Neither we maye reioyse in any woorkes that we do which al be so vnperfect vnpure that thei are not able to stāde before the righteous throne of God as the holy Prophete Dauid saieth entre not into iudgemēt with thy seruaūt O Lorde for no man that liueth shalbe found righteous in thy sight To God therfore muste we flee or els shall we neuer finde peace rest and quietnesse of conscience in our hartes For he is the father of mercies and God of all consolacion He is the Lorde with whō is plenteous redempcion He is that God which of his awne mercie saueth vs and setteth out his charitie and exceding loue towardes vs in that of his awne voluntary goodnesse when we wer perished he saued vs and prouided an euerlastyng kyngdom for vs. And all these heauenly treasures are geuen vs not for our awne desertes merites or good deedes whiche of our selfes wee haue none but of his meere mercie frely And for whose sake Truely for Iesus Christes sake that pure and vndefiled lambe of GOD. He is that dearely beloued sonne for whose sake god is fully pacified satisfied and sette at one with man He is the lambe of God whiche taketh awaie the synnes of the worlde of whom onely it maie be truely spoken that he did al thynges well in his mouthe was founde no craft nor subtilitie None but he alone maie saie the Prince of the worlde came and in me he hath nothyng And he alone maie saie also whiche of you shall reproue me of any faulte He is that high and euerlastyng priest whiche hath offered hymself once for all vpon the aulter of the Crosse and with that one oblacion hath made perfect for euermore them that are sāctified He is the alone mediator betwene God and man whiche paied our raunsome to God with his awne bloud and with that hath he clensed vs all from synne He is the Phisicion whiche healeth al our diseases He is that sauior whiche saueth his people from all their synnes To be shorte he is that flowyng moste plenteous fountain of whose fulnesse ▪ all we haue receiued For in hym alone are all the treasures of the wisedom and knowledge of God hidden And in hym and by hym haue wee frō God the father all good thynges perteinyng either to the body or to the soule O howe muche are wee bounde to this our heauenly father for his greate mercies whiche he hath so plenteously declared vnto vs in Christe Iesu our Lorde and sauior What thankes worthy and sufficient can we geue to him Let vs all with one accorde burste out with ioyfull voyces euer praisyng and magnifiyng this Lorde of mercy for his tendre kyndnesse shewed to vs in his derely beloued sonne Iesus Christ our lord Hetherto haue we heard what wee are of our selfes verely synfull wretched and dampnable again we haue heard how that of oure selfes and by oure selfes wee are not hable either to thynke a good thought ▪ or worke a good deede so that we can fynd in our selfes no hope of saluacion but rather whatsoeuer maketh vnto our destrucciō Again we haue heard the tendre kyndenesse and greate mercie of God the father towardes vs and how beneficial he is to vs for Christes sake without our merites or desertes euen o◠his awne meere mercie and tendre goodnesse Now how these excedyng greate mercies of God set abrode in Christe Iesu for vs bee obteined and how we be deliuered from the captiuitie of synne deathe and helle it shall more at large with Gods helpe be declared in the next Homelie In the meane season yea and at all tymes let vs learne to knowe our selfes our frailtie and weakenesse without any ostentacion or boostyng of our awne good dedes and merites let vs also knowledge The excedyng mercie of God towardes vs and confesse that as of our selfes commeth all euill and dampnaciō so likewise of hym commeth all goodnesse and saluacion as God hymself saieth by the prophet Oze O Israell thy destruccion commeth of thy self but in me onely is thy helpe and comforte If wee thus humbly submit our selfes in the sight of God wee maie bee sure that in the tyme of his visitacion he will lifte vs vp vnto the Kyngdome of his derely beloued sonne Christe Iesu our Lorde to whō with the father and the holy Ghoste bee all honour and glory for euer AMEN ¶ An Homelie of the saluacion of mankynd by onely Christ our sauior from synne and death euerlastyng BEcause all men be synners and offendors against GOD and breakers of his law and commaundementes therfore can no manne by his awne actes woorkes and deedes seme thei neuer so good be iustified and made righteous before God but euery man of necessitie is constrayned to seke for another righteousnesse or iustificacion to be receiued at Gods awne handes that is to saie the remission pardon and forgeuenesse of his synnes and trespasses in suche thynges as he hath offended And this iustificacion or righteousnesse whiche we so receiue by Gods mercie Christes merites embraced by faithe is taken accepted and allowed of God for our perfect and full iustificacion For the more ful vnderstandyng hereof it is our partes and duetie euer to remembre the greate mercie of God how that al the worlde beyng wrapped in synne by breakyng of the lawe God sent his onely sonne our sauior Chrste into this worlde to fulfill the lawe for vs and by shedyng of his moste precious bloud to make a sacrifice and satisfaccion or as it maie bee called amendes to his father for our synnes to asswage his wrathe and indignacion conceiued against vs for thesame In so much that infantes beyng baptised and diyng in their infancie ▪ are by this sacrifice wasshed from their synnes brought to Gods fauor and made his children and inheritors of his kyngdome of heauen And thei whiche actually do synne after their baptisme whē thei conuerte and turne again to God vnfainedly thei are likewise washed by this sacrifice from their synnes in suche sorte that there remaineth not any spotte of synne that shalbe imputed to their dampnacion This is that iustificacion or righteousnes whiche sainct Paule speaketh of when he saieth no man is iustified by the workes of the law but frely by faith in Iesus Christ. And again he saieth we beleue in Christ Iesu that we be iustified frely by the faith of Christe not by the workes of the lawe because that no man shalbe iustified by the workes of the law And although this iustificaciō be fre vnto vs yet it commeth not so frely vnto vs that there is no raunsome paied therfore at all But here maie mannes reason be astonied reasonyng after this fashion if a raunsome bee paied for our redempcion then is it not geuen vs freely For a prisoner that paieth his raunsome is not let go frely for if he go frely then he goeth without
theim that withoute mercy and dispitfully put hym to death Who wheÌ„ he was reuiled did not vse reuilyng wordes again and when he suffred wrongfully he did not threateÌ„ but gaue all vengeaunce to the iudgemente of hys father whiche iudgeth rightefully And what crakest thou of thy hed If thou labor not to be in the body thou canste be no membre of Christ if thou folow not the steppes of Christ who as the Prophete saieth was led to death like a lambe not openynge hys mouth to reuilyng but openyng hys mouth to praiynge for them that crucified hym saiynge Father forgeue them for they cannot tel what they do The whiche exaÌ„ple anone after Christ sainct Stephin did folow and after sainct Paule We be euill spoken of saieth he and speake well we suffre persecucion take it pacieÌ„tly Men curse vs we gently entreate Thus s. Paul taught that he did he dyd that he taughte Blesse you sayeth he them y t persecute you blesse you curse not Is it a great thyng to speake wel to of thyne aduersary to whoÌ„ Christ doth coÌ„mauÌ„d the to do wel Dauid wheÌ„ Semei dyd call him al to naught did not chide agayn but saide paciently suffre hym to speake euil it perchauÌ„ce the Lorde will haue mercy on me Hystories be full of examples of Heathen men that toke very mekely bothe opprobrious wordes iniurious dedes And shall those Heathen men excel in pacience vs y t professe Christ the teacher example of all pacieÌ„ce Lisander when one did rage agaynst him in reuilinge of him he was nothing moued but said go to go to speke agaynst me asmuch as oft as thou wilt and leaue out nothynge if perchaunce by thys meanes thou maiest discharge the of those naughtie thynges with the which it semeth that thou arte full laden Many men speake euill of all men because thei can speake wel of no man After this sorte thys wyse man auoyded from hym the iniurious wordes spoken vnto hym imputyng and laiyng them to the naturall sickenes of hys aduersary Perycles when a certain scolder or a raylyng felowe dyd reuile him he auÌ„swered not a word again but went into a galery and after toward night wheÌ„ he wente home thys scolder folowed hym ragyng still more and more because he sawe the other to set nothyng by hym And after that he came to hys gate beyng darke night Perycles commaunded one of hys seruauÌ„â—es to light a torche to bryng y e scolder home to his awn house He did not only w t quietnes suffre thys brawler pacieÌ„tly but also recoÌ„peÌ„sed an euil turne with a good turne y t to hys enemye Is it not a shame for vs that professe Christe to be worse then Heathen people in a thynge chiefly perteyning to Christes religion Shall Philosophie perswade them more then Gods woorde shall perswade vs Shal natural reason preuaile more with them then religion shall do with vs Shall mans wisedome leade them to that thyng whereunto the heauenly doctryne cannot leade vs What blyndenesse wilfulnesse or rather madnesse is this Perycles beyng prouoked to angre with many contumelious wordes aunswered not a worde But we stirred but with one litle woorde what tragedies do we moue How do we fume rage stampe and stare like madde men Many men of euery trifle will make a great matter and of the sparke of a litle worde wyll kindle a great fyre takyng all thinges in the worste parte But how muche better is it and more lyke to the example and doctryne of Christe to make rather of a great faulte in our neighbour a smal fault reasoning with our selfes after this sort He spake these wordes but it was in a sodaine heate or the drinke spake them not he or he spake theÌ„ at the mocion of some other or he spake them beyng ignorauÌ„t of the truth he spake them not agaynste me but agaynste hym whome he thoughte me to be But as touching euill speakyng he y t is ready to speake euyl against other men fyrste lette hym examyne himself whether he be faultlesse and cleare of the faulte whiche he fyndeth in an other For it is a shame when he y t blameth an other for any faulte is giltye hymselfe either in thesame faulte eyther in a greater It is a shame for hym that is blynde to call an other maÌ„ man blynde and it is more shame for hym that is whole blynde to call hym blinkerd that is but pore blynd For this is to se a strawe in another mannes iye wheÌ„ a man hath a blocke in his awne iye Then let hym considre that he that vseth to speake euill shal commonly be euil spoken of again And he that speaketh what he will for his pleasure shalbe compelled to hear that he would not to his displeasure Moreouer lette hym remembre that saiyng that we shall geue an accompte for euery idle woorde How muche more then shall we make a reconyng for our sharpe bitter braulyng chidyng woordes whiche prouoke our brother to be angery so to the breach of his charitie And as touchyng euill aunsweryng although we be neuer so muche prouoked by other mennes euill speakyng yet we shall not folow their frowardnes by euill aunsweryng if we coÌ„sidre that anger is a kynde of madnesse and that he whiche is angery is as it wer for y e tyme in a phenesy Wherfore let hym beware least in his fury he speake any thyng â–ª whereof afterward he maie haue iuste cause to be sory And he that will defende that anger is no fury but that he hath reason euen when he is moste angery then let hym reason thus with himself when he is angery Now I am so moued and chafed that within a litle while after I shalbe otherwaies minded wherfore then should I now speake any thyng in mine anger whiche hereafter when I would fainest cannot be chaunged Wherfore shall I do any thyng now beyng as it wer out of my witte for the whiche wheÌ„ I shall come to my self again I shalbe very sadde Why doth not reason Why dooth not godlinesse Yea why doth not Christ obtein y e thyng now of me which hereafter tyme shall obtein of me If a man be called an adulterer vsurer drunkarde or by any other contumelious name let hym consider earnestly whether he be so called truly or falsly if truly let hym amende his fault that his aduersarie maie not after worthely charge hym with suche offences if these thynges be laid against him falsly yet let hym consider whether he hath geuen any occasion to be suspected of suche thynges so he maie bothe cut of that suspicion wherof this slaunder did arise and in other thynges shall liue more warely And thus vsyng our selfes wee maie take no hurte but rather muche good by the rebukes slaunders of our enemie For the reproche of an enemy may be to many men a quicker spurr to the amendement of their life
CERTAYNE Sermons or Homelies appoynted by the kynges Maiestie to be declared and redde by all persones Uicars or Curates euery Sondaye in their churches where they haue Cure Anno. 1547. ⧠A TABLE of the Sermones or Homelies conteined in this presente Uolume j. A Fruitefull exhortacion to the readyng of holye scripture ij Of the misery of all mākynde iij. Of the saluacion of all mankynde iiij Of the true and liuely faithe v. Of good woorkes vj. Of Christian loue and Charitie vij Against swearyng and periurie viij Of the declinyng from God ix An exhortacion against the feare of deathe x. An exhortacion to obedience xj Against whoredom and adultery xij Against strife and contencion FINIS THE PREFACE THE Kynges moste excellent Maiestie by the prudente aduyse of hys moste deere beloued Uncle Edwarde duke of Somersett Gouernor of hys Maiesties persone and Protector of all hys hyghnes Realmes Dominions and Subiectes with the reste of hys moste honorable Counsayll moste graciously considerynge the manifolde enormities whiche heretofore haue crept into hys graces Realme throughe the false vsurped power of the Bishoppe of Rome and the vngodly doctryne of hys adherentes not onelye vnto the greate decaye of Christian religion but also if Gods mercy were not vnto the vtter destruction of innumerable soules whiche through hypocrysy and pernicious doctrine were seduced and brought from honoryng of the alone true liuynge and eternall God vnto the worshippyng of creatures yea of stockes and stones from doyng the commaundemētes of God vnto volūtary workes and phantasyes inuēted of men from true religiō vnto Popishe Supersticion considerynge also the earnest and feruent desire of his derely beloued Subiectes to bee deliuered from all errors and supersticions and to be truely and faythefully instructed in the verye worde of God that liuely foode of mannes soule wherby they may learne vnfainedly and accordyng to the mynd of the holy Ghoste expressed in the scriptures to honor God and to serue their Kyng with all humilitie and subieccion and Godly and honestly to behaue theim selfes toward all men Agayn callynge to remembraunce that the next and moste ready waie to expell and auoide aswell all corrupte vicious and vngodly liuynge as also erronious doctrine tendyng to Supersticion and Idolatrie clerely to put away all contenciō whiche hath heretofore rysen through diuersitie of preachyng is the true settyng furthe and pure declarynge of Gods woorde whiche is the principall guyde and leader vnto all Godlinesse and vertue Finally that all Curates of what learnyng soeuer they be may haue some Godly and fruitfull lessons in a readines to reade and declare vnto their parishioners for their edifiyng instruction and cōfort hath caused a booke of Homelies to bee made and set furthe wherein is conteined certain wholsome and Godly exhortacions to moue the people to honor and worshippe almighty God and diligently to serue hym euery one accordynge to their degre state and vocacion the whiche Homelies his Maiestie commaundeth and streightely chargeth all Persones Uicares Curates and all other hauyng spirituall cure euery Sondaye in the yere at hygh Masse when the people be moste gathered together to reade and declare to their parishioners playnly and distinctely in suche ordre as they stande in the boke excepte any Sermon bee preached and then for that cause onely and for none other the reading of the sayde Homelie to be differed vnto the nexte Sondaye folowyng And when the foresayde boke of Homelies is redde ouer the Kynges Maiesties pleasure is that thesame be repeted redde agayn in suche lyke sorte as was before prescribed vnto suche tyme as his graces pleasure shall further be knowen in thys behalfe Also hys maiestie commaundeth that the sayde Ecclesiasticall persones vpon the firste holy daye fallyng in the Weke tyme of euery quarter of the yere shall reade his Iniunccions opēly and distinctely to the people in maner and fourme in thesame expressed And vpon euery other holy and Feuall daye through the yere likewise fallyng in the weke tyme they shal recite the Pater noster the Articles of our fayth and the tēne commaundementes in Englishe openly before all the people as in the sayd Iniunccions is specified that all degrees and al ages may learne to know God and to serue him accordynge to hys holy woorde AMEN ¶ A fruitfull exhortation to the readyng and knowledge of holy scripture VNto a Christian man there can be nothynge either more necessarie or profitable then the knowledge of holy scripture forasmuche as in it is conteyned Gods true word settyngefurth his glorie and also mannes duetie And there is no truth nor doctrine necessary for our iustificacion and euerlastyng saluacion but that is or may be drawen out of that fountain and welle of truth Therfore as many as be desirous to entre into the right and perfect way vnto God must applie their myndes to knowe holy scripture without the which they can neyther sufficiently knowe God and his will neither their office and duetie And as drynke is pleasaunt to them that be drie and meat to them that be hūgery so is the readyng hearyng searchyng ▪ and studiyng of holy scripture to theim that be desirous to knowe God or them selfes and to do his will And their stomackes onely do lothe and abhorre the heauenly knowledge and foode of Gods word that be so drouned in worldly vanities that they neither sauor God nor any Godlines For that is the cause why they desire suche vanities rather then the true knowledge of God As they that are sicke of an ague whatsoeuer they eate or drinke though it bee neuer so pleasaunt yet it is as bitter to theim as wormewoode not for the bitternesse of the meat but for the corrupt and bitter humor that is in their awne toungue and mouth euen so is the swetenesse of Gods woorde bitter not of it self but onely vnto them that haue their myndes corrupted with long custome of synne and loue of this world Therfore forsakyng the corrupt iudgement of carnall men whiche care not but for their carcasse let vs reuerētly heare reade holy scriptures whiche is the foode of the soule Let vs diligently searche for the welle of life in the bokes of the new and old Testament and not ronne to the stinkyng podelles of mennes tradicions deuised by mānes imaginacion for our iustificacion and saluacion For in holy scripture is fully cōteined what we ought to do and what to eschewe what to beleue what to loue and what to loke for at Gods handes at length In those bokes we shall finde the father from whome the sonne by whome the holy Ghoste in whome all thynges haue their beyng and cōseruacion and these thre persones to be but one God and one substaūce In these bokes we may learne to know our selfes how vile and miserable we be also to know God how good he is of hymself and how he cōmunicateth his goodnes vnto vs and to
master Christ and humbleth hymself as vnworthy to vnbuckle his showes and geueth all honor and glory to God So doth s. Paule bothe oft and euidently confesse himself what he was of himself euer geuyng as a moste faithfull seruaunt all praise to his master and sauior So doth blessed s. Ihon the Euangelist in the name of hymself and of all other holy men be they neuer so iust make this open confession if we saye we haue no synne we deceyue oure selfes and the truthe is not in vs if we knowledge our synnes God is faithful and iust to forgeue vs our synnes and to clense vs frō al vnrighteousnes if we saye we haue not sinned we make hym a liar and hys worde is not in vs. Wherfore the Wisemā in the boke called Ecclesiastes maketh this true generall confession there is not one iust man vpon the earth that doeth good and synneth not And s. Dauid is ashamed of hys synne but not to confesse his synne How oft how earnestly lamētably doth he desire gods great mercy for his great offences that God should not entre into iudgemēt with him And agayn how well weigheth thys holy man his synnes when he confesseth that they bee so many in numbre and so hid and hard to vnderstande that it is in maner vnpossible to knowe vtter or numbre them Wherfore he hauing a true earnest and depe contemplacion and consideracion of his sinnes and yet not commyng to the botome of them he maketh supplicaciō to God to forgeue him his priuy secret his sinnes to the knowledge of the which he cā not attein vnto He weigheth rightly his sinnes frō the original roote spring hed perceiuing inclinaciōs prouocaciōs stirrynges stingynges buddes braūches dregges infecciōs tastes felinges and sentes of them to continue in hym still Wherfore he saith marke behold I was cōceiued in synnes he saith not sinne but in the plural nūbre sinnes forasmuch as out of one as fountayn spryngeth all the reste And our sauior Christ saieth there is none good but God and that we can do nothyng that is good without hym nor no mā can come to the father but by hym He commaundeth vs all to saye that we be vnprofitable seruaūtes when we haue done al that we can do He preferreth the penitēt Publicane before the proude holy glorious Pharisey He calleth hymself a phisicion but not to them y t be whole but to them that be sicke and haue nede of his salue for their sore He teacheth vs in oure prayers to reknowledge our selfes sinners to aske forgeuenes and deliueraunce from all euilles at our heauenly fathers hande He declareth that the synnes of oure awne hartes do defile our awne selfes He teacheth that an euill worde or thought deserueth condempnacion affirmyng that we shall geue an accompte for euery idle worde He saieth he came not to saue but the shepe that were vtterly lost and cast away Therfore fewe of the proude iust learned wise perfect and holy Phariseis were saued by him because thei iustified themselfes by their coūterfeit holynes before men Wherefore good people let vs beware of suche hypocrisy vainglory and iustifiyng of our selfe Let vs loke vpō our fete and then doune pecockes fethers doune proude harte doune vile clay frayle and britle vessels Of our selfes we be crabbe trees that can bryng furth no apples We be of our selfes of suche yearth as can brynge furthe but wedes netles brābles briers cocle and darnell Oure fruites be declared in the ▪ v. Chap. to the Gala. We haue neither faith charitie hope pacience chastitie nor any thyng els that good is but of God therfore these vertues be called there the fruites of the holy Ghost and not the fruites of man Let vs therfore acknowledge our selfes before God as we be in dede miserable and wretched synners And let vs earnestly repent and humble our selfes hartely and crie to God for mercye Let vs all confesse with mouthe and harte that we be full of imperfeccions Let vs know our awn workes of what imperfecciō they be then we shall not stande foolishly and arrogantly in our awne conceiptes nor chalenge any part of iustificacion by our merites or workes For truly there be imperfecciōs in our best workes we do not loue God so much as we are bounde to do with all our hart mynd and power we do not feare God so muche as we ought to do we do not praye to God but with greate and many imperfeccions we geue forgeue beleue liue and hope vnperfectly we speke thinke do vnperfectly we fight agaynst the deuill the worlde and the fleashe vnperfectly Let vs therfore not be ashamed to confesse plainly our state of imperfeccion yea let vs not be ashamed to confesse imperfeccion euen in all our awne beste workes Let none of vs be ashamed to say with holy s. Peter I am a sinfull man Let vs al saye with the holy prophet Dauid we haue synned with our fathers we haue doen amisse dealt wickedly Let vs all make open cōfession with the prodigal sonne to our father and saye with hym we haue synned agaynst heauen and before the O father we are not worthy to be called thy sonnes Let vs al saye with holy Baruch O Lorde our God to vs is worthily ascribed shame and confusion to the righteousnes We haue synned we haue doen wickedly we haue behaued our selfes vngodly in all thy righteousnes Let vs al saie with the holy prophet Daniell O Lorde righteousnes belongeth to the vnto vs belongeth confusion We haue synned we haue bene naughtie we haue offended we haue fled from the we haue gone backe from al thy preceptes and iudgementes So we learne of all good men in holy scripture to humble our selfes and to exalt extoll prayse magnifie and glorifie God Thus we haue heard how euill we be of our selfes how of our selfes and by our selfes we haue no goodnes helpe nor saluaciō but cōtrariwise synne dampnacion and death euerlastynge whiche if we depely weigh consider we shall the better vnderstande the great mercy of God and how our saluacion cōmeth onely by Christ. For in our selfes as of our selfes we find nothing wherby we may be deliuered from this miserable captiuitie into the which we were caste throughe the enuie of the deuill by transgressing of Gods commaundemēt in our first parent Adam We are all become vncleane but we all are not able to clense our selfes nor to make one another of vs cleane We are by nature the childrē of Gods wrathe but we are not able to make oure selfes the children and inheritors of Gods glorye We are sheepe that ronne astraie but we cannot of our awn power come agayn to y e shepefold so great is our imperfecciō weakenes In our selfes therfore maye not we glorie which of our selfes are nothyng but synfull
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
be the lesse to be passed vpon so that the rest maye profite which wil be more desirous to know the truth then when it is playn enough to contende aboute it and with cōtencious and capcious cauillacions to obscure and darkē it Truthe it is that out awne woorkes doo not iustifye vs to speake properly of our iustificacion that is to saie our workes do not merite or deserue remissiō of our synnes and make vs of vniust iuste before God But God of his mere mercie through the onely merites and deseruynges of his sonne Iesus Christ doth iustifie vs. Neuerthelesse because fayth doth directely sende vs to Christe for remission of our synnes that by faithe geuen vs of God we embrace the promise of Gods mercie and of the remission of oure synnes whiche thyng none other of oure vertues or woorkes properly doth therfore scripture vseth to say that faith without workes doth iustifie And for asmuch that it is al one sentēce in effecte to saye Faithe without woorkes onely fayth doth iustifie vs therfore the olde auncient fathers of the Churche from tyme to tyme haue vttered our iustificacion with this speache Onelye faythe iustifieth vs meanyng none other thing then sainct Paule meant whē he sayd faith without workes iustifieth vs. And because al this is brought to passe through the onely merites and deseruinges of our sauior christ not through our merites or through the merite of any vertue y t we haue within vs or of any worke that cōmeth frō vs therfore in that respecte of merite deseruyng we renoūce as it wer altogether agayn faith workes and all other vertues For our awne imperfeccion is so greate through the corrupciō of original synne that al is imperfect that is within vs faithe charitie hope dreade thoughtes wordes workes and therefore not apte to meryte and deserue any parte of our iustificacion for vs And this forme of speakyng we vse in the humblyng of oure selfes to God and to geue all the glory to our sauior Christ whiche is best worthy to haue it Here you haue heard the office of God in oure iustificacion and how we receyue it of him frely by his mercie without our desertes through true and lyuely faythe Now you shall heare the offyce and duetie of a christian man vnto God what we ought on oure parte to rendre vnto God agayne for his greate mercye and goodnes Oure offyce is not to passe the tyme of his present lyfe vnfruictfully and idlely after that we are baptised or iustified not caryng howe fewe good workes we do to the glory of God and proffite of our neighbors much lesse it is oure office after that we be once made Christes mēbres to lyue cōtrary to thesame makyng our selfes membres of the deuil walking after his inticementes and after the suggestions of the world and the fleshe wherby we know that we do serue the world and the deuill and not God For that faythe which bryngeth furth without repentaunce either euyll workes or no good workes is not a right pure and liuely faithe but a ded Deuilishe counterfeit and feyned fayth as sainct Paul sainct Iames cal it For euen the deuilles know and beleue that Christ was borne of a virgyn that he fasted forty dayes fortye nightes without meate and drynke that he wrought all kynde of myracles declaryng hymself very God They beleue also that Christe for oure sakes suffered moste paynfull death to redeme vs from eternal death that he rose agayn from death the thyrde daye They beleue that he ascended into heauen and that he sitteth on the right hand of the father and at the laste ende of this world shal come agayne and iudge bothe the quicke and the deade These articles of our faith the deuilles beleue and so they beleue all thinges that be writtē in the new and old Testamēt to be true yet for all this faith they be but deuilles remainyng styll in their dampnable estate lackyng the very true christian fayth For the right and true christiā faith is not onely to beleue that holy scripture all the forsaied articles of our fayth are true but also to haue a sure trust confidence in Gods mercifull promises to be saued from euerlastynge dampnacion by Christe wherof doeth folowe a louyng harte to obey his cōmaundementes And this true Christian faythe neyther any deuyll hath nor yet any man which in the outwarde profession of his mouth and in his outward receiuyng of the Sacramentes in commyng to the churche and in all other outward apparaunces semeth to be a Christian man yet in his liuyng and deedes sheweth the cōtrary For how can a man haue this true faith this sure truste and confidence in God That by the merites of Christe his synnes be remitted and he reconciled to the fauor of God and to be partaker of the kyngdom of heauen by Christ when he liueth vngodly and denieth Christe in his dedes Surely no suche vngodly man can haue this faith trust in God For as they know Christe to bee the onely sauior of the worlde so they knowe also that wicked men shall not possesse the kyngdō of God Thei know y t God hateth vnrighteousnes that he will destroye all those that speake vntruly that those that haue doen good workes whiche can not be doen without a liuely faythe in Christe shall come forth into the resurrection of lyfe those that haue doen euill shall come vnto resurrectiō of iudgement and very well they know also that to them that be contencious to them that will not be obedient vnto the truth but wil obey vnrighteousnes shall come indignacion wrathe and affliccion c. Therfore to conclude considerynge the infinite benefites of God shewed and exhibited vnto vs mercifully withoute oure desertes who hath not onely created vs of nothyng from a pece of vile clay of his infinite goodnes hath exalted vs as touchyng our soule vnto hys awne similitude and lykenesse but also wheras we were cōdempned to hel death eternall hath geuen his awne natural sonne beyng God eternall immortall and equal vnto himselfe in power glory to bee incarnated and to take our mortall nature vpō oim with the infirmities of the same and in the same nature ▪ to suffre moste shamefull and paynful death for our offences to thintent to iustifye vs to restore vs to lyfe euerlastyng so makyng vs also his dere beloued chyldrē brethren vnto his only sonne our sauior Christ inheritors for euer with him of his eternall kyngdō of heauē These greate and mercifull benefites of God if they be well considered do neither minister vnto vs occasiō to be idle to liue without doyng any good workes neither yet stirreth vs ▪ by any meanes to do euill thinges ▪ but contrarywise if we be not desperate persones and oure hartes harder then stones they moue vs to rendre our selfes vnto God wholy with all
only to beleue al thinges of God whiche are conteyned in holy scripture but also is an earnest trust and cōfidence in God that he doth regarde vs and hath cure of vs as the father of the child whom he doth loue and that he will be mercifull vnto vs for his onely sonnes sake and that we haue our sauior Christ oure perpetuall aduocate priest in whose onely merites oblacion sufferyng we do trust that oure offences be continually wasshed and purged whensoeuer we repentyng truly do returne to hym with our whole harte stedfastly determinyng with our selfes through his grace to obey and serue him in kepyng his commaundemētes and neuer to turne backe again to synne Such is the true faythe that the scripture doeth somuche cōmende the whiche when it seeth and considereth what God hath doen for vs is also moued through continual assistence of the spirite of God to serue please hym to kepe hys fauor to feare hys displeasure to continue his obedient childrē shewing thākefulnes agayn by obseruyng his cōmaundementes and that frely for true loue chiefly and not for dread of punishement or loue of temporall reward cōsideryng how clerely without our deseruynges we haue receyued his mercy and pardon frely Thys true faythe will shewe furthe it selfe and cannot longe be idle For as it is written The iuste man doth liue by his fayth He neither sleapeth nor is idle when he should wake and be well occupyed And God by his prophete Hieremie sayeth that he is a happy and blessed man whiche hath fayth and confidence in God For he is lyke a tree sette by the water syde that spreedeth hys rootes abroode towarde the moysture and feareth not heate when it commeth his leafe will be grene and will not cease to brynge furth his fruite Euen so faithefull men puttyng awaye all feare of aduersitie wyll shewe furthe the fruite of their good workes as occasion is offered to do them The Wisemā saieth he that beleueth in God wil harken vnto his commaundementes For if we doo not shewe our selfes faithfull in oure conuersacion the faith which we pretend to haue is but a fayned faith because the true Christian faith is manifestly shewed by good liuyng and not by woordes onely as sainct Augustine saith good liuyng cānot be separated frō true faith which worketh by loue And S. Chrisostome saith faith of it self is full of good workes as sone as a mā doth beleue he shalbe garnished with thē How plētifull this faith is of good workes and how it maketh the woorke of one man more acceptable to God then of another S. Paule teacheth at large in the .xj. chap. to the Hebr. saiyng that faith made the oblacion of Abell better then y e oblaciō of Cain This made Noe to buyld y e arcke This made Abraham to forsake his countrey and all his frendes and to go vnto a far countrey there to dwel emong straungers So did also Isaac and Iacob dependyng onely of the helpe and trust that they had in God And when they came to the countrey which God promysed them they would buylde no cities townes nor houses but liued like straungers in tentes that might euery daye be remoued Their trust was so muche in God that they set but litle by any worldly thyng for that god had prepared for them better dwelling places in heauē of hys awne foundacion and buylding This faithe made Abraham ready at Gods commaundement to offre hys awne sonne and heire Isaac whom he loued so well by whom he was promysed to haue innumerable issue emong the whiche one shoulde be borne in whom all nacions should be blessed trustynge so muche in God that though he were slain yet y e God was able by his omnipotent power to raise him frō death perfourme his promyse He mistrusted not the promise of god although vnto hys reason euery thyng semed contrary He beleued verely that God woulde not forsake hym in dearthe and famyne y t was in the countrey And in al other daungers that he was brought vnto he trusted euer y t God would be hys God and his protector whatsoeuer he sawe to the contrary Thys faithe wrought so in the hart of Moses that he refused to be takē for Kyng Pharao hys daughters sonne and to haue great inheritaunce in Egypt thinkyng it better with the people of God to haue affliction and sorowe then with naughtie men in synne to lyue pleasauntly for a tyme By faith he cared not for the threatenynge of kyng Pharao for his trust was so in God that he passed not of the felicitie of this worlde but loked for the rewarde to come in heauen settyng hys hart vpon the inuisible God as if he had seen hym euer present before hys eyes By faith the children of Israel passed through the redde sea By fayth the walles of Hiericho fell doune without stroke and many other wonderfull miracles haue been wrought In al good men that heretofore haue been faithe hath brought furth their good woorkes and obteyned the promises of God Faith hath stopped the Lions mouthes faithe hath quenched the force of fire faith hath escaped the swordes edges faithe hath geuen weake men strength victorie in battaill ouerthrowen the armies of infidels raised y e dedde to lyfe faith hath made good men to take aduersitie in good parte some haue been mocked and whipped bounde and caste in prison some haue loste all their goodes and liued in great pouertye some haue wādered in moūtaines hilles and wildernesse some haue been racked some slayn some stoned some sawē some rent in peces some hedded some brent without mercy and would not be deliuered because they loked to rise agayne to a better state All these fathers martyrs and other holy men whom sainct Paul spake of had theyr fayth surely fired in God when all the worlde was agaynst thē They did not onely knowe God to be the Lord maker and gouernor of all men in the worlde but also they had a special confidence and trust that he was and would be their God their comfortor aider helper mainteyner and defendor This is the Christiā faythe whiche these holy men had and we also ought to haue And although thei were not named christian mē yet was it a christian faithe that they had for they looked for all benefites of God the father throughe the merites of hys sonne Iesu Christe as we now do This difference is betwene thē and vs for they looked when Christ should come and we be in the tyme when he is come Therfore saieth sainct Augustyne the tyme is altered but not the faythe For we haue both one fayth in one Christ. Thesame holy Ghost also that we haue had they saieth sainct Paule For as the holy Ghoste doeth teache vs to trust in God and to call vpon hym as our father so did he teache them to saye as it is wrytten Thou Lord arte our father and
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
to the intent into the house of the false man and into the house of the periured man and it shal remain in the middest of his house and consume hym the timber and stones of his house Thus you se how much God doth hate periury and what punishement God hath prepared for false swearers and periured persones Thus you haue heard how and in what causes it is lawfull for a Christian man to sweare ye haue heard what properties and condicions a lawfull othe muste haue and also how suche lawfull othes are bothe Godly and necessarie to bee obserued ye haue heard that it is not lawfull to sweare vainly that is other waies then in suche causes and after suche sort as is declared and finally ye haue heard how dāpnable a thyng it is either to forsweare our selfes or to kepe an vnlawfull an vnaduised oth Wherefore lette vs earnestly call for grace that all vain swearyng and periurie set apart we maie onely vse suche othes as bee lawfull and godly and that we may truly without al fraude obserue thesame accordyng to Gods will and pleasure To whō with the sōne and holy Ghoste bee all honor and glory AMEN ¶ A Sermon how daungerous a thynge it is to declyne from God OF our goyng from God the Wyseman sayeth that pryde was the first beginning for by it mās harte was turned frō god hys maker For pryde saieth he is the foūtain of all synne he y t hath it shalbe ful of cursynges at the ende it shall ouerthrow hym And as by Pride sinne we go frō God so shall God al goodnes with hym go from vs. And the prophet Ozee doeth plainlye affirme that they which go awaye still frō God by vicious liuyng yet would go about to pacifye him otherwise by sacrifice enterteigne him thereby they laboure in vayn For notwithstandyng al their sacrifice yet he goeth styll away from them For so much saieth y e Prophete as they do no applye their myndes to returne to god although thei go about with whole flockes and herdes to seke the Lord yet they shall not fynde hym for he is gone away from thē But as touchyng our turnyng to god or from god you shall vnderstande that it maye be doen diuerse wayes Some tymes directly by Idolatrye as Israel and Iuda then dyd some tymes men go from God by lacke of fayth mistrustyng of God wherof Esaie speaketh in this wyse Wo to them that go doune into Egypt to seke for healp trustyng in horses and hauyng confidence in the numbre of chariottes and puissaunce of horsemē They haue no cōfidence in the holy God of Israell nor seeke for the Lorde But what foloweth The Lorde shall let his hande fall vpon them and doune shall come bothe the healper and he that is holpen They shalbe destroyed altogether Some tyme men go frō God by the neglectyng of hys commaundementes concerning their neighbours whiche cōmaundeth them to expresse hartye loue towardes euery man as Zachary sayde vnto the people in gods behalfe Geue true iudgement shewe mercye and compassion euery one to hys brother Ymagen to deceipt towardes widowes or children fatherles motherles towardes straunger or the poore let no mā forge euill in hys harte against his brother But these thinges they passed not of thei turned their backes and went their waie thei stopped their eares that they might not heare they hardened their hartes as an Adamant stone y t they might not lysten to the lawe and the woordes that the Lorde had sent through his holy spirite by hys auncient Prophetes Wherfore the Lorde shewed his great indignacion vpon them It came to passe sayeth the Prophet euen as I tolde them as they woulde not heare so when they cryed they were not heard but wer dispersed into all kingdomes which they neuer knewe their lande was made desolate And to be short all they that may not abyde y e word of God but folowyng the perswasiōs and stubbernes of their awne hattes go backewarde not forward as it is sayd in Ieremy they go turne away frō God In so muche that Origene saieth He that with mynde with study with dedes with thought care applieth himself to Gods worde and thinketh vpon his lawes day night geueth himself wholy to God and in hys preceptes and cōmaundementes is exercised this is he that is turned to God And on the other part he saith Whosoeuer is occupied with fables tales when y e word of god is rehersed he is turned frō God Whosoeuer in time of readīg Gods worde is careful in his mynd of worldly busines of money or of lucre he is turned from God Whosoeuer is entāgled with y e cares of possessiōs filled with coueteousnes of ryches whosoeuer studieth for the glory honor of this worlde he is turned from God So that after hys mynd whosoeuer hath not a speciall mynde to that thynge that is cōmaunded or taught of God he that doth not listen vnto it embrace print it in hys hart to the intent that he may duely fashion hys lyfe thereafter he is plainly turned from god although he do other thīges of hys awne deuocion and mynde which to him seme better more to gods honor Whiche thyng to be true we be taught and admonyshed in y e holye scripture by y e example of Kyng Saul who beyng cōmaunded of god by Samuel that he should kyll all the Amalechites and destroye them clerely with their goodes cattals Yet he beynge moued partely with pitie and partely as be thought with deuocion vnto god saued Agag their Kyng all the cheif of their cattail therwith to make sacrifice vnto god Wherwithal god beynge displeased highly sayd vnto the prophete Samuel I repente that euer I made Saul a kyng for he hath forsaken me and not folowed my wordes and so he cōmaunded Samuel to shewe hym And when Samuel asked wherfore contrary to Gods woorde he had saued the cattail he excused the matter partely by feare saiynge he durst do none other for that the people would haue it so partely for that they were goodly beastes he thought God would be content seynge it was done of a good intent and deuocion to honor God with the sacrifice of them But Samuel reprouyng all suche intentes and deuocions seme they neuer so muche to Gods honor if they stande not with his woorde whereby we maye be assured of hys pleasure sayde in this wyse Would God haue sacrifices and offeringes or rather that hys word should be obeyed To obey him is better then offerynges to listen to hym is better then to offre the fatte of Rammes Yea to repine agaynst hys voice is as euil as the sinne of diuinacion and not to agre to it is like abhominable ydolatry And now forasmuche as thou hast cast awaye the worde of the Lorde he hath cast awaye the that thou shouldest not be Kynge By all these
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
onely aucthor and prouider of thys forenamed state and ordre as it is written of God in the boke of the prouerbes through me kynges do reigne through me counsailors make iust lawes through me doo princes beare rule and all iudges of the yearth execute iudgement I am louyng to them that loue me Here let vs marke wel remembre that the high power aucthoritie of kynges with theyr makyng of lawes iudgemētes officers are the ordinaunces not of man but of God therfore is this word through me so many tymes repeted Here is also well to be cōsidered and remembred that this good ordre is appoynted of Gods wisedom fauor loue specially for them that loue god therfore he saith I loue them y t loue me Also in the boke of wisedom we may euidently learne that a kynges power aucthoritie strength is a greate benefite of God geuen of his great mercy to the comfort of our greate misery For thus wee rede there spoken to kynges Heare o ye kynges vnderstand learne ye y t be iudges of thendes of the yearth geue eare ye that rule the multitudes for y e power is geuen you of y e lord and the strength frō the highest Let vs learne also here by the infallible word of God that kinges and other supreme higher officers are ordeined of god who is most highest therfore they are here diligētely taught to apply thēselfes to knowledge wisedom necessary for the orderynge of Gods people to their gouernaūce committed And they be here also taught by almighty God that thei should reknowledge themselfes to haue al their power strength not frō Rome but immediatly of god most highest We rede in the boke of Deuteronomy y t al punishemēt perteineth to God by this sentēce vengeaūce is mine and I will reward But this sentence we must vnderstād to pertein also vnto y e magistrates which do exercise Gods roume in iudgement punishing by good godly lawes here in yearth And the places of scripture whiche seme to remoue from emong al christian men iudgement punishment or kyllyng ought to be vnderstand that no mā of his awne priuate aucthoritie may be iudge ouer other may punish or may kil But we must refer al iudgemēt to god to kynges rulers iudges vnder thē which be gods officers to execute iustice by plain wordes of scripture haue their aucthoritie vse of y e swourd graūted frō god as we are taught by S. Paule the dere elect Apostle of our sauior Christ whō we ought diligētly to obeye euen as we would obey our sauior Christ yf he wer present Thus. S. Paule writeth to the Roma Let euery soule submit hymself vnto the aucthoritie of the higher powers for there is no power but of God the powers that be be ordeined of God whosoeuer therfore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinaunce of God but they that resist shal receiue to thēselfes dampnacion for rulers are not fearful to thē that do good but to thē that do euill Wilt thou be without feare of the power Do well then so shalt thou be praysed of the same for he is the minister of God for thy wealthe But if thou do that whiche is euill then feare for he beareth not the swourde for naught for he is the minister of God to make vengeaunce on hym that doth euill Wherfore ye must nedes obey not onely for feare of vengeaūce but also because of conscience and euē for this cause paie ye tribute for they are Gods ministers seruyng for the same purpose Here let vs al learne of S. Paule the elect vessel of God y t all persones hauing soules he excepteth none nor exempteth none neither priest apostle nor prophet saieth s. Chriso do owe of boundē duetie and euen in conscience obedience submission subiection to the hygh powers which be constituted in aucthoritie by god forasmuch as thei be gods liuetenauntes Gods presidentes Gods officers Gods cōmissioners Gods iudges ordeyned of God hymself of whom onely thei haue al their power and all their aucthoritie And thesame s. Paule threateneth no lesse pain then euerlasting dāpnacion to al disobediēt persons to al resisters against this generall and cōmon aucthoritie forasmuch as they resist not man but God not mānes deuise and inuencion but Gods wisedō Gods ordre power and aucthoritie And here good people let vs all marke diligently that it is not lawfull for inferiors and subiectes in any case to resist the superior powers for s. Paules wordes be playn that whosoeuer resisteth shall get to thēselfes dāpnacion for whosoeuer resisteth resisteth the ordinaūce of God Our sauior Christe him self his apostles receiued many diuerse iniuries of the vnfaithfull wicked men in aucthoritie yet we neuer rede that thei or any of thē caused any sedicion or rebelliō agaynst aucthoritie We rede oft that they paciently suffered al troubles vexacions slaunders pangues paines and death it self obediently without tumulte or resistence They cōmitted their cause to him that iudgeth righteously and prayed for their enemyes hartely earnestly They knew that y e aucthoritie of y e powers was Gods ordinaunce therfore bothe in their wordes dedes they taught euer obedience to it and neuer taught nor did the contrary The wicked iudge Pilat sayd to Christe knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifye the and haue power also to lose the Iesus aunswered Thou couldest haue no power at all against me except it were geuē the frō aboue Wherby Christe taught vs plainly that euen the wicked rulers haue their power and aucthoritie from God And therfore it is not lawfull for their subiectes by force to resyst thē although they abuse their power muche lesse then it is lawfull for subiectes to resiste their godly christian princes whiche do not abuse their aucthoritie but vse thesame to Gods glory to the profyte and cōmoditie of Gods people The holy apostle S. Peter cōmaundeth seruaūtes to be obedient to their masters not onely if they be good and gentle but also if they be euil and froward affirmyng that the vocation callyng of Gods people is to bee pacient and of the sufferyng syde And there he bringeth in y e pacience of our sauior Christ to perswade obedience to gouernors yea although they be wycked and wrong dooers But let vs now heare S. Peter himself speake for his awn wordes certifye best our conscience Thus he vttereth them in his firste Epistle Seruauntes obeye your Masters with feare not onely if they be good and gentle but also if they bee frowarde For it is thanke worthy if a man for conscience towarde God suffereth grief and suffreth wrōge vndeserued for what praise is it when ye be beaten for your faultes if ye take it paciently but whē ye do wel if you then suffre wrong take it paciently then is there cause to haue thāke