whosoeuer doth not this shall seeme to haue reproched and done villanye to the image of god For what honour of God is this to runne to images of stocke and stone and to honour vayne and dead figures of God and to despise man in whom is the true image of God And by and by after he sayth Understande ye therefore that this is the suggestion of the serpent satan lurkyng within you whiche perswadeth you that you are godlye when you honour insensible dead images and that you be not vngodly when you hurt or leaue vnsuccoured the lyuely and reasonable creatures All these be the wordes of Clemens Note I pray you howe this most auncient and learned doctour within one hundred yeres of our sauiour Christes tyme moste playnely teacheth that no seruice of God or religion acceptable to him can be in honouryng of dead images but in succouring of the poore the liuely images of God according to saint James who sayth This is the pure and true religion before God the father to succour fatherlesse and motherlesse chyldren and wyddowes in theyr affliction and to hepe hym selfe vndefyled from this worlde True religion then and pleasing of god standeth not in makyng settyng vp payntyng gylding clothing decking of dumbe and dead images which be but great puppettes and mawmettes for old fooles in dotage and wicked idolatrie to dally and play with nor in kyssyng of them cappyng kneelyng offeryng to them in sensyng of thē setting vp of candels hanging vp of legges armes or whole bodies of waxe before them or praying askyng of them or of saintes thynges belongyng onlye to God to geue But al these thynges be vayne and abominable and moste damnable before god Wherefore all suche do not only bestowe theyr money and labour in vayne but with theyr paynes and coste purchase to them selues gods wrath vtter indignation and euerlasting damnation both of bodye and soule For ye haue hearde it euidently proued in these Homilees against idolatrie by Gods word the doctours of the Churche ecclesiasticall histories reason and experience that images haue ben and be worshypped and so idolatrie committed to them by infinite multitudes to the great offence of Gods maiestie and daunger of infinite soules and that idolatrie can not possiblye be separated from images set vp in Churches and Temples gylded and decked gorgeouslye and that therfore our images be in deede verye idols and so all the prohibitions lawes curses threatnynges of horrible plagues as well temporall as eternall conteyned in the holy scripture concerning idols and the makers mainteyners and worshyppers of them apparteyne also to our images set vp in Churches and Temples to the makers maynteyners and worshyppers of them And all those names of abomination which Gods word in the holy scriptures geueth to the idols of the Gentiles apparteyne to our images beyng idolles like to them and hauyng lyke idolatrie committed vnto them And Gods owne mouth in the holye scriptures calleth them vanities lyes deceyptes vncleanlynesse fylthynesse dounge mischeefe and abomination before the Lorde Wherefore Gods horrible wrath and our moste dreadfull daunger can not be auoyded without the destruction and vtter abolishing of all suche images and idols out of the Churche and Temple of God whiche to accomplyshe GOD put in the myndes of all Christian princes And in the meane tyme let vs take heede and be wyse O ye beloued of the Lord and let vs haue no straunge gods but one only god who made vs when we were nothing the father of our Lord Jesus Christe who redeemed vs when we were lost and with his holye spirite who doth sanctifie vs For this is lyfe euerlastyng to knowe hym to be the onlye true God and Jesus Christe whom he hath sent Let vs honour and worship for religions sake none but him and hym let vs worshyp and honour as he will him selfe and hath declared by his word that he wil be honoured and worshipped not in nor by images or idolles whiche he hath moste strayghtly forbidden neyther in kneelyng lyghtyng of candels burnyng of incense offeryng vp of gyftes vnto images idols to beleue that we shall please hym for all these be abomination before God but let vs honour and worshyp god in spirite and trueth fearyng and louing hym aboue all thynges trustyng in hym onlye callyng vppon hym and praying to hym only praysyng and laudyng of hym onlye and all other in hym and for hym For suche worshyppers doth our heauenly father loue who is the most purest spirite and therefore wyll be worshypped in spirite and trueth And suche worshyppers were Abraham Moyses Dauid Helias Peter Paul John and all other the holye patriarkes prophetes apostles martyrs and all true saintes of God who all as the true friendes of God were enemies and destroyers of images and idols as the enemies of God and his true religion Wherefore take heede and be wyse O ye beloued of the Lorde and that whiche others contrarie to gods worde bestowe wickedly and to their damnation vpon dead stockes stones no images but enemies of god and his saintes that bestowe ye as the faithfull seruauntes of God according to Gods worde mercifully vpon poore men and women fatherlesse children wydowes sicke persons straungers prisoners and such others that be in any necessitie that ye may at that great daye of the Lorde heare that most blessed and comfortable saying of our Sauiour Christ Come ye blessed into the kingdome of my father prepared for you before the beginning of the worlde For I was hungrye and ye gaue me meate thirstie and ye gaue me drinke naked ye clothed me harbourlesse and ye lodged me in prison and ye visited me sicke ye comforted me For whatsoeuer ye haue done for the poore and needie in my name for my sake that haue ye done for me To the which his heauenly kingdome God the father of mercies bring vs for Jesus Christes sake our onelye sauiour mediatour and aduocate to whom with the holy ghost one immortall inuisible and most glorious God be all honour and thankesgeuing and glorie world without end Amen ⧠An Homilee for repairing and keping cleane and comelye adourning of Churches IT is a cōmon custome vsed of all mē when they intend to haue their freendes or neighbours to com to their houses to eate or drink with them or to haue anye solempne assembly to treate talke of anye matter they will haue their houses which they kepe in continuall reparations to be cleane and fine lest they should be counted sluttish or litle to regard their frendes and neighbours How much more then ought the house of God whiche we commonlye call the Church to be sufficiently repaired in all places and to be honorably adourned and garnished and to be kept cleane and sweete to the comfort of the people that shall resort thereto It appeareth in the holy scripture how Gods house which was called his holy temple and was the mother Churche of all
is within vs For it is the holy ghost and no other thyng that doth quicken the mindes of men stirring vp good and godly motions in their heartes which are agreeable to the wil commaundement of God suche as otherwyse of their owne crooked and peruerse nature they shoulde neuer haue That whiche is borne of the fleshe sayth Christe is fleshe and that which is borne of the spirite is spirite As who shoulde saye Man of his owne nature is fleshly and carnal corrupt and nought synnefull and disobedient to God without any sparke of goodnes in hym without any vertuous or godly motion onely geuen to euyl thoughtes and wicked deedes As for the workes of the spirite the fruites of fayth charitable and godly motions if he haue anye at all in hym they proceede only of the holy ghost who is the onlye worker of our sanctification maketh vs newe men in Christ Jesu Dyd not Gods holy spirite miraculously worke in the childe Dauid when of a poore shephearde he became a princelike prophet Dyd not Gods holy spirite miraculously worke in Matthewe sitting at the receipte of custome when of a proude Publicane he became an humble and lowly Euangelist And who can choose but maruayle to consyder that Peter shoulde become of a simple fisher a cheefe and mightie Apostle Paul of a cruell and bloody persecutour a faythful disciple of Christe to teache the Gentiles Suche is the power of the holy ghost to regenerate men and as it were to bryng them foorth a newe so that they shal be nothyng lyke the men that they were before Neyther doth he thynke it sufficient inwardlye to worke the spirituall and newe byrth of man vnlesse he do also dwell and abide in hym Knowe ye not sayth saint Paule that ye are the temple of God and that his spirite dwelleth in you Knowe ye not that your bodies are the temples of the holy ghost which is within you Agayne he sayth You are not in the fleshe but in the spirite For why The spirite of God dwelleth in you To this agreeth the doctrine of saint John wrytyng on this wyse The annoyntyng whiche ye haue receaued he meaneth the holy ghost dwelleth in you And the doctrine of Peter sayth the same who hath these wordes The spirite of glory and of God resteth vppon you O what comfort is this to the hearte of a true Christian to thynke that the holy ghost dwelleth within hym If God be with vs as the Apostle sayth who can be agaynst vs O but howe shall I knowe that the holy ghost is within me some man perchaunce wyll say Forsoth as the tree is knowne by his fruite so is also the holy ghost The fruites of the holy ghost accordyng to the mynde of saint Paule are these Loue ioy peace long sufferyng gentlenes goodnesse faythfulnesse meekenes temperaunce c. Contrarywyse the deedes of the fleshe are these Adultrie fornication vncleannesse wantonnes idolatrie witchcrafte hatred debate emulation wrath contention sedition heresie enuie murther drunkennesse gluttonie and such lyke Here is nowe that glasse wherein thou muste behold thy selfe and discerne whether thou haue the holy ghost within thee or the spirite of the fleshe If thou see that thy workes be vertuous and good consonant to the prescript rule of gods worde sauouring and tastyng not of the fleshe but of the spirite then assure thy selfe that thou art endued with the holy ghoste Otherwyse in thynkyng wel of thy selfe thou doest nothyng els but deceaue thy selfe The holy ghost doth alwayes declare hym selfe by his fruitefull and gratious gyftes namely by the worde of wysedome by the worde of knowledge whiche is the vnderstandyng of the scriptures by fayth in doyng of miracles by healyng them that are diseased by prophesie whiche is the declaration of Gods mysteries by discerning of spirites diuersities of tonges interpretation of tonges and so foorth All whiche gyftes as they proceede from one spirite and are seuerally geuen to man accordyng to the measurable distribution of the holy ghost Euen so do they bryng men and not without good cause into a wonderfull admiration of Gods diuine power Who wyll not marueyle at that whiche is wrytten in the Actes of the Apostles to heare their bolde confession before the counsell at Jerusalem And to consyder that they went away with ioy and gladnesse reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebukes and checkes for the name and fayth of Christe Jesus This was the myghtie worke of the holy ghost who because he geueth patience and ioyfulnesse of heart in temptation and affliction hath therefore worthyly obtayned this name in holye scripture to be called a comforter Who wyl not also marueyle to reade the learned and heauenly sermons of Peter and the disciples consyderyng that they were neuer brought vp in schole of learnyng but called euen from their nettes to supply roomes of Apostles This was lykewyse the mightie worke of the holy ghost who because he doth instruct the hearts of the simple in the true knowledge of God and his holy worde is moste iustly tearmed by this name and title to be the spirite of trueth Eusebius in his ecclesiasticall historie telleth a straunge storie of a certayne learned and subtill Philosopher who beyng an extreame aduersarie to Christ and his doctrine could by no kynd of learnyng be conuerted to the fayth but was able to withstande all the argumentes that coulde be brought agaynst hym with litle or no labour At length there started vp a poore simple man of small wit and lesse knowledge one that was reputed among the learned as an ideote And he on Gods name woulde needes take in hande to dispute with this proude Philosopher The Byshoppes and other learned men standyng by were marueylously abashed at the matter thinking that by his doynges they shoulde be all confounded and put to open shame He notwithstandyng goeth on and begynnyng in the name of the Lorde Jesus brought the Philosopher to suche poynte in the ende contrary to all mens expectation that he coulde not choose but acknowledge the power of God in his wordes and to geue place to the trueth Was not this a miraculous worke that one seely soule of no learnyng shoulde do that whiche many byshops of great knowledge and vnderstanding were neuer able to bryng to passe So true is the saying of Bede Where the holy ghost doth instruct and teache there is no delay at al in learnyng Much more myght here be spoken of the manyfolde gyftes and graces of the holy ghost moste excellent and wonderfull in our eyes But to make a long discourse through all the shortnes of tyme wil not serue And seing ye haue heard the cheefest ye may easily conceaue and iudge of the rest Nowe were it expedient to discusse this question Whether all they whiche boaste and bragge that they haue the holy ghost do truely chalenge this vnto them selues or no Which doubt
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
The second Tome of Homilees of such matters as were promised and intituled in the former part of Homilees Set out by the aucthoritie of the Queenes Maiestie And to be read in euery parishe Church agreeably 1571. The Table of homilees ensuyng 1 OF the ryght vse of the Churche 2 Against peril of Idolatrie iii. partes 3 For repayryng and kepyng cleane the Churche 4 Of good workes And first of fastyng ii partes 5 Agaynst gluttonie and dronkennesse 6 Agaynst excesse of apparrell 7 An Homilee of prayer iii. partes 8 Of the place and time of prayer ii partes 9 Of common prayer and sacramentes 10 An information for them which take offence at certayne places of holye scripture ii partes 11 Of almes deedes iii. partes 12 Of the Natiuitie 13 Of the passion for good Friday ii Homilees 14 Of the Resurrection for Easter day 15 Of the worthy receauing of the sacrament ii partes 16 An Homilee concerning the cōming downe of the holye Ghost for Whitsunday ii partes 17 An Homilee for rogation weeke iiii partes 18 Of the state of matrimonie 19 Agaynst idlenesse 20 Of repentaunce and true reconciliation vnto god iii. partes 21 An Homilee agaynst disobedience and wylfull rebellion vi partes ¶ An admonition to all Ministers ecclesiasticall FOR that the Lorde doth require of his seruaunt whom he hath set ouer his householde to shewe both faythfulnesse and prudence in his office it shal be necessarye that ye aboue al other do behaue your selfe moste faythfully and diligently in your so hygh a function that is aptly playnely and distinctly to reade the sacred scriptures diligently to instruct the youth in their Catechisme grauely and reuerently to minister his most holy Sacramentes prudently also to choose out such Homilees as be most meete for the time for the more agreeable instruction of the people committed to your charge with such discretion that where the Homilee may appeare to long for one readyng to diuide the same to be read part in the fore noone and part in the after noone And where it may so chaunce some one or other chapter of the olde Testament to fal in order to be read vppon the Sundayes or holye dayes whiche were better to be chaunged with some other of the newe Testament of more edification it shal be wel done to spende your tyme to consyder wel of such chapters before hand wherby your prudence and diligence in your office may appeare so that your people may haue cause to glorifie God for you and be the redyer to imbrace your labours to your better commendatiō to the discharge of your cōsciences their owne An Homilee of the ryght vse of the Churche or temple of God and of the reuerence due vnto the same ¶ The first part WHERE there appeareth at these dayes great slacknesse negligence of a great sorte of people in resorting to the Church there to serue God their heauenly father accordyng to their most bounden duetie as also muche vncomely and vnreuerent behauiour of many persons in the same when they be there assembled and thereby maye iust feare aryse of the wrath of GOD and his dreadfull plagues hanging ouer our heades for our greeuous offences in this behalfe amongst other many great sinnes which we dayly and hourely commit before the Lorde Therefore for the discharge of al our consciences and the auoydyng of the common peryl plague hangyng ouer vs let vs consyder what may be sayde out of Gods holy booke concernyng this matter whereunto I pray you geue good audience for that it is of great wayght and concerneth you all Although the eternall and incomprehensible maiestie of God the Lorde of heauen and earth whose seate is heauen the earth his footestole can not be inclosed in temples or houses made with mans hande as in dwelling places able to receaue or conteyne his maiestie accordyng as is euidently declared by the prophete Esaias and by the doctrine of saint Steuen and saint Paul in the Actes of the Apostles And where kyng Salomon who builded vnto the Lorde the most glorious temple that euer was made sayth Who shal be able to buylde a meete or worthye house for hym if heauen and the heauen aboue all heauens can not contayne hym howe muche lesse can that whiche I haue builded And further confesseth What am I that I shoulde be able to buylde thee an house O Lord But yet for this purpose only it is made that thou mayest regarde the prayer of thy seruaunt and his humble supplication Muche lesse then be our Churches meete dwellyng places to receaue the incomprehensible maiestie of god And in deede the cheefe and speciall temples of God wherein he hath greatest pleasure and moste delyghteth to dwell and continue in are the bodyes and myndes of true Christians and the chosen people of GOD accordyng to the doctrine of the holye scripture declared in the firste Epistle to the Corinthians Knowe ye not sayth Saint Paul that ye be the temple of God and that the spirite of God dwelleth in you If any man defyle the temple of God hym wyll God destroye For the temple of God is holy which ye are And agayne in the same Epistle Knowe ye not that your body is the temple of the holye ghost dwellyng in you whom ye haue geuen you of God and that ye be not your owne for ye are dearely bought Glorifie ye nowe therefore God in your body and in your spirite whiche are Gods. And therefore as our sauiour Christe teacheth in the Gospell of saint John they that worshyp God the father in spirite and trueth in what place so euer they do it worshyp hym a ryght for suche worshyppers doth God the father looke for For God is a spirite those that worshyp hym must worship him in spirit and trueth sayth our sauiour Christe Yet all this notwithstandyng the material Church or temple is a place appoynted aswell by the vsage and continuall examples expressed in the olde Testament as in the newe for the people of God to resort together vnto there to heare Gods holy worde to call vpon his holy name to geue hym thankes for his innumerable and vnspeakeable benefites bestowed vppon vs and duely and truely to celebrate his holy sacramentes In the vnfayned doyng and accomplyshyng of the whiche standeth that true and right worshipping of God afore mentioned and the same Churche or temple is by the scriptures both of the olde Testament and the newe called the house and temple of the Lorde for the peculier seruice there done to his maiestie by his people for the effectuous presence of his heauenlye grace where with he by his sayde holye word endueth his people so there assembled And to the sayde house or temple of God at all tymes by common order appoynted are all people that be godly in deede bounde with all diligence to resorte vnlesse by sicknesse or other moste vrgente causes they be letted therefro And
regarde of reuerent vnderstanding in his presence but he wyll prepare his heart before he presume to speake vnto god And therefore in our common prayer the minister doth oftentymes say Let vs pray meanyng thereby to admonishe the people that they shoulde prepare their eares to heare what he shoulde craue at Gods hand and their heartes to consent to the same and their tongues to say Amen at the ende thereof On this sort dyd the prophet Dauid prepare his heart when he sayde My heart is redy O God my heart is redy I wyll syng and declare a Psalme The Jewes also when in the tyme of Iudith they dyd with all their heart pray God to visite his people of Israel had so prepared their heartes before they began to pray After this sorte had Manasses prepared his heart before he prayed and sayde And nowe O Lorde do I bow the knees of myne heart asking of thee part of thy mercyful kindnes When the heart is thus prepared the voyce vttred from the heart is harmonious in the eares of god otherwyse he regardeth it not to accept it But forasmuch as the person that so â—ableth his wordes without sense in the presence of God sheweth hymselfe not to regarde the maiestie of hym that he speaketh to He taketh hym as a contemner of his almyghtie maiestie and geueth hym his rewarde among hypocrites whiche make an outwarde she we of holynesse but their heartes are full of abhominable thoughtes euen in the tyme of their prayers For it is the heart that the Lorde looketh vppon as it is wrytten in the historie of kynges If we therefore wyll that our prayers be not abhominable before God let vs so prepare our heartes before we pray and so vnderstande the thynges that we aske when we pray that both our heartes and voyces may together sound in the eares of Gods maiestie and then we shall not fayle to receaue at his hand the thinges that we aske as good men whiche haue ben before vs dyd and so haue from tyme to tyme receaued that whiche for their soules health they dyd at any tyme desyre Saint Augustine seemeth to beare in this matter For he sayth thus of them whiche beyng brought vp in grammer and rhethoricke are conuerted to Christe and so must be instructed in Christian religion Let them know also sayth he that it is not the voyce but the affection of the minde that commeth to the eares of god And so shall it come to passe that if haply they shall marke that some byshoppes or ministers in the Churche do call vppon God eyther with barbarous wordes or with wordes disordered or that they vnderstande not or do disorderly diuide the wordes that they pronounce they shal not laugh them to scorne Hitherto he seemeth to beare with praying in an vnknowne tongue But in the next sentence he openeth his mynde thus Nor for that these thynges ought not to be amended that the people may say Amen to that whiche they do playnely vnderstande But yet these thyngs must be godly borne withal of these catechistes or instructours of the faith that they may learne that as in the common place where matters are pleaded the goodnesse of an oration consisteth in sounde so in the Churche it consisteth in deuotion So that he alloweth not the praying in a tongue not vnderstand of hym that prayeth But he instructeth the skilfull Oratour to beare with the rude tongue of the deuout simple minister To conclude if the lacke of vnderstandyng the wordes that are spoken in the congregation do make them vnfruitfull to the hearers How should not the same make the wordes read vnfruitfull to the reader The mercyfull goodnesse of God graunt vs his grace to call vppon hym as we ought to do to his glory and our endlesse felicitie whiche we shall do if we humble our selues in his sight and in all our prayers both common and priuate haue our myndes fully fixed vpon hym For the prayer of them that humble them selues shall pearse through the doudes and tyll it drawe nygh vnto God it wyl not be aunswered and tyll the moste high do regarde it it wyll not departe And the Lorde wyll not be slacke but he wyll deliuer the iust and execute iudgement To hym therfore be all honour and glory for euer euer Amen An information for them whiche take offence at certayne places of the holy Scripture The first part THe great vtilitie and profite that Christian men and women may take if they wil by hearing and reading the holye scriptures dearely beloued no heart can sufficiently conceaue muche lesse is my tongue able with wordes to expresse Wherefore satan our enemy seing the scriptures to be the very meane and right way to bring the people to the true knowledge of God that Christian religion is greatly furthered by diligent hearing reading of them he also perceauing what an hinderance let they be to him and his kingdome doth what he can to driue the reading of them out of Gods Churche And for that end he hath alwayes stirred vp in one place or other cruel tyrauntes sharpe persecutors and extreame enemies vnto God and his infallible trueth to pull with violence the holy Bibles out of the peoples handes and haue moste spitefully destroyed and consumed the same to ashes in the fyre pretendyng moste vntruely that the muche hearyng and readyng of Gods worde is an occasion of heresie and carnall libertie and the ouerthrowe of all good order in all well ordered common weales If to knowe God aryght be an occasion of euyll then must we needes graunt that the hearyng and readyng of the holy scriptures is the cause of heresie carnall libertie and the subuertion of all good orders But the knowledge of God and of our selues is so farre from beyng an occasion of euill that it is the redyest yea the only meane to brydle carnall libertie and to kyll all our fleshly affections And the ordinarie waye to attayne this knowledge is with diligence to heare and reade the holy scriptures For the whole scriptures sayeth Saint Paule were geuen by the inspiration of god And shall we Christian men thynke to learne the knowledge of God and of our selues in anye earthly mans worke or wrytyng sooner or better then in the holy scriptures wrytten by the inspiration of the holy ghost The scriptures were not brought vnto vs by the wyll of man but holy men of God as witnesseth Saint Peter spake as they were moued by the holye spirite of god The holy ghost is the scholemaister of trueth whiche leadeth his schollers as our Sauiour Christe sayeth of hym into all trueth And who so is not led and taught by this scholemaister can not but fall into deepe errour howe godly soeuer his pretence is what knowledge and learnyng soeuer he hath of all other workes and wrytynges or howe fayre soeuer a shewe or face of trueth he hath in the estimation
vs and he rose agayne to sende downe his holy spirite to rule in our heartes to endowe vs with perfect righteousnes Thus it is true that Dauid song Veritas de terra orta est et iustitia de coelo prospexit The trueth of gods promise is in the earth to man declared or from the earth is the euerlasting veritie Gods sonne rysen to life the true righteousnesse of the holy ghost lookyng out of heauen and is in most liberal larges dealt vppon all the worlde Thus is glory and prayse rebounded vpwarde to God aboue for his mercie and trueth And thus is peace come downe from heauen to men of good and faythfull heartes Thus is mercie and trueth as Dauid wryteth together met thus is peace and ryghteousnesse imbrasing and kissing eache other If thou doubtest of so great wealth felicitie that is wrought for thee O man call to thy mynde that therefore haste thou receaued into thyne owne possession the euerlasting veritie our sauiour Jesus Christ to confyrme to thy conscience the trueth of all this matter Thou hast receaued hym yfin true fayth and repentaunce of heart thou haste receaued hym yf in purpose of amendement thou haste receaued hym for an euerlastyng gage or pledge of thy saluation Thou hast receaued his body which was once broken his blood which was shedde for the remission of thy synne Thou hast receaued his body to haue within thee the father the sonne and the holy ghost for to dwell with thee to endow thee with grace to strength thee agaynst thyne enemies and to comfort thee with their presence Thou hast receaued his body to endow thee with euerlasting righteousnes to assue thee of euerlastyng blisse and lyfe of thy soule 〈…〉 r with Christe by true fayth art thou quickened agayne sayth saint Paul from death of synne to lyfe of grace and in hope translated from corporal and euerlastyng death to the euerlastyng lyfe of glorye in heauen where nowe thy conuersation should be and thy heart and desyre set Doubt not of the trueth of this matter how great and hygh soeuer these thynges be It becommeth God to do no litle deedes how impossible so euer they seeme to thee Pray to God that thou mayest haue fayth to perceaue this greate mysterie of Christes resurrection that by faytâ— thou mayst certaynely beleue nothyng to be impossible with god Onlye bryng thou fayth to Christes holy worde and sacrament Let thy repentaunce shewe thy fayth let thy purpose of amendement and obedience of thy heart to Gods lawe hereafter declare thy true beleefe Endeuour thy selfe to saye with Saint Paul From hencefoorth our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for a sauiour euen the Lorde Jesus Christe whiche shall change our vile bodyes that they may be fashioned like his glorious body which he shal do by the same power wherby he rose from death and wherby he shal be able to subdue all thynges vnto hym selfe Thus good Christian people forasmuche as ye haue hearde these so great and excellent benefites of Christes myghtie and glorious resurrection as howe that he hath raunsomed synne ouercome the deuill death and hell and hath victoriouslye gotten the better hande of them all to make vs free and safe from them and knowyng that we be by this benefite of his resurrection rysen with hym by our fayth vnto lyfe euerlastyng beyng in full suretie of our hope that we shall haue our bodyes lykewyse raysed agayne from death to haue them glorified in immortalitie and ioyned to his glorious bodye hauyng in the meane while his holy spirite within our heartes as a seale and pledge of our euerlastyng inheritaunce By whose assistence we be replenished with all ryghteousnes by whose power we shal be able to subdue all our euyll affections rysyng agaynst the pleasure of god These thynges I say well consydered let vs nowe in the rest of our lyfe declare our fayth that we haue to this moste fruitful article by framyng our selues therunto in rysyng dayly from sinne to righteousnes holines of lyfe For what shall it auayle vs sayth saint Peter to be escaped deliuered from the filthynesse of the worlde through the knowledge of the Lorde and sauiour Jesus Christe if we be entangled agayne therewith and be ouercome agayne Certaynely it had ben better sayth he neuer to haue knowne the way of righteousnes then after it is knowne and receaued to turne backwarde agayne from the holy commaundement of God geuen vnto vs For so shall the prouerbe haue place in vs where it is sayde The dogge is returned to his vomite agayne and the sowe that was washed to her wallowyng in the myre agayne What a shame were it for vs beyng thus so clearely and freely washed from our synne to returne to the filthynesse thereof agayne What a follie were it thus endowed with ryghteousnesse to lose it agayne What madnesse were it to lose the inheritaunce that we be nowe set in for the vyle and transitorie pleasure of synne And what an vnkyndenesse shoulde it be where our sauiour Christe of his mercie is come to vs to dwell within vs as our gâ—este to dryue hym from vs and to banishe hym violently out of our soules and in steade of hym in whom is all grace and vertue to receaue the vngratious spirite of the deuyil the founder of all naughtines and mischeefe How can we fynde in our heartes to shewe suche extreame vnkyndnesse to Christe which hath now so gently called vs to mercie and offered him selfe vnto vs and he nowe entred within vs yea howe dare we be so bolde to renounce the presence of the father the sonne and the holy ghost For where one is there is God all whole in maiestie together with all his power wysedome and goodnesse and feare not I say the daunger and peryll of so traiterous a defiaunce and departure Good Christian brethren and sisters aduise your selues consyder the dignite that ye be nowe set in let not follie lose the thyng that grace hath so preciously offered and purchased let not wylfulnesse and blindnesse put out so great lyght that is now shewed vnto you Onlye take good heartes vnto you and put vppon you all the armour of God that ye may stand agaynst your enemies which woulde agayne subdue you and bryng you into their thraldome Remember ye be bought from your vain conuersation and that your freedome is purchased neyther with golde nor syluer but with the price of the precious blood of that most innocent lambe Jesus Christe which was ordeined to the same purpose before the worlde was made But he was so declared in the latter tyme of grace for your sakes which by hym haue your fayth in God who hath raysed hym from death and hath geuen hym glory that you shoulde haue your fayth and hope towarde god Therefore as you haue hytherto folowed the vayne lustes of your myndes and so displeased God to
deuill and not of God albeit they pretende outwardly to the worlde neuer so muche holinesse For as the Gospell teacheth vs the spirit of Jesus is a good spirit an holy spirit a sweete spirite a lowely spirite a mercifull spirite full of charitie and loue ful of forgeuenes and pitie not rendring euil for euill extremitie for extremitie but ouercomming euill with good and remitting all offence euen from the heart Accordyng to which rule if any man liue vprightly of him it may be safely pronounced that he hath the holy ghost within him If not then it is a plaine token that he doth vsurpe the name of the holye ghost in vaine Therfore dearely beloued according to the good councel of S. John beleue not euery spirite but firste trie them whether they be of God or no. Manye shall come in my name sayeth Christe and shall transfourme them selues into Angels of light deceauing if it be possible the very elect They shall come vnto you in sheepes clothing being inwardlye cruell and rauening Wolues They shall haue an outwarde shewe of great holines and innocencie of lyfe so that ye shall hardly or not at all discerne them But the rule that ye must folowe is this to iudge them by their fruites Which if they be wicked and naught then is it vnpossible that the tree of whoÌ„ they proceede should be good Such were all the popes and prelates of Rome for the most parte as doth well appeare in the storye of their lyues and therefore they are worthylye accounted among the number of false prophetes and false Christes whiche deceaued the worlde a long whyle The Lorde of heauen and earth deâ—fende vs from their tirannie and pryde that they neuer enter into his vineyarde agayne to the disturbaunce of his feely poore flocke but that they may be vtterly confounded and put to flight in all partes of the worlde And he of his great mercy so worke in al mens heartes by the mighty power of the holy ghost that the comfortable Gospell of his sonne Christe may be truely preached truely receaued and truelye followed in all places to the beating downe of sinne death the pope the deuil all the kingdome of Antichrist that lyke scattered and dispearsed sheepe beyng at length gathered into one folde we maye in the ende rest altogether in the bosome of â—braham Isaac and Jacob there to be partakers of eternal and euerlasting life through the merites and death of Jesus Christ out sauiour Amen ⧠An Homilee for the dayes of rogation weeke That all good thynges commeth from God. I Am purposed this day good deuout Christian people to declare vnto you the most deserued praise commendation of almighty God not only in the consyderation of the marueylous creation of this worlde or for conseruation and gouernaunce thereof wherein his great power and wysedome might excellentlye appeare to moue vs to honour and dread him but moste specially in consyderation of his liberall large goodnes whiche he daylye bestoweth on vs his reasonable creatures for whose sake he made the whole vniuersall worlde with all the commodities and goods therein Which his singuler goodnes well and diligently remembred on our part shoulde moue vs as dutie is agayne with hartye affection to loue him and with word and deede to praise him and serue him all the dayes of our lyfe And to this matter being so worthye to entreate of and so profitable for you to heare I trust I shal not neede with much circumstaunce of words to stirre you to geue your attendance to heare what shal be said Only I would wish your affection inflamed in secrete wyse within your selfe to rayse vp some motion of thankes geuing to the goodnes of almightie God in euery 〈…〉 che poynt as shal be opened by my declaration particulerly vnto you For els what shall it auayle vs to heare and knowe the great goodnesse of God towarde vs to knowe that what soeuer is good proceedeth from him as from the principal fountayne and the onelye aucthour or to knowe that what soeuer is sent from him must needs be good and holsome if the hearing of suche matter moueth vs no further but to knowe it onely What auayled it the wyse men of the worlde to haue a knowledge of the power and diuinitie of God by the secrete inspiration of him where they did not honor and glorifie him in their knowledges as God What prayse was it to them by the consyderation of the creation of the world to behold his goodnesse and yet were not thankful to him againe for his creatures What other thing deserued this blindnes and forgetfulnes of them at Gods handes but vtter forsaking of him and so forsaken of God they could not but fall into extreme ignorance and errour And although they muche esteemed them selues in their wittes and knowledge and gloried in their wisdome yet vanished they away blyndly in their thoughtes became fooles perished in their folly There can be none other ende of suche as draweth nygh to God by knowledge and yet depart from him in vnthankfulnes but vtter destruction This experience sawe Dauid in his dayes For in his Psalme he saith Behold they which withdrawe them selues from thee shall perishe for thou hast destroyed them all that are strayed from thee This experieÌ„ce was perceaued to be true of that holy prophete Jeremie O Lord sayth he what soeuer they be that forsake thee shal be confounded they that depart from thee shal be written in the earth and soone forgotten It profiteth not good people to heare the goodnes of God declared vnto vs if our heartes be not inflamed therby to honour thanke hym It profited not the Jewes whiche were Gods elect people to here much of God seyng that he was not receaued in their heartes by fayth nor thanked for his benefites bestowed vpon them their vnthankfulnes was the cause of their destructioÌ„ Let vs esche we the maner of these before rehearsed and folowe rather the example of that holye Apostle Saint Paul whiche when in a deepe meditation he dyd beholde the marueylous proceedinges of almyghtie God and consydered his infinite goodnes in the ordering of his creatures he brast out into this conclusion Surely sayth he of hym by hym and in him be al thinges And this once pronounced he stacke not still at this poynt but forthwith therupon ioyned to these wordes To him be glory prayse for euer Amen Uppon the grounde of which wordes of Saint Paul good audience I purpose to builde my exhortation of this day vnto you Wherein I shall do my endeuour first to proue vnto you that al good things commeth downe vnto vs from aboue from the father of lyght Secondly that Jesus Christ his sonne and our sauiour is the meane by whom we receaue his liberall goodnesse Thirdly that in the power and vertue of the holy ghost we be made meete and able to receaue his giftes graces Which
much more of all spiritual graces behoueable for our soule without whose goodnesse no man is called to fayth or stayed therein as I shall hereafter in the next part of this Homilee declare to you In the meane season forget not what hath alredy ben spoken to you forget not to be conformable in your iudgementes to the trueth of this doctrine and forget not to practise the same in the whole state of your lyfe whereby ye shall obtayne the blessing promised by our sauiour Christ Blessed be they which heare the word of God fulfilleth it in lyfe Whiche blessing he graunt to vs all who raigneth ouer all one God in Trinitie the father the sonne and the holye ghost to whom be all honour and glory for euer Amen ¶ The thirde part of the Homilee for Rogation weeke I Promised to you to declare that all spirituall giftes graces commeth specially from god Let vs consyder the trueth of this matter and heare what is testified fyrst of the gyfte of faith the first entrie into the Christian life without the which no man can please god For S. Paul confesseth it plainely to be Gods gyft saying Fayth is the gyft of god And agayne saint Peter sayth It is of Gods power that ye be kept through fayth to saluation It is of the goodnes of god that we faulter not in our hope vnto him It is verily gods worke in vs the charitie wherwith we loue our brethren If after our fall we repent it is by him that we repent whiche reacheth foorth his mercifull hande to rayse vs vp If any wyll we haue to ryse it is he that preuenteth our wyll disposeth vs therto If after contrition we feele our conscience at peace with god through remission of our sinne and so be reconciled againe to his fauour and hope to be his children inheritours of euerlasting lyfe who worketh these great myracles in vs our worthynesse our deseruinges endeuours our wittes and vertue Nay veryly Saint Paul wyll not suffer fleshe and clay to presume to such arrogancie therfore sayth All is of God which hath reconciled vs to hym selfe by Jesus Christe For God was in Christe when he reconciled the world vnto him selfe GOD the father of all mercie wrought this high benefite vnto vs not by his owne person but by a meane by no lesse meane then his only beloued sonne whom he spared not from any payne trauayle that myght do vs good For vpon him he put our sinnes vpon him he made our raunsome hym he made the meane betwixt vs him selfe whose mediation was so acceptable to GOD the father through his profound and perfect obedience that he toke his acte for a full satisfaction of all our disobedience rebellion whose ryghteousnesse he toke to waye agaynst our sinnes whose redemption he would haue stande agaynst our dampnation In this poynt what haue we to muse within our selues good freendes I thinke no lesse then that which saint Paul sayde in the remembraunce of this wonderfull goodnesse of God Thankes be to almightie God through Christe Jesus our Lorde for it is he for whose sake we receaued this hygh gyft of grace For as by him beyng the euerlastyng wysdome he wrought all the worlde and that is contayned therein So by him only and wholy woulde he haue all thynges restored agayne in heauen and in earth By this our heauenly mediatour therefore do we knowe the fauour and mercie of God the father by him know we his wyll and pleasure towardes vs for he is the brightnesse of his fathers glorye and a verye cleare image and paterne of his substaunce It is he whom the father in heauen delyghteth to haue for his welbeloued sonne whom he aucthorised to be our teacher whom he charged vs to heare saying Heare him It is he by whom the father of heauen doth blesse vs with all spiritual and heauenly giftes for whose sake and fauour writeth saint John we haue receaued grace fauour To this our sauiour mediatour hath God the father geuen the power of heauen and earth and the whole iurisdiction aucthoritie to distribute his goodes and gyftes committed to hym For so wryteth the apostle To euery one of vs is grace geuen accordyng to the measure of Christes geuing And thereupon to execute his aucthoritie committed after that he had brought sinne and the deuill to captiuitie to be no more hurtfull to his members he ascended vp to his father agayne from thence sent liberall gyftes to his welbeloued seruauntes and hath styll the power to the worldes ende to distribute his fathers giftes continually in his Churche to the establishment and comfort thereof And by hym hath almyghtie God decreed to dissolue the world to call al before him to iudge both the quicke and the dead and finally by hym shall he condempne the wicked to eternall fyre in hell and geue the good eternall lyfe and set them assuredly in presence with hym in heauen for euermore Thus ye see how all is of God by his sonne Christe our Lord and sauiour Remember I say once againe your duetie of thankes let thē be neuer to want still ioyne your selfe to continue in thankes geuyng ye can offer to God ne better sacrifice For he sayth hym selfe It is the sacrifice of prayse and thankes that shall honour me Which thyng was well perceaued of that holy prophete Dauid when he so earnestly spake to him selfe thus O my soule blesse thou the Lorde and all that is within me blesse his holy name I say once again O my soule blesse thou the Lorde neuer forget his manifolde rewardes God geue vs grace good people to know these things to feele thē in our heartes This knowledge and feeling is not in our selfe by our selfe it is not possible to come by it a great pitie it were that we shoulde lose so profitable knowledge Let vs therefore meekely cal vpon that bountiful spirite the holy ghost which proceedeth from our father of mercie from our mediatour Christ that he woulde assist vs and inspire vs with his presence that in him we may be able to heare the goodnes of god declared vnto vs to our saluation For without his liuely secrete inspiration can we not once so muche as speake the name of our mediatour as saint Paul plainely testifieth No man can once name our Lorde Jesus Christe but in the holye ghost Much lesse shoulde we be able to beleue knowe these great mysteries that be opened to vs by Christe Saint Paul sayth that no man can knowe what is of god but the spirite of god As for vs sayth he we haue receaued not the spirite of the world but the spirite which is of god for this purpose that in that holye spirite we myght knowe the thynges that be geuen vs by Christe The wyse man sayth that in the power vertue of the holy ghost
dyd all alone So dyd the Gentiles teache that there was one cheefe power workyng by other as meanes and so they made all gods subiect to fate or destenye as Lucian in his dialogues fayneth that Neptune made suite to Mercurie that he myght speake with Iupiter And therefore in this also it is moste euident that our image mainteiners be al one in opinion with the Gentiles idolaters Nowe remayneth the thirde parte that theyr rites and ceremonies in honouryng worshipping of the images or saintes be all one with the rites whiche the Gentiles idolaters vsed in honouryng theyr idols First what meaneth it that Christians after the example of the Gentiles idolaters go on pylgrimage to visite images where they haue the lyke at home but that they haue a more opinion of holynesse and vertue in some images then other some lyke as the Gentiles idolaters had whiche is the redyest way to bryng them to idolatrie by worshypping of them and directly against Gods worde who sayth Seeke me and ye shall lyue and do not seeke Bethel neyther enter not into Gilgal neyther go to Bersaba And agaynst suche as had any superstition in the holynesse of the place as though they shoulde be hearde for the places sake saying Our fathers worshypped in this mountayne and ye saye that at Hierusalem is the place where men shoulde worshyp our sauiour Christe pronounceth Beleue me the houre commeth when you shall worshyppe the father neyther in this mountayne nor at Hierusalem but true worshippers shall worshyp the father in spirite and trueth But it is to well knowen that by suche pilgrimage goyng Lady Venus and her sonne Cupide were rather worshipped wantonly in the fleshe then God the father and our sauiour Christe his sonne truely worshipped in the spirite And it was verye agreeable as saint Paul teacheth that they which fell to idolatrie which is spirituall fornication shoulde also fall into carnall fornication and all vncleannesse by the iust iudgementes of God deliuering them ouer â—o abominable concupiscences What meaneth it that Christian men after the vse of the Gentiles idolaters cap and kneele before images whiche if they had any sense and gratitude woulde kneele before men Carpenters Masons Plasterers Founders and Goldsmithes theyr makers and framers by whose meanes they haue attayned this honour which els shoulde haue ben euyll fauoured and rude lumpes of claye or plaster peeces of tymber stone or mettall without shape or fashion and so without all estimation and honour as that idol in the Pagane poete confesseth saying I was once a vyle blocke but nowe I am become a god c. What a fonde thyng is it for man who hath lyfe and reason to bowe him selfe to a dead and vnsensible image the worke of his owne hande is not this stouping and kneeling before them adoration of them whiche is forbidden so earnestly by Gods worde Let suche as so fall downe before images of saintes knowe and confesse that they exhibite that honour to dead stockes and stones whiche the saintes them selues Peter Paul and Barnabas would not to be geuen them beyng alyue which the angel of GOD forbiddeth to be geuen to hym And yf they say they exhibite suche honour not to the image but to the saint whom it representeth they are conuicted of follye to beleue that they please saintes with that honour whiche they abhorre as a spoyle of Gods honour For they be no chaungelynges but nowe both hauyng greater vnderstanding and more feruent loue of God do more abhorre to depriue him of his due honour and beyng nowe lyke vnto the angels of God do with angels flee to take vnto them by sacrilege the honour due to god And herewithall is confuted theyr lewde distinction of Latria and Dulia where it is euident that the saintes of God can not abyde that as muche as any outwarde worshippyng be done or exhibited to them But satan Gods enemie desyryng to robbe God of his honour desyreth exceedynglye that such honour might be geuen to him Wherfore those whiche geue the honour due to the creatour to any creature do seruice acceptable to no saintes who be the freendes of God but vnto satan Gods and mans mortall and sworne enemie And to attribute suche desyre of diuine honour to saintes is to blot them with a moste odious and deuilyshe ignominie and villanie and in deede of saintes to make them satans and very deuils whose propertie is to chalenge to them selues the honour which is due to God onelye And furthermore in that they say that they do not worshyp the images as the Gentiles dyd theyr idols but God and the saintes whom the images do represent and therefore that theyr doynges before images be not lyke the idolatrie of the Gentiles before theyr idols saint Augustine Lactantius and Clemens do proue euidently that by this theyr aunswere they be all one with the Gentiles idolaters The Gentiles sayth saint Augustine whiche seeme to be of the purer religion say We worship not the images but by the corporall image we do beholde the signes of the thynges which we ought to worshyp And Lactantius sayth The Gentiles saye we feare not the images but them after whose lykenesse the images be made and to whose names they he consecrate Thus farre Lactantius And Clemens sayth That serpent the deuyll vttereth these wordes by the mouth of certayne men We to the honour of the inuisible God worship visible images whiche surelye is moste false See howe in vsyng the same excuses whiche the Gentiles idolaters pretended they shewe them selues to be all one with them in idolatrie For notwithstandyng this excuse saint Augustine Clemens and Lactantius prooue them idolaters And Clemens sayeth that the serpent the deuyll putteth suche excuses in the mouth of idolaters And the Scriptures sayth they worshyppe the stockes and stones notwithstandyng this excuse euen as our image maynteyners do And Ezechiel therefore calleth the gods of the Assyrians stockes and stones although they were but images of theyr gods So are our images of God and the saintes named by the names of god and his saintes after the vse of the Gentiles And the same Clemens sayeth thus in the same booke They dare not geue the name of the Emperour to anye other for he punysheth his offendour and traytour by and by but they dare geue the name of god to other because he for repentaunce suffereth his offendours And euen so do our image worshyppers geue both names of god and the saintes and also the honour due to God to theyr images euen as dyd the Gentiles idolaters to theyr idols What shoulde it meane that they accordyng as dyd she Gentiles idolaters lyght candelles at noone time or at mydnyght before them but therwith to honour them for other vse is there none in so doyng For in the day it needeth not but was euer a prouerbe of foolishnesse to lyght a candle at noone tyme And in the
a figure to signifie and not an example to follow that those outward thinges were suffered for a tyme vntill Christ our Lorde came who turned all those outwarde thinges into spirite fayth and trueth And the same saynt Jerome vpon the seuenth chapter of Jeremy saith God commaunded both the Jewes at that time and nowe vs who are placed in the Churche that we haue no trust in the goodlinesse of building and gylte rooffes and in walles couered with tables of marble and say the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord the temple of the lord For that is the temple of the lorde wherein dwelleth true fayth godly conuersation and the company of all vertues And vppon the Prophet Agge he descrybeth the true and ryght decking of ornamentes of the Temple after this sorte I sayth Saint Jerome do thinke the siluer wherewith the house of God is decked to be the doctrine of the scriptures of the whiche it is spoken The doctrine of the Lorde is a pure doctrine siluer tryed in fyre purged from drosse purified seuen tymes And I do take golde to be that which remayneth in the hid sense of the saintes and the secrete of the heart and shyneth with the true lyght of god Which is euident that the Apostle also meant of the saintes that buylde vppon the foundation of Christ some siluer some golde some precious stones that by the Golde the hid sense by siluer godlye vtteraunce by precious stones workes whiche please God myght be signified With these mettals the Churche of our sauiour is made more goodly and gorgeous then was the synagogue in olde tyme With these liuely stones is the Churche and house of Christ builded and peace is geuen to it for euer All these be saint Hieromes sayinges No more dyd the olde godly Bishops and doctours of the Churche allowe the outragious furniture of Temples and Churches with plate vesselles of golde siluer and precious vestures Saint Chrisostome sayth In the ministerie of the holy Sacramentes there is no neede of golden vesselles but of golden mindes And saint Ambrose saith Christe sent his Apostles without golde and gathered his Church without golde The Churche hath golde not to hepe it but to bestowe it on the necessities of the poore The Sacramentes looke for no golde neyther do they please God for the cōmendation of golde which are not bought for golde The adournyng and deckyng of the Sacramentes is the redemption of captyues Thus much saint Ambrose Saint Hierome commendeth Exuperius Byshop of Tolose that he caryed the Sacrament of the Lordes bodye in a wycker basket and the Sacrament of his blood in a glasse and so caste couetousnes out of the Churche And Bonifacius Byshop and martyr as it is recorded in the decrees testifieth that in olde tyme the ministers vsed treene and not golden vessels And Zepherinus the. xvi Byshoppe of Rome made a decree that they shoulde vse vesselles of glasse Lykewyse were the vestures vsed in the Churche in olde tyme very playne and single and nothyng costly And Rabanus at large declareth that this costly and manifolde furniture of vestmentes of late vsed in the Churche was fet from the Jewishe vsage and agreeth with Aarons apparelling almost altogether For the maintenaunce of the which Innocentius the Pope pronounceth boldly that all the customes of the olde lawe be not abolished that we might in suche apparel of Christians the more willingly become Jewish This is noted not agaynst Churches temples which are most necessary ought to haue theyr due vse and honour as is in another Homilee for theyr purpose declared nor against the conuenient cleanlinesse and ornamentes thereof but agaynst the sumptuousnes abuses of Temples and Churches For it is a Churche or Temple also that glistereth with no marble shyneth with no golde nor syluer glittereth with no pearles nor precious stones but with plainnesse and frugalitie signifieth no proude doctrine nor people but humble frugall and nothyng esteemyng earthly and outwarde thynges but gloriouslye decked with inwarde ornamentes according as the prophet declareth saying The kings daughter is altogether glorious inwardlye Nowe concernyng outragious deckyng of images and idolles with paynting gyldyng adournyng with precious vestures pearle and stone what is it els but for the further prouocation and intisement to spirituall fornication to decke spirituall harlottes moste costly and wantonlye which the idolatrious Churche vnderstandeth wel enough For shee beyng in deede not only an harlot as the scriptures calleth her but also a foule fylthye olde withered harlot for she is in deede of auncient yeres and vnderstandyng her lacke of naturall and true beawtie and great lothsomenesse whiche of her selfe she hath doth after the custome of suche harlottes paynte her selfe and decke tire her selfe with golde pearle stone and all kinde of precious iewels that she shyning with the outward beawtie and glory of them may please the foolyshe fantasie of fonde louers and so entice them to spirituall fornication with her Who yf they sawe her I wyll not say naked but in simple apparell woulde abhorre her as the fowlest and fylthyest harlot that euer was seene Accordyng as appeareth by the discription of the garnyshyng of the great strumpette of all strumpettes the mother of whoredome set foorth by saint John in his reuelation who by her glorye prouoked the Princes of the earth to committe whoredome with her Whereas on the contrarye part the true Churche of GOD as a chaste matrone espoused as the scripture teacheth to one husbande our sauiour Jesus Christe whom alone she is content onlye to please and serue and looketh not to delyght the eyes or phantasies of any other straunge louers or wooers is content with her naturall ornamentes not doubtyng by suche sincere simplicitie best to please him which can well skil of the difference betweene a paynted visage and true naturall beawtie And concerning such glorious gildyng and decking of images both Gods worde wrytten in the. x. Chapter of the prophete Hierome and saint Hieromes commentaries vppon the same are moste worthye to be noted Firste the wordes of the scriptures be these The workeman with his are he wed the tymber out of the wood with the worke of his handes he decked it with golde and syluer he ioyned it with nayles and pinnes and the stroke of an hammer that it myght holde together They be made smothe as the Palme and they can not speake yf they be borne they remoue for they can not go Feare ye them not for they can neyther do euyll nor good Thus sayth the prophete Upon which text saint Hierome hath these wordes This is the description of idols which the Gentiles worshyp theyr matter is vyle corruptible And whereas the artificer is mortal the thinges he maketh must nedes be corruptible he decketh it with siluer and golde that with glitteryng or shynyng of both mettals he may deceaue the simple Which errour in deede hath passed ouer from the
of Gibeon makyng his humble petition to almyghtie God caused the sunne and the moone to stay their course and to stand still in the middest of heauen for the space of a whole day vntyll suche tyme the people were sufficiently auenged vpon their enemies And was not Iehosaphates prayer of great force and strength when God at his request caused his enemies to fall out among them selues and wylfully to destroy one another Who can maruayle enough at the effecte and vertue of Elias prayer He being a man subiect to affections as we are prayed to the Lorde that it myght not rayne and there fell no rayne vpon the earth for the space of three yeres and. vi moneths Againe he prayed that it myght rayne and there fell great plentie so that the earth brought forth her encrease most aboundauntly It were to long to tell of Iudith Hester Susanna and of diuers other godly men and women how greatly they preuayled in all their doinges by geuing their myndes earnestly and deuoutly to prayer Let it be sufficient at this tyme to conclude with the sayinges of Augustine and Chrisostome wherof the one calleth prayer the key of heauen the other playnely affyrmeth that there is nothyng in all the worlde more strong then a man that geueth hym selfe to feruent prayer Nowe then dearely beloued seeing prayer is so needeful a thyng and of so great strength before God let vs accordyng as we are taught by the example of Christe and his apostles be earnest and diligent in calling on the name of the lord Let vs neuer faynt neuer slacke neuer geue ouer but let vs daily and hourely early and late in season and out of season be occupyed in godly meditations and prayers What if we obtayne not our petitions at the firste yet let vs not be discoraged but let vs continually crye and call vpon God He wyll surely heare vs at length if for no other cause yet for very importunities sake Remember the parable of the vnryghteous iudge and the poore wydowe how she by her importunate meanes caused hym to do her iustice agaynst her aduersarie although otherwyse he feared neyther God nor man Shall not God muche more auenge his elect sayth our sauiour Christe whiche crye vnto hym day and nyght Thus he taught his disciples in them all other true Christian men to pray alwayes and neuer to faint or shrinke Remember also the example of the woman of Canaan how she was reiected of Christe and called dogge as one moste vnworthie of any benefite at his handes yet she gaue not ouer but folowed hym still crying and callyng vppon hym to be good and mercifull vnto her daughter And at length by very importunitie she obtayned her request O let vs learne by these examples to be earnest and feruent in prayer assuryng our selues that whatsoeuer we aske of God the father in the name of his sonne Christe and accordyng to his wyll he wyll vndoubtedly graunt it He is trueth it selfe and as truely as he hath promised it so truely wyll he perfourme it God for his great mercies sake so worke in our heartes by his holy spirite that we may alwayes make our humble prayers vnto hym as we ought to do and alwayes obtayne the thyng which we aske through Jesus Christe our Lorde to whom with the father and the holy ghost be al honour and glory worlde without ende Amen The second part of the Homilee concernyng prayer IN the firste parte of this sermon ye hearde the great necessitie also the great force of deuout and earnest praier declared proued vnto you both by diuers waightie testimonies and also by sundry good examples of holy scripture Now shal you learne whom you ought to call vppon and to whom ye ought alwayes to direct your prayers We are euidently taught in Gods holy Testament that almightie God is the only fountayne and welspring of al goodnes and that whatsoeuer we haue in this world we receaue it only at his handes To this effecte serueth the place of S. James Euery good and perfect gift sayth he commeth from aboue and proceedeth from the father of lyghtes To this effect also serueth the testimonie of Paul in diuers places of his Epistles witnessing that the spirite of wisedome the spirite of knowledge and reuelation yea euery good and heauenly gyfte as fayth hope charitie grace and peace commeth onely and solely of god In consideration whereof he bursteth out into a sodayne passion and sayeth O man what thyng hast thou whiche thou hast not receaued Therefore whensoeuer we neede or lacke any thyng parteyning eyther to the body or to the soule it behoueth vs to runne onely vnto GOD who is the onely geuer of all good thynges Our sauiour Christe in the Gospell teachyng his disciples how they shoulde pray sendeth them to the father in his name saying Uerily verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye aske the father in my name he wyll geue it vnto you And in an other place when ye pray pray after this sorte Our father whiche art in heauen c. And doth not God hym selfe by the mouth of his Prophete Dauid wyll and commaunde vs to call vpon hym The Apostle wysheth grace and peace to all them that call on the name of our Lord and of his sonne Jesus Christ as doth also the Prophet Joel saying And it shall come to passe that whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shal be saued Thus then it is playne by the infallible worde of trueth and lyfe that in all our necessities we must flee vnto God direct our prayers vnto hym call vppon his holy name desyre helpe at his handes and at no others Whereof if ye wyll yet haue a further reason marke that whiche foloweth There are certayne conditions most requisit to be founde in euery suche a one that muste be called vppon whiche if they be not founde in hym vnto whom we pray then doth our prayer auayle vs nothyng but is altogether in vayne The first is this that he to whom we make our prayers be able to helpe vs The second is that he wyll helpe vs The thirde is that he be suche a one as may heare our prayers The fourth is that he vnderstand better then we our selues what we lacke and howe farre we haue neede of helpe If these thynges be to be founde in any other sauing onely God then may we lawfully call vpon some other besides god But what man is so grosse but he wel vnderstandeth that these thynges are only proper to him which is omnipotent and knoweth al thyngs euen the very secretes of the heart that is to say only and to God alone whereof it foloweth that we must call neyther vpon angell nor yet vpon saint but only and soly vpon God as S. Paul doth write Now shall men call vppon hym in whom they haue not beleued So that inuocation or prayer may not be
towardes God to keepe holy their sabbath daye the daye of rest And to these temples haue the Christians customably vsed to resort from tyme to tyme as vnto meete places where they might with common consent prayse and magnifie Gods name yeelding him thankes for the benefites that he dayly powreth vpon them both mercifully and aboundantlye where they might also heare his holy word read expounded preached sincerely and receaue his holy sacramentes ministred vnto them duely and purely True it is that the chiefe and special temples of God wherin he hath greatest pleasure most delighteth to dwel are the bodies mindes of true christians and the chosen people of God according to the doctrine of holye scriptures declared by Saint Paul. Knowe ye not sayth he that ye be the temple of God and that the spirite of God doth dwell in you The temple of God is holy whiche ye are And againe in the same Epistle Know ye not that your body is the temple of the holye Ghost dwelling in you whom you haue geuen you of God and that ye be not your owne Yet this notwithstanding God doeth alowe the materiall temple made with lyme and stone so oft as his people come together into it to praise his holy name to be his house and the place where he hath promised to be present and where he wil heare the prayers of them that call vpon him The which thing both Christ and his apostles with all the rest of the holy fathers do sufficiently declare by this That albeit they certaynlye knewe that their prayers were heard in what place soeuer they made them though it were in caues in woodes in desartes yet so oft as they could conueniently they resorted to the material temples there with the rest of the congregation to ioyne in prayer and true worship Wherefore dearely beloued you that professe your selues to be Christians and glory in that name disdaine not to folow the example of your maister Christe whose schollers you saye ye be shew you to be lyke them whose scholemates you take vpon you to be that is the Apostles and disciples of Christe Lift vp pure handes with cleane heartes in all places at all tymes But do the same in the temples and Churches vpon the sabbath daies also Our godly predecessours and the auncient fathers of the primitiue Church spared not their goodes to buylde Churches no they spared not their lyues in tyme of persecution and to hazarde their blood that they myght assemble them selues together in Churches And shal we spare a little labour to come to churches Shall neither their example nor our duety nor the commodities that thereby shoulde come vnto vs moue vs If we will declare our selues to haue the feare of God if we will shewe our selues true christians if we will be the folowers of Christ our maister and of those godly fathers that haue liued before vs now haue receaued the rewarde of true and faythfull christians we must both willingly earnestly and reuerently come vnto the material churches and temples to praye as vnto fit places appoynted for that vse And that vppon the sabbath day as at most conuenient tyme for Gods people to cease from bodyly and worldlye businesse to geue them selues to holy rest and godly contemplation parteining to the seruice of almightie God Wherby we may reconcile our selues to God be partakers of his reuerent sacramentes and be deuout hearers of his holye worde so to be established in fayth to godwarde in hope agaynst all aduersitie and in charitie towardes our neighbours And thus running our course as good christian people we may at the last attaine the reward of euerlasting glorie through the merites of our sauiour Iesus Christe to whom with the father and the holye Ghost be all honour and glorye Amen The seconde part of the Homilee of the place and tyme of prayer IT hath ben declared vnto you good Christian people in the former Sermon read vnto you at what tyme and into what place ye shal come togyther to prayse God. Now I entende to set before your eies first how zelous desirous ye ought to be to come to your Church Secondly how sore God is greeued with them that do despyse or little regarde to come to the Churche vpon the holy restfull day It may wel appeare by the scriptures that many of the godly Israelites beyng no we in captiuitie for their sinnes among the Babilonians full often wysshed and desyred to be agayne at Hierusalem And at their returne through Gods goodnesse though many of the people were negligent yet the fathers were maruelous deuout to buyld vp the temple that Gods people might repayre thyther to honour him And Kyng Dauid when he was a banished man out of his countrey out of Hierusalem the holye Citie from the sanctuarie from the holye place and from the tabernacle of God What desyre what feruentnesse was in him towardes the holye place What wysshinges and prayers made he to God to be a dweller in the house of the Lorde One thing sayth he haue I asked of the Lorde and this will I still craue that I maye resorte and haue my dwelling in the house of the Lorde so long as I lyue Agayne Oh howe I ioyed when I heard these wordes VVe shall go into the Lordes house And in other places of the Psalmes he declareth for what intent and purpose he hath such a feruente desyre to enter into the Temple and Churche of the Lorde I will fall downe sayth he and worship in the holy temple of the lord Agayne I haue appeared in thy holy place that I myght beholde thy myght and power that I myght beholde thy glory and magnificence Finally he sayth I will shewe foorth thy name to my brethren I will prayse thee in the middes of the congregation Why then had Dauid suche an earnest desyre to the house of God First because there he would worship and honour god Secondly there he would haue a contemplation and a syght of the power and glorye of god Thirdly there he would prayse the name of god with all the congregation and companye of the people These considerations of this blessed prophet of God ought to stirre vp and kindle in vs the lyke earnest desyre to resort to the church especially vppon the holy restfull dayes there to do our duties to serue God there to call to remembraunce how God euen of his mere mercie for the glory of his name sake worketh myghtely to conserue vs in health wealth and godlynesse myghtyly preserueth vs from the assaults and rages of our fierce and cruell enemies and there ioyfully in the number of his faithfull people to prayse and magnitie the Lords holy name Set before your eyes also that auncient father Simeon of whom the scripture speaketh thus to his great commendation and an incouragemēt for vs to do the lyke There was a man at Hierusalem
he sayth because he which speaketh in an vnknowētongue speaketh to God for he knoweth all thinges but men know not and therefore there is no profite of this thing And agayne vppon these wordes If thou blesse or geue thankes with the spirite howe shall he that occupieth the roome of the vnlearned say Amen at thy geuing of thankes seeyng he vnderstandeth not what thou sayest That is sayth Ambrose yf thou speake the prayse of God in a tongne vnknowen to the hearers For the vnlearned hearing that whiche he vnderstandeth not knoweth not the end of the prayer and aunswereth not Amen whiche worde is as much to saye as trueth that the blessing or thankesgeuing may be confirmed For the confirmation of the prayer is fulfilled by them that do aunswere Amen that all thinges spoken might be cōfirmed in the mindes of the hearers through the testimonie of the trueth And after many weightie words to the same end he saith The conclusion is this that nothing shoulde be done in the Churche in vaine and that this thing ought chiefely to be laboured for that the vnlearned also myght take profite least any part of the body should be darke through ignoraunce And least anye man shoulde thinke all this to be meant of preaching and not of prayer he taketh occasion of these wordes of saint Paul If there be not an interpreter let hym keepe silence in the Churche to say as foloweth Let hym praye secretly or speake to GOD who heareth all thinges that be dumbe For in the Churche must he speake that maye profite all personnes Saint Hierome wryting vpon these wordes of saint Paul Howe shall he that supplieth the place of the vnlearned c. sayth It is the laye man whom Paul vnderstandeth here to be in the place of the ignoraunt man which hath no ecclesiasticall office How shal he aunswere Amen to the prayer that he vnderstandeth not And a litle after vppon the wordes of saint Paul For yf I shoulde pray in a tongue c. he sayth thus This is Paules meanyng If any may speake in straunge vnknowen tongues his minde is made vnfruitefull not to hym selfe but to the hearer For whatsoeuer is spoken he knoweth it not Saint Augustine wryting vpon the. xviii Psalme saith What this shoulde be we ought to vnderstande that we maye sing with reason of man and not with chattering of birdes For Owles Popingayes Rauens Pies and other such like birdes are taught by men to prate they know not what But to sing with vnderstāding is geuen by Gods holy wil to the nature of man Againe the same Augustine sayth There nedeth no speache when we pray sauing perhappes as the priestes do for to declare their meanyng not that God but that men maye heare them And so beyng put in remembraunce by consentyng with the priest they may hang vpon God Thus are we taught both by the scriptures and auncient doctours that in the administration of Common prayer and Sacramentes no tongue vnknowen to the hearers ought to be vsed So that for the satisfying of a Christian mans conscience we nede to spend no more tyme in this matter But yet to stoppe the mouthes of the aduersaries whiche stay them selues muche vpon generall decrees it shal be good to adde to these testimonies of scriptures and doctors one constitution made by Iustinian the Emperour who liued fiue hundred and twentie and seuen yeres after Christe and was Emperor of Rome The constitution is this We commaunde that all Byshops and Priestes do celebrate the holye oblation and the prayers vsed in holye Baptisme not speakyng lowe but with a cleare or loude voyce whiche may be heard of the people that therby the mind of the hearers may be stirred vp with great deuotion in vttering the prayers of the Lorde God for so the holy Apostle teacheth in his first Epistle to the Corinthians saying Truely if thou only blesse or geue thankes in spirite howe doth he whiche occupyeth the place of the vnlearned say Amen at thy geuyng of thankes vnto God for he vnderstandeth not what thou sayest Thou verily geuest thankes well but the other is not edified And agayne in the Epistle to the Romanes he sayth With the heart a man beleueth vnto ryghteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made vnto saluation Therefore for these causes it is conuenient that among other prayers those thinges also whiche are spoken in the holy oblation be vttered and spoken of the moste religious byshoppes and priestes vnto our Lorde Jesus Christe our God with the father and the holy ghost with a loude voyce And let the most religious priestes knowe this that if they neglecte any of these thinges that they shal geue an accompt for them in the dreadfull iudgement of the great God and our sauiour Jesus Christe Neyther wyll we when we knowe it rest and leaue it vnreuenged This Emperour as Sabellicus wryteth fauoured the byshoppe of Rome and yet we see ho we playne a decree he maketh for the praying and administring of sacramēts in a knowne tongue that the deuotion of the hearers might be stirred vp by knowledge contrary to the iudgement of them that woulde haue ignoraunce to make deuotion He maketh it also a matter of dampnation to do these thynges in a tongue that the hearers vnderstand not Let vs therefore conclude with God and al good mens assent that no common prayer or Sacramentes ought to be ministred in a tongue that is not vnderstanded of the hearers Nowe a worde or two of priuate prayer in an vnknowne tongue We tooke in hande where we began to speake of this matter not onely to proue that no common prayer or administration of Sacramentes ought to be in a tongue vnknowne to the hearers but also that no person ought to pray priuately in that tongue that he hym selfe vnderstandeth not Whiche thyng shall not be harde to proue if we forget not what prayer is For if prayer be that deuotion of the mynde whiche enforceth the heart to lift vp it selfe to God howe shoulde it be sayde that that person prayeth that vnderstandeth not the wordes that his tongue speaketh in prayer Yea how can it be sayde that he speaketh For to speake is by voyce to vtter the thought of the mynde And the voyce that a man vttereth in speakyng is nothyng els but the messenger of the mynde to bryng abroade the knowledge of that whiche otherwyse lyeth secret in the heart and can not be knowne according to that which Saint Paul wryteth What man sayth he knoweth the thynges that apparteyne to man sauyng only the spirite of man which is in man He therfore that doth not vnderstand the voyces that his tongue doth vtter can not properly be sayde to speake but rather to counterfayte as parattes and suche other byrdes vse to counterfaite mens voyces No man therefore that feareth to prouoke the wrath of God agaynst hym selfe wylbe so bolde to speake of God vnaduisedly without
their examples or that we ought to thynke that God dyd alow euery of these thyngs in those men But we ought rather to beleue and to iudge that Noe in his drunkennesse offended God highly Lot lying with his daughters committed horrible incest We ought then to learne by them this profitable lesson that if so godlye men as they were which otherwise felt inwardly Gods holy spitite inflamyng in their heartes with she feare and loue of God coulde not by their owne strength kepe them selues from committyng horrible sinne but dyd so greeuousâ—y fal that without Gods great mercie they had perished euerlastinglye Howe much more ought we then miserable wretches which haue no feeling of God within vs at al continually to feare not onely that we may fall as they did but also be ouercome and drowned in sinne which they were not And so by consydering their fal take the better occasion to acknowledge our owne infirmitie and weaknesse and therefore more earnestlye to call vnto almightie God with heartye prayer incessauntlye for his grace to strengthen vs and to defende vs from all euill And though through infirmitie we chaunce at any tyme to fall yet we may by harty repentaunce and true fayth speedily rise againe and not slepe and continue in sinne as the wicked doth Thus good people shoulde we vnderstande such matters expressed in the diuine scriptures that this holye table of Gods worde be not turned to vs to be a snare a trappe and a stumbling stone to take hurt by the abuse of our vnderstanding But let vs esteeme them in suche a reuerent humilitie that we may fynde our necessary foode therein to strengthen vs to comfort vs to instruct vs as God of his great mercye hath appoynted them in all necessarye workes so that we may be perfect before him in the whole course of our lyfe Whiche he graunt vs who hath redeemed vs our Lorde and Sauiour Jesus Christe to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour and glory for euermore Amen ¶ The seconde part of the information for them which take offence at certayne places of the holy scripture YE haue heard good people in the Homilee last read vnto you the great commoditie of holye Scriptures ye haue heard how ignoraunt men voyde of godlye vnderstanding seeke quarrelles to discredite them Some of their reasons haue ye heard aunswered Nowe we will proceede and speake of suche politique wyse men whiche be offended for that Christes preceptes should seeme to destroy all order in gouernaunce as they do alleage for example such as these be If any man strike thee on the right cheeke turne the other vnto him also If anye man will contende to take thy coate from thee let him haue cloke and all Let not thy left hand knowe what thy ryght hand doth If thine eye thine hande or thy foote offende thee pull out thine eye cut of thine hand thy foote and cast it from thee If thine enemie sayeth saint Paul be an hungred geue him meate if he be thirstie geue him drinke so doing thou shalt heape hotte burning coales vpon his head These sentences good people vnto a naturall man seeme mere absurdities contrary to all reason For a naturall man as saint Paule sayeth vnderstandeth not the thinges that belong to God neyther can he so long as olde Adam dwelleth in him Christ therfore meaneth that he would haue his faithfull seruaunts so farre from vengeaunce and resisting wrong that he woulde rather haue him redy to suffer an other wrong then by resisting to breake charitie and to be out of pacience He would haue our good deedes so farre from al carnall respectes that he would not haue our nyest freendes know of our wel doing to win a vaine glorye And though our freendes and kynsfolkes be as deare as our right eyes and our right handes yet if they woulde plucke vs from God we ought to renounce them and forsake them Thus if ye wil be profitable hearers and readers of the holye scriptures ye must firste denye your selues and keepe vnder your carnall senses taken by the outward wordes and searche the inward meaning reason must geue place to Gods holye spirite you must submit your worldly wisedome and iudgement vnto his diuine wysdome and iudgement Consyder that the scripture in what straunge fourme soeuer it be pronounced is the word of the lyuing god Let that alwayes come to your remembraunce which is so oft repeated of the prophete Esaias The mouth of the Lorde sayth he hath spoken it the almighty and euerlasting God who with his onely worde created heauen and earth hath decreed it the Lorde of hoastes whose wayes are in the Seas whose pathes are in the deepe waters that Lorde and God by whose worde all thynges in heauen and in earth are created gouerned and preserued hath so prouided it The God of Goddes and Lorde of all Lordes yea God that is God alone incomprehensible almyghty and euerlasting he hath spoken it it is his worde It can not therefore be but trueth whiche proceedeth from the God of all trueth it can not be but wisely and prudently commaunded what almightie God hath deuysed how vaynely soeuer through want of grace we miserable wretches do imagine and iudge of his most holy worde The prophete Dauid describing an happye man sayeth Blessed is the man that hath not walked after the counsayle of the vngodlye nor stande in the waye of sinners nor sit in the seate of the scornefull There are three sortes of people whose companye the prophete would haue him to flee and auoyde which shall be an happy man and partakers of Gods blessing First he may not walke after the counsayle of the vngodlye Secondlye he may not stand in the waye of sinners Thirdlye he muste not sit in the seat of the scornefull By these three sortes of people vngodly men sinners and scorners all impietie is signified and fully expressed By the vngodly he vnderstaÌ„deth those which haue no regarde of almightye God being voyde of all faith whose heartes mindes are so set vpon the worlde that they studie onely howe to accomplishe their worldlye practises their carnall imaginations their filthy lust and desyre without anye feare of god The seconde sort he calleth sinners not such as do fal through ignoraunce or of frailenesse for then who should be found free What man euer liued vpon earth Christe onely excepted but he hath sinned The iust man falleth seuen times and ryseth agayne Though the godly do fall yet they walke not on purposely in sinne they stande not still to contynue and tarye in sinne they syt not downe like carelesse men without all feare of Gods iust punishment for sinne but defying sinne through Gods great grace and infinite mercye they ryse agayne and fight agaynste sinne The Prophete then calleth them sinners whose heartes are cleane turned from God and whose whole conuersation of lyfe is nothing but sinne they delight so much in
the same that they choose continually to abyde and dwell in sinne The thyrde sorte he calleth scorners that is a sorte of men whose heartes are so stuffed with mallyce that they are not contented to dwell in sinne and to leade their lyues in all kynde of wickednesse but also they do contempne and scorne in other all godlinesse true religion all honestie and vertue Of the two first sortes of men I will not say but they may take repentaunce and be conuerted vnto god Of the third sort I thinke I may without daunger of gods iudgement pronounce that neuer anye yet conuerted vnto God by repentaunce but continued on still in their abhominable wyckednesse heaping vp to them selues damnation agaynst the day of Gods ineuitable iudgement Examples of such scorners we reade in the seconde booke of Chronicles When the good kyng Ezechias in the beginnyng of his raygne had destroyed idolatrie purged the temple and refourmed religion in his Realme he sent messengers into euerye Citie to gather the people vnto Hierusalem to solemnize the feast of Easter in such sort as God had appoynted The postes went from citie to citie through the land of Ephraim and Manasses euen vnto Zabulon And what did the people thinke ye Did they laude and prayse the name of the Lorde whiche had geuen them so good a kinge so zelous a Prince to abolish idolatrie and to restore againe Gods true religion No no. The scripture sayeth The people laughed them to scorne and mocked the kynges messengers And in the laste Chapter of the same booke it is written that almyghtie God hauing compassion vppon his people sent his messengers the Prophetes vnto them to call them from their abhominable idolatrie and wicked kinde of liuing But they mocked his messengers they dispised his wordes misused his Prophetes vntill the wrathe of the Lord arose against his people and till there was no remedie For he gaue them vp into the hands of their enemies euen vnto Nabucodonozar kyng of Babilon who spoiled thē of their goods brent their citie and led them their wyues and their children captiues vnto Babylon The wicked people that were in the dayes of Noe made but a mocke at the worde of God when Noe tolde them that God woulde take vengeaunce vppon them for their sinnes The fludde therefore came sodainely vpon them and drowned them with the whole worlde Lot preached to the Sodomites that except they repented both they and their Citie shoulde be destroyed They thought his sayings impossible to be true they scorned and mocked his admonition and reputed him as an olde doting foole But when God by his holy angels had taken Lot his wyfe and two daughters from among them he raigned downe fyre and brymstone from heauen and brent vp those scorners and mockers of his holye worde And what estimation had Christes doctrine among the Scribes and Pharisees What rewarde had he among them The Gospell reporteth thus The Pharisees whiche were couetous did scorne him in his doctrine O then ye see that worldly riche men scorne the doctrine of their saluation The worldly wyse men scorne the doctrine of Christe as foolishenesse to their vnderstanding These scorners haue euer ben and euer shal be to the worldes ende For Saint Peter prophesied that suche scorners shoulde be in the worlde before the latter daye Take heede therefore my brethren take heede be ye not scorners of Gods most holy worde prouoke him not to powre out his wrath now vpon you as he did then vppon those gybers and mockers Be not wilfull murderers of your owne soules Turne vnto God whyle there is yet tyme of mercye ye shall els repent it in the worlde to come when it shal be to late for there shall be iudgement without mercy This might suffise to admonishe vs and cause vs henceforth to reuerence Gods holy scriptures but all men haue not faith This therfore shal not satisfy and content al mens mindes but as some are carnal so they will stil continue abuse the scriptures carnally to their greater dampnation The vnlearned and vnstable saith saint Peter paruerte the holy scriptures to their owne destruction Jesus Christ as saint Paul sayth is to the Jewes an offence to the Gentiles foolishnesse But to Gods children as wel of the Jewes as of the Gentiles he is the power and wisdome of god The holy man Simeon sayeth that he is set foorth for the fall and rysing againe of many in Israel As Christe Jesus is a fall to the reprobate which yet perishe through their owne default So is his worde yea the whole booke of God a cause of dampnation vnto them through their incredulitie And as he is a rysing vp to none other then those whiche are Gods children by adoption So is his worde yea the whole scripture the power of God to saluation to them onelye that do beleue it Christe him selfe the Prophetes before him the apostles after him all the true ministers of Gods holye worde yea euery worde in Gods booke is vnto the reprobate the sauour of death vnto death Christ Jesus the prophetes the apostles and all the true ministers of his worde yea euery iot and title in the holy scripture haue ben is and shal be for euermore the sauour of lyfe vnto eternall lyfe vnto all those whose heartes God hath purified by true fayth Let vs earnestlye take heede that we make no iesting stocke of the bookes of holy scriptures The more obscure and darke the sayinges be to our vnderstanding the further let vs thinke our selues to be from God and his holye spirite who was the aucthour of them Let vs with more reuerence endeuour our selues to searche out the wisdome hidden in the outwarde barke of the scripture If we can not vnderstand the sense and the reason of the saying yet let vs not be scorners iesters and deryders for that is the vttermost token and shewe of a reprobate of a playne enemie to God and his wysdome They be not ydle fables to iest at whiche God doth seriouslye pronounce and for serious matters let vs esteeme them And though in sundrye places of the scriptures be set out diuers rites and ceremonies oblations sacrifices let vs not thynke straunge of them but referre them to the tymes and people for whom they serued although yet to learned men they be not vnprofitable to be cōsydered but to be expounded as figures and shadowes of thinges and persons afterwarde openlye reuealed in the new Testament Though the rehearsall of the genealogies petegrees of the fathers be not to much edification of the playne ignoraunt people yet is there nothyng so impartinently vttered in all the whole booke of the Byble but may serue to spirituall purpose in some respecte to all suche as will bestowe theyr labours to searche out the meanynges These may not be condemned because they serue not to our vnderstandyng nor make not to our edification But let vs turne our labour to
as of the dead to geue reward to the good and iudgement to the euill That these linkes therefore of our faith should al hang together in stedfast establishment and confirmation it pleased our Sauiour not straight way to withdrawe himselfe from the bodyly presence sight of his disciples but he chose out-â—l-dayes wherein he woulde declare vnto them by manifold most strong argumentes and tokens that he had conquered death and that he was also truely risen againe to life He began saith Luke at Moyses and al the prophetes and expounded vnto them the prophesies that were written in all the scriptures of him to thintent to confirme the trueth of his resurrection long before spoken of whiche he verified in deede as it is declared very apparauntly and manifestlye by his oft appearaunce to sundry personnes at sundry times First he sent his angels to the sepulchre who dyd shewe vnto certayne women the emptie graue sauing that the buriall linnen remayned therein And by these signes were these women fully instructed that he was rysen agayne so dyd they testifie it openly After this Jesus himselfe appeared to Marie Magdalen after that to certayne other women and straight afterwarde he appeared to Peter then to the two disciples whiche were goyng to Emaus He appeared to the disciples also as they were gathered together for feare of the Jewes the doores shut At another tyme he was seene at the sea of Tiberias of Peter and Thomas of other disciples when they were fishyng He was seene of more then fiue hundred brethren in the mount of Galilee where Jesus appoynted them to be by his angell when he sayde Behold he shal go before you into Galilee there shall ye see hym as he hath sayde vnto you After this he appeared vnto James and last of all he was visibly seene of all the Apostles at suche tyme as he was taken vp into heauen â–ª Thus at sundry tymes he shewed hymselfe after he was rysen agayne to confyrme and stablish this article And in these reuelations somtime he shewed them his handes his feete and his side and bad them touch him that they shoulde not take hym for a ghost or a spirite Somtyme he also dyd eate with them but euer he was talkyng with them of the euerlastyng kyngdome of God to assure the trueth of his resurrection For then he opened their vnderstandyng that they myght perceaue the scriptures sayde vnto them Thus it is written and thus it behoued Christe to suffer to rise from death the third day and that ther should be preached openly in his name penaunce and remission of sinnes to all the nations of the worlde Ye see good Christian people howe necessarie this article of our fayth is seeing it was proued of Christe him selfe by suche euident reasons and tokens by so long time and space Nowe therefore as our sauiour was diligent for our comfort and instruction to declare it so let vs be as redy in our beleefe to receaue it to our comfort instruction As he dyed not for him selfe no more dyd he ryse agayne for hym selfe He was dead saith Saint Paul for our sinnes and rose agayne for our iustification O moste comfortable worde euermore to be borne in remembrance He dyed saith he to put away sinne he arose agayne to endowe vs with righteousnes His death tooke away sin maledictioÌ„ his death was the rauÌ„some of them both his death destroyed death ouercame the deuill which had the power of death in his subiection his death destroyed hell with all the damnation therof Thus is death swallowed vp by Christes victorie thus is hell spoyled for euer If any man doubt of this victorie let Christes glorious resurrection declare hym the thyng If death coulde not kepe Christ vnder his dominion and power but that he arose agayne it is manifest that his power was ouercome If death be conquered then muste it folowe that sinne wherefore death was appoynted as the wages muste be also destroyed If death sinne be vanished away then is the deuilles tyranny vanished whiche had the power of death and was the aucthour brewer of sin and the ruler of hell If Christ had the victorie of them all by the power of his death and openly proued it by his most victorious and valiaunt resurrection as it was not possible for his great myght to be subdued of them and then this true that Christ died for our synnes and rose agayne for our iustification Whye may not we that be his members by true fayth reioyce and boldly say with the prophete Osee and the Apostle Paul Where is thy darte O death where is thy victorie O hell Thankes be vnto God say they whiche hath geuen vs the victorie by our Lorde Christe Jesus This mightie conquest of his resurrection was not onlye signified before by diuers figures of the olde Testament as by Sampson when he slewe the Lion out of whose mouth came sweetenes and hony and as Dauid bare his figure when he deliuered the lambe out of the Lions mouth and when he ouercame and slew the great gyaunt Goliath and as when Jonas was swallâ—wed vp of the Whales mouth and cast vp agayne on lande alyue but was also moste clearely prophesied by the prophetes of the olde Testament and in the newe also confyrmed by the apostles He hath spoyled saith saint Paul rule and power and all the dominion of our spirituall enemies He hath made a shewe of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them in his owne person This is the myghtie power of the Lorde whom we beleue on By his death hath he wrought for vs this victorie and by his resurrection hath he purchased euerlastyng lyfe and righteousnesse for vs It has not ben enough to be delyuered by his death from synne excepte by his resurrection we had ben endowed with ryghteousnes And it shoulde not auayle vs to be delyuered from death except he had rysen againe to open for vs the gates of heauen to enter into lyfe euerlastyng And therefore saint Peter thanketh God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ for his aboundaunt mercie because he hath begotten vs sayth he vnto a lyuely hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christe from death to enioy an inheritaunce immortall that neuer shall perish which is layd vp in heauen for them that be kept by the power of God through fayth Thus hath his resurrection wrought for vs life righteousnes He passed through death and hell to the intent to put vs in good hope that by his strength we shall do the same He payde the raunsome of synne that it shoulde not be layde to our charge He destroyed the deuill and all his tyrannye and openly triumphed ouer hym tooke away from hym all his captiues and hath raysed and sette them with himselfe amongst the heauenly Citezins aboue He dyed to destroy the rule of the deuill in
the daunger of your soules So nowe lyke obedient chyldren thus purified by fayth geue your selues to walk that way which God moueth you to that ye may receaue the end of your fayth the saluation of your soules And as ye haue geuen your bodyes to vnryghteousnes to synne after sin so now geue your selfe to ryghteousnes to be sanctified therein If ye delyght in this article of your fayth that Christ is rysen again from death to lyfe then folowe you the example of his resurrection as Saint Paul exhorteth vs saying As we be buried with Christ by our baptisme into death so let vs dayly dye to synne mortifiyng and kylling the euill desires and motions therof And as Christe was raysed vp from death by the glorye of the father so let vs ryse to a newe lyfe and walke continually therin that we may likewyse as naturall chyldren liue a conuersation to moue men to glorifie our father which is in heauen If we then be risen with Christ by our faith to the hope of euerlastyng lyfe let vs ryse also with Christe after his example to a newe lyfe and leaue our olde We shal then be truely rysen if we seeke for thynges that be heauenly if we haue our affection on things that be aboue and not on thynges that be on the earth If ye desyre to knowe what these earthly thynges be which ye shoulde put of and what be the heauenly thynges aboue that ye should seeke and ensue saint Paul in the Epistle to the Collossians declareth when he exhorteth vs thus Mortifie your earthly members and olde affections of synne as fornication vncleannesse vnnaturall luste euyll concupiscence and couetousnesse whiche is worshipping of idols for the whiche thinges the wrath of god is wont to fal on the children of vnbeleefe in which thinges once ye walked when ye liued in them But now put ye also away from you wrath fiercenes malitiousnes cursed speakyng filthie speaking out of your mouthes Lie not one to another that the olde man with his workes be put of and the newe be put on These be the earthly thinges whiche S. Paul moueth you to caste from you and to plucke your heartes from them For in folowing these ye declare your selues earthly and worldly These be the fruites of the earthly Adam These shoulde you daily kil by good diligence in withstandyng the desyres of them that ye might rise to righteousnesse Let your affection from henceforth be set on heauenly thinges sue and searche for mercie kyndnesse meekenes patience forbearing one another and forgeuyng one another If any man haue anye quarrell to another as Christe forgaue you euen so do ye If these and suche other heauenly vertues ye ensue in the residue of your lyfe ye shall shew playnely that ye be rysen with Christ that ye be the heauenly chyldren of your father in heauen from whom as from the geuer commeth these graces gyftes Ye shall proue by this maner that your conuersation is in heauen where your hope is and not on earth ▪ folowyng the beastly appetites of the fleshe Ye must consyder that ye be therefore cleansed renued that ye shoulde from hencefoorth serue God in holines righteousnesse al the dayes of your lyues that ye may raigne with them in euerlastyng lyfe If ye refuse so great grace whereto ye be called what other thing do ye then heape to you damnation more more and so prouoke God to caste his displeasure vnto you and to reuenge this mockage of his holy sacramentes in so great abusyng of them Apply your selues good freends to lyue in Christ that Christ may still liue in you whose fauour assistence if ye haue then haue ye euerlastyng life alredye within you then can nothyng hurt you Whatsoeuer is hitherto done cōmitted Christ ye se hath offered you pardon clearly receaued you to his fauour agayne in ful suretie wherof ye haue him now inhabiting and dwelling within you Only shew yourselues thankefull in your liues determine with your selues to refuse auoyde al such thinges in your conuersations as shoulde offend his eyes of mercy Endeuour your selues that way to rise vp agayne which way ye fell into the wel or pit of sin If by your tongue ye haue offended now therby rise agayne and glorifie God therewith accustome it to laude and prayse the name of God as ye haue there with dishonored it And as ye haue hurt the name of your neighbour or otherwise hindered hym so nowe intend to restore it to him agayne For without restitution God accepteth not your confession nor yet your repentaunce It is not enough to forsake euil except you set your courage to do good By what occasion soeuer you haue offended turne now the occasion to the honouring of God and profite of your neyghbour Trueth it is that synne is strong and affections vnrulye Hard it is to subdue and resist our nature so corrupt leauened with the sowre bitternes of the poyson whiche we receaued by the inheritaunce of our olde father Adam But yet take good courage sayth our sauiour Christe for I haue ouercome the worlde and all other enemies for you Synne shall not haue power ouer you for ye be now vnder grace saith saint Paul. Though your power be weake yet Christe is rysen agayne to strength you in your battayle his holy spirite shall helpe your infirmities In trust of his mercie take you in hande to purge this olde leauen of sinne that corrupteth and sowreth the sweetenes of your lyfe before God that ye may be as newe and freshe dowe voyde of all sowre leauen of wyckednesse so shall ye shewe your selues to be sweete bread to God that he may haue his delyght in you I saye kyll and offer you vp the worldly and earthly affections of your bodyes For Christe our Easter lambe is offered vp for vs to slea the power of synne to deliuer vs from the daunger therof and to geue vs example to dye to synne in our lyfe As the Jewes dyd eate their Easter lambe kept their feast in remembrance of their deliueraunce out of Egypt Euen so let vs kepe our Easter feast in the thankfull remembraunce of Christes benefites whiche he hath plentifully wrought for vs by his resurrection passing to his father whereby we be delyuered from the captiuitie and thraldome of all our enemies Let vs in lyke maner passe ouer the affections of our old conuersation that we may be delyuered frō the bondage therof rise with Christe The Jewes kept their feast in abstayning from leauened bread by the space of seuen dayes Let vs Christian folke kepe our holy day in spirituall maner that is in abstainyng not from material leauened bread but from the old leauen of synne the leauen of malitiousnes and wyckednesse Let vs cast from vs the leauen of corrupt doctrine that wyl infect our soules Let vs
to the Apostles in the mount Sion the fiftie day after Easter And hereof this feast hath his name to be called Pentecoste euen of the number of the dayes For as Saint Luke writeth in the actes of the Apostles When fiftie dayes were come to an ende the Disciples beyng altogether with one accorde in one place the holy ghost came sodenly among them and sate vpon eche of them lyke as it had ben clouen tongues of fyre Whiche thing was vndoubtedly done to teache the Apostles and all other men that it is he whiche geueth eloquence vtteraunce in preaching the Gospel that it is he which openeth the mouth to declare the mightie workes of God that it is he whiche engendreth a burnyng zeale towardes Goddes worde and geueth all men a tongue yea a fierie tongue so that they may boldly and chearefullye professe the trueth in the face of the whole world as Esai was indued with this spirite The Lord saith Esai gaue me a learned a skilful tongue so that I might knowe to rayse vp them that are fallen with the worde The prophete Dauid cryeth to haue this gyft saying Open thou my lippes O Lorde and my mouth shall shew forth thy prayse For our sauiour Christe also in the Gospel sayth to his disciples It is not you that speake but the spirite of your father whiche is within you Al whiche testimonies of holy scripture do sufficiently declare that the mysterie in the tongues betokeneth the preachyng of the Gospell and the open confession of the Christian faith in all them that are possessed with the holy ghost So that if any man be a dumbe Christiā not prosessing his fayth openly but clokyng and colouring hym selfe for feare of daunger in tyme to come he geueth men occasion iustly and with good conscience to doubt least he haue not the grace of the holy ghost within hym because he is tongue tied and doth not speake Thus then haue ye hearde the first institution of this feaste of Pentecoste or Whitsuntide aswell in the olde law among the Jewes as also in the tyme of the Gospell among the Christians Nowe let vs consyder what the holy ghost is and howe consequently he worketh his miraculous workes towardes mankind The holy ghost is a spirituall and diuine substaunce the thyrde person in the deitie distincte from the father and the sonne and yet proceedyng from them both which thyng to be true both the Creede of Athanasius beareth witnesse and may be also easilye proued by most playne testimonies of Gods holy worde When Christe was baptized of John in the ryuer Jordan we reade that the holye ghost came downe infourme of a Doue and that the father thundred from heauen saying This is my deare and welbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased Where note three diuers and distinct persons the father the sonne and the holy ghost which all notwithstandyng are not three Gods but one god Likewyse when Christe dyd fyrste institute and ordeyne the sacrament of baptisme he sent his disciples into the whole world willyng them to baptize al nations in the name of the father the sonne and the holy ghost And in an other place he sayth I wyll pray vnto my father and he shall geue you another comforter Agayne when the comforter shall come whom I wyll sende from my father c. These and suche other places of the newe Testament do so playnly and euidently confirme the distinction of the holy ghost from the other persons in the trinitie that no man possibly can doubt thereof vnles he will blaspheme the euerlastyng trueth of Gods worde As for his proper nature and substaunce it is altogether one with God the father and God the sonne that is to say spirituall eternall vncreated incomprehensible almyghtie to be short he is euen God Lord euerlastyng Therefore he is called the spirite of the father therefore he is sayde to proceede from the father and the sonne and therefore he was equally ioyned with them in the commission that the Apostles had to baptize al nations But that this may appeare more sensibly to the eyes of all men it shal be requisite to come to the other parte namely to the wonderfull and heauenly workes of the holye ghost whiche playnely declare vnto the worlde his myghtie and diuine power Fyrste it is euident that he did wonderfully gouerne and direct the heartes of the patriarkes and prophetes in olde tyme illuminating their myndes with the knowledge of the true Messias geuing them vtteraunce to prophesie of thynges that shoulde come to passe long tyme after For as saint Peter witnesseth the prophesie came not in olde tyme by the wyll of man But the holye men of God spake as they were moued iuwardly by the holy ghost And of Zacharie the hygh priest it is sayde in the Gospell that he beyng full of the holy ghost prophesied and praysed god So dyd also Simeon Anna Marie and diuers other to the great wonder and admiration of all men Moreouer was not the holy ghost a mightie worker in the conception and the natiuitie of Christe our sauiour Saint Matthewe sayth that the blessed virgin was founde with chylde of the holy ghost before Joseph and she came together And the Angell Gabriell dyd expreslye tell her that it shoulde so come to passe saying The holy ghost shall come vppon thee and the power of the most hygh shall ouershadowe thee A marueylous matter that a woman shoulde conceaue and beare a chylde without the knowledge of man But where the holy ghoste worketh there nothyng is vnpossible as maye further also appeare by the inwarde regeneration and sanctification of mankynde When Christe sayde to Nicodemus vnlesse a man be borne a newe of water and the spirite he can not enter into the kyngdome of God he was greatly amazed in his mynde and began to reason with Christe demaundyng howe a man myght be borne whiche was olde Can he enter sayth he into his mothers wombe agayn and so be borne a newe Beholde a liuely paterne of a fleshely and carnall man He had litle or no intelligence of the holy ghost and therefore he goeth bluntly to worke and asketh howe this thyng were possible to be true Whereas otherwyse yf he had knowne the great power of the holye ghost in this behalfe that it is he whiche in wardlye worketh the regeneration and newe byrth of mankynde he woulde neuer haue marueyled at Christes wordes but woulde haue rather taken occasion thereby to prayse and glorifie god For as there are three seuerall and sundrye persons in the deitie So haue they three seuerall and sundrye offices proper vnto eache of them The father to create the sonne to redeeme the holy ghost to sanctifie and regenerate Wherof the last the more it is hidde from our vnderstandyng the more it ought to moue all men to wonder at the secrete and mightie workyng of Gods holy spirite whiche
Christe the same is not his And by turnyng the wordes it maye be as truely sayd If any man be not of Christe the same hath not his spirite Nowe to discerne who are truely his and who not we haue this rule geuen vs that his sheepe do alwayes heare his voyce And saint John sayth He that is of God heareth Gods worde Whereof it foloweth that the popes in not hearing Christes voyce as they ought to do but preferring their owne decrees before the expresse worde of God do playnely argue to the worlde that they are not of Christe nor yet possessed with his spirite But here they wyll alleage for them selues that there are diuers necessarie poyntes not expressed in holy scripture whiche were left to the reuelation of the holy ghost Who beyng geuen to the Churche accordyng to Christes promise hath taught many thynges from tyme to tyme which the apostles coulde not then beare To this we may easily aunswere by the playne wordes of Christe teachyng vs that the proper office of the holy ghoste is not to institute and bring in newe ordinaunces contrary to his doctrine before taught but to expound declare those thynges whiche he had before taught so that they might be wel truely vnderstode When the holy ghost sayth he shall come he shall leade you into all trueth What trueth doth he meane Any other then he him self had before expressed in his word No. For he sayth He shal take of myne and shew it vnto you Agayne he shall bryng you in remembraunce of all thynges that I haue tolde you it is not then the duetie and part of any christian vnder pretence of the holy ghost to bryng in his owne dreames and phantasies into the Churche but he must diligently prouide that his doctrine decrees be agreeable to Christes holye testament Otherwise in making the holy ghost the aucthour thereof he doth blaspheme and belye the holy ghost to his owne condempnation Now to leaue their doctrine and come to other poyntes What shall we thynke or iudge of the popes intollerable pryde The scripture sayth that God resisteth the proude and sheweth grace to the humble Also it pronounceth them blessed which are poore in spirite promising that they which humble them selues shal be exalted And Christe our sauiour wylieth all his to learne of hym because he is humble and meeke As for pryde saint Gregorie sayth it is the roote of all mischeefe And saint Augustines iudgement is this that it maketh men deuilles Can any man then whiche eyther hath or shall reade the popes lyues iustly say that they had the holy ghoste within them First as touching that they wil be tearmed vniuersall byshoppes and heades of all Christian Churches through the world we haue the iudgement of Gregory expresly against them who wrytyng to Maritius the Emperour condemneth John bishop of Constantinople in that behalfe calling him the prince of pryde Lucifers successour and the forerunner of Antechriste Saint Barnarde also agreeing thereunto sayth What greater pride can there be then that one man should preferre his owne iudgement before the whole congregation as though he onlye had the spirite of God And Chrisostome pronounceth a terrible sentence agaynst them affyrming playnly that whosoeuer seeketh to be cheefe in earth shall finde confusion in heauen and that he whiche striueth for the supremacie shall not be reputed among the seruauntes of Christe Agayne he sayth To desire a good worke it is good but to couet the cheefe degree of honour it is mere vanitie Do not these places sufficiently conuince their outragious pride in vsurping to them selues a superioritie aboue all other aswell ministers and byshops as kynges also and Emperours But as the Lion is knowne by his clawes so let vs learne to knowe these men by their deedes What shall we say of hym that made the noble kyng Dandalus to be tyed by the necke with a chayne and to lye flat downe before his table there to gnaw bones lyke a dogge Shal we thynke that he had Gods holy spirite within hym and not rather the spirite of the deuil Such a tyraunt was pope Clement the sixt What shall we say of hym that proudly and contemptuously trode Fredericke the Emperour vnder his feete applying the vearse of the Psalme vnto him selfe Thou shalt go vpon the Lion and the Adder the young Lion the Dragon thou shalt tread vnder thy foote Shal we say that he had Gods holy spirite within hym not rather the spirite of the deuyll Suche a tyraunt was pope Alexander the thirde What shall we say of him that armed and animated the sonne against the father causing him to be taken to be cruelly famished to death contrary to the law both God and also of nature Shall we say that he had Gods holy spirite within hym and not rather the spirite of the deuyll Suche a tyraunt was pope Pascall the seconde What shall we saye of hym that came into his popedome lyke a foxe that raigned lyke a Lion and dyed lyke a dogge Shal we say that he had Gods holy spirite within hym and not rather the spirite of the deuyll Suche a tyraunt was pope Boniface the eyght What shall we say of hym that made Henrye the Emperour with his wyfe and his young childe to stande at the gates of the Citie in the rough winter bare footed and bare legged only clothed in lincie wolâ—ie eatyng nothyng from mornyng to nyght and that for the space of three dayes Shal we say that he had Gods holy spirite within hym and not rather the spirite of the deuyll Suche a tyraunt was pope Hildebrande moste worthy to be called a fyrebrand if we shal tearme him as he hath best deserued Many other examples might here be alleaged As of pope Jone the harlot that was delyuered of a chylde in the hygh streate goyng solempnly in procession Of pope Iulius the seconde that wilfully cast Saint Peters keyes into the ryuer Tiberis Ofpope Vrban the sixte that caused fiue Cardinals to be put in sackes and cruelly drowned Of pope Sergius the thirde that persecuted the dead bodye of Formosius his predecessour when it had ben buried eight yeres Of Pope John the. xiiii of that name who hauing his enemy deliuered into his handes caused him first to be stripped starke naked his beard to be shauen and to be hanged vp a whole day by the heere then to be set vpon an Asse with his face backward towardes the taile to be caryed round about the Citie in dispite to be miserablye beaten with roddes laste of all to be thrust out of his countrye and to be banished for euer But to conclude and make an ende ye shall breefly take this shorte lesson Wheresoeuer ye fynde the spirite of arrogancye and pryde the spirite of enuye hatred contention crueltie murder extortion witchcraft necromancie c. Assure your selues that there is the spirite of the
thinges distinctly aduisedly consydered in our myndes must needes compell vs in most low reuerence after our bounden duety alwayes to render him thankes againe in some testification of our good hearts for his deserts vnto vs And that the entreating of this matter in hand may be to the glory of almighty God let vs in one faith and charitie call vpon the father of mercy from whom commeth euery good gyfte and euery perfect gift by the mediation of his welbeloued sonne our sauiour that we maye be assisted with the presence of his holye spirite and holsomelye on both our partes to demeane our selues in speaking and hearing to the saluation of our soules In the beginning of my speaking vnto you good Christian people suppose not that I do take vpon me to declare vnto you the excellent power or the incomparable wisdom of almightie God as though I would haue you beleeue that it myght be expressed vnto you by wordes Nay it maye not be thought that that thing maye be comprehended by mans wordes that is incomprehensible And too muche arrogancie it were for dust and ashes to thynke that he could worthyly declare his maker It passeth farre the darke vnderstanding of wysedome of a mortall man to speake sufficiently of that diuine maiestie whiche the Angels cannot vnderstand We shall therefore lay apart to speake of that profounde and vnsearcheable nature of almightie God rather acknowledging our weaknes then rashely to attempt that is aboue all mans capacitie to compasse It shall better suffise vs in low humilitie to reuerence and dreade his maiestie whiche we can not comprise then by ouermuch curious searchyng to be ouercharged with the glorie We shal rather turne our whole contemplation to aunswer a whyle his goodnes to wardes vs wherein we shall be muche more profitably occupied and more may we be bold to search To consyder this great power he is of can but make vs dreade and feare To consyder his hygh wisedome myght vtterly discomfort our frailtie to haue any thyng adoo with him But in consyderation of his inestimable goodnes we take good heart agayne to trust wel vnto hym By his goodnes we be assured to take him for our refuge our hope and comfort our mercyfull father in all the course of our lyues His power and wisedome compelleth vs to take hym for God omnipotent inuisible hauyng rule in heauen and earth hauyng all thynges in his subiection and wyll haue none in counsell with hym nor any to aske the reason of his doyng For he maye do what lyketh hym and none can resist hym For he worketh all thynges in his secrete iudgement to his owne pleasure yea euē the wicked to damnation saith Salomon By the reason of this nature he is called in Scripture consumyng fyre he is called a terrible and fearefull GOD ▪ Of this behalfe therefore we maye haue no familiaritie no accesse vnto hym but his goodnesse agayne tempereth the rigour of his hygh power and maketh vs bolde and putteth vs in hope that he wyll be conuersaunt with vs and easye vnto vs It is his goodnesse that moueth him to say in scripture It is my delyght to be with the children of men It is his goodnesse that moueth him to call vs vnto him to offer vs his frendship presence It is his goodnes that paciently suffereth our straying from him and suffreth vs long to winne vs to repentaunce It is of his goodnes that we be created reasonable creatures where els he myght haue made vs bruite beastes It was his mercye to haue vs borne among the number of christian people thereby in a muche more nyghnes to saluation where we might haue ben borne if his goodnes had not ben among the Panims cleane voyde from God and the hope of euerlasting lyfe And what other thing doth his louyng and gentle voyce spoken in his worde where he calleth vs to his presence frendship but declare his goodnes onelye without regarde of our worthynes And what other thing doth stirre him to call vs to him when we be straied from him to suffer vs paciently to win vs to repentaunce but onelye his singuler goodnes no whit of our deseruyng Let them all come together that be nowe glorified in heauen and let vs heare what aunswere they will make in these poyntes afore rehearsed whether their fyrst creation was in Gods goodnes or of them selues Forsooth Dauid woulde make aunswere for them all and say Knowe ye for suretie euen the Lorde is God he hath made vs and not we our selues If they were asked againe who should be thanked for their regeneration for theyr iustification and for their saluation whether their desertes or Gods goodnes only Although in this poynt euery one confesse sufficiently the truth of this matter in his owne person yet let Dauid aunswere by the mouth of them all at this tyme who cannot choose but saye Not to vs O Lord not to vs but to thy name geue all the thanke for thy louyng mercy and for thy truethes sake If we shoulde aske agayne from whence came their glorious workes and deedes which they wrought in their lyues wherewith God was so hyghly pleased and worshipped by them Let some other witnesse be brought in to testifie this matter that in the mouth of two or three may the truth be knowen Ueryly that holy prophete Esai beareth recorde and sayeth O Lord it is thou of thy goodnesse that hast wrought all our workes in vs not we our selues And to vpholde the truth of this matter agaynst all iusticiaries and hipocrites which rob almyghty God of his honour and ascribe it to them selues saynt Paule bringeth in his beleefe We be not sayeth he sufficient of our selues as of our selues once to thinke any thing but all our ablenes is of Gods goodnes For he it is in whom we haue all our beyng our lyuing and mouing If ye wil know furthermore where they had their gyftes and sacrifices which they offred continually in their liues to almighty god they cannot but agree with Dauid where he sayth Of thy liberal hand O Lord we haue receaued that we gaue vnto thee If this holy company therfore confesseth so constantly that al the goodes and graces wherewith they were indued in soule came of the goodnes of God only what more can be sayde to proue that all that is good commeth from almightie God Is it meete to thynke that all spiritual goodnes commeth from God aboue onely and that other good thinges eyther of nature or of fortune as we call them commeth of any other cause Doeth God of his goodnes adourne the soule with all the powers thereof as it is and commeth the giftes of the body wherwith it is indued from any other If he doth the more can not he do the lesse To iustifie a synner to newe create hym from a wicked person to a ryghteous man is a greater act sayeth S. Augustine then to make such a new heauen
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
can not be retourned agayne repentaunce maye folowe but remedie is none Why shoulde not they then that be spiritually wyse in their generation waite their time to encrease as fast in their state to win gaine euerlastinglye They reason what a bruite forgetfulnes it were in man indued with reason to he ignoraunt of their times and tides when they see the Turtle doue the Storke the Swallowe to wayte their times as Jeremie saith The Storke in the ayre knoweth her appoynted tymes the Turtle the Crane and the Swallowe obserue the time of their comming but my people knoweth not the iudgement of the Lorde Saint Paul wylleth vs to redeeme the tyme because the dayes are euill It is not the counsell of Saint Paul onlye but of all other that euer gaue preceptes of wysedome There is no precept more seriously geuen and commaunded then to knowe the time Yea christian men for that they heare how greuously God complaineth and threatneth in the scriptures them whiche wyll not knowe the tyme of his visitations are learned thereby the rather earnestly to apply them selues thereunto After our sauiour Christ had prophesied with weeping teares of the destruction of Hierusalem at the last he putteth the cause For that thou hast not knowen the time of thy visitation O England ponder the tyme of Gods mercifull visitation which is shewed thee from day to day yet wylt not regarde it neyther wylt thou with his punishment be dryuen to thy duetie nor with his benefites be prouoked to thankes If thou knewest what may fal vpon thee for thine vnthankfulnesse thou wouldest prouide for thy peace Brethren howsoeuer the world in generalitie is forgetfull of God let vs particulerly attende to our time win the time with diligence applie our selues to that light grace that is offered vs let vs if gods fauour and iudgementes which he worketh in our tyme can not stirre vs to call home to our selfe to do that belong to our saluation At the least way let the malice of the deuil the naughtines of the worlde which we see exercised in these perilous and last times wherin we see our dayes so daungerously set prouoke vs to watche diligently to our vocation to walke and go forwarde therein Let the miserie and short transitorie ioyes spyed in the casualtie of our dayes moue vs while we haue them in our handes seriously stirre vs to be wise and to expend the gratious good wyl of God to vs ward which all the day long stretcheth out his handes as the prophete sayth vnto vs for the moste part his mercyfull handes sometyme his heauy handes that we beyng learned thereby may escape the daunger that must needes fal on the vniust who leade their dayes in felicitie pleasure without the knowyng of Gods wyll towarde them but sodenly they go downe into hell Let vs be found watchers founde in the peace of the Lorde that at the last day we may be founde without spot blameles yea let vs endeuour our selues good Christian people diligently to kepe the presence of his holy spirite Let vs renounce all vncleannes for he is the spirite of puritie Let vs auoyde all hypocrisie for this holy spirite wyll flee from that which is faigned Cast we of all malice all euill will for this spirite will neuer enter into an euill willing soule Let vs cast awaye all the whole lumpe of sinne that standeth about vs for he will neuer dwell in that body that is subdued to sinne We can not be seene thankefull to almightie God and worke suche dispite to the spirite of grace by whom we be sanctified If we do our endeuour we shall not neede to feare we shall be able to ouercome all our enemies that lyght agaynst vs Onely let vs apply our selfe to accept that grace that is offred vs Of almightie God we haue comfort by his goodnes of our sauiour Christes mediation we may be sure And this holy spirite will suggest vnto vs that shal be holsome and confirme vs in all thinges Therefore it cannot be but true that saynt Paule affirmeth Of him by him and in him be al things and in him after this transitorie lyfe wel passed shal we haue all thinges For saint Paule sayth When the sonne of God shall subdue all thinges vnto him then shall God be all in all If ye will knowe howe God shall be all in all veryly after this sense may ye vnderstand it In this worlde ye see that we be fayne to borowe many thinges to our necessitie of manye creatures there is no one thing that suffiseth all our necessities If we be an hungred we lust for breade If we be a thirst we seeke to be refreshed with ale or wyne If we be colde we seeke for cloth If we be sicke we seeke to the phisition If we be in heauines we seeke for comfort of our frendes or of company so that there is no one creature by it selfe that can content al our wantes desyres But in the worlde to come in that euerlasting felicitie we shall no more begge and seeke our particuler comfortes and commodities of dyuers creatures but we shall possesse al that we can aske desyre in god And God shall be to vs all thinges He shall be to vs both father and mother he shall be breade and drinke cloth phisitions comfort he shall be all thinges to vs and that of much more blessed fassion and more sufficient contentation then euer these creatures were vnto vs with much more declaration then euer mans reason is able to conceaue The eie of man is not able to behold nor his eare can heare nor it can be compassed in the heart of man what ioye it is that God hath prepared for them that loue him Let vs all conclude then with one voyce with the wordes of saint Paul To him which is able to do aboundauntlye beyonde our desyres and thoughtes accordyng to the power workyng in vs be glory and prayse in his Church by Christ Jesus for euer world without ende Amen ⧠An exhortation to be spoken to such parisshes where they vse their perambulation in rogation weeke for the ouersight of the bondes and limits of their Towne ALthough we be nowe assembled together good Christian people moste pryncipallye to laude and thanke almyghty GOD for his great benefytes by beholdyng the feeldes replenished with all maner fruite to the maynteynaunce of our corporall necessities for our foode and sustenaunce and partelye also to make our humble suytes in prayers to his Fatherlye prouidence to conserue the same fruites in sending vs seasonable weather whereby we maye gather in the sayde fruites to that ende for which his fatherly goodnesse hath prouided thē Yet haue we occasion secondarilye geuen vs in our walkes on these dayes to consyder the olde auncient bondes and limittes belongyng to our owne Towneship and to other our neyghbours bordering about vs to the
But yet I woulde not haue you carelesse without watching For the deuill will assaye to attempt all thinges to interrupte and hynder your heartes and godly purpose if ye will geue him anye entrye For he will eyther labour to breake this godly knot once begun betwixt you or els at the leaste he will labour to encumber it with diuers greefes and displeasures And this is his principall craft to worke dissention of heartes of the one from the other That whereas nowe there is pleasaunte and sweete loue betwixt you he wyll in the steede thereof bryng in moste bitter and vnpleasaunt dyscorde And surelye that same aduersarye of ours doth as it were from aboue assault mans nature and condition For this folly is euer from our tender age growen vp with vs to haue a desyre to rule to thynke hyghlye by our selfe so that none thynketh it meete to geue place to another That wicked vyce of stubburne will selfe loue is more meete to breake and to disseuer the loue of heart then to preserue concorde Wherefore maryed persons must apply their myndes in moste earnest wyse to concorde and must craue continually of God the helpe of his holy spirite so to rule their heartes and to knit their myndes together that they be not disseuered by any diuision of discorde This necessitie of prayer must be oft in the occupying and vsing of maryed persons that oft tymes the one shoulde pray for the other lest hate and debate do arise betwixt them And because fewe do consyder this thing but more fewe do perfourme it I saye to praye diligently we see howe wonderfull the deuill deludeth and scorneth this state howe fewe matrimonies there be without chydinges brawlings tauntinges repentinges bitter cursinges and fyghtinges Which thinges whosoeuer do commit they do not consyder that it is the instigation of the ghostly enemie who taketh great delyght therein For els they woulde with all earnest endeuour stryue agaynst these mischeefes not onely with prayer but also with all possible diligence Yea they woulde not geue place to the prouocation of wrath which stirreth them either to such rowgh sharpe words or stripes which is surely compassed by the deuill whose temptation if it be folowed must needes begin weaue the web of all miseries and sorrowes For this is moste certaynly true that of suche beginninges must needes ensue the breache of true concorde in heart whereby all loue must needes shortly be banished Then can it not be but a miserable thing to beholde that yet they are of necessitie compelled to lyue together which yet cannot be in quyet together And this is most customably euery where to be seene But what is the cause thereof Forsoth because they will not consyder the craftie traynes of the deuill and therefore geueth not them selues to praye to God that he woulde vouchsafe to represse his power Moreouer they do not consyder how they promote the purpose of the deuill in that they followe the wrath of their heartes whyle they threate one another whyle they in their follye turne all vpsyde downe whyle they will neuer geue ouer their ryght as they esteeme it yea whyle manye tymes they will not geue ouer the wrong parte in deede Learne thou therefore if thou desyrest to be voyde of all these miseries if thou desyrest to lyue peaceably and comfortablye in wedlocke howe to make thy earnest prayer to God that he would gouerne both your heartes by his holy spirite to restrayne the deuils power whereby your concorde may remayne perpetuallye But to this prayer muste be ioyned a singuler diligence whereof saint Peter geueth this precept saying You husbandes deale with your wyues accordyng to knowledge geuing honour to the wyfe as vnto the weaker vessell as vnto them that are heyres also of the grace of lyfe that your prayers be not hyndered This precept doth particulerly parteyne to the husband For he ought to be the leader aucthour of loue in cherishing and increasing concorde whiche then shall take place if he will vse measurablenesse and not tirannie if he yelde some thinges to the woman For the woman is a weake creature not endued with like strength and constancie of mynd therefore they be the sooner disquieted and they be the more prone to all weake affections dispositions of mynde more then men be and lighter they be and more vaine in their fantasies and opinions These thinges muste be consydered of the man that he be not to stiffe so that he ought to winke at some thinges and must gentlye expounde all thynges and to forbeare Howbeit the common sorte of men doth iudge that suche moderation should not become a man For they say that it is a token of womanishe cowardnesse and therfore they thynke that it is a mans parte to fume in anger to fyght with fiste and staffe Howbeit howsoeuer they imagine vndoubtedlye Saint Peter doth better iudge what should be seeming to a man and what he should most reasonablye perfourme For he sayth reasoning should be vsed and not fyghting Yea he sayth more that the woman ought to haue a certayne honour attributed to her that is to say she muste be spared and borne with the rather for that she is the weaker vessel of a frayle heart inconstant and with a worde soone stirred to wrath And therefore consydering these her frayleties she is to be the rather spared By this meanes thou shalt not onlye norishe concorde but shalt haue her heart in thy power and wyll For honest natures wyl sooner be retayned to do their duetie rather by gentle wordes then by stripes But he which wyl do al thynges with extremitie and seueritie and doth vse alwaies rigour in wordes stripes what wyll that auayle in the conclusion Ueryly nothyng but that he therby setteth forwarde the deuilles worke he banisheth away concorde charitie and sweete amitie and bryngeth in discention hatred and yrkesomnes the greatest greefes that can be in the mutuall loue and felowship of mans lyfe Beyonde al this it bryngeth another euil therewith For it is the destruction and interruption of prayer For in the tyme that the mynde is occupyed with discention and discord there can be no true prayer vsed For the Lordes prayer hath not only a respect to particuler persons but to the whole vniuersall In the whiche we openly pronounce that we wyll forgeue them which hath offended against vs euen as we aske forgeuenes of our synnes of god Which thyng how can it be done ryghtly when their heartes be at discention Howe can they pray each for other when they be at hate betwixt them selues Now if the ayde of prayer be taken away by what meanes can they sustayne them selues in any comfort For they can not otherwyse eyther resist the deuill or yet haue their heartes stayed in stable comfort in al perilles and necessities but by prayer Thus all discommodities aswell worldly as ghostly folowe this frowarde testinesse and cumbrous fiercenes in maners
vayne Euen so most specially in this matter muste we take heede and beware that we suffer not our selues to be perswaded that all that we do is but labour lost For thereof eyther sodayne desperation doth aryse or a licentious boldnesse to sinne which at length bringeth vnto desperation Least any suche thing then shoulde happen vnto them he doth certifie them of the grace and goodnes of God who is alwayes moste redye to receaue them into fauour agayne that turne speedylye vnto him Which thing he doth proue with the same titles whorwith god doth discribe and set foorth himselfe vnto Moyses speaking on this maner For he is gracious and merciful slowe to anger of great kyndnesse and repenteth hym of the euiâ—â— thatis suche a one as is sorye for your afflictious Fyrst he calleth hym gentle gracious as he who of his own nature is more prompt and redye to do good then to punyshe Whereunto this saying of Esaias the Prophete seemeth to parteyne where he sayeth Let the wycked forsake his waye and the vnryghteous his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lorde and he will haue pitie on him and to our God for he is verye redye to forgeue Secondly he doth attribute vnto him mercy or rather accordyng to the Hebrewe word the bowels of mercies whereby he signifyed the naturall affections of parentes towardes their children Which thing Dauid doth set foorth goodlye saying As a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lorde compassion on them that feare hym for he knoweth whereof we be made he remembreth that we are but duste Thyrdlye he sayth that he is slowe to anger that is to saye long sufferyng and whiche is not lightly prouoked to wrath Fourthly that he is of muche kindnesse for he is that bottomlesse well of all goodnesse who reioyceth to do good vnto vs Therefore did he create and make men that he myght haue whom he shoulde do good vnto and make partakers of his heauenly ryches Fifthlye he repenteth of the euyll that is to saye he doeth call backe agayne reuoke the punyshment whiche he had threatned when he seeth men repent turne and amende Whereupon we do not without a iust cause detest and abhorre the dampnable oppinion of them which do most wickedlye go about to perswade the simple and ignorasâ—t people that if we chaunce after we be once come to God and graffed in his sonne Jesu Christe to fall into some hoâ—rible sinne repentaunce shall be vnprofitable vnto vs there is no more hope of reconciliation or to be receaued agayne into the fauour and mercy of god And that they may geue the better colour vnto their pestilent and pernicious errour they do commonlye bryng in the sixth tenth Chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrues and the second Chapter of the seconde Epistle of Peter not consyderyng that in those places the holy Apostles do not speake of the daily falles that we as long as we cary about this body of sinne are subiect vnto but of the finall fallyng away from Christ and his Gospel which is a sinne agaynst the holy ghost that shall neuer he forgeuen because that they that do vtterlye forsake the knowen trueth do hate Christe and his worde they do crucifie and mocke him but to their vtter destruction and therefore fall into desperation and cannot repent And that this is the true meanyng of the holy spirite of God it appeareth by manye other places of the Scriptures which promiseth vnto all true repentaunt sinners and to them that with their whole hart do returne vnto the Lorde their God free pardon and remission of their sinnes For the probation hereof we reade this O Israel sayeth the holy prophete Hieremie if thou returne returne vnto me sayeth the Lorde and if thou put away thyne abominations out of any syght then shalte thou not be moued Agayne these are Esaias words Let the wicked forsake his owne wayes and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and turne agayne vnto the Lorde and he will haue mercye vpon hym and to our God for he is redye to forgeue And in the prophet Ozee the godlye do exhort one another after this manner Come and let vs turne againe vnto the lord for he hath smitten vs and he will heale vs he hath wounded vs and he will bynde vs vp agayne It is most euident and playne that these thinges ought to be vnderstanded of them that were with the Lorde afore and by their sinnes and wickednesse were gone awaye from hym For we do not turne agayne vnto hym with whom we were neuer before but we come vnto him Nowe vnto all them that will returne vnfaynedlye vnto the Lorde their God the fauour and mercye of God vnto forgeuenesse of sinnes is liberally offered Whereby it followeth necessarilye that although we do after we be once come to God and graffed in his sonne Jesus Christe fall into great sinnes for there is no ryghteous man vpon the earth that sinneth not and if we saye we haue no sinne we deceaue our selues the trueth is not in vs yet if we ryse agayne by repentaunce and with a full purpose of amendement of lyfe do flee vnto the mercye of God taking sure holde thereupon through fayth in his sonne Jesu Christe there is an assured and infallible hope of pardon and remission of the same that we shall be receaued agayne into the fauour of our heauenly father It is written of Dauid I haue founde a man accordyng to myne owne heart or I haue found Dauid the sonne of Jesse a man accordyng to myne owne heart who will do all thinges that I wyll This is a godly commendation of Dauid It is also moste certayne that he did stedfastly beleue the promise that was made hym touching the Messias who shoulde come of him touching the fleshe and that by the same fayth he was iustifyed and graffed in our sauiour Jesu Christ to come and yet afterwards he fell horribly committing moste detestable adultrye and damnable murther and yet assone as he cryed peccaui I haue sinned vnto the Lord his sinne beyng forgeuen he was receaued into fauour agayne Now will we come vnto Peter of whom no man can doubte but that he was graffed in our sauiour Jesus Christe long afore his deniall Whiche thing may easylye be proued by the aunswere whiche he did in his name and in the name of his fellowe Apostles make vnto our sauiour Jesu Christ when he saide vnto theÌ„ Will ye also go away Maister sayth he to whoÌ„ shall we go Thou haste the wordes of eternall lyfe and we beleue and knowe that thou art the Christe the sonne of the lyuing god Whereunto may be added the lyke confession of Peter where Christ doth geue this most infallible testimonie Thou art blessed Simon the sonne of Jonas for neither fleshe nor blood hath reuealed this vnto thee but my father which is in heauen
These words are sufficient to proue that Peter was alredye iustifyed through this his lyuelye fayth in the onely begotten sonne of god wherof he made so notable and so solemyne a confession But did not he afterwardes moste cowardlye denye his maister although he had heard of hym Whosoeuer denyeth me before men I wyll denye hym before my father Neuerthelesse assone as with weeping eyes with a sobbyng heart he did acknowledge his offence and with earnest repentance did flee vnto the mercy of God taking sure holde thereupon through faith in him whom he had so shamefullye denyed his sinne was forgeuen him for a certificate and assurance therof the roome of his Apostleship was not denyed vnto him But now marke what doth followe After the same holy Apostle had on Whitsondaye with the reste of the Disciples receaued the gyft of the holy ghost most aboundauntly he committed no smal offence in Antiochia by brynging the consciences of the faythfull into doubt by his example so that Paule was faine to rebuke him to his face because that he walked not vprightlye or went not the ryght way in the Gospell Shall we now say that after this greeuous offence he was vtterly excluded and shut out from the grace and mercy of God that this his trespasse wherby he was a stumbling blocke vnto manye was vnpardonable God defende we shoulde saye so But as these examples are not brought in to the ende that we shoulde thereby take a boldnesse to sinne presuming on the mercye and goodnesse of God but to the ende that if through the fraylenesse of our owne fleshe and the temptation of the Deuill we fall into the lyke sinnes we shoulde in no wyse dispayre of the mercy and goodnes of God Euen so muste we beware and take heede that we do in no wise thinke in our heartes imagine or beleue that we are able to repent aright or to tourne effectuallye vnto the Lorde by our owne myght and strength For this must be verifyed in all men Without me ye can do nothing Agayne Of our selues we are not able as much as to thynke a good thought And in another place It is God that worketh in vs both the wyl and the deede For this cause although Hieremie had sayde before If thou returne O Israel returne vnto me sayeth the Lorde Yet afterwardes he sayeth Turne thou me O Lorde and I shall be turned for thou art the Lorde my god And therefore that holye wryter and auncient father Ambrose doth playnely affirme that the turnyng of the heart vnto God is of God as the Lorde hym selfe doth testifie by his prophete saying And I will geue thee an heart to knowe me that I am the Lorde and they shall be my people and I will be their God for they shal returne vnto me with their whole heart These thinges beyng consydered let vs earnestlye pray vnto the liuyng God our heauenlye father that he wyll vouchsafe by his holye spirite to worke a true and vnfained repentance in vs that after the paynefull labours and trauayles of this lyfe we may liue eternally with his sonne Jesus Christe to whom be all prayse and glorye for euer and euer Amen ¶ The seconde parte of the Homilee of Repentaunce HJtherto haue ye heard wel beloued how needeful necessary the doctrine of repentaunce is how earnestly it is throughout all the scriptures of God vrged and set foorth both by the auncient prophetes by our Sauiour Jesu Christ his Apostles and that forasmuche as it is the conuertion or turning agayne of the whole man vnto God from whom we go away by sinne these four pointes ought to be obserued That is from whence or from what thinges we muste returne vnto whom this our returnyng muste be made by whose meanes it ought to be done that it may be effectual and last of all after what sort we ought to behaue our selues in the same that it may be profitable vnto vs and attayne vnto the thing that we do seeke by it Ye haue also learned that as the opinion of them that denie the benefite of repentaunce vnto those that after they be come to God and graffed in our sauiour Jesu Christe do through the fraylenesse of theyr fleshe and the temptation of the deuill fall into some greeuous and detestable sinne is most pestilent and pernitious So we muste beware that we do in no wyse thynke that we are able of our owne selues and of our own strength to retourne vnto the Lorde our God from whom we are gone awaye by our wyckednesse and sinne Nowe it shall be declared vnto you what be the true partes of repentaunce what thinges ought to moue vs to repent and to returne vnto the Lorde our God with all speede Repentaunce as it is sayde before is a true returning vnto God whereby men forsakyng vtterlye their idolatrie and wickednes do with a lyuelye fayth embrace loue and worship the true lyuyng God onelye and geue them selues to all maner of good workes whiche by Gods worde they knowe to be acceptable vnto him Nowe there be foure partes of repentaunce which beyng set together maye be lykened to an easie and short ladder whereby we may clymbe from the bottomles pit of perdition that we caste our selues into by our daylye offences and greeuous sinnes vp into the castle or to wre of eternal and endelesse saluation The fyrst is the contrition of the heart For we must be earnestly sorye for our sinnes and vnfaynedlye lament be wayle that we haue by them so greuously offended our most bounteous and mercifull God who so tenderlye loued vs that he gaue his onely begotten sonne to dye a most bitter death to shed his deare hart blood for our redemption and deliueraunce And veryly this inward sorowe and greefe being conceaued in the heart for the haynousnesse of sinne if it be earnest and vnfayned is as a sacrifice to God as the holy prophete Dauid doth testifye saying A sacrifyce to God is a troubled spyrite a contrite and broken heart O Lord thou wylt not dispyse But that this may take place in vs we must be diligent to reade and heare the scriptures and worde of God whiche most lyuely do paynt out before your eyes our naturall vncleanlynesse and the enormitie of our sinfull lyfe For vnlesse we haue a through feeling of our sinnes how can it be that we shoulde earnestlie be sorye for them Afore Dauid did heare the worde of the Lorde by the mouth of the prophet Nathan what heauinesse I praye you was in hym for the adultrie and murther that he had committed So that it myght be sayd right wel that he slept in his owne sinne We reade in the Actes of the Apostles that when the people had hearde the Sermon of Peter they were compunct and pricked in theyr heartes Whiche thing woulde neuer haue ben if they had not heard that holsome Sermon of
to our sauiour Jesu Christe dyd powre downe suche aboundaunce of teares out of those wanton eyes of hers wherwith she had allured many vnto follie that she dyd with them washe his feete wypyng them with the heres of her head whiche she was wont moste gloriously to set out makyng of them a nette of the deuyll Hereby we do learne what is the satisfaction that God doth require of vs which is that we ceasse from euyll and do good and if we haue done anye man wrong to endeuour our selues to make hym true amendes to the vttermoste of our power folowyng in this the example of Zacheus and of this sinâ—ull woman and also that goodly lesson that John Baytist Zacharies sonne dyd geue vnto them that came to aske counsayle of hym This was commonly the penaunce that Christe enioyned synners Go thy way and synne no more Whiche penaunce we shall neuer be able to fulfyll without the speciall grace of hym that doth say Without me ye can do nothyng It is therefore our partes yf at least we be desyrous of the health and saluation of our owne selues most earnestly to praye vnto our heauenly father to assist vs with his holye spirite that we may be able to hearken vnto the voyce of the true shephearde and with due obedience to folowe the same Let vs hearken to the voyce of almightie God when he calleth vs to repentaunce let vs not harden our heartes as suche Infidels do who abuse the tyme geuen them of God to repent and turne it to continue their pride and contempt against God and man whiche knowe not howe much they heape Gods wrath vppon them selues for the hardnesse of their heartes whiche can not repent at the day of vengeaunce Where we haue offended the law of God let vs repent vs of our straying from so good a Lorde Let vs confesse our vnworthynesse before hym but yet let vs trust in Gods free mercye for Christes sake for the pardon of the same And from henceforth let vs endeuour our selues to walke in a newe lyfe as newe borne babes whereby we may glorifie our father which is in heauen and thereby to beare in our consciences a good testimonie of our fayth So at the last to obteyne the fruition of euerlasting lyfe through the merites of our sauiour to whom be al prayse and honour for euer Amen The thirde parte of the Homilee of repentaunce IN the Nomilee last spoken vnto you right welbeloued people in our sauiour Christ ye heard of the true partes tokens of repentaunce that is heartie contrition and sorowfulnes of our heartes vnfaigned confession in worde of mouth for our vnworthy lyuyng before God a stedfast fayth to the merites of our sauiour Christe for pardon and a purpose of our selues by Gods grace to renounce our former wycked lyfe and a full conuersion to God in a newe lyfe to glorifie his name and to liue orderly and charitably to the comfort of our neighbour in al righteousnes and to lyue soberly and modestly to our selues by vsing abstinence and temperance in word in deed in mortifying our earthly members here vpoÌ„ earth Nowe for a further perswasion to moue you to those partes of repentance I wil declare vnto you some causes which should the rather moue you to repentaunce Fyrst the commaundement of God who in so many places of the holy and sacred Scriptures doth byd vs returne vnto hym O ye chyldren of Israel sayth he turne agayne from your infidelitie wherein ye drowned your selues Againe Turne you turne you from your euil wayes For why wyll ye dye O ye house of Israel And in an other place thus doth he speake by his holy prophete Ozee O Israel returne vnto the Lorde thy God For thou hast taken a great fall by thyne iniquitie Take vnto you these wordes with you when you turne vnto the Lorde and say vnto hym Take away all iniquitie and receaue vs gratiously so will we offer the calues of our lippes vnto thee In all these places we haue an expresse commaundement geuen vnto vs of God for to returne vnto hym Therefore we must take good heede vnto our selues least wheras we haue alredy by our manyfolde synnes and transgressions prouoked and kindeled the wrath of God agaynst vs we do by breakyng this his commaundemente double our offences and so heape styll dampnation vppon our owne heades by our dayly offences and trespasses whereby we prouoke the eyes of his maiestie we do well deserue if he should deale with vs accordyng to his iustice to be put away for euer from the fruition of his glorye Nowe muche more then are we worthy of the endlesse tormentes of hell yf when we be so gently called againe after our rebellion and commaunded to returne we will in no wyse hearken vnto the voyce of our heauenlye father but walke stil after the stubbornnes of our owne heartes Secondely the moste comfortable and sweete promise that the Lorde our God dyd of his mere mercy and goodnesse ioyne vnto his comaundement For he doth not only say Returne vnto me O Israel but also If thou wylt returne and put away all thyne abhominations out of my syght thou shalt neuer be moued These wordes also haue we in the Prophet Ezechiel At what tyme soeuer a synner doth repent hym of his synne from the bottome of his heart I wyll put all his wyckednesse out of my remembraunce sayth the Lorde so that they shal be no more thought vpon Thus are we sufficiently instructed that God wyll accordyng to his promise freely pardon forgeue and forget al our synnes so that we shal neuer be cast in the teeth with them if obeying his commaundement and allured by his sweete promises we wyll vnfaignedly returne vnto hym Thirdly the filthinesse of synne which is such that as long as we do abyde in it God can not but detest and abhorre vs neyther can there be any hope that we shall enter into the heauenlye Hierusalem except we be first made cleane purged from it But this wyll neuer be vnlesse forsakyng our former lyfe we do with our whole heart returne vnto the Lorde our God with a full purpose of amendement of lyfe flee vnto his mercy taking sure hold therupon through fayth in the blood of his son Jesu Christe If we should suspect any vncleannes to be in vs wherfore the earthly prince should lothe and abhorre the sight of vs what paynes woulde we take to remoue put it away Howe muche more ought we with all diligence and speede that may be to put away that vncleane filthynesse that doth separate and make a diuision betwixt vs and our God that hideth his face from vs that he wil not heare vs And verily herein doth appeare howe filthie a thyng sin is syth that it can by no other meanes be washed away but by the blood of the onely begotten sonne of god And shall we not from
the bottome of our heartes detest and abhorre with all earnestnesse flee from it syth that it dyd cost the deare heart blood of the onlye begotten sonne of God our sauiour redeemer to purge vs from it Plato doth in a certayne place wryte that if vertue coulde be seene with bodily eyes all men woulde wonderfully be enflamed and kyndeled with the loue of it Euen so on the contrary if we myght with our bodily eyes beholde the filthynesse of synne and the vncleannes therof we coulde in no wyse abyde it but as most present and deadly poyson hate and eschewe it We haue a common experience of the same in them which when they haue committed any heynous offence or some filthy and abhominable synne if it once come to lyght or if they chaunce to haue a through feelyng of it they be so ashamed their owne conscience puttyng before their eyes the filthynes of their acte that they dare looke no man in the face muche lesse that they shoulde be able to stande in the syght of God. Fourthly the vncertayntie and brittlenesse of our owne lyues whiche is such that we can not assure our selues that we shall lyue one houre or one halfe quarter of it Whiche by experience we do fynde daily to be true in them that beyng nowe mery and lustye and sometymes feastyng and banquettyng with their freendes do fall sodenly dead in the streetes and otherwhyles vnder the boarde when they are yet at meate These daily examples as they are moste terrible and dreadfull so ought they to moue vs to seeke for to be at one with our heauenlye iudge that we may with a good conscience appeare before hym whensoeuer it shal please him for to cal vs whether it be sodaynly or otherwyse for we haue no more charter of our lyfe then they haue But as we are moste certayne that we shall dye so are we most vncertayne when we shal dye For our lyfe doth lye in the hande of God who wyll take it away when it pleaseth hym And veryly when the hyghest somner of all which is death shall come he wyll not be sayde nay but we must foorth with be packyng to be present before the iudgement seate of God as he doth fynde vs accordyng as it is wrytten Wheras the tree falleth whether it be towarde the South or towarde the North there it shall lye Whereunto agreeth the saying of the holy martyr of God S. Ciprian saying As God doth fynde thee when he doth call so doth he iudge thee Let vs therefore folowe the counsayle of the wyse man where he sayth Make no tarrying to turne vnto the Lorde and put not of from day to day For sodenly shall the wrath of the Lorde breake foorth and in thy securitie shalt thou be destroyed and shalt perishe in tyme of vengeaunce Whiche wordes I desyre you to marke diligently because they do most lyuely put before our eyes the fondnesse of manye men whiche abusyng the long sufferyng and goodnes of God do neuer thynke on repentaunce or amendement of lyfe Folowe not sayth he thyne owne mynde and thy strength to walke in the wayes of thy heart neyther say thou who wyll bryng me vnder for my workes For God the reuenger wyll reuenge the wrong done by thee And saye not I haue synned and what euyll hath come vnto me For the almyghtie is a patient rewarder but he wyll not leaue thee vnpunished Because thy synnes are forgeuen thee be not without feare to heape sin vpon synne Say not neyther The mercie of god is great he wil forgeue my manifold sinnes For mercy and wrath come from him and his indignation commeth vpon vnrepentant synners As if he should say Art thou strong and myghtie Art thou lustye and young Haste thou the wealth and ryches of the worlde Or when thou hast synned hast thou receaued no punishment for it Let none of all these thynges make thee to be the slower to repent and to returne with speede vnto the Lorde For in the day of punishment and of his sodayne vengeaunce they shall not be able to helpe thee And speciallye when thou art eyther by the preaching of Gods worde or by some inwarde motion of his holy spirite or els by some other meanes called vnto repentaunce neglect not the good occasion that is ministred vnto thee least when thou wouldest repent thou hast not the grace for to do it For to repent is a good gyft of God which he wyll neuer graunt vnto them whiche lyuyng in carnal securitie do make a mocke of his threatnynges or seeke to rule his spirites as they list as though his workyng gyftes were tyed vnto their wyll Fifthly the auoydyng of the plagues of God and the vtter destructiō that by his ryghteous iudgement doth hang ouer the heades of them all that will in no wyse returne vnto the Lorde I wyll saith the Lorde geue them for a terrible plague to all the kyngdomes of the earth and for a reproche and for aprouerbe and for a curse in all places where I shall cast them and wyll send the sworde of famine the pestilence among them tyll they be consumed out of the land And wherfore is this Because they hardned their heartes and woulde in no wyse returne from their euyll wayes nor yet forsake the wyckednesse that was in their owne handes that the fiercenesse of the Lordes furie myght departe from them But yet this is nothing in comparison of the intollerable and endlesse tormentes of hell fyre whiche they shal be fayne to suffer who after their hardnesse of heart that can not repent do heape vnto them selues wrath against the day of anger and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God Wheras if we wyll repent and be earnestly sory for our synnes and with a full purpose of amendement of lyfe flee vnto the mercie of our god and taking sure holde thereuppon through fayth in our sauiour Jesus Christe do bring foorth fruites worthy of repentaunce he wyll not onlye powre his manifold blessynges vpon vs here in this world but also at the last after the paynefull trauayles of this lyfe rewarde vs with the inheritaunce of his chyldren whiche is the kyngdome of heauen purchased vnto vs with the death of his sonne Jesu Christe our Lorde to whom with the father and the holy ghoste be all prayse glory and honour worlde without ende Amen ⧠An Homilee agaynst disobedience and wylful rebellion The fyrst parte AS GOD the creatour and Lord of al thynges appoynted his angels and heauenly creatures in all obedience to serue and to honour his maiestie so was it his wyl that man his cheefe creature vpon the earth shoulde lyue vnder the obedience of his creator and Lord and for that cause God assoone as he had created man gaue vnto him a certayne precept and law whiche he beyng yet in the state of innocencie remaynyng in paradise shoulde obserue as a pledge and
rebels shoulde heare the aduise of wyse men and geue place vnto theyr iudgement and folowe the example of obedient subiectes as reason is that they whose vnderstandyng is blinded with so euyll an affection shoulde geue place to them that be of sound iudgement and that the worse shoulde geue place to the better and so myght Realmes continue in long obedience peace and quietnesse But what yf the prince be vndiscrete and euil in deede and it also euident to all mens eyes that he so is I aske agayne what yf it be long of the wickednesse of the subiectes that the prince is vndiscrete and euyll Shal the subiectes both by their wickednesse prouoke God for their deserued punishment to geue them an vndiscrete or euyll prince and also rebell agaynst hym and withall agaynst God who for the punishment of their sinnes dyd geue them suche a prince Wyll you heare the scriptures concernyng this poynt God say the holy scriptures maketh a wicked man to raigne for the sinnes of the people Agayne God geueth a prince in his anger meanyng an euyll one and taketh away a prince in his displeasure meanyng speciallye when he taketh away a good prince for the sinnes of the people as in our memorie he toke away our good Josias kyng Edwarde in his young and good yeres for our wickednesse And contrarilye the scriptures do teache that God geueth wysdome vnto princes and maketh a wyse and good kyng to raigne ouer that people whom he loueth and who loueth hym Agayne yf the people obey God both they and theyr kyng shall prosper and be safe els both shal perishe sayth God by the mouth of Samuel Here you see that GOD placeth aswell euyll princes as good and for what cause he doth both If we therefore wyll haue a good prince eyther to be geuen vs or to continue nowe we haue suche a one let vs by our obedience to God and to our prince moue God thereunto If we wyll haue an euyll prince when God shall sende such a one taken away and a good in his place let vs take away our wickednesse whiche prouoketh God to place such a one ouer vs God wyll eyther displace hym or of an euyll prince make hym a good prince so that we first wyll chaunge our euyll into good For wyll you heare the scriptures The heart of the prince is in Gods hande which way soeuer it shall please hym he turneth it Thus say the scriptures wherfore let vs turne from our synnes vnto the Lorde with all our heartes and he wyl turne the heart of the prince vnto our quiet and wealth Els for subiectes to deserue through theyr synnes to haue an euyll prince then to rebel against hym were double and treble euyll by prouokyng GOD more to plague them Nay let vs eyther deserue to haue a good prince or let vs patiently suffer and obey suche as we deserue And whether the prince be good or euill let vs accordyng to the counsel of the holy scriptures pray for the prince for his continuaunce and increase in goodnesse yf he be good and for his amendement yf he be euyll Wyll you heare the scriptures concerning this most necessarie poynt I exhort therefore sayth saint Paul that aboue all thinges prayers supplications intercessions and geuing of thankes be had for all men for kynges and all that are in aucthoritie that we maye liue a quiet and peaceable lyfe with all godlinesse for that is good and acceptable in the syght of GOD our sauiour c. This is Saint Paules councel And who I pray you was prince ouer the moste part of Christians when Gods holye spirite by saint Paules pen gaue them this lesson Forsoothe Caligula Clodius or Nero who were not onlye no Christians but Pagans and also eyther foolishe rulers or most cruel tyrauntes Wyl you yet heare the worde of God to the Jewes when they were prisoners vnder Nabuchodonozor kyng of Babylon after he had slaine their king nobles parentes chyldren and kynsfolkes burned theyr countrey cities yea Hierusalem it selfe and the holy temple and had caryed the residue remayning aliue captiues with hym vnto Babylon Wyll you heare yet what the prophete Baruch sayth vnto Gods people being in this captiuitie Pray you sayth the prophete for the lyfe of Nabuchodonozor kyng of Babylon and for the lyfe of Balthaser his sonne that theyr dayes may be as the dayes of heauen vpon the earth that God also may geue vs strength and lighten our eyes that we may liue vnder the defence of Nabuchodonozor kyng of Babylon and vnder the protection of Balthaser his sonne that we may long do them seruice and finde fauour in their syght Praye for vs also vnto the Lorde our God for we haue sinned agaynst the Lorde our god Thus farre the prophete Baruch his wordes whiche are spoken by hym vnto the people of God of that kyng who was an heathen a tyraunt and cruell oppressour of them and had ben a murtherer of many thousandes of theyr nation and a destroyer of their countrey with a confession that theyr sinnes had deserued suche a prince to raigne ouer them And shall the olde Christians by saint Paules exhortation pray for Caligula Clodius or Nero Shall the Jewes pray for Nabuchodonozor these Emperours and kynges beyng straungers vnto them beyng Pagans and Infidels beyng murtherers tyrauntes and cruell oppressours of them and the destroyers of their countrey countreymen and kinsmen the burners of theyr villages townes cities and temples And shall not we pray for the long prosperous and godly raigne of our naturall prince No straunger whiche is obserued as a great blessing in the scriptures of our Christian our most gratious Soueraigne no heathen nor Pagan prince Shall we not praye for the health of our moste mercifull moste louyng Soueraigne the preseruer of vs and our countrey in so long peace quietnesse and securitie no cruell person no tyraunt no spoyler of our goodes no shedder of our blooddes no burner and destroyer of our Townes Cities and Countrey as were those for whom yet as ye haue hearde Christians beyng theyr subiectes ought to praye Let vs not commit so great ingratitude agaynst GOD and our Soueraigne as not continually to thanke GOD for this gouernment and for his great and continuall benefites and blessinges powred vpon vs by suche gouernment Let vs not commit so great a sinne agaynst God agaynst our selues and our countrey as not to praye continuallye vnto GOD for the long continuaunce of so gratious a ruler vnto vs and our countrey Els shall we be vnworthie any longer to enioy those benefites and blessinges of God whiche hytherto we haue had by her and shal be most worthy to fall into all those mischeefes and miseries which we and our countrey haue by Gods grace through her gouernment hytherto escaped What shall we say of those subiectes may we call them by the name of subiectes Who neyther be thankful nor make any
named Simeon a iust man fearing God he came by the spirit of God into the temple and was tolde by the same spirite that he shoulde not dye before he sawe the annoynted of the Lorde In the temple his promise was fulfilled in the temple he sawe Christ toke him in his armes in the Temple he braste out into the myghtye prayse of God his Lorde Anna a Prophetisse an olde widowe departed not out of the temple geuing her selfe to prayer fasting day nyght And she comming about the same tyme was likewise inspyred and confessed and spake of the Lorde to all them that looked for the redemption of Israel This blessed man and this blessed woman were not disapoynted of wonderfull fruit commoditie and comfort whiche God sent them by their diligent resorting to Gods holy temple Nowe ye shall heare howe greuouslye God hath ben offended with his people for that they passed so litle vpon his holy Temple and foully eyther despysed or abused the same Whiche thyng maye playnely appeare by the notable plagues and punishmentes which God hath layde vpon his people especially in this that he stirred vp their aduersaries horribly to beate downe and vtterly to destroye his holy temple with a perpetuall desolation Alas how many Churches countreyes kingdomes of christian people haue of late yeres ben plucked downe ouerrunne left wast with greeuous intollerable tyrannye and crueltie of the enemy of our Lord Christe the great Turke who hath so vniuersally scourged the Christiās that neuer the lyke was heard read of Aboue thirtie yeres past the great Turke had ouerrun conquered and brought into his dominion and subiection twentie Christian kingdomes turnyng away the people from the fayth of Christe poysonyng them with the dyuelishe religion of wicked Mahomet and eyther destroying their Churches vtterly or filthily abusing them with their wicked and detestable errours And nowe this great Turke this bitter and sharpe scourge of Gods vengeaunce is euen at hande in this part of christendome in Europe at the borders of Italy at the borders of Germany greedylye gaping to deuour vs to ouerrunne our country to destroye our Churches also vnlesse we repent our sinfull lyfe and resort more diligently to the Church to honour God to learne his blessed wil and to fulfill the same The Jewes in their time prouoked iustly the vengeaunce of God for that partly they abused his holy temple with the detestable idolatrie of the heathen supersticious vanities of their owne inuentions contrary to Gods commaundement partly they resorted vnto it as hypocrites spotted imbrewed and fouly defyled with all kinde of wickednesse and sinfull lyfe partly many of them passed little vpon the holy temple forced not whether they came thither or no. And haue not the Christians of late dayes and euen in our dayes also in lyke maner prouoked the displeasure and indignation of almighty God partly because they haue prophaned and defyled their churches with heathenishe and Jewish abuses with images and idols with numbers of aulters too too superstitiously intollerablye abused with grosse abusing and fylthye corrupting of the Lordes holye supper the blessed sacrament of his body and blood with an infinite number of toyes and tryfles of theyr owne deuyces to make a godly outwarde shewe and to deface the homely simple and sincere religion of Christ Jesus partlye they resort to the Churche lyke hypocrites full of all iniquitie and sinfull lyfe hauing a vayne daungerous fansie and perswasion that if they come to the church besprinkle them with holy water heare a masse and be blessed with the challice though they vnderstand not one worde of the whole seruice nor feele one motion of repentaunce in their hearts all is well all is sure Fye vpon suche mocking blaspheming of gods holy ordinaunce Churches were made for an other purpose that is to resort thyther and to serue God truelye there to learne his blessed will there to call vpon his myghtye name there to vse the holy sacraments there to trauayle howe to be in charitie with thy neyghbour there to haue thy poore and needy neyghbour in remembraunce from thence to departe better and more godly then thou camest thyther Finallye Gods vengeaunce hath ben is dayly prouoked because much wicked people passe nothing to resort to the Church either for that they are so sore blinded that they vnderstand nothing of God and godlines and care not with deuilishe example to offende their neighbours or els for that they see the Churche altogether scoured of such gay gasing sightes as their grosse phantasie was greatly delyghted with because they see the false religiō abandoned the true restored whiche seemeth an vnsauery thing to their vnsauery taste as may appeare by this that a woman said to her neighbour Alas gossip what shal we now do at Church since al the saints are taken away since al the goodly sightes we were wont to haue are gone since we cannot heare the like pyping singing chaunting playing vppon the organs that we could before But dearelye beloued we ought greatly to reioyce and geue God thankes that our Churches are deliuered of all those thinges which displeased God so sore filthily defiled his holy house and his place of prayer for the which he hath iustly destroyed many nations according to the saying of saint Paule If any man defyle the temple of God God will him destroye And this ought we greatly to praise god for that such superstitious idolatrious maners as were vtterly naught defaced gods glory are vtterly abolished as they most iustly deserued and yet those things that either god was honored with or his people edified are decently reteyned and in our Churches comely practised But nowe forasmuch as ye perceaue it is gods determinate pleasure ye should resort vnto your churches vppon the day of holy rest seyng ye heare what displeasure God conceaueth what plagues he poureth vpon his disobedient people seyng ye vnderstand what blessinges of God are geuen what heauenly cōmodities come to such people as desirously zelously vse to resort vnto their Churches seyng also ye are now freendly bidden and ioyntly called beware that ye slacke not your dutie take heede that you suffer nothing to let you hereafter to come to the Church at such times as you are ordinarily apoynted cōmaunded Our sauiour Christe telleth in a parable that a great supper was prepared gestes were bidden many excused themselues would not come I tel you sayth Christ none of them that were called shal taste of my supper This great supper is the true religion of almightie God wherewith he wyll be worshipped in the due receauyng of his sacramentes and sincere preaching and hearyng his holy word and practising the same by godly conuersation This feast is nowe prepared in Gods banquetting house the Churche you are thervnto called and ioyntly bidden yf you refuse to come and make your excuses the same wyll be