to the Apostles in the mount Sion the fiftie day after Easter And hereof this feast hath his name to be called Pentecoste euen of the number of the dayes For as Saint Luke writeth in the actes of the Apostles When fiftie dayes were come to an ende the Disciples beyng altogether with one accorde in one place the holy ghost came sodenly among them and sate vpon eche of them lyke as it had ben clouen tongues of fyre Whiche thing was vndoubtedly done to teache the Apostles and all other men that it is he whiche geueth eloquence vtteraunce in preaching the Gospel that it is he which openeth the mouth to declare the mightie workes of God that it is he whiche engendreth a burnyng zeale towardes Goddes worde and geueth all men a tongue yea a fierie tongue so that they may boldly and chearefullye professe the trueth in the face of the whole world as Esai was indued with this spirite The Lord saith Esai gaue me a learned a skilful tongue so that I might knowe to rayse vp them that are fallen with the worde The prophete Dauid cryeth to haue this gyft saying Open thou my lippes O Lorde and my mouth shall shew forth thy prayse For our sauiour Christe also in the Gospel sayth to his disciples It is not you that speake but the spirite of your father whiche is within you Al whiche testimonies of holy scripture do sufficiently declare that the mysterie in the tongues betokeneth the preachyng of the Gospell and the open confession of the Christian faith in all them that are possessed with the holy ghost So that if any man be a dumbe Christiā not prosessing his fayth openly but clokyng and colouring hym selfe for feare of daunger in tyme to come he geueth men occasion iustly and with good conscience to doubt least he haue not the grace of the holy ghost within hym because he is tongue tied and doth not speake Thus then haue ye hearde the first institution of this feaste of Pentecoste or Whitsuntide aswell in the olde law among the Jewes as also in the tyme of the Gospell among the Christians Nowe let vs consyder what the holy ghost is and howe consequently he worketh his miraculous workes towardes mankind The holy ghost is a spirituall and diuine substaunce the thyrde person in the deitie distincte from the father and the sonne and yet proceedyng from them both which thyng to be true both the Creede of Athanasius beareth witnesse and may be also easilye proued by most playne testimonies of Gods holy worde When Christe was baptized of John in the ryuer Jordan we reade that the holye ghost came downe infourme of a Doue and that the father thundred from heauen saying This is my deare and welbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased Where note three diuers and distinct persons the father the sonne and the holy ghost which all notwithstandyng are not three Gods but one god Likewyse when Christe dyd fyrste institute and ordeyne the sacrament of baptisme he sent his disciples into the whole world willyng them to baptize al nations in the name of the father the sonne and the holy ghost And in an other place he sayth I wyll pray vnto my father and he shall geue you another comforter Agayne when the comforter shall come whom I wyll sende from my father c. These and suche other places of the newe Testament do so playnly and euidently confirme the distinction of the holy ghost from the other persons in the trinitie that no man possibly can doubt thereof vnles he will blaspheme the euerlastyng trueth of Gods worde As for his proper nature and substaunce it is altogether one with God the father and God the sonne that is to say spirituall eternall vncreated incomprehensible almyghtie to be short he is euen God Lord euerlastyng Therefore he is called the spirite of the father therefore he is sayde to proceede from the father and the sonne and therefore he was equally ioyned with them in the commission that the Apostles had to baptize al nations But that this may appeare more sensibly to the eyes of all men it shal be requisite to come to the other parte namely to the wonderfull and heauenly workes of the holye ghost whiche playnely declare vnto the worlde his myghtie and diuine power Fyrste it is euident that he did wonderfully gouerne and direct the heartes of the patriarkes and prophetes in olde tyme illuminating their myndes with the knowledge of the true Messias geuing them vtteraunce to prophesie of thynges that shoulde come to passe long tyme after For as saint Peter witnesseth the prophesie came not in olde tyme by the wyll of man But the holye men of God spake as they were moued iuwardly by the holy ghost And of Zacharie the hygh priest it is sayde in the Gospell that he beyng full of the holy ghost prophesied and praysed god So dyd also Simeon Anna Marie and diuers other to the great wonder and admiration of all men Moreouer was not the holy ghost a mightie worker in the conception and the natiuitie of Christe our sauiour Saint Matthewe sayth that the blessed virgin was founde with chylde of the holy ghost before Joseph and she came together And the Angell Gabriell dyd expreslye tell her that it shoulde so come to passe saying The holy ghost shall come vppon thee and the power of the most hygh shall ouershadowe thee A marueylous matter that a woman shoulde conceaue and beare a chylde without the knowledge of man But where the holy ghoste worketh there nothyng is vnpossible as maye further also appeare by the inwarde regeneration and sanctification of mankynde When Christe sayde to Nicodemus vnlesse a man be borne a newe of water and the spirite he can not enter into the kyngdome of God he was greatly amazed in his mynde and began to reason with Christe demaundyng howe a man myght be borne whiche was olde Can he enter sayth he into his mothers wombe agayn and so be borne a newe Beholde a liuely paterne of a fleshely and carnall man He had litle or no intelligence of the holy ghost and therefore he goeth bluntly to worke and asketh howe this thyng were possible to be true Whereas otherwyse yf he had knowne the great power of the holye ghost in this behalfe that it is he whiche in wardlye worketh the regeneration and newe byrth of mankynde he woulde neuer haue marueyled at Christes wordes but woulde haue rather taken occasion thereby to prayse and glorifie god For as there are three seuerall and sundrye persons in the deitie So haue they three seuerall and sundrye offices proper vnto eache of them The father to create the sonne to redeeme the holy ghost to sanctifie and regenerate Wherof the last the more it is hidde from our vnderstandyng the more it ought to moue all men to wonder at the secrete and mightie workyng of Gods holy spirite whiche
all the same so resortyng thyther ought with all quietnesse and reuerence there to behaue them selues in doing their bounden duetie seruice to almightie God in the congregation of his Saintes All which thinges are euident to be prooued by Gods holye worde as hereafter shall playnelye appeare And firste of all I wyll declare by the scriptures that it is called as it is indeede the house of God and temple of the Lorde He that sweareth by the temple sayth our sauiour Christe sweareth by it and hym that dwelleth therein meanyng God the father whiche he also expresseth playnely in the Gospell of Saint John saying Do not make the house of my father the house of marchaundize And in the booke of the Psalmes the Prophete Dauid sayth I wyll enter into thyne house I wyll worshyp in thy holy temple in thy feare And it is in almost infinite places of the scripture specially in the prophetes and booke of psalmes called the house of God or the house of the Lorde Sometyme it is named the tabernacle of the Lord and sometime the sanctuarye that is to say the holy house or place of the Lorde And it is in lykewyse called the house of prayer as Salomon who buylded the temple of the Lorde at Hierusalem doth ofte call it the house of the Lorde in the whiche the Lordes name should be called vpon And Esaias in the. 50. Chapter My house shal be called the house of prayer amongst all nations Which text our sauiour Christ alleageth in the newe Testament as doth appeare in three of the Euangelistes and in the parable of the Pharisee and the Publicane whiche went to pray in which parable our sauiour Christ sayth They went vp into the temple to pray And Anna the holy wydo we and prophetisse serued the Lorde in fastyng and prayer in the temple nyght and day And in the storie of the Actes it is mentioned how that Peter John went vp into the temple at the houre of prayer And saint Paul praying in the temple at Hierusalem was rapte in the spirite and did see Jesus speaking vnto him And as in all conuenient places prayer may be vsed of the godly priuately So it is most certaine that the Churche or temple is the due and appoynted place for common and publique prayer Nowe that it is lykewise the place of thankes geuyng vnto the Lorde for his innumerable and vnspeakeable benefites bestowed vppon vs appeareth notably in the latter ende of the Gospell of saint Luke and the begynnyng of the storie of the Actes where it is written that the Apostles and disciples after the assention of the lord continued with one accorde dayly in the temple alwayes praysyng and blessyng God. And it is lykewyse declared in the first Epistle to the Corinthians that the Churche is the due place appoynted for the reuerent vse of the Sacramentes It remayneth nowe to be declared that the Churche or temple is the place where the lyuely worde of God and not mans inuentions ought to be read taught and that the people are bounde thyther with all diligence to resort and this proofe likewise to be made by the scriptures as hereafter shall appeare In the storie of the actes of the apostles we reade that Paul and Barnabas preached the worde of God in the temples of the Jewes at Salamine And when they came to Antiochia they entred on the Sabbath day into the Synagogue or Churche and sate downe and after the lesson or readyng of the lawe and the prophetes the ruler of the temple sent vnto them saying Ye men and brethren yf anye of you haue any exhortation to make vnto the people saye it And so Paul standyng vp and makyng scilence with his hande sayde Ye men that be Israelites and ye that feare God geue eare and so foorth preachyng to them a sermon out of the scriptures as there at large appeareth And in the same storie of the actes the seuenteenth Chapter is testified howe Paul preached Christ out of the Scriptures at Thessalonica And in the fifteenth Chapter James the apostle in that holy councell and assemblie of his felowe Apostles sayth Moyses of olde tyme hath in euery Citie certayne that preache hym in the Synagogues or temples where he is read euerye Sabbath day By these places ye maye see the vsage of readyng of the Scriptures of the olde Testament among the Jewes in theyr Synagogues euery Sabbath daye and sermons vsually made vpon the same Howe muche more then is it conuenient that the Scriptures of God and specially the Gospell of our sauiour Christ should be read and expounded to vs that be Christians in our Churches speciallye our sauiour Christe and his apostles allowyng this most godly and necessarie vsage and by theyr examples confirming the same It is written in the stories of the Gospels in diuers places that Jesus went rounde about all Galilee teachyng in theyr Synagogues preaching the Gospell of the kyngdome In which places is his great diligence in continuall preachyng and teachyng of the people most euidently set foorth In Luke ye reade howe Jesus accordyng to his accustomed vse came into the temple and howe the booke of Esaias the prophete was deliuered him howe he read a text therein made a sermon vpon the same And in the. xix is expressed howe he taught dayly in the temple And it is thus written in the. viii of John Jesus came agayne earlye in the mornyng into the temple and all the people came vnto hym and he sate downe and taught them And in the. xviii of John our sauiour testifieth before Pilate that he spake openly vnto the world and that he alwayes taught in the Synagogue and in the temple whyther all the Jewes resorted and that secretely he spake nothing And in saint Luke Jesus taught in the temple and all the people came early in the morning vnto hym that they myght heare hym in the temple Here ye see aswell the diligence of our sauiour in teaching the worde of God in the temple dayly and specially on the Sabbath dayes as also the redynesse of the people resortyng altogether and that early in the morning into the Temple to heare hym The same example of diligence in preachyng the worde of God in the Temple shall ye fynde in the Apostles and the people resortyng vnto them Act. the. v. Howe the Apostles although they had ben whypped and scourged the day before and by the hygh priest commaunded that they shoulde preache no more in the name of Jesus yet the day folowyng they entred earlye in the mornyng into the Temple and dyd not ceasse to teache and declare Jesus Christe And in sundrye other places of the storye of the Actes ye shall fynde lyke diligence both in the Apostles in teachyng and in the people in commyng to the temple to heare Gods worde And it is testified in the
dominion After them came Theodosius the third he commaunded the defaced images to be paynted agayne in their places but this Theodosius raigned but one yere Leo the third of that name succeeded him who was a Syrian borne a very wyse godly mercifull valiaunt prince This Leo by proclamation commaunded that al images set vp in churches to be worshipped should be plucked downe and defaced and required specially the bishop of Rome that he should do the same and himselfe in the meane season caused all images that were in the imperial citie Constantinople to be gathered on an heape in the middest of the citie and there publiquely burned them to ashes and whyted ouer and rased out al pictures paynted vpoÌ„ the walles of the temples punished sharplie diuers maynteyners of images And when some did therefore report him to be a tyraunt he aunswered that such of al other were most iustly punished whiche neither worshipped God aryght nor regarded the imperial maiestie and aucthoritie but malicioustie rebelled agaynst holsome and profitable lawes When Gregorius the third of that name bishop of Rome hearde of the Emperours doinges in Grece concerning images he assembled a councell of Italian Byshops agaynst him and there made decrees for Images and that more reuerence and honour shoulde yet be geuen to them then was before and stirred vp the Italians against the Emperour first at Rauenna and moned them to rebellion And as Aspurgensis and Anthonius Bishop of Florence testifie in their Cronicles he caused Rome all Italie at the last to refuse their obedience and the payment of any more tribute to the Emperour and so by treason rebellion maynteyned their idolatrie Whiche example other bishoppes of Rome haue continually folowed and gone through with all most stoutly After this Leo which raigned xxxiiii yeres succeeded his sonne Constantine the fifth who after his fathers example kept images out of the temples And being moued with the councell whiche Gregorie had assembled in Italie for images agaynst his father he also assembled a councell of all the learned men and Bishoppes of Asia Grece although some writers place this councel in Leo Isauricus his fathers latter daies In this great assemble they sate in councel from the fourth of the Idus of Februarye to the sixth of the Idus of August and made concerning the vse of images this decree It is not lawfull for them that beleue in God through Jesus Christ to haue any images neyther of the creatour nor of any creatures set vp in temples to be worshipped but rather that all images by the lawe of God and for the auoyding of offence ought to be taken out of the Churches And this decree was executed in all places where anye images were founde in Asia or Grece And the Emperour sent the determination of this councel holden at Constantinople to Paule then Bishop of Rome and commaunded hym to cast all images out of the Churches whiche he trusting in the frendship of Pipine a mightye prince refused to do And both he and his successour Stephanus the third who assembled another councell in Italie for images condempned the Emperour and the councell of Constantinople of heresie and made a decree that the holye images for so they called them of Christe the blessed Uirgin and other sayntes were in deede worthy honour and worshipping When Constantine was dead Leo the fourth his sonne raigned after him who maried a woman of the citie of Athens named Theodora who also was called Hyrene by whom he had a sonne named Constantine the sixth and dying whylest his sonne was yet young left the regiment of the empyre gouernaunce of his young sonne to his wyfe Hyrene These thynges were done in the Churche about the yere of our Lord 760. Note here I pray you in this processe of the storie that in the Churches of Asia and Grece there were no images publiquely by the space of almost seuen hundred yeares And there is no doubt but the primitiue Churche next the Apostles tyme was most pure Note also that when the contention beganne about images howe of sixe Christian Emperours who were the chiefe magistrates by Gods lawe to be obeyed onelye one whiche was Theodosius who raigned but one yere helde with images All the other Emperours and all the learned men and Bishops of the Easte Churche and that in assembled councels condemned them besydes the two Emperors before mentioned Valenâ— and Theodosius the seconde who were long before these tymes who strayghtly forbad that any Images should be made And vniuersally after this tyme all the emperours of Grece only Theodosius excepted destroyed continually all images Nowe on the contrarie parte note ye that the Byshoppes of Rome beyng no ordinarie magistrates appoynted of God out of their diocesse but vsurpers of princes aucthoritie contrarie to gods word were the mainteyners of images against Gods word and stirrers vp of sedition and rebellion and workers of continuall treason against theyr soueraigne Lords contrary to gods lawe and the ordinaunces of all humane lawes beyng not onely enemies to God but also rebels and traytours against their Princes These be the first bringers in of images openly into Churches these be the mainteiners of them in the Churches and these be the meanes wherby they haue maynteyned them â—to wit conspiracie treason and rebellion agaynst God and their princes Nowe to proceede in the historie most worthye to be knowen In the nonage of Constantine the sixth the Empresse Hyrene his mother in whose handes the regiment of the Empire remayned was gouerned muche by the aduyse of Theodore Byshop and Tharasius patriarche of Constantinople who practised and helde with the Bishop of Rome in mainteining of images most earnestly By whose councell and entreatie the Empresse first most wickedly digged vp the body of her father in lawe Constantine the fifth and commaunded it to be openly burned the ashes to be throwen into the sea Whiche example as the constant report goeth hadde lyke to haue ben put in practise with Princes corses in our dayes had the aucthoritie of the holy father continued but a little longer The cause why the Empresse Hyrene thus vsed her father in lawe was for that he when he was alyue had destroyed images and had taken away the sumptuous ornamentes of Churches saying that Christ whose temples they were allowed pouertie and not pearles and pretious stones Afterward the said Hyrene at the perswasion of Adrian bishop of Rome Paul the patriarch of Constantinople his successour Tharasius assembled a councel of the bishops of Asia and Grece at the citie Nicea where the bishop of Romes legares being presidentes of the councell and ordring all thinges as they listed the counsell which was assembled before vnder the Emperour Constantine the fift and had decreed that all images shoulde be destroyed was condempned as an hereticall councell and assemble And a decree was made that images shoulde be set vp in all the Churches
Sauiour Christe sayth of them they haue theyr rewarde that is they haue prayse and commendation of men but of God they haue none at all For whatsoeuer tendeth to an euill ende is it selfe by that euyll ende made euill also Agayne so long as we kepe vngodlinesse in our heartes suffer wicked thoughtes to tary there though we fast as oft as dyd eyther saint Paul or John Baptist and kepe it as strayghtly as dâ—d the Niniuites yet shall it be not onlye vnprofitable to vs but also a thing that greatlye displeaseth almightie god For he sayth that his soule abhorreth hateth such fastings yea they are a burthen vnto him he is weary of bearyng them And therefore he inuayeth moste sharply against them saying by the mouth of the prophete Esai Beholde when you fast your lust remaineth stil for ye do no lesse violence to your debters Lo ye fast to strife and debate and to smite with the fiste of wickednes Nowe ye shall not fast thus that you maye make your voyce to be hearde aboue Thinke ye this fast pleaseth me that a man should chasten him selfe for a day should that be called a fasting or a day that pleaseth the Lorde Nowe dearely beloued seeyng that almightie God aloweth not our fast for the workes sake but chiefely respecteth our heart howe it is affected and then esteemeth our fast eyther good or euill by th end that it serueth for it is our part to rente our heartes and not our garmentes as we are aduertised by the prophete Joel that is our sorowe and mournyng must be inwarde in heart and not in outward shewe onlye yea it is requisite that first before all thinges we cleanse our hearts from sinne and then to direct our fast to such an ende as God wyll alowe to be good There be three endes whereunto if your fast be directed it is then a worke profitable to vs and accepted of God. The first is to chastise the fleshe that it be not to wanton but tamed and brought in subiection to the spirite This respecte had Saint Paul in his fast when he said I chastice my body and bring it into subiection least by anye meanes it commeth to passe that when I haue preached to other I my selfe be founde a castaway The seconde that the spirite may be more feruent and earnest to prayer To this ende fasted the prophetes and teachers that were at Antioche before they sent foorth Paul and Barnabas to preache the Gospell The same two Apostles fasted for the like purpose when they commended to God by their earnest prayers the congregations that were at Antioch Pisidia Iconium and Listris as we reade in the Actes of the Apostles The thirde that our fast be a testimonie and witnesse with vs before God of our humble submission to his high maiestie when we confesse and acknowledge our sinnes vnto him are inwardly touched with sorowfulnesse of heart bewayling the same in the affliction of our bodies These are the three endes or ryght vses of fasting The first belongeth most properlie to priuate fast The other two are common aswell to p 〈…〉 que fast as to priuate And thus muche for the vse of fasting Lorde haue mercie vppon vs and geue vs grace that whyle we liue in this miserable worlde we maye through thy helpe bring foorth this suche other fruites of the spirite commended coÌ„maunded in thy holy word to the glory of thy name and to our comfortes that after the race of this wretched lyfe we may liue euerlastingly with thee in thy heauenlye kyngdome not for the merites and worthynesse of our workes but for thy mercie sake and the merites of thy deare sonne Jesus Christe to whom with thee and the holy ghost be all laude honour and glory for euer and euer Amen The seconde part of the Homilee of fasting IN the former Homilee beloued was shewed that among the people of the Jewes fasting as it was coÌ„maunded them from god by Moyses was to abstaine the whole day froÌ„ morrowe til night from meate drinke al maner of foode that nourisheth the body that who so tasted ought before the Euening on the day appointed to fasting was accompted among them a breaker of his fast Whiche order though it seemeth strange to some in these our dayes because it hath not ben so vsed generally in this Realme of many yeres past yet that it was so amoÌ„g gods people I meane the Jewes whom before the comming of our sauiour Christ god did vouchsafe to chose vnto him selfe a peculier people aboue all other nations of the earth and that our sauiour Christ so vnderstood it the apostles after Christes ascention did so vse it was there sufficiently proued by the testimonies examples of the holy scriptures aswel of the new Testament as of the olde The true vse of fasting was there also shewed In this seconde part of this Homilee shall be shewed that no constitution or lawe made by man for thinges whiche of their owne proper nature be meere indifferent can bynde the conscience of Christen men to a perpetuall obseruation and keping therof but that the higher powers hath full libertie to alter and chaunge euery such lawe and ordinaunce eyther ecclesiasticall or politicall when time and place shall require But first an aunswere shal be made to a question that some may make demaunding what iudgement we ought to haue of suche abstinences as are appoynted by publique order lawes made by princes and by the aucthoritie of the Magistrates vpon policie not respecting any religion at all in the same As when any Realme in consyderation of the mainteyning of fissher townes borderyng vpon the seas and for the encrease of fisshermen of whom do spring Mariners to go vpon the sea to the furnishing of the nauie of the Realme whereby not onlye the commodities of other countreys maye be transported but also may be a necessarie defence to resist the inuasion of the aduersarie For the better vnderstanding of this question it is necessarie that we make a differeÌ„ce betwene the pollicies of princes made for the orderyng of their common weales in prouision of thinges seruing to the more sure defence of their subiects and countreyes and betweene ecclesiasticall pollicies in prescribing such workes by whiche as by secondary meanes Gods wrath may be pacified and his mercie purchased Positiue lawes made by princes for conseruation of theyr pollicie not repugnaunt vnto Gods lawe ought of all Christian subiectes with reuerence of the magistrate to be obaied not only for feare of punishment but also as the apostle sayth for conscyence sake Conscience I say not of the thing which of the owne nature is indifferent but of our obedience which by the law of God we owe vnto the Magistrate as vnto Gods minister By whiche positiue lawes though we subiectes for certaine times dayes appoynted be restrained from some kindes of meates and drinke whiche God by
errour of Purgatorie out of our heades neyther let vs dreame anye more that the soules of the dead are any thing at all holpen by our prayers But as the scripture teacheth vs let vs thinke that the soule of man passing out of the body goeth straightwayes eyther to heauen or els to hell whereof the one nedeth no prayer and the other is without redemption The onlye Purgatorie wherein we must trust to be saued is the death and blood of Christe which if we apprehend with a true and stedfast fayth it purgeth and clenseth vs from all our sinnes euen as well as if he were now hanging vpon the crosse The blood of Christe sayth saint John hath clensed vs from all sinne The blood of Christe sayth saint Paul hath purged our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing god Also in another place he sayth We be sanctified and made holy by the offering vp of the body of Jesus Christe done once for all Yea he addeth more saying With the one oblation of his blessed body pretious blood he hath made perfect for euer and euer all them that are sanctified This then is that Purgatorie wherein all Christian men must put their whole truste and confidence nothing doubting but yf they truely repent them of their sinnes and dye in perfecte fayth that then they shall foorth with passe from death to life If this kinde of purgation wyll not serue them let them neuer hope to be releassed by other mens prayers though they shoulde continue therein vnto the worldes ende He that can not be saued by fayth in Christes blood howe shall he loke to be deliuered by mans intercessions Hath God more respect to man on earth then he hath to Christe in heauen If any man sinne sayth saint John we haue an aduocate with the father euen Jesus Christe the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes But we must take heede that we call vpon this aduocate whyle we haue space geuen vs in this life lest when we are once dead there be no hope of saluation left vnto vs For as euery man sleepeth with his owne cause so euerye man shall ryse agayne with his owne cause And looke in what state he dyeth in the same state he shal be also iudged whether it be to saluation or dampnation Let vs not therfore dreame either of purgatorie or of prayer for the soules of them that be dead but let vs earnestly diligently praye for them whiche are expresly commaunded in holye scripture namely for kinges and rulers for ministers of Gods holy worde and sacramentes for the saintes of this worlde otherwyse called the faithfull to be short for all men liuing be they neuer so great enemies to god and his people as Jewes Turkes Pagans Infidels Heretikes c. Then shall we truely fulfill the commaundement of God in that behalfe plainely declare our selues to be the true children of our heauenly father which suffreth the sunne to shine vpon the good and the bad and the rayne to fall vpon the iust and the vniust For whiche and al other benefites moste aboundauntlye bestowed vppon mankynde from the beginning let vs geue him hearty thankes as we are most bound prayse his name for euer and euer Amen ⧠An Homilee of the place and tyme of prayer GOD through his almighty power wisedome and goodnes created in the beginning heauen earth the Sunne the Moone the starres the fowles of the ayre the beastes of the earth the fishes in the sea and all other creatures for the vse commoditie of man whom also he had created to his owne image and likenesse and geuen him the vse gouernement ouer them al to the end he shoulde vse them in suche sort as he had geuen him in charge commaundement also that he should declare him selfe thankful and kynde for al those benefites so liberally so graciously bestowed vpon him vtterly without anye deseruing on his behalf And although we ought at al times in al places to haue in remēbrance to be thankful to our gracious Lord according as it is written I wil magnifie the lord at al times And agayne Wheresoeuer the lord beareth rule O my soule prayse the Lord Yet it appeareth to be Gods good wil and pleasure that we shoulde at special times and in special places gather our selues together to the intent his name might be renowmed and his glory set forth in the congregation and assembly of his saintes As concerning the tyme whiche almightie God hath appoynted his people to assemble together solemly it doth appeare by the fourth commaundement of God Remember saith God that thou kepe holye the Sabbath day Upon the which day as is playne in the actes of the Apostles the people accustomablye resorted together hearde diligently the lawe and the prophetes read among them And albeit this commaundement of God doeth not bynde christian people so straytlye to obserue and keepe the vtter ceremonies of the Sabbath day as it was geuen vnto the Jewes as touching the forbearing of worke and labour in tyme of great necessitie and as touching the precise keeping of the seuenth day after the manner of the Jewes For we keepe now the first day which is our sunday and make that our sabbath that is our day of rest in the honor of our sauiour christ who as vpon that daye rose from death conquering the same most triumphantly Yet notwithstanding whatsoeuer is found in the commaundement apparteyning to the lawe of nature as a thyng most godlye moste iuste and needeful for the setting forth of Gods glorie it ought to be retayned and kept of all good Christian people And therfore by this commaundemēt we ought to haue a tyme as one day in a weeke wherein we ought to rest yea from our lawfull and nedefull workes For like as it appeareth by this commaundement that no man in the syxe dayes ought to be slouthfull or ydle but diligentlye to labour in that state wherein God hath set him Euen so God hath geuen expresse charge to all men that vpon the sabbath day which is now our sunday they should ceasse from all weaklye and workeday labour to the entent that lyke as God him selfe wrought sixe dayes and rested the seuenth and blessed and sanctified it and consecrated it to quyetnes and rest from labour euen so Gods obedient people shoulde vse the sundaye holyly and rest from their comon and daily businesse and also geue them selues whollye to heauenly exercises of Gods true religion and seruice So that God doth not onely commaunde the obseruation of this holy day but also by his owne example doth stirre and prouoke vs to the diligent keeping of the same Good natural children wil not onelye become obedient to the commaundemēt of their parents but also haue a diligent eye to their doings and gladly folow the same So if we wil be the children of our heauenly father we
this a full perfect and blessed estate Coulde any thing els be well added hereunto or greater felicitie desyred in this worlde But as the common nature of all men is in tyme of prosperitie and wealth to forget not only them selues but also God Euen so did this first man Adam who hauing but one commaundement at Gods hande namely that he shoulde not eate of the fruite of knowledge of good ill dyd not withstanding most vnmindefully or rather moste wylfully breake it in forgetting the straight charge of his maker and geuing eare to the craftie suggestion of that wicked serpent the deuill Whereby it came to passe that as before he was blessed so nowe he was accursed as before he was loued so now he was abhorred as before he was most beautifull and pretious so nowe he was moste vyle and wretched in the sight of his Lorde and maker Insteade of the image of God he was nowe become the image of the deuill Insteade of the citezin of heauen he was become the bondslaue of hell hauing in hym selfe no one part of his former puritie cleannesse but being altogether spotted defiled insomuch that nowe he seemed to be nothing els but a lumpe of sinne and therfore by the iust iudgement of god was condempned to euerlasting death This so great and miserable a plague if it had only rested on Adam who first offended it had ben so muche the easyer and myght the better haue ben borne But it fell not only on hym but also on his posteritie children for euer so that the whole broode of Adams flesh should sustaine the selfe same fall punishment which their forefather by his offence most iustly had deserued Saint Paul in the fifth Chapter to the Romanes sayth By the offence of onlye Adam the fault came vpon all men to condempnation by one mans disobedience many were made sinners By which words we are taught that as in Adam al men vniuersally sinned so in Adam all men vniuersally receaued the reward of sinne that is to say became mortall subiect vnto death hauing in them selues nothyng but euerlasting dampnation both of body and soule They became as Dauid sayth corrupt abominable they went all out of the way there was none that dyd good no not one O what a miserable wofull state was this that the synne of one man should destroy and condempne al men that nothyng in all the worlde might be looked for but only pangues of death paynes of hell Had it ben any maruaile if mankinde had ben vtterlie driuen to desperation beyng thus fallen from life to death from saluation to destruction from heauen to hell But beholde the great goodnes tender mercie of god in this behalf Albeit mans wickednes sinfull behauiour was such that it deserued not in any part to be forgeuē yet to the intent he might not be cleane destitute of al hope and comfort in tyme to come he ordeyned a new couenaunt made a sure promise thereof namely that he would send a Messias or mediatour into the world which shoulde make intercession put him selfe as a stay betweene both parties to pacifie the wrath indignation conceaued against sinne to deliuer man out of the miserable curse and cursed miserie wherinto he was fallen headlong by disobeying the wyll commaundement of the only Lord maker This couenaunt and promise was first made vnto Adam him selfe immediatly after his fall as we reade in the thirde of Genesis where God sayd to the serpent on this wyse I wyll put enmitie betweene thee and the woman betweene thy seede her seede He shall breake thyne head thou shalt bruse his heele After warde the selfe same couenaunt was also more amplie plainely renued vnto Abraham where God promised him that in his seede all nations families of the earth should be blessed Agayne it was continued and confirmed vnto Isahac in the same fourme of wordes as it was before vnto his father And to the intent that mankinde myght not dispaire but alwayes lyue in hope almightie god neuer ceassed to publishe repeate confirme continue the same by diuers and sundrye testimonies of his prophetes who for the better perswasion of the thing prophesied the tyme the place the maner and circumstaunce of his birth the affliction of his life the kinde of his death the glory of his resurrection the receauing of his kingdome the deliueraunce of his people with all other circumstaunces belonging thereunto Esaias prophesied that he should be borne of a virgin and called Emanuel Micheas prophesied that he shoulde be borne in Bethlehem a place of Jurie Ezechiel prophesied that he shoulde come of the stocke and lynage of Dauid Daniel prophesied that all nations and languages shoulde serue him Zacharie prophesied that he should come in pouertie riding vpon an Asse Malachie prophesied that he shoulde sende Elias before him whiche was John the Baptist. Hieremie prophesied that he should be solde for thirtie peeces of siluer c. And all this was done that the promise couenaunt of God made vnto Abraham his posteritie concerning the redemption of the worlde myght be credited and fully beleued Nowe as the Apostle Paul sayth when the fulnesse of time was come that is the perfection and course of yeres appoynted from the beginning then God accordyng to his former couenaunt and promise sent a Messias otherwyse called a mediatour vnto the worlde not such a one as Moyses was not such a one as Josua Saul or Dauid was but suche a one as shoulde deliuer mankinde from the bitter curse of the lawe and make perfect satisfaction by his death for the sinnes of all people namely he sent his deare and only sonne Jesus Christ made as the Apostle sayth of a woman and made vnder the lawe that he might redeeme them that were in bondage of the lawe make thē the chyldren of God by adoption Was not this a wonderfull great loue towardes vs that were his professed and open enemies towardes vs that were by nature the children of wrath and fyrebrandes of hell fyre In this sayth Saint John appeared the great loue of God that he sent his onlye begotten sonne into the worlde to saue vs when we were his extreme enemies Herein is loue not that we loued him but that he loued vs and sent his sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes Saint Paul also sayth Christ when we were yet of no strength dyed for vs being vngodlye Doubtlesse a man wyll scarse dye for a ryghteous man Peraduenture some one durst dye for him of whom they haue receaued good But god setteth out his loue towardes vs in that he sent Christe to dye for vs when we were yet voyde of all goodnesse This and such other comparisons doth the Apostle vse to amplifie and set forth the tender mercie great goodnes of God declared towardes mankinde in sendyng downe a sauiour from heauen euen Christe
yea towardes the image of GOD the excellent creature thyne owne soule If thou haue offended nowe be reconciled If thou hast caused anye to stumble in the waye of God nowe set them vp agayne If thou haue disquieted thy brother nowe pacitie hym If thou haue wronged hym nowe reliefe hym If thou haue defrauded hym nowe restore to hym If thou haue nourished spite nowe embrace frendshippe If thou haue fostred hatred and malice nowe openly shewe thy loue and charitie yea be â—â—este and redye to procure thy neyghbours health of soule wealth commoditie and pleasure as thyne owne Deserue not the heauie and dreadfull burden of Gods displeasure for thyne euyll wyll towardes thy neyghbour so vnreuerentlye to approche to this table of the Lorde Last of all as there is here the mysterie of peace and the Sacrament of Christian societie wherby we vnderstand what sincere loue ought to be betwixt the true communicantes So here be the tokens of purenesse and innocencie of lyfe whereby we maye perceaue that we ought to purge our owne soule from all vncleannesse iniquitie and wickednesse lest when we receaue the mysticall bread as Origen saith we eate it in an vncleane place that is in a soule defiled and polluted with sinne In Moyses lawe the man that dyd eate of the sacrifice of thankesgenyng with his vncleannesse vppon him shoulde be destroyed from his people And shal we thinke that the wicked and sinfull person shal be excurable at the table of the Lord â—e both â—eade in S. Paul that the Churche at Corinth was scourged of the Lorde for misusing the Lordes supper and we maye plainelye see Christes Churche these many yeres miserably vexed and oppressed for the horrible prophanation of the same Wherefore let vs al vniuersall and singuler behold our owne maners and liues to amende them Yea nowe at the least let vs call our selues to an accompt that it may greeue vs of our former euyll conuersation that we may hate sinne that we may sorowe and mourne for our offences that we may with teares powre them out before god that we may with sure trust desire and craue the salue of his mercie bought and purchased with the blood of his dearelye beloued sonne Jesus Christe to heale our deadly woundes withall For surely yf we do not with earnest repentance clense the filthy stomacke of our soule it must needes come to passe that as wholsome meate receaued into a rawe stomacke corrupteth and marreth all and is the cause of further sicknesse so shal we eate this healthsome bread and drinke this cup to our eternall destruction This we and not other must throughly examine and not lyghtly loke ouer our selues not other men our owne conscience not other mens liues whiche we ought to do vpryghtly truely and with iust correction O sayth Chrisostome let no Judas resort to this table let no couetous personne approche If any be a disciple let hym be present For Christe sayth With my disciples I make my Passouer Why cryed the Deacon in the primatiue Church If any be holy let him draw neare Why dyd they celebrate these mysteries the quier doore beyng shut Why were the publique penitentes and learners in religion commaunded at this tyme to auoyde Was it not because this table receaued no vnholye vncleane or sinfull ghestes Wherefore yf seruauntes dare not presume to an earthly maisters table whom they haue offended Let vs take heede we come not with our sinnes vnexamined into this presence of our Lorde iudge If they be worthy blame which kisse the Princes hand with a filthy vncleane mouth shalt thou be blamelesse whiche with a filthy stinking soule ful of couetousnesse fornication drunkennesse pride full of wretched cogitations thoughts doest breath out iniquitie and vncleannesse on the bread and cup of the Lorde Thus haue you heard howe you shoulde come reuerently and decentlye to the table of the Lord hauing the knowledge out of his word of the thing it selfe the fruites thereof bringing a true constant faith the roote and welspring of all newnes of life aswell in praysing God louyng our neighbour as purging our owne conscience from filthines So that neither the ignoraunce of the thing shall cause vs to contempne it nor vnfaithfulnes make vs voyde of fruite nor sinne and iniquitie procure vs Gods plagues but shal by fayth in knowledge and amendement of lyfe in fayth be here so vnited to Christe our head in his mysteries to our comfort that after we shall haue full fruition of him indeede to our euerlasting ioy and eternall lyfe to the which he bryng vs that dyed for vs and redeemed vs Jesus Christe the righteous to whom with the father and the holy ghost one true and eternall God be al prayse honour and dominion for euer Amen An Homilee concerning the comming downe of the holy ghost and the manifolde giftes of the same For Whitsunday BEfore we come to the declaration of the great and manifolde gyftes of the holye ghost wherwith the church of God hath ben euermore replenished it shall first be nedefull briefly to expound vnto you wherof this feaste of Pentecoste or Whitsuntide had his first beginnyng You shall therefore vnderstande that the feast of Pentecoste was alwayes kept the fiftie day after Easter a great solempne feast among the Jewes wherein they dyd celebrate the memoriall of their deliueraunce out of Egypt and also the memoriall of the publishing of the lawe whiche was geuen vnto them in the mount Sinai vpon that day It was fyrst ordeyned and commaunded to be kept holye not by anye mortall man but by the mouth of the Lorde him selfe as we reade in Leuit. 23. Deut. 16. The place appoynted for the obseruation thereof was Hierusalem where was great recourse of people from all partes of the worlde as may well appeare in the second Chapter of the Actes wherein mention is made of Parthians Medes Elamites inhabitours of Mesopotamia inhabitours of Iurie Capadocia Pontus Asia Phrygia Pamphylia diuers other such places whereby we may also partly gather what great and royal solempnitie was commonly vsed in that feast Nowe as this was geuen in coÌ„maundement to the Jewes in the olde lawe so dyd our Sauiour Christe as it were confirme the same in the tyme of the Gospell ordeyning after a sort a newe Pentecost for his disciples namely when he sent downe the holy ghost visiblye in fourme of clouen tongues lyke fyre and gaue them power to speake in such sort that euery one myght heare them and also vnderstand them in his owne language Which miracle that it myght be had in perpetuall remembraunce the Church hath thought good to solemnize and kepe holy this day commonly called Whitsunday And here is to be noted that as the lawe was geuen to the Jewes in the mount Sinai the fiftie day after Easter so was the preaching of the Gospell through the myghtie power of the holy ghost geuen