of the church froÌ the time of christ to the tyme of Antichristes appearyng and his foregoers the which is shewed in the openiÌg of the other seales The openynge of the fyrste seale telleth the state of the churche in the tyme of preachynge of Chryste and his apostles For then the fyrst beast that is a Lyon gaue his âoyce that betokeneth the preachers of Christes resurrection and his ascension For then wente out a whyte horse and he that sate vpon hym had a bowe is his hande and he wente forthe ouercomynge to ouercome By this whyte hors we vnderstande the cleane lyfe and conuersation that those preachers had by the bowe theyr true preachyng pryckyng sorow or repentaunce in mens harteâ for their synnes without flattering They went out of Iewrye that they came of wynniÌg and ouercoming some of the Iewes made theym to leaue the truste y t they hadde in tholde lawe to beleue in Iesâ Christ folowe his teachinge and they went out to ouercome the paynems shewynge to them that theyr ymages were no goddes but mans werke vnmyghtie to saue theÌ self or any other drawyng theÌ to y e beleue of Iesu Christ God and maÌ In the openynge of the seconde seale there cried a calfe whiche was a beaste wonte to be slayne offred to god in the olde lawe This shewethe the state of the churche in the tyme of marters that for theyr stedfast preachiÌg and for the trouthe of goddes worde shede theyr bloode and that is betokened by the redde horse that went out at the openynge of this seale and this eâtate began at Nero the cursed Emperour and endured to the tyme of Constantyue the great that endowed the churche In this tyme many of Christes seâuauÌtes and namely the leaders of Christes flocke were slayne and of .xxii. Bysshops of rome that were before the tyme of Syluester the fyrst I rede but of foure but y t they were martyrs And also in y e time of Dioclesian the Emperour the persecution of Christen men was so greate that in .xxx. dayes were slaine .xxii. thousande meÌ and women in diuers couÌtââis for the lawe of God The openyng of the thyrde seale telleth the state of the churche in the tyme âf heretâkes that is fygured by the blacke horse or false vnderstaÌdyng of scripture For then cried the thirde beast that is a man for at that tyme was it nedefull for to preach the mysterye of Christes incarnation and passion agaynste the heretykes that take amysse these poyntes How christ toke very mankynde of Mary he beynge god as he was before and his mother beynge mayde before after The opening of y e fourth seale telleth y e state of y e church in the tyme of hypocrites that be tokened by the âaleâ horse y t be signes of penauÌce withoute forth to blinde the people And he that sat vpon the horse hys name was death For they flee goostly them that they lede and teache to God by other wayes theÌ by christ And hel foloweth them for hell receiueth those y t these men deceyue At that time shall it be nede that the fourth beaâte that in the Egle flyeth hyghest of all fowles make his crye to raise vp the gospel and to prayse goddes lawe aboue al other lest mennes wytte and their traditions treade downe and ouergrow the lawe of god by enfourmynge of these hypocrites And this is y e last estate that is or shalbe in the churche before the commyng and cleare appearynge of the great membre of Antichrist The openyng of the fyfte seale sheweth the state of the churche that then shal folow And the desyre that the folowers of goddes lawe shallâ haue after the ende of this worlde to be delyuered of this woo The openynge of the syxte seale telleth the state of the churche in the tyme of Antichristes lymmes whiche estate ye may knowe to be wheÌ ye se fulfylledâ that âaynt Iohn prophesyed to fall in the openynge of this seale where he sayth After this I se foure angriles standyng vpoÌ foure corners of the earth holdynge the foure wyndes y t they blow not vpoÌ the earth vpoÌ the se nor vpon the trees The .iiii. angels be the nombre of all the deuyls ministers that in those dayes to do their maister pleasure shall stoppe the foure wyndes that be the foure Gospels to be preached shall let the brethe of the holye goost to falle vpon men that they myghte mourne for their synne to ameÌde theyr lyfe and also vpon theym that wolde encrease in vertue and vpon perfecte men what after this is to come but that the mysterye of the seuenth seale be shewed y t he come in his owne person whoÌ Iesu Christ shall sleââ the breath of his mouthe wheÌ the fende shall âhewe the vttermoost persecutioÌ that he his seruauÌtes can do to Christesâ subiectes and that shalbe y e .iii. warnyng y t y e world shall haue to come to this last iudgemeÌt In all this mater I haue nought sayde of my selfe but of other doctours that be approued I sayde also in my seconde principall that it was to be knoweÌ before what iuge we must reken that is god him selfe he that seeth all our dedes all our thoughtes froÌ the begynninge of our lyfe to âhend he shall shewe there the hydde thynges of our hertes openiÌge to all the worlde the righteousnes of his iudgemeÌt so that by the power of God euery mans dedes shall be shewed to all the worlde And so it semeth by the wordes of saynte Iohn in the Apocalyps where he see deade men greate and lytle standyng in the figure of the throne And bookes were opened And another boke was opeÌed that was of lyfe the deade men were iudged after the thinges that were wrytten in the bookes after theyr owne doynges These bookes be mennes conscience that nowe be closed but then shalbe opened to all the worlde to read therin both theyr dedes and thoughtes And the booke of lyfe is Christes lyuynge and doctryne that is hydde nowe to them that shal be dampned thorowe theyr owne malyce that councel men to folow the worlde rather then God In the firste booke shalbe wrytten all that we haue done In the other all that we shulde haue done And then shall deade men be iudged after those thinges that be wrytten in the bookes And yf the dedes that we haue done and be written in the bokes of our conscience be accordynge âs the booke of Christes teachyng and lyuynge the whiche is the boke of lyfe we shall be saued or elles we shall be dampned for the iudgemente shal be gyueÌ after our workes Loke therefore nowe what is written in the booke of thy conscience whyle thou arte here and yf thou fynde any thynge contrarye to Christes lyfe and teachynge scrape it oute with the knyfe of repentaunce and wryte it better euermore
ordeyne they them to goâwarde the losse of theyr bodies they wyl sore bewayle but the helthe of their soules they make no rekeniÌg of If they se them poore they sorowe and syghe but though they se theâ synne they make no maner of moone And hereby they shewe that they broughte forthe the bodyes but not the soules And nowe to speake again of prestes yf we take hede truly we shall perceyue greate abhominatioÌs that ben scattered in the church nowe a dayes by and amongest preestes we shall well perceâue I saye that they come not into Christes foâlde by Christes callynge for to profytte but by other meanes and wayes to gette theym selfe worldlye welthe And this is cause of manye erroures among the people And therfore it is written in the booke of mourning where the Prophet speaketh thus to god The enymy hath put his hande to all thinges to hym desyrable For that he hathe seene a certayne people lawles entrynge into the sanctuarye of whiche thou haddest commauÌded that they shulde not entre that is to saye into the churche The enemye is Sathanas as hys name soândeth that hathe put hys hande to all that hym lyketh For what synne myghte the fende by all his crafte or engyn haue sowed amonge men that is not nowe a dayes vsed whenne were they so greate in halfe as they be nowe In what pleÌtye is Pride Enuye wrathe and Couetyse And lykewyse all other synnes And wherefore thinkeste thou But for because there be lawles people entered into the TeÌple that neither in theym selfe kepe the Lawe of God nor can teache other And to all suche saieth God by the Prophete Osee. For that thou hast put away connynge or knoweledge of godes wyll I wyll put the away that thou shalte vse no preesthode to me Perceiue that God and hoholy scrypture expresselye here forbyddeth men to the state of prestehode vppon them but yf they haue conynge that nedeth or bâhoueth them Thou then that canst noâher rule thy selfe nor other after the lawe of God beware howe thou wylt answere God at this dreadful dome when he shall saye to the Come geue a rekenynge of thy Baylywyke The seconde question that any Prelate or Curate must aunswere to is this Howe haste thou ruled that is to saye the soules of the subiectes and the goodes of poore men gyue thy accompt Fyrste howe thou haste gouerned goddes flocke commytted to thy Cure As a harde or as a hyred man that doth all for his bodely hyer As a father or as a wolfe that eateth the shepe and kepeth them not Saye on and tell me saye whome haste thou turned froÌ theyr cursed liuing by the deuoute preachyng and good ensaÌple whom haste thou taughte the lawe of God that was before ignoraÌt There shal be hard a greuous accusyng of fatheries chyldren and a streyâ alledgynge of al the flocke that thou hast take of them thy lyuynge through their laboure swete and do nothing therfore But let them go astraye wandrynge for pasture water and none gyâen them by the. Dyrectly gyue thy rekenynge how haste thou ruled and spended the goods of these pore meÌ Howe shalt thou trimble with horryble feare then thinkeste thou heare what saynte Barnarde saith threttenynge Cleâkes and threttenyng ministers of the churche They be in the place of sayntes and they doo wyckedly in that they not holdynge them contente with wages that are sufficiente to theyr necessaries but the ouerplus that nedye shulde be sustayned by they be not ashamed to waste in the howses of theyr pryde and lechery witholdynge to them selfe wyckedlye and cursedlye the lyuinges of pore men with double wyckenesse truely Fyrst they do synne for they robbe other men of theyr goodes Furthermore for that they misuse holy thinges iÌ their vanities And in their wyckednes Euerye suche baylye therefore beware for to the laste faâ thinge thou shalte reken and giue accompte Thinkeste thou thenne that thou shalte not be disalowed of God for that thou hast myspended And in bryngynge vp of yonge ydle folowes nourysshed or taughte as it were in a schole to blaspheme God in all maner of pointes of euyll lyuinge in feadinge of fatte palfreys of houÌââs and haukes and yf so be that is worste of all on lecherous women Here what is saide of such They haue ledde their dayes in vanitie and in welthe and in a moment they be gone downe iÌto hel Thinke not therâfore but that âhou shalte rendre streightlye the accompte of thy baly wyke The thyrde question that he shall answere to is this Howe haste thou lyued what lyghte of holynes hast thou geuen shewed to the people in thy lyuynge what myrrour haste thou bene vnto them Nowe giue thy rekenynge howe hast thou lyued as a good shepehârde goyng before his flocke with good ensamples or as a lewde person as a maÌ or best it is to woÌder truelye to se howe the lyfe of preestes is chaunged They be clothed lyke lordes knyghtes they speake as vnhonestlye as any rybaulde or harlot as couetously for gaines do they procure as any marchauÌtes They ryde lyke Princes And all this that thus is spente is of poore mens goodes and of Christes heritage Therfore sayeth a holy doctour the clay of Egipt is thoughe stycking and medled with bloode and the slattes were harde to be vndone for they were taken with the fyre of couetous and with the layre or erth of lustes In this point do trauaile ryche men and in this watche they lyeng awayt for pore men In this trauayle prelates that be blynded wyth to moche shynynge of ryches that make thâym houses lyke churches in greatenes and superfluous aboundaunce of all thynges that with dyuers payntures coulour they theyr chaÌbers and with dyuers sylkes clothinges in soÌdrye colours make theyr ymages gaye but the poore man for defaute of clothes beggeth and with an emptye whom doth crye at the doore And shall I saye so the sayth this doctoure Often tymes these poore men be robbed for to cloth stockes and stones To such speaketh the Prophet Esai who art thou here or as who art thou here Here thou arte occupieng the place of Peter of Paule of Thomas or of Martyne but howe as Iudas was amongeste the apostles Symon Magus amoÌgest the disciples as a candell newly quenched that fewmeth ouer all the house in stede of a lyght lanterne and as a smoke that blyndeth mens eyen in stede of a cleare fyre yf thou contrary thus the maner of lyuynge that Christe and his apostles left to preestes Therefore sayeth the Prophet Ieremye They haue entred and they haue had and they haue not be obedieÌt with fals tytle and corrupte inteÌtioÌ they haue eÌtred they haue had poore mennes goodes to their mysusynge And they haue not beene obedyent to god in their lyuyng Therfore it is wrytten that they shall haue the herdest dome A harde dome or iudgement for that they haue misentred a harder
thynkynge that thou shalte gyue a rekânyng c. Also I sayed principallye that it were good to know what rewarde shall then be gyuen to the wyse seruauntes and good what to false and wycked seruauÌtes wherevppon it is written that the Lorde Iesus Christ shall come to iudgemente in the same bodye that he toke of Marye the vyrgyne and the wouÌdes that he suffred for oure redemption And all that euer shalbe saued takynge agayne theyr bodyes cleauynge to the heede Christe shalbe rauysshed metynge him in the ayer as Saynte Paule sayth they that shalbe daÌpned lyenge vpon the earthe as in a tonne of wyne the dregges by dethe benethe and the cleare wyne houeth aboue TheÌ shall Christ axe accomt of the dedes of mercy reprouyng fals Christen men for leauynge theym vndone rehersyng the dedes of mercye and other paynes that his true seruauÌtes haue suffered in folowynge hym Then shall those fals seruauntes go with the deuyll whome they haue serued the earthe swallowynge theym into the endles fyre and ryghtfull men shall go into euerlastynge lyfe Then shalbe fulfylled that is written iÌ the boke of the priuities wo wo wo shalbe vnto them that dwell on erth wo to the paynâÌ that gaue that worship to deed ymages wrought with mans hande and to other creatures that he shulde haue gyuen to god that hym made wo to the Iewe that trusteth to moch to the olde lawe then shall he se the sonne of Marye iudgynge the worlde whome he despysed and crucified wo to the fals christen manâ that knewe the wyll of God and fulfylled it not Also woo shalbe for the synne of thoughte to the that haste shutte oute of thy herte the famylye of God that is mynde of hys Passyon holye contemplatioÌ of his goodnes and memorye of his benefytes and thaÌkes therfore and haste also excluded mekenes petye gentylnes c. And haste made thyne herte a howse of swyne and a denne of theues by vncleane thoughtes and delytes As thou here haste shuâte God out of thy herte so shall he shut the out of heuen Thou haste harboured the company of the fende with hym in hell thou shalt euer abyde wo also shall be for the synne of speache for that thou couldeste not open thy mouth for foule and stynkynge synne to prayse God in the felowshyppe of sayntes Thou haste vsed thy speache vnhonestlye wyth cursynge fraude deceyte lyenge forswerynge scoruynge and backbytynge For praysynge coÌmenlye is not in the mouth of synners in the whiche yf thou haddeste kepte thy mouthe cleane thou shuldest haue songe in heauen in the felowshyppe of aungels this blessed Songe Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus dominus deus onmipoteÌs that is holye holy holy art thou Lorde god almyghtye Nowe crienge and wepyng thou shalt in the companye of deuyls Crye Ue ve ve quaÌte sunt tenâdre that is wo wo wo greate be these darkenesse wo also shall be for the synne of workes Thou hast ben proude thy pryde as Esaye sayeth shall be drawen with the into hell Thou haste ben brent with enuy Through enuy of the deuyll death entred into the worlde and they shall folowe hym that be on his side as Salomon saith Or thou be styrred with wrath and euerye man that beareth wrathe to hys brother is gyltye of iudgemente as Christe sayeth in the gospell of Mathewe Or thou hast bene slowe and therfore dysease shall come to the as to a wayfarynge man and thy power shall be as of one vnarmed man sayeth the boke of Prouerbes Or yf thou hast bene lecherous a glotton or a couetous man Know sayeth Paule that neyther aduouterer nor vnclene person that is a glotton or a couetous person shall euer haue enheritaunce in the kyngedome of heuen But fyre and brymstone and the spiryte of tempestes that is the fende of hel shalbe part of their peyne when these dampned men be in thys woo they shall synge thys rufull songe wrytten in the boke of mournynge The ioy of our hertes is gone Oure myrth is turned to woo and sorow The crowne of our heade is fall from vs. Alas for the synne that we haue doone But ioye ioye and ioye shal be vnto them that be saued ioye in God ioye all amonge them selues And ioy one of another that be saued then are they happy Oh how happye are they for that theyr trauayles ben finyshed thorowe christe whiche broughte them to so gratious anâende Then are they happye for that they be escaped the perylles of the worlde and the payne hell Oh howe happye are they for the endeles blysse that they haue in the sighte of god Cuâ honor gloria in secula seculorum Amen ¶ Printed at London by Rycharde Kelâ * This Sermon was found hidden in a wall âebr 4. math 2 AuiceÌna Comparatio Iob 10. 1. Cor. 7. 1. Pet. 3. 1. tes 4. Pro â 2. Tim. 4. ¶ ¶ Nota The questions The first Seconde Thyrde Questioâ Solutioâ Questiââ âolatio Notâ âee 4. ârâau â Esa 22. Quid in hic aut quasi quid hic Iere. ââ Sapâ 6. Ose. 8. 2. par 10 Deu. 9. âro 19. âat 7. Roma âusaÌna Socratesâ âalerius âaximus ibro 7. The 38 bayly Austen Moralli Grego 8. âchary 6 Exposâtio Eccl. 5. â 10. Gregory Augusti de oÌflictu virtutis et viciorum Bartholomeus de proprietatibê° rerum Austenâ Augustinus Psal. 54 Innocentius N .22 Iosu. 7. 4. Reg. 5 Actu 5. Ambro. de suo libello de Naboth Iob. 24 Mat. 27. Notetuâ âene 3. ââe 18. Iob. 14 Deutro âoriâ 12 Thobi â Antioche The seconde somuer Propreties of death Esaye the thyrde somner diffinitio mortis Augustinus The day of iudgement to know the worldes sickenes Mat. 23 â Tim. 3. Luke ââ â Cor. 10 Chrisotomus A propre âimilitudeâ Io achinâ Mayde yldegar Aduerâââ ¶ Augustiâus Mat. 2â Nota. The yâst seale Expositi The ââ seale Expositio Nero. Constantinâ magnus Syluester The .iii. seale Expositi The .iiii. seale Expositi the fifth seale The .6 seale â Note The seuenth seale Ex positio Nota. SalomoÌ Mat. 5. Prouer. Paulus Nota. Concluââon