but beleue the word of God whiche telleth you truelye that Englande shall be destroyed sodainly miserably and shamefullye The same destruccion was tolde to the Sodomites was tolde to the Niniuites was deserued of the Sodomites and was deserued of the Niniuities but came vpon the Sodomites and was tourned from the Niniuytes And why For because the Sodomytes regarded not goddes threatenynges and were plaged wyth gods vengeaunce the Niniuytes regarded goddes threatnynges and escaped gods vengeaunce Now all you Englyshe men at the reuerence of God for the tender mercyes of Iesu Christ for the reuerent loue to youre most gentle and gracious kynge for the sauegarde of your cuntry and for tender pyty of your owne wiues your children and your selues cause not Englande to bee destroyed wyth gods vengeaunce as was the Cytie of the Sodomites but repent lament amend your liues as did the good Niniuites For if ye spedely repent myserably lamente be ashamed of your vainglory couetousnes ambicioÌ„ ye shal cause couetous sedicious proude vicious England sodenly miserablye yea shamefully in the syghte and iudgement of the world to vanysh away And so sinne abhominacion destroyed by the repentaunce of man this pleasaunte place of Englande and good people shall be preserued and saued by thy mercy of God For els if man wil not for sake his synne God wyll not spare to destroye both the man and hys plate with his synne Wherefore the Epystle by the order nowe taken appoynted for thys fourth Sunday after twelfe tyde is a lesson most mete to teache you to knowe and lamente youre greuous sinnes of late committed whyche as yet be in suche case that man wythout greate repentaunce cannot sone amende them nor god of hys ryghteousnes much longer suffer them It is writteÌ„ in the beginning of the .iii. Chap. of Paul to the Rom. on this wyse EUerye soule be subiecte vnto the hygher powers for there is no power but of God Those powers whych be are ordeyned of God Wherefore he that resysteth power resysteth the ordinaunce of God but they whhche doo resiste shall receyue to themselues iudgemenâ— For Rulers are not to be feared for good doinges but for euil Wouldest thou not fâ—are the power do that whiche is good thou shalt haue praise of it But if thou do euyll feare for he beareth not the sweard wythout a cause for he is the minister of God to auenge in wrath hym that doeth euyl Wherefore ye must nedes be subiecte not only for wrathe but also for conscience sake For thys do ye paye tribute For they are the ministers of God attendyng to thys same thynge Geue therefore vnto euery one dueties tribute to whoÌ„e trybute is due custome to whome custum is due feare to whom feare is due honoure to whom honoure is due Thus haue ye heard howe that euery one oughte to be vnder obedience and geue vnto other that whych is due Howbeit experience declareth howe that here in Englande pore men haue been rebels and ryche men haue not done their duetie Bothe haue done euyll to prouoke goddes vengeance neyther doth repente to procure gods mercye Nowe for the better vnderstandyng of thys matter here in thys texte fyrst is to be noted how that Anima the soule for as muche as it is the chiefe parte of man is taken for the whole man as we in oure englyshe tonge take the bodye beynge the worse part for the whole As if I saye euery bodye here I meane euerye man or woman here So in the fourthe of Leuiti Anima que peccauerit ipsa morietur The soule that sinneth it shall dye meanyng the man or woman that synneth And euen so here Paule by the Ebrue phrase and maner of speche commaundeth euery soule whych is by the englishe phrase euery bodye that is to saye euerye person man woman child to be subiect As thou art in dede so acknoweledge thy selfe in thine own mynde Hypotâ—ssestho y t is to saye set or placed vnder the â—ygher powers yeâ— and that by God For as there is no power of authorithy but of god so is there none put in subieccion vnder theym but by God Those powers whiche be are ordeyned of God As is the power of the father ouer hys chyldren of the husband ouer hys wyfe of the master ouer hys seruauntes and of the kynge ouer hys lande and subiectes wyth all kynde of magistrates in their offices ouer their charge Nowe to proue that these bee the ordinaunces of God we haue by goddes word bothe in the olde testamente and in the newe their names rehearsed theyr offices dyscribed and theyr duties commaunded Yet that notwythstandynge some there be that labour by wrestynge of the scripture to pulle them selues from vnder due obedience saiynge that it appeareth in the actes of the Apostles how that they hadde all thynges commen and therfore none more goodes or ryches power or aucthoritie then other but all alyke Truthe it is that the Apostles had all thynges comen yea and that christen men in that they are christen men rather then couetous men haue all thynges comen euen vnto thys day How be it ther can be nothyng more contrarye or further disagreyng from that phantastical commennesse or rather from that diuelyshe disorder and vnrighteouse robry where as Idle lubbers myghte lyue of honeste mennes laboures then to haue all thynges comen as the Apostles hadde as christen men haue and as I do meane And thys is theyr vsage and my meanynge that ryche menne shoulde kepe to theym selues no more then they nede and geue vnto the poore so muche as they nede For so Paule wryteth to the Corinthes I meane not saythe Paull speakynge to the ryche to haue other so eased that you therby shoulde be brought in trouble of nede but after an indifrence that at this tyme your abundaunce myght helpe their nede And so dyd the Apostles take order as appeareth in the fourth of the actes Quotquot habebant agros et possessiones etc. As many as hadde landes and possessions dyd sell them and broughte the prices vnto the feete of the Apostles and diuision was made vnto euerye one accordinge vnto euerye mannes neede So they whyche myght spare dydde frelye geue and they whiche hadde nede dyd thankefully receyue For so is it mete that christeÌ„ mens goodes shuld be comen vnto euery mans nede priuate to no mans luste And those comune goodes to bee disposed by liberall geuers and not spoyled by gredy catchers So that euery man may haue accordyng to hys nede sufficient and not accordynge to hys spoyle so muche as he can catche no nor accordyng to the value of the thyng euerye man a penye a grote or a shyllyng For they that Imagyne couet or wyshe to haue all thynges comune in suche sorte that euerye man myght take what hym luste wolde haue all thynges comen and open vnto euerye mans luste and nothynge reserued or kept for any mans nede And they
agaynst them ye maye se that some men not onelye by the abuse of ryches authoritie but also by the abuse of wysedom and pollicie do much harme and specially those by whose meanes thys realme is nowe brought into such case that eyther learnyng in the vniuersitie and necessarye reuenues belongynge to the moste hygh authoritye is lyke to decaye or elles improperacions to be maynteined whyche â—othe be so deuyllyshe and abhominable that yf eyther of theÌ„ come to effecte it wyll cause the veÌ„geaunce of God vtterly to destroy this realme Do not thynke that I meane any thyng agaynst that whyche the Kynges mayestye by acte of Parliament hathe done no nor that I wyll couer in scilence or alowe by flatterie that whyche couetouse officers some as I suppose nowe beyng presente contrarye to goddes lawes the kynges honour and the comen wealth vse to do For in suppressinge of Abbeyes Cloysters Colleges and Chauntries the entente of the kynges maiestie that dead is was and of this our kynge now is verye godlye and the purpose or els the pretence of other wonderouse goodlye that therby suche abundaunce of goodes as was supersticiously spente vpon vayne ceremonies or voluptuously vpon idle bellies myght come to the kynges handes to beare hys great charges necessarilie bestowed in the comen wealthe or partly vnto other mennes handes for the better releue of the pore the mayntenaunce of learning and the settinge forth oâ— goddes worde Howe beit couetouse officers haue so vsed thys matter that euen those goodes whyche dyd serue to the releue of the poore the mayntenaunce of learnyng and to confortable necessary hospitalitie in y e comeÌ„ wealth be now turned to maynteyne worldly wycked couetouse ambicion I â—ell you at the fyrste the intente was veâ—ie godly the pretence wondâ—rouse goodly but nowe the vse or rather the abuse and mysorder of these thynges is worldlye is wycked is deuilyshe is abhominable The kynge maye haue and wolde to God he hadde in hys handes to bestowe better all that was euell misâ—ente vpon supersticious Ceremonies and voluptuous Idle bellyes But you whych haue gotten these goodes into your own handes to turne them from euyll to worse other goodes mo frome good vnto euyll be ye sure it is euen you that haue offended God begyled the kynge robbed the ryche spoyled the pore and brought a comen wealth into a comen miserye It is euen you that must eyther be plaged with gods vengeaunce as wer the Sodomytes or amende by repeÌ„tauÌ„ce as did the Nineuites EueÌ„ you it is that must eyther make restitucion and amendes spedely or elles â—ele the vengeaunce of God greuously Do not thynke that by restitucion and amendes makyng I meane the buyldynge a gayne of abbeyes or cloysteâ—s no I do not For yf charitable almes honeste hospitalitie and necessary scholes for the bryngynge vp of yougth had ben indifferently maynteyned and not cleane taken away in some places I woulde not at this time haue spoken of restitucion Howe be it sure I am that if at the orderinge of these thynges there had been in the officers as much godlines as there was couetousnes supersticious men had not bene put from their liuinges to their pensions out of those houses wher they myght haue had schole masters to haue taught them to be good and for lesse wages or for the reseruacion of their pensions receyued into cures and personages where as they can do no good and wyll do muche harme Here as concerninge these thinges I saye if man do not make restitucion God wyll take vengeaunce For the people that by thys meanes contynue in deuelyshe supersticion and begyn vngracious rebellion do dye and are damned in their owne synnes but the bloud of their bodyes and soules shall be required at youre handes Yea and the abhominable errour of those that would haue no rulers in authoritie cometh partely by your occasion whyche vnto your owne vayne glorye and pryuate coÌ„moditie do abuse the power and authoritie ordeyned of God to hys glorye and to the commen wealthe Thus ye perceyue howe that some ryche menne and rulers abusynge their ryches and authoritie do make some eyther to iudge that it shoulde be farre better then it is if there were neyther riche meÌ„ nor rulers Howbeit those men are farre deceyued And Paule telleth the truth sayinge that those which be are ordeyned of God Then some wyll aske thys questyon Seynge there is no euyll of God howe can euyll rulers or officers be of God You honeste men that be here and dwell in the countrey heare this lesson and marke it and take it home wyth you for your selues and your neyghbour It is God Qui facit hypocritâ— regnare propter peccata populi It is God as the scripture in the .xxxiiii. of Iob doth testifye whych maketh an hypocritie to be a ruler for the synnes of the people Nowe the people of the countrey vse to saye that their gentlemen and officers were neuer so full of fayre woordes and euyll dedes whych is hypocrisy as they nowe be For a gentleman wyl saye that he loueth his tenaunt as well as hys father dyd but he kepeth not so good a house to make them chere as hys father dyd and yet he taketh mo fynes greater rentes to make them neadye then hys father hadde Another wyll say that he would bye a Lordshyppe of the kyng for the loue that he hath to the tenauntes thereof but assone as he hathe boughte it by takynge of fynes heyghnyng of rentes and sellyng away of coÌ„modities he maketh the same tenantes pay for it Another sayth that he would haue an office to do good in hys contrey but as sone as he hath authoritie to take the fee to hym selfe he setteth hys seruaunte to do hys duetye and instede of wages he geueth them authoritie to lyue of pyllage brybry and extorcion in the countrey Now you of the couÌ„trey marke your lessoÌ„ I saye and take it home wyth you It is God that maketh these euyl men to be gentlemen rulers and officers in the countrey it is the sinnes of the people that causeth God to make these men youre rulers The man is sometymes euyll but the authoritie from God is alwayes good and God geueth good authoritye vnto euyll men to punyshe the synnes of the euyll people It is not therefore repynyng rebellyng or resistyng gods ordinance that wyll amende euyll rulers For Paule sayeth that all powers be of goddes ordinaunce And in Iob it is playne that euyll menne bee made rulers by God So that who soeuer resysteth the offycers be the menne neuer so euyl that be in office he resisteth the ordinauÌ„ce of God he can not preuayle againste God but surely he shall be plaged of God And as the people can haue no remedye against euyll rulers by rebellyon so can the rulers haue no redresse of rebellious people by oppressyon Example of bothe we haue in the thyrd booke of the Kynges where as it appeareth that
rewarde that honoure of reuerence seruyce and obedyence doone to the hygher powers as to hys ordinaunce in the common welath and also that honour of charitable almes relyefe and conforte whych is bestowed vpon the poore and neady as vpon the lyuely members of his owne body As for that whych wythout goddes coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of mans phantasticall imaginacion is doone vnto Images must nedes be hyghe dyshonoure greuous displeasure vnto God when as the lyuely ymage of God created wyth hys owne hande in fleshe and bloud doth honor reuerence homage vnto a dead picture of man grauen in stocke or stone wyth a workemans tooles God is also honoured in all hys creatures when as they be taken wyth thankes and vsed as he hath commaunded and therfore when as they be vnthankfully taken or wyckedly abused then is he dishonoured and displeased Nowe heare a short conclusion Qui ex deo est uerbum dei audit He that is of God heareth the worde of God All you I saye that be Christen men Gods chyldren and indued wyth Goddes spiryte wyll heare the worde of Gods threatenyng and fearyng hys vengeauÌ„ce repent wyll heare the woorde of gods coÌ„maundement and folowyng his counsels amende your lyues wyl heare the worde of Gods promyse and paciently sufferynge trust to hys goodnes As for you that wyll not heare and regarde goddes worde ye declare your selues not to be of God But for because ye haue the deuyl to your father ye wyll fulfyll the lustes and desyres of the Deuyll whyche is your father And the luste and desire of the Deuyll is to hynder the worcke and pleasure of God and thys is the worke and wyll of God that we should repose oure faythe and truste in Christe Iesu and bestowe oure laboure and diligence in our owne vocacyon Therefore the deuyll poysonynge all hys wyth greadye couetousenes wyll cause them euer to trust to their owne prouision and neuer to be content wyth their owne vocacion but beynge called of God to be marchaunt gentleman lawer or courtear yet to be readye at a becke of their father the deuyl besydes this their godly vocacion deuyllyshelye to proule for seke and purchase farmes personages and benefices to discourage housbandemenne from tyllynge of the grounde and ministers from preachynge of Goddes woorde that therby maye come a greuouse honger dearth and lacke both of naturall substaunce for the bodye and also of heauenly foode for the soule And then those in the countrey that be not gods chyldren but deuyllyshe vipers will hysse whisper and swell wyth venemous presumpcion and their sting of rebellion to destroy both them selues al the cuntry But they of y e cuntry or els wher that be the chyldren of God in dede knowynge couetous riche men officers to be sparpled abrod in the cuÌ„try as the scourges of god to beat theÌ„ for their synnes lyke gentle chyldren wyl acknowledge their owne fautes and paciently suffryng correccion pitifullye crye vnto their heauenly father for mercy forgeuenesse conforte So all you in England thâ—â— haue any godly knowledge grace and charitie wyll say with the prophet Dauid Verga tua et baculus tuus ipsa me consolata sunt Thy rod O Lorde and thy staffe they it be whyche haue conforted me Thy rodde of correccioÌ„ whych is these couetous ryche men officers and thy staffe of conforte whyche is the kynges maiestie whom thou hast endowed wyth a gracious gentle nature godly educacion wonderful wyt great learnyng yea and those noble men whom thou hast called froÌ„ their vayne plesures to take great paynes of a reuereÌ„t loue towardes the kyng and of a charitalâ—â— pitie towardes vs to bestowe their landes and goodes tyme and studye and all that euer they haue to prosper the Kynge to prouide for hys realme and to cherish vs his people therof Thus thy rodde of correccion O Lorde hath taught vs to be subiecte in humilitie vnto all hygher powers as to thy ordinaunce this thy staffe of coÌ„forte o Lorde doth encorage vs to loue trust theÌ„ especially vnto whome thou hast geuen hyest power and authoritie So that we can nowe wyllynglye geue vnto euerye one that whyche is due vnto y e higher powers reuerence seruyce and obedience vnto all ingeneral faythfull dealynge and vnto the poore and needye charitable almes releefe and conforte Giue therfore vnto vs o Lord mercye grace that we maye render vnto thee thankes and prayse for euer Amen ¶ Imprinted at London by Iohn Dare dwellinge ouer Alderigate and Wylliam Seres dwelling in Peter Colledge The yeare of our Lorde God M.D.L. the nynth daye of Aprill