowe their vnsatiable lustes Ammon the sonne of Dauid feastyng hym selfe with his brother Absolon is cruelly murthered of his owne brother Holophernes a valeant and mightie captaine being ouer whelmed with wine had his head stricken from his shoulders by that seely woman Iudith Simon the hie priest and his two sonnes Mattathias and Iudas being entertained of Ptolomie the son of Abobus who had before maryed Simons daughter after muche eatyng and drynkyng were trayterously murthered of their owne kynsman If the Israelites had not geuen them selues to belly cheare they had neuer so often fallen to idolatrie Neyther woulde we at this day be so addict to superstition were it not that we so much esteemed the fillyng of our bellies The Israelites when they serued idolles sate downe to eate and drynke and rose agayne to play as the scripture reporteth Therefore seeking to serue their bellyes they forsooke the seruice of the Lorde their god So are we drawne to consent vnto wickednesse when our heartes are ouerwhelmed by drunkennesse and feasting So Herode setting his minde on banquetting was content to graunt that the holy man of God John Baptist shoulde be beheaded at the request of his whores daughter Had not the riche glutton ben so greedely geuen to the pamperyng of his belly he woulde neuer haue ben so vnmercifull to the poore Lazarus neyther had he felt the tormentes of the vnquenchable fire What was the cause that god so horribly punished Sodoma and Gomorrha was it not their proud banquetting and continual idlenes whiche caused them to be so lewde of lyfe and so vnmercifull towardes the poore What shall we nowe thinke of the horrible excesse whereby so many haue perished and ben brought to destruction The great Alexander after that he had conquered the whole worlde was himselfe ouercome by drunkennesse insomuche that being drunken he slewe his faythfull freende Clitus whereof when he was sober he was so muche ashamed that for anguishe of heart
he sayth because he which speaketh in an vnknowētongue speaketh to God for he knoweth all thinges but men know not and therefore there is no profite of this thing And agayne vppon these wordes If thou blesse or geue thankes with the spirite howe shall he that occupieth the roome of the vnlearned say Amen at thy geuing of thankes seeyng he vnderstandeth not what thou sayest That is sayth Ambrose yf thou speake the prayse of God in a tongne vnknowen to the hearers For the vnlearned hearing that whiche he vnderstandeth not knoweth not the end of the prayer and aunswereth not Amen whiche worde is as much to saye as trueth that the blessing or thankesgeuing may be confirmed For the confirmation of the prayer is fulfilled by them that do aunswere Amen that all thinges spoken might be cōfirmed in the mindes of the hearers through the testimonie of the trueth And after many weightie words to the same end he saith The conclusion is this that nothing shoulde be done in the Churche in vaine and that this thing ought chiefely to be laboured for that the vnlearned also myght take profite least any part of the body should be darke through ignoraunce And least anye man shoulde thinke all this to be meant of preaching and not of prayer he taketh occasion of these wordes of saint Paul If there be not an interpreter let hym keepe silence in the Churche to say as foloweth Let hym praye secretly or speake to GOD who heareth all thinges that be dumbe For in the Churche must he speake that maye profite all personnes Saint Hierome wryting vpon these wordes of saint Paul Howe shall he that supplieth the place of the vnlearned c. sayth It is the laye man whom Paul vnderstandeth here to be in the place of the ignoraunt man which hath no ecclesiasticall office How shal he aunswere Amen to the prayer that he vnderstandeth not And a litle after vppon the wordes of saint Paul For yf I shoulde pray in a tongue c. he sayth thus This is Paules meanyng If any may speake in straunge vnknowen tongues his minde is made vnfruitefull not to hym selfe but to the hearer For whatsoeuer is spoken he knoweth it not Saint Augustine wryting vpon the. xviii Psalme saith What this shoulde be we ought to vnderstande that we maye sing with reason of man and not with chattering of birdes For Owles Popingayes Rauens Pies and other such like birdes are taught by men to prate they know not what But to sing with vnderstāding is geuen by Gods holy wil to the nature of man Againe the same Augustine sayth There nedeth no speache when we pray sauing perhappes as the priestes do for to declare their meanyng not that God but that men maye heare them And so beyng put in remembraunce by consentyng with the priest they may hang vpon God Thus are we taught both by the scriptures and auncient doctours that in the administration of Common prayer and Sacramentes no tongue vnknowen to the hearers ought to be vsed So that for the satisfying of a Christian mans conscience we nede to spend no more tyme in this matter But yet to stoppe the mouthes of the aduersaries whiche stay them selues muche vpon generall decrees it shal be good to adde to these testimonies of scriptures and doctors one constitution made by Iustinian the Emperour who liued fiue hundred and twentie and seuen yeres after Christe and was Emperor of Rome The constitution is this We commaunde that all Byshops and Priestes do celebrate the holye oblation and the prayers vsed in holye Baptisme not speakyng lowe but with a cleare or loude voyce whiche may be heard of the people that therby the mind of the hearers may be stirred vp with great deuotion in vttering the prayers of the Lorde God for so the holy Apostle teacheth in his first Epistle to the Corinthians saying Truely if thou only blesse or geue thankes in spirite howe doth he whiche occupyeth the place of the vnlearned say Amen at thy geuyng of thankes vnto God for he vnderstandeth not what thou sayest Thou verily geuest thankes well but the other is not edified And agayne in the Epistle to the Romanes he sayth With the heart a man beleueth vnto ryghteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made vnto saluation Therefore for these causes it is conuenient that among other prayers those thinges also whiche are spoken in the holy oblation be vttered and spoken of the moste religious byshoppes and priestes vnto our Lorde Jesus Christe our God with the father and the holy ghost with a loude voyce And let the most religious priestes knowe this that if they neglecte any of these thinges that they shal geue an accompt for them in the dreadfull iudgement of the great God and our sauiour Jesus Christe Neyther wyll we when we knowe it rest and leaue it vnreuenged This Emperour as Sabellicus wryteth fauoured the byshoppe of Rome and yet we see ho we playne a decree he maketh for the praying and administring of sacramēts in a knowne tongue that the deuotion of the hearers might be stirred vp by knowledge contrary to the iudgement of them that woulde haue ignoraunce to make deuotion He maketh it also a matter of dampnation to do these thynges in a tongue that the hearers vnderstand not Let vs therefore conclude with God and al good mens assent that no common prayer or Sacramentes ought to be ministred in a tongue that is not vnderstanded of the hearers Nowe a worde or two of priuate prayer in an vnknowne tongue We tooke in hande where we began to speake of this matter not onely to proue that no common prayer or administration of Sacramentes ought to be in a tongue vnknowne to the hearers but also that no person ought to pray priuately in that tongue that he hym selfe vnderstandeth not Whiche thyng shall not be harde to proue if we forget not what prayer is For if prayer be that deuotion of the mynde whiche enforceth the heart to lift vp it selfe to God howe shoulde it be sayde that that person prayeth that vnderstandeth not the wordes that his tongue speaketh in prayer Yea how can it be sayde that he speaketh For to speake is by voyce to vtter the thought of the mynde And the voyce that a man vttereth in speakyng is nothyng els but the messenger of the mynde to bryng abroade the knowledge of that whiche otherwyse lyeth secret in the heart and can not be knowne according to that which Saint Paul wryteth What man sayth he knoweth the thynges that apparteyne to man sauyng only the spirite of man which is in man He therfore that doth not vnderstand the voyces that his tongue doth vtter can not properly be sayde to speake but rather to counterfayte as parattes and suche other byrdes vse to counterfaite mens voyces No man therefore that feareth to prouoke the wrath of God agaynst hym selfe wylbe so bolde to speake of God vnaduisedly without
their examples or that we ought to thynke that God dyd alow euery of these thyngs in those men But we ought rather to beleue and to iudge that Noe in his drunkennesse offended God highly Lot lying with his daughters committed horrible incest We ought then to learne by them this profitable lesson that if so godlye men as they were which otherwise felt inwardly Gods holy spitite inflamyng in their heartes with she feare and loue of God coulde not by their owne strength kepe them selues from committyng horrible sinne but dyd so greeuousâ—y fal that without Gods great mercie they had perished euerlastinglye Howe much more ought we then miserable wretches which haue no feeling of God within vs at al continually to feare not onely that we may fall as they did but also be ouercome and drowned in sinne which they were not And so by consydering their fal take the better occasion to acknowledge our owne infirmitie and weaknesse and therefore more earnestlye to call vnto almightie God with heartye prayer incessauntlye for his grace to strengthen vs and to defende vs from all euill And though through infirmitie we chaunce at any tyme to fall yet we may by harty repentaunce and true fayth speedily rise againe and not slepe and continue in sinne as the wicked doth Thus good people shoulde we vnderstande such matters expressed in the diuine scriptures that this holye table of Gods worde be not turned to vs to be a snare a trappe and a stumbling stone to take hurt by the abuse of our vnderstanding But let vs esteeme them in suche a reuerent humilitie that we may fynde our necessary foode therein to strengthen vs to comfort vs to instruct vs as God of his great mercye hath appoynted them in all necessarye workes so that we may be perfect before him in the whole course of our lyfe Whiche he graunt vs who hath redeemed vs our Lorde and Sauiour Jesus Christe to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour and glory for euermore Amen ¶ The seconde part of the information for them which take offence at certayne places of the holy scripture YE haue heard good people in the Homilee last read vnto you the great commoditie of holye Scriptures ye haue heard how ignoraunt men voyde of godlye vnderstanding seeke quarrelles to discredite them Some of their reasons haue ye heard aunswered Nowe we will proceede and speake of suche politique wyse men whiche be offended for that Christes preceptes should seeme to destroy all order in gouernaunce as they do alleage for example such as these be If any man strike thee on the right cheeke turne the other vnto him also If anye man will contende to take thy coate from thee let him haue cloke and all Let not thy left hand knowe what thy ryght hand doth If thine eye thine hande or thy foote offende thee pull out thine eye cut of thine hand thy foote and cast it from thee If thine enemie sayeth saint Paul be an hungred geue him meate if he be thirstie geue him drinke so doing thou shalt heape hotte burning coales vpon his head These sentences good people vnto a naturall man seeme mere absurdities contrary to all reason For a naturall man as saint Paule sayeth vnderstandeth not the thinges that belong to God neyther can he so long as olde Adam dwelleth in him Christ therfore meaneth that he would haue his faithfull seruaunts so farre from vengeaunce and resisting wrong that he woulde rather haue him redy to suffer an other wrong then by resisting to breake charitie and to be out of pacience He would haue our good deedes so farre from al carnall respectes that he would not haue our nyest freendes know of our wel doing to win a vaine glorye And though our freendes and kynsfolkes be as deare as our right eyes and our right handes yet if they woulde plucke vs from God we ought to renounce them and forsake them Thus if ye wil be profitable hearers and readers of the holye scriptures ye must firste denye your selues and keepe vnder your carnall senses taken by the outward wordes and searche the inward meaning reason must geue place to Gods holye spirite you must submit your worldly wisedome and iudgement vnto his diuine wysdome and iudgement Consyder that the scripture in what straunge fourme soeuer it be pronounced is the word of the lyuing god Let that alwayes come to your remembraunce which is so oft repeated of the prophete Esaias The mouth of the Lorde sayth he hath spoken it the almighty and euerlasting God who with his onely worde created heauen and earth hath decreed it the Lorde of hoastes whose wayes are in the Seas whose pathes are in the deepe waters that Lorde and God by whose worde all thynges in heauen and in earth are created gouerned and preserued hath so prouided it The God of Goddes and Lorde of all Lordes yea God that is God alone incomprehensible almyghty and euerlasting he hath spoken it it is his worde It can not therefore be but trueth whiche proceedeth from the God of all trueth it can not be but wisely and prudently commaunded what almightie God hath deuysed how vaynely soeuer through want of grace we miserable wretches do imagine and iudge of his most holy worde The prophete Dauid describing an happye man sayeth Blessed is the man that hath not walked after the counsayle of the vngodlye nor stande in the waye of sinners nor sit in the seate of the scornefull There are three sortes of people whose companye the prophete would haue him to flee and auoyde which shall be an happy man and partakers of Gods blessing First he may not walke after the counsayle of the vngodlye Secondlye he may not stand in the waye of sinners Thirdlye he muste not sit in the seat of the scornefull By these three sortes of people vngodly men sinners and scorners all impietie is signified and fully expressed By the vngodly he vnderstaÌ„deth those which haue no regarde of almightye God being voyde of all faith whose heartes mindes are so set vpon the worlde that they studie onely howe to accomplishe their worldlye practises their carnall imaginations their filthy lust and desyre without anye feare of god The seconde sort he calleth sinners not such as do fal through ignoraunce or of frailenesse for then who should be found free What man euer liued vpon earth Christe onely excepted but he hath sinned The iust man falleth seuen times and ryseth agayne Though the godly do fall yet they walke not on purposely in sinne they stande not still to contynue and tarye in sinne they syt not downe like carelesse men without all feare of Gods iust punishment for sinne but defying sinne through Gods great grace and infinite mercye they ryse agayne and fight agaynste sinne The Prophete then calleth them sinners whose heartes are cleane turned from God and whose whole conuersation of lyfe is nothing but sinne they delight so much in
the expresse and liuelye image of God he woulde notwithstanding humble him selfe and take vppon him the fourme of a seruant and that onely to saue and redeeme vs O how much are we bounde to the goodnesse of God in this behalfe Howe manye thankes and prayses do we owe vnto him for this our saluatiō wrought by his deare and onely sonne Christe who became a pilgrime in earth to make vs citizens in heauen who became the sonne of man to make vs the sonnes of God who became obedient to the lawe to deliuer vs from the cursse of the lawe who became poore to make vs rich vyle to make vs precious subiect to death to make vs liue for euer What greater loue coulde we seelye creatures desire or wishe to haue at Gods handes Therefore dearelye beloued let vs not forget this exceeding loue of our Lorde and sauiour let vs not shew our selues vnmyndful or vnthankefull towardes him but let vs loue him feare him obey him and serue him Let vs confesse him with our mouthes praise him with our tongues beleue on him with our heartes and glorifie him with our good workes Christe is the light let vs receaue the light Christe is the trueth let vs beleue the trueth Christ is the way let vs folowe the way And because he is our onely maister our onely teacher our onely shepheard and cheefe captayne therfore let vs become his seruantes his schollers his sheepe and his souldiers As for sinne the flesh the worlde and the deuill whose seruantes and bondslaues we were before Christes comming let vs vtterly cast them of and defie them as the cheefe onely enemies of our soule And seing we are once deliuered from their cruel tyrannie by Christ let vs neuer fal into their hands againe lest we chance to be in a worse case then euer we were before Happy are they saith the scripture that continue to the ende Be faythful sayth God vntil death and I wil geue thee a crowne of lyfe Agayne he sayth in another place He that putteth his hand vnto the plough and looketh backe is not meete for the kyngdome of god Therefore let vs be strong stedfast and vnmoueable abounding alwayes in the workes of the lord Let vs receaue Christ not for a tyme but for euer let vs beleue his worde not for a tyme but for euer let vs become his seruaunts not for a tyme but for euer in consyderation that he hath redeemed saued vs not for a time but for euer and will receaue vs into his heauenly kingdome there to raygne with him not for a tyme but foreuer To him therfore with the father and the holy ghost be all honour prayse glory foreuer and euer Amen ¶ An homilee for good Friday concerning the death and passion of our sauiour Iesu Christ. IT shuld not become vs welbeloued in christ being that people whiche he redeemed frō the deuil from sinne and death and from euerlasting damnation by Christ to suffer this time to passe foorth without any meditation and remembraunce of that excellent worke of our redemption wrought as about this time through the great mercy and charitie of our sauiour Jesus Christ for vs wretched sinners and his mortall enemies For if a mortal mans deede done to the behofe of the common wealth be had in remembrance of vs with thankes for the benefite and profite whiche we receaue thereby How much more redily shoulde we haue in memorie this excellent act and benefite of Christes death whereby he hath purchased for vs the vndoubted pardon and forgeuenes of our sinnes whereby he made at one the father of heauen with vs in suche wyse that he taketh vs now for his louing children and for the true inheritours with Christe his naturall sonne of the kyngdome of heauen And verily so muche more doth Christes kindnes appeare vnto vs in that it pleased him to deliuer him selfe of all his godly honour which he was equally in with his father in heauen and to come downe into this vale of miserye to be made mortall man and to be in the state of a most lowe seruaunt seruing vs for our wealth and profite vs I saye whiche were his sworne enemies whiche had renounced his holy law and commaundements and folowed the lustes and sinfull pleasures of our corrupt nature And yet I say did Christe put him selfe betwene Gods deserued wrath our sinne and rente that obligation wherein we were in daunger to God and payde our dette Our dette was a great deale to great for vs to haue payde And without payment God the father coulde neuer be at one with vs Neyther was it possible to be losed from this dette by our owne habilitie It pleased him therefore to be the payer thereof and to discharge vs quite Who can now consyder the greuous det of sinne whiche coulde none otherwyse be payde but by the death of an innocent and will not hate sinne in his heart If God hateth sinne so much that he would allowe neither man nor Angell for the redemption thereof but onely the death of his onelye and welbeloued sonne who will not stande in feare thereof If we my freendes consyder this that for our sinnes this most innocent lambe was driuen to death we shall haue much more cause to bewayle our selues that we were the cause of his death then to crye out of the mallice and crueltie of the Jewes whiche pursued him to his death We did the deedes wherefore he was thus stricken and wounded they were onely the ministers of our wickednes It is meete then we shoulde step lowe downe into our heartes and bewayle our owne wretchednes and sinful liuing Let vs know for a certainetie that if the most dearly beloued sonne of God was thus punished and stricken for the sinne which he had not done him self how muche more ought we sore to be stricken for our dayly and manifolde sinnes whiche we commit agaynst God if we earnestlye repent vs not and be not sorye for them No man can loue sinne which God hateth so much and be in his fauour No man can saye that he loueth Christe truely and haue his great enemie sinne I meane the aucthour of his death familiar and in frendship with him So much do we loue God and Christe as we hate sinne We ought therefore to take great heede that we be not fauourers thereof least we be founde ennemies to God and traytours to Christe For not onelye they whiche nayled Christe vppon the crosse are his tormentours and crucifiers but all they sayth saint Paule crucifie agayne the sonne of God as muche as is in them whiche do commit vice and sinne which brought him to his death If the wages of sinne be death and death euerlasting Surely it is no small daunger to be in seruice thereof If we liue after the fleshe and after the sinfull lustes thereof saint Paule threatneth yea almightie God in saint Paule threatneth that we shal surely dye
one that doth beleue By this then 〈…〉 wel perceaue that the only meane and instrument of saluation required of our partes is faith that is to saye a sure trust and 〈◊〉 in the mercies of God Whereby we perswade our selues that God both hath and 〈◊〉 our sinnes that he hath accepted vs againe into his sauour that he hath released vs frō the bondes of dampnation and receaued vs againe into the number of his elect people not for our merites or desartes but onlye solely for the merites of Christes death and passion who became man for our sakes and humbled him selfe to sustayne the reproche of the crosse that we thereby might be saued and made inheritours of the kingdome of heauen This fayth is required at our handes And this yf we keepe stedfastly in our heartes there is no doubt but we shall obtayne saluation at gods handes as did Abraham Isahac and Jacob of whom the scripture saith that they beleued and it was imputed vnto them for ryghteousnesse Was it imputed vnto them onlye and shall it not be imputed vnto vs also Yes yf we haue the same fayth as they had it shal be as truly imputed vnto vs for righteousnesse as it was vnto them For it is one fayth that must saue both vs and them euen a sure and stedfast fayth in Christ Jesu who as ye haue heard came into the worlde for this ende that whosoeuer beleue in him shoulde not perishe but haue lyfe euerlasting But here we must take heede that we do not hault with God through an vnconstant and wauering saith but that it be strong and stedfast to our liues ende He that wauereth saith saint James is lyke a waue of the sea neyther let that man thinke that he shall obtaine any thing at Gods handes Peter comming to Christe vpon the water because he fainted in faith was in daunger of drowning So we yf we beginne to wauer or doubt it is to be feared lest we shall sinke as Peter dyd not into the water but into the bottomlesse pit of hell fyre Therefore I saye vnto you that we must apprehende the merites of Christes death and passion by faith and that with a strong and stedfast fayth nothyng doubting but that Christe by his owne oblation and once offring of him selfe vpon the crosse hath taken away our sinnes hath restored vs agayne into Gods fauour so fully and perfectly that no other sacrifice for sinne shall hereafter be requisite or nedefull in all the worlde Thus haue ye hearde in fewe wordes the meane whereby we must applie the fruites and merites of Christes death vnto vs so that it may worke the saluatiō of our soules namely a sure stedfast perfect and grounded fayth For as all they whiche behelde stedfastly the brasen serpent were healed and deliuered at the very sight therof from their corporall diseases and bodyly stinges euen so all they which beholde Christe crucified with a true and liuely fayth shal vndoubtedly be deliuered from the greuous woundes of the soule be they neuer so deadly or many in number Therfore dearely beloued yf we chaunce at anye tyme through frailtie of the fleshe to fall into sinne as it can not be chosen but we must nedes fall often yf we feele the heauie burden thereof to presse our soules tormenting vs with the feare of death hell and dampnation let vs then vse that meane which God hath appoynted in his word to wit the meane of faith which is the only instrument of saluation nowe left vnto vs Let vs stedfastly beholde Christe crucified with the eyes of our heart Let vs only trust to be saued by his death and passion to haue our sinnes cleane wasshed away through his most precious blood that in the end of the world when he shal come agayne to iudge both the quicke and the dead he may receaue vs into his heauenly kingdome and place vs in the number of his elect and chosen people there to be partakers of that immortal and euerlasting life whiche he hath purchased vnto vs by vertue of his bloddy woundes To him therfore with the father and the holy ghost be al honour and glorie worlde without ende Amen An Homilee of the Resurrection of our Sauiour Iesus Christe For Easter day IF euer at any tyme the greatnesse or excellencie of anye matter spirituall or temporall hath stirred vp your mindes to geue diligent eare good Christian people and welbeloued in our Lord and Sauiour Jesus Christe I doubt not but that I shall haue you nowe at this present season moste diligent and ready hearers of the matter whiche I haue at this tyme to open vnto you For I come to declare that great and most comfortable article of our Christian religion and fayth the resurrection of our Lorde Jesus So great surely is the matter of this article and of so great wayght and importaunce that it was thought worthie to kepe our sayde Sauiour still on earth fourtie dayes after he was rysen from death to lyfe to the confirmation and stablishment therof in the heartes of his disciples So that as Luke clearlye testifieth in the first Chapter of the Actes of the Apostles he was conuersaunt with his disciples by the space of fourtie dayes continuallye together to thintent he would in his person beyng nowe glorified teache and instruct them whiche shoulde be the teachers of other fullye and in most absolute and perfect wise the trueth of this moste Christian article whiche is the grounde and foundation of our whole religion before he would ascend vp to his father into the heauens there to receaue the glorye of his most triumphant conquest and victorie Assuredly so highly comfortable is this article to our consciences that it is euen the very locke and key of all our Christian religion and fayth If it were not true sayth the holy Apostle Paul that Christe rose agayne then our preaching were in vayne your fayth whiche you haue receaued were but voyde ye were yet in the daūger of your sinnes If Christ be not rysen againe sayth the apostle then are they in very euill case and vtterly perished that be entred their stepe in Christ then are we the most miserable of al men which haue our hope fixed in Christ if he be yet vnder the powre of death 〈…〉 not restored to his blisse againe But nowe is he rysen agayne from death sayth the Apostle Paul to be the first fruites of them that be a sleepe to thintent to raise them to euerlasting life agayne Yea yf it were not true that Christe is risen againe then were it neither true that he is ascended vp to heauen nor that he sent downe from heauen vnto vs the holy ghost nor that he sitteth on the right hand of his heauenly father hauing the rule of heauen earth raigning as the prophete sayth from sea to sea nor that he should after this worlde be the iudge aswell of the liuing
the daunger of your soules So nowe lyke obedient chyldren thus purified by fayth geue your selues to walk that way which God moueth you to that ye may receaue the end of your fayth the saluation of your soules And as ye haue geuen your bodyes to vnryghteousnes to synne after sin so now geue your selfe to ryghteousnes to be sanctified therein If ye delyght in this article of your fayth that Christ is rysen again from death to lyfe then folowe you the example of his resurrection as Saint Paul exhorteth vs saying As we be buried with Christ by our baptisme into death so let vs dayly dye to synne mortifiyng and kylling the euill desires and motions therof And as Christe was raysed vp from death by the glorye of the father so let vs ryse to a newe lyfe and walke continually therin that we may likewyse as naturall chyldren liue a conuersation to moue men to glorifie our father which is in heauen If we then be risen with Christ by our faith to the hope of euerlastyng lyfe let vs ryse also with Christe after his example to a newe lyfe and leaue our olde We shal then be truely rysen if we seeke for thynges that be heauenly if we haue our affection on things that be aboue and not on thynges that be on the earth If ye desyre to knowe what these earthly thynges be which ye shoulde put of and what be the heauenly thynges aboue that ye should seeke and ensue saint Paul in the Epistle to the Collossians declareth when he exhorteth vs thus Mortifie your earthly members and olde affections of synne as fornication vncleannesse vnnaturall luste euyll concupiscence and couetousnesse whiche is worshipping of idols for the whiche thinges the wrath of god is wont to fal on the children of vnbeleefe in which thinges once ye walked when ye liued in them But now put ye also away from you wrath fiercenes malitiousnes cursed speakyng filthie speaking out of your mouthes Lie not one to another that the olde man with his workes be put of and the newe be put on These be the earthly thinges whiche S. Paul moueth you to caste from you and to plucke your heartes from them For in folowing these ye declare your selues earthly and worldly These be the fruites of the earthly Adam These shoulde you daily kil by good diligence in withstandyng the desyres of them that ye might rise to righteousnesse Let your affection from henceforth be set on heauenly thinges sue and searche for mercie kyndnesse meekenes patience forbearing one another and forgeuyng one another If any man haue anye quarrell to another as Christe forgaue you euen so do ye If these and suche other heauenly vertues ye ensue in the residue of your lyfe ye shall shew playnely that ye be rysen with Christ that ye be the heauenly chyldren of your father in heauen from whom as from the geuer commeth these graces gyftes Ye shall proue by this maner that your conuersation is in heauen where your hope is and not on earth ▪ folowyng the beastly appetites of the fleshe Ye must consyder that ye be therefore cleansed renued that ye shoulde from hencefoorth serue God in holines righteousnesse al the dayes of your lyues that ye may raigne with them in euerlastyng lyfe If ye refuse so great grace whereto ye be called what other thing do ye then heape to you damnation more more and so prouoke God to caste his displeasure vnto you and to reuenge this mockage of his holy sacramentes in so great abusyng of them Apply your selues good freends to lyue in Christ that Christ may still liue in you whose fauour assistence if ye haue then haue ye euerlastyng life alredye within you then can nothyng hurt you Whatsoeuer is hitherto done cōmitted Christ ye se hath offered you pardon clearly receaued you to his fauour agayne in ful suretie wherof ye haue him now inhabiting and dwelling within you Only shew yourselues thankefull in your liues determine with your selues to refuse auoyde al such thinges in your conuersations as shoulde offend his eyes of mercy Endeuour your selues that way to rise vp agayne which way ye fell into the wel or pit of sin If by your tongue ye haue offended now therby rise agayne and glorifie God therewith accustome it to laude and prayse the name of God as ye haue there with dishonored it And as ye haue hurt the name of your neighbour or otherwise hindered hym so nowe intend to restore it to him agayne For without restitution God accepteth not your confession nor yet your repentaunce It is not enough to forsake euil except you set your courage to do good By what occasion soeuer you haue offended turne now the occasion to the honouring of God and profite of your neyghbour Trueth it is that synne is strong and affections vnrulye Hard it is to subdue and resist our nature so corrupt leauened with the sowre bitternes of the poyson whiche we receaued by the inheritaunce of our olde father Adam But yet take good courage sayth our sauiour Christe for I haue ouercome the worlde and all other enemies for you Synne shall not haue power ouer you for ye be now vnder grace saith saint Paul. Though your power be weake yet Christe is rysen agayne to strength you in your battayle his holy spirite shall helpe your infirmities In trust of his mercie take you in hande to purge this olde leauen of sinne that corrupteth and sowreth the sweetenes of your lyfe before God that ye may be as newe and freshe dowe voyde of all sowre leauen of wyckednesse so shall ye shewe your selues to be sweete bread to God that he may haue his delyght in you I saye kyll and offer you vp the worldly and earthly affections of your bodyes For Christe our Easter lambe is offered vp for vs to slea the power of synne to deliuer vs from the daunger therof and to geue vs example to dye to synne in our lyfe As the Jewes dyd eate their Easter lambe kept their feast in remembrance of their deliueraunce out of Egypt Euen so let vs kepe our Easter feast in the thankfull remembraunce of Christes benefites whiche he hath plentifully wrought for vs by his resurrection passing to his father whereby we be delyuered from the captiuitie and thraldome of all our enemies Let vs in lyke maner passe ouer the affections of our old conuersation that we may be delyuered frō the bondage therof rise with Christe The Jewes kept their feast in abstayning from leauened bread by the space of seuen dayes Let vs Christian folke kepe our holy day in spirituall maner that is in abstainyng not from material leauened bread but from the old leauen of synne the leauen of malitiousnes and wyckednesse Let vs cast from vs the leauen of corrupt doctrine that wyl infect our soules Let vs
because it is necessarie profitable shall God wylling be dissolued in the next part of this Homilee In the meane season let vs as we are most bounde geue heartie thankes to God the father and his sonne Jesus Christ for sendyng downe this comforter into the world humbly beseeching him so to worke in our heartes by the power of this holy spirite that we beyng regenerate and newely borne agayne in all goodnesse righteousnesse sobrietie and trueth may in the end be made partakers of euerlastyng lyfe in his heauenly kyngdome through Jesus Christe our Lorde and sauiour Amen The seconde part of the Homilee concernyng the holy ghoste dissoluing this doubt whether al men rightly chalenge to them selues the holy ghost or no. OUR sauiour Christe departyng out of the worlde vnto his father promised his disciples to sende downe another comforter that shoulde continue with thē for euer direct them into al trueth Which thyng to be faythfully truely perfourmed the scriptures do sufficiently beare witnes Neither must we thinke that this comforter was either promised or els geuen onlye to the Apostles but also to the vniuersall Church of Christe dispearsed through the whole world For vnles the holy ghost had ben alwaies present gouernyng and preseruing the Churche from the begynnyng it coulde neuer haue sustayned so many and great bruntes of affliction and persecution with so litle dammage and harme as it hath And the wordes of Christe are moste playne in this behalfe saying that the spirite of trueth shoulde abyde with them for euer that he woulde be with them alwayes he meaneth by grace vertue and power euen to the worldes ende Also in the prayer that he made to his father a litle before his death he maketh intercession not only for him selfe and his apostles but indifferently for all them that shoulde beleue in hym through their wordes that is to wit for his whole Churche Agayne saint Paule sayth If anye man haue not the spirite of Christe the same is not his Also in the wordes folowyng We haue receaued the spirit of adoption wherby we crye abba father Hereby then it is euident and playne to all men that the holy ghost was geuen not onlye to the apostles but also to the whole body of christes congregation although not in lyke fourme maiestie as he came downe at the feaste of Pentecost But nowe herein standeth the controuersie Whether al men do iustly arrogate to thē selues the holy ghost or no The Byshops of Rome haue for a long tyme made a sore chalenge therunto reasoning for them seues after this sort The holy ghost say they was promised to the Churche and neuer forsaketh the Church But we are the cheefe heades the principall part of the Churche therefore we haue the holy ghost for euer whatsoeuer thynges we decree are vndoubted verities and oracles of the holy ghost That ye may perceaue the weakenes of this argument it is needfull to teach you first what the true Churche of Christe is and then to conferre the Churche of Rome therewith to discerne howe well they agree together The true Churche is an vniuersal congregation or felowship of Gods faythfull and elect people buylt vppon the foundation of the apostles and prophets Jesus Christe hym selfe beyng the head corner stone And it hath alwayes three notes or marks wherby it is knowne Pure and sound doctrine the sacramentes ministred accordyng to Christes holy institution and the right vse of ecclesiastical discipline This description of the Churche is agreeable both to the scriptures of God and also to the doctrine of the auncient fathers so that none may iustly fynd fault therewith Now if ye wyll compare this with the Churche of Rome not as it was in the begynnnyg but as it is presently and hath ben for the space of nine hundred yeres and odde you shall well perceaue the state thereof to be so farre wide from the nature of the true Churche that nothing can be more For neyther are they buylt vppon the foundation of the apostles and prophetes retaynyng the sound and pure doctrine of Christe Jesu neyther yet do they order eyther the sacraments or els the ecclesiasticall keyes in such sort as he dyd first institute and ordeyne them But haue so intermyngled their owne traditions and inuentions by choppyng chaungyng by addyng and pluckyng away that now they may seeme to be conuerted into a new guyse Christe commended to his Church a sacrament of his body and blood They haue changed it into a sacrifice for the quicke and the deade Christ dyd minister to his apostles the apostles to other men indifferently vnder both kindes They haue robbed the lay people of the cup saying that for them one kind is sufficient Christ ordeyned no other element to be vsed in baptisme but only water wherunto when the word is ioyned it is made as S. Augustine saith a ful perfect sacrament They beyng wyser in their owne conceipte then Christ thinke it is not wel nor orderly done vnles they vse cōiuration vnles they halow the water vnles there be oyle salt spittle tapers and suche other dumbe ceremonies seruing to no vse contrary to the playne rule of S. Paul who wylleth all thynges to be done in the Churche vnto edification Christe ordeyned the aucthoritie of the keyes to excommunicate notorious sinners and to absolue them whiche are truely penitent They abuse this power at their owne pleasure aswell in cursyng the godly with bell booke and candles as also in absoluing the reprobate whiche are knowne to be vnworthy of any Christian societie Whereof he that lust to see examples let them searche their lyues To be shorte looke what our sauiour Christe pronounced of the Scribes and Pharisees in the Gospell the same may we boldly and with safe conscience pronounce of the bishops of Rome namely that they haue forsaken dayly do forsake the commaundementes of God to erect set vp their owne constitutions Which thyng beyng true as al they which haue any light of Gods word must needes confesse we may wel conclude according to the rule of Augustine That the byshoppes of Rome their adherents are not the true church of Christe muche lesse then to be taken as cheefe heades and rulers of the same Whosoeuer sayth he do discent from the scriptures concernyng the head although they be found in al places where the Church is appoynted yet are they not in the Churche A playne place concluding directly agaynst the Churche of Rome Where is now the holy ghost whiche they so stoutly do clayme to them selues Where is now the spirite of trueth that wil not suffer them in any wise to erre If it be possible to be there where the true Churche is not then is it at Rome otherwyse it is but a vayne bragge and nothyng els Saint Paule as ye haue hearde before sayth If anye man haue not the spirite of
were thaucthour of this gift we would only vse his meanes appoynted and bide his leasure till he thought it good for vs to haue it geuen If the marchaunt and worldlye occupyer knewe that God is the geuer of riches he would content himself with so much as by iust meanes appproued of God he could get to his liuing and woulde be no rycher then trueth woulde suffer hym he woulde neuer procure his gayne aske his goodes at the deuils hande God forbyd ye wyll say that any man should take his ryches of the deuill Ueryly so manye as increase them selues by vsurie by extortion by periurie by stealth by deceytes and crafte they haue theyr goodes of the deuils gyfte And all they that geue them selues to suche meanes and haue renounced the true meanes that god hath appointed haue forsaken him and are become worshippers of the deuill to haue their lukers and aduauntages They be suche as kneele downe to the deuill at his bidding and worship hym For he promiseth them for so doyng that he wyll geue them the worlde and the goodes therein They can not otherwyse better serue the deuyll then to do his pleasure and commaundement And his motion and wyll it is to haue vs forsake the trueth and betake vs to falshood to lyes and periuries They therefore whiche beleueth perfectly in theyr hearte that God is to be honoured and requested for the gyft of all thynges necessarie woulde vse no other meanes to relieue their necessities but trueth and veritie and woulde serue GOD to haue competencie of all thinges necessarie The man in his neede would not relieue his want by stealth The woman would not relieue her necessitie and pouertie by geuing her bodye to other in adulterie for gayne If God be the aucthour in deede of lyfe health richesse and welfare let vs make our recourse to him as the aucthour and we shal haue it sayth Saint James Yea it is hie wysdome by the wyse man therfore to knowe whose gyft it is For manye other skilles it is wysdome to knowe and beleue that al goodnes and graces be of god as the aucthour Whiche thing well consydered must needes make vs thinke that we shall make accompt for that whiche God geueth vs to occupie and therefore shall make vs to be more diligent well to spende them to gods glorye and to the profite of our neyghbour that we may make a good accompt at the last be praysed for good stewardes that we maye heare these wordes of our iudge Well done good seruaunt faythfull thou hast ben faythfull in litle I wyl make thee ruler ouer much go in into thy maisters ioy Besides to beleue certaynely god to be the aucthour of all the giftes that we haue shal make vs to be in scilence pacience when they be taken againe from vs For as God of his mercie doth graunt vs them to vse So other whyles he doth iustlye take them againe from vs to proue our pacience to exercise our fayth and by the meanes of the taking away of a few to bestow the more warely those that remayne to teache vs to vse them the more to his glory after he geueth them to vs agayne Many there be that with mouth can say that they beleue that God is the aucthour of euery good gifte that they haue but in the tyme of temptation they go backe from this beliefe They say it in worde but deny it in deede Consyder me the vsage of the worlde see whether it be not true Beholde the riche man that is indued with substaunce yf by anye aduersitie his goodes be taken from hym howe fumeth and fretteth he how murmureth he and dispaireth He that hath the gyft of good reputation yf his name be anye thing touched by the detractour howe vnquiet is he howe busie to reuenge his despite If a man hath the gyft of wysdome and fortune to be taken of some euyll wyller for a foole is so reported howe much doth it greeue hym to be so esteemed Thinke ye that these beleue constantly that God is the aucthour of these giftes If they beleue it veryly why shoulde they not patiently suffer God to take away his giftes agayne whiche he gaue them freely and lent for a time But ye wyl say I could be content to resigne to God such giftes yf he toke them agayne from me But nowe are they taken from me by euyll chaunces and false shrewes by naughtye wretches how should I take this thing patientlye To this may be aunswered that almightye God is of his nature inuisible commeth to no man visiblye after the maner of man to take away his giftes that he lent But in this poynt whatsoeuer God doth he bryngeth it about by his instrumentes ordeyned therto He hath good angels he hath euill angels he hath good men and he hath euyll men he hath hayle and rayne he hath winde and thunder he hath heate and colde Innumerable instrumentes hath he and messengers by whom agayne he asketh suche giftes as he committeth to our trust as the wyse man confesseth The creature must needes waite to serue his maker to be fierce agaynst vniust men to their punishment For as the same aucthour sayth He armeth the creature to reuenge his enemies And otherwhiles to the probation of our fayth styrreth he vp suche stormes And therfore by what meane and instrument soeuer God takes from vs his giftes we must patiently take gods iudgement in worth and acknowledge him to be the taker geuer as Job sayth The Lorde gaue and the Lorde toke when yet his enemies draue his cattell away when the deuill slue his chyldren and afflicted his bodye with a greeuous sicknes Such meekenesse was in that holy king and prophete Dauid when he was reuyled of Semei in the presence of all his hoast he toke it patiently reuyled not agayne But as confessing God to be the aucthour of his innocencie good name and offering it to be at his pleasure Let hym alone sayth he to one of his knightes that woulde haue reuenged suche despite for God hath commaunded hym to curse Dauid and peraduenture God intendeth thereby to render me some good turne for this curse of him to day And though the minister otherwhyses doth euill in his acte proceedyng of malice yet forasmuch as God turneth his euil act to a profe of our pacience we shoulde rather submit our selfe in patience then to haue indignation at gods rod which peraduenture whē he hath corrected vs to our nurture he wyll cast it into the fire as it deserueth Let vs in lyke maner truely acknowledge all our gyftes and prerogatiues to be so gods giftes that we shal be ready to resigne them vp at his wyll and pleasure againe Let vs throughout our whole lyues confesse all good thinges to come of God of what name and nature soeuer they be not of these corruptible thynges only whereof I haue nowe last spoken but
Babilonicall beast of Rome and to feare all his threatnings and causelesse curses he abused them thus by their rebellion brought this noble realme and kings of England vnder his most cruell tyrannie and to be a spoyle of his most vyle and vnsaciable couetousnes and rauenye for a long and a great deale to long a tyme And to ioyne vnto the reportes of Histories matters of latter memorie coulde the Byshop of Rome haue raysed the late rebellions in the North and Weste countries in the tymes of Kyng Henry and Kyng Edwarde our gratious Soueraignes father and brother but by abusing of the ignoraunt people Or is it not most euident that the Byshop of Rome hath of late attempted by his Irish Patriarkes and Bishops sent from Rome with his bulles whereof some were apprehended to breake downe the barres and hedges of the publibue peace in Ireland onely vpon confidence easyly to abuse the ignoraunce of the wilde Irish men Or who seeth not that vppon lyke confidence yet more latelye he hath lykewyse procured the breache of the publique peace in Englande with the long and blessed continuaunce wherof he is sore greeued by the ministery of his disguised Chaplaines creeping in lay mens apparell into the houses and whispering in the eares of certaine Northen borderers being men most ignorant of their duetie to God and their prince of all people of the Realme whom therefore as most meet and redy to execute his intended purpose he hath by the said ignorant masse priestes as blynd guides leading the blynd brought those seely blynde subiectes into the deepe ditche of horrible rebellion damnable to them selues and very daungerous to the state of the Realme had not GOD of his mercye miraculouslye calmed that ragyng tempest not onely without any ship wracke of the common wealth but almost without any shedding of christian and Englishe blood at al. And it is yet muche more to be lamented that not onely cōmon people by some other youthful or vnskilful Princes also suffer them selues to be abused by the byshop of Rome his Cardinalles bishops to oppressing of christian men their faithfull subiectes either them selues or els by procuring the force and strength of christian men to be conueyed out of one country to oppresse true Christians in another countrye and by these meanes open an entrie vnto Moores and Infidels into the possession of christian Realmes and countries other Christian Princes in the meane tyme by the Byshop of Romes procuring also beyng so occupyed in cinill warres or troubled with rebellions that they haue neyther leasure nor habilitie to conferre their common forces to the defence of their felow christians agaynste suche inuasions of the common enemies of Christendome the infidels and miscreantes Woulde to God we myght only reade and heare out of histories of the olde and not also see and feele these newe and present oppressions of Christians rebellions of subiectes effusion of christian blood destruction of christian men decay ruine of Christendom increase of paganitie most lamentable pitifull to beholde being procured in these our dayes aswell as in tymes past by the bishop of Rome and his ministers abusing the ignoraunce of Gods word yet remayning in some Chirstian Princes and people By which so wre and bitter fruites of ignorance all men ought to be moued to geue eare and credite to Gods worde she wing as most truly so most playnly how great a mischiefe ignoraunce is and agayne how great and how good a gyft of God knowledge in Gods worde is And to begin with the romish Cleargie who though they do brag nowe as did sometyme the Jewishe Clergie that they can not lacke knowledge yet doth God by his holy prophets both charge them with ignorance and threaten them also for that they haue repelled the knowledge of Gods word law from them selues from his people that he wil repel them that they shal be no more his priests God like wise chargeth princes aswel as priestes that they should indeuour them selues to get vnderstanding knowledge in his worde threatning his heauy wrath destruction vnto them yf they fayle thereof And the wyse man sayeth to all men vniuersally Princes Priestes and people where is no knowledge there is no good nor health to the soule and that almen be vaine in whom is not the knowledge of God and his holy worde That they who walke in darkenes wot not whyther they go and that the people that will not learne shall fall into great mischeefes as did the people of Israel who for their ignoraunce in Gods worde were firste led into captiuitie and when by ignoraunce afterward they would not know the tyme of their visitation but crucified Christ our sauiour persecuted his holye Apostles and were so ignoraunt and blynde that when they did most wickedlye and cruellye they thought they did God good and acceptable seruice as do manye by ignoraunce thynke euen at this daye finally through theyr ignorance and blyndnes their country townes cities Hierusalem it selfe and the holye temple of God were all moste horiblye destroyed the moste cheefest parte of theyr people slayne and the reste led into moste miserable captiuitie For he that made them had no pitie vppon them neyther would spare them and al for their ignoraunce And the holye scriptures do teache that the people that wyll not see with theyr eyes nor heare with theyr eares to learne and to vnderstande with their heartes can not be conuerted and saued And the wicked them selues beyng damned in hell shal confesse ignorance in Gods word to haue brought them therunto saiyng We haue erred from the way of the trueth and the lyght of ryghteousnesse hath not shyned vnto vs and the sunne of vnderstandyng hath not risen vnto vs we haue weeried our selues in the way of wickednesse and perdition haue walked cumberous and crooked wayes but the way of the Lord haue we not knowen And aswel our sauiour him selfe as his apostle s. Paul do teach that the ignorance of Gods word commeth of the deuill is the cause of all errour and misiudging as falleth out with ignoraunt subiectes who can rather espye a little mote in the eye of the Prince or a coūceller then a great beame in their own vniuersally it is the cause of all euil finally of eternal damnation Gods iudgement beyng seuere towardes those who when the light of Christes Gospell is come into the world do delyght more in darkenes of ignorance then in the lyght of knowledge in Gods worde For al are cōmaunded to reade or heare to fearche and studie the holy scriptures and are promised vnderstanding to be geuen them from God if they so do all are charged not to beleue eyther any dead man nor if an Angell shoulde speake from heauen muche lesse if the Pope do speake from Rome agaynst or contrarye to the worde of GOD from the whiche we may not declyne neyther
of Gibeon makyng his humble petition to almyghtie God caused the sunne and the moone to stay their course and to stand still in the middest of heauen for the space of a whole day vntyll suche tyme the people were sufficiently auenged vpon their enemies And was not Iehosaphates prayer of great force and strength when God at his request caused his enemies to fall out among them selues and wylfully to destroy one another Who can maruayle enough at the effecte and vertue of Elias prayer He being a man subiect to affections as we are prayed to the Lorde that it myght not rayne and there fell no rayne vpon the earth for the space of three yeres and. vi moneths Againe he prayed that it myght rayne and there fell great plentie so that the earth brought forth her encrease most aboundauntly It were to long to tell of Iudith Hester Susanna and of diuers other godly men and women how greatly they preuayled in all their doinges by geuing their myndes earnestly and deuoutly to prayer Let it be sufficient at this tyme to conclude with the sayinges of Augustine and Chrisostome wherof the one calleth prayer the key of heauen the other playnely affyrmeth that there is nothyng in all the worlde more strong then a man that geueth hym selfe to feruent prayer Nowe then dearely beloued seeing prayer is so needeful a thyng and of so great strength before God let vs accordyng as we are taught by the example of Christe and his apostles be earnest and diligent in calling on the name of the lord Let vs neuer faynt neuer slacke neuer geue ouer but let vs daily and hourely early and late in season and out of season be occupyed in godly meditations and prayers What if we obtayne not our petitions at the firste yet let vs not be discoraged but let vs continually crye and call vpon God He wyll surely heare vs at length if for no other cause yet for very importunities sake Remember the parable of the vnryghteous iudge and the poore wydowe how she by her importunate meanes caused hym to do her iustice agaynst her aduersarie although otherwyse he feared neyther God nor man Shall not God muche more auenge his elect sayth our sauiour Christe whiche crye vnto hym day and nyght Thus he taught his disciples in them all other true Christian men to pray alwayes and neuer to faint or shrinke Remember also the example of the woman of Canaan how she was reiected of Christe and called dogge as one moste vnworthie of any benefite at his handes yet she gaue not ouer but folowed hym still crying and callyng vppon hym to be good and mercifull vnto her daughter And at length by very importunitie she obtayned her request O let vs learne by these examples to be earnest and feruent in prayer assuryng our selues that whatsoeuer we aske of God the father in the name of his sonne Christe and accordyng to his wyll he wyll vndoubtedly graunt it He is trueth it selfe and as truely as he hath promised it so truely wyll he perfourme it God for his great mercies sake so worke in our heartes by his holy spirite that we may alwayes make our humble prayers vnto hym as we ought to do and alwayes obtayne the thyng which we aske through Jesus Christe our Lorde to whom with the father and the holy ghost be al honour and glory worlde without ende Amen The second part of the Homilee concernyng prayer IN the firste parte of this sermon ye hearde the great necessitie also the great force of deuout and earnest praier declared proued vnto you both by diuers waightie testimonies and also by sundry good examples of holy scripture Now shal you learne whom you ought to call vppon and to whom ye ought alwayes to direct your prayers We are euidently taught in Gods holy Testament that almightie God is the only fountayne and welspring of al goodnes and that whatsoeuer we haue in this world we receaue it only at his handes To this effecte serueth the place of S. James Euery good and perfect gift sayth he commeth from aboue and proceedeth from the father of lyghtes To this effect also serueth the testimonie of Paul in diuers places of his Epistles witnessing that the spirite of wisedome the spirite of knowledge and reuelation yea euery good and heauenly gyfte as fayth hope charitie grace and peace commeth onely and solely of god In consideration whereof he bursteth out into a sodayne passion and sayeth O man what thyng hast thou whiche thou hast not receaued Therefore whensoeuer we neede or lacke any thyng parteyning eyther to the body or to the soule it behoueth vs to runne onely vnto GOD who is the onely geuer of all good thynges Our sauiour Christe in the Gospell teachyng his disciples how they shoulde pray sendeth them to the father in his name saying Uerily verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye aske the father in my name he wyll geue it vnto you And in an other place when ye pray pray after this sorte Our father whiche art in heauen c. And doth not God hym selfe by the mouth of his Prophete Dauid wyll and commaunde vs to call vpon hym The Apostle wysheth grace and peace to all them that call on the name of our Lord and of his sonne Jesus Christ as doth also the Prophet Joel saying And it shall come to passe that whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shal be saued Thus then it is playne by the infallible worde of trueth and lyfe that in all our necessities we must flee vnto God direct our prayers vnto hym call vppon his holy name desyre helpe at his handes and at no others Whereof if ye wyll yet haue a further reason marke that whiche foloweth There are certayne conditions most requisit to be founde in euery suche a one that muste be called vppon whiche if they be not founde in hym vnto whom we pray then doth our prayer auayle vs nothyng but is altogether in vayne The first is this that he to whom we make our prayers be able to helpe vs The second is that he wyll helpe vs The thirde is that he be suche a one as may heare our prayers The fourth is that he vnderstand better then we our selues what we lacke and howe farre we haue neede of helpe If these thynges be to be founde in any other sauing onely God then may we lawfully call vpon some other besides god But what man is so grosse but he wel vnderstandeth that these thynges are only proper to him which is omnipotent and knoweth al thyngs euen the very secretes of the heart that is to say only and to God alone whereof it foloweth that we must call neyther vpon angell nor yet vpon saint but only and soly vpon God as S. Paul doth write Now shall men call vppon hym in whom they haue not beleued So that inuocation or prayer may not be