because it is necessarie profitable shall God wylling be dissolued in the next part of this Homilee In the meane season let vs as we are most bounde geue heartie thankes to God the father and his sonne Jesus Christ for sendyng downe this comforter into the world humbly beseeching him so to worke in our heartes by the power of this holy spirite that we beyng regenerate and newely borne agayne in all goodnesse righteousnesse sobrietie and trueth may in the end be made partakers of euerlastyng lyfe in his heauenly kyngdome through Jesus Christe our Lorde and sauiour Amen The seconde part of the Homilee concernyng the holy ghoste dissoluing this doubt whether al men rightly chalenge to them selues the holy ghost or no. OUR sauiour Christe departyng out of the worlde vnto his father promised his disciples to sende downe another comforter that shoulde continue with thē for euer direct them into al trueth Which thyng to be faythfully truely perfourmed the scriptures do sufficiently beare witnes Neither must we thinke that this comforter was either promised or els geuen onlye to the Apostles but also to the vniuersall Church of Christe dispearsed through the whole world For vnles the holy ghost had ben alwaies present gouernyng and preseruing the Churche from the begynnyng it coulde neuer haue sustayned so many and great bruntes of affliction and persecution with so litle dammage and harme as it hath And the wordes of Christe are moste playne in this behalfe saying that the spirite of trueth shoulde abyde with them for euer that he woulde be with them alwayes he meaneth by grace vertue and power euen to the worldes ende Also in the prayer that he made to his father a litle before his death he maketh intercession not only for him selfe and his apostles but indifferently for all them that shoulde beleue in hym through their wordes that is to wit for his whole Churche Agayne saint Paule sayth If anye man haue not the spirite of Christe the same is not his Also in the wordes folowyng We haue receaued the spirit of adoption wherby we crye abba father Hereby then it is euident and playne to all men that the holy ghost was geuen not onlye to the apostles but also to the whole body of christes congregation although not in lyke fourme maiestie as he came downe at the feaste of Pentecost But nowe herein standeth the controuersie Whether al men do iustly arrogate to thē selues the holy ghost or no The Byshops of Rome haue for a long tyme made a sore chalenge therunto reasoning for them seues after this sort The holy ghost say they was promised to the Churche and neuer forsaketh the Church But we are the cheefe heades the principall part of the Churche therefore we haue the holy ghost for euer whatsoeuer thynges we decree are vndoubted verities and oracles of the holy ghost That ye may perceaue the weakenes of this argument it is needfull to teach you first what the true Churche of Christe is and then to conferre the Churche of Rome therewith to discerne howe well they agree together The true Churche is an vniuersal congregation or felowship of Gods faythfull and elect people buylt vppon the foundation of the apostles and prophets Jesus Christe hym selfe beyng the head corner stone And it hath alwayes three notes or marks wherby it is knowne Pure and sound doctrine the sacramentes ministred accordyng to Christes holy institution and the right vse of ecclesiastical discipline This description of the Churche is agreeable both to the scriptures of God and also to the doctrine of the auncient fathers so that none may iustly fynd fault therewith Now if ye wyll compare this with the Churche of Rome not as it was in the begynnnyg but as it is presently and hath ben for the space of nine hundred yeres and odde you shall well perceaue the state thereof to be so farre wide from the nature of the true Churche that nothing can be more For neyther are they buylt vppon the foundation of the apostles and prophetes retaynyng the sound and pure doctrine of Christe Jesu neyther yet do they order eyther the sacraments or els the ecclesiasticall keyes in such sort as he dyd first institute and ordeyne them But haue so intermyngled their owne traditions and inuentions by choppyng chaungyng by addyng and pluckyng away that now they may seeme to be conuerted into a new guyse Christe commended to his Church a sacrament of his body and blood They haue changed it into a sacrifice for the quicke and the deade Christ dyd minister to his apostles the apostles to other men indifferently vnder both kindes They haue robbed the lay people of the cup saying that for them one kind is sufficient Christ ordeyned no other element to be vsed in baptisme but only water wherunto when the word is ioyned it is made as S. Augustine saith a ful perfect sacrament They beyng wyser in their owne conceipte then Christ thinke it is not wel nor orderly done vnles they vse cōiuration vnles they halow the water vnles there be oyle salt spittle tapers and suche other dumbe ceremonies seruing to no vse contrary to the playne rule of S. Paul who wylleth all thynges to be done in the Churche vnto edification Christe ordeyned the aucthoritie of the keyes to excommunicate notorious sinners and to absolue them whiche are truely penitent They abuse this power at their owne pleasure aswell in cursyng the godly with bell booke and candles as also in absoluing the reprobate whiche are knowne to be vnworthy of any Christian societie Whereof he that lust to see examples let them searche their lyues To be shorte looke what our sauiour Christe pronounced of the Scribes and Pharisees in the Gospell the same may we boldly and with safe conscience pronounce of the bishops of Rome namely that they haue forsaken dayly do forsake the commaundementes of God to erect set vp their owne constitutions Which thyng beyng true as al they which haue any light of Gods word must needes confesse we may wel conclude according to the rule of Augustine That the byshoppes of Rome their adherents are not the true church of Christe muche lesse then to be taken as cheefe heades and rulers of the same Whosoeuer sayth he do discent from the scriptures concernyng the head although they be found in al places where the Church is appoynted yet are they not in the Churche A playne place concluding directly agaynst the Churche of Rome Where is now the holy ghost whiche they so stoutly do clayme to them selues Where is now the spirite of trueth that wil not suffer them in any wise to erre If it be possible to be there where the true Churche is not then is it at Rome otherwyse it is but a vayne bragge and nothyng els Saint Paule as ye haue hearde before sayth If anye man haue not the spirite of
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
all the same so resortyng thyther ought with all quietnesse and reuerence there to behaue them selues in doing their bounden duetie seruice to almightie God in the congregation of his Saintes All which thinges are euident to be prooued by Gods holye worde as hereafter shall playnelye appeare And firste of all I wyll declare by the scriptures that it is called as it is indeede the house of God and temple of the Lorde He that sweareth by the temple sayth our sauiour Christe sweareth by it and hym that dwelleth therein meanyng God the father whiche he also expresseth playnely in the Gospell of Saint John saying Do not make the house of my father the house of marchaundize And in the booke of the Psalmes the Prophete Dauid sayth I wyll enter into thyne house I wyll worshyp in thy holy temple in thy feare And it is in almost infinite places of the scripture specially in the prophetes and booke of psalmes called the house of God or the house of the Lorde Sometyme it is named the tabernacle of the Lord and sometime the sanctuarye that is to say the holy house or place of the Lorde And it is in lykewyse called the house of prayer as Salomon who buylded the temple of the Lorde at Hierusalem doth ofte call it the house of the Lorde in the whiche the Lordes name should be called vpon And Esaias in the. 50. Chapter My house shal be called the house of prayer amongst all nations Which text our sauiour Christ alleageth in the newe Testament as doth appeare in three of the Euangelistes and in the parable of the Pharisee and the Publicane whiche went to pray in which parable our sauiour Christ sayth They went vp into the temple to pray And Anna the holy wydo we and prophetisse serued the Lorde in fastyng and prayer in the temple nyght and day And in the storie of the Actes it is mentioned how that Peter John went vp into the temple at the houre of prayer And saint Paul praying in the temple at Hierusalem was rapte in the spirite and did see Jesus speaking vnto him And as in all conuenient places prayer may be vsed of the godly priuately So it is most certaine that the Churche or temple is the due and appoynted place for common and publique prayer Nowe that it is lykewise the place of thankes geuyng vnto the Lorde for his innumerable and vnspeakeable benefites bestowed vppon vs appeareth notably in the latter ende of the Gospell of saint Luke and the begynnyng of the storie of the Actes where it is written that the Apostles and disciples after the assention of the lord continued with one accorde dayly in the temple alwayes praysyng and blessyng God. And it is lykewyse declared in the first Epistle to the Corinthians that the Churche is the due place appoynted for the reuerent vse of the Sacramentes It remayneth nowe to be declared that the Churche or temple is the place where the lyuely worde of God and not mans inuentions ought to be read taught and that the people are bounde thyther with all diligence to resort and this proofe likewise to be made by the scriptures as hereafter shall appeare In the storie of the actes of the apostles we reade that Paul and Barnabas preached the worde of God in the temples of the Jewes at Salamine And when they came to Antiochia they entred on the Sabbath day into the Synagogue or Churche and sate downe and after the lesson or readyng of the lawe and the prophetes the ruler of the temple sent vnto them saying Ye men and brethren yf anye of you haue any exhortation to make vnto the people saye it And so Paul standyng vp and makyng scilence with his hande sayde Ye men that be Israelites and ye that feare God geue eare and so foorth preachyng to them a sermon out of the scriptures as there at large appeareth And in the same storie of the actes the seuenteenth Chapter is testified howe Paul preached Christ out of the Scriptures at Thessalonica And in the fifteenth Chapter James the apostle in that holy councell and assemblie of his felowe Apostles sayth Moyses of olde tyme hath in euery Citie certayne that preache hym in the Synagogues or temples where he is read euerye Sabbath day By these places ye maye see the vsage of readyng of the Scriptures of the olde Testament among the Jewes in theyr Synagogues euery Sabbath daye and sermons vsually made vpon the same Howe muche more then is it conuenient that the Scriptures of God and specially the Gospell of our sauiour Christ should be read and expounded to vs that be Christians in our Churches speciallye our sauiour Christe and his apostles allowyng this most godly and necessarie vsage and by theyr examples confirming the same It is written in the stories of the Gospels in diuers places that Jesus went rounde about all Galilee teachyng in theyr Synagogues preaching the Gospell of the kyngdome In which places is his great diligence in continuall preachyng and teachyng of the people most euidently set foorth In Luke ye reade howe Jesus accordyng to his accustomed vse came into the temple and howe the booke of Esaias the prophete was deliuered him howe he read a text therein made a sermon vpon the same And in the. xix is expressed howe he taught dayly in the temple And it is thus written in the. viii of John Jesus came agayne earlye in the mornyng into the temple and all the people came vnto hym and he sate downe and taught them And in the. xviii of John our sauiour testifieth before Pilate that he spake openly vnto the world and that he alwayes taught in the Synagogue and in the temple whyther all the Jewes resorted and that secretely he spake nothing And in saint Luke Jesus taught in the temple and all the people came early in the morning vnto hym that they myght heare hym in the temple Here ye see aswell the diligence of our sauiour in teaching the worde of God in the temple dayly and specially on the Sabbath dayes as also the redynesse of the people resortyng altogether and that early in the morning into the Temple to heare hym The same example of diligence in preachyng the worde of God in the Temple shall ye fynde in the Apostles and the people resortyng vnto them Act. the. v. Howe the Apostles although they had ben whypped and scourged the day before and by the hygh priest commaunded that they shoulde preache no more in the name of Jesus yet the day folowyng they entred earlye in the mornyng into the Temple and dyd not ceasse to teache and declare Jesus Christe And in sundrye other places of the storye of the Actes ye shall fynde lyke diligence both in the Apostles in teachyng and in the people in commyng to the temple to heare Gods worde And it is testified in the
house of God is a place appoynted by the holy scriptures where the lyuely word of God ought to be read taught hearde the Lordes holy name called vpon by publique prayer heartie thankes geuen to his maiestie for his infinite and vnspeakeable benefits bestowed vpon vs his holy Sacramentes duely and reuerently ministred that therfore all that be godly in deede ought both with diligence at times appoynted to repayre together to the said Church and there with all reuerence to vse and behaue them selues before the Lorde And that the sayde Church thus godly vsed by the seruauntes of the Lorde in the Lordes true seruice for the effectuous presence of Gods grace wherewith he doth by his holy word and promises endue his people there present and assembled to the attaynement aswell of commodities worldly necessary for vs as also of all heauenly gyftes lyfe euerlastyng is called by the worde of GOD as it is in deede the temple of the Lorde and the house of God and that therefore the due reuerence thereof is stirred vp in the heartes of the godly by the consyderation of these true ornamentes of the sayde house of God and not by any outwarde ceremonies or costly and glorious deckyng of the sayde house or temple of the Lorde contrarie to the which most manyfest doctrine of the scriptures contrary to the vsage of the primitiue Church whiche was most pure and vncorrupt and contrary to the sentences and iudgementes of the most auncient learned and godly doctours of the Churche as hereafter shall appeare the corruption of these latter dayes hath brought into the Churche infinite multitudes of images and the same with other partes of the temple also haue decked with golde and siluer paynted with colours set them with stone pearle clothed them with silkes and pretious vestures phantasyng vntruely that to be the cheefe deckyng adournyng of the temple or house of God and that all people should be the more moued to the due reuerence of the same if all corners thereof were glorious and glisteryng with golde and pretious stones Whereas in deede they by the sayde images and suche glorious deckyng of the temple haue nothing at all profited suche as were wyse and of vnderstandyng but haue thereby greatly hurt the simple and vnwyse occasionyng them thereby to commit most horrible idolatrie And the couetous persons by the same occasion seemyng to worshyp peraduenture worshippyng in deede not onely the images but also the matter of them golde and siluer as that vice is of all others in the scriptures peculierly called idolatry or worshipping of images Against the which foule abuses and great enormities shal be alleaged vnto you First the aucthoritie of Gods holy worde aswell out of the olde Testament as of the newe And secondly the testimonies of the holy and ancient learned fathers and doctours out of their owne workes and auncient histories ecclesiasticall both that you may at once knowe their iudgementes and withall vnderstande what maner of ornamentes were in the temples in the primatiue church in those times whiche were moste pure and sincere Thirdly the reasons and argumentes made for the defence of images or idols and the outragious decking of temples and Churches with golde syluer pearle and pretious stone shal be confuted and so this whole matter concluded But least any shoulde take occasion by the way of doubtyng by wordes or names it is thought good heere to note first of all that although in common speache we vse to call the lykenesse or similitudes of men or other thynges images and not idols yet the scriptures vse the saide two wordes idols and images indifferently for one thyng alway They be wordes of diuers tongues and soundes but one in sense and signification in the scriptures The one is taken of the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an idoll and the other of the Latin worde Imago an image and so both vsed as Englishe termes in the translatyng of scriptures indifferently accordyng as the Septuaginta haue in their translation in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and saint Hierome in his translation of the same places in Latin hath Simulachra in Englishe images And in the newe Testament that whiche saint John calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saint Hierome lyke wyse translateth Simulacrum as in all other lyke places of scripture vsually he doth so translate And Tertullian a most ancient doctour and wel learned in both the tongues Greeke Latin interpretyng this place of Saint John Beware of idols that is to say sayeth Tertullian of the images them selues The Latin wordes whiche he vseth be Effigies and Imago to say an image And therfore it forceth not whether in this processe we vse the one terme or the other or both together seyng they both though not in common Englishe speache yet in scripture signifie one thyng And though some to blynde mens eyes haue heretofore craftily gon about to make them to be taken for wordes of diuers signification in matters of religion and haue therefore vsually named the lykenesse or similitude of a thyng set vp amongst the heathen in their temples or other places to be worshipped an idoll But the lyke similitude with vs set vp in the Churche the place of worshippyng they call an image as though these two wordes idoll and image inscripture dyd differ in proprietie and sense whiche as is aforesayde differ onely in sound and language and in meaning be in dede all one specially in the scriptures and matters of religion And our images also haue ben and be and yf they be publiquely suffred in Churches and temples euer wil be also worshipped and so idolatrie committed to them as in the last part of this Homilie shall at large be declared and proued Wherefore our images in temples and Churches be in deede none other but Idols as vnto the whiche idolatrie hath ben is and euer wyll be committed And first of all the scriptures of the olde Testament condemnyng and abhorring aswell all idolatrie or worshyppyng of images as also the very idols or images them selues speciallye in temples are so many and plentiful that it were almoste an infinite worke and to be conteyned in no small volume to recorde all the places concerning the same For when God had chosen to him selfe a peculier and speciall people from amongst all other nations that knewe not God but worshypped idols and false gods he gaue vnto them certayne ordinaunces and lawes to be kept and obserued of his sayde people But concerning none other matter did he geue either mo or more earnest and expresse lawes to his sayde people then those that concerned the true worshyppyng of hym and the auoyding and fleeyng of idols and images and idolatrie for that that both the sayde idolatrie is moste repugnaunt to the ryght worshipping of him and his true glorye aboue all other vices and that he knewe the pronenesse and inclination of mans corrupt kynde and nature to
shoulde not worshippe images and that we should not haue images in the Temple for feare and occasion of worshyppyng them though they be of them selues thynges indifferent For the Christian is the holye Temple and lyuely image of God as the place well declareth to suche as wyll reade and weight it And where as all godly men dyd euer abhorre that any kneelyng and worshipping or offeryng should be vsed to them selues when they were alyue for that it was the honour due to God onlye as appeareth in the Actes of the Apostles by Saint Peter forbidding it to Cornelius and by Saint Paul and Barnabas forbiddyng the same to the Citezins in Lyftra Yet we lyke mad men fall downe before the dead idols orimages of Peter and Paul and geue that honour to stockes and stones whiche they thought abhominable to be geuen to them selues beyng alyue And the good angell of God as appeareth in the booke of S. Johns reuelation refused to be kneeled vnto when that honour was offered hym of John Beware sayth the angell that thou do it not for I am thy felowe seruaunt But the euyll angell satan desyreth nothyng so muche as to be kneeled vnto and thereby at once both to robbe God of his due honour and to worke the damnation of suche as make hym so lowe curtesie as in the storic of the Gospell appeareth in sundry places Yea and he offered our Sauiour Christe all earthly goodes on the condition that he woulde kneele downe and worshyp hym But our Sauiour repelleth Satan by the Scriptures saying it is wrytten Thou shalt worshyppe thy Lorde God and hym alone shalt thou serue But we by not worshyppyng and seruyng God alone as the Scriptures teacheth vs and by worshypping of images contrary to the Scriptures plucke satan to vs and are readye without rewarde to folowe his desyre yea rather then fayle we wyll offer hym gyftes and oblations to receaue our seruice But let vs brethren rather folowe the counsell of the good angell of GOD then the suggestion of subtyll satan that wycked angell and olde serpent Who accordyng to the pryde whereby he firste fell attempteth alwaye by suche sacriledge to depryue God whom he enuyeth of his due honour and because his owne face is horrible and vglye to conuey it to hymselfe by the mediation of gylte stockes and stones and withall to make vs the enemies of God and his owne suppliantes and slaues and in the ende to procure vs for a rewarde euerlastyng destruction and damnation Therfore aboue all thinges if we take our selues to be Christians in deede as we be named let vs credite the worde obey the lawe and folowe the doctrine and example of our Sauiour maister Christe repelling satans suggestion to idolatrie and worshyppyng of images accordyng to the trueth alleaged and taught out of the Testament and Gospell of our sayde heauenly doctour and scholemaister Jesus Christe who is God to be bicssed for euer Amen ¶ The seconde part of the Homilee agaynst perill of Idolatrie YOu haue hearde welbeloued in the fyrst parte of this Homilee the doctrine of the word of God against idols images agaynste idolatrie and worshipping of images taken out of the scriptures of the olde Testament the newe and confirmed by the examples as well of the Apostles as of our Sauiour Christ him selfe Nowe although our Sauiour Christe taketh not or needeth not anye testimonie of men and that whiche is once confirmed by the certaintie of his eternall trueth hath no more neede of the confirmation of mans doctrine and wrytinges then the bryght sunne at noone tyde hath neede of the light of a litle candle to put away darknes and to encrease his lyght yet for your further contentation it shall in this second part be declared as in the begynnyng of the firste parte was promised that this trueth and doctrine concernyng the forbidding of images and worshipping of them taken out of the holy Scriptures aswell of the olde Testament as the newe was beleued and taught of the olde holy fathers and most ancient learned Doctours and receaued in the olde primatiue Churche which was most vncorrupt and pure And this declaration shal be made out of the sayd holy Doctours owne wrytynges and out of the auncient histories ecclesiasticall to the same belongyng Tertullian a most auncient wryter and Doctor of the Churche who lyued about one hundreth and threescore yeres after the death of our Sauiour Christe both in sundrye other places of his workes and speciallye in his booke wrytten agaynst the maner of crownyng and in another litle treatise entituled of the souldyers crowne or garlande doth moste sharplye and vehementlye wryte and inuey agaynste images or idols And vpon S. Johns wordes the firste Eyistle and. v. Chapter saith thus Saint John saith he depelye consydering the matter sayth My litle chyldren keepe your selues from images or idols He sayth not nowe keepe your selues from idolatrie as it were from the seruice and worshyppyng of them but from the images or idols them selues that is from the verye shape and lyknes of them For it were an vn worthye thyng that the image of the lyuyng God should become the image of a dead idoll Do not you thynke those persons whiche place images and idols in Churches and Temples yea shryne them euen ouer the Lordes Table euen as it were of purpose to the worshipping and honouring of them take good heede to either S. Johns counsels or Tertullians For so to place images and idols is it to keepe them selues from them or els to receaue and imbrace them Clemens in his booke to James brother of the Lorde sayth What can be so wycked or so vnthankfull as to receaue a benefite of God and to geue thankes therefore vnto stockes and stones Wherefore awake ye vnderstande your health for God hath neede of no man nor requireth any thyng nor can be hurt in any thyng But we be they whiche are eyther holpen or hurte in that we be thankfull to God or vnthankfull Origenes in his booke agaynste Celsus sayth thus Christian men and Jewes when they heare these wordes of the lawe Thou shalt feare the Lorde thy God shalt not make any image do not onlye abhorre the Temples aulters and images of the gods but if neede be wyll rather dye then they shoulde defyle them selues with anye impietie And shortlye after he sayth In the common wealth of the Jewes the caruer of idols and image maker was cast farre of and forbidden least they shoulde haue any occasion to make images whiche myght plucke certayne foolishe persons from God and turne the eyes of their soules to the contemplation of earthly thynges And in an other place of the same booke It is not only sayth he a mad and â—rantike parte to worshyp images but also once to dissemble or wynk at it And a man may know God and his onely sonne and those whiche haue had suche honour geuen them by God
that they be called Gods But it is not possible that anye should by worshypping of images get any knowledge of God. Athanasius in his booke agaynst the Gentiles hath these wordes Let them tell I pray you how God maye be knowen by an image If it be by the matter of an image then there needeth no shape or fourme seeyng that God hath appeared in all materiall creatures whiche do testifie his glorye Nowe if they say he is knowen by the fourme or fashion is he not better to be knowen by the lyuyng thynges themselues whose fashions the images expresse For of suretie the glorye of God shoulde be more euidentlye knowen if it were declared by reasonable and lyuyng creatures rather then by dead and vnmoueable images Therefore when ye do graue or paynte images to the ende to knowe God thereby surelye ye do an vnworthye and vnfitte thyng And in an other place of the same booke he sayth The inuention of images came of no good but of euil and whatsoeuer hath an euyll begynnyng can neuer in any thyng be iudged good seeyng it is altogether naught Thus far Athanasius a very auncient holy and learned Byshop and Doctor who iudgeth both the first beginnyng the end and altogether of images or idols to be naught Lactantius likewise an old and learned wryter in his booke of the Origine of errour hath these words God is aboue man and is not placed beneath but is to be sought in the hyghest region Wherfore there is no doubt but that no religion is in that place wheresoeuer any image is For if religion stande in godly thinges and there is no godlynesse but in heauenly thynges then be images without religion These be Lactantius wordes who was aboue xiii hundreth yeres ago and within three hundreth yeres after our sauiour Christe Cirillus an olde holy doctour vpon the Gospell of Saint Iohn hath these wordes Many haue left the creatour and haue worshypped the creature neyther haue they ben abashed to say vnto a stocke thou art my father vnto a stone thou begottest me For many yea almost all alas for sorowe are fallen vnto suche folly that they haue geuen the glorie of deitie or God head to thinges without sense or feelyng Epiphanius Byshop of Salamine in Cipres a verye holye and learned man who lyued in Theodosius the Emperours tyme about three hundreth and ninetie yeres after our Sauiour Christes ascention writeth this to Iohn Patriarke of Hierusalem I entred sayth Epiphanius into a certayne Churche to pray I founde there a lynnen cloth hangyng in the Churche doore paynted and hauyng in it the image of Christe as it were or of some other Saint for I remember not well whose image it was therefore when I did see the image of a man hanging in the Churche of Christ contrary to thauethoritie of the scriptures I did teare it and gaue councell to the kepers of the Churche that they shoulde winde a poore man that was dead in the sayde cloth and so bury hym And afterwardes the same Epiphanius sendyng another vnpaynted cloth for that paynted one whiche he had torne to the sayde Patriarche wryteth thus I pray you wyll the elders of that place to receaue this clothe whiche I haue sent by this bearer and commaunde them that from hencefoorth no suche paynted clothes contrary to our religion be hanged in the Churche of Christe For it becommeth your goodnes rather to haue this care that you take away such scrupulositie which is vnsitting for the Churche of Christe and offensiue to the people committed to your charge And this Epistle as worthy to be read of many dyd saint Ierome hym selfe translate into the Latine tongue And that ye may knowe that saint Ierome had this holy and learned Bishop Epiphanius in most high estimation and therfore dyd translate this Epistle as a wrytyng of aucthoritie heare what a testimonie the sayde saint Ierome geueth him in another place in this treatie agaynst the errours of Iohn Byshop of Hierusalem where he hath these wordes Thou hast sayth saint Jerome Pope Epiphanius whiche doth openlye in his letters call thee an Ieritike Surely thou art not to be preferred before hym neyther for age nor learnyng nor godlynesse of lyfe nor by the testimonie of the whole worlde And shortlye after in the same treatie sayth Saint Jerome Bishop Epiphanius was euer of so great veneration and estimation that Valens the Emperour who was a great persecutour dyd not once touche hym For heritikes beyng princes thought it theyr shame yf they shoulde persecute suche a notable man And in the trypartite ecclesiasticall hystorie the. ix booke and xlviii Chapter is testified that Epiphanius beyng yet alyue dyd worke miracles and that after his death deuils being expelled at his graue or tombe dyd rore Thus you see what aucthoritie saint Ierome and that moste auncient hystorie geue vnto the holy and learned Byshop Epiphanius whose iudgement of images in Churches and temples then begynnyng by stealth to creepe in is worthy to be noted First he iudged it contrary to Christian religion and the aucthoritie of the scriptures to haue any images in Christes Churche Secondly he reiected not only carued grauen and moulten images but also painted images out of Christes Churche Thirdly that he regarded not whether it were the image of Christe or of any other saint but beyng an image woulde not suffer it in the Churche Fourthlye that he dyd not onlye remoue it out of the Churche but with a vehement zeale tare it a sunder and exhorted that a corse shoulde be wrapped and buryed in it iudgyng it meete for nothyng but to rotte in the earth folowyng herein the example of the good kyng Ezechias who brake the brasen serpent to peeces and burned it to ashes for that idolatrie was committed to it Last of al that Epiphanius thinketh it the duetie of vigilant Byshoppes to be carefull that no images be permitted in the Churche for that they be occasion of scruple and offence to the people committed to theyr charge Nowe wheras neyther saint Hierome who did translate the sayde Epistle nor the aucthours of that most auncient historie ecclesiasticall trypartite who do most highly commende Epiphanius as is aforesaid nor no other godly or learned Bishop at that time or shortly after haue wrytten any thing against Epiphanius iudgement concerning images it is an euident profe that in those dayes whiche were about foure hundreth yeres after our sauiour Christe there were no images publiquely vsed and receaued in the Churche of Christe whiche was then muche lesse corrupt more pure then nowe it is And where as images began at that tyme secretelye and by stealth to creepe out of priuate mens houses into the Churches and that firste in paynted clothes and walles such Byshops as were godlye and vigilante when they espied them remoued them away as vnlawfull contrary to Christian religion as dyd here Epiphanius to whose iudgement you haue not onlye Saint
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
issue his brother or next kynsman shoulde marrye his wydowe and the childe that were firste borne betweene them shoulde be called his chylde that was dead that the dead mans name myght not be put out in Israel And if the brother or nexte kynsman would not marry the widow then she before the magistrates of the Citie shoulde pull of his shoe and spitte in his face saying So be it done to that man that wyll not buylde his brothers house Here dearely beloued the pullyng of his shoe and spitting in his face were ceremonies to signifie vnto all the people of that Citie that the woman was not nowe in faulte that Gods lawe in that poynt was broken but the whole shame and blame therof did now redound to that man whiche openly before the magistrates refused to marry her And it was not a reproch to hym alone but to all his posteritie also For they were called euer after the house of hym whose shoe is pulled of Another place out of the Psalmes I wyl breake saith Dauid the hornes of the vngodly and the hornes of the ryghteous shal be exalted By anhorne in the scripture is vnderstand power myght strength sometime rule gouernment The prophet then saying I wyll breake the hornes of the vngodly meaneth that all the power strength and myght of Gods enemie shall not onlye be weakened and made feeble but shall at length also be cleane broken and destroyed though for a tyme for the better triall of his people God suffereth the enemies to preuayle and haue the vpper hande In the â–ª 132. Psalme it is sayde I wyll make Dauids horne to florishe Here Dauids horne signifieth his kyngdome Almightie God therefore by this maner of speakyng promiseth to geue Dauid victorie ouer all his enemies and to stablishe hym in his kyngdome spyte of all his enemies And in the threescore psalme it is wrytten Moab is my washpot and euer Edom wyl I cast out my shoe c. In that place the prophete sheweth how gratiâ—usly God hath dealt with his people the children of Israel geuing them great victories vpon their enemies on euery side For the Moabites and Idumeans being two great nations proude people stout and mighty God brought them vnder and made them seruauntes to the Israelites seruantes I say to stowpe downe to pul of their shoes and washe their feete Then Moab is my washpot and ouer Edom wyl I cast out my shoe is as if he had sayde The Moabites and the Idumeans for all their stoutnesse agaynst vs in the wyldernesse are now made our subiects our seruauntes yea vnderlynges to pull of our shoes and washe our feete Nowe I pray you what vncomly maner of speach is this so vsed in common phrase among the Hebrues It is a shame that Christian men shoulde be so light headed to toy as ruffians do of suche maner speaches vttered in good graue signification by â—he holy ghost More reasonable it were for vaine men to learne to reuerence the fourme of Gods wordes then to gaude at them to his damnation Some againe are oâ—â—ended to heare that the godly fathers had many wiues and concubines â–ª although after the phrase of the scripture a concubine is an honest name for euery concubine is a lawfull wyfe but euery wyfe is not a concubine And that ye may the better vnderstande this to be true ye shall note that it was permitted to the fathers of the olde Testament to haue at one time mo wiues then one for what purpose ye shall afterwarde heare Of whiche wyues some were free women borne some were bond women and seruauntes She that was free borne had a prerogatiue aboue those that were seruauntes bond women The free borne woman was by mariage made the ruler of the house vnder her husband is called the mother of the housholde the maistres or the dame of the house after our maner of speaking and had by her mariage an interest a right and an ownership of his goodes vnto whom she was marryed Other seruauntes and bond women wer geuen by the owners of them as the maner was then I wyll not say alwaies but for the moste parte vnto their daughters at that day of their mariage to be handmaydens vnto them A 〈…〉 ter such a sort did Pharao kyng of Egypt geue vnto Sara Abrahams wyfe Agar the Egyptian to be her mayde So dyd Laban geue vnto his daughter Lia at the day of her mariage Zilpha to be her handmayde And to his other daughter Rachell he gaue another bondmayde named Bilham And the wyues that were the owners of their handmaydes gaue them in mariage to their husbandes vppon diuers occasions Sara gaue her maide Agar in mariage to Abraham Lia gaue in lyke maner her mayde Zilpha to her husbande Jacob. So dyd Rachell his other wyfe geue hym Bilâ—am her mayde saying vnto hym Go in vnto her and she shall beare vppon my knees whiche is as if she had sayde take her to wyfe and the chyldren that she shall beare wyll I take vpon my lappe and make of them as if they were myne owne These handmaydens or bond women although by mariage they were made wyues yet they had not this prerogatiue to rule in the house but were styll vnderlinges and in subiection to their maisters and were neuer called mothers of the houshold maistresses or dames of the house but are called sometymes wyues sometyme concubines The pluralitie of wyues was by a speciall prerogatiue suffered to the fathers of the olde Testament not for satisfiyng their carnall and fleshly lustes but to haue many children because euery one of them hoped and begged oft tymes of God in their prayers that that blessed seede whiche God promised shoulde come into the worlde to breake the serpentes head myght come and be borne of his stocke and kinred Now of those whiche take occasion of carnalitie and euil life by hearing and reading in Gods boke what God hath suffered euen in those men whose commendation is praysed in the scripture As that Noe whom S. Peter calleth the eight preacher of ryghteousnesse was so drunke with wyne that in his sleepe he vncouered his owne priuities The iust man Lot was in lyke maner drunken and in his drunkennesse lay with his owne daughters contrary to the law of nature Abraham whose fayth was so great that for the same he deserued to be called of Gods owne mouth a father of many nations the father of all beleuers besydes with Sara his wife had also carnall company with Agar Saraes handemayde The patriarche Jacob had to his wyues two sisters at one tyme The Prophete Dauid and king Salomon his sonne had many wyues and concubines c. Which thinges we see plainly to be forbidden vs by the lawe of God and are now repugnaunt to all publique honestie These and suche lyke in Gods booke good people are not wrytten that we shoulde or may do the lyke folowyng
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
that were in deede to deface Christ and to defraud him of his glorie But they meane this and this is the vnderstandyng of those and suche lyke sayinges That God of his mercie and especial fauour towards them whom he hath appoynted to euerlastyng saluation hath so offred his grace especially and they haue so receaued it fruitfully that although by reason of their sinfull lyuyng outwardly they seemed before to haue ben the children of wrath and perdition yet nowe the spirite of God mightily workyng in them vnto obedience to Gods wyll and commaundementes they declare by their outward deedes and lyfe in the shewyng of mercie and charitie which can not come but of the spirite of God and his especiall grace that they are the vndoubted chyldren of God appoynted to euerlastyng lyfe And so as by their wyckednesse and vngodly lyuyng they shewed them selues accordyng to the iudgement of men which folowe the outward appearaunce to be reprobates and castawayes So nowe by their obedience vnto Gods holy wyll and by their mercyfulnesse and tender pitie wherin they shew them selues to be lyke vnto God who is the fou 〈…〉 yne and spryng of all mercye they declare openly and manyfestly vnto the sight of men that they are the sonnes of God and elect of hym vnto saluation For as the good fruite is not the cause that the tree is good but the tree must firste be good before it can bryng foorth good fruite so the good deedes of man are not the cause that maketh man good but he is firste made good by the spirite and grace of God that effectually worketh in hym and afterwarde he bryngeth foorth good fruites And then as the good fruite doth argue the goodnesse of the tree so doth the good and mercyfull deede of the man argue and certainely proue the goodnesse of hym that doth it accordyng to Christes sayinges Ye shall knowe them by their fruites And if any man wyl obiect that euil and naughty men do sometymes by their deedes appeare to be very godly and vertuous I wyll aunswere so doth the crab and choke peare seeme outwardly to haue sometyme as fayre a redde and as melow a colour as the fruite whiche is good in deede But he that wyl byte and take a taste shall easily iudge betwixt the sower bytternesse of the one and the sweete sauorines of the other And as the true christian man in thankfulnesse of his heart for the redemption of his soule purchased by Christes death sheweth kyndly by the fruite of his fayth his obedience to God so the other as a marchaunt with God doth all for his owne gayne thynking to win heauen by the merite of his workes and so defaceth and obscureth the pryce of Christes blood who only wrought our purgation The meanyng then of these sayinges in the scriptures and other holy wrytinges Almes deedes do washe away our sinnes and mercie to the poore doth blot out our offences is that we doing these thynges accordyng to Gods wyl our duetie haue our sinnes in deede washed away and our offences blotted out not for the worthinesse of them but by the grace of God which worketh al in al and that for the promise that God hath made to them that are obedient vnto his commaundement that he which is the trueth might be iustified in perfourming the trueth due to his true promise Almes deedes do wash away our sinnes because god doth vouchsafe then to repute vs as cleane and pure when we do them for his sake and not because they deserue or merite our purgyng or for that they haue anye suche strength and vertue in them selues I know that some men to much addict to the aduauncing of their good workes will not be contented with this aunswere no maruaile for suche men can no aunswere content nor suffice Wherfore leauing them to their owne wylful sense we wyll rather haue regarde to the reasonable and godly who as they most certaynly know and perswade them selues that al goodnes al bountie al mercy al benefites al forgeuenes of sinnes whatsoeuer can be named good and profitable either for the body or for the soule do come only of Gods mercie and mere fauour not of them selues So though they do neuer so many so excellent good deedes yet are they neuer pufte vp with the vayne confidence of them And though they heare and reade in gods word and other where in godly mens workes that almes deedes mercy and charitablenes doth wash away sinne and blot out iniquitie yet do they not arrogantly and proudly sticke and trust vnto them or bragge them selues of them as the proud Pharisee did lest with the Pharisee they shoulde be condemned but rather with the humble and poore Publicane confesse them selues sinfull wretches vnworthye to looke vp to heauen callyng and crauyng for mercie that with the Publicane they may be pronounced of Christ to be iustified The godly do learne that when the scriptures saye that by good and mercifull workes we are reconciled to Gods fauour we are taught then to knowe what Christe by his intercession and mediation obteyneth for vs of his father when we be obedient to his wyl yea they learne in such maners of speakyng a comfortable argument of Gods singuler fauour and loue that attributeth that vnto vs and to our doynges that he by his spirite worketh in vs and through his grace procureth for vs And yet this notwithstandyng they crye out with saint Paule Oh wretches that we are acknowledge as Christe teacheth that when they haue all done they are but vnprofitable seruauntes with the blessed kyng Dauid in respect of the iust iudgementes of God they do tremble and say Who shal be able to abide it Lorde if thou wylt geue sentence accordyng to our desertes Thus they humble them selues and are exalted of God they count them selues vyle and of God are counted pure and cleane they condemne them selues and are iustified of God they thinke them selues vnworthy of the earth and of God are thought worthy of heauen Thus of Gods worde are they truely taught how to thynke ryghtly of mercyfull dealyng of almes and of Gods especial mercie and goodnesse are made partakers of those fruites that his word hath promised Let vs then folowe their examples and both shew obediently in our lyfe those workes of mercie that we are commaunded and haue that ryght opinion iudgement of them that we are taught and we shal in lyke maner as they be made partakers and feele the fruites and rewardes that folowe such godly lyuyng so shall we knowe by proofe what profite and commoditie doth come of geuyng of almes and succouring of the poore The thirde parte of the Homilee of almes deedes YE haue alredye hearde two partes of this treatise of almes deedes The fyrste howe pleasaunt and acceptable before God the doyng of them is the second how muche it behoueth vs and how profitable it is to apply our selues vnto them Nowe in the
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
mens heads as repentaunce amendement of life and speedye returnyng vnto the lord God of hoastes And no maruayle why For we do daily and hourely by our wickednes and stubburne disobedience horriblye fall awaye from God thereby purchasing vnto our selues yf he shoulde deale with vs accordyng to his iustice eternall dampnation So that no doctrine is so necessarie in the Churche of God as is the doctrine of repentaunce amendement of lyfe And veryly the true preachers of the Gospell of the kingdome of heauen and of the glad and ioyfull tidinges of saluation haue alwayes in their godly sermons and preachinges vnto the people ioyned these two together I meane repentance and forgeuenes of sinnes euen as our Sauiour Jesus Christe did appoynt him selfe saying So it behoued Christe to suffer to ryse agayne the thirde day and that repentance and forgeuenes of sinnes should be preached in his name among all nations And therefore the holy Apostle doth in the actes speake after this maner I haue witnessed both to the Jewes to the Gentiles that repentaunce towardes God and fayth towards our Lord Jesu Christe Dyd not John Baptist Zacharias sonne begin his ministerie with the doctrine of repentaunce saying Repent for the kingdome of God is at hande The like doctrine did our sauiour Jesus Christe preache hym selfe and cōmaunded his Apostles to preache the same I myght here alleage very many places out of the prophetes in the whiche this most holsome doctrine of repentaunce is very earnestly vrged as most nedefull for all degrees and orders of men but one shal be sufficient at this present tyme These are the words of Joel the prophete Therfore also nowe the Lorde sayth Returne vnto me with al your heart with fastyng weepyng and mournyng rent your heartes and not your clothes and returne vnto the Lorde your God for he is gratious and merciful slow to anger and of great compassion and redy to pardon wickednes Wherby it is geuen vs to vnderstād that we haue here a perpetuall rule appoynted vnto vs which ought to be obserued and kept at all times that there is none other way whereby the wrath of god may be pacified and his anger asswaged that the fiercenes of his furie and the plagues or destruction which by his ryghteous iudgement he had determined to bring vpō vs maye depart be remoued and taken away Where he sayth But nowe therefore sayth the Lord returne vnto me It is not without great importaunce that the prophete speaketh so For he had afore set foorth at large vnto them the horrible vengeaunce of god which no man was able to abide and therfore he doth moue them to repentaunce to obtayne mercie as yf he shoulde say I wyl not haue these thinges to be so taken as though there were no hope of grace left For although ye do by your sinnes deserue to be vtterly destroyed and God by his righteous iudgemēts hath determined to bryng no smal destruction vppon you yet nowe that ye are in a maner on the very edge of the sworde yf ye wyll spedyly returne vnto hym he wyll most gently and most mercifully receaue you into fauour again Wherby we are admonished that repentaunce is neuer to late so that it be true and earnest For sith that God in the scriptures wylbe called our father doubtlesse he doth followe the nature and propertie of gentle and mercifull fathers which seeke nothing so much as the returning againe and amendement of their chyldren as Christe doth aboundauntly teache in the parable of the prodigall sonne Doth not the Lorde hym selfe say by the prophete I wyll not the death of the wicked but that he turne from his wicked waies and liue And in another place If we confesse our sinne God is faythfull and righteous to forgeue vs our sinnes and to make vs cleane from all wickednesse Whiche moste comfortable promises are confyrmed by manye examples of the scriptures When the Jewes dyd wyllingly receaue and embrace the wholesome counsel of the prophete Esai God by and by dyd reache his helping hande vnto them and by his angell dyd in one nyght slea the moste worthye and valiaunt souldiers of Sennacheribs campe Whereunto may kyng Manasses be added who after al maner of dampnable wickednes returned vnto the Lorde and therefore was hearde of hym and restored againe into his kingdome The same grace and fauour dyd the sinfull woman Magdalene Zacheus the poore theefe and many other feele All whiche thynges ought to serue for our comfort agaynst the temptations of our consciences whereby the deuill goeth about to shake or rather to ouerthrowe our faith For euery one of vs ought to applye the same vnto hym selfe and say yet nowe returne vnto the Lorde neyther let the remembraunce of thy former lyfe discourage thee yea the more wicked that it hath ben the more feruent and earnest let thy repentaunce or returnyng be and foorth with thou shalt feele the eares of the Lorde wide open vnto thy prayers But let vs more narowly loke vpon the cōmaundement of the Lorde touchyng this matter Turne vnto me sayth he by his prophete Joel with al your heartes with fasting weping and mourning Rent your heartes and not your garments c. In which wordes he comprehendeth al maner of things that can be spoken of repentaunce whiche is a returning agayne of the whole man vnto God from whom we be fallen away by sinne But that the whole discourse thereof may the better be borne away we shall fyrst consyder in order foure principall poyntes that is from what we must returne to whom we must returne by whom we may be able to conuert and the maner howe to turne to GOD. First from whence or from what thynges we must returne Truely we muste returne from those things whereby we haue ben withdrawē pluckt and led away from god And these generally are our sinnes which as the holy prophete Esai doth testifie do separate God and vs and hide his face that he wyll not heare vs But vnder the name of sinne not only those grosse wordes and deedes which by the common iudgement of men are counted to be filthy and vnlawfull and so consequently abominable sinnes but also the filthy lustes and inwarde concupiscences of the fleshe whiche as saint Paul testifieth do resist the wyll and spirite of God and therefore ought earnestly to be brydled and kept vnder We must repent of the false and erronious opinions that we haue had of god and the wicked superstition that doth breede of the same the vnlawfull worshipping and seruice of God and other lyke All these thinges must they forsake that will truely turne vnto the Lorde and repent aryght For sith that for suche things the wrath of God commeth vpon the children of disobedience no ende of punishment ought to be looked for as long as we continue in such thinges Therfore they be here condempned
vicious and wycked men at libertie to worke their wycked wylles whiche were before brydeled by holesome lawes to weaken to ouerthrowe and to consume the strength of the Realme their naturall countrey as well by the spendyng and wastyng of the money and treasure of the prince and Realme as by murthering of the people of the same their owne countreymen who shoulde defende the honour of their prince and libertie of their countrey agaynst the inuasion of forraigne enemies and so finallye to make their countrey thus by their mischeefe weakened redy to be a pray and spoyle to al outwarde enemies that wyll inuade it to the vtter and perpetuall captiuitie slauerie and destruction of all their countreymen their chyldren their freendes their kynsfolkes left alyue whom by their wycked rebellion they procure to be deliuered into the handes of forraigne enemies as muche as in them doth lye In forraigne warres our countreymen in obteynyng the victorye win the prayse of valiauntnesse yea and though they were ouercommed and slayne yet wine they an honest commendation in this worlde and dye in a good conscience for seruing God their prince and their countrey and be chyldren of eternall saluation But in rebellion howe desperate and strong so euer they be yet wynne they shame here in fyghtyng agaynst God their prince and countrey and therfore iustly do fall headlong into hell if they dye and lyue in shame and fearefull conscience though they escape But commonly they be rewarded with shamful deathes their heades carkases set vpon poles or hanged in chaines eaten with kytes and crowes iudged vnworthie the honour of buryall and so their soules if they repent not as commonly they do not the deuyll harryeth them into hell in the myddest of their mischeefe For whiche dreadfull execution Saint Paule sheweth the cause of obedience not onely for feare of death but also in conscience to Godwarde for feare of eternall dampnation in the worlde to come Wherfore good people let vs as the chyldren of obedience feare the dreadfull execution of God and lyue in quyet obedience to be the chyldren of euerlastyng saluation For as heauen is the place of good obedient subiectes and hel the prison and dungeon of rebels agaynst God and their prince so is that Realme happie where moste obedience of subiectes doth appeare beyng the verye figure of heauen and contrarywyse where most rebellions and rebels be there is the expresse similitude of hell and the rebels them selues are the very figures of feendes and deuyls and their captayne the vngartious paterne of Luciser and Satan the prince of darkenes of whose rebellion as they be folowers so shal they of his damnation in hel vndoubtedly be partakers and as vndoubtedlye children of peace the inheritours of heauen with God the father God the sonne and God the holy ghost To whom be al honour and glorye for euer and euer Amen Thus haue you hearde the thirde part of this Homilee now good people let vs pray ¶ The prayer as before ¶ The fourth parte of the Homilee agaynst disobedience and wilfull Rebellion FOR your further instruction good people to shewe vnto you howe muche almyghtie God doth abhorre disobedience and wylfull rebellion speciallye when rebelles aduaunce them selues so hie that they arme them selues with weapon and stande in feelde to fyght agaynst God their prince and their countrey it shall not be out of the way to shewe some examples set out in Scriptures wrytten for our eternall erudition We may soone knowe good people how heynous offence the trecherie of rebellion is if we call to remembraunce the heauie wrath and dreadfull indignation of almyghtie God agaynst such subiectes as do onlye but inwardely grudge mutter and murmure agaynst their gouernours though their inwarde treason so priuilie hatched in their breastes come not to open declaration of their doynges as harde it is whom the deuill hath so farre entised against Gods word to kepe them selues there no he meaneth still to blowe the cole to kindle their rebellious heartes to flame into open deedes if he be not with grace speedily withstanded Some of the chyldren of Israel beyng murmurers agaynste their magistrates appoynted ouer them by God were stricken with foule leprosie many wer burnt vp with fyre sodaynly sent from the Lorde sometyme a great sort of thousandes were consumed with the pestilence sometyme they were stinged to death with a straunge kind of fiery serpentes and whiche is moste horrible some of the captaynes with their bande of murmurers not dying by any vsual or natural death of men but the earth openyng they with their wyues chyldren and families were swalowed quicke downe into hell Whiche horrible destructions of suche Israelites as were murmurers agaynst Moyses appoynted by God to be their head and cheefe magistrate are recorded in the booke of Numbers and other places of the scriptures for perpetual memorie and warnyng to al subiects how hyghly God is displeased with the murmuring and euyll speakyng of subiectes agaynste their princes for that as the scripture recordeth their murmure was not agaynst their prince only beyng a mortal creature but against God hym selfe also Nowe if suche straunge and horrible plagues dyd fall vppon suche subiectes as dyd only murmure and speake euyll agaynste their heades what shal become of those most wicked impes of the deuyl that do conspire arme thē selues assemble great numbers of armed rebels lead them with them agaynst their prince and countrey spoylyng and robbyng kyllyng and murtheryng al good subiectes that do withstand them as manye as they may preuayle agaynst But those examples are wrytten to stay vs not onlye from suche mischeefes but also from murmuring or speaking once an euill worde agaynst our prince which though any should do neuer so secretly yet do the holy scriptures shewe that the very byrdes of the ayre wyll bewray them and these so manye examples before noted out of the same holy scriptures do declare that they shal not escape horrible punyshment therefore Now concernyng actual rebellion amongst many examples thereof set foorth in the holy scriptures the example of Absolon is notable who entryng into conspiracie agaynst kyng Dauid his father both vsed the aduice of very wittie men and assembled a verye great and huge companie of rebels the whiche Absolon though he were moste goodly of person of great nobilitie beyng the kynges sonne in great fauour of the people and so dearely beloued of the kyng hym selfe so much that he gaue commaundement that notwithstandyng his rebellion his lyfe shoulde be saued when for these consyderations moste men were afrayde to lay their handes vppon hym a great tree stretchyng out his arme as it were for that purpose caught hym by the great and long bush of his goodly heere lappyng about it as he fledde hastily bareheaded vnder the sayde tree and so hanged hym vp by the heere of his head in the ayre to geue an eternall document that neyther comelynes