and ioye with GOD for euer To whome be laude honor and imperie for euer euer AMEN ¶ An Homelie of Christian Loue and Charitie OF all thynges that be good to bee taught vnto christian people there is nothynge more necessarye to bee spokē of and dayely called vpon then charitie aswell for that all maner of woorkes of righteousnes be cōteyned in it as also that the decay therof is the ruyne of the worlde the banishmēt of vertue and the cause of all vice And for so muche as almoste euery mā maketh and frameth to hymself charitie after hys awne appetite howe detestable soeuer his lyfe be both vnto God man yet he perswadeth hymself stil that he hath charitie therfore you shall heare now a true playn descripcion of Charitie not of mennes imaginaciō but of the very woordes and example of our sauior Iesus Christ. In which descripcion euery mā as it were in a glasse maye considre himself se plainly without error whether he be in the true Charitie or not Charitie is to loue God with al our harte al our lyfe and all our powers and strength With all our harte that is to say that our hartes mynd and studye be set to beleue his worde to trust in him and to loue hym aboue al other thynges that we loue best in heauen or in yearth With al your lyfe that is to saye that our chief ioye delight be set vpon him his honor our whole lyfe geuē vnto the seruice of hym aboue all thynges with hym to lyue dye and to forsake all other thynges rather then hym For he that loueth hys father or mother sonne or daughter house or lāde more then me sayeth Christ is not worthy to haue me With all our powers that is to saye that with our handes fete with our eyes and eares our mouthes tongues and with all other partes powers both of body soule we should be geuen to the kepyng fulfillyng of his cōmaundementes This is the fyrste principall parte of charitie but it is not the whole for charitie is also to loue euery man good euil frende foo and whatsoeuer cause be geuē to the cōtrary yet neuertheles to beare good wil and harte vnto euery man to vse our selfes wel vnto them aswell in woordes countenaunce as in all our outwarde actes and deedes For so Christ himself taught so also he performed in dede Of the loue of God he taught in thys wyse vnto a doctor of the law that asked hym which was the great and chiefe commaundemente in the lawe Loue thy Lord God saied Christ with all thy hart with all thy lyfe and with al thy mynde And of the loue that we ought to haue emōg our selfes eche to other he teacheth vs thus you haue heard it taught in tymes paste thou shalt loue thy frende and hate thy foe but I tell you loue youre enemyes speake wel of them that diffame you speake euill of you do well to theim that hate you praye for them that vexe and persetute you that you maye be the chyldren of your father that is in heauē For he maketh hys sunne to ryse both vpon the euyl and good and sendeth rayne to iuste and vniuste For yf you loue them that loue you what rewarde shall you haue Do not the Publicans likewyse And if you speake well onely of them that be your brethren and derebeloued frendes what great matter is that Do not the Heathen thesame also These be the very woordes of our sauior Christ himself touchyng the loue of our neighbor And for asmuche as the Phariseis with their moste pestilente tradicions false interpretacions gloses had corrupted and almost clerely stopped vp this pure wel of Gods liuely worde teachyng that this loue and charitie perteyned onely to a mannes frendes that it was sufficiente for a man to loue them which do loue hym to hate his fooes therfore Christ opened thys welle agayn pourged it scoured it by geuyng vnto his Godly lawe of charitie a true clere interpretacion which is this that we ought to loue euery mā both frende and fooe addyng thereto what commoditie we shal haue thereby and what incōmoditie by doynge the contrary What thyng can we wishe so good for vs as the eternall heauenly father to repute take vs for hys chyldren And this shal we be sure of sayeth Christe if we loue euery man withoute exception And if we doo otherwyse saieth he we be no better then the Phariseis Publicans Heathen and shal haue our rewarde with them that is to be excluded from the number of Gods electe chyldren and from hys euerlastynge inheritaunce in heauen Thus of true Charitie Christ taught that euery man is bounde to loue God aboue all thynges and to loue euery man frend fooe And thus likewyse he did vse hymselfe exhortynge hys aduersaries rebukynge the faultes of hys aduersaryes and when he coulde not amende them yet he prayed for them Firste he loued God hys father abouee all thinges so muche that he soughte not hys awne glory wil but the glory and wyl of hys father I seke not said he myne awne wyl but the wyl of hym that sent me Nor he refused not to dye to satisfie his fathers wil saiyng if it maye be let this cuppe of death go frō me if not thy wyll be doen and not myne He loued not onely hys frendes but also hys enemyes which in their hartes bare exceeding great hatred agaīst hym in their tongues spake all euill of hym and in their actes and dedes pursued hym with all their might and power euen vnto death Yet al this notwithstandynge he withdrewe not hys fauor from them but styll loued them preached vnto theim of loue rebuked theyr false doctryne theyr wycked liuyng and did good vnto them paciently accepting whatsoeuer they spake or did agaynst hym When they gaue hym euill woordes he gaue none euyll agayn when they did stryke hym he did not smyte agayne when he suffered death he dyd not sle them nor threaten them but prayed for them and referred all thinges to hys fathers wyl And as a shepe that is led vnto the shambles to be slayn and as a lambe y t is shorne of hys fleese make no noyse nor resistēce euē so wente he vnto his death without any repugnaunce or openynge of his mouth to saye any euil Thus haue I described vnto you what charitie is aswel by y e doctryne as by the exāple of Christ himself Wherby also euery man maye without error know hymself what state and condiciō he standeth in whether he be in Charitie so the chyld of the father in heauen or not For althoughe almoste euery man perswadeth hymself to be in charitie yet let hym examine none other man but his awne hart his life conuersacion and he shal not be deceiued
and wretchednes of this world and the very entry into rest and a beginnyng of euerlastyng ioye a tastyng of heauenly pleasures so great that neither toungue is able to expresse neither eye to se nor eare to heare them no nor for anye earthly mans hart to conceyue them So excedinge greate benefites thei be whiche God our heauenly father by his mere mercye and for the loue of his sonne Iesus Christe hathe layed vp in store and prepared for theim that humbly submitte themselfes to Gods wil and euermore vnfainedly loue him from the botome of their hartes And we oughte to beleue that death beyng slayne by Christe cannot kepe any man that stedfastly trusteth in Christ vnder his perpetuall tirāny and subiection but that he shall ryse from death agayne vnto glory at the last daye appoynted by almighty God lyke as Christ oure head did ryse agayne accordinge to Gods appoyntement the thyrde daye For sainct Augustine saieth The head goynge before the mēbres trust to folowe come after And sainct Paule saieth if Christe be rysen from the dead we shall ryse also from thesame And to comforte all Christen persons herein holye scripture calleth this bodiely death a slepe wherin mās senses be as it were takē from hym for a ceason and yet when he awaketh he is more freash then he was when he went to bed So althoughe we haue our soules seperated from our bodyes for a ceason yet at the general resurreccion we shalbe more freash beautifull and perfite then we be now For now we be mortall then we shal be immortall now infect with diuers infirmities then clerely voyde of all mortall infirmities now we be subiect to all carnall desyres then we shalbe al spirituall desiryng nothynge but Gods glory thinges eternal Thus is this bodiely death a doore or entrynge vnto lyfe and therfore not so muche dreadfull if it be rightly considered as it is comfortable not a mischief but a remedy of all mischief no enemy but a frende not a cruel tyraūt but a gētle guide leadyng vs not to mortalitie but to immortalitie not to sorow and payne but to ioye and pleasure and that to endure for euer if it be thankefully taken and accepted as Gods messenger and paciently borne of vs for Christes loue that suffered most paynfull death for oure loue to redeme vs from death eternall Accordynge hereunto saincte Paule saieth our lyfe is hidde with Christ in God but when our lyfe shall appere then shall we also appere with hym in glorye Why then shall we feare to dye consideryng the manifolde and comfortable promises of the Gospell and of holy scriptures God the father hath geuen vs euerlastynge lyfe saieth S. Ihon thys lyfe in is hys sonne he that hath the sonne hath lyfe he that hath not y e sonne hath not lyfe And this I wrote saieth S. Ihon to you that beleue in y e name of the sonne of God that you maye knowe that you haue euerlastynge lyfe and that you do beleue vpō the name of the sonne of God And our sauior Christ sayeth he that beleueth in me hath lyfe euerlastynge and I wyll rayse him frō death to lyfe at the last day Sainct Paule also sayeth that Christe is ordeyned and made of God oure righteousnes our holynes and redemption to the entent that he which wyll glory should glory in the Lorde Sainct Paule did contemne and set litle by all other thynges estemynge them as dunge whiche before he had in very greate pryce that he might be found in Christ to haue euerlasting lyfe true holynes righteousnes and redēpcion Finally S. Paule maketh a playne argument in this wise If our heauenly father woulde not spare his awne naturall sonne but dyd geue hym to death for vs how can it be that with him he shoulde not geue vs all thynges Therfore if we haue Christ then haue we with him and by him all good thinges whatsoeuer we can in our hartes wish or desire as victorie ouer death sinne and hel we haue the fauor of God peace wyth hym holynes wysedome iustice power lyfe and redempcion we haue by hym perpetuall health wealth ioye and blysse euerlastynge All those therefore haue great cause to be full of ioye that be ioyned to Christ with true faythe stedfast hope and perfyt charitie and not to feare death nor euerlastynge dampnacion For deathe cānot depriue them of Iesu Christ nor any sinne can cōdempne them y t are graffed surely in him which is their onely ioy treasure and lyfe Let vs repent our synnes amend our lyfes trust in hys mercy and satisfaction and death can neyther take hym from vs nor vs from hym For then as s. Paul saieth whether we lyue or dye we be the Lordes awne And agayne he sayeth Christ did dye and rose agayne because he should be Lord both of the dead quicke Then if we be the Lordes awne when we be dead it must nedes folowe that suche temporall deathe not onely cānot harme vs but also that it shall muche be to our profit and ioyne vs vnto God more perfectly And thereof the christian hart may surely be certified by the infallible truth of holye scripture It is God sayeth sainct Paule which hath prepared vs vnto immortalitie and thesame is he which hath geuen vs an earnest of the spirite Therfore let vs be alwaies of good comforte for we knowe that so longe as we be in the body we be as it were farre from God in a straunge countrey subiect to many perils walkyng without perfite sighte and knowledge of almighty God onely seynge hym by faythe in holy scriptures But we haue a courage desire rather to be at home with God and oure sauior Christe farre from the body where we maye behold hys Godhead as he is face to face to oure euerlastyng comfort These be saincte Paules wordes in effecte wherby we may perceyue that the lyfe in this world is resembled to a pilgrimage in a straunge countrie far frome God and that death deliuerynge vs from our bodyes doth sende vs straight home into our awne countrey and maketh vs to dwell presently with God for euer in perpetuall rest and quietnesse So that to dye is no losse but profite and winnynge to all true christē people What lost the thefe that hanged on the crosse with Christ by hys bodiely death Yea how much dyd he gayne by it Did not our sauiour say vnto hym thys daye thou shalt be with me in Paradyse And Lazarus that pitifull person that lay before y e richemans gate payned with sores and pined with hungre did not death highlye profite and promote hym Which by the ministery of Aungels sent hym vnto Abrahās bosome a place of rest ioye and heauenly consolacion Let vs thinke none other good christen people but Christ hath prepared thesame ioye and felicitie for vs that he prepared for Lazarus the thefe Wherfore let vs sticke vnto his
saluacion and gracious redempcion and beleue hys worde serue hym frō our hartes loue obeye hym and whatsoeuer we haue done heretofore contrarye to hys moste holy wyll now let vs repent in tyme and hereafter study to correct our lyfe doubt not but we shall finde hym as mercifull vnto vs as he was either to Lazarus or to y e thefe whose exāples are written in holy scripture for the comfort of thē that be sinners and subiecte to sorowes miseries calamities in this worlde that thei shoulde not despayre in Gods mercy but euer truste therby to haue forgiuenesse of their synnes lyfe euerlastinge as Lazarus and the thefe had Thus I trust euery christen man perceyueth by the infallible woorde of God that bodiely death cannot harme nor hinder theim that truly beleue in Christ but contrary shal profit promote the christen soules whiche beynge truly penitēt for their offences departe hēce in perfect charitie and in sure truste that God is mercifull to thē forgiuinge theyr synnes for the merites of Iesus Christe hys onely naturall sonne The seconde cause why some do feare death is sore sickenesse and greuous paynes whiche partly come before death and partely accompayneth deathe whensoeuer it cometh This feare is the feare of the frayle fleashe and a naturall passion belonginge vnto the nature of a mortall man But true fayth in Gods promyses and regarde of the paynes and pangues whiche Christe vpon the crosse suffered for vs miserable synners with consideracion of the ioye and euerlastyng lyfe to come in heauen wil mitigate those paynes and moderate thys feare y t it shall neuer be able to ouerthrowe the hartie desire and gladnesse that the christian soule hath to be seperated from thys corrupt body that it maye come to the gracious presence of our sauiour Iesus Christ. If we beleue stedfastly the woorde of god we shal perceyue that suche bodiely sickenesse pangues of death or whatsoeuer dolorous paynes we suffre either before or with death be nothynge els in Christē mē but the rodde of our heauenly and louynge father wherwith he mercifully correcteth vs either to trie and declare the faythe of hys pacient chyldren that they maye be founde laudable glorious and honorable in hys sight when Iesus Christ shalbe openly shewed to be the Iudge of al the worlde or els to chastise and amende in them whatsoeuer offendeth hys fatherly and gracious goodnesse lest they shoulde peryshe euerlastingly And this hys correctynge rodde is common to all them that be truly hys Therfore let vs caste away the burden of synne that lyeth so heuye in our neckes and returne vnto God by true penaunce and amendemente of our lyfes Let vs with paciēce runne thys course that is appoynted sufferyng for hys sake that dyed for our saluacion al sorowes and pangues of death and death it selfe ioyfully when God sendeth it to vs hauynge our eyes fixed euer vpon the heade and capitayn of our fayth Iesus Christe Who considerynge the ioye that he shoulde come vnto cared neyther for the shame nor payne of deathe but willingly conformyng hys wyll to hys fathers wyll moste paciently suffered the moste shamefull and paynefull deathe of the crosse beyng innocent And now therfore he is exalted in heauen and euerlastingly sitteth on the rigtht hande of the throne of God the father Let vs call to our remembraunce therfore the lyfe and ioyes of heauen that are kepte for al them that paciently doo suffre here with Christe and cōsider that Christe suffered all hys paynfull passion by synners and for synners and then we shall with pacience and the more easyly suffre suche sorowes and paynes when they come Let vs not set at light the chastisinge of the Lorde nor grudge at hym nor fall from hym when of hym we be corrected for the Lorde loueth them whom he doth correcte and beateth euery one whom he taketh to be hys chylde What chylde is that saieth saincte Paule whome the father loueth and doth not chastice If ye be without Gods correctiō which al hys welbeloued and true children haue then be you but bastardes finally regarded of God not hys true chyldren Therfore seynge that whē we haue in earth our carnall fathers to be our correctors we do feare them and reuerently take their correction shall we not much more be in subieccion to God our spirituall father by whome we shall haue eternal lyfe And our carnall fathers some tyme correct vs euen as pleaseth thē without cause but this father iustely correcteth vs either for our synne to the intēt we should amende or for our commoditie wealthe to make vs therby partakers of his holynesse Furthermore all correction whiche God sendeth vs in thys present tyme semeth to haue no ioye and comforte but sorowe and payne Yet it bringeth with it a taste of Gods mercye and goodnes towardes thē that be so corrected a sure hope of Godes euerlastyng consolacion in heauē If then these sorowes diseases and sickenesses and also death it selfe be nothyng els but our heauenly fathers rod wherby he certifieth vs of hys loue gracious fauor wherby he trieth and purifieth vs wherby he geueth vnto vs holynesse certifieth vs that we be hys children and he our mercifull father shall not we then with all humilitie as obedyent louyng chyldren ioyfully kysse our heauenly fathers rod and euer saye in oure harte with oure sauior Iesus Christe Father if this āguishe and sorowe wich I fele and death which I se approche maye not passe but that thy wyll is that I muste suffre them thy wyll be done Now the thirde and speciall cause why death in deede is too be feared is the miserable state of the worldly and vngodly people after their death But this is no cause at all why the godly and faytheful people should feare death but rather contrariwise their godly conuersacion in thys lyfe and beliefe in Christ cleauing continually to hys merites should make them to longe sore after that lyfe that remayneth for them vndoubtedly after this bodely death Of this immortall state after thys transitory lyfe where we shal liue euermore in the presence of god in ioye and reste after victory ouer all sickenes sorowes sinne and death there be many bothe playn places of holy scripture which confirme the weake conscience agaynst the feare of al suche dolours sickenesses synne and death corporal to asswage such trembling and vngodly feare and to encourage vs with comforte and hope of a blessed state after thys life Sainct Paule wissheth vnto the Ephesians y t God the father of glory woulde geue vnto theim y e spirite of wisedome and reuelacion that the eyes of their hartes might haue light to knowe him and to perceyue how great thinges he had called thē vnto and how riche inheritaunce he hath prepared after this life for thē that perteyne vnto hym And sainct Paul himself declareth the desire of his hart which was
vs ruminate and as it wer chewe the cudde that we maie haue the swete ieuse spirituall effecte mary hony kirnell tast comfort and consolacion of theim Let vs staie quiet and certifie our consciences with the moste infallible certaintie truthe and perpetual assuraunce of them Let vs praie to God the onely aucthor of these heauenly meditacions that we maie speake thynke beleue liue and depart hence accordyng to the wholesome doctrine and verities of theim And by that meanes in this worlde wee shall haue Gods proteccion fauor and grace with the vnspeakeable solace of peace and quietnes of conscience and after this miserable life we shall enioy the endlesse blisse and glorie of heauen whiche he graunt vs all that died for vs all Iesus Christ to whom with the father holy ghost bee all honor and glorie both now euerlastyngly AMEN ¶ An Homelie of the miserie of al mankynd and of hys condempnacion to death euerlastyng by hys awne synne THe holy Ghost in writing the holy scripture is in nothinge more diligent then to pulle doune mannes vainglory and pride whiche of all vices is most vniuersally grafted in al mankynd euen from the first infection of our first father Adam And therfore we reade in many places of scripture many notable lessons against this old rooted vice to teache vs the moste commendable vertue of humilitie how to knowe our selfes and to remembre what we be of our selfes In the boke of Genesis almighty God geueth vs al a title name in our great graūd father Adā which ought to admonish vs al to considre what we be wherof we be frō whence we came whether we shal saiyng thus in y e sweat of thy face shalt thou eate thy bread til thou be turned again into the groūd for out of it wast thou taken in asmuch as y u art dust into dust shalte thou be turned again Here as it wer in a glasse we may learne to know our selfes to be but groūde earth asshes that to earth and asshes we shall returne Also the holy patriarche Abraham did well remembre this name and title dust earth and asshes appoynted and assigned by God to all mankynde and therfore he calleth hymself by that name when he maketh his earnest praier for Sodome and Gomore And we read that Iudith Hester Iob ▪ Hieremie with other holy men and womē in the old Testament did vse sacke cloth and to cast dust and asshes vpon their heddes when they bewailed their synfull liuyng They called cried to God for help and mercye with suche a ceremonie of sacke clothe duste and asshes that thereby thei might declare to the whole worlde what an hūble and lowly estimacion thei had of themselfes how well thei remembred their name title aforesayd their vile corrupt fraile nature dust earth and asshes The boke of wisedom also willing to pul doune our proude stomackes moueth vs diligently to remēbre our mortall and earthly generacion whiche we haue all of hym that was firste made and that all men aswell kynges as subiectes come into this worlde and go out of thesame in lyke sorte that is as of our selfes full miserable as we may dayly see And almightye God cōmaunded hys prophet Esaie to make a proclamacion and crie to the whole worlde and Esaie askinge what shall I crie The Lorde aunswered crie that all fleshe is grasse and that al the glory of man therof is but as the floure of the felde whē the grasse is withered the floure falleth away when the wynd of the Lord bloweth vpon it The people surely is grasse the which drieth vp and the floure fadeth awaye And the holy prophete Iob hauyng in himself great experience of the miserable and sinful estate of man doth open thesame to y e world in these wordes Man saith he that is borne of a woman liuyng but a short tyme is ful of manifold miseries he spryngeth vp like a floure fadeth again vanishyng awaye as it wer a shadowe ▪ and neuer continueth in one state And doest thou iudge it mete o Lorde to open thyne eyes vpon suche a one and to bring hym to iudgement with the Who can make hym cleane that is conceiued of an vncleane seede And all men of their euilnesse and natural pronesse wer so vniuersally geuen to synne that as the scripture saith God repēted that euer he made mā And by synne hys indignacion was so muche prouoked against the worlde that he drouned all the worlde with Noes floud except Noe hymself and hys litle housholde It is not without greate cause that the scripture of God doeth so many tymes call all men here in this worlde by this woorde yearth O thou yearth yearth yearth sayth Ieremie heare y e worde of the Lord. This our right name vocacion title yearth yearth yearth pronoūced by the Prophete sheweth what wee bee in deede by whatsoeuer other stile title or dignitie men do call vs. Thus he plainly named vs who knoweth best both what we be and what we ought of right to be called And thus he describeth vs speakyng by hys faithfull Apostle S. Paule all men Iewes and Gentiles are vnder syn ther is none righteous no not one ther is none that vnderstandeth there is none that seketh after God thei are al gone out of the way thei are all vnprofitable ther is none that doth good no not one their throte is an open sepulchre with their tōgues they haue vsed craft deceipt the poyson of serpentes is vnder their lippes their mouth is full of cursing and bitternes their fete are swift to shed bloud destrucciō and wretchednes are in their waies and the way of peace haue thei not knowen there is no feare of God before their eyes And in another place S. Paule writeth thus God hath wrapped all nacions in vnbelefe that he might haue mercy on all The scripture concludeth all vnder synne that the promyse by y e faith of Iesus Christ should be geuē vnto theim that beleue S. Paule in many places painteth vs out in our colours callyng vs the children of the wrath of God when we be borne saiyng also that we cānot thinke a good thought of our selfes muche lesse we can saye wel or do wel of our selfes And the wiseman saieth in the boke of Prouerbes the iust man falleth seuē times a day The most tried approued man Iob feared all hys workes S. Ihon the Baptist beynge sanctified in his mothers wōbe and praised before he was borne called an Aungell great before the lord replenished euē from his birthe with the holy Ghost the preparer of the way for our sauior Christ and commēded of our sauior Christ to be more then a prophet the greatest that euer was borne of a woman yet he plainly graūteth that he had nede to be wasshed of Christ he worthely extolleth and glorifieth his Lorde and
raunsome for what is it els to go freely then to bee set at libertie without paiment of raunsome This reason is satisfied by the greate wisedome of God in this mistery of our redempcioÌ„ who hath so tempered his iustice and mercie together that he would neither by his iustice condempne vs vnto the perpetuall captiuitie of the deuill and his prison of hel remediles for euer without mercie nor by his mercy deliuer vs clerely without iustice or paiment of a iust raunsome but with his endlesse mercie he ioyned his moste vpright and equall iustice His greate mercy he shewed vnto vs in deliueryng vs from our former captiuitie without requiryng of any raunsom to be paied or ameÌ„des to be made vpon our partes whiche thyng by vs had been impossible to bee doen. And where as it laie not in vs that to do he prouided a raunsome for vs that was the moste precious body bloud of his awne moste dere and best beloued sonne Iesu Christe who besides his raunsom fulfilled the lawe for vs perfectly And so the iustice of God his mercie did embrace together and fulfilled the mistery of our redempcion And of this iustice and mercie of God knit together speaketh saincte Paule in the .iii. Chapiter to the Romans al haue offended and haue nede of the glory of God iustified frely by his grace by redempcion whiche is in Iesu Christ whom God hath set furth to vs for a reconciler peace maker through faith in his bloud to shewe his righteousnesse And in the .x. Chapiter Christ is the ende of the law vnto righteousnes to euery man that beleueth And in the .viii. Chapi that whiche was impossible by the lawe in asmuche as it was weake by the flesh God sendyng his awne sonne in the similitude of synfull fleshe by synne dampned synne in the fleshe that the righteousnesse of the lawe might be fulfilled in vs which walke not after the flesh but after the spirite In these foresaied places the Apostle toucheth specially three thynges whiche muste concurre and go together in our iustificacion Upon Gods part his greate mercie and grace vpon Christes parte iustice that is the satisfaccion of gods iustice or the price of our redempcion by the offryng of his body and shedyng of his bloud with fulfillyng of y e law perfectly throughly and vpon our part true and liuely faithe in the merites of Iesu Christe whiche yet is not oures but by Gods workyng in vs. So that in our iustificacion is not onely Gods mercie and grace but also his iustice whiche the Apostle calleth the iustice of God and it coÌ„sisteth in paiyng our raunsome and fulfillyng of the lawe and so the grace of God doth not exclude y e iustice of God in oure iustificacion but onely excludeth the iustice of man that is to saie the iustice of our woorkes as to be merites of deseruyng our iustificacioÌ„ And therefore sainct Paule declareth here nothyng vpon the behalf of man concernyng his iustificacioÌ„ but onely a true and liuely faith whiche neuertheles is the gift of God and not mannes onely worke without God And yet that faithe dooth not exclude repentaunce hope loue dread and the feare of God to be ioyned with faithe in euery maÌ„ that is iustified but it excludeth theÌ„ froÌ„ the office of iustifiyng So that although thei be all present together in hym that is iustified yet thei iustifie not all together Nor that faithe also doth not exclude the iustice of oure good workes necessarily to bee doen afterward of duetie towardes God for wee are moste bounden to serue God in doyng good deedes commaunded by hym in his holy scripture all the daies of oure life But it excludeth theim so that we maie not doo theim to this intent to be made good by doyng of them For all the good workes that we can do bee vnperfecte and therfore not able to deserue our iustificacioÌ„ but our iustificacion dooth come frely by the mere merâ—ie of GOD and of so greate and free mercie that whereas all the worlde was not able of their selfes to paye any parte towardes their raunsome it pleased our heauenly father of his infinite mercie without any our deserte or deseruyng to prepare for vs the mooste precious iewelles of Christes body and bloud wherby our raunsome might be fully paied the lawe fulfilled and his iustice fully satisfied So that Christe is nowe the righteousnesse of all them that truely doo beleue in hym He for theim paied their raunsome by his death He for theim fulfilled the lawe in his life So that nowe in hym and by hym euery true Christian man maie be called a fulfiller of the lawe forasmuche as that whiche their infirmitie lacketh Christes iustice hath supplied Before was declared at large that no manne can be iustified by his awne good workes because that no manne fulfilleth the lawe accordyng to the full request of the lawe And saincte Paule in his Epistle to the GalathiaÌ„s proueth thesame saiyng thus If there had been any lawe geuen whiche coulde haue iustified verely righteousnesse should haue been by the lawe And again he saieth if righteousnesse bee by the lawe then Christe died in vain And again he saieth you that are iustified by the lawe are fallen awaie from grace And furthermore he writeth to the Ephesians on this wise by grace are ye saued through faithe and that not of your selfes for it is the gift of God and not of workes lest any man should glorie And to bee shorte the summe of all Paules disputacion is this that if iustice come of woorkes then it commeth not of grace And if it come of grace then it commeth not of woorkes And to this ende teÌ„deth al the Prophetes as saincte Peter saieth in the tenthe of the Actes Of Christe all the Prophetes saieth saincte Peter do witnes that through his name al they that beleue in him shal receiue the remission of synnes And after this wyse to be iustifyed onely by this true and liuely faithe in Christ speaketh all the olde and auncient aucthors bothe Grekes Latyns Of whom I will specially reherse thre Hillary Basill Ambrose Sainct Hillary sayeth these wordes plainly in the ninth Canon vpon Matthewe Faithe onely iustifyeth And saincte Basill a Greke aucthor writeth thus This is a perfect and a whole reioysyng in God when a man auaunteth not hymselfe for hys awne righteousnes but knowledgeth hymself to lacke true iustice and righteousnes and to be iustifyed by the onely faithe in Christ And Paul saieth he doeth glory in the contempte of hys awne righteousnes and that he loketh for his righteousnes of God by faythe These be the verye woordes of sainct Basill And sainct Ambrose a Latyn aucthor sayeth these wordes This is the ordinaunce of God that he whiche beleueth in Christ should be saued without workes by faithe onely freely receiuyng remission of his synnes Consyder diligently these woordes without
liue according therunto such a man clerely deceiueth himself seeth not hys awn harte if he thinketh y t he either knoweth god loueth him feareth him or trusteth in him Some peraduēture phātasie in themselfes y t thei belōg to God althouh they lyue in synne so they come to y e Church shewe thēselfes as Gods dere childrē But s Ihō sayth plaīly if we saie y t we haue any company with God and walke in darkenesse we do lye Other doo vainly thīke that thei know loue God although they passe not of his cōmaundementes But s. Ihon saieth clerely he y t saieth I know God kepeth not hys cōmaūdementes he is a liar Some falsly perswade thēselfes y t thei loue God whē they hate their neighbors But s. Ihon saieth manifestly if any mā say I loue god yet hateth his brother he is a liar He that saieth y t he is in the light hateth his brother he is stil ī darkenesse He y t loueth his brother dwelleth in the light but he y t hateth hys brother is in darkenesse walketh in darkenesse and knoweth not whether he goeth for darkenesse hath blynded hys eyes And moreouer he saieth hereby we manifestly knowe the childrē of God from the children of the deuill He that doeth not righteously is not the childe of God nor he that hateth hys brother Deceiue not your selfes therfore thinkynge that you haue faith in God or that you loue God or do truste in hym or do feare hym when you lyue in sinne for then your vngodly sinfull life declareth y e contrary whatsoeuer ye saye or thinke It perteineth to a christian man to haue this true christian fayth and to trye himself whether he hath it or no to knowe what belongeth to it how it doeth worke in hym It is not the worlde that we can trust to ▪ the world and all that is therin is but vanitie It is God that muste be oure defence and protection against all tēptacion of wickednesse sinne errors supersticiō ydolatrie al euill If al the world were on our side God agaīst vs what could y ◠worlde auaile vs Therfore let vs set our whole fayth and trust in God neither the worlde the deuil nor al y e power of thē shal preuayle agaynst vs. Let vs therfore good christiā people trie examyne our faith what it is let vs not flatter our selfes but loke vpō our woorkes and so iudge of our fayth what it is Christe hīself speaketh of this matter saieth The tree is knowen by the fruicte Therefore let vs doo good workes therby declare our faythe to be y e liuely christian faith Let vs by suche vertues as ought to spryng out of fayth shew our elecciō to be sure stable as s. Peter teacheth Endeuor your selfs to make your calling electiō certain by good workes And also he saieth minister or declare in youre faith vertue in vertue knowledge in knowledge tēperaunce in tēperaunce paciēce again in pacience Godlinesse in Godlinesse brotherly charitie in brotherly charitie loue So shall we shew in dede y t we haue y e very liuely christiā faith may so both certefie our cōscience the better that we be in the righte faith also by these meanes cōfirme other men If these fruictes do not folowe we do but mocke with God deceiue our selfes also other mē Wel maye we beare y e name of Christiā mē but we do lacke the true faith that doeth belonge thereunto For true faithe doeth euer brynge furthe good workes as s. Iames saieth shewe me thy faythe by thy deedes Thy deedes workes must be an opē testimonial of thy fayth otherwise thy fayth beyng without good workes is but the deuils faith y e faith of y e wicked a phantasy of faith not a true christian faith And like as the deuils euil people be nothyng the better for their counterfet faith but it is vnto them the more cause of dāpnacion so thei y t be christened and haue receiued knowledge of God of Christes merites and yet of a set purpose do liue idlely without good workes thinkyng y e name of a naked faith to be either sufficiēt for thē or els settyng their mindes vpō vain pleasures of this world do liue in syn w tout repentaūce not vtteryng the fruites y t do belōg to suche an high profession vpon suche presūpteous persōs wilful synners must nedes remain y e great vengeaunce of God eternal punishmēt in hel prepared for y e deuil wicked liuers Therfore as you professe y e name of Christ good christian people let no suche phantasy and imaginacion of faith at any time beguile you but be sure of your faith trie it by your liuyng loke vpon the fruites y t commeth of it marke the increase of loue charitie by it towades God and your neighbor so shal you perceiue it to be a true liuely faith If you fele perceiue suche a faith in you reioyce in it be diligēt to maintein it and kepe it stil in you let it be daily increasing and more more by wel workyng so shal ye be sure y t you shal pleace god by this faith at the length as other faithful mē haue doen before so shal you whē his wil is come to him receiue thēde and final reward of your faith as s. Peter nameth it the saluacion of your soules the which God graunt vs that hath promised thesame vnto his faithfull To whō be al honor and glory worlde without ende Amen ¶ An Homelie or sermon of good woorkes annexed vnto faithe IN the last Sermon was declared vnto you what the liuely and true faithe of a christiā man is that it causeth not a man to be idle but to be occupied in bringyng furthe good workes as occasion serueth Now by Gods grace shalbe declared the seconde thyng that before was noted of faith that without it can no good worke be doen acceptable and pleasaunt vnto God For as a braunche cannot beare fruit of it self saith our sauior Christ except it abide in the vine so cannot you except you abide in me I am the vine and you be the braunches he that abydeth in me and I in hym he bringeth furthe muche fruit for without me you can do nothyng And S. Paule proueth that Enoche had faithe because he pleased God For without faithe saieth he it is not possible to please God And again to the Romay he saith whatsoeuer worke is doen without faith it is sinne Faith geueth life to the soule and thei bee asmuche ded to God that lacke faith as thei be to the world whose bodies lacke soules Without faith al that is doen of vs is but ded before God although the woorke seme neuer so gaie and glorious before man Euen as the picture grauen or painted is but a ded
God hath appoynted his lawes whereby hys pleasure is to be honored His pleasure is also that all mannes lawes beyng not contrary to his lawes shalbe obeied and kepte as good as necessarye for euery common weale but not as thynges wherein principally his honor resteth And all Ciuil and mannes lawes either be or shulde be made to induce men the better to obserue Gods lawes that consequently God shoulde be the better honored by them Howbeit the Scribes and Phariseis were not content that theyr lawes should be no higher estemed then other positiue ciuil lawes nor would not haue them called by the name of other temporall lawes but called them holy godly tradicions and would haue them estemed not onely for a right and true worshippyng of God as Gods lawes be in deede but also to be the moste high honoryng of God to the which the commaundementes of God should geue place And for this cause did Christ so vehemently speake against them saiyng your tradicions which men esteme so highe be abhominacion before God For coÌ„monly of suche tradicions foloweth the transgression of Gods coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes and a more deuocion in the obseruyng of suche thynges and a greater conscience in breakyng of them then of the commaundementes of God As the Scribes and Phariseis so supersticiously and scrupulously kepte the Sabboth that they were offended with Christe because he healed sicke men and with his Apostles because they beyng sore hungery gathered the eares of corne to eate vpoÌ„ that daye And because his disciples wasshed not their handes so often as the tradicions requyred y e Scribes and Phariseis quereled with Christ saiyng why do thy disciples breake the tradicioÌ„s of the seniours But Christ obiected against them that they for to obserue their awne tradicioÌ„s did teache men to breake the verye coÌ„maundementes of God For thei taught the people such a deuocion that they offered their goodes into the treasure house of the temple vnder the pretense of Gods honor leauing their fathers and mothers to whom they were chiefly bounde vnholpeÌ„ and so they brake the commaundementes of GOD to kepe theyr awne tradicions They estemed more an othe made by the golde or oblacion in the temple then an othe made in the name of God hymselfe or of the temple Thei wer more studious to pay their tithes of smal thynges then to do the greater thynges commaunded of God as workes of mercye or to do iustice or to deale syncerely vprightly and faythefully with God and man these saieth Christ ought to be doen and the other not omitted And to be shorte they were of so blynd iudgement that they stombled at a strawe and leped ouer a blocke They would as it were nicely take a flye out of their cuppe drynke doune a whole Camell And therfore Christe called them blynde guydes warnynge his disciples from tyme to tyme to eschewe their doctrine For althoughe they semed to y e worlde to be moste perfect men bothe in liuyng and teaching yet was their life but Hypocrisie and their doctrine but â—ower leueÌ„ mixte with supersticion Idolatry and preposterous iudgement setting vp the tradicions ordinaunces of man in the stede of Gods coÌ„maundementes Thus haue you heard how muche the worlde froÌ„ the beginnyng vntil Christes tyme was euer ready to fall from the commaundementes of God and to seke other meanes to honor and serue hym after a deuocion imagined of their awne heades and how they extolled their awne tradicions as high or aboue Gods coÌ„maundementes whiche hath happened also in our tymes the more it is to be lamented no lesse then it did emonge the Iewes and that by the corrupcion or at the least by the negligeÌ„ce of them that chiefly ought to haue preferred Gods coÌ„maundementes to haue preserued the syncere and heauenly doctrine left by Christe What man hauyng any iudgement or learnyng ioyned with a true zeale vnto GOD doeth not se and lament to haue entred into Christes religioÌ„ suche false doctrine Supersticion Idolatrie Hipocrisy and other enormities and abuses so as by lytle and lytle through the â—ower leuen thereof the swete bread of Gods holye worde hath been muche hindered and layed aparte Neuer had the Iewes in their moste blyndnesse so many Pilgrimages vnto Images nor vsed so muche knelyng kissyng and censyng of them as hath been vsed in oure tyme. Sectes feined religions were neither the forty parte so many emonge the Iewes nor more supersticiously and vngodly abused then of late dayes they haue been emonge vs. Whiche sectes and religions had so many Hypocriticall woorkes in their state of religion as they arrogantly named it that their lampes as they sayd raÌ„ne alwayes ouer able to satisfye not onely for their awne synnes but also for all other their benefactors brothers sisters of their religion as moste vngodly and craftelye they had perswaded the multitude of ignoraunt people keping in diuerse places as it were martes or markettes of merites beyng ful of their holy reliques Images shrines and workes of supererogacioÌ„ redy to be solde And all thinges which they had were called holy holy Coules holy Girdels holy Pardoned Beades holy Shooes holy Rules and all full of holynesse And what thyng can be more foolishe more Supersticious or vngodly then that men women and chyldren shoulde weare a Friers coote to deliuer theim from agues or pestilence or when they dye or when they be buried cause it to be caste vpon them in hope therby to be saued Which supersticion although thankes be to God it hath been lytle vsed in this realme yet in diuerse other realmes it hath been and yet is vsed both emonge many bothe learned and vnlearned But to passe ouer the innumerable supersticiousnesse that hath been in straunge apparell in silence in dormitorie in cloyster in chapter in choyse of meates in drinkes and in suche like thinges let vs consider what enormities and abuses haue been in the thre chiefe principal poyntes whiche they called the thre essencialles of religion that is to saye obedience chastitie and wilfull pouertye Fyrst vnder pretense of obedience to their father in religion whiche obedience they made them selfes they were exempted by their rules and canons from the obedience of their natural father and mother and from the obedieÌ„ce of Emperor and Kyng and all temporall power whom of verye duetye by Godes lawes they were bound to obeye And so the profession of their obedieÌ„ce not due was a renuÌ„ciacion of their due obedieÌ„ce And how their profession of chastitie was obserued it is more honesty to passe ouer in silence let the world iudge of that whiche is well knowen then with vnchaste woordes by expressynge of their vnchast lyfe to offende chast and Godly eares And as for theyr wylfull pouertye it was such then when in possessioÌ„s iewels plate and riches thei were equal or aboue merchauÌ„tes Gentlemen Barons Erles Dukes yet by this subtile sophistical terme PropriuÌ„ in
no doubt but he is almost vtterly displeased w t vs. And although it be long or he strike yet many tymes wheÌ„ he striketh such persons he striketh theÌ„ at once for euer So y t when he doth not stryke vs when he ceaseth to afflict vs to punysh or beate vs suffreth vs to ruÌ„ne hedlinges into al vngodlines pleasures of thys world y t we delight in w tout punyshmeÌ„t aduersitie it is a dreadfull tokeÌ„ loueth vs no leÌ„ger that he careth no lenger for vs but hath geuen vs ouer to our awne selfes As long as a man doeth proyne his vines doeth digge at the rootes and doeh laye freashe yearth to theim he hath a mynde to theim he perceiueth some tokeÌ„ of fruitfulnes that may be recouered in them but when he wil bestowe no more suche cost and labor aboute them then it is a signe that he thinketh they will neuer bee good And the father as loÌ„g as he loueth his chyld he loketh angrely he correcteth hym when he doeth amisse but when that serueth not and vpon that he ceaseth froÌ„ correction of hym and suffereth hym to do what he liste himself it is a signe that he intendeth to disinherite hym to cast him away for euer So surely nothyng should perce our hart so sore put vs in suche horrible feare as when we knowe in our conscience that wee haue greuously offended God and do so continue that yet he striketh not but quietely suffereth vs in the naughtines that we haue delight in Then specially it is tyme to crye and to crye agayne as Dauid did Caste me not awaie from thy face and take not away thy holy spirit froÌ„ me Lorde turne not away thy face from me cast not thy seruaunt away in displeasure Hide not thy face from me least I be lyke vnto them that go doune to hel The whiche lameÌ„table praiers of him as they do certify vs what horrible dauÌ„ger thei be in froÌ„ whom God turneth his face for that time as loÌ„g as he so doth so should thei moue vs to crye vpon God with all our harte that we maie not be brought into that state whiche doubtles is so sorowful so miserable so dreadfull as no toungue can sufficiently expresse or any hart can thynke For what deadly greif may a maÌ„ suppose it is to be vnder the wrath of God to be forsakeÌ„ of hym to haue his holy spirit the aucthor of all goodnesse to be taken from hym to be brought to so vile a condicion that he shalbe left mete for no better purpose then to be for euer condempned to hel For not onely such places of Dauid do shewe that vpon y e turnyng of Gods face froÌ„ any persons thei shalbe left bare from al goodnesse far from hope of remedy but also the place recited last before of Esaie doeth meane thesame which sheweth that God at length doth so forsake his vnfruitful vineyard that he wil not only suffre it to bryng furth wedes breirs and thornes but also further to punish the vnfruitfulnesse of it he saith he wil not cut it he wil not delue it and he will coÌ„maunde the cloudes that they shal not rain vpon it wherby is signified the teachyng of his holy worde whiche sainct Paule after a like maner expresseth by plantyng and wateryng meanyng that he will take that awaye from theim So that thei shalbe no lenger of his kyngdoÌ„ they shalbe no lenger gouerned by his holy spirite thei shalbe frustrated of the grace benefites that thei had and euer might haue enioyed through Christ. Thei shalbe depriued of the heauenly light and life whiche they had in Christe whiles they abode in hym They shalbe as thei wer once as meÌ„ without God in this worlde or rather in worse takyng And to be short they shalbe geuen into the power of the deuil which beareth the rule in al them that be cast awaie from God as he did in Saule and Iudas and generally in all suche as worke after their awne willes the children of diffidence and infidelitie Let vs beware therfore good christian people least that we reiecting Gods worde by the whiche we obteyn and retin true faith in GOD be not at length cast of so farre that we become as y e children of infidelitie whiche be of two sortes farre diuerse yea almoste cleane contrary and yet bothe bee very far froÌ„ returnyng to God The one sort onely waiyng their sinful detestable liuyng with the right iudgemeÌ„t and strayghtnes of Gods ryghteousnes be so destitute of counsail and be so comfortles as all they must nedes be froÌ„ whom the spirit of counsaill and comfort is gone that they will not be perswaded in theyr hartes but that either God cannot or els that he will not take them again to his fauor and mercy The other hearyng the louynge large promises of Gods mercye and so not conceiuyng a right faith therof make those promises larger then euer God did trusting that although thei continue in their synful and detestable liuyng neuer so long yet that God at the ende of their life will shewe his mercie vpon theim and that then they wil returne And bothe these two sortes of men be in a dampnable state yet neuerthelesse God who willeth not the death of y e wicked hath shewed meanes wherby both thesame if thei take hede in ceasoÌ„ may escape The first as they do dread gods rightfull iustice in punishing sinners wherby they should be dismaid and should dispaire in dede as touchyng any hope that may be in themselfes so if thei would coÌ„stantly beleue that Gods mercie is the remedy appoynted against such dispaire distrust not onely for them but generally for all that bee sory and truely repeÌ„taunt and will therewithall sticke to Gods mercie they maie be sure thei shal obtein mercie and entre into the porte or hauen of sauegarde into the whiche whosoeuer doth come be thei before tyme neuer so wicked thei shalbe out of dauÌ„ger of euerlastyng dampnacion as God by Ezechiel saieth what tyme soeuer the wicked doeth returne take earnest and true repentaunce I will forget all his wickednesse The other as they be redy to beleue Gods promises so they should be as redy to beleue the threatenynges of god aswel thei should beleue the lawe as the Gospel aswel that there is an hell and euerlastyng fyre as that there is an heauen and euerlasting ioye aswel they should beleue dampnacion to be threatened to the wicked and euyll doers as saluacion to be promised to the faithfull in worde and workes aswel they should beleue God to bee true in the one as in the other And the synners that coÌ„tinue in their wycked â—iuyng ought to thynke that the promises of Gods mercie and the Gospell perteyn not vnto theim beynge in that state but onely the lawe and those scriptures whiche conteyne the wrathe and indignacion of God and his
threatenynges which should certifye them that as thei do ouer boldely presume of gods mercy and liue dissolutely so doeth God still more and more withdrawe his mercie from theim and he is so prouoked thereby to wrathe at lenght that he destroyeth suche presumers many tymes sodainly For of suche saincte Paule sayed thus when they shall saye it is peace there is no daunger then shall sodayn destruction come vpon theim Let vs beware therfore of suche naughtie boldenesse to synne for God whiche hath promised his mercie to them that bee truely repentaunte although it bee at the latter ende hath not promised to the presumpteous synner either that he shall haue long life or that he shal haue true repentaunce at the laste ende But for that purpose hath he made euery mannes deathe vncertayne that he should not put his hope in thend and in the meane season to Gods highe displeasure lyue vngodly Wherfore let vs folowe the counsaill of the WisemaÌ„ let vs make no tariyng to turne vnto the lord let vs not put of from daie to day for sodainly shal his wrath come and in tyme of vengeaunce he shal destroye the wycked Let vs therefore turne betymes and when we turne let vs praye to GOD as Ozee teacheth saiyng Forgeue vs all oure synnes receyue vs graciously And if we turne to him with an humble and a very penitent harte he wil receiue vs to his fauor and grace for his holy names sake for his promise sake for his truthe and mercies sake promysed to all faithefull beleuers in Iesus Christ his onely naturall sonne To whoÌ„ the onely sauiour of the world with the father and the holy ghost bee all honor glory and power world without end Amen ¶ An exhortation agaynst the feare of Death IT is not to be marueyled that worldly men do feare to dye For death depriueth them of all worldly honors riches and possessions in the fruition whereof the worldely man compteth hymself happie so long as he maye enioye theim at hys awne pleasure and other wyse if he be dispossessed of thesame without hope of recouery then he can none other thinke of himself but that he is vnhappie because he hath loste hys worldely ioye and pleasure Alas thinketh this carnall man shall I now depart for euer froÌ„ all my honors all my treasures from my countrey frendes riches possessioÌ„s and worldly pleasures whiche are my ioy and hartes delight Alas that euer that daie shal come wheÌ„ all these I muste bid farewell at once and neuer to enioye any of theÌ„ after Wherfore it is not without greate cause spoken of the wiseman O death how bitter and sower is the remembraunce of thee to a man that liueth in peace and prosperitie in his substaunce to a man liuyng at ease leading his life after his awne mind without trouble is therwithal well pampered and fed There be other men whom this world doth not so greatly laugh vpon but rather vexe and oppresse with pouertye sickenesse or some other aduersitie Yet thei do fear death partly because the fleashe abhorreth naturally his awne sorowful dissolucion whiche death doth threaten vnto theim and partely by reason of sickenesses and paynfull diseases whiche be moste strong pangues and agonies in the fleshe and vse commoÌ„ly to come to sicke men before death or at the leaste accompany death whensoeuer it commeth Although these twoo causes sâ—me great weightie to a worldly man wherupoÌ„ he is moued to feare death yet there is another cause much greater then any of these afore rehersed for whiche in dede he hath iuste cause to feare death and that is the state and coÌ„dicion wherunto at the last ende death bryngeth all them that haue their hartes fixed vpoÌ„ this world without repentaunce and amendemeÌ„t This state condicion is called the second death whiche vnto all suche shall insue after this bodily deathe And this is that death whiche in deede ought to be dread feared for it is an euerlasting losse without remedy of the grace fauor of God and of euerlastyng ioy pleasure and felicitie And it is not onely the losse for euer of all these eternall pleasures but also it is the condempnacion both of body soule without either appellacioÌ„ or hope of redempcion vnto euerlastynge paynes in hell Unto this state death sent the vnmercyfull and vngodly richeman that Luke speaketh of in his Gospell who liuyng in all wealthe and pleasure in this worlde and cherishyng himself daily with daintie fare and gorgeous apparel despiced poore Lazarus that lay pitifully at his gate miserably plagued and full of sores and also greuously pined with hunger Bothe these twoo were arrested of deathe whiche sent Lazarus the poore miserable man by aungels anone vnto Abrahams bosome a place of rest pleasure and consolacion But the vnmerciful rich-man descended doune into hel and beyng in tormeÌ„tes he cried for comforte complainyng of the intollerable payn that he suffered in that flamme of fire but it was to late So vnto this place bodily death sendeth all them that in this world haue their ioye and felicite all them that in this world be vnfaithfull vnto God and vncharitable vnto their neighbors so diyng without repentauÌ„ce hope of Gods mercie Wherfore it is no maruaile that the worldly man feareth death for he hath muche more cause so to do then he himself doeth considre Thus we se thre causes why worldly men feare death One because thei shal lose therby their worldely honors riches possessions and all their hartes desires Another because of the painfull diseases bitter pangues which commonly men suffre either before or at the tyme of death but the chiefe cause aboue al other is the dread of the miserable state of eternall dampnacion bothe of body and soule whiche they feare shal folow after their departyng out of the worldly pleasures of this present life For these causes be all mortall men whiche be geueÌ„ to the loue of this world both in feare state of death through syn as y e holy apostle saith so loÌ„g as thei liue here in this world But euerlasting thaÌ„kes be to almighty God for euer there is neuer one of al these causes no nor yet thei altogether that caÌ„ make a true Christian man afraied to dye whiche is the very membre of Christe the temple of the holy Ghoste the sonne of God â–ª and the very inheritor of the euerlastyng kyngdom of heauen but plainly contrary he conceiueth great and many causes vndoubtedly grounded vpon the infallyble and euerlastynge truth of the woorde of God whiche moue hym not onely to put away the feare of bodiely death but also for the manifolde benefites and singuler commodities whiche ensue vnto euery faithfull person by reason of thesame to wish desire longe hartely for it For death shall be to hym no death at all but a very deliueraunce from death froÌ„ all paynes cares and sorowes miseries
vs for oure goodnes shewed to them as if he him selfe had receyued lyke benefite at oure handes as he witnesseth in the Gospell saiynge Whatsoeuer ye haue done to any of these symple persones whiche do beleue in me that haue ye doen to my selfe Therfore let vs diligently forese that our fayth and hope whiche we haue conceyued in almightie God and in oure sauioure Christe waxe not faynte nor that the loue whiche we pretende to beare to hym waxe not coulde but let vs studye dayly and diligently to shewe oure selfes to be the true honorers and louers of God by kepynge of his commaundemētes by doyng of good dedes vnto our nedy neighbors releuynge by all meanes that we can their pouertye with our abundaunce their ignoraunce with oure wisedome and learnynge and comforte their weakenesse with oure strength and aucthoritie calling all men backe from euill doynge by Godly counsayll and good example perseuerynge styll in well doynge so longe as we lyue So shall we not nede to feare death for any of those three causes afore mencioned nor yet for any other cause that can be imagined But contrary consideryng the manifold sickenesses troubles sorowes of this present lyfe the daungers of this perilous pilgrimage and the greate encombraunce whiche oure spirite hath by thys synful fleshe and frayle body subiect to death considerynge also the manifolde sorowes and daūgerous deceiptes of this world on euery side the intollerable pride coueteousnes and lechery in tyme of prosperitie the impacient murmurynge of them that be worldly in tyme of aduersitie whiche cease not to withdrawe and plucke vs from God oure sauioure Christe from oure life wealth or eternal ioy and saluacion considerynge also the innumerable assaultes of oure Ghostly enemy the deuill with al his fiery dartes of ambicion pryde lechery vain-glory enuie malice detractiō with other hys innumerable deceiptes engines and snares whereby he goeth busely aboute to catche al men vnder his dominion euer lyke a roreynge Lyon by all meanes searchynge whome he maye deuoure the faythfull Christian man which considereth al these miseries perilles and incommodities whereunto he is subiecte so longe as he here liueth vpon earthe and on the other part considereth that blessed and comfortable state of the heauēly lyfe to come and the swete condicion of them that departe in the Lorde howe they are deliuered from the continuall encombraūces of their mortall and synfull bodye from all the malice craftes and deceiptes of this world from al the assaultes of their ghostly enemy the deuil to liue in peace reste and perpetuall quietnes to liue in the felowship of innumerable Aungelles and with the congregacion of perfecte iuste mē as Patriarches Prophetes Martyrs and Confessors and finally vnto the presence of almighty God and oure sauior Iesus Christe He that doeth consider all these thinges and beleueth theim assuredly as they are to be beleued euen from the botome of his harte beynge established in God in thys true faythe hauynge a quiete conscience in Christe a firme hope and assured trust in Gods mercy through the merites of Iesu Christe to obteyne thys quietnes reste and eternall ioye shal not onely be without feare of bodiely deathe when it commeth but certainlye as saincte Paule did so shall he gladly accordynge to Gods will and when it pleaseth God to call hym oute of thys lyfe greately desyre in hys harte that he maye be rid from al these occasions of euil and liue euer to Gods pleasure in perfecte obedience of hys will with our sauior Iesus Christe to whose gracious presence the Lorde of hys infinitie mercye and grace brynge vs to reigne with hym in lyfe euerlastynge To whome with oure heauenly father and the holy Ghoste be glorye in worldes without ende AMEN ¶ An exhortacion concernyng good ordre and obedience to rulers and magistrates ALmightie God hath created appointed all thinges in heauē yearth and waters in a moste excellent and perfect ordre In heauē he hath appoynted distinct orders and states of Archangelles and Angels In yearth he hath assigned kynges princes with other gouernors vnder them all in good necessary ordre The water aboue is kept and raineth doune in due time and ceason The sunne mone sterres rainbow thūder lightning cloudes and al birdes of the aire do kepe their ordre The yearth trees seedes plantes herbes corne grasse and all maner of beastes kepe thē in their ordre All the partes of y e whole yeare as winter somer monethes nightes dayes continue in their ordre All kyndes of fishes in the sea riuers and waters with all fountaynes sprynges yea the seas themselfes kepe their comely course and ordre And mā hymself also hath al his partes both within without as soule harte mynd memory vnderstandyng reason speache withall and singuler corporall mēbres of his body in a profitable necessary and pleasaunt ordre Euery degre of people in their vocacion callyng office hath appoynted to them their duetie ordre Some are in high degre some in lowe some kynges princes some inferiors and subiectes priestes and laimen masters seruauntes fathers chyldren husbandes and wifes riche and poore and euery one haue nede of other so that in all thinged is to be laudes praysed the goodly ordre of God without the whiche no house no citie no cōmon wealth can continue endure For where there is no right ordre there reigneth all abuse carnall libertie enormitie syn babilonicall cōfusion Take awaye kynges princes rulers magistrates iudges and such states of Gods ordre no man shal ride or go by the high waie vnrobbed no man shall slepe in his awne house or bed vnkilled no mā shall kepe his wife children possessions in quietne sall thynges shal be cōmon and there must nedes folow all mischief and vtter destructiō both of soules bodies goodes and common wealthes But blessed be God that we in this realme of England fele not the horrible calamities miseries wretchednes which al thei vndoubtedly fele suffre y t lacke this godly ordre And praised be God that we knowe the great excellēt benefite of god shewed towards vs in this behalfe God hath sente vs his high gifte our most dere souereigne lord king Edward y e sixt with godly wise and honorable coūsail with other superiors and inferiors in a beautifull ordre Wherefore let vs subiectes do our bounden duties geuing hartie thankes to God and praiyng for the preseruaciō of this Godly ordre Let vs al obey euen from the botome of our hartes al their Godly procedynges lawes statutes proclamacions and iniunctiōs with al other Godly orders Let vs considre the scriptures of the holy ghost whiche perswade cōmaunde vs all obediently to be subiect First chiefly to the kynges maiestie supreme had ouer all next to his honorable counsail and to all other noble men magistrates and officers which by Gods goodnes be placed and ordered for almightie God is the
striken from their bodyes The Athenians punyshed whoredome by death in lyke maner So lykewyse dyd the Barbarous Cartarians Emong the turkes euen at thys day they that bee taken in adultery bothe man woman are stoned streightewayes to death without mercy Thus se we what godly actes were deuised in tymes paste of the high powers for the puttyng awaye of whoredome for the mainteynyng of holy matrimony pure cōuersaciō And the aucthors of these actes were no christians but Heathen Yet were they so enflāmed with the loue of honestye and purenes of lyfe that for the maintenaūce conseruaciō of that they made godly statutes suffering neyther fornicaciō nor adultery to reigne in their realmes vnpunished Christ sayde to the people The Niniuites shall ryse at the iudgement with thys naciō meanyng the vnfaythful Iewes and shal condempne them For they repēted at the preachyng of Ionas but beholde sayeth he a greater thē Ionas is here meanynge hymselfe yet they repent not Shall not thynke you likewise the Locreusians Arabians Athenians with suche other ryse vp at the iudgement and condempne vs for asmuche as they ceased from whoredome at the commaundement of man and we haue the law and manifest preceptes of God and yet forsake we not our filthy conuersacion Truly truly it shalbe easier at the daye of iudgement to these Heathen then to vs except we repent and amende For althoughe death of body semeth to vs a greuous punyshment in this worlde for whoredome yet is that payn nothynge in comparison of the greuous tormentes whiche adulterers fornicatours and all vncleane persons shall suffer after thys lyfe For all suche shalbe excluded shut out of the kingdome of heauen as s. Paule saieth Be not deceiued for neyther whoremongers nor worshippers of Images nor adultrers nor softelinges nor Sodomites nor thefes nor couetous persons nor dronkards nor cursed speakers nor pyllers shall inherite the kyngdō of God And S. Ihon in hys reuelacion saieth that whoremongers shall haue their parte with murderers sorcerers enchaunters liars ydolaters such other in the lake whiche burneth with fyre brimstone which is the seconde death The punyshmēte of the bodye although it be death hath an ende but the punishment of the soule which s. Ihon calleth y e secōd death is euerlasting there shalbe fyre brimstone there shall be wepinge and gnashing of tethe the worme that shall there gnawe the conscience of the dampned shall neeur dye O whose hart distilleth not euen droppes of bloud to heare and consydre these thinges If we tremble and shake at the hearyng and naming of these paynes oh what shal they do that shall feele them that shall suffer theim yea and euer shal suffer worldes without ende god haue mercy vpon vs. Who is now so drowned in synne past all godlynes that he wyll set more by a fylthy and stynkyng pleasure whiche sone passeth away then by the losse of euerlasting glory Againe who will so geue himselfe to the lustes of the fleshe that he feareth nothynge at all the paynes of hell fyre But let vs heare howe we maye eschewe the synne of whoredome and adultery that we maye walke in the feare of God and bee free from those moste greuous and intollerable tormentes whiche abyde all vncleane persons To auoyde fornicaciō adultery and all vnclennes let vs prouide that aboue all thynges we maye kepe oure hartes pure and cleane from all euill thoughtes and carnal lustes For if that be once infected and corrupte we fall hedlonge into all kynde of vngodlynes Thys shal we easly do if when we fele inwardly that Sathan oure olde enemy tempteth vs vnto whoredō we by no meanes consente to hys craftye suggestions but valiauntly resiste and withstande hym by stronge fayth in the woorde of God obiectinge agaynst hym alwayes in oure harte this commaundemente of God Scriptum est non moechaberis It is written thou shalt not commit whoredome It shall be good also for vs euer to lyue in the feare of God and to set before oure eyes the greuous threateninges of God agaynste all vngodly synners and to consider in oure mynde howe fylthye beastly and shorte that pleasure is wherunto Sathan moueth vs And agayn how the payne appoynted for that sinne is intollerable and euerlasting Moreouer to vse a temperaūce sobrietie in eatyng drynkyng to eschewe vncleane cōmunicaciō to auoyde al fylthy company to flee ydlenes to delight in readynge holy scripture to watche in godly prayers vertuouse meditacions and at all tymes to exercise some godly trauayles shall helpe greatly vnto the eschewynge of whoredome And here are all degrees to be monyshed whether they be maryed or vnmaryed to loue chastitie and clennes of lyfe For the maryed are bounde by the lawe of God so purely to loue one an other that neyther of them seke any straunge loue The man muste onely cleue to hys wyfe and the wyfe agayne onely to her husband they muste so delighte one in an others companye that none of them couit any other And as they are bounde thus to lyue together in al godlines and honesty so likewyse is their duetye vertuously to brynge vp their chyldren and to prouide that they fall not into Sathans snare nor into any vnclennes but that they come pure and honeste vnto holy wedlocke when tyme requyreth So likewyse ought all masters and rulers to prouide that no whoredome nor any poynte of vnclennes be vsed emonge their seruauntes And agayne they that are single and feele in theim selfes that they cannot liue without the company of a woman let them get wifes of theyr awne and so lyue Godly together For it is better to mary then to burne And to auoyde fornicacion saieth the Apostle lette euery man haue hys awne wyfe and euerye woman her awne husbande Finally all suche as feele in themselfes a sufficiency and habilitie throughe the operacion of Gods spirite to leede a sole and contynent lyfe let them prayse God for his gifte and seke all meanes possible to maynteyne thesame As by readyng of holy scriptures by godly meditations by continuall prayers and suche other vertuous exercises If we all on this wyse wyll endeuour our selfes to eschewe fornicacion adultery and all vnclennes and leade oure lyfes in all Godlynes and honestye seruynge God with a pure and cleane harte and glorifiynge hym in oure bodies by leadynge an innocente lyfe we maye be sure to bee in the numbre of those of whome oure sauioure Christe speaketh in the Gospell on this maner Blessed are the pure in harte for they shall see God to whome alone be all glory honour rule and power worldes withoute ende AMEN ¶ An Homelie agaynst contencion and braulynge THys daye good christen people shalbe declared vnto you the vnprofitablenes and shamfull vnhonesty of contencion stryfe and debate to the entente that when you shall se as it were in a table paynted before your eyes the euilfauorednes
coÌ„muni they deluded the worlde perswadyng that notwitstandyng all their possessions riches yet they obserued their vowe were in wilful pouertie But for al their riches thei might neither healpe father nor mother nor other y t were in deede very nedye and poore without the licence of their father Abbot Prior or warden And yet they might take of euery maÌ„ but thei might not geue ought to any man no not to theim whom the lawes of God bound them to helpe And so through their tradicions and rules the lawes of God could beare no rule with theim And therefore of theim might be moste truely sayed that which Christ spake vnto the Pharises you breake the commaundementes of God by your tradicions you honor God with youre lippes but you hartes be farre froÌ„ him And the longer praiers thei vsed by day by night vnder pretense of suche holynes to get the fauor of Widowes other simple folkes y t they might syng Trentals and seruyce for theyr husbaÌ„des and frendes admitte them into their suffrages the more truely is verefyed of theim the saying of Christ wo be to you Scribes and Phariseis Hypocrites for you deuoure Widowes houses vnder coloure of long praiers therfore your dampnacion shalbe the greater Wo be to you Scribes Phariseis Hipocrites for you go about by sea and by land to make mo Nouices and newe brethren and when they be admitted of your secte you make them the chyldren of helle worse then your selfes be Honor be to God who did put light in the harte of his faithful true minister of moste famous memory Kynge Henry the .viij. and gaue hym the knowledge of hys worde and an earnest affection to seke his glory and to put awaye all suche Supersticious and Pharisaicall sectes by Antichrist inueÌ„ted and set vp agaynst the true worde of God and glory of hys moste blessed name as he gaue the lyke spirite vnto the moste noble and famous Prynces Iosaphat Iosias and Ezechyas God graunte all vs the Kynges hyghnesse faythfull true subiectes to fede of the swete and sauorie breade of Gods awne woorde and as Christ commaunded to eschewe all oure Pharisaicall and Papistical leuen of mans feyned religion Whiche although it were before God moste abhominable and contrary to Gods coÌ„maundementes and Christes pure religioÌ„ yet it was extolled to be a moste Godly lyfe highest state of perfection As though a man might be more Godly and more perfecte by kepyng the rules tradicions and professioÌ„s of men then by kepynge the holy commaundementes of God And briefly to passe ouer the vngodly counterfet religions let vs reherse some other kyndes of Papisticall supersticions and abuses as of Beades of Lady Psalters Rosaries of .xv. Oos of sainct Bernardes Uerses of sainct Agathes letters of Purgatory of Masses satisfactory of Stacions and Iubilies of feyned Reliques of halowed Beades Belles Breade Water palmes Candelles Fyre and suche other of Supersticious fastynges of Fraternities of Pardons with suche lyke merchaundyse whiche were so estemed and abused to the great preiudice of Gods glory and commauÌ„demeÌ„tes that they were made moste high and moste holy thynges whereby to atteyn to the eternall lyfe or remission of sinne Yea also vayne inueÌ„cions vnfruictfull Ceremonies and vngodly Lawes Decrees and Counsayles of Rome were in suche wyse aduauÌ„ced that nothyng was thought comparable in aucthoritie wisedom learnynge and Godlynes vnto them So y t the lawes of Rome as thei sayed were to be receyued of all men as the foure EuaÌ„gelistes to the which all lawes of Princes must geue place And y e lawes of God also pâ—rily were omitted and lesse estemed that the sayde lawes decrees and Counsayles with theyr tradicioÌ„s and Ceremonies myght be more duely obserued had in greater reuerence Thus was the people through ignorauÌ„ce so blynded with the goodly shewe and apparaunce of those thynges that they thought y e obseruyng of them to be a more holynesse a more perfecte seruice and honoryng of God and more pleasyng to God then the kepyng of Gods coÌ„maundementes Such hath been the corrupt inclinacioÌ„ of man euer supersticiously geuen to make new honorynge of God of hys awn hedde and then to haue more affection and deuocion to obserue that then to searche out Gods holy coÌ„maundementes and to kepe them And furthermore to take Gods coÌ„maundementes for mennes coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes and mennes coÌ„maundementes for Gods coÌ„maundementes yea and for the highest and moste perfect and holy of all Gods commaundemeÌ„tes And so was all confused that scant well learned men and but a small numbre of them knewe or at the least would knowe and durst affirme the truth to separate Gods commaundementes from the commaundemeÌ„tes of men wherupon dyd growe muche error Supersticion Idolatry vayne religion preposterous iudgement greate contencion with all vngodly liuyng Wherfore as you haue any zeale to the right and pure honoryng of God as you haue any regard to your awn soules to the life that is to come which is both without payn and without end applie your selfes chiefly aboue all thyng to reade and to heare Gods worde marke diligeÌ„tly therin what hys wyll is you shall do and with all youre endeuor applye your selfes to folowe thesame First you must haue an assured faythe in God geue youre selfes wholy vnto hym loue hym in prosperite aduersitie and dread to offende hym euermore Then for hys sake loue all men frendes and fooes because they be his creacioÌ„ and Image redemed by Christ as ye are Caste in your mindes how you maye do good vnto all men vnto your powers hurt no man Obey al your superiors and gouernors serue youre masters faithfully and diligently aswell in theyr absence as in theyr presence not for dread of punishment onely but for coÌ„science sake knowyng that you are bound so to do by Gods commaundementes Disobey not your fathers mothers but honor theÌ„ helpe theÌ„ please theÌ„ to your power Oppresse not kil not beat not neyther slaunder nor hate any maÌ„ But loue all men speake well of al men helpe succor euery maÌ„ as you maye yea euen your enemies that hate you that speake euil of you and that do hurt you Take no maÌ„s goodes nor couete your neyghbors goodes wrongfully but coÌ„tent your selfes with y t which ye get truely also bestowe your awne goodes charitably as nede case requyreth Flee all Idolatrye Withcraft periury coÌ„mit no maner of adultery fornicacioÌ„ nor other vnchastnesse in wil nor in dede with any other mannes wyfe wydowe mayde or other wyse And trauailynge continually durynge your lyfe thus in the obseruynge the commaundementes of God wherein consisteth the pure principal and direct honour of God and which wrought in faythe God hath ordeyned to be the righte trade and pathe waye vnto heauen you shall not fayle as Christe hath promised to come to that blessed and eternall lyfe where you shall liue in glory