saye corrupte bothe the bodye and soule of manne and make them of the temples of the holy Ghoste the fylthye dunghill or dungeon of all vncleane spirites of the house of God the dwelling place of Sathan Agayne in the gospell of Saincte Iohn IhoÌ„ viii when the womanne taken in adulterye was broughte vnto Christe sayde not he vnto her Goe thy waye and sinne no more Dooeth not he here call whoredome sinne Rom. vi And what is the rewarde of sinne but euerlasting death If whoredome be sinne then is it not lawfull for vs to commit it 1. IhoÌ„ iii. For S. Iohn saieth hee that committeth synne is of the deuill And oure sauiour sayth euery one that coÌ„mytteth sinne is the seruauÌ„t of sinne Iohn viii Rom. vi If whordom had not bene sinne surely s Iohn Baptist would neuer haue rebuked kinge Herode for takinge hys brothers wife but he tolde him playnely that it was not lawful for him to take his brothers wife He winked not at the whoredome of Herode although he wer a kinge of great power but boldlye reproued him for his wicked and abhominable liuynge althoughe for the same he loste hys heade But he woulde rather suffer deathe then see God so dishonored by the breakinge of his holy precept or coÌ„maundemeÌ„t theÌ„ to suffer whoredom to be vnrebuked eueÌ„ in a king If whordom had been but a pastime a daliauÌ„ce a thing not to be passed of as many coumpt it now a daies truely Iohn had bene more then twise madde if he woulde haue had the displeasure of a kinge if he would haue bene cast in to prieson and loste his heade for a trifle But Iohn knew right wel how filthy stinkinge and abhominable the sinne of whoredom is in the sight of god therefore would not he leaue it vnrebuked no not in a kynge If whoredome bee not lawefull in a king neither is it lawefull in a subiect If whoredome bee not lawful in a publique or coÌ„mune officer neither is it lawful in a priuat persoÌ„ If it be not lawful neither in king nor subiecte neither in common officer nor priuate persoÌ„ truelye theÌ„ is it lawefull in no man nor woman of whatsouer degree or age they bee Furthermore Actes â—â—â— in the actes of the Apostles we reade that when the Apostles and elders with the whole congregacion were gathered together to pacyfye the hertes of the faithful dwelling at Antioche which wer disquieted through the false doctrine of certain Iewish preachers they sent worde to the brethren that it semed good to the holye ghoste and to them to charge them with no more then wyth necessarye thinges emonge other they willed them to abstayne from Idolatry and fornicacion from whiche sayde they if ye kepe your selues ye shall do well Note here howe these holy and blessed fathers of Christes churche woulde charge the congregacyon with no mo thynges then were necessarye Marke also how emong those thinges from the which they commaunded the brethren of Antioche to absteine fornication and whoredome is numbred It is therfore necessary by the determination and consente of the holy ghost and the apostles and elders with the whole congregacion that as from Idolatrye and superstytion so likewise wee muste absteyne from fornication and whoredom Is it necessary vnto saluation to absteine from Idolatry So is it to absteine froÌ„ whoredome Is there any nygher waye to leade into damnation then to be an Idolater No euen so neyther is there a nerer waye to damnacyon then to be a fornicatour and an whoremonger Nowe where are those people which so lightly esteme breaking of wedlocke whoredome fornication and adultery It is necessary sayeth the holy ghoste the blessed apostles the elders with the whole congregacion of Christe it is necessary to saluation say they to absteyne from whoredome If it be necessary vnto saluation then woe be to them whiche neglecting their saluacion geue their mindes to so fylthy stinking sinne to so wicked vice to suche detestable abhomination ¶ The second parte of the Sermon against Adultery YOu haue bene taught in the fyrste parte of this sermon agaynst adultery how that vice at this day reigneth most aboue all other vyces And what is meÌ„t by this worde adultery how holy scripture disswadeth or discouÌ„seyled from doing that filthy sinne finally what corruptioÌ„ cuÌ„meth to mans soule through the sinne of adultery Now to procede further let vs heare what the blessed apostle S. Paule saith to this matter Wryting to the Romaines he hath these woordes Rom. iiii Let vs cast away the workes of darknes put on the armours of light Let vs walke honestly as it were in the daye time not in eating and drynking neither in chaumbringes and wantonnes neyther in strife enuying but put ye on the lord Iesu Christe and make not prouision for the fleshe to fulfill the lustes of it Here the holy apostle exhorteth vs to cast away the workes of darkenesse whiche emonge other he calleth gluttonous eatynge drynking chaumberinge and wantonnesse whiche are all ministers vnto that vyce and preparacyons to induce and bringe in the fylthye synne of the fleshe Hee calleth them the dedes and workes of darkenesse not onely because they are customablye doone in darkenesse Ihon. iii. or in the night time for euery one that doth euyl hateth the light neither cummeth he to the light leste his workes should be reproued but that they leade the righte way vnto that vtter darkenes Mathe. xiii where wepynge and gnashinge of teeth shal be And he saieth in an other place of the same Epistle They that are in the fleshe can not please god We are detters not to the fleshe that we shoulde liue after the fleshe for if ye lyue after the fleshe â—o viii ye shal dye Agayne he sayeth flye from whoredome for euery synne that a manne committeth is without his body but whosoeuer coÌ„mitteth whoredome sinneth agaynst his own bodye Doe ye not knowe that youre membres are the temple of the holy ghoste whiche is in you whome also ye haue of god Cor. vi and ye are not youre owne For ye are derely boughte glorifie GOD in your bodyes c. And a little before he saieth Doe ye not knowe that your bodyes are the membres of Christe Shall I then take the membres of Christe make them the membres of an whore God forbid Do ye not know that he whiche cleueth to an whore is made one bodye with her There shal be two in one fleshe saieth hee but he that cleueth to the lord is one spirite What godlie reasoÌ„ns doth the blessed Apostle S. Paule bring forth here to disswade or discounseylle vs froÌ„ whoredome and all vnclennes youre membres sayeth hee are the temple of the holye ghoste whiche whosoeuer doth defile god wil destroy him as sayethe Saincte Paule If we be the temple of the holye goste howe vnsitting then is it to dryue that holy spirite froÌ„ vs throughe
beste both what we be what we ought of right to be called And thus he setteth vs forth speking by his faithful Apostle S. Paul Rom. iiâ—â— al men Iewes and Gentiles are vnder sinne ther is none righteous no not one there is none that vnderstandeth ther is none that seketh after god they are al gone out of the way they are all vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one their throte is an open sepulchre with their toÌ„ges they haue vsed craft deceit the poyson of serpentes is vnder their lyppes theyr mouth is ful of cursyng bytternes their fete are swift to shed blud destruction wretchednes are in their wayes and the way of peace haue they not knoweÌ„ their is no fere of god before their eyes And in another place S. Paule writeth thus God hath wray 〈◊〉 â—â—â—cioÌ„s in vnbeliefe 〈…〉 that he might haue 〈…〉 The scripture shutteth vp al 〈…〉 promise by the faith of Iesus Christ Would be geuen vnto theÌ„ that beleue S. Paule in many places painteth vs out in our colours callyng vs the children of the wrath of god wheÌ„ we be borne saiyng also that we cannot thinke a good thought of our selues much lesse can we say wel or do wel of our selues And the wise man saith in the boke of Prouerbes Pro. xxiiii the iust man falleth seueÌ„ times a day The most tried approued man Iob feared al his workes Luke i. S. Iohn the Baptist being sanctified in his mothers woÌ„be praysed before he was borne beyng called an Aungell great before the lord fylled euen from his birth with the holy gost the preparer of the way for our sauior Chryst commended of our sauior Christ to be more then a prophet the greatest that euer was borne of a woman yet he plainely graunteth that he had nede to be washed of Christ he worthely extolleth and glorifieth his lord and master Christ humbleth himself as vnworthy to vnbuckle his shoes geueth al honor glory to god So doth S. Paule both oft euideÌ„tly coÌ„fesse himself Math. iii. what he was of himself euer geuing as a most faithful seruaunt al praise to hys master sauior So doth blessed S. Iohn the EuaÌ„gelist 1. Iohn .i. â—ud ii in the name of himself of al other holy men be thei neuer so iust make this open confession if we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues the truth is not in vs If we knowlege our sinnes God is faythfull iust to forgeue vs our synnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnes yf wee say we haue not synned we make him a lyer and his word is not in vs. Wherfore the wise man in the boke Eccle. vii called Ecclesiastes maketh this true generall 〈…〉 There is 〈…〉 earth that doth good sinneth not And. S. Dauid is ashamed of his sinne Psalm .ii. but not to confesse his sinne How oft how earnestly lamentably both he desire gods great mercy for his great offences that god should not enter into iudgement with him And againe Psal cxâ—â—â— how wel weigheth this holy maÌ„ his sinnes when he confesseth that they he so many in numbre so hid harde to vnderstand that it is in maner vnpossible to knowe vtter or numbre them Wherfore he hauing a true earnest and depe contemplacion consideracion of his sinnes yet not comming to the bottome of them Psal xix he maketh supplicacion to God to forgeue him his prieuy secret hid sinnes to the knowledge of that which he cannot attaine vnto He weigheth ryghtly hys sinnes from the original roote spring head perceiuing inclinacions prouocacioÌ„s stirringes stinginges buddes brauÌ„ces dregges infectioÌ„s tastes felynges sentes of them to continue in him stil Wherfore he saith marke and beholde Psalm .ii. I was conceiued in sinnes he saith not sinne but in the plurall number sinnes forasmuch as out of one as fountayne springeth all the reste Oure sauioure Christ saieth there is none good but god Markâ— x. Luk. xviiâ— Iohn .xv. Luke xviâ— and that we can do nothing that is good without him nor no man can come to the father but by him He coÌ„maundeth vs all to saye that we be vnprofytable seruauntes when we haue don al that we can do He preferreth the penytent Publycan before the proude holy glorious Pharisey Luk. xviiâ— Math. iâ— He calleth himselfe a phisicyon but not to them that be whole but to them that be sicke haue nede of his sâ—â—ue 〈…〉 prayer◠〈…〉 knowledge our selues sinners and to aske righteousnes and deliueraunce from al euyls at our heauenly fathers hande He declareth that the sinnes of our owne heartes do defyle our own selues He teacheth that an euyll word or thought Mat. xii deserueth condemnacion affirminge that we shall geue an accoumpt for euery idle worde Mat. xv He saith he came not to saue but the shepe that were vtterly lost cast away Therfore fewe of the proude iust learned wise perfect and holy Pharise ys were saued by him because they iustified them selues by their counterfeit holynesse before men Wherfore good people let vs be ware of such hipocrisie vaineglory and iustifying of our selues ¶ The seconde part of the Sermon of the miserie of man FOr asmuch as the true knowledge of our selues is verye necessarye to come to the right knowledge of God ye haue hearde in the laste readynge howe humbly all godly meÌ„ alwayes haue thought of them selues and so to thynke and iudge of them selues are taught of God theyr creator by his holy worde For of oure selues we be crabtrees that can brynge forth no apples We be of our selues of suche earth as can bryng forth but weedes nettles brambles bryers cockle and darnell Our fruites be declared in the .v. Chapter to the Galathians We haue neyther faith 〈◊〉 v. charitie hope pacience chastitie nor any thyng els that good is but of 〈◊〉 thâ—◠〈◊〉 these vertues be called there the scuites of the hâ—ly ghost not the fruites of man Let vs therefore acknowledge our selues before God as we be in dede miserable and wretched sinners And let vs ernestly repent and humble our selues heartely crye to God for mercie Lette vs all confesse with mouth and hearte that we be full of imperfections Let vs knowe oure owne woorkes of what imperfection they be and then we shall not stand foolyshely and arrogantly in our owne conceites nor chalenge any part of Iustification by our merites or woorkes For truely there be imperfections in our best woorkes we doe not loue God so much as we are bounde to do with all our heart mynde and power we do not feare God so much as we ought to do we do not pray to Godde but with greate and manye imperfections we geue forgeue beleue liue and hope vnperfectlye we speake thynke and do vnperfectlye we fyght agaynst the deuyll
to you Iohn 6 that beleue in the name of the sonne of God that you may know that you haue euerlastinge lyfe and that you doe beleue vpon the name of the sonne of God And our sauiour CHRISTE sayth he that beleueth in me hath lyfe euerlastynge and I wyll rayse him from death to life Iohn 6 at the laste daye 1 Cor. 1 S. Paule also sayth that CHRISTE is ordeyned and made of God our righteousnes oure holynes and redemption to the intente that he whyche will glory should glory in the LORDE S. Paul did contemne and set litle by al other thinges esteming them as dunge whiche before he had in very greate pryce that he might be founde in CHRIST to haue euerlastinge life true holynes righteousnes and redemption Finallye S. Paule maketh a playne argument in this wyse Cellos 3 If our heauenly father would not spare his owne natural sonne but dyd geue him to deathe for vs howe can it be that with hym he should not geue vs all thinges Therfore yf we haue CHRIST then haue we with hym and by hym all good thinges whatsoeuer we canne in oure heartes wysh or desyre as victory ouer death synne and hel we haue the fauoure of God peace with hym holinesse wysedome iustice power lyfe and redemption we haue by hym perpetuall health wealth ioye and blisse euerlastinge ¶ The seconde part of the 〈◊〉 of the feare of death IT hath ben heretofore she wed you that there be three causes wherfore men do coÌ„monly feare death Fyrst the sorowful departing from worldly goods pleasure The second the feare of the panges paynes that come with death Last and principall cause is the horrible feare of extreme miserie perpetual damnacion in time to come And yet none of these thre causes troubleth good men because they staye theÌ„ selues by true fayth perfit charitie sure hope of the endelesse ioy and blisse euerlastyng Al those therfore haue gret cause to be ful of ioy that be ioyned to Christe with true faith stedfaste hope perfect charitie not to fere death nor euer lasting daÌ„nation For death cannot depriue theÌ„ of Iesu Christ nor any sinne can condemne theÌ„ that are graffed surely in him which is their only ioy treasure lyfe Let vs repent our sinnes amende our liues trust in his mercy satisfactioÌ„ death can neither take hym from vs nor vs from hym For theÌ„ as s Paule saith whether we liue or dye we be the lordes owne And again he saith Rom. xiiii Christ did die rose againe because he shuld be lord both of the dead quicke TheÌ„ if we be the lordes owne when we be dead it must nedes folow that such teÌ„porall death not only cannot harme vs but also that it shal much be to our profite ioyne vs vnto god more perfectly And therof the ChristiaÌ„ heart may surely be certified by the infallible or vndeâ—â—â—â—â—ble trueth of holy scripture It is God 〈…〉 Paul which hath prepared vs vnto 〈…〉 the same is he which hath geuen vs an earnesse of the spirite Therfore let vs be alwayes of good comfort for we know that so long as we be in the body we be as it were farre froÌ„ god in a strange countrey subiect to many perilles walking with out perfect syght knowledge of almighty God onely seing him by faith in holy scriptures But we haue a courage desire rather to bee at home with God our sauiour Christ farre from the body where we may beholde his God head as he is face to face to our euerlastyng comforte These be S. Paules wordes in effect Pebre xiii wherby we may perceiue that the life in this world is reseÌ„bled lykened to a pilgrimage in a straunge countrey farre from god that death deliuering vs from our bodyes doth sende vs straight home into our owne countrey maketh vs to dwel presently with god for euer in euerlasting rest quietnes So that to dye is no losse but profite winninge to all true christen people What loste the thiefe that hanged on the crosse with Christ by his bodely death yea how much dyd he gayne by it Luk. xxiii Did not our sauiour say vnto him this day thou shalt be with me in Para dise And Lazarus that pitifull person that laye before the riche mans gate Luke .xvi. payned with sores pyned with hunger dyd not death hyghly prosite and promote hym Which by the ministery of Angels sent hym vnto Abrahams bosome a place of rest ioy and heauenly consolation Let vs thinke none other good Christen people but Christ hath prepared and made ready before the same ioy and felicitie for vs that he prepared for Lazarus the thiefe Wherfore let vs sticke vnto his saluation and gracious redemptioÌ„ beleue his word serue him from our heartes loue obey him whatsoeuer we haue done heretofore coÌ„trary to his moste holy Wyl now let vs repent in tyme heareafter study to correct our lyfe doubt not but we shall fynd him as merciful vnto vs as he was eyther to Lazarus or to the thiefe whose examples ar writteÌ„ in holy seripture for the comfort of theÌ„ that be sinners subiect to sorowes miseries calamities in this world that they shuld not dispayre in gods mercy but euer trust therby to haue forgeuenes of their sinnes life euerl â—sting as Lazarus the thiefe hadde Thus I trust euery christen maÌ„perceiueth by the infaflible or vndeceauable word of God that bodely death cannot harme nor hynder theÌ„ that truly beleue in Christ but contrary shall profite promote the christen soules which being truely penitent for their offences depart hence in perfect charitie in sure trust that God is mercifull to theÌ„ forgeuing theyr sinnes for the merites of Iesus Christ his onely naturall sonne The seconde cause why some do feare death The secoÌ„d cause why some do fere death is fore sickenes and greuous paynes which partely come before death partly accoÌ„panieth or cometh with death whensoeuer it commeth This feare is the feare of the frayle fleshe and a naturall passion belongyng vnto the nature of a mortal man But true faith in Gods promises and regarde of the paynes panges which Christ vpon the crosse suffered for vs miserable sinners with consideracion of the ioye euerlastynge lyfe to come in heaueÌ„ wil mitigate asswage lesse those paines moderate or bryng into a meane this feare that it shall neuer be able to ouerthrowe the heartye desyre gladnes the the Christian soule hath to be seperated froÌ„ this corrupt body that it may come to the gracious presence of our sauiour Iesus Christ If we beleue stedfastly the word of god we shal perceyue that such bodely sicknes panges of death or what soeuer dolorous paynes we suffer eyther before or with death be nothing els in christen men but the rodde of our heauenly louyng
preuented with sodaine death neuerthelesse he shal be there where he shal be refreshed Of Abrahams bosome Chrystes wordes be so playne that a christian man nedeth no more profe of it Nowe then if this were the state of the holye fathers and righteous men before the commyng of our sauiour before he was glorified how much more then ought all we to haue a stedfast faith a sure hope of this blessed state and condicion after our death Seing that our sauiour nowe hath perfourmed the whole worke of our redemption and is gloriouslye ascended into heauen to prepare our dwellyng places with hym Ioh. xvii and sayd vnto his father Father I wyll that where I am my seruauntes shal be with me And we knowe that whatsoeuer Christ wyll his father wyll the same wherefore it cannot be but if we be his faithful sernauntes oure soules shal be with him after our departing out of this present life Sainct Stephin when he was stoned to death euen in the middest of his tormentes what was his minde moste vpon When he was ful of the holy gost Acâ—â—â— vâ—â— saieth holy scripture hauing his eies lifted vp into heauen he sawe the glory of god and Iesus standinge on the righte hande of god The whiche trueth after he had confessed boldly before the enemies of Christ they drew him out of the citie and there they stoned him who cried vnto God sayinge Lorde Iesu Christe take my spirite And doeth not our sauiour say playnly in S. Iohns gospel Verely verely I say vnto you he that heareth my worde and beleueth on him that seÌ„t me hath euerlasting life cummeth not into iudgement Iohn .v. but shal passe from death to life Shal we not then thinke that death to be precious by the whiche we passe vnto life Therefore it is a true saying of the Prophete the death of the holy and righteous men 〈◊〉 cxvi is precious in the lordes sight Holy Simeon after that he had his heartes desier in seing our sauiour that he euer longed for al his life he embraced or toke him in his armes and said Now lord let me departe in peace Luke â—â— for mine eies haue beholden that sauiour whiche thou hast prepared for al nacions It is trueth therfore that the death of the righteous is called peace and the benefite of the Lord Psal cxiiii as the churche saieth in the name of the righteous departed out of this world my soule turne thee to chyreste for the Lorde hath bene good to thee and rewarded thee And we see by holye scripture other auncient Histories of Martirs that the holy faithful and righteous euer sins Christes ascencion or going vp in their death did not doubt but that they went to be with Christ in spirite whiche is our lyfe health wealth saluacion Iohn in his holy reuelacion saw an C. xl and .iiii. M. virgins innocentes of whom he sayd Epo xiiii these folowe the laÌ„be Iesu Christe whersoeuer he goeth And shortely after in the same place he saieth I heard a voice from heauen saying vnto me write happy and blessed ar the dead which die in the lord from henceforth surely saieth the spirite thei shal rest from their paines and labours for their workes doe folowe them So that then they shal reape with ioy and comfort that which they sowed with labors and paynes They that sow in the spirite of the spirite shal reape euerlasting life Let vs therfore neuer be werye of well doing for when the time of reaping or reward commeth we shal reape without any werines euerlastinge ioye â—ola vi Math. vi Therefore while we haue time as S. Paule exhorteth vs let vs doe good to all men and nor laye vp our treasures in earth where ruste and mothes corrupt it Iames .v. which rust as S. Iames sayeth shall beare witnesse agaynst vs at the great day coÌ„demie vs and shall like moste brenninge fier tormente our fleshe Let vs beware therfore as we teÌ„der our owne wealth that we be not in the number of those miserable couetousse and wretched menne whiche S. Iames byddeth mourne and lament for theyr gredye gatherynge and vngodlye kepynge of goodes Lette vs be wyfe in tyme and learne to folowe the wyse example of the wicked stewach Let vs so wisely order our goodes and possessions committed vnto vs here by god for a season that we may truely heare and obeye thys commaundemente of our sauioure Chryste I saye vnto you sayeth he make you frendes of the wicked Mammon Luke xvi that they may receiue you into euerlastinge tabernacles or dwellynges Richesse he calleth wicked beecause the world abuseth them vnto al wickednes which at otherwise the good gifte of God the instrumentes wherby goddes seruauantes doe truely serue hym in vsing of the same He commaunded theÌ„ not to make them riche frendes to gette highe dignities and worldly promotions to geue greate giftes to ryche men that haue no nede therof but to make them freÌ„des of poore and miserable men vnto whom whatsoeuer they geue Chryst taketh it as geuen to himselfe And to these freÌ„des Christ in the gospel geueth so great honor and preeminence that he sayeth they shall receyue them that doe good vnto them into euerlasting houses not that meÌ„ shal be ourrewarders for our wel doyng but that Chryst wil rewarde vs and take it to be doen vnto himselfe whatsoeuer is doen to suche frendes Thus makyng poore wretches our frendes we make oure sauioure Chryste oure frende whose meÌ„bers they are whose miserye as he taketh for hys owne myserye so theyr relyefe succoure and helpe he taketh for hys succoure relyefe and helpe and wyll asmuche thanke vs and rewarde vs for oure goodnes shewed to them as if he himselfe had receiued lyke benefyte at oure handes as be wytnesseth in the gospel 〈◊〉 xxv saying whatsoeuerye haue doeÌ„ to any of these simple persons whiche dooe beleue in me that haue ye doen to my self Therfore let vs diligently foresee that oure faith and hope whiche we haue conceiued in almightie god and in our sauiour Christ waxe not fainte nor that the loue whiche we beare in hande to beare to him waxe not colde but let vs study daily and diligently to shew oure selues to be the true honourers louers of god by kepinge of his commaundementes by doing of good dedes vnto our nedy neighbours releuing by all meanes that we can their pouertie with oure aboundaunce and plenty their ignoraunce with our wisedom and learning and comforte their v eakenes wyth oure strength aucthoritie calling all men backe froÌ„ euill doing by godlye counsaile and good exaÌ„ple perseuering still in well doing so long as we lyue So shall we not nede to feare death for any of those thre causes afore meÌ„cioned nor yet for any other cause that can be imagined But contrary considering the manifold sickenesses troubles and sorowes of this present life the daungers of this
also teacheth vs a good lesson I this behalf who was many times most cruelly and wrong fullye persecuted of Kynge Saule and manye times also put in ieoperdie and daunger of his life by kinge Saule his people yet he neuer withstode neither vsed any force or violeÌ„ce against king Saule his mortal or deadly enemy but did euer to his liege lorde and master kinge Saule most true most diligent and most faithful seruice In so much that wheÌ„ the lord god had geuen kinge Saule into Dauids handes in his owne caue he would not hurte him when he might without al bodely peril easely haue slain hiÌ„ no he would not suffer any of his seruauntes once to lay their handes vpoÌ„ king Saul but praied to god in this wise lord kepe me from doing that thing vnto my maister the lordes anointed keepe me that I laie not my hande vpoÌ„ him seing he is the anoiÌ„ted of the lord for as truely as the lorde liueth except the lorde smite him or except his day come or that he go down to warre in battaile perishe the lorde be mercifull vnto me that I lay not my hande vpon the lordes anointed And that Dauid might haue killed his enemy king Saule it is euideÌ„tly proued in the firste boke of the kinges both by the cutting of the lappe of Saules garment and also by the playne confession of kinge Saule Also an other time as it is meÌ„cioned in the same booke when the most vnmercifull and moste vnkind king Saule did persecute poore Dauid god didde againe geue king Saule into Dauides handes by castinge of kinge Saule and his whole armye into a deade sleepe so that Dauid and one Abisai with him came in the nighte into Saules hoste where Saule laye sleepinge and his speare stacke in the ground at his head Then saâ—de Abisai vnto Dauid god hath deliuered thine enemye into thy handes at this time now therfore let me smite him once with my speare to the earth I will not smite him again the second time meaning therby to haue killed him with one stroke and to haue made him sure foreuer And Dauid aunswered and said to Abisai destroy him not for who can laye his handes on the lordes anointed and be giltles And Dauid said furthermore as sure as the lorde liueth the lorde shall smite him or his daye shall come to dy or he shal descende or go doune into bataill there perishe The lord kepe me froÌ„ laying my haÌ„des vpon the Lordes anointed But take thou nowe the speare that is at his head the cruse of water let vs go so he did Here is euidently proued that we may not wtstand nor in any wayes hurt an anoynted king which is gods liuetenaunt vice gerent and highest minister in that countrey where he is kinge Obieccion But per aduenture some here would say that Dauid in his owne defence might haue killed king Saule lawfullie with a safe conscience Aunswere But holy Dauid did knowe that he might in no wise wtstande hurt or kil his souereigne lord king he did knowe that he was but king Saules subiecth though he wer iÌ„ great fauor with god his enemy kinge Saule out of gods fauor Therfore though he wer neuer so much prouoked yet he refused vtterly to hurt the lordes anoynted He durste not for offending god his own conscience although he had occasion and oportunitie once lay his handes vpon gods high officer the king whoÌ„ he did know to be a person reserued kept for his office sake only to gods punishmeÌ„t iudgemeÌ„t Therfore he praieth so oft so eanestlye that he lay not his handes vpon the lordes annointed â—sal .lxxx. â—â—d â—â—â— And by these .ii. exaÌ„ples s Dauid being named in scripture a man after gods own heart geueth a generall rule lesson to al subiectes in the world not to withstand their liege lord king not to take a sweord by their priuate authoritie against their king gods anoynted who only beareth the sworde by gods auctoritie for the maintenance of the good and for the punishment of the euill who onely by gods lawe hath the vse of the sweord at his commauÌ„dement also hath al power iurisdiccioÌ„ regimeÌ„t coercioÌ„ punishemeÌ„t as supreme gouernour of all his realmes dominioÌ„s that euen by the aucâ—oritie of God and by gods ordinaunces Yet an other notable story doctrine is in the secund boke of the kinges that maketh also for this purpose WheÌ„ an AmaleÌ„chite by kinge Saules own consent coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t had killed kinge Saul he went to Dauid supposing to haue hadde great thaÌ„ke for his message 〈…〉 that he had killed Dauids deadli enemye and therefore he made great haste to tell to Dauid the chauÌ„ce bringing with him kinge Saules Croun that was vpon his head and his bracelet that was vpon his arme to perswade his tidinges to be true But godly Dauid was so far froÌ„ reioising at these newes that immediatly forthw t he reÌ„t his clothes of his backe he mourned wept said to the messenger how is it that thou wast not afraid to lay thy handes on the lordes anointed to destroy him And by by Dauid made one of his seruauÌ„tes to kil the messeÌ„ger saying thy bloude be on thine own head for thy own mouth hath testified wittenessed agaiÌ„st the grauÌ„ting that thou hast slaine the lordes anointed These examples being so manyfest and euident it is an intolerable ignoraunce madnes wickednes for subiectes to make any murmuring rebellion resistence or wtstaÌ„ding coÌ„mocioÌ„ or insurrectioÌ„ againste their moste dere and most dreade souereinge Lorde king ordeyned and appoynted of Goddes goodnes for their commoditie peace and quietnes Yet let vs beleue vndoubtedli good christiaÌ„ people that we maye not obey Kinges Magistrates or any other though they be our owne fathers if they woulde commaunde vs to do any thing contrary to gods coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes In such a case we oughte to say with the Apostles Actes we must rather obey God then man But neuertheles in that case wee may not in any wise withstande violeÌ„tly or rebel against rulers or make any insurreccioÌ„ sedicioÌ„ or tumultes either by force of armes or other waies against the annointed of the lord or any of his appointed officers But we muste in such case paciently suffer al wronges iniuries referring the iudgemeÌ„t of oure cause onely to god Let vs feare the terrible punishmeÌ„t of almightie God against traitors or rebellious persons by the exaÌ„ple of Chore Dathan Abiron which repugned grudged against gods Magistrates and officers and therfore the earthe opened and swallowed theÌ„ vp alyue Other for their wicked murmuring and rebellion were by a sodaine fire sente of god vtterly consumed Other for their frowarde behauioure to their rulers and gouerners Gods ministers were sodainely strycken with a foule leprosy Other were stinged to death with wonderfull strange firie serpentes Other were sore plagued so that