The sermō of doctor Colete made to the Conuocacion at Paulis YE are come to gether to daye fathers and ryghte wyse men to entre councell in the whiche what ye wyll do and what matters ye wyll handell yet we vnderstande nat But we wysshe that ones remēbrynge your name and profession ye wold mynde the reformation of the churches matter For hit was neuer more nede And y e state of the churche dyd neuer desyre more your endeuours For y e spouse of Christe y e churche whom ye wolde shulde be without spotte or wryncle is made foule and euyl fauord as saith Esaias The faithfull cite is made an harlotte And as saythe Hieremias She hath done lechery with many louers wherby she hath cōceiued many sedes of wyckednes and dayly bryngeth forthe very foule frute wherfore I came hyther to day fathers to warne you that in this your councell with all your mynde ye thynke vpon the reformation of the churche But for sothe I came nat wyllyngly For I knewe myne vnworthynes I sawe besyde howe harde it was to please the precise iugement of so many men For I iuged it vtterly vnworthy and vnmete ye and almost to malapert that I a seruāt shulde counsaile my lordes That I a sonne shulde teache you my fathers Truely it had bene meter for some one of the fathers y t is to say you prelates might haue done it with more graue auctorite and greatter wysedome But the commaundement was to be obeyed of the most reuerent father and lorde the archebysshoppe presydent of this councell whiche layde vpon me this bourden truly to heuy for me we rede that the prophette Samuel sayde Obedience is better than sacrifice wherfore fathers and ryghte worthy men I praye you and beseche you that this day ye wold susteyne my weakenes with your goodnes and pacience Farthermore to helpe me at the begynnyng with your good prayers And before all thynge let vs praye vnto god the father all myghty Fyrste remembrynge our most holy father the pope and all spirituall pastours with all christen people farthermore the moost reuerēt father and lorde the archebishoppe president of this coūcell and al bishops and al the Clergie and all the people of Englande Remembrynge fynally this your cōgregation desirynge god to inspire your myndes so accordyngly to agre to suche profyte and frute of the churche that ye seme nat after the councell fynysshed to haue ben gethered to gether in vayne without cause Lette vs all saye Pater noster To exhorte you reuerent fathers to the endeuour of reformation of y e churches estate bicause that nothynge hath so disfigured the face of the churche as hath the facion of seculer and worldly lyuynge in clerkes and prestes I knowe nat where more conueniently to take begynnyng of my tale than of the apostle Paule in whose temple ye are gethered to gether For he writynge vnto the Romanes and vnder their name vnto you saith Be you nat conformed to this worlde but be you reformed in the newnes of your vnderstandynge that ye may proue what is the good wyll of god well pleasing and perfecte This dyd the apostell wryte to all christen men but most chiefly vnto prestes and bysshops Prestes and bysshops are the light of y e worlde For vnto them sayde our sauiour you are the lyghte of the worlde And he sayde also If the lyghte that is in the be darkenes howe darke shall the darkenes be That is to say if prestes and bysshops that shulde be as lyghtes ronne in the darke way of the worlde howe darke than shall the secular people be wherfore saynt Paule sayde chiefly vnto prestes and byshops Be you nat conformable to this worlde but be ye reformed In the whiche wordes the apostle dothe two thinges Fyrst he doth forbyd that we be nat conformable to the worlde and be made carnall Farthermore he dothe cōmaunde that we be reformed in the spyryte of god wherby we are spirituall I entendynge to folowe this ordre I wyll speke first of confirmation than after of reformation Be you nat sayth he conformable to this worlde The apostle calleth the worlde the wayes and maner of secular lyuing the whiche chiefly dothe reste in foure euilles of this worlde that is to say in diuilisshe pride in carnall concupiscence in worldly couetousnes in secular busines These are in the worlde as saynt Iohn̄ the apostle witnesseth in his pistell canonicall For he saythe All thynge that is in the worlde is either the concupiscence of the flesshe or the concupiscence of the eies or pryde of lyfe The same are nowe and reygne in the churche and in mē of the churche that we may seme truely to say all thynge that is in the churche is either cōcupiscence of fleshe or eies or pryde of lyfe And fyrste for to speake of pride of lyfe howe moche gredynes and appetite of honour and dignitie is nowe a dayes in men of the churche Howe rōne they ye almost out of brethe from one benefice to an other from the lesse to the more from the lower to the hygher who seeth nat this who seynge this sorowethe nat More ouer these y t are in the same dignities the moost parte of them doth go with so stately a coūtenāce and with so hygh lokes that they seme nat to be put in the humble bysshoprike of Christe but rather in the high lordship power of the worlde nat knowing nor aduertisinge what Christe the mayster of all mekenes sayd vnto his disciples whom he called to be bysshoppes and prestes The princis of people sayth he haue lordshyp of them and those that be in auctorite haue power but do ye nat so but he that is greatter amonge you let him be minister He that is highest in dignitie be he the seruāt of all men The sonne of mā came nat to be minystred vnto but to ministre By whiche wordes our sauiour doth playnly teache that the maistry in the churche is none other thynge than a ministration And the hygh dignitie in a man of the churche to be none other thing than a meke seruice The seconde secular euyll is carnall concupiscence Hath nat this vice so growen and waxen in the churche as a fludde of their luste so that there is nothyng loked fore more diligently in this moost besy tyme of the most parte of prestes than that that dothe delite please the senses They gyue them selfe to feastes and bankettynge They spēde them selfe in vaine bablyng They gyue them selfe to sportes playes They applye them selfe to huntynge and haukynge They drowne them selfe in the delytes of this worlde Procurers fynders of lustes they set by Against y e whiche kynde of men Iudas the apostle crieth out in his pistel sayeng wo vnto them whiche haue gone the way of Cain They ar foule bestly festing in their meates without feare fedyng them selfe fluddes of the wylde see fomynge fomynge out their confusions vnto whom the storme of
heretykes men mad with marueylous folysshenes but the heresies of them are nat so pestilēt and pernicious vnto vs and the people as the euyll and wicked lyfe of pristes the whiche if we beleue saynt Barnard is a certeyn kynde of heresye and chiefe of all and most perillous For that same holy father in a certeyne conuocation preachynge vnto the pristes of his tyme in a certayne sermon so he sayde by these wordes There be many catholyke and faithfull men in speakynge and preachynge the whiche same men are heretykes in workyng For that that heretikes do by euyll teachynge that same do they throughe euyll exaumple they leade the people oute of the ryght way and brynge them in to errour of lyfe And so moche they are worse than heretyckes howe moche theyr workes preuaile their wordes This that holye father saynt Barnarde with a great and a feruent spirite sayde agaynste the sect of euyl pristes in his time By whiche wordes he shewethe playnly to be two maner of heresyes the one to be of peruerse teachynge and the tother of naughty life Of whiche this later is worse and more peryllous the whiche raygneth nowe in the churche in pristes nat lyuynge pristly but secularly to the vtter and miserable distruction of the churche wherfore you fathers you prestes and all you of the clergie at the laste loke vp awake from this your slepe in this forgetful worlde And at the laste beynge well awaked here Paule crienge vnto you Be you nat conformable vnto this worlde And this for the first part Nowe let vs come to the seconde The seconde parte of reformation BUt be you reformed in the newnes of your vnderstandynge The seconde thynge that saynt Paule commandeth is that we be reformed in to a newe vnderstandynge that we smelle those thynges that be of god Be we reformed vnto those thynges that are contrary to those I spake of euen nowe that is to saye to mekenes to sobernes to charite to spirituall occupation That as y e sayd Paule writeth vnto Titus Renyenge al wickednes worldly desires we lyue in this worlde soberly truely and vertuously This reformation and restoring of the churches estate muste nedes begynne of you our fathers and so folowe in vs your pristes and in all the clergye you are our heedes you are an example of liuing vnto vs. Unto you we loke as vnto markes of our directiō In you and in your lyfe we desyre to rede as in lyuely bokes howe after what facion we may lyue wherfore if you wyll ponder and loke vpon oure mottis fyrste take awaye the blockes out of your eies Hit is an olde prouerbe Phisition heale thy selfe you spirituall phisitions fyrst taste you this medicine of purgation of maners and thā after offre vs the same to taste The waye where by the churche maye be reformed in to better faciō is nat for to make newe lawis For there be lawes many inowe and out of nombre as Salomon saith Nothyng is newe vnder the sonne For the euils that are nowe in the churche were before in tyme paste and there is no faute but that fathers haue prouyded very good remedies for hit There are no trespaces but that there be lawes against them in y e body of the Canon lawe Therfore hit is no nede that newe lawes and constitutions be made But that those that are made all redye be kepte wherfore in this your assemble let those lawes that are made be called before you and rehersed Those lawes I say that restrayne vice and those that furder vertue Fyrst let those lawes be rehersed that do warne you fathers that ye put nat ouer soone your handes on euery mā or admitte vnto holy orders For ther is y e well of euils that the brode gate of holy orders opened euery man that offereth hym selfe is all where admytted without pullynge backe Therof spryngeth and cometh out the people that are in the churche both of vnlerned and euyll pristes Hit is nat inough for a priste after my iugement to construe a collette to put forth a question or to answere to a sopheme but moche more a good a pure and a holy life approued maners metely lernynge of holye scripture some knowlege of the sacramentes Chiefly aboue all thyng the feare of god loue of the heuenly lyfe Let the lawes be rehersed that commaunde that benefices of the churche be gyuen to those that are worthy And that promotions be made in the churche by the ryghte balance of vertue nat by carnall affection nat by the acception of persones wherby hit happeneth nowe adayes that boyes for olde men fooles for wise men euyll for good do reigne and rule Lette the lawes be rehersed that warreth agaynst the spotte of Symonie The whiche coruption the whiche infection the whiche cruell odible pestilence so crepteth nowe abrode as the canker euyll in the myndes of prestes that many of them are nat aferde nowe a dayes both by prayer and seruice rewardes and promesses to gette them great dignities Lette the lawes be rehersed that commaunde personall residence of curates in theyr churches For of this many euils growe by cause all thinges nowe a dayes are done by vicaries and parysshe prestes ye and those foolysshe also and vnmete and often tymes wicked that seke none other thynge in the people than foule lucre wherof cometh occasion of euyl heresies and yll christendome in the people Lette be rehersed the lawes and holy rules gyuen of fathers of the lyfe and honestie of clerkes that forbydde that a clerke be no marchant that he be no vsurer that he be no hunter that he be no cōmon player that he beare no weapon The lawes that forbyd clerkes to haunte tauernes that forbydde them to haue suspecte familiaritie with women The lawes that cōmaunde sobernes and a measurablenes in aparayle and temperāce in adournynge of the body Let be rehersed also to my lordes these monkes chanons and religious men the lawes that commande them to go the straite way that leadeth vnto heuen leauyng the brode way of the worlde that commandeth them nat to turmoile them selfe in busynes nother secular nor other That commaunde that they sewe nat in princis courtes for erthly thynges For it is in the coūcell of Calcidinens that monkes ought onely to gyue them selfe to prayer and fastyng and to the chastynge of their fleshe and obseruyng of theyr rules Aboue all thynges let the lawes be rehersed that pertayne and concerne you my reuerent fathers and lordes bysshops lawes of your iuste and canonical election in the chaptres of your churches with the callynge of the holy goste For bycause that is nat done nowe a dayes And bycause prelates are chosen often times more be fauour of men than by the grace of god Therfore truly haue we nat a fewe tymes bishops ful lytell spirituall men rather worldly than heuenly sauouryng more the spirite of this worlde than the spirite of Christe Let the
lawes be rehersed of the residence of bysshops in theyr diocesis that commaunde that they loke diligently and take hede to the helthe of soules That they sowe the worde of god That they shewe them selfe in their churches at the leest on greatte holye dayes That they do sacrifice for their people That they here the causes and matters of poure men That they susteine fatherles children and widowes That they exercise them selfe in workes of vertue Let the lawes be rehersed of the good bestowyng of the patrimony of Christe The lawes that commande that the goodes of the churche be spent nat in costly byldyng nat in sumptuous apparell and pompis nat in feastyng and bankettynge nat in excesse and wantonnes nat in enrichinge of kyns folke nat in kepynge of dogges but in thinges profitable and necessary to the churche For whan saynt Augustine some tyme bysshoppe of Englande dyd aske the pope Gregorie howe that the bysshops and prelates of Englande shulde spende theyr goodes that were the offringes of faithfull people The said pope answered and his answere is put in the decrees in the .xij. chap. seconde question that the goodes of byshops ought to be deuyded in to .iiij. partes wherof one parte oughte to be to the bysshoppe and his householde An other to his clerkes The third to repayre and vp holde his tenementes The fourth to the poure people Let the lawes be rehersed ye and that often tymes that take away the filthes and vnclenlines of courtes that take awaye those daylye newe founde craftes for lucre that besy them to pulle away this foule couetousnes the whiche is the spryng and cause of all euils The whiche is the well of all iniquitie At the laste let be renewed those lawes and cōstitutions of fathers of the celebration of councels that commaunde prouinciall councels to be oftener vsed for the reformation of the churche For there neuer hapneth nothyng more hurtefull to the churche of Christe than the lacke both of councell generall and prouinciall whan these lawes and suche other ar rehersed that be for vs and that concerne the correction of maners there lacketh nothynge but that the same be put in execution with all auctoritie and power That ones seing we haue a lawe we liue after the lawe For the whiche thinges with al due reuerence I calle chiefly vpon you fathers For this execution of the lawes and obseruyng of the constitutiōs muste nedes begynne of you that ye may teache vs pristes to folowe you by lyuely examples or elles trewely hit wyll be sayde of you They lay greuous burdens vpon other mens backes and they them selfe wyll nat as moche as touche hit with theyr lytell fynger For sothe if you kepe the lawes and if you reforme fyrste your lyfe to the rules of the Canon lawes than shall ye gyue vs lyght in the whiche we maye se what is to be done of our parte That is to say the lyghte of your good example And we seynge our fathers so keping the lawes wyl gladly folowe the steppes of our fathers The clergies and spirituals part ones reformed in the churche than may we with a iuste order procede to the reformatiō of the lays part The whiche trewely wyll be verye easy to do if we fyrst be reformed For the bodye foloweth the soule And suche rulers as are in the cite lyke dwellers be in it wherfore if pristes that haue y e charge of soules be good streyghte the people wyll be good Our goodnes shall teche them more clerely to be good than al other teachynges and prechynges Our goodnes shall compell them in to the right way truly more effectuously thā all your suspendynges and cursynges wherfore if ye wyll haue the lay people to lyue after your wysshe and wyll fyrst lyue you your selfe after the wyl of god And so trust me ye shall gette in them what so euer ye wyll ye wyll be obeyed of them and right it is For in the epistell to the Hebrewes these are the wordes of saynt Paule to the laye people Obey saith he to your rulers and be you vnder them But if ye wyll haue this obedience first performe in you the reason and cause of obedience the whiche the sayd Paule dothe teache and hit foloweth in the texte that is Take you hede also diligently as though ye shuld gyue a recknynge for theyr soules and they wyll obey you you wyll be honored of the people hit is reason For saint Paule wryteth vnto Timothe Pristes that rule well are worthy double honours chiefly those that labour in worde and teachynge Therfore if ye desyre to be honoured fyrste loke that ye rule well and that ye laboure in worde and teachynge and than shall the people haue you in all honour you wyll repe theyr carnall thinges and gether tithes and offrynges without any stryuynge right it is For saynt Paule writing vnto the Romanes sayth They are dettours ought to ministre vnto you in carnall thinges Fyrst sowe you your spirituall thynges and than ye shall repe plentifully theyr carnall thynges For truely that mā is very harde and vniust that wyl repe where he neuer dyd sowe and that wyll gether where he neuer skatered ye wyl haue the churches liberte and nat to be drawen afore secular iuges and that also is ryght For hit is in the psalmis Touche ye nat myne anoynted But if ye desire this liberte fyrst vnlouse your selfe frome the worldlye bondage and from the seruices of men and lyfte vp your selfe in to the trewe lybertye the spirituall lybertye of Christe in to grace frome synnes and serue you god and raygne in hym And than beleue me the people wyll nat touche the anoynted of theyr lorde god ye wolde be out of busines in rest and peace and that is conuenient But if ye wyll haue peace come agayne to the god of peace loue Come agayne to Christe in whom is the very true peace of the goste the whiche passeth al wytte Come agayne to your selfe and to your pristly lyuynge And to make an ende as saynt Paule saythe Be you reformed in y e newnes of your vnderstandynge that you sauoure those thynges that are of god and the peace of god shall be with you These are they reuerent fathers and ryghte famous men that I thought to be said for the reformation of the churches estate I trust ye wyll take them of your gentylnes to the best And if parauēture it be thought that I haue past my boundes in this sermon or haue sayd any thyng out of tempre forgyue hit me and ye shall forgyue a man speakynge of very zele to a man sorowynge the decaye of the churche and consyder the thynge hit selfe nat regardynge any foolysshenes Consyder the miserable fourme and state of the churche and endeuour your selfes with all your myndes to reforme it Suffre nat fathers this your so greatte a getherynge to departe in vayne Suffre nat this your congregation to slyppe for naughte Truly ye are gethered often tymes to gether but by your fauour to speke the trouth yet I se nat what frute cometh of your assemblyng namely to the churche Go ye nowe in the spirite that ye haue called on that by the helpe of hit ye maye in this your councell fynde out decerne ordeyne those thynges that may be profitable to the churche prayse vnto you and honour vnto god Unto whom he all honoure and glorye for euer more Amen Thomas Berthelet regius impressor excudebat Cum priuilegio