to our sauiour Jesu Christe dyd powre downe suche aboundaunce of teares out of those wanton eyes of hers wherwith she had allured many vnto follie that she dyd with them washe his feete wypyng them with the heres of her head whiche she was wont moste gloriously to set out makyng of them a nette of the deuyll Hereby we do learne what is the satisfaction that God doth require of vs which is that we ceasse from euyll and do good and if we haue done anye man wrong to endeuour our selues to make hym true amendes to the vttermoste of our power folowyng in this the example of Zacheus and of this sinâ—ull woman and also that goodly lesson that John Baytist Zacharies sonne dyd geue vnto them that came to aske counsayle of hym This was commonly the penaunce that Christe enioyned synners Go thy way and synne no more Whiche penaunce we shall neuer be able to fulfyll without the speciall grace of hym that doth say Without me ye can do nothyng It is therefore our partes yf at least we be desyrous of the health and saluation of our owne selues most earnestly to praye vnto our heauenly father to assist vs with his holye spirite that we may be able to hearken vnto the voyce of the true shephearde and with due obedience to folowe the same Let vs hearken to the voyce of almightie God when he calleth vs to repentaunce let vs not harden our heartes as suche Infidels do who abuse the tyme geuen them of God to repent and turne it to continue their pride and contempt against God and man whiche knowe not howe much they heape Gods wrath vppon them selues for the hardnesse of their heartes whiche can not repent at the day of vengeaunce Where we haue offended the law of God let vs repent vs of our straying from so good a Lorde Let vs confesse our vnworthynesse before hym but yet let vs trust in Gods free mercye for Christes sake for the pardon of the same And from henceforth let vs endeuour our selues to walke in a newe lyfe as newe borne babes whereby we may glorifie our father which is in heauen and thereby to beare in our consciences a good testimonie of our fayth So at the last to obteyne the fruition of euerlasting lyfe through the merites of our sauiour to whom be al prayse and honour for euer Amen The thirde parte of the Homilee of repentaunce IN the Nomilee last spoken vnto you right welbeloued people in our sauiour Christ ye heard of the true partes tokens of repentaunce that is heartie contrition and sorowfulnes of our heartes vnfaigned confession in worde of mouth for our vnworthy lyuyng before God a stedfast fayth to the merites of our sauiour Christe for pardon and a purpose of our selues by Gods grace to renounce our former wycked lyfe and a full conuersion to God in a newe lyfe to glorifie his name and to liue orderly and charitably to the comfort of our neighbour in al righteousnes and to lyue soberly and modestly to our selues by vsing abstinence and temperance in word in deed in mortifying our earthly members here vpoÌ„ earth Nowe for a further perswasion to moue you to those partes of repentance I wil declare vnto you some causes which should the rather moue you to repentaunce Fyrst the commaundement of God who in so many places of the holy and sacred Scriptures doth byd vs returne vnto hym O ye chyldren of Israel sayth he turne agayne from your infidelitie wherein ye drowned your selues Againe Turne you turne you from your euil wayes For why wyll ye dye O ye house of Israel And in an other place thus doth he speake by his holy prophete Ozee O Israel returne vnto the Lorde thy God For thou hast taken a great fall by thyne iniquitie Take vnto you these wordes with you when you turne vnto the Lorde and say vnto hym Take away all iniquitie and receaue vs gratiously so will we offer the calues of our lippes vnto thee In all these places we haue an expresse commaundement geuen vnto vs of God for to returne vnto hym Therefore we must take good heede vnto our selues least wheras we haue alredy by our manyfolde synnes and transgressions prouoked and kindeled the wrath of God agaynst vs we do by breakyng this his commaundemente double our offences and so heape styll dampnation vppon our owne heades by our dayly offences and trespasses whereby we prouoke the eyes of his maiestie we do well deserue if he should deale with vs accordyng to his iustice to be put away for euer from the fruition of his glorye Nowe muche more then are we worthy of the endlesse tormentes of hell yf when we be so gently called againe after our rebellion and commaunded to returne we will in no wyse hearken vnto the voyce of our heauenlye father but walke stil after the stubbornnes of our owne heartes Secondely the moste comfortable and sweete promise that the Lorde our God dyd of his mere mercy and goodnesse ioyne vnto his comaundement For he doth not only say Returne vnto me O Israel but also If thou wylt returne and put away all thyne abhominations out of my syght thou shalt neuer be moued These wordes also haue we in the Prophet Ezechiel At what tyme soeuer a synner doth repent hym of his synne from the bottome of his heart I wyll put all his wyckednesse out of my remembraunce sayth the Lorde so that they shal be no more thought vpon Thus are we sufficiently instructed that God wyll accordyng to his promise freely pardon forgeue and forget al our synnes so that we shal neuer be cast in the teeth with them if obeying his commaundement and allured by his sweete promises we wyll vnfaignedly returne vnto hym Thirdly the filthinesse of synne which is such that as long as we do abyde in it God can not but detest and abhorre vs neyther can there be any hope that we shall enter into the heauenlye Hierusalem except we be first made cleane purged from it But this wyll neuer be vnlesse forsakyng our former lyfe we do with our whole heart returne vnto the Lorde our God with a full purpose of amendement of lyfe flee vnto his mercy taking sure hold therupon through fayth in the blood of his son Jesu Christe If we should suspect any vncleannes to be in vs wherfore the earthly prince should lothe and abhorre the sight of vs what paynes woulde we take to remoue put it away Howe muche more ought we with all diligence and speede that may be to put away that vncleane filthynesse that doth separate and make a diuision betwixt vs and our God that hideth his face from vs that he wil not heare vs And verily herein doth appeare howe filthie a thyng sin is syth that it can by no other meanes be washed away but by the blood of the onely begotten sonne of god And shall we not from
made without faith in hym on whom they call but that we must first beleeue in hym before we can make our prayers vnto hym whereuppon we must only and solely pray vnto god For to say that we shoulde beleeue eyther in angell or saint or in any other liuing creature were more horrible blasphemie against God and his holy worde neither ought this fancie to enter into the heart of any Christian man because we are expressly taught in the worde of the Lorde only to repose our fayth in the blessed trinitie in whose only name we are also baptized according to the expresse commaundement of our sauiour Jesus Christe in the last of Matthewe But that the trueth hereof may the better appeare euen to them that be moste simple and vnlearned let vs consider what prayer is Saint Augustine calleth it a liftyng vp of the mynde to God that is to say an humble and lowly powring out of the heart to god Isidorus sayth that it is an affection of the heart and not alabour of the lippes So that by these places true prayer doth consist not so muche in the outward sounde and voyce of wordes as in the inwarde gronyng and crying of the heart to God. Nowe then is there any angell any virgin any patriarche or prophete among the dead that can vnderstand or knowe the meanyng of the heart The scriptures sayth it is God that searcheth the heart and raynes and that he only knoweth the heartes of the chyldren of men As for the saintes they haue so litle knowledge of the secretes of the heart that many of the auncient fathers greatly doubt whether they knowe any thing at al that is commonly done on earth And albeit some thynke they do yet saint Augustine a Doctour of great aucthoritie and also antiquitie hath this opinion of them that they knowe no more what we do on earth then we know what they do in heauen For proofe wherof he alleageth the wordes of Esai the prophete where it is sayde Abraham is ignoraunt of vs and Israel knoweth vs not His mynde therefore is this not that we shoulde put any religion in worshyppyng them or praying vnto them but that we shoulde honour them by folowyng their vertuous and godly lyfe For as he witnesseth in an other place the martyrs and holy men in tymes past were wont after their death to be remembred and named of the prieste at diuine seruice but neuer to be inuocated or called vpon And why so because the prieste sayth he is Gods priest and not theirs Whereby he is bounde to call vpon God and not vpon them Thus you see that the aucthoritie both of scripture and also of Augustine doth not permit that we should pray vnto them O that al men would studiously reade and searche the scriptures then shoulde they not be drowned in ignoraunce but shoulde easily perceaue the trueth aswell of this poynt of doctrine as of all the rest For there doth the holy ghost playnely teache vs that Christe is our only mediatour and intercessour with God and that we muste seeke and runne to no other If any man sinneth saith saint John we haue an aduocate with the father Jesus Christe the ryghteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes Saint Paul also sayth There is one God and one mediatour betweene God and man euen the man Jesus Christe Whereunto agreeth the testimonie of our sauiour hym selfe witnessing that no man commeth to the father but onely by hym who is the way the trueth the life yea and the only dore whereby we muste enter into the kingdome of heauen because GOD is pleased in no other but in hym For whiche cause also he cryeth and calleth vnto vs that we shoulde come vnto hym saying Come vnto me all ye that labour and be heauie laden and I shall refreshe you Woulde Christe haue vs so necessarily come vnto hym and shall we moste vnthankfully leaue hym and runne vnto other This is euen that whiche God so greatly complayneth of by his prophet Ieremie saying My people haue committed two great offences they haue forsaken me the fountaine of the waters of lyfe and haue digged to them selues broken pits that can holde no water Is not that man thinke you vnwyse that wyll runne for water to a litle brooke when he may aswell go to the head spryng Euen so may his wisedome be iustly susspected that wyll flee vnto saintes in tyme of necessitie when he may boldly and without feare declare his greefe and direct his prayer vnto the Lorde himselfe If God were straunge or daungerous to be talked withall then myght we iustly drawe backe and seeke to some other But the Lorde is nygh vnto them that call vppon hym in fayth and trueth and the prayer of the humble and meeke hath alwayes pleased hym What if we be sinners shall we not therefore pray vnto God or shall we dispayre to obteyne any thyng at his handes Why dyd Christe then teache vs to aske forgeuenesse of our sinnes saying And forgeue vs our trespasses as we forgeue them that trespasse agaynst vs Shall we thynke that the saintes are more mercifull in hearing sinners then God Dauid sayth that the Lorde is full of compassion and mercy slowe to anger and of great kyndnesse Saint Paul sayth that he is riche in mercy towardes all them that call vppon hym And he hymselfe by the mouth of his prophet Esai sayth For a litle while haue I forsaken thee but with great compassion wyll I gather thee For a moment in myne anger I haue hid my face from thee but with euerlastyng mercy haue I had compassion vpon thee Therefore the sinnes of any man ought not to withholde hym from praying vnto the Lorde his god But if he be truely penitent and stedfast in fayth let him assure him selfe that the Lorde wylbe mercifull vnto hym and heare his prayers O but I dare not wyll some man say trouble God at all times with my prayers We see that in kinges houses courtes of princes men can not be admitted vnlesse they fyrst vse the helpe and meane of some speciall noble man to come vnto the speache of the kyng and to obtayne the thing that they woulde haue To this reason doth saint Ambrose aunswere verye well writing vppon the first Chapter to the Romanes Therefore sayth he we vse to go vnto the king by officers and noble men because the kyng is a mortall man and knoweth not to whom he maye commit the gouernment of the common wealth But to haue God our frende from whom nothing is hid we nede not any helper that should further vs with his good worde but only a deuoute and godlye minde And yf it be so that we neede one to entreate for vs why maye we not content our selues with that one mediatour whiche is at the ryght hande of God the father and there
their examples or that we ought to thynke that God dyd alow euery of these thyngs in those men But we ought rather to beleue and to iudge that Noe in his drunkennesse offended God highly Lot lying with his daughters committed horrible incest We ought then to learne by them this profitable lesson that if so godlye men as they were which otherwise felt inwardly Gods holy spitite inflamyng in their heartes with she feare and loue of God coulde not by their owne strength kepe them selues from committyng horrible sinne but dyd so greeuousâ—y fal that without Gods great mercie they had perished euerlastinglye Howe much more ought we then miserable wretches which haue no feeling of God within vs at al continually to feare not onely that we may fall as they did but also be ouercome and drowned in sinne which they were not And so by consydering their fal take the better occasion to acknowledge our owne infirmitie and weaknesse and therefore more earnestlye to call vnto almightie God with heartye prayer incessauntlye for his grace to strengthen vs and to defende vs from all euill And though through infirmitie we chaunce at any tyme to fall yet we may by harty repentaunce and true fayth speedily rise againe and not slepe and continue in sinne as the wicked doth Thus good people shoulde we vnderstande such matters expressed in the diuine scriptures that this holye table of Gods worde be not turned to vs to be a snare a trappe and a stumbling stone to take hurt by the abuse of our vnderstanding But let vs esteeme them in suche a reuerent humilitie that we may fynde our necessary foode therein to strengthen vs to comfort vs to instruct vs as God of his great mercye hath appoynted them in all necessarye workes so that we may be perfect before him in the whole course of our lyfe Whiche he graunt vs who hath redeemed vs our Lorde and Sauiour Jesus Christe to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour and glory for euermore Amen ¶ The seconde part of the information for them which take offence at certayne places of the holy scripture YE haue heard good people in the Homilee last read vnto you the great commoditie of holye Scriptures ye haue heard how ignoraunt men voyde of godlye vnderstanding seeke quarrelles to discredite them Some of their reasons haue ye heard aunswered Nowe we will proceede and speake of suche politique wyse men whiche be offended for that Christes preceptes should seeme to destroy all order in gouernaunce as they do alleage for example such as these be If any man strike thee on the right cheeke turne the other vnto him also If anye man will contende to take thy coate from thee let him haue cloke and all Let not thy left hand knowe what thy ryght hand doth If thine eye thine hande or thy foote offende thee pull out thine eye cut of thine hand thy foote and cast it from thee If thine enemie sayeth saint Paul be an hungred geue him meate if he be thirstie geue him drinke so doing thou shalt heape hotte burning coales vpon his head These sentences good people vnto a naturall man seeme mere absurdities contrary to all reason For a naturall man as saint Paule sayeth vnderstandeth not the thinges that belong to God neyther can he so long as olde Adam dwelleth in him Christ therfore meaneth that he would haue his faithfull seruaunts so farre from vengeaunce and resisting wrong that he woulde rather haue him redy to suffer an other wrong then by resisting to breake charitie and to be out of pacience He would haue our good deedes so farre from al carnall respectes that he would not haue our nyest freendes know of our wel doing to win a vaine glorye And though our freendes and kynsfolkes be as deare as our right eyes and our right handes yet if they woulde plucke vs from God we ought to renounce them and forsake them Thus if ye wil be profitable hearers and readers of the holye scriptures ye must firste denye your selues and keepe vnder your carnall senses taken by the outward wordes and searche the inward meaning reason must geue place to Gods holye spirite you must submit your worldly wisedome and iudgement vnto his diuine wysdome and iudgement Consyder that the scripture in what straunge fourme soeuer it be pronounced is the word of the lyuing god Let that alwayes come to your remembraunce which is so oft repeated of the prophete Esaias The mouth of the Lorde sayth he hath spoken it the almighty and euerlasting God who with his onely worde created heauen and earth hath decreed it the Lorde of hoastes whose wayes are in the Seas whose pathes are in the deepe waters that Lorde and God by whose worde all thynges in heauen and in earth are created gouerned and preserued hath so prouided it The God of Goddes and Lorde of all Lordes yea God that is God alone incomprehensible almyghty and euerlasting he hath spoken it it is his worde It can not therefore be but trueth whiche proceedeth from the God of all trueth it can not be but wisely and prudently commaunded what almightie God hath deuysed how vaynely soeuer through want of grace we miserable wretches do imagine and iudge of his most holy worde The prophete Dauid describing an happye man sayeth Blessed is the man that hath not walked after the counsayle of the vngodlye nor stande in the waye of sinners nor sit in the seate of the scornefull There are three sortes of people whose companye the prophete would haue him to flee and auoyde which shall be an happy man and partakers of Gods blessing First he may not walke after the counsayle of the vngodlye Secondlye he may not stand in the waye of sinners Thirdlye he muste not sit in the seat of the scornefull By these three sortes of people vngodly men sinners and scorners all impietie is signified and fully expressed By the vngodly he vnderstaÌ„deth those which haue no regarde of almightye God being voyde of all faith whose heartes mindes are so set vpon the worlde that they studie onely howe to accomplishe their worldlye practises their carnall imaginations their filthy lust and desyre without anye feare of god The seconde sort he calleth sinners not such as do fal through ignoraunce or of frailenesse for then who should be found free What man euer liued vpon earth Christe onely excepted but he hath sinned The iust man falleth seuen times and ryseth agayne Though the godly do fall yet they walke not on purposely in sinne they stande not still to contynue and tarye in sinne they syt not downe like carelesse men without all feare of Gods iust punishment for sinne but defying sinne through Gods great grace and infinite mercye they ryse agayne and fight agaynste sinne The Prophete then calleth them sinners whose heartes are cleane turned from God and whose whole conuersation of lyfe is nothing but sinne they delight so much in
thinges distinctly aduisedly consydered in our myndes must needes compell vs in most low reuerence after our bounden duety alwayes to render him thankes againe in some testification of our good hearts for his deserts vnto vs And that the entreating of this matter in hand may be to the glory of almighty God let vs in one faith and charitie call vpon the father of mercy from whom commeth euery good gyfte and euery perfect gift by the mediation of his welbeloued sonne our sauiour that we maye be assisted with the presence of his holye spirite and holsomelye on both our partes to demeane our selues in speaking and hearing to the saluation of our soules In the beginning of my speaking vnto you good Christian people suppose not that I do take vpon me to declare vnto you the excellent power or the incomparable wisdom of almightie God as though I would haue you beleeue that it myght be expressed vnto you by wordes Nay it maye not be thought that that thing maye be comprehended by mans wordes that is incomprehensible And too muche arrogancie it were for dust and ashes to thynke that he could worthyly declare his maker It passeth farre the darke vnderstanding of wysedome of a mortall man to speake sufficiently of that diuine maiestie whiche the Angels cannot vnderstand We shall therefore lay apart to speake of that profounde and vnsearcheable nature of almightie God rather acknowledging our weaknes then rashely to attempt that is aboue all mans capacitie to compasse It shall better suffise vs in low humilitie to reuerence and dreade his maiestie whiche we can not comprise then by ouermuch curious searchyng to be ouercharged with the glorie We shal rather turne our whole contemplation to aunswer a whyle his goodnes to wardes vs wherein we shall be muche more profitably occupied and more may we be bold to search To consyder this great power he is of can but make vs dreade and feare To consyder his hygh wisedome myght vtterly discomfort our frailtie to haue any thyng adoo with him But in consyderation of his inestimable goodnes we take good heart agayne to trust wel vnto hym By his goodnes we be assured to take him for our refuge our hope and comfort our mercyfull father in all the course of our lyues His power and wisedome compelleth vs to take hym for God omnipotent inuisible hauyng rule in heauen and earth hauyng all thynges in his subiection and wyll haue none in counsell with hym nor any to aske the reason of his doyng For he maye do what lyketh hym and none can resist hym For he worketh all thynges in his secrete iudgement to his owne pleasure yea euē the wicked to damnation saith Salomon By the reason of this nature he is called in Scripture consumyng fyre he is called a terrible and fearefull GOD ▪ Of this behalfe therefore we maye haue no familiaritie no accesse vnto hym but his goodnesse agayne tempereth the rigour of his hygh power and maketh vs bolde and putteth vs in hope that he wyll be conuersaunt with vs and easye vnto vs It is his goodnesse that moueth him to say in scripture It is my delyght to be with the children of men It is his goodnesse that moueth him to call vs vnto him to offer vs his frendship presence It is his goodnes that paciently suffereth our straying from him and suffreth vs long to winne vs to repentaunce It is of his goodnes that we be created reasonable creatures where els he myght haue made vs bruite beastes It was his mercye to haue vs borne among the number of christian people thereby in a muche more nyghnes to saluation where we might haue ben borne if his goodnes had not ben among the Panims cleane voyde from God and the hope of euerlasting lyfe And what other thing doth his louyng and gentle voyce spoken in his worde where he calleth vs to his presence frendship but declare his goodnes onelye without regarde of our worthynes And what other thing doth stirre him to call vs to him when we be straied from him to suffer vs paciently to win vs to repentaunce but onelye his singuler goodnes no whit of our deseruyng Let them all come together that be nowe glorified in heauen and let vs heare what aunswere they will make in these poyntes afore rehearsed whether their fyrst creation was in Gods goodnes or of them selues Forsooth Dauid woulde make aunswere for them all and say Knowe ye for suretie euen the Lorde is God he hath made vs and not we our selues If they were asked againe who should be thanked for their regeneration for theyr iustification and for their saluation whether their desertes or Gods goodnes only Although in this poynt euery one confesse sufficiently the truth of this matter in his owne person yet let Dauid aunswere by the mouth of them all at this tyme who cannot choose but saye Not to vs O Lord not to vs but to thy name geue all the thanke for thy louyng mercy and for thy truethes sake If we shoulde aske agayne from whence came their glorious workes and deedes which they wrought in their lyues wherewith God was so hyghly pleased and worshipped by them Let some other witnesse be brought in to testifie this matter that in the mouth of two or three may the truth be knowen Ueryly that holy prophete Esai beareth recorde and sayeth O Lord it is thou of thy goodnesse that hast wrought all our workes in vs not we our selues And to vpholde the truth of this matter agaynst all iusticiaries and hipocrites which rob almyghty God of his honour and ascribe it to them selues saynt Paule bringeth in his beleefe We be not sayeth he sufficient of our selues as of our selues once to thinke any thing but all our ablenes is of Gods goodnes For he it is in whom we haue all our beyng our lyuing and mouing If ye wil know furthermore where they had their gyftes and sacrifices which they offred continually in their liues to almighty god they cannot but agree with Dauid where he sayth Of thy liberal hand O Lord we haue receaued that we gaue vnto thee If this holy company therfore confesseth so constantly that al the goodes and graces wherewith they were indued in soule came of the goodnes of God only what more can be sayde to proue that all that is good commeth from almightie God Is it meete to thynke that all spiritual goodnes commeth from God aboue onely and that other good thinges eyther of nature or of fortune as we call them commeth of any other cause Doeth God of his goodnes adourne the soule with all the powers thereof as it is and commeth the giftes of the body wherwith it is indued from any other If he doth the more can not he do the lesse To iustifie a synner to newe create hym from a wicked person to a ryghteous man is a greater act sayeth S. Augustine then to make such a new heauen
much more of all spiritual graces behoueable for our soule without whose goodnesse no man is called to fayth or stayed therein as I shall hereafter in the next part of this Homilee declare to you In the meane season forget not what hath alredy ben spoken to you forget not to be conformable in your iudgementes to the trueth of this doctrine and forget not to practise the same in the whole state of your lyfe whereby ye shall obtayne the blessing promised by our sauiour Christ Blessed be they which heare the word of God fulfilleth it in lyfe Whiche blessing he graunt to vs all who raigneth ouer all one God in Trinitie the father the sonne and the holye ghost to whom be all honour and glory for euer Amen ¶ The thirde part of the Homilee for Rogation weeke I Promised to you to declare that all spirituall giftes graces commeth specially from god Let vs consyder the trueth of this matter and heare what is testified fyrst of the gyfte of faith the first entrie into the Christian life without the which no man can please god For S. Paul confesseth it plainely to be Gods gyft saying Fayth is the gyft of god And agayne saint Peter sayth It is of Gods power that ye be kept through fayth to saluation It is of the goodnes of god that we faulter not in our hope vnto him It is verily gods worke in vs the charitie wherwith we loue our brethren If after our fall we repent it is by him that we repent whiche reacheth foorth his mercifull hande to rayse vs vp If any wyll we haue to ryse it is he that preuenteth our wyll disposeth vs therto If after contrition we feele our conscience at peace with god through remission of our sinne and so be reconciled againe to his fauour and hope to be his children inheritours of euerlasting lyfe who worketh these great myracles in vs our worthynesse our deseruinges endeuours our wittes and vertue Nay veryly Saint Paul wyll not suffer fleshe and clay to presume to such arrogancie therfore sayth All is of God which hath reconciled vs to hym selfe by Jesus Christe For God was in Christe when he reconciled the world vnto him selfe GOD the father of all mercie wrought this high benefite vnto vs not by his owne person but by a meane by no lesse meane then his only beloued sonne whom he spared not from any payne trauayle that myght do vs good For vpon him he put our sinnes vpon him he made our raunsome hym he made the meane betwixt vs him selfe whose mediation was so acceptable to GOD the father through his profound and perfect obedience that he toke his acte for a full satisfaction of all our disobedience rebellion whose ryghteousnesse he toke to waye agaynst our sinnes whose redemption he would haue stande agaynst our dampnation In this poynt what haue we to muse within our selues good freendes I thinke no lesse then that which saint Paul sayde in the remembraunce of this wonderfull goodnesse of God Thankes be to almightie God through Christe Jesus our Lorde for it is he for whose sake we receaued this hygh gyft of grace For as by him beyng the euerlastyng wysdome he wrought all the worlde and that is contayned therein So by him only and wholy woulde he haue all thynges restored agayne in heauen and in earth By this our heauenly mediatour therefore do we knowe the fauour and mercie of God the father by him know we his wyll and pleasure towardes vs for he is the brightnesse of his fathers glorye and a verye cleare image and paterne of his substaunce It is he whom the father in heauen delyghteth to haue for his welbeloued sonne whom he aucthorised to be our teacher whom he charged vs to heare saying Heare him It is he by whom the father of heauen doth blesse vs with all spiritual and heauenly giftes for whose sake and fauour writeth saint John we haue receaued grace fauour To this our sauiour mediatour hath God the father geuen the power of heauen and earth and the whole iurisdiction aucthoritie to distribute his goodes and gyftes committed to hym For so wryteth the apostle To euery one of vs is grace geuen accordyng to the measure of Christes geuing And thereupon to execute his aucthoritie committed after that he had brought sinne and the deuill to captiuitie to be no more hurtfull to his members he ascended vp to his father agayne from thence sent liberall gyftes to his welbeloued seruauntes and hath styll the power to the worldes ende to distribute his fathers giftes continually in his Churche to the establishment and comfort thereof And by hym hath almyghtie God decreed to dissolue the world to call al before him to iudge both the quicke and the dead and finally by hym shall he condempne the wicked to eternall fyre in hell and geue the good eternall lyfe and set them assuredly in presence with hym in heauen for euermore Thus ye see how all is of God by his sonne Christe our Lord and sauiour Remember I say once againe your duetie of thankes let thē be neuer to want still ioyne your selfe to continue in thankes geuyng ye can offer to God ne better sacrifice For he sayth hym selfe It is the sacrifice of prayse and thankes that shall honour me Which thyng was well perceaued of that holy prophete Dauid when he so earnestly spake to him selfe thus O my soule blesse thou the Lorde and all that is within me blesse his holy name I say once again O my soule blesse thou the Lorde neuer forget his manifolde rewardes God geue vs grace good people to know these things to feele thē in our heartes This knowledge and feeling is not in our selfe by our selfe it is not possible to come by it a great pitie it were that we shoulde lose so profitable knowledge Let vs therefore meekely cal vpon that bountiful spirite the holy ghost which proceedeth from our father of mercie from our mediatour Christ that he woulde assist vs and inspire vs with his presence that in him we may be able to heare the goodnes of god declared vnto vs to our saluation For without his liuely secrete inspiration can we not once so muche as speake the name of our mediatour as saint Paul plainely testifieth No man can once name our Lorde Jesus Christe but in the holye ghost Much lesse shoulde we be able to beleue knowe these great mysteries that be opened to vs by Christe Saint Paul sayth that no man can knowe what is of god but the spirite of god As for vs sayth he we haue receaued not the spirite of the world but the spirite which is of god for this purpose that in that holye spirite we myght knowe the thynges that be geuen vs by Christe The wyse man sayth that in the power vertue of the holy ghost
vayne Euen so most specially in this matter muste we take heede and beware that we suffer not our selues to be perswaded that all that we do is but labour lost For thereof eyther sodayne desperation doth aryse or a licentious boldnesse to sinne which at length bringeth vnto desperation Least any suche thing then shoulde happen vnto them he doth certifie them of the grace and goodnes of God who is alwayes moste redye to receaue them into fauour agayne that turne speedylye vnto him Which thing he doth proue with the same titles whorwith god doth discribe and set foorth himselfe vnto Moyses speaking on this maner For he is gracious and merciful slowe to anger of great kyndnesse and repenteth hym of the euiâ—â— thatis suche a one as is sorye for your afflictious Fyrst he calleth hym gentle gracious as he who of his own nature is more prompt and redye to do good then to punyshe Whereunto this saying of Esaias the Prophete seemeth to parteyne where he sayeth Let the wycked forsake his waye and the vnryghteous his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lorde and he will haue pitie on him and to our God for he is verye redye to forgeue Secondly he doth attribute vnto him mercy or rather accordyng to the Hebrewe word the bowels of mercies whereby he signifyed the naturall affections of parentes towardes their children Which thing Dauid doth set foorth goodlye saying As a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lorde compassion on them that feare hym for he knoweth whereof we be made he remembreth that we are but duste Thyrdlye he sayth that he is slowe to anger that is to saye long sufferyng and whiche is not lightly prouoked to wrath Fourthly that he is of muche kindnesse for he is that bottomlesse well of all goodnesse who reioyceth to do good vnto vs Therefore did he create and make men that he myght haue whom he shoulde do good vnto and make partakers of his heauenly ryches Fifthlye he repenteth of the euyll that is to saye he doeth call backe agayne reuoke the punyshment whiche he had threatned when he seeth men repent turne and amende Whereupon we do not without a iust cause detest and abhorre the dampnable oppinion of them which do most wickedlye go about to perswade the simple and ignorasâ—t people that if we chaunce after we be once come to God and graffed in his sonne Jesu Christe to fall into some hoâ—rible sinne repentaunce shall be vnprofitable vnto vs there is no more hope of reconciliation or to be receaued agayne into the fauour and mercy of god And that they may geue the better colour vnto their pestilent and pernicious errour they do commonlye bryng in the sixth tenth Chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrues and the second Chapter of the seconde Epistle of Peter not consyderyng that in those places the holy Apostles do not speake of the daily falles that we as long as we cary about this body of sinne are subiect vnto but of the finall fallyng away from Christ and his Gospel which is a sinne agaynst the holy ghost that shall neuer he forgeuen because that they that do vtterlye forsake the knowen trueth do hate Christe and his worde they do crucifie and mocke him but to their vtter destruction and therefore fall into desperation and cannot repent And that this is the true meanyng of the holy spirite of God it appeareth by manye other places of the Scriptures which promiseth vnto all true repentaunt sinners and to them that with their whole hart do returne vnto the Lorde their God free pardon and remission of their sinnes For the probation hereof we reade this O Israel sayeth the holy prophete Hieremie if thou returne returne vnto me sayeth the Lorde and if thou put away thyne abominations out of any syght then shalte thou not be moued Agayne these are Esaias words Let the wicked forsake his owne wayes and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and turne agayne vnto the Lorde and he will haue mercye vpon hym and to our God for he is redye to forgeue And in the prophet Ozee the godlye do exhort one another after this manner Come and let vs turne againe vnto the lord for he hath smitten vs and he will heale vs he hath wounded vs and he will bynde vs vp agayne It is most euident and playne that these thinges ought to be vnderstanded of them that were with the Lorde afore and by their sinnes and wickednesse were gone awaye from hym For we do not turne agayne vnto hym with whom we were neuer before but we come vnto him Nowe vnto all them that will returne vnfaynedlye vnto the Lorde their God the fauour and mercye of God vnto forgeuenesse of sinnes is liberally offered Whereby it followeth necessarilye that although we do after we be once come to God and graffed in his sonne Jesus Christe fall into great sinnes for there is no ryghteous man vpon the earth that sinneth not and if we saye we haue no sinne we deceaue our selues the trueth is not in vs yet if we ryse agayne by repentaunce and with a full purpose of amendement of lyfe do flee vnto the mercye of God taking sure holde thereupon through fayth in his sonne Jesu Christe there is an assured and infallible hope of pardon and remission of the same that we shall be receaued agayne into the fauour of our heauenly father It is written of Dauid I haue founde a man accordyng to myne owne heart or I haue found Dauid the sonne of Jesse a man accordyng to myne owne heart who will do all thinges that I wyll This is a godly commendation of Dauid It is also moste certayne that he did stedfastly beleue the promise that was made hym touching the Messias who shoulde come of him touching the fleshe and that by the same fayth he was iustifyed and graffed in our sauiour Jesu Christ to come and yet afterwards he fell horribly committing moste detestable adultrye and damnable murther and yet assone as he cryed peccaui I haue sinned vnto the Lord his sinne beyng forgeuen he was receaued into fauour agayne Now will we come vnto Peter of whom no man can doubte but that he was graffed in our sauiour Jesus Christe long afore his deniall Whiche thing may easylye be proued by the aunswere whiche he did in his name and in the name of his fellowe Apostles make vnto our sauiour Jesu Christ when he saide vnto theÌ„ Will ye also go away Maister sayth he to whoÌ„ shall we go Thou haste the wordes of eternall lyfe and we beleue and knowe that thou art the Christe the sonne of the lyuing god Whereunto may be added the lyke confession of Peter where Christ doth geue this most infallible testimonie Thou art blessed Simon the sonne of Jonas for neither fleshe nor blood hath reuealed this vnto thee but my father which is in heauen
These words are sufficient to proue that Peter was alredye iustifyed through this his lyuelye fayth in the onely begotten sonne of god wherof he made so notable and so solemyne a confession But did not he afterwardes moste cowardlye denye his maister although he had heard of hym Whosoeuer denyeth me before men I wyll denye hym before my father Neuerthelesse assone as with weeping eyes with a sobbyng heart he did acknowledge his offence and with earnest repentance did flee vnto the mercy of God taking sure holde thereupon through faith in him whom he had so shamefullye denyed his sinne was forgeuen him for a certificate and assurance therof the roome of his Apostleship was not denyed vnto him But now marke what doth followe After the same holy Apostle had on Whitsondaye with the reste of the Disciples receaued the gyft of the holy ghost most aboundauntly he committed no smal offence in Antiochia by brynging the consciences of the faythfull into doubt by his example so that Paule was faine to rebuke him to his face because that he walked not vprightlye or went not the ryght way in the Gospell Shall we now say that after this greeuous offence he was vtterly excluded and shut out from the grace and mercy of God that this his trespasse wherby he was a stumbling blocke vnto manye was vnpardonable God defende we shoulde saye so But as these examples are not brought in to the ende that we shoulde thereby take a boldnesse to sinne presuming on the mercye and goodnesse of God but to the ende that if through the fraylenesse of our owne fleshe and the temptation of the Deuill we fall into the lyke sinnes we shoulde in no wyse dispayre of the mercy and goodnes of God Euen so muste we beware and take heede that we do in no wise thinke in our heartes imagine or beleue that we are able to repent aright or to tourne effectuallye vnto the Lorde by our owne myght and strength For this must be verifyed in all men Without me ye can do nothing Agayne Of our selues we are not able as much as to thynke a good thought And in another place It is God that worketh in vs both the wyl and the deede For this cause although Hieremie had sayde before If thou returne O Israel returne vnto me sayeth the Lorde Yet afterwardes he sayeth Turne thou me O Lorde and I shall be turned for thou art the Lorde my god And therefore that holye wryter and auncient father Ambrose doth playnely affirme that the turnyng of the heart vnto God is of God as the Lorde hym selfe doth testifie by his prophete saying And I will geue thee an heart to knowe me that I am the Lorde and they shall be my people and I will be their God for they shal returne vnto me with their whole heart These thinges beyng consydered let vs earnestlye pray vnto the liuyng God our heauenlye father that he wyll vouchsafe by his holye spirite to worke a true and vnfained repentance in vs that after the paynefull labours and trauayles of this lyfe we may liue eternally with his sonne Jesus Christe to whom be all prayse and glorye for euer and euer Amen ¶ The seconde parte of the Homilee of Repentaunce HJtherto haue ye heard wel beloued how needeful necessary the doctrine of repentaunce is how earnestly it is throughout all the scriptures of God vrged and set foorth both by the auncient prophetes by our Sauiour Jesu Christ his Apostles and that forasmuche as it is the conuertion or turning agayne of the whole man vnto God from whom we go away by sinne these four pointes ought to be obserued That is from whence or from what thinges we muste returne vnto whom this our returnyng muste be made by whose meanes it ought to be done that it may be effectual and last of all after what sort we ought to behaue our selues in the same that it may be profitable vnto vs and attayne vnto the thing that we do seeke by it Ye haue also learned that as the opinion of them that denie the benefite of repentaunce vnto those that after they be come to God and graffed in our sauiour Jesu Christe do through the fraylenesse of theyr fleshe and the temptation of the deuill fall into some greeuous and detestable sinne is most pestilent and pernitious So we muste beware that we do in no wyse thynke that we are able of our owne selues and of our own strength to retourne vnto the Lorde our God from whom we are gone awaye by our wyckednesse and sinne Nowe it shall be declared vnto you what be the true partes of repentaunce what thinges ought to moue vs to repent and to returne vnto the Lorde our God with all speede Repentaunce as it is sayde before is a true returning vnto God whereby men forsakyng vtterlye their idolatrie and wickednes do with a lyuelye fayth embrace loue and worship the true lyuyng God onelye and geue them selues to all maner of good workes whiche by Gods worde they knowe to be acceptable vnto him Nowe there be foure partes of repentaunce which beyng set together maye be lykened to an easie and short ladder whereby we may clymbe from the bottomles pit of perdition that we caste our selues into by our daylye offences and greeuous sinnes vp into the castle or to wre of eternal and endelesse saluation The fyrst is the contrition of the heart For we must be earnestly sorye for our sinnes and vnfaynedlye lament be wayle that we haue by them so greuously offended our most bounteous and mercifull God who so tenderlye loued vs that he gaue his onely begotten sonne to dye a most bitter death to shed his deare hart blood for our redemption and deliueraunce And veryly this inward sorowe and greefe being conceaued in the heart for the haynousnesse of sinne if it be earnest and vnfayned is as a sacrifice to God as the holy prophete Dauid doth testifye saying A sacrifyce to God is a troubled spyrite a contrite and broken heart O Lord thou wylt not dispyse But that this may take place in vs we must be diligent to reade and heare the scriptures and worde of God whiche most lyuely do paynt out before your eyes our naturall vncleanlynesse and the enormitie of our sinfull lyfe For vnlesse we haue a through feeling of our sinnes how can it be that we shoulde earnestlie be sorye for them Afore Dauid did heare the worde of the Lorde by the mouth of the prophet Nathan what heauinesse I praye you was in hym for the adultrie and murther that he had committed So that it myght be sayd right wel that he slept in his owne sinne We reade in the Actes of the Apostles that when the people had hearde the Sermon of Peter they were compunct and pricked in theyr heartes Whiche thing woulde neuer haue ben if they had not heard that holsome Sermon of
prayer to GOD for so gratious a Soueraigne but also them selues take armour wickedly assemble companies and bandes of rebels to breake the publique peace so long continued and to make not warre but rebellion to endaunger the person of suche a gratious Soueraigne to hazarde the estate of theyr countrey for whose defence they should be redye to spend their liues and beyng Englishemen to robbe spoyle destroy and burne in Englande Englishemen to kyll and murther theyr owne neyghbours and kinsfolke theyr owne countreymen to do all euill and mischeefe yea and more to then forraigne enemies woulde or coulde do What shall we say of these men who vse them selues thus rebelliously agaynst theyr gratious Soueraigne Who yf GOD for their wickednesse had geuen them an heathen tyrant to raigne ouer them were by Gods word bound to obey him and to pray for him What maye be spoken of them so farre doth their vnkindnes vnnaturalnesse wickednesse mischeuousnesse in their doynges passe and excel any thing and all thinges that can be expressed or vttered by wordes Onlye let vs wishe vnto all suche moste speedie repentaunce and with so greeuous sorowe of heart as such so horrible sinnes against the maiestie of God do require who in most extreme vnthankfulnesse do ryse not only agaynst theyr gratious prince agaynst theyr naturall countrey but agaynst all theyr countreymen women and chyldren against them selues theyr wiues children and kinsfolkes and by so wicked an example agaynst all Christendome and agaynst whole mankynde of all maner of people throughout the wide worlde suche repentaunce I say suche sorowe of heart GOD graunt vnto all suche whosoeuer ryse of priuate and malitious purpose as is meete for suche mischeeues attempted and wrought by them And vnto vs and all other subiectes God of his mercie graunt that we may be moste vnlyke to all such and most like to good naturall louyng and obedient subiectes nay that we maye be suche in deede not onlye shewyng all obedience ourselues but as manye of vs as be able to the vttermost of our power habilitie and vnderstandyng to staye and represse all rebels and rebellions agaynst God our gratious prince and naturall countrey at euery occasion that is offered vnto vs And that which we all are able to do vnlesse we do it we shal be most wicked and most worthie to feele in the ende suche extreme plagues as GOD hath euer powred vppon rebels Let vs all make continuall prayers vnto almyghtie God euen from the bottome of our heartes that he wyll geue his grace power and strength vnto our gratious Queene Elizabeth to vanquishe and subdue all aswell rebelles at home as forraigne enemies that all domesticall rebellions beyng suppressed and pacified and all outwarde inuasions repulled and abandoned we may not onlye be sure and long continue in all obedience vnto our gratious Soueraigne and in that peaceable and quiet lyfe which hytherto we haue led vnder her Maiestie with all securitie but also that both our gratious Queene Elizabeth and we her subiectes may altogether in al obedience vnto God the kyng of all kynges and vnto his holy lawes leade our liues so in this worlde in all vertue and godlinesse that in the worlde to come we maye enioy his euerlastyng kyngdome whiche I beseche God to graunt aswel to our gratious Soueraigne as vnto vs all for his sonne our sauiour Jesus Christes sake to whom with the father and the holye ghost one God and kyng immortall be all glory prayse and thankes geuing worlde without ende Amen Thus haue you heard the first part of this Homilee nowe good people let vs pray ¶ The prayer O Most mightie God the Lorde of hoastes the gouernour of all creatures the onlye geuer of all victories who alone art able to strengthen the weake agaynst the myghtie and to vanquishe infinite multitudes of thyne enemies with the countenaunce of a fewe of thy seruauntes calling vppon thy name and trusting in thee Defend O Lorde thy seruaunt and our gouernour vnder thee our Queene Elizabeth and all thy people committed to her charge O Lorde withstande the crueltie of all those whiche be common enemies aswell to the trueth of thy eternall worde as to their owne naturall Prince and countrye and manifestlye to this crowne and Realme of Englande whiche thou haste of thy diuine prouidence assigned in these our dayes to the gouernment of thy seruaunt our Soueraigne and gratious Queene O moste mercifull father if it be thy holye will make soft and tender the stony heartes of al those that exalte themselues agaynst thy trueth and seeke eyther to trouble the quyet of this realme of England or to oppresse the crowne of the same and conuert them to the knowledge of thy sonne the onely sauiour of the world Jesus Christ that we and they maye ioyntlye glorifie thy mercies Lyghten we besech thee their ignoraunt hearts to imbrace the trueth of thy worde or els so abate their crueltie O most mightie Lorde that this our Christian region with others that confesse thy holy Gospell maye obteine by thine aide and strength suretie from all enemies without shedding of christian blood wherby al they which be oppressed with their tyranny may be releeued and they which be in feare of their crueltie maye be comforted finally that all christian realmes and specially this realme of England may by thy defence and protection continue in the trueth of the Gospel and enioy perfect peace quietnes and securitie and that we for these thy mercies ioyntly altogether with one consonant hart and voice may thankfully render to thee al laud and praise that we knit in one godlye concorde and vnitie amongst our selues may continuallye magnifie thy glorious name who with thy sonne our sauiour Jesus Christ and the holy ghost art one eternall almyghtye and moste mercifull God To whom be all laude and prayse worlde without ende Amen ¶ The second parte of the Homilee agaynst disobedience and wilfull Rebellion AS in the fyrste parte of this treatie of obedience of subiectes to their Princes against disobedience and rebellion I haue alleaged diuers sentences out of the holye scriptures for proofe so shal it be good for the better declaration and confirmation of the sayd holsome doctrine to alleage one example or two out of the same holy scriptures of the obedience of subiects not onelye vnto their good and gratious gouernours but also vnto their euill and vnkynd princes As king Saul was not of the beste but rather of the worst sort of Princes as beyng out of Gods fauour for his disobedience agaynst God in sparyng in a wrong pitie the kyng Agag whom almyghtye God commaunded to be stayne accordyng to the iustice of God against his sworne enemie and although Saule of a deuotion ment to sacrifice such thinges as he spared of the Amalechites to the honor and seruice of God yet Saul was reproued for his wrong mercy and deuotiō and was tolde that obedience woulde haue more pleased him
honoureth and loueth the picture of a dead image that hath no soule Neuerthelesse they that loue such euyll thynges they that trust in them they that make them they that fauour them and they that honour them are all worthy of death and so foorth In the booke of Psalmes the Prophet curseth the image honourers in diuers places Confounded be all they that worshyp carued images and that delight or glorye in them Like be they vnto the images that make them and al they that put their trust in them And in the Prophete Esai sayth the Lorde Euen I am the Lorde and this is my name and my glorye wyll I geue to none other neyther my honour to grauen images And by and by Let them be confounded with shame that trust in idols or images or saye to them you are our Gods. And in the. xl Chapter after he hath set foorth the incomprehensible maiestie of God he asketh to whom then wyll ye make God lyke Or what similitude wyll ye set vp vnto hym Shall the Caruer make hym a carued image and shall the Goldsmyth couer hym with Golde and cast hym into a fourme of syluer plates And for the poore man shal the image maker frame an image of tymber that he maye haue somewhat to set vp also And after this he cryeth out O wretches hearde ye neuer of this Hath it not ben preached vnto you since the begynnyng and so foorth how by the creation of the worlde and the greatnesse of the worke they myght vnderstande the maiestie of God the Creator and Maker of all to be greater then that it shoulde be expressed or set foorth in anye image or bodilye similitude And besides this preachyng euen in the lawe of God wrytten with his owne fynger as the scripture speaketh and that in the fyrste table and the begynnyng thereof is this doctrine aforesayde agaynst images not breefely touched but at large set foorth and preached and that with denuntiation of destruction to the contemners and breakers of this lawe and their posteritie after them And least it shoulde yet not be marked or not remembred the same is wrytten and reported not in one but in sundrye places of the worde of God that by ofte readyng and hearyng of it we myght once learne and remember it as you also heare daylie read in the Churche God spake these wordes and sayde I am the Lorde thy god Thou shalt haue none other Gods but me Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image nor the lykenesse of anye thyng that is in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath nor in the water vnder the earth thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them For I the Lorde thy God am a ielous God and visite the synne of the fathers vpon the chyldren vnto the thirde and fourth generation of them that hate me and shew mercie vnto thousandes in them that loue me and keepe my commaundementes All this notwithstandyng neyther coulde the notablenesse of the place beyng the verye begynnyng of the lyuyng Lordes Lawe make vs to marke it nor the playne declaration by recountyng of all kynde of similitudes cause vs to vnderstand it nor the oft repeating and reportyng of it in diuers and sundrye places the oft readyng and hearyng of it coulde cause vs to remember it nor the dread of the horrible penaltie to our selues our children and posteritie after vs feare vs from transgressing of it nor the greatnesse of the rewarde to vs and our chyldren after vs moue vs any thing to obedience and the obseruyng of this the Lordes great lawe But as though it had ben wrytten in some corner not at large expressed but breefely obscurely touched as though no penaltie to the transgressours nor rewarde to the obedient had ben adioyned vnto it like blinde men without all knowledge vnderstandyng like vnreasonable beastes without dread of punishment or respecte or rewarde haue diminished dishonoured the high maiestie of the liuing God by the basenesse and vilenes of sundrye diuers images of dead stockes stones and mettals And as the maiestie of God whom we haue lefte forsaken and dishonoured and therefore the greatnesse of our synne and offence agaynst his maiestie can not be expressed So is the weakenesse vylenesse and foolishnesse in deuice of the images whereby we haue dishonoured hym expressed at large in the scriptures namely the Psalmes the booke of wysedome the Prophete Esaias Ezechiel and Baruch speciallye in these places and Chapters of them Psalm Cxv. and. Cxxxiiii Esai xl and. xliiii Ezechiel the. vi Wysedome xiii xiiii xv Baruch vi The whiche places as Jexhort you often and diligentlye to reade so are they to long at this present to be rehearsed in an Homilee Notwithstandyng I wyll make you certayne breefe or short notes out of them what they say of these idols or images Fyrste that they be made but of small peeces of wood stone or mettall and therfore they can not be anye similitudes of the greate maiestie of God whose seate is heauen and the earth his footestoole Secundarilye that they be dead haue eyes and see not handes and feele not feete and can not go c. and therefore they can not be fitte similitudes of the lyuyng god Thirdely that they haue no power to do good nor harme to others though some of them haue an axe some a sworde some a speare in their handes yet do theeues come into their Temples and robbe them and they can not once stur to defend them selues from the theeues nay if the Temple or Churche be set a fyre that their priestes can runne away and saue themselues but they can not once moue but tary still lyke blockes as they are and be burned and therefore they can be no meete figures of the puissaunt and myghtie GOD who alone is able both to saue his seruauntes and to destroy his enemies euerlastinglye They be trimlye deckt in Golde Siluer and Stone aswell the images of men as of women lyke wanton wenches sayth the Prophete Baruch that loue paramours and therefore can they not teache vs nor our wyues and daughters anye sobernesse modestie and chastitie And therefore although it is nowe commonly saide that they be the lay mens bookes yet we see they teache no good lesson neyther of GOD nor godlynesse but all errour and wyckednesse Therefore GOD by his word as he forbiddeth anye idols or images to be made or set vp so doth he commaund suche as we fynde made and set vp to be pulled downe broken and destroyed And it is wrytten in the booke of Numbers the. xxiii Chapter that there was no idoll in Jacob nor there was no image seene in Israel and that the Lorde God was with that people Where note that the true Israelites that is the people of GOD haue no images among them but that God was with them and that therefore their enemies can not hurt them as appeareth in the
our selues that at the last daye euery man shall receaue of God for his labour done in true faith a greater rewarde then his workes haue deserued And because somewhat shall nowe be spoken of one particuler good woorke whose commendation is both in the lawe and in the Gospell thus muche is sayde in the beginning generally of all good workes First to remoue out of the way of the simple and vnlearned this daungerous stumbling blocke that anye man should go about to purchase or bye heauen with his workes Secondly to take away so nyghe as may be from enuious myndes and slaunderous tongues all iust occasion of slaunderous speaking as though good workes were reiected This good worke which now shall be entreated of is Fasting whiche is founde in the scriptures to be of two sortes The one outwarde parteyning to the body the other inward in the hart and mynde This outward fast is an abstinence from meate drinke and all naturall foode yea from al delicious pleasures delectations worldly When this outward fast parteyneth to one particuler man or to a few and not to the whole number of the people for causes whiche hereafter shal be declared then it is called a priuate fast But when the whole multitude of men women and children in a towneship of Citie yea though a whole countrey do faste it is called a publique fast Suche was that fast whiche the whole multitude of the children of Israel were commaunded to keepe the tenth daye of the seuenth moneth because almightie God appoynted that daye to be a clensing day a day of an atonement a tyme of reconciliation a day wherein the people were cleansed from their sinnes The order and maner how it was done is written in the xvi and. xxiii Chapter of Leuiticus That day the people did lament mourne weepe and bewayle their former sinnes And whosoeuer vpon that day did not humble his soule bewayling his sinnes as is sayd abstayning from all bodyly foode vntill the euening that soule sayeth almightie God should be destroyed from among his people We do not reade that Moyses ordayned by order of lawe any dayes of publique fast throughout the whole yere more then that one day The Jewes notwithstanding had more tymes of common fasting whiche the Prophete Zacharie reciteth to be the fast of the fourth the fast of the fifth the fast of the seuenth and the fast of the tenth moneth But for that it appeareth not in the leuiticall lawe when they were instituted it is to be iudged that those other times of fasting more then the fast of the seuenth moneth were ordeyned among the Jewes by the appoyntment of their gouernours rather of deuotion then by any open commaundement geuen from god Upon the ordinaunce of this general fast good men tooke occasion to appoynt to them selues priuate fastes at suche tymes as they did eyther earnestlye lament and bewayle their sinfull lyues or did addict them selues to more feruent prayer that it might please God to turne his wrath from them when eyther they were admonished and brought to the consideration therof by the preaching of the Prophetes or otherwise when they sawe present daunger to hange ouer their heades This sorowfulnes of heart ioyned with fasting they vttered sometyme by their outwade behauiour and gesture of body putting on sackcloth sprinckling them selues with ashes and dust and sitting or lying vppon the earth For when good men feele in them selues the heauy burden of sinne see dampnation to be the rewarde of it and beholde with the eye of their mynde the horrour of hell they tremble they quake and are inwardly touched with sorowfulnesse of heart for their offences and cannot but accuse them selues and open this their griefe vnto almyghtie God and call vnto him for mercye This being done seriously their mynde is so occupyed partly with sorrowe and heauinesse partly with an earnest desyre to be deliuered from this daunger of hell and damnation that all lust of meate and drinke is layde apart and lothsomnesse of all worldlye thinges and pleasures commeth in place so that nothing then liketh them more then to weepe to lament to mourne and both with wordes and behauiour of bodye to shewe them selues weary of this lyfe Thus did Dauid fast when he made intercession to almightie God for the chyldes lyfe begotten in adultrie of Bethsabe Vrias wyfe King Achab fasted after this sorte when it repented him of murdering of Naboth bewayling his owne sinfull doinges Suche was the Niniuites fast brought to repentaunce by Ionas preaching When fourtie thousande of the Israelites were slayne in battaile against the Beniamites the scripture sayeth All the children of Israel and the whole multitude of people went out to Bethel and sate there weeping before the Lord and fasted all that daye vntill nyght So did Daniel Hester Nehemias and many others in the olde testament fast But if anye man will saye it is true so they fasted in deede but we are not nowe vnder that yoke of the lawe we are set at libertie by the freedome of the Gospell therfore those rites and customes of the olde lawe bynde not vs except it can be shewed by the scriptures of the new Testament or by examples out of the same that fasting nowe vnder the Gospell is a restraint of meate drynke and all bodily foode and pleasures frō the body as before First that we ought to fast is a trueth more manifest then that it should here neede to be proued the scriptures whiche teache the same are euident The doubt therfore that is is whether when we fast we ought to withhold from our bodyes all meat and drinke duryng the time of our fast or no That we ought so to do may be well gathered vppon a question moued by the Pharisees to Christ and by his aunswere againe to the same Why say they do Johns Disciples fast often praye and we lykewyse but thy disciples eate and drinke and fast not at all In this smoothe question they coutch vp subtilly this argument or reason Who so fasteth not that man is not of god For fasting and prayer are workes bothe commended and commaunded of GOD in his scriptures and all good men from Moyses till this time as well the prophetes as others haue exercised them selues in these workes John also and his disciples at this daye do fast oft and pray muche and so do we the Pharisees in lyke maner But thy disciples fast not at all whiche if thou wilt denye we can easylye proue it For whosoeuer eateth and drinketh fasteth not Thy disciples eate and drinke therefore they fast not Of this we conclude say they necessaryly that neyther art thou nor yet the disciples of god Christe maketh aunswere saying Can ye make that the children of the weddyng shal fast while the brydegrome is with them The dayes shall come when the bridegrome shal be taken from them In those dayes shall they faste Our sauiour Christe like a good maister
of Gibeon makyng his humble petition to almyghtie God caused the sunne and the moone to stay their course and to stand still in the middest of heauen for the space of a whole day vntyll suche tyme the people were sufficiently auenged vpon their enemies And was not Iehosaphates prayer of great force and strength when God at his request caused his enemies to fall out among them selues and wylfully to destroy one another Who can maruayle enough at the effecte and vertue of Elias prayer He being a man subiect to affections as we are prayed to the Lorde that it myght not rayne and there fell no rayne vpon the earth for the space of three yeres and. vi moneths Againe he prayed that it myght rayne and there fell great plentie so that the earth brought forth her encrease most aboundauntly It were to long to tell of Iudith Hester Susanna and of diuers other godly men and women how greatly they preuayled in all their doinges by geuing their myndes earnestly and deuoutly to prayer Let it be sufficient at this tyme to conclude with the sayinges of Augustine and Chrisostome wherof the one calleth prayer the key of heauen the other playnely affyrmeth that there is nothyng in all the worlde more strong then a man that geueth hym selfe to feruent prayer Nowe then dearely beloued seeing prayer is so needeful a thyng and of so great strength before God let vs accordyng as we are taught by the example of Christe and his apostles be earnest and diligent in calling on the name of the lord Let vs neuer faynt neuer slacke neuer geue ouer but let vs daily and hourely early and late in season and out of season be occupyed in godly meditations and prayers What if we obtayne not our petitions at the firste yet let vs not be discoraged but let vs continually crye and call vpon God He wyll surely heare vs at length if for no other cause yet for very importunities sake Remember the parable of the vnryghteous iudge and the poore wydowe how she by her importunate meanes caused hym to do her iustice agaynst her aduersarie although otherwyse he feared neyther God nor man Shall not God muche more auenge his elect sayth our sauiour Christe whiche crye vnto hym day and nyght Thus he taught his disciples in them all other true Christian men to pray alwayes and neuer to faint or shrinke Remember also the example of the woman of Canaan how she was reiected of Christe and called dogge as one moste vnworthie of any benefite at his handes yet she gaue not ouer but folowed hym still crying and callyng vppon hym to be good and mercifull vnto her daughter And at length by very importunitie she obtayned her request O let vs learne by these examples to be earnest and feruent in prayer assuryng our selues that whatsoeuer we aske of God the father in the name of his sonne Christe and accordyng to his wyll he wyll vndoubtedly graunt it He is trueth it selfe and as truely as he hath promised it so truely wyll he perfourme it God for his great mercies sake so worke in our heartes by his holy spirite that we may alwayes make our humble prayers vnto hym as we ought to do and alwayes obtayne the thyng which we aske through Jesus Christe our Lorde to whom with the father and the holy ghost be al honour and glory worlde without ende Amen The second part of the Homilee concernyng prayer IN the firste parte of this sermon ye hearde the great necessitie also the great force of deuout and earnest praier declared proued vnto you both by diuers waightie testimonies and also by sundry good examples of holy scripture Now shal you learne whom you ought to call vppon and to whom ye ought alwayes to direct your prayers We are euidently taught in Gods holy Testament that almightie God is the only fountayne and welspring of al goodnes and that whatsoeuer we haue in this world we receaue it only at his handes To this effecte serueth the place of S. James Euery good and perfect gift sayth he commeth from aboue and proceedeth from the father of lyghtes To this effect also serueth the testimonie of Paul in diuers places of his Epistles witnessing that the spirite of wisedome the spirite of knowledge and reuelation yea euery good and heauenly gyfte as fayth hope charitie grace and peace commeth onely and solely of god In consideration whereof he bursteth out into a sodayne passion and sayeth O man what thyng hast thou whiche thou hast not receaued Therefore whensoeuer we neede or lacke any thyng parteyning eyther to the body or to the soule it behoueth vs to runne onely vnto GOD who is the onely geuer of all good thynges Our sauiour Christe in the Gospell teachyng his disciples how they shoulde pray sendeth them to the father in his name saying Uerily verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye aske the father in my name he wyll geue it vnto you And in an other place when ye pray pray after this sorte Our father whiche art in heauen c. And doth not God hym selfe by the mouth of his Prophete Dauid wyll and commaunde vs to call vpon hym The Apostle wysheth grace and peace to all them that call on the name of our Lord and of his sonne Jesus Christ as doth also the Prophet Joel saying And it shall come to passe that whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shal be saued Thus then it is playne by the infallible worde of trueth and lyfe that in all our necessities we must flee vnto God direct our prayers vnto hym call vppon his holy name desyre helpe at his handes and at no others Whereof if ye wyll yet haue a further reason marke that whiche foloweth There are certayne conditions most requisit to be founde in euery suche a one that muste be called vppon whiche if they be not founde in hym vnto whom we pray then doth our prayer auayle vs nothyng but is altogether in vayne The first is this that he to whom we make our prayers be able to helpe vs The second is that he wyll helpe vs The thirde is that he be suche a one as may heare our prayers The fourth is that he vnderstand better then we our selues what we lacke and howe farre we haue neede of helpe If these thynges be to be founde in any other sauing onely God then may we lawfully call vpon some other besides god But what man is so grosse but he wel vnderstandeth that these thynges are only proper to him which is omnipotent and knoweth al thyngs euen the very secretes of the heart that is to say only and to God alone whereof it foloweth that we must call neyther vpon angell nor yet vpon saint but only and soly vpon God as S. Paul doth write Now shall men call vppon hym in whom they haue not beleued So that inuocation or prayer may not be
towardes God to keepe holy their sabbath daye the daye of rest And to these temples haue the Christians customably vsed to resort from tyme to tyme as vnto meete places where they might with common consent prayse and magnifie Gods name yeelding him thankes for the benefites that he dayly powreth vpon them both mercifully and aboundantlye where they might also heare his holy word read expounded preached sincerely and receaue his holy sacramentes ministred vnto them duely and purely True it is that the chiefe and special temples of God wherin he hath greatest pleasure most delighteth to dwel are the bodies mindes of true christians and the chosen people of God according to the doctrine of holye scriptures declared by Saint Paul. Knowe ye not sayth he that ye be the temple of God and that the spirite of God doth dwell in you The temple of God is holy whiche ye are And againe in the same Epistle Know ye not that your body is the temple of the holye Ghost dwelling in you whom you haue geuen you of God and that ye be not your owne Yet this notwithstanding God doeth alowe the materiall temple made with lyme and stone so oft as his people come together into it to praise his holy name to be his house and the place where he hath promised to be present and where he wil heare the prayers of them that call vpon him The which thing both Christ and his apostles with all the rest of the holy fathers do sufficiently declare by this That albeit they certaynlye knewe that their prayers were heard in what place soeuer they made them though it were in caues in woodes in desartes yet so oft as they could conueniently they resorted to the material temples there with the rest of the congregation to ioyne in prayer and true worship Wherefore dearely beloued you that professe your selues to be Christians and glory in that name disdaine not to folow the example of your maister Christe whose schollers you saye ye be shew you to be lyke them whose scholemates you take vpon you to be that is the Apostles and disciples of Christe Lift vp pure handes with cleane heartes in all places at all tymes But do the same in the temples and Churches vpon the sabbath daies also Our godly predecessours and the auncient fathers of the primitiue Church spared not their goodes to buylde Churches no they spared not their lyues in tyme of persecution and to hazarde their blood that they myght assemble them selues together in Churches And shal we spare a little labour to come to churches Shall neither their example nor our duety nor the commodities that thereby shoulde come vnto vs moue vs If we will declare our selues to haue the feare of God if we will shewe our selues true christians if we will be the folowers of Christ our maister and of those godly fathers that haue liued before vs now haue receaued the rewarde of true and faythfull christians we must both willingly earnestly and reuerently come vnto the material churches and temples to praye as vnto fit places appoynted for that vse And that vppon the sabbath day as at most conuenient tyme for Gods people to cease from bodyly and worldlye businesse to geue them selues to holy rest and godly contemplation parteining to the seruice of almightie God Wherby we may reconcile our selues to God be partakers of his reuerent sacramentes and be deuout hearers of his holye worde so to be established in fayth to godwarde in hope agaynst all aduersitie and in charitie towardes our neighbours And thus running our course as good christian people we may at the last attaine the reward of euerlasting glorie through the merites of our sauiour Iesus Christe to whom with the father and the holye Ghost be all honour and glorye Amen The seconde part of the Homilee of the place and tyme of prayer IT hath ben declared vnto you good Christian people in the former Sermon read vnto you at what tyme and into what place ye shal come togyther to prayse God. Now I entende to set before your eies first how zelous desirous ye ought to be to come to your Church Secondly how sore God is greeued with them that do despyse or little regarde to come to the Churche vpon the holy restfull day It may wel appeare by the scriptures that many of the godly Israelites beyng no we in captiuitie for their sinnes among the Babilonians full often wysshed and desyred to be agayne at Hierusalem And at their returne through Gods goodnesse though many of the people were negligent yet the fathers were maruelous deuout to buyld vp the temple that Gods people might repayre thyther to honour him And Kyng Dauid when he was a banished man out of his countrey out of Hierusalem the holye Citie from the sanctuarie from the holye place and from the tabernacle of God What desyre what feruentnesse was in him towardes the holye place What wysshinges and prayers made he to God to be a dweller in the house of the Lorde One thing sayth he haue I asked of the Lorde and this will I still craue that I maye resorte and haue my dwelling in the house of the Lorde so long as I lyue Agayne Oh howe I ioyed when I heard these wordes VVe shall go into the Lordes house And in other places of the Psalmes he declareth for what intent and purpose he hath such a feruente desyre to enter into the Temple and Churche of the Lorde I will fall downe sayth he and worship in the holy temple of the lord Agayne I haue appeared in thy holy place that I myght beholde thy myght and power that I myght beholde thy glory and magnificence Finally he sayth I will shewe foorth thy name to my brethren I will prayse thee in the middes of the congregation Why then had Dauid suche an earnest desyre to the house of God First because there he would worship and honour god Secondly there he would haue a contemplation and a syght of the power and glorye of god Thirdly there he would prayse the name of god with all the congregation and companye of the people These considerations of this blessed prophet of God ought to stirre vp and kindle in vs the lyke earnest desyre to resort to the church especially vppon the holy restfull dayes there to do our duties to serue God there to call to remembraunce how God euen of his mere mercie for the glory of his name sake worketh myghtely to conserue vs in health wealth and godlynesse myghtyly preserueth vs from the assaults and rages of our fierce and cruell enemies and there ioyfully in the number of his faithfull people to prayse and magnitie the Lords holy name Set before your eyes also that auncient father Simeon of whom the scripture speaketh thus to his great commendation and an incouragemēt for vs to do the lyke There was a man at Hierusalem
be not vnderstanded of them that be present they can not thereby be edified For as when the trumpet that is blowen in the feelde geueth an vncertaine sounde no man is therby stirred vp to prepare him selfe to the fight And as when an instrument of musicke maketh no distinct sound no man can tel what is piped Euen so when prayers or administration of sacramentes shal be in a tongue vnknowen to the hearers which of them shal be thereby stirred vp to lyft vp his minde to God and to begge with the Minister at Gods hand those things which in the wordes of his prayers the minister asketh Or who shall in the ministration of the Sacramentes vnderstande what inuisible grace is to be craued of the hearer to be wrought in the inwarde man Cruely no man at al. For sayth S. Paul he that speaketh in a tongue vnknowen shal be vnto the hearer an alient whiche in a Christian congregation is a great absurditie For we are not straungers one to another but we are the citizens of the saintes of the householde of GOD yea and members of one bodye And therfore whiles our minister is in rehersing the prayer that is made in the name of vs all we must geue diligent eare to the wordes spoken by him and in hearte begge at Gods hande those thinges that he beggeth in wordes And to signifie that we so do we say Amen at the ende of the prayer that he maketh in the name of vs al. And this thing can we not do for edification vnlesse we vnderstand what is spoken Therfore it is required of necessitie that the common praier be had in a tongue that the hearers do vnderstande If euer it had ben tollerable to vse strange tongues in the congregations the same myght haue ben in the time of Paul the other apostles when they were miraculously endued with the gift of tongues For it might then haue perswaded some to imbrace the Gospell when they had hearde men that were Hebrues borne vnlearned speake the Greke the Latin other languages But Paul thought it not tollerable then And shall we vse it now when no man commeth by the knowledge of tongues other wyse then by diligent earnest study God forbid For we should by that meanes bring all our Church exercises to friuolus superstition and make them altogether vnfruitefull Luke writeth that when Peter and John were discharged by the Princes and high Priestes of Hierusalem they came to their felowes tolde them al that the princes of the priestes and elders had spoken vnto them Which when they heard they lyfted vp their voyce together to God with one assent and sayde Lord thou arthe that hast made heauen and earth the sea and all thinges that are in them c. Thus coulde they not haue done yf they had prayed in a straunge tongue that they had not vnderstande And no doubt of it they dyd not all speake with seuerall voyces but some one of them spake in the name of them all the rest geuing diligent eare to his wordes consented therunto and therefore it is sayd that they lifted vp their voyce together Saint Luke saith not Their voices as many but their voice as one That one voyce therefore was in suche language as they al vnderstood other wyse they coulde not haue lifted it vp with the consent of their heartes For no man can geue consent of the thing he knoweth not As touching the times before the comming of Christe there was neuer man yet that would affirme that eyther the people of God or other had their prayers or administrations of sacraments or sacrifices in a tongue that they them selues vnderstood not As for the time since Christe tyll that vsurped power of Rome began to spreade it selfe and to enforce al the nations of Europe to haue the Romishe language in admiration it appeareth by the consent of the most auncient learned writers that there was no straunge or vnknowen tongue vsed in the congregations of Christians Instinus martyr who liued about 160. yeres after Christ sayth thus of the administration of the Lordes supper in his time Upon the Sunday assembles are made both of them that dwel in cities and of thē that dwell in the countrey also Amongst whō as much as may be the writinges of the apostles prophets are read Afterwards when the reader doth ceasse the chiefe minister maketh an exhortatiō exhorting them to folow so honest things After this we ryse altogether and offer prayers which being ended as we haue saide bread and wine and water are brought foorth Then the head minister offereth prayers thankesgeuing with al his power the people aunswere Amē These wordes with their circumstaunces beyng duely consydered do declare plainly that not only the scriptures were read in a knowen tongue but also that praier was made in the same in the congregations of Iustines tyme Basilius magnus and Iohannes Chrisostomus dyd in theyr tyme prescribe publique orders of publique administration which they call Liturgies and in them they appoynted the people to aunswere to the prayers of the Minister sometime Amen sometyme Lorde haue mercie vppon vs sometyme and with thy spirite and we haue our heartes lyfted vp vnto the Lorde c. Which aunsweres the people coulde not haue made in due time yf the praiers had not ben in a tongue that they vnderstoode The same Basil writing to the Cleargie of Neocaesaria sayth thus of his vsage in common prayer appoynting one to beginne the song the rest folow And so with diuers songes prayers passing ouer the night at the dawnyng of the day altogether euen as it were with one mouth and one heart they sing vnto the Lorde a song of confession euery man framing vnto him selfe meete wordes of repentaunce In another place he sayth If the Sea be faire howe is not the assemble of the congregation muche more fayre in which a ioyned sounde of men women and children as it were of the waues beating on the shore is sent forth in our prayers vnto our God Marke his wordes A ioyned sounde sayth he of men women and children Which can not be vnlesse they all vnderstande the tongue wherein the prayer is sayde And Chrisostome vppon the wordes of Paul sayth So soone as the people heare these words worlde without ende they all do forthwith aunswere Amen This coulde they not do vnlesse they vnderstood the worde spoken by the priest Dionisius sayth that hymnes were sayde of the whole multitude of people in the administration of the Communion Ciprian sayth the Priest doth prepare the mindes of the brethren with a preface before the prayer saying Lyft vp your heartes That whyles the people doth aunswere VVe haue our heartes lyfted vp to the Lord they be admonished that they ought to thinke on none other thing then the Lorde Saint Ambrose wryting vppon the wordes of saint Paul sayth This is it that
also we may be assured to get his fauour that is both able wyllyng to do vs all pleasures that are for our commoditie and wealth Christe doth declare by this how much he accepteth our charitable affection toward the poore in that he promiseth a rewarde vnto them that geue but a cup of cold water in his name to them that haue neede thereof and that rewarde is the kingdome of heauen No doubt is it therfore that god regardeth highly that which he rewardeth so liberallye For he that promiseth a princely recompence for a beggerly beneuolence declareth that he is more delighted with the geuyng then with the gyfte and that he as muche esteemeth the doyng of the thyng as the fruite and commoditie that commeth of it Who so therefore hath hytherto neglected to geue almes let hym know that God now requireth it of him he that hath ben liberal to the poore let him knowe that his godly doings are accepted thankfully takē at gods handes which he wyll requite with double treble For so sayth the wyse man He whiche sheweth mercie to the poore doth lay his money in banke to the Lorde for a large interest and gayne The gayne beyng cheefely the possession of the lyfe euerlastyng through the merites of our sauiour Jesus Christe to whom with the father the holy ghost be al honour and glory for euer Amen The seonde part of the sermon of almes deedes YE haue hearde before dearely beloued that to geue almes vnto the poore and to helpe them in tyme of necessitie is so acceptable vnto our sauiour Christe that he counteth that to be done to him selfe that we do for his sake vnto them Ye haue heard also howe earnestly both the apostles prophetes holy fathers doctours do exhort vs vnto the same And ye see how welbeloued and deare vnto God they were whom the scriptures reporte vnto vs to haue ben good almes men Wherefore if either their good examples or the holesome counsell of godly fathers or the loue of Christ whose especial fauour we may be assured by this meanes to obteyne may moue vs or do any thyng at all with vs let vs prouide that from hencefoorth we she we vnto Godward this thankful seruice to be myndfull and redy to helpe them that be poore and in miserie Nowe wyll I this second tyme that I entreate of aimes deedes shewe vnto you how profitable it is for vs to exercise them and what fruite therby shall aryse vnto vs if we do them faythfully Our sauiour Christe in the Gospell teacheth vs that it profiteth a man nothyng to haue in possession al the ryches of the whole worlde and the wealth or glory thereof if in the meane season he lose his soule or do that thing whereby it should become captiue vnto death sinne hell fire By the which saying he not only instructeth vs how muche the soule health is to be preferred before worldly commodities but also serueth to stirre vp our myndes and to pricke vs forwardes to seeke diligently and learne by what meanes we may preserue and kepe our soules euer in safety that is howe we may recouer our health if it be lost or impayred and how it may be defended and maynteyned if we once haue it Yea he teacheth vs also thereby to esteeme that as a precious medicine and an inestimable iewel that hath suche strength and vertue in it that can either procure or preserue so incomparable a treasure For if we greatly regard that medicine or salue that is able to heale sundrye and greeuous diseases of the body muche more wyll we esteeme that whiche hath lyke power ouer the soule And because we might be better assured both to knowe and haue in redynesse that so profitable a remedye he as a most faythfull and louyng teacher sheweth hym selfe both what it is and where we may fynde it and how we may vse and applye it For when both he and his disciples were greuously accused of the Pharisees to haue defyled their soules in breakyng the constitutions of the elders because they went to meate and washed not their handes before accordyng to the custome of the Jewes Christe aunswering their superstitious complaynte teacheth them an especiall remedye howe to keepe cleane their soules notwithstandyng the breache of suche superstitious orders Geue almes sayth he and beholde all thynges are cleane vnto you He teacheth them that to be mercyful and charitable in helping the poore is the meanes to keepe the soule pure and cleane in the syght of god We are taught therefore by this that mercyfull almes dealyng is profitable to purge the soule from the infection and filthie spottes of sinne The same lesson doth the holy ghost also teache in sundrye places of the scripture saying Mercyfulnesse and almes geuing purgeth from all synnes and delyuereth from death and suffereth not the soule to come into darknes A great confidence may they haue before the hygh God that shewe mercie and compassion to them that are afflicted The wyse preacher the sonne of Sirach confirmeth the same when he sayth That as water quencheth burning fyre euen so mercie and almes resisteth and reconcileth synnes And sure it is that mercifulnesse quayleth the heate of synne so muche that they shall not take holde vpon man to hurt him or if ye haue by any infirmitie and weaknes ben touched and annoyed with them straightwayes shall mercyfulnesse wipe and washe them away as salues and remedies to heale their sores and greeuous diseases And therupon that holy father Ciprian taketh good occasion to exhort earnestly to the mercyfull worke of geuyng almes and helpyng the poore and there he admonisheth to consider how holesome and profitable it is to releeue the needy and help the afflicted by the which we may purge our synnes and heale our wounded soules But here some wyll say vnto me If almes geuyng and our charitable workes towardes the poore be able to washe away synnes to reconcile vs to God to delyuer vs from the peryll of damnation and make vs the sonnes heires of Gods kingdome then is Christes merites defaced and his blood shed in vayne then are we iustified by workes and by our deedes may we merite heauen then do we in vayne beleue that Christ dyed for to put away our synnes and that he rose for our iustification as saint Paule teacheth But ye shall vnderstande dearely beloued that neither those places of scripture before alleaged neither the doctrine of the blessed martyr Ciprian neither any other godly and learned man when they in extolling the dignitie profite fruit and effect of vertuous and liberall almes do say that it washeth away synnes and bryngeth vs to the fauour of God do meane that our worke and charitable deede is the originall cause of our acception before God or that for the dignitie or worthynesse thereof our sinnes may be washed away and we purged cleansed of al the spottes of our iniquitie for
vs and he rose agayne to sende downe his holy spirite to rule in our heartes to endowe vs with perfect righteousnes Thus it is true that Dauid song Veritas de terra orta est et iustitia de coelo prospexit The trueth of gods promise is in the earth to man declared or from the earth is the euerlasting veritie Gods sonne rysen to life the true righteousnesse of the holy ghost lookyng out of heauen and is in most liberal larges dealt vppon all the worlde Thus is glory and prayse rebounded vpwarde to God aboue for his mercie and trueth And thus is peace come downe from heauen to men of good and faythfull heartes Thus is mercie and trueth as Dauid wryteth together met thus is peace and ryghteousnesse imbrasing and kissing eache other If thou doubtest of so great wealth felicitie that is wrought for thee O man call to thy mynde that therefore haste thou receaued into thyne owne possession the euerlasting veritie our sauiour Jesus Christ to confyrme to thy conscience the trueth of all this matter Thou hast receaued hym yfin true fayth and repentaunce of heart thou haste receaued hym yf in purpose of amendement thou haste receaued hym for an euerlastyng gage or pledge of thy saluation Thou hast receaued his body which was once broken his blood which was shedde for the remission of thy synne Thou hast receaued his body to haue within thee the father the sonne and the holy ghost for to dwell with thee to endow thee with grace to strength thee agaynst thyne enemies and to comfort thee with their presence Thou hast receaued his body to endow thee with euerlasting righteousnes to assue thee of euerlastyng blisse and lyfe of thy soule 〈…〉 r with Christe by true fayth art thou quickened agayne sayth saint Paul from death of synne to lyfe of grace and in hope translated from corporal and euerlastyng death to the euerlastyng lyfe of glorye in heauen where nowe thy conuersation should be and thy heart and desyre set Doubt not of the trueth of this matter how great and hygh soeuer these thynges be It becommeth God to do no litle deedes how impossible so euer they seeme to thee Pray to God that thou mayest haue fayth to perceaue this greate mysterie of Christes resurrection that by faytâ— thou mayst certaynely beleue nothyng to be impossible with god Onlye bryng thou fayth to Christes holy worde and sacrament Let thy repentaunce shewe thy fayth let thy purpose of amendement and obedience of thy heart to Gods lawe hereafter declare thy true beleefe Endeuour thy selfe to saye with Saint Paul From hencefoorth our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for a sauiour euen the Lorde Jesus Christe whiche shall change our vile bodyes that they may be fashioned like his glorious body which he shal do by the same power wherby he rose from death and wherby he shal be able to subdue all thynges vnto hym selfe Thus good Christian people forasmuche as ye haue hearde these so great and excellent benefites of Christes myghtie and glorious resurrection as howe that he hath raunsomed synne ouercome the deuill death and hell and hath victoriouslye gotten the better hande of them all to make vs free and safe from them and knowyng that we be by this benefite of his resurrection rysen with hym by our fayth vnto lyfe euerlastyng beyng in full suretie of our hope that we shall haue our bodyes lykewyse raysed agayne from death to haue them glorified in immortalitie and ioyned to his glorious bodye hauyng in the meane while his holy spirite within our heartes as a seale and pledge of our euerlastyng inheritaunce By whose assistence we be replenished with all ryghteousnes by whose power we shal be able to subdue all our euyll affections rysyng agaynst the pleasure of god These thynges I say well consydered let vs nowe in the rest of our lyfe declare our fayth that we haue to this moste fruitful article by framyng our selues therunto in rysyng dayly from sinne to righteousnes holines of lyfe For what shall it auayle vs sayth saint Peter to be escaped deliuered from the filthynesse of the worlde through the knowledge of the Lorde and sauiour Jesus Christe if we be entangled agayne therewith and be ouercome agayne Certaynely it had ben better sayth he neuer to haue knowne the way of righteousnes then after it is knowne and receaued to turne backwarde agayne from the holy commaundement of God geuen vnto vs For so shall the prouerbe haue place in vs where it is sayde The dogge is returned to his vomite agayne and the sowe that was washed to her wallowyng in the myre agayne What a shame were it for vs beyng thus so clearely and freely washed from our synne to returne to the filthynesse thereof agayne What a follie were it thus endowed with ryghteousnesse to lose it agayne What madnesse were it to lose the inheritaunce that we be nowe set in for the vyle and transitorie pleasure of synne And what an vnkyndenesse shoulde it be where our sauiour Christe of his mercie is come to vs to dwell within vs as our gâ—este to dryue hym from vs and to banishe hym violently out of our soules and in steade of hym in whom is all grace and vertue to receaue the vngratious spirite of the deuyil the founder of all naughtines and mischeefe How can we fynde in our heartes to shewe suche extreame vnkyndnesse to Christe which hath now so gently called vs to mercie and offered him selfe vnto vs and he nowe entred within vs yea howe dare we be so bolde to renounce the presence of the father the sonne and the holy ghost For where one is there is God all whole in maiestie together with all his power wysedome and goodnesse and feare not I say the daunger and peryll of so traiterous a defiaunce and departure Good Christian brethren and sisters aduise your selues consyder the dignite that ye be nowe set in let not follie lose the thyng that grace hath so preciously offered and purchased let not wylfulnesse and blindnesse put out so great lyght that is now shewed vnto you Onlye take good heartes vnto you and put vppon you all the armour of God that ye may stand agaynst your enemies which woulde agayne subdue you and bryng you into their thraldome Remember ye be bought from your vain conuersation and that your freedome is purchased neyther with golde nor syluer but with the price of the precious blood of that most innocent lambe Jesus Christe which was ordeined to the same purpose before the worlde was made But he was so declared in the latter tyme of grace for your sakes which by hym haue your fayth in God who hath raysed hym from death and hath geuen hym glory that you shoulde haue your fayth and hope towarde god Therefore as you haue hytherto folowed the vayne lustes of your myndes and so displeased God to
kepe our feaste the whole tearme of our lyfe with eatyng the bread of purenes of godly life and trueth of Christes doctrine Thus shal we declare that Christes giftes and graces haue their effect in vs and that we haue the ryght beleefe and knowledge of his holy resurrection where truely if we apply our fayth to the vertue thereof and in our lyfe confourme vs to the example signification meant thereby we shal be sure to ryse hereafter to euerlastyng glory by the goodnesse and mercie of our Lord Jesus Christ to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all glory thankes geuyng and prayse in infinita seculorum secula Amen ¶ An homilee of the worthy receauyng and reuerent esteeming of the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christe THE great loue of our Sauiour Christ towardes mankynd good Christian people doth not onlye appeare in that deare bought benefite of our redemption saluation by his death passiō but also in that he so kindlye prouided that the same most mercyful worke myght be had in continual remembraunce to take some place in vs and not be frustrate of his ende and purpose For as tender parentes are not content to procure for their chyldren costly possessions and liuelode but take order that the same may be conserued and come to their vse So our Lorde and sauiour thought it not sufficient to purchase for vs his fathers fauour agayne whiche is that deepe fountayne of all goodnesse and eternall lyfe but also inuented the wayes most wysely whereby they myght redound to our commoditie profite Amongst the which meanes is the publique celebration of the memorie of his pretious death at the Lordes table Whiche although it seeme of small vertue to some yet beyng ryghtly done by the faythfull it doth not onlye helpe their weaknesse who be by their poysoned nature redyer to remember iniuries then benefites but strengthneth comforteth their in ward man with peace gladnesse and maketh them thankfull to their redeemer with diligent care and godly conuersation And as of olde tyme God decreed his wonderous benefites of the delyueraunce of his people to be kepte in memorie by the eatyng of the passeouer with his rites and ceremonies So our louyng Sauiour hath ordeyned and establyshed the remembraunce of his great mercie expressed in his passion in the institution of his heauenly supper where euery one of vs must be ghestes and not gasers eaters and not lookers seedyng our selues and not hiryng other to feede for vs that we may lyue by our owne meate and not perishe for hunger whiles other deuour all To this his commaundement forceth vs saying Do ye thus drinke ye all of this To this his promise enticeth This is my body whiche is geuen for you this is my blood whiche is shed for you So then as of necessitie we muste be our selues partakers of this table and not beholders of other So we must addresse our selues to frequent the same in reuerent and due maner least as phisike prouided for the body beyng misused more hurteth then profiteth so this comfortable medicine of the soule vndecently receaued tendeth to our greater harme and sorow And saint Paul sayth He that eateth and drynketh vnworthyly eateth and drynketh his owne dampnation Wherefore that it be not saide to vs as it was to the ghest of that great supper Freende howe camest thou in not hauing the mariage garment And that we maye fruitfully vse Saint Paules counsell Let a man proue hym selfe and so eate of that bread and drynke of that cuppe We muste certaynelye knowe that three thynges be requisite in hym which woulde seemely as becommeth suche hygh mysteries resorte to the Lordes table That is Fyrste a ryght and a worthye estimation and vnderstandyng of this mysterie Secondely to come in a sure fayth And thirdely to haue newenesse or purenesse of lyfe to succeede the receauing the same But before all other thynges this we must be sure of especially that this Supper be in suche wyse done and ministred as our Lorde and sauiour did and commaunded to be done as his holy Apostles vsed it and the good fathers in the primatiue Churche frequented it For as that worthy man saint Ambrose sayth he is vnworthy of the Lord that otherwise doth celebrate that mysterie then it was delyuered by him Neither can he be deuout that other waies doth presume thē it was geuen by the aucthor We must then take heede leaste of the memorie it be made a sacrifice least of a cōmunion it be made a priuate eatyng least of two partes we haue but one least applying it for the dead we lose the fruit that be aliue Let vs rather in these matters folowe the aduice of Ciprian in the lyke cases that is cleaue fast to the firste beginnyng holde fast the Lordes tradition do that in the Lordes cōmemoration which he him selfe did he him selfe commaunded his apostles confirmed This caution or foresight yf we vse then may we see to those thynges that be requisit in the worthy receauer wherof this was the fyrste that we haue a ryght vnderstandyng of the thyng it selfe As concerning which thing this we maye assuredlye perswade our selues that the ignoraunt man can neyther worthyly esteeme nor effectually vse those marueilous graces and benefites offered and exhibited in that Supper but eyther wyll lightly regarde them to no small offence or vtterly condempne them to his vtter destruction So that by his negligence he deserueth the plagues of God to fall vppon hym and by contempt he deserueth euerlastyng perdition To auoyde then these harmes vse the aduice of the wyse man who wylleth thee when thou sittest at an earthlye kynges table to take diligent heede what thinges are set before thee So nowe much more at the kyng of kynges table thou must carefully searche and knowe what dainties are prouided for thy soule whyther thou art come not to feede thy senses and belly to corruption but thy in warde man to immortalitie and lyfe nor to consyder the earthlye creatures whiche thou seest but the heauenlye graces which thy fayth beholdeth For this table is not sayth Chrisostome for chattering Jayes but for Egles who flee thither where the dead bodye lyeth And yf this aduertisement of man can not perswade vs to resorte to the lordes table with vnderstandyng see the counsell of GOD in the lyke matter who charged his people to teache their posteritie not onlye the rites and ceremonies of the Passouer but the cause and ende thereof Whence we may learne that both more perfect knowledge is required at this tyme at our handes and that the ignoraunt can not with fruite and profite exercise hym selfe in the Lordes Sacramentes But to come nygher to the matter Saint Paul blaming the Corinthians for the prophaning of the Lordes supper concludeth that ignoraunce both of the thing it selfe and the signification thereof was the cause of their abuse for they came thither
hath purified our heartes by fayth to the sincere acknowledging of his Gospel and imbracing of his mercies in Christe Jesu that so at this his table we receaue not only the outwarde Sacrament but the spirituall thing also not the figure but the trueth not the shadowe only but the bodye not to death but to lyfe not to destruction but to saluation which God graunt vs to do through the merites of our Lord and Sauiour to whom be all honour and glory for euer Amen The seconde part of the Homilee of the worthy receauing and reuerent esteeming of the sacrament of the body and blood of Christe IN the Homilee of late rehearsed vnto you ye haue hearde good people why it pleased our sauiour Christe to institute that heauenly memorie of his death and passion and that euery one of vs ought to celebrate the same at his table in our owne personnes and not by other You haue hearde also with what estimation knowledge of so hygh mysteries we ought to resort thyther You haue hearde with what constant fayth we shoulde clothe and decke our selues that we myght be fit and decent partakers of that celestiall foode Nowe foloweth the thirde thing necessarie in him that woulde not eate of this breade nor drinke of this cuppe vnworthyly which is newnesse of lyfe and godlinesse of conuersation For newenesse of lyfe as fruites of fayth are required in the partaker of this table â—e maye learne by the eating of the tipicall lambe whervnto no man was admitted but he that was a Jewe that was circumcized that was before sanctiâ—â—ed Yea Saint Paul testifieth that although the people were partakers of the Sacramentes vnder Moyses yet for that some of them were still worshippers of images whoremongers tempters of Christe murmurers and coueting after euill thinges God ouerthrewe those in the wyldernesse and that for our example that is that we Christians shoulde take heede we resorte vnto our Sacramentes with holinesse of lyfe not trustyng in the outwarde receauing of them and infected with corrupte and vncharitable maners For this sentence of GOD must alwayes be iustified I wyll haue mercie and not sacrifice Wherefore â—ayth Basâ—l it behoueth him that commeth to the bodye and blood of Christe in commemoration of hym that dyed and rose agayne not only to be pure from all filthynesse of the fleshe and spirite least he eate and drinke to his condempnation but also to shewe out euidently a memorie of hym that dyed rose agayne for vs in this point that he be mortified to sinne and the world to liue now to God in Christe Jesu our Lorde So then we must shewe outwarde testimonie in folowyng the signification of Christes death amongst the which this is not esteemed least to render thankes to almightie God for all his benefites briefely comprised in the death passion resurrection of his dearely beloued sonne The which thing because we ought chiefly at this table to solempnise the godly fathers named it Eucharistia that is thankesgeuing As yf they should haue sayde Nowe aboue all other tymes ye ought to laude and prayse god Now may you beholde the matter the cause the begynning and the ende of all thankesgeuing Nowe yf you stacke ye shewe your selues most vnthankfull and that no other benefite can euer stirre you to thanke God who so litle regarde here so many so wonderfull and so profitable benefites Seeyng then that the name thing it selfe doth monishe vs of thanks let vs as saint Paul sayth offer alwayes to god the hoste or sacrifice of prayse by Christe that is the fruite of the lippes which confesse his name For as Dauid singeth He that offereth to God thankes and prayse honoureth hym But howe fewe be there of thankfull personnes in comparison to the vnthankfull Loe ten Lepers in the Gospell were healed and but one only returned to geue thankes for his health Yea happye it were yf among fourtie Communicantes we coulde see two vnfaignedly geue thankes So vnkinde we be so obliuious we be so proude beggers we be that partly we care not for our owne commoditie partlye we knowe not our duetie to God and chiefely we wyll not confesse all that we receaue Yea and yf we be forced by Gods power to do it yet we handle it so coldely so drylye that our lippes prayse him but our heartes disprayse hym our tongues blesse hym but our lyfe curseth hym our wordes worshippe hym but our workes dishonour him O let vs therfore learne to geue God here thankes aright and so to agnise his exceeding graces powred vppon vs that they beyng shutte vp in the treasure house of our heart maye in due tyme and season in our lyfe and conuersation appeare to the glorifying of his holye name Furthermore for newenesse of lyfe it is to be noted that Saint Paul wryteth that we beyng many are one bread and one body For all be partakers of one bread Declaring thereby not onlye our Communion with Christ but that vnitie also wherin they that eate at this table shoulde be knitte together For by discention vaineglory ambition strise enuying contempt hatred or malyce they shoulde not be disseuered but so ioyned by the bonde of loue in one mysticall bodye as the cornes of that bread in one lofe In respecte of which strait knot of charitie the true Christians in the tender tyme of Christes Churche called this supper loue As yf they shoulde saye none ought to sit downe there that were out of loue and charitie who bore grudge vengeaunce in his heart who also dyd not professe his kynd affection by some charitable reliefe for some parte of the congregation And this was their practise O heaueÌ„ly â—anket then so vsed O godly ghestes who so estemed this feast But O wretched creatures that we be at these daies who be without reconciliation of our brethren whoÌ„ we haue offended without satisfying them whom we haue caused to fall without any kynde of thought or compassion toward them whoÌ„ we myght easyly relieue without any conscience of slaunder disdayne misrâ—poet diuision rancour or inwarde bitternes Yea being accombred with the cloked hatred of Caine with the long couered malice of Esau with the dissembled falshood of Ioab dare ye presume to come vp to these sacred and fearefull mysteries O man whyther rushest thou vnaduisedly It is a table of peace and thou art redy to fight It is a table of singlenes and thou art imagining mischeefe It is a table of quietnesse and thou art geuen to debate It is a table of pitie and thou art vnmercifull Doest thou neyther feare GOD the maker of this feast nor reuerence his Christe the refection and meate nor regardest his spouse his beloued ghest nor weighest thyne owne conscience which is sometime thyne inwarde accuser Wherfore O man tender thyne owne saluation examine and trye thygood wyl and loue towardes the chyldren of God the members of Christe the heyres of the heauenly heritage
resteth al wysdome al habilitie to know God and to please hym For he writeth thus Be know that it is not in mans power to guide his goinges No man can know thy pleasure except thou geuest wysdome sendest thy holy spirite frō aboue Send him downe therefore prayeth he to God from thy holy heauens from the trone of thy maiestie that he may be with me and labour with me that so I may knowe what is acceptable before thee Let vs with so good heart pray as he dyd we shall not faile but to haue his assistance For he is sone seene of them that loue him he wyll be founde of them that seeke him For very liberall and gentle is the spirite of wisdome In his power shall we haue sufficient abilitie to knowe our duetie to God in him shall we be comforted and couraged to walke in our duetie in hym shall we be meete vessels to receaue the grace of almightie God for it is he that purgeth and purifieth the minde by his secrete working And he onlye is present euery where by his inuisible power and conteineth all thinges in his dominion He lyghtneth the heart to conceaue worthy thoughtes to almyghtie God he sitteth in the tongue of man to stirre him to speake his honour no language is hyd from him for he hath the knowledge of al speache he only ministreth spiritual strength to the powers of our soule body To hold the way whiche God had prepared for vs to walke ryghtly in our iourney we must acknowledge that it is in the power of his spirite which helpeth our infirmitie That we may boldly come in prayer and call vpon almyghtie God as our father it is by this holy spirite whiche maketh intercession for vs with continuall sighes If any gyft we haue wherewith we may worke to the glory of God profite of our neyghbour all is wrought by his owne selfe same spirite whiche maketh his distributions peculierly to euerye man as he wyl If any wysdome we haue it is not of our selues we can not glory therein as begun of our selues but we ought to glory in God from whō it came to vs as the prophete Jeremie wryteth Let him that reioyceth reioyce in this that he vnderstandeth knoweth me for I am the lord which sheweth mercie iudgement and righteousnes in the earth for in these thinges I delight saith the Lorde This wysdome can not be attayned but by the direction of the spirite of God therefore it is called spiritual wysdome And no where can we more certainely searche for the knowledge of this wyll of God by the which we must direct al our workes deedes but in the holy scriptures for they be they that testifie of hym sayth our sauiour Christe It maye be called knowledge and learnyng that is other where gotten out of the worde but the wyse man plainely testifieth that they al be but vaine which haue not in them the wisdome of god We see to what vanitie the olde Philosophers came which were destitute of this science gotten searched for in his worde We see what vanitie the schole doctrine is mixed with for that in this world they sought not the wyll of God but rather the wyll of reason the trade of custome the path of the fathers the practise of the Churche Let vs therfore reade reuolue the holy scripture both day nyght for blessed is he that hath his whole meditatiō therin It is that that geueth light to our feete to walke by It is that whiche geueth wysdome to the simple and ignoraunt In it may we finde eternall lyfe In the holy scriptures find we Christ in Christ find we God for he it is that is the expresse image of the father He that seeth Christ seeth the father And contrary wyse as Saint Hierome sayth the ignorance of scripture is the ignorance of christ Not to knowe Christ is to be in darknesse in the middes of our worldly and carnal light of reason and philosophie To be without Christe is to be in foolishnes For he is the only wysdome of the father in whom it pleased hym that all fulnesse perfection shoulde dwel With whō whosoeuer is indued in heart by faith rooted fast in charitie hath layde a sure foundation to buylde on whereby he may be able to comprehende with al saintes what is the breadth length deapth to know the loue of Christe This vniuersal and absolute knowledge is that wysdome which S. Paul wisheth these Ephesians to haue as vnder heauen the greatest treasure that can be obteyned For of this wysdome the wyse man wryteth thus of his experience All good thinges came to me together with her and innumerable ryches through her handes And addeth moreouer in that same place She is the mother of all these things For she is an infinite treasure vnto men which who so vse become partakers of the loue of god I might with many wordes moue some of this audience to searche for this wysdome to sequester their reason to folowe gods commaundemēt to cast frō them the wittes of their braines to fauour this wysdome to renounce the wysedome pollicie of this fonde worlde to taste and sauour that whereunto the fauour wyll of god hath called them and willeth vs finally to enioy by his fauour if we would geue eare But I wil haste to the thirde part of my text wherein is expressed further in sapience how God geueth his electe an vnderstandyng of the motions of the heauens of the alterations and circumstaunces of time Whiche as it foloweth in wordes more plentifull in the text which I haue last cited vnto you So it must needes folow in them that be indued with this spiritual wysdome For as they can searche where to finde this wysdome and know of whom to aske it So know they againe that in time it is found and can therefore attemper them selues to the occasion of the time to suffer no time to passe away wherein they maye labour for this wysdome And to encrease therein they knowe how God of his infinite mercie and lenitie geueth all men here tyme and place of repentance And they see howe the wicked as Job wryteth abuse the same to their pride therfore do the godly take the better holde of the time to redeeme it out of suche vse as it is spoyled in by the wicked They which haue this wisdome of God can gather by the diligent and earnest studye of the worldlinges of this present lyfe howe they wayte theyr times and apply them selues to euery occasion of time to get riches to encrease their landes patrimonie They see the tyme passe away and therefore take holde on it in such wise that otherwhyles they wyll with losse of theyr sleepe ease with suffering many paynes catche the offer of their time knowyng that that which is once past
them to whom soeuer he will. Furthermore what is the cause of penurie and scarcenesse of dearth and famine any other thing but a token of Gods yre reuengyng our wronges and iniuries one done to another Ye haue sowen muche obraydeth God by his prophete Aggei and yet bryng in little ye eate but ye be not satisfyed ye drynke but ye be not filled ye cloth your selues but ye be not warme and he that earneth his wages putteth it in a bottomlesse purse ye looke for muche encrease but loe it came to little and when ye brought it home into your barnes I did blow it away sayth the Lorde O consyder therefore the yre of God agaynst gleaners gatherers and incrochers vppon other mennes landes and possessions It is lamentable to see in some places howe greedy men vse to plowe and grate vppon their neighbours lande that lyeth next them howe couetous men nowe a dayes plowe vp so nyghe the common balkes and walkes whiche good men before tyme made the greater and broder partlye for the commodious walke of his neyghbour partlye for the better shacke in haruest tyme to the more comfort of his poore neighbours cattell It is a shame to behold the insaciablenes of some couetous personnes in their doynges that where their auncetours left of their lande a broade and sufficient beere balke to cary the corps to the Christian sepulture how men pinche at suche beere balkes which by long vse and custome ought to be inuiolablye kept for that purpose And nowe they eyther quite ere them vp and turne the dead bodye to be borne farther about in the hye streates or els if they leaue anye such meere it is to strayte for two to walke on These straunge encrochementes good neighbours should be loked vpon These should be consydered in these dayes of our perambulations And afterwarde the parties admonished charitablye refourmed who be the doers of such priuate gainyng to the staunder of the towneship and to the hinderaunce of the poore Your hye wayes should be consydered in your walkes to vnderstād where to bestow your daies works accordyng to the good Statutes prouided for the same It is a good deede of mercy to amend the daungerous and noysome wayes whereby thy poore neyghbour sitting on his seely weake beast foundereth not in the deepe thereof and so the market the worse serued for discouraging of poore vittailers to resorte thyther for the same cause If now therfore ye wyl haue your prayers hearde before almyghtie God for the increase of your corne and cattel and for the defence therof from vnseasonable mistes and blastes from haile and other such tempestes loue equity and ryghteousnes ensue mercy and charitie whiche God most requyreth at our handes Which almighty God respected cheefly in making his ciuile lawes for his people the Israelites in chargyng the owners not to gather vp their corne to nye at haruest season nor the Grapes and Oliues in gatheryng tyme but to leaue behynd some eares of corne for the poore gleaners By this he ment to induce them to pitie the poore to releeue the needye to shew mercye and kyndnes It can not be lost whiche for his sake is distributed to the poore For he which ministreth seed to the sower and bread to the hungrye which sendeth down the earely and latter rayne vpon your feeldes so to fill vppe the barnes with corne and the wyne presses with wyne and oyle he I say who recompenseth all kynde of benefites in the resurrection of the iust he will assuredly recompence all mercifull deedes shewed to the needy howsoeuer vnable the poore is vpon whom it is bestowed O sayth Salomon let not mercye and trueth forsake thee Bynde them about thy necke sayth he and write them on the table of thy hart so shalt thou fynde fauour at Gods hand Thus honour thou the Lorde with thy rytches and with the firste fruites of thyne encrease So shall thy barnes be filled with aboundaunce and thy presses shall brust with newe wyne Nay God hath promysed to open the windowes of heauen vppon the liberall ryghteous man that he shall want nothyng He wyll represse the deuouryng Caterpiller which should deuour your fruites He wyll geue you peace and quyete to gather in your prouision that ye may sit euery man vnder his owne vyne quyetly without feare of the forrayne enemyes to inuade you He wyll geue you not onelye foode to feede on but stomackes and good appetites to take comforte of your fruites whereby in all thinges ye may haue sufficiencie Finally he will blesse you with all maner aboundaunce in this transitorye lyfe and endue you with all maner benediction in the nexte worlde in the kyngdome of heauen through the merites of our Lorde and Sauiour to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour euerlastyngly Amen ⧠An Homilee of the state of Matrimonie THe worde of almyghtie god doth testify declare whēce the originall beginning of matrimonie commeth and why it is ordeyned It is instituted of God to the intent that man woman should liue lawfully in a perpetuall frendly felowship to bring forth fruit and to auoyde fornication By whiche meanes a good conscience might be preserued on both parties in brideling the corrupt inclinations of the fleshe within the limits of honestie For God hath straitly forbidden all whoredome and vncleannesse hath from tyme to tyme taken greuous punishments of this inordinate lust as al stories ages hath declared Furthermore it is also ordeyned that the church of God his kingdom might by this kinde of lyfe be conserued and enlarged not only in that God geueth children by his blessing but also in that they be brought vp by the parents godly in the knowledge of Gods word that thus the knowledge of God and true religion myght be deliuered by succession from one to another that finally many might enioye that euerlasting immortalitie Wherefore forasmuch as Matrimonie serueth as well to auoyde sinne offence as to encrease the kingdom of God you as al other which enter that state must acknowledge this benefite of God with pure thankeful mindes for that he hath so ruled our heartes that ye folowe not the example of the wicked worlde who set their delyght in filthynesse of sinne where both of you stande in the feare of God and abhorre all filthynesse For that is surelye the singuler gyft of God where the common example of the worlde declareth how the deuill hath their heartes bound and entangled in dyuers snares so that they in their wyuelesse state runne into open abhominations without anye grudge of their conscience Whiche sorte of men that liueth so desperately and filthylye what dampnation taryeth for them saynt Paule descrybeth it to them saying Neither whoremongers neyther adulterers shall inherite the kingdome of God. This horrible iudgement of God ye be escaped through his mercy if so be that ye lyue inseparately accordyng to Gods ordinaunce
to towne from place to place without punishment which neyther serue God nor their prince but deuoure the sweete fruites of other mens labour being common liers drunkardes swearers theeues whoremaisters and murtherers refusing all honest labour and geue them selues to nothyng els but to inuent and do mischeefe whereof they are more desyrous and greedy then is any Lion of his pray To remedy this inconueniencie let al parentes others whiche haue the care and gouernance of youth so bring them vp eyther in good learnyng labour or some honest occupation or trade whereby they may be able in time to come not only to sustaine them selues competently but also to relieue and supplie the necessitie and want of others And saint Paul sayth Let hym that hath stolen steale no more and he that hath deceaued others or vsed vnlawful wayes to get his liuing leaue of the same labour rather workyng with his handes that thing whiche is good that he may haue that which is necessarie for hym selfe and also be able to geue vnto others that stande in neede of his helpe The prophet Dauid thinketh him happy that liueth vpon his labour saying When thou eatest the labours of thyne handes happy art thou and wel is thee This happines or blessing consisteth in these such like pointes First it is the gyft of God as Salomon sayth when one eateth and drinketh and receaueth good of his labour Secondaryly when one liueth of his owne labour so it be honest good he liueth of it with a good conscience And an vpryght conscience is a treasure inestimable Thirdly he eateth his bread not with brawling and chiding but with peace and quietnes when he quietly laboureth for the same accordyng to saint Paules admonition Fourthly he is no mans bondman for his meate sake nor needeth not for that to hang vpon the good wyll of other men but so liueth of his owne that he is able to geue part to others And to conclude the labouryng man and his familie whyles they are busilie occupied in their labour be free from many temptations and occasions of sinne which they that liue in idlenesse are subiect vnto And here ought Artificers and Labouring men who be at wages for their worke and labour to consyder theyr conscience to God and theyr duetie to their neighbour least they abuse their tyme in idlenesse so defraudyng them whiche be at charge both with great wages and deare commons They be worse then idle men in deede for that they seeke to haue wages for their loytring It is lesse daunger to God to be idle for no gayne then by idlenes to win out of theyr neyghbours purses wages for that which is not deserued It is true that almyghtie God is angry with suche as do defraude the hyred man of his wages The crie of that iniurie ascendeth vp to Gods eare for vengeaunce And as true it is that the hyred man who vseth deceipt in his labour is a theefe before god Let no man sayth saint Paul to the Thessalonians subtilly beguile his brother let him not defraud him in his busines For the lord is reuenger of suche deceiptes Wherevppon he that wyll haue a good conscience to God that labouring man I say which dependeth wholye vpon Gods benediction ministring all thynges sufficient for his liuing let hym vse his tyme in faythful labour and when his labour by sicknes or other misfortune doth ceasse yet let him think for that in his health he serued GOD and his neyghbour truely he shall not want in tyme of necessitie God vppon respect of his fidelitie in health wyll recompence his indigence to moue the heartes of good men to relieue suche decayed men in sicknesse Where otherwyse whatsoeuer is gotten by idlenesse shall haue no foyson to helpe in tyme of neede Let the labouryng man therfore eschew for his part this vice of idlenesse and deceipt remembring that saint Paul exhorteth euery man to lay away al deceipt dissimulation and lying and to vse trueth plainenesse to his neyghbour because sayth he we be members together in one body vnder one head Christ our sauiour And here myght be charged the seruing men of this Realme who spend their tyme in much idlenesse of life nothyng regardyng the oportunitie of their time forgetting how seruice is no heritage howe age will creepe vpon them where wysdome were they should expende theyr idle time in some good businesse whereby they myght increase in knowledge so the more worthy to be readye for euery mans seruice It is a great rebuke to them that they studie not eyther to write fayre to kepe a booke of accompt to studie the tongues and so to get wysdome knowledge in suche bookes and workes as be nowe plentifully set out in print of all maner languages Let young men consyder the pretious value of their time and wast it not in idlenesse in iolitie in gaming in banqueting in ruffians company Youth is but vanitie and must be accompted for before god Howe mery and glad soeuer thou be in thy youth O young man sayth the preacher how glad soeuer thy heartbe in thy young dayes how fast and freely soeuer thou folowe the waies of thine owne heart and the lust of thyne owne eyes yet be thou sure that God shal bring thee into iudgement for al these thinges God of his mercie put it into the heartes mindes of all them that haue the sworde of punishment in their hands or haue families vnder their gouernance to labour to redres this great enormitie of al such as liue idelly and vnprofitably in the cōmon weale to the great dishonour of God the greeuous plague of his seely people To leaue sinne vnpunished and to neglect the good bryngyng vp of youth is nothyng els but to kindle the Lordes wrath agaynst vs and to heape plagues vpon our owne heades As long as the adulterous people were suffered to liue licenciously without reformation so long dyd the plague continue and increase in Israel as ye may see in the booke of Numbers But when due correction was done vpon them the Lordes anger was straightway pacified and the plague ceassed Let al officers therefore loke straightly to their charge Let all maisters of housholdes refourme this abuse in their families Let them vse the aucthoritie that God hath geuen them Let them not mainteyne vagaboundes and idle persons but deliuer the Realme and their householdes from suche noysome loyterers that idlenesse the mother of al mischeefe being cleane taken away almyghtie God may turne his dreadful anger away from vs cōfirme the couenant of peace vpon vs for euer through the merites of Jesus Christ our only Lord sauiour to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour and glory worlde without ende Amen An Homilee of repentaunce and of true reconciliation vnto God. THere is nothing that the holy ghost doth so much labour in all the scriptures to beate into
the bottome of our heartes detest and abhorre with all earnestnesse flee from it syth that it dyd cost the deare heart blood of the onlye begotten sonne of God our sauiour redeemer to purge vs from it Plato doth in a certayne place wryte that if vertue coulde be seene with bodily eyes all men woulde wonderfully be enflamed and kyndeled with the loue of it Euen so on the contrary if we myght with our bodily eyes beholde the filthynesse of synne and the vncleannes therof we coulde in no wyse abyde it but as most present and deadly poyson hate and eschewe it We haue a common experience of the same in them which when they haue committed any heynous offence or some filthy and abhominable synne if it once come to lyght or if they chaunce to haue a through feelyng of it they be so ashamed their owne conscience puttyng before their eyes the filthynes of their acte that they dare looke no man in the face muche lesse that they shoulde be able to stande in the syght of God. Fourthly the vncertayntie and brittlenesse of our owne lyues whiche is such that we can not assure our selues that we shall lyue one houre or one halfe quarter of it Whiche by experience we do fynde daily to be true in them that beyng nowe mery and lustye and sometymes feastyng and banquettyng with their freendes do fall sodenly dead in the streetes and otherwhyles vnder the boarde when they are yet at meate These daily examples as they are moste terrible and dreadfull so ought they to moue vs to seeke for to be at one with our heauenlye iudge that we may with a good conscience appeare before hym whensoeuer it shal please him for to cal vs whether it be sodaynly or otherwyse for we haue no more charter of our lyfe then they haue But as we are moste certayne that we shall dye so are we most vncertayne when we shal dye For our lyfe doth lye in the hande of God who wyll take it away when it pleaseth hym And veryly when the hyghest somner of all which is death shall come he wyll not be sayde nay but we must foorth with be packyng to be present before the iudgement seate of God as he doth fynde vs accordyng as it is wrytten Wheras the tree falleth whether it be towarde the South or towarde the North there it shall lye Whereunto agreeth the saying of the holy martyr of God S. Ciprian saying As God doth fynde thee when he doth call so doth he iudge thee Let vs therefore folowe the counsayle of the wyse man where he sayth Make no tarrying to turne vnto the Lorde and put not of from day to day For sodenly shall the wrath of the Lorde breake foorth and in thy securitie shalt thou be destroyed and shalt perishe in tyme of vengeaunce Whiche wordes I desyre you to marke diligently because they do most lyuely put before our eyes the fondnesse of manye men whiche abusyng the long sufferyng and goodnes of God do neuer thynke on repentaunce or amendement of lyfe Folowe not sayth he thyne owne mynde and thy strength to walke in the wayes of thy heart neyther say thou who wyll bryng me vnder for my workes For God the reuenger wyll reuenge the wrong done by thee And saye not I haue synned and what euyll hath come vnto me For the almyghtie is a patient rewarder but he wyll not leaue thee vnpunished Because thy synnes are forgeuen thee be not without feare to heape sin vpon synne Say not neyther The mercie of god is great he wil forgeue my manifold sinnes For mercy and wrath come from him and his indignation commeth vpon vnrepentant synners As if he should say Art thou strong and myghtie Art thou lustye and young Haste thou the wealth and ryches of the worlde Or when thou hast synned hast thou receaued no punishment for it Let none of all these thynges make thee to be the slower to repent and to returne with speede vnto the Lorde For in the day of punishment and of his sodayne vengeaunce they shall not be able to helpe thee And speciallye when thou art eyther by the preaching of Gods worde or by some inwarde motion of his holy spirite or els by some other meanes called vnto repentaunce neglect not the good occasion that is ministred vnto thee least when thou wouldest repent thou hast not the grace for to do it For to repent is a good gyft of God which he wyll neuer graunt vnto them whiche lyuyng in carnal securitie do make a mocke of his threatnynges or seeke to rule his spirites as they list as though his workyng gyftes were tyed vnto their wyll Fifthly the auoydyng of the plagues of God and the vtter destructiō that by his ryghteous iudgement doth hang ouer the heades of them all that will in no wyse returne vnto the Lorde I wyll saith the Lorde geue them for a terrible plague to all the kyngdomes of the earth and for a reproche and for aprouerbe and for a curse in all places where I shall cast them and wyll send the sworde of famine the pestilence among them tyll they be consumed out of the land And wherfore is this Because they hardned their heartes and woulde in no wyse returne from their euyll wayes nor yet forsake the wyckednesse that was in their owne handes that the fiercenesse of the Lordes furie myght departe from them But yet this is nothing in comparison of the intollerable and endlesse tormentes of hell fyre whiche they shal be fayne to suffer who after their hardnesse of heart that can not repent do heape vnto them selues wrath against the day of anger and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God Wheras if we wyll repent and be earnestly sory for our synnes and with a full purpose of amendement of lyfe flee vnto the mercie of our god and taking sure holde thereuppon through fayth in our sauiour Jesus Christe do bring foorth fruites worthy of repentaunce he wyll not onlye powre his manifold blessynges vpon vs here in this world but also at the last after the paynefull trauayles of this lyfe rewarde vs with the inheritaunce of his chyldren whiche is the kyngdome of heauen purchased vnto vs with the death of his sonne Jesu Christe our Lorde to whom with the father and the holy ghoste be all prayse glory and honour worlde without ende Amen ⧠An Homilee agaynst disobedience and wylful rebellion The fyrst parte AS GOD the creatour and Lord of al thynges appoynted his angels and heauenly creatures in all obedience to serue and to honour his maiestie so was it his wyl that man his cheefe creature vpon the earth shoulde lyue vnder the obedience of his creator and Lord and for that cause God assoone as he had created man gaue vnto him a certayne precept and law whiche he beyng yet in the state of innocencie remaynyng in paradise shoulde obserue as a pledge and
4. b. 6. Psal. 2. Psal. 2. Prouerb 19 Sapience 13. Prouerb 17. Ephes. 4. Iohn 12. Esai 5. c. 13. Luk. 19. g. 44. 23. c. 34. Actes multis locis Iohn 16. a. 2. Esai 27. Osee. 4. Baruch 3. Esai 6. c. 9. Math. 13. b. 14. 15. Ioh. 12. f. 40. Sapience 5. Mat. 13. c. 19. 2. Cor. 4. 8. 3. 4. Mat. 7. Iohn 3. Mat. 11. b. 15 13. a. 9 f. 43. Luk. 8. a. 8. Ioh. 5. f. 39. Psalm 1. Mat. 7. b. 7 Luk. 11. b. 9 Luk. 16. g. 30. 31. Gal. 1. b. 8. Deut. 5. d. 32. Deut. 17. c. 14. 15. c. Rom. 13. 1. Pet. 2. Psal. 118. Psal. 18. 118. Eph. 5. c. 14 1. Thes. 5. a 4. 5. Ioh. 12. e. 35. 36. Iacob 1. c. 17. i. Tim. 6. d 16. Iohn 3. ¶ A thankes geuing for the suppression of the last rebellion OHeauenly and moste merciful father the defendour of those that put their trust in thee the sure fortresse of al them that flee to thee for succour who of thy moste iust iudgements for our disobedience and rebellion agaynst thy holy word and for our sinful wicked liuing nothing answering to our holy profession wherby we haue geuen an occasion that thy holy name hath ben blasphemed amongst the ignorāt hast of late both sore abashed the whole Realme and people of England with the terrour daunger of rebellion thereby to awake vs out of our dead sleepe of careles securitie and haste yet by the miseries following the same rebellion more sharply punished parte of our countreymen and Christian brethren who haue more neerely felt the same and most dreadfully hast scourged some of the seditious persons with terrible executions iustly inflicted for their disobedience to thee and to thy seruaunt their Soueraine to the example of vs all and to the warnyng correction and amendement of thy seruauntes of thyne accustomed goodnesse turnyng alwayes the wickednesse of euyll men to the profite of them that feare thee who in thy iudgementes remembryng thy mercye hast by thy assistaunce geuen the victorye to thy seruaunte our Queene her true Nobilitie an faythfull subiectes with so litle or rather no effusion of Christian bloode as also myght iustly haue ensued to the exceeding comfort of all sorowful Christian hearts and that of thy fatherly pitie and merciful goodnes only and euen for thine owne names sake without any our desert at all VVherfore we render vnto thee most humble heartie thanks for these thy great mercies shewed vnto vs who had deserued sharper punishment most humblye beseching thee to graunt vnto all vs that confesse thy holy name professe the true and perfect religion of thy holy Gospel thy heauenly grace to shew our selues in our liuing according to our profession that we truely knowing thee in thy blessed worde may obediently walke in thy holy commaundements that we being warned by this thy fatherly correction do prouoke thy iust wrath agaynst vs no more but may enioye the continuaunce of thy great mercies toward vs thy right hand as in this so in all other inuasions rebellions daungers continuallye sauing and defending our Churche our Realme our Queene and people of England that al our posterities ensuing confessing thy holy name professing thy holy Gospel and leading an holy lyfe may perpetually prayse and magnify thee with thy onely sonne Iesus Christ our sauiour the holy ghost to whom be allaud praise glory and Empire for euer and euer Amen ¶ Imprinted at London in Poules Churchyarde by Richarde Jugge and Iohn Cawood Printers to the Queenes Maiestie
this a full perfect and blessed estate Coulde any thing els be well added hereunto or greater felicitie desyred in this worlde But as the common nature of all men is in tyme of prosperitie and wealth to forget not only them selues but also God Euen so did this first man Adam who hauing but one commaundement at Gods hande namely that he shoulde not eate of the fruite of knowledge of good ill dyd not withstanding most vnmindefully or rather moste wylfully breake it in forgetting the straight charge of his maker and geuing eare to the craftie suggestion of that wicked serpent the deuill Whereby it came to passe that as before he was blessed so nowe he was accursed as before he was loued so now he was abhorred as before he was most beautifull and pretious so nowe he was moste vyle and wretched in the sight of his Lorde and maker Insteade of the image of God he was nowe become the image of the deuill Insteade of the citezin of heauen he was become the bondslaue of hell hauing in hym selfe no one part of his former puritie cleannesse but being altogether spotted defiled insomuch that nowe he seemed to be nothing els but a lumpe of sinne and therfore by the iust iudgement of god was condempned to euerlasting death This so great and miserable a plague if it had only rested on Adam who first offended it had ben so muche the easyer and myght the better haue ben borne But it fell not only on hym but also on his posteritie children for euer so that the whole broode of Adams flesh should sustaine the selfe same fall punishment which their forefather by his offence most iustly had deserued Saint Paul in the fifth Chapter to the Romanes sayth By the offence of onlye Adam the fault came vpon all men to condempnation by one mans disobedience many were made sinners By which words we are taught that as in Adam al men vniuersally sinned so in Adam all men vniuersally receaued the reward of sinne that is to say became mortall subiect vnto death hauing in them selues nothyng but euerlasting dampnation both of body and soule They became as Dauid sayth corrupt abominable they went all out of the way there was none that dyd good no not one O what a miserable wofull state was this that the synne of one man should destroy and condempne al men that nothyng in all the worlde might be looked for but only pangues of death paynes of hell Had it ben any maruaile if mankinde had ben vtterlie driuen to desperation beyng thus fallen from life to death from saluation to destruction from heauen to hell But beholde the great goodnes tender mercie of god in this behalf Albeit mans wickednes sinfull behauiour was such that it deserued not in any part to be forgeuē yet to the intent he might not be cleane destitute of al hope and comfort in tyme to come he ordeyned a new couenaunt made a sure promise thereof namely that he would send a Messias or mediatour into the world which shoulde make intercession put him selfe as a stay betweene both parties to pacifie the wrath indignation conceaued against sinne to deliuer man out of the miserable curse and cursed miserie wherinto he was fallen headlong by disobeying the wyll commaundement of the only Lord maker This couenaunt and promise was first made vnto Adam him selfe immediatly after his fall as we reade in the thirde of Genesis where God sayd to the serpent on this wyse I wyll put enmitie betweene thee and the woman betweene thy seede her seede He shall breake thyne head thou shalt bruse his heele After warde the selfe same couenaunt was also more amplie plainely renued vnto Abraham where God promised him that in his seede all nations families of the earth should be blessed Agayne it was continued and confirmed vnto Isahac in the same fourme of wordes as it was before vnto his father And to the intent that mankinde myght not dispaire but alwayes lyue in hope almightie god neuer ceassed to publishe repeate confirme continue the same by diuers and sundrye testimonies of his prophetes who for the better perswasion of the thing prophesied the tyme the place the maner and circumstaunce of his birth the affliction of his life the kinde of his death the glory of his resurrection the receauing of his kingdome the deliueraunce of his people with all other circumstaunces belonging thereunto Esaias prophesied that he should be borne of a virgin and called Emanuel Micheas prophesied that he shoulde be borne in Bethlehem a place of Jurie Ezechiel prophesied that he shoulde come of the stocke and lynage of Dauid Daniel prophesied that all nations and languages shoulde serue him Zacharie prophesied that he should come in pouertie riding vpon an Asse Malachie prophesied that he shoulde sende Elias before him whiche was John the Baptist. Hieremie prophesied that he should be solde for thirtie peeces of siluer c. And all this was done that the promise couenaunt of God made vnto Abraham his posteritie concerning the redemption of the worlde myght be credited and fully beleued Nowe as the Apostle Paul sayth when the fulnesse of time was come that is the perfection and course of yeres appoynted from the beginning then God accordyng to his former couenaunt and promise sent a Messias otherwyse called a mediatour vnto the worlde not such a one as Moyses was not such a one as Josua Saul or Dauid was but suche a one as shoulde deliuer mankinde from the bitter curse of the lawe and make perfect satisfaction by his death for the sinnes of all people namely he sent his deare and only sonne Jesus Christ made as the Apostle sayth of a woman and made vnder the lawe that he might redeeme them that were in bondage of the lawe make thē the chyldren of God by adoption Was not this a wonderfull great loue towardes vs that were his professed and open enemies towardes vs that were by nature the children of wrath and fyrebrandes of hell fyre In this sayth Saint John appeared the great loue of God that he sent his onlye begotten sonne into the worlde to saue vs when we were his extreme enemies Herein is loue not that we loued him but that he loued vs and sent his sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes Saint Paul also sayth Christ when we were yet of no strength dyed for vs being vngodlye Doubtlesse a man wyll scarse dye for a ryghteous man Peraduenture some one durst dye for him of whom they haue receaued good But god setteth out his loue towardes vs in that he sent Christe to dye for vs when we were yet voyde of all goodnesse This and such other comparisons doth the Apostle vse to amplifie and set forth the tender mercie great goodnes of God declared towardes mankinde in sendyng downe a sauiour from heauen euen Christe
the Lorde Which one benefite among all other is so great wonderfull that neyther tongue can well expresse it neither heart thinke it much lesse geue sufficient thankes to god for it But here is a great controuersie betwene vs and the Jewes whether the same Jesus which was borne of the virgin Marie be the true Messias and true sauiour of the worlde so long promised prophesied of before They as they are and haue ben alwayes proude stiffe necked woulde neuer acknowledge hym vntil this day but haue loked and gaped for another to come They haue this fond imagination in their heades that Messias shall come not as Christ did like a poore pilgrime and simple soule rydyng vppon an Asse But lyke a baliaunt and mightie king in great royaltie honour Not as Christ did with a fewe fishermen and men of small estimation in the world but with a great armie of strong men with a great traine of wyse noble mē as knightes Lords Earles Dukes Princes so foorth Neither do they thinke that their Messias shal slaunderously suffer death as Christ dyd but that he shall stoutly conquer and manfully subdue al his enemies and finallie obtayne such a kingdome on earth as neuer was seene from the beginning While they faigne vnto them selues after this sort a Messias of theyr owne brayne they deceaue them selues and accompt Christe as an abiect foole of the worlde Therefore Christ crucified as saint Paul sayth is vnto the Jewes a stumbling blocke and to the Gentiles foolishnes because they thinke it an absurde thing and contrary to all reason that a redemer and sauiour of the whole world should be handled after suche a sort as he was namelye scorned reuiled scourged condempned and last of al cruelly hanged This I say seemed in their eyes straunge and most absurde and therefore neyther they would at that tyme neyther wyll they as yet acknowledge Christe to be theyr Messias and sauiour But we dearely beloued that hope loke to be saued must both stedfastly beleue and also boldly confesse that the same Jesus which was borne of the virgin Marie was the true Messias and mediatour betweene God and man promised and prophecied of so long before For as the Apostle writeth With the heart man beleueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made vnto saluatiō Againe in the same place Whosoeuer beleueth in hym shall neuer be ashamed nor confounded Wherto agreeth also the testimonie of saint John written in the fourth Chapter of his first generall Epistle on this wyse Whosoeuer confesseth that Jesus is the sonne of God he dwelleth in God and God in hym There is no doubt but in this poynt all Christian men are fully and perfectly perswaded Yet shal it not be a lost labour to instruct and furnish you with a fewe places concerning this matter that ye maye be able to stoppe the blasphemous mouthes of all them that moste Jewishely or rather diuelishly shall at any time go about to teache or maintaine the contrary First ye haue the witnesse and testimonie of the angel Gabriel declared aswel to Zacharie the high priest as also to the blessed virgin Secondly ye haue the witnesse and testimonie of John the Baptist poynting vnto Christe and saying Behold the lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the worlde Thirdly ye haue the witnesse and testimonie of God the father who thundred from heauen and sayde This is my dearelye beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him Fourthly ye haue the witnesse and testimonie of the holye ghost whiche came downe frō heauen in maner of a white doue and lighted vpon him in time of his baptisme To these myght be added a great number more namely the witnesse testimonie of the wise men that came to Herode the witnes and testimonie of Simeon and Anna the witnesse and testimonie of Andrew and Philip Nathanael and Peter Nicodemus and Martha with diuers other But it were to long to repeate all and a fewe places are sufficient in so plaine a matter specially among them that are alredye perswaded Therfore if the priuie impes of amechriste and craftie instrumentes of the deuil shal attempt or go about to withdrawe you frō this true Messias and perswade you to loke for another that is not yet come let thē not in any case seduce you but cōfirme your selues with these such other testimonies of holy scripture whiche are so sure certaine that all the deuils in hell shal neuer be able to withstand them For as truelye as God liueth so truelye was Jesus Christe the true messias and sauiour of the worlde euen the same Jesus which as this day was borne of the virgin Marie without all helpe of man only by the power and operation of the holy ghost Concerning whose nature and substaunce because diuers sundry heresies are rysen in these our dayes through the motion and suggestion of Satan therefore it shal be needefull profitable for your instruction to speake a worde or two also of this parte We are euidently taught in the scripture that our Lord and sauiour Christ consisteth of two seuerall natures of his manhood being thereby perfect man and of his Godhead being thereby perfect god It is written The worde that is to say the seconde person in Trinitie became fleshe GOD sendyng his owne sonne in the similitude of sinfull fleshe fulfilled those thinges which the lawe coulde not Christ being in fourme of God toke on him the fourme of a seruaunt was made like vnto man beyng founde in shape as a man GOD was shewed in fleshe iustified in spirite seene of angels preached to the Gentiles beleued on in the world and receaued vp in glorye Also in another place There is one God and one mediatour betwene God and man euen the man Jesus Christe These be plaine places for the profe and declaration of both natures vnited and knitte together in one Christe Let vs diligently consyder and waygh the workes that he dyd whiles he lyued on earth and we shall thereby also perceaue the selfe same thing to be most true In that he did hunger and thirst eate and drinke sleepe and wake in that he preached his Gospell to the people in that he wept and sorowed for Hierusalem in that he payde tribute for him selfe and Peter in that he dyed and suffered death what other thing dyd he els declare but onlye this that he was perfect man as we are For whiche cause he is called in holye scripture sometyme the sonne of Dauid sometime the sonne of man sometime the sonne of Marie sometime the sonne of Joseph and so foorthe Nowe in that he forgaue sinnes in that he wrought myracles in that he dyd cast out deuils in that he healed men with his only worde in that he knewe the thoughtes of mens heartes in that he had the seas at his cōmaundement in that he walked on the water in that
vnreuerentlye not discerning the Lordes bodye Ought not we then by the monition of the wise man by the wisdome of God by the fearefull example of the Corinthians to take aduised heede that we thrust not our selues to this table with rude and vnreuerent ignoraunce the smart whereof Christes Churche hath rued and lamented these many dayes and yeres For what hath ben the cause of the ruyne of Gods religion but the ignoraunce hereof What hath ben the cause of this grosse idolatrie but the ignoraunce hereof What hath ben the cause of this mummishe massyng but the ignoraunce hereof Yea what hath ben and what is at this day the cause of this want of loue and charitie but the ignoraunce hereof Let vs therfore so trauaile to vnderstand the Lordes Supper that we be no cause of the decaye of Gods worship of no idolatrie of no dumme massing of no hate and malice so maye we the boldlyer haue accesse thyther to our comfort Neyther neede we to thinke that suche exact knowledge is required of euery man that he be able to discusse al high pointes in the doctrine thereof But this muche he must be sure to hold that in the supper of the Lorde there is no vaine ceremonie no bare signe no vntrue figure of a thing absent But as the Scripture sayth the table of the Lorde the bread and cuppe of the Lorde the memorie of Christe the annuntiation of his death yea the Communion of the bodye and blood of the Lorde in a marueylous incorporation whiche by the operation of the holye ghost the verye bonde of our conâ—unction with Christe is through fayth wrought in the soules of the faythfull whereby not onlye theyr soules lyue to eternall lyfe but they surely trust to winne to their bodyes a resurrection to immortalitie The true vnderstandyng of this fruition and vnion whiche is the bodye and the head betwixt the true beleuers and Christe the auncient Catholique Fathers both perceauing them selues and commendyng to theyr people were not afrayde to call this Supper some of them the salue of immortalitie and soueraigne preseruatiue agaynst death other a deificall Communion other the sweete dainties of our Sauiour the pledge of eternall health the defence of fayth the hope of the resurrection other the foode of immortalitie the healthfull grace and the conseruatorie to euerlastyng lyfe All which sayinges both of the holy Scripture and godly men truely attributed to this celestial banquet and feaste yf we woulde often call to minde O how woulde they inflame our heartes to de 〈…〉 e the participation of these mysteries and oftentimes to couet after this breade continuallye to thirste for this foode Not as speciallye regarding the terrene earthly creatures which remayne but alwayes holdyng faste and cleauyng by faith to the rocke whence we may sucke the sweetenesse of euerlasting saluation And to be briefe thus much more the faithful see heare and knowe the fauourable mercies of God sealed the satisfaction by Christe towardes vs confirmed and the remission of sinne established Here they may feele wrought the tranquilitie of conscience the encrease of fayth the strengthning of hope the large spreadyng abrode of brotherly kindnes with many other sundry graces of god The taste whereof they can not attayne vnto who be drowned in the deepe durtie lake of blyndnesse and ignoraunce From the whiche O beloued washe your selues with the liuyng waters of Gods worde whence you maye perceaue and know both the spirituall foode of this costly supper and the happy trustinges effectes that the same doth bring with it Now it foloweth to haue with this knowledge a sure and constant faith not only that the death of Christe is auayleable for the redemption of all the world for the remission of sinnes and reconciliation with God the father but also that he hath made vppon his crosse a full and sufficient sacrifice for thee a perfect clensyng of thy sinnes so that thou acknowledgest no other Sauiour redeemer mediatour aduocate intercessour but Christe only and that thou mayst say with the Apostle that he loued thee and gaue him selfe for thee For this is to sticke fast to Christes promise made in his institution to make Christe thyne owne and to applicate his merites vnto thy selfe Herein thou nedest no other mans helpe no other sacrifice or oblation no sacrifisyng Priest no masse no meanes established by mans inuention That faith is a necessarie instrument in al these holy ceremonies we may thus assure our selues for that as Saint Paul sayth without fayth it is vnpossible to please god When a great number of the Israelites were ouerthrowen in the wildernesse Moyses Aaron and Phinees dyd eate Manna and pleased God for that they vnderstoode sayth Saint Augustine the visible meate spiritually Spiritually they hungred it spiritually they tasted it that they myght be spiritually satisfied And truely as the bodily meate can not feede the outward man vnlesse it be let into a stomake to be digested whiche is healthsome and sound No more can thy inwarde man be fed except his meate bereceaued into hisâ—oule and hart sound whole in fayth Therfore saith Ciprian when we do these thinges we nede not to whet our teethe but with sincere fayth we breake and diuide that holy bread It is wel knowen that the meate wee seeke for in this supper is spiritual foode the norishmeÌ„t of our soule a heauenly refection and not earthly an inuisible meate and not bodylye a ghostly substaunce and not carnall so that to thinke that without fayth we maye enioye the eatyng and drynkyng therof or that that is the fruition of it is â—ut to dreame a grosse carnall feeding basely obiecting and byndyng our selues to the elementes and creatures Whereas by the aduice of the counsel of Nicene we ought to lyft vp our mindes by faith leauing these inferiour and earthly thinges there seke it where the sâ—nne of ryghteousnesse euer shineth Take then this lesson O thou that art desyrous of this table of Emissenus a godly father that when thou goest vp to the reuerent Communion to be satisfied with spirituall meates thou loke vp with faith vpon the holy body and blood of thy god thou maruel with reuerence thou touche it with thy minde thou receaue it with the hand of thy heart and thou take it fully with thy inwarde man. Thus we see beloued that resortyng to this table we must plucke vp all the rootes of infidelitie al distrust in Gods promises we must make our selues lyuing members of Christes bodye For the vnbeleuers and faithlesse can not feede vpon that pretious body whereas the faythfull haue theyr life their abiding in hym their vnioÌ„ and as it were their incorporation with hym Wherefore let vs proue and trye our selues vufaignedly without flattering our selues whether we be plantes of that fruitful Oliue liuyng braunches of the true vine members in deede of Christes mystical body whether God