the world assembled a counsell of Germans at Frankford and there procured the spanishe councel against images afore mentioned to be condemned by the name of the Foelician heresie for that Foelix Bishop of Aquitania was chiefe in that councell obteyned that the actes of the second Nicene counsel asâ—eÌ„bled by Hyrene the holie Empresse whom ye hearde of before and the sentence of the bishop of Rome for images might be receaued For much after this sort do the papistes report of the historie of the councell of Frankforde Notwithstanding the booke of Carolus magnus his owne writing as the tytle sheweth whiche is nowe put in print and commonly in mens handes sheweth the iudgement of that prince and of the whole councel of Frankforde also to be against images against the second councell of Nice assembled by Hyrene for images and calleth it an arrogant foolishe and vngodly councel and declareth the assemble of the councell of Frankforde to haue ben directly made and gathered against that Nicene councell the errours of the same So that it must needes folow that either there were in one princes time two councels assembled at Frankforde one contrarie to another whiche by no historie doth appeare or els that after their custome the Popes and Papistes haue most shamefully corrupted that councell as their manner is to handle not onely councels but also all histories and wrytinges of the olde Doctours falsifiyng and corrupting them for the mayntenaunce of their wicked and vngodlie purposes as hath in tymes of late come to lyght and doeth in our dayes more and more continuallye appeare most euidentlie Let the forged gyft of Constantine and the notable attempt to falsifie the first Nicene councell for the Popes supremacie practised by Popes in Saynte Augustines tyme be a witnes hereof which practise in deede had then taken effect had not the diligence and wisedome of saynt Augustine and other learned and godly bishoppes in A 〈…〉 rike by their great labour and charges also resisted and stopped the same Nowe to come towardes an ende of this historie and to shewe you the principall poynte that came to passe by the maintenaunce of images Where as from Constantinus Magnus tyme vntil that day al aucthoritie imperiall princely dominion of the empire of Rome remayned coÌ„tinually in the right and possession of the Emperours who had their continuaunce and seat imperiall at Constantinople the citie royall Leo the third then Bishop of Rome seing the Greeke Emperours so vent agaynst his Gods of golde and syluer tymber and stone and hauyng the kyng of the Francons or Frenchemen named Charles whose power was exceeding great in the west countries very appliable to his mynde for causes here after appearing vnder the pretence that they of Constantinople were for that matter of images vnder the Popes ban curse and therefore vnworthy to be emperours or to beare rule and for that the emperours of Grece being farre of were not redye at a beche to defende the Pope agaynst the Lumbardes his enemies and other with whom he had variaunce This Leo the thirde I saye attempted a thyng exceeding straunge and vnhearde of before and of incredible boldnesse and presumption For he by his papall aucthoritie doth translate the gouernement of the Empire and the crowne and name imperiall from the Greekes and geueth it vnto Charles the great kyng of the Francons not with out the coÌ„sent of the forenamed Hyrene empresse of Grece who also sought to be ioyned in mariage with the said Charles For the which cause the sayd Hyrene was by the Lordes of Grece deposed and banished as one that had betrayed the empire as ye before haue heard And the said princes of Grece did after the depriuation of the sayde Hyrene by common consent elect and create as they alwayes had done an Emperour named Nycaephorus whom the Bishop of Rome and they of the west would not acknowledge for their Emperour for they had alredy created them another and so there became two Emperours And the empire whiche was before one was diuided into two partes vppon occasion of idols images and the worshipping of them Euen as the kingdome of the Israelites was in olde tyme for the lyke cause of Idolatrie diuided in King Roboam his tyme And so the Byshoppe of Rome hauing the fauour of Charles the great by this meanes assured to him was wonderously enhaunced in poweâ— and aucthoritie and did in all the west Church specially in Italie what he lust where images were set vp garnished and worshipped of al sorts of men But images were not so fast set vp and so much honoured in Italie and the west but Nycaephorus emperour of Constantinople and his successours Scauratius the two Michaels Leo Theophilus and other emperours their successours in the empire of Grece continually pulled them downe brake them burned them and destroyed them as fast And when Theodorus Emperour would at the councel of Lions haue agreed with the Bishop of Rome and haue set vp images he was by the nobles of the empire of Grece depriued and another chosen in his place and so rose agelousie suspition grudge hatred and enmitie betwene the christians and empires of the East countries and west which could neuer be quenched nor pacified So that when the Sarasens first and afterwarde the Turkes inuaded the Christians the one part of christendome would not helpe the other By reasoÌ„ wherof at the last the noble empire of Grece and the citie imperial Constantinople was lost and is come into the hands of the infidels who now haue ouerrunne almost all christendome and possessing past the middle of Hungarie whiche is part of the west empire do hang ouer all our heades to the vtter daunger of all christendome Thus we see what a sea of mischiefes the maintenaunce of images hath brought with it what an horrible scisme betweene the east and the west Churche what an hatred betwene one christian and another councels agaynst councels churche agaynst church christians agaynst christians princes against princes rebellions treasons vnnaturall and most cruell murders the daughter digging vp and burning her father the Emperours bodye the mother for loue of idols most abominably murdering her owne sonne being an Emperour at the last the tearing in sunder of Christendome and the empire into two peeces till the Infidels Sarasens and Turkes common enemies to bothe partes haue most cruellye vanquished destroyed and subdued the one parte the whole empire of Grece Asia the lesse Thrasia Macedonia Epirus and manye other great and goodlye countries and prouinces and haue wonne a great peece of the other empire and put the whole in dreadfull feare and most horrible daunger For it is not without a iust and great cause to be dread leaste as the Empire of Rome was euen for the lyke cause of images and the worshyppyng of them torne in peeces and diuided as was for Idolatry the kyngdome of Israel in olde tyme diuided so lyke
auayle vs to haue in meditation the fruites and pryce of his passion to magnifie them and to delyght or trust to them except we haue in mynd his examples in passion to folowe them If we thus therefore consyder Christes death and will sticke thereto with fast fayth for the merite and deseruing thereof and will also frame our selfe in such wyse to bestowe our selues and all that we haue by charitie to the behoofe of our neyghbour as Christe spent him selfe whollye for our profite then do we truelye remember Christes death and being thus folowers of Christes steps we shal be sure to followe him thyther where he sitteth now with the father and the holye ghost to whom be all honour and glory Amen ¶ The seconde homilee concerning the death and passion of our sauiour Christ. THat we may the better conceaue the great mercy and goodnesse of our Sauiour Christ in suffering death vniuersally for all men it behoueth vs to descende into the bottome of our conscience deeply to consider the first and principall cause wherefore he was compelled so to do When our great graundfather Adam had broken Gods commaundement in eating the apple forbidden him in paradice at the motion and suggestion of his wyfe he purchased therby not onelye to him selfe but also to his posteritie for euer the iust wrath indignation of God who according to his former sentence pronoūced at the geuing of the cōmaundement condemned both him all his to euerlasting death both of body and soule For it was said vnto him Thou shalt eat frely of euery tree in the garden but as touching the tree of knowledge of good ill thou shalt in no wyse eat of it For in what houre soeuer thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death Now as the Lorde had spoken so it came to passe Adam toke vppon him to eate thereof and in so doing he dyed the death that is to saye he became mortall he lost the fauour of God he was cast out of paradice he was no longer a citizen of heauen but a fyrebrand of hell and a bond slaue to the deuil To this doth our sauiour beare witnesse in the Gospell callyng vs loste sheepe which haue goue astray wandred from the true shephearde of our soules To this also doth saint Paule beare witnesse saying That by the offence of onely Adam death came vppon all men to condempnation So that no we neyther he nor any of his had any ryght or interest at all in the kyngdome of heauen but were become plaine reprobates and castawayes being perpetually dampned to the euerlasting paynes of hell tyre In this so great miserie and wretchednes if mankind could haue recouered him selfe againe and obtayned forgeuenes at Gods handes then had his case ben somwhat tollerable because he might haue attempted some way how to deliuer him selfe from eternall death But there was no way left vnto him he coulde do nothyng that might pacifie gods wrath he was altogether vnprofitable in that behalfe There was none that did good no not one And howe then coulde he worke his owne saluation Should he go about to pacifie gods heauie displeasure by offering vp brent sacrifices according as it was ordayned in the olde lawe by offering vp the blood of Oxen the blood of calues the blood of goates the blood of lambes and so foorth O these thinges were of no force nor strēgth to take away sinnes they could not put away the anger of God they could not coole the heate of his wrath nor yet bryng mankynd into fauour againe they were but only sigures and shadowes of things to come and nothing els Reade the Epistle to the Hebrues there shall you find this matter largely discussed there shal you learne in most plaine wordes that the blooddy sacrifice of the olde lawe was vnperfect and not able to deliuer man from the state of dampnation by any meanes so that mankind in trusting thereunto shoulde trust to a broken staffe and in the ende deceaue him selfe What should he then do Shoulde he go about to obserue and kepe the lawe of God diuided into two tables so purchase to him selfe eternall life In deede if Adam and his posteritie had ben able to satisfie and fulfill the lawe perfectly in louyng God aboue all thinges and their neyghbour as them selues then shoulde they haue easily quenched the Lordes wrath and escaped the terrible sentence of eternall death pronounced agaynst them by the mouth of almightie god For it is written Do this thou shalt liue that is to say fulfill my commaundementes kepe thy selfe vpright and perfect in them accordyng to my wyll then shalt thou liue and not dye Here is eternal lyse promised with this condition so that they kepe and obserue the lawe But suche was the frailtie of mankinde after his fall suche was his weakenes imbecilitie that he could not walke vpryghtly in Gods commaundementes though he woulde neuer so faine but dayly and hourely fell from his bounden duetie offending the Lord his God diuers wayes to the great encrease of his condempnation insomuch that the prophete Dauid cryeth out on this wyse All haue gone astray all are become vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one In this case what profite coulde he haue by the lawe None at all For as saint James sayth He that shall obserue the whole lawe and yet faileth in one poynt is become giltie of all And in the booke of Deuteronomie it is written Cursed be he sayth God which abydeth not in all thinges that are written in the booke of the lawe to do them Behold the lawe bringeth a curse with it and maketh vs giltie not because it is of it self naught or vnholy God forbid we shoulde so thinke but because the frailtie of our sinfull fleshe is such that we can neuer fulfill it accordyng to the perfection that the Lorde requireth Coulde Adam then thinke you hope or trust to be saued by the law No he could not But the more he looked on the law the more he sawe his owne dampnation set before his eyes as it were in a most cleare glasse So that now of him selfe he was most wretched and miserable destitute of all hope neuer able to pacifie Gods heauie displeasure nor yet to escape the terrible iudgement of God wherinto he and all his posteritie were fallen by disobeying the straight commaundement of the Lorde theyr god But O the aboundaunt ryches of Gods great mercie O the vnspeakable goodnes of his heauenly wysoome When all hope of righteousnes was past on our part when we had nothing in our selues whereby we myght quenche his burning wrath worke the saluation of our owne soules and rise out of the miserable estate wherin we lay Then euen then dyd Christ the sonne of God by the appoyntment of his father come downe frō heauen to be wounded for our sakes to be reputed with the wicked
token of his due and bounden obedience with denuntiation of death if he dyd transgresse breake the said lawe commaundement And as God would haue man to be his obedient subiect so did he make al earthly creatures subiect vnto man who kept their due obedience vnto man so long as man remayned in his obedience vnto god in the which obedience if man had continued stil there had ben no pouertie no diseases no sicknesse no death nor other miseries wherewith mankynde is nowe infinitely and most miserably afflicted and oppressed So here appeareth the originall kyngdome of God ouer angels and man and vniuersally ouer all thinges and of man ouer earthly creatures whiche God had made subiect vnto him and withall the felicitie and blessed state whiche angels man and all creatures had remayned in had they continued in due obedience vnto GOD theyr kyng For as long as in this fyrst kyngdome the subiectes continued in due obedience to God theyr kyng so long dyd God embrace all his subiectes with his loue fauour and grace whiche to enioy is perfect felicitie whereby it is euident that obedience is the principall vertue of all vertues and in deede the verye roote of all vertues and the cause of all felicitie But as all felicitie and blessednesse shoulde haue continued with the continuaunce of obedience so with the breache of obedience and breaking in of rebellion all vices and miseries dyd withall breake in and ouerwhelme the worlde The first aucthour of which rebellion the roote of all vices and mother of all mischeefes was Lucifer fyrst Gods most excellent creature and moste bounden subiect who by rebelling agaynst the maiestie of God of the bryghtest and most glorious angell is become the blackest and moste foulest feende deuill and from the heyght of heauen is fallen into the pit and bottome of hell Here you may see the first aucthour and founder of rebellion and the rewarde thereof here you maye see the graunde captayne and father of all rebels who perswadyng the folowyng of his rebellion agaynst GOD their creator and Lorde vnto our fyrst parentes Adam and Eue brought them in high displeasure with GOD wrought their exile and vanishment out of paradise a place of all pleasure and goodnesse into this wretched earth and vale of all miserie procured vnto them sorowes of their mindes mischeefes sicknesse diseases death of theyr bodies and whiche is farre more horrible then all worldly and bodyly mischeefes he had wrought thereby theyr eternall and euerlastyng death and dampnation had not GOD by the obedience of his sonne Jesus Christe repayred that whiche man by disobedience and rebellion had destroyed and so of his mercie had pardoned and forgeuen hym of whiche all and singuler the premises the holye scriptures do beare recorde in sundrye places Thus you do see that neither heauen nor paradise coulde suffer anye rebellion in them neyther be places for any rebels to remayne in Thus became rebellion as you see both the first and greatest and the verye roote of all other sinnes and the first and principall cause both of all worldlye and bodyly miseries sorowes diseases sicknesses and deathes and whiche is infinitely worse then all these as is sayde the very cause of death and dampnation eternall also After this breache of obedience to God and rebellion agaynst his maiestie all mischeefes and miseries breaking in therewith and ouerflowyng the worlde lest all thinges shoulde come vnto confusion and vtter ruine GOD foorthwith by lawes geuen vnto mankynde repayred agayne the rule and order of obedience thus by rebellion ouerthrowen and besides the obedience due vnto his maiestie he not onlye ordayned that in families and housholdes the wyfe shoulde be obedient vnto her husbande the chyldren vnto their parentes the seruauntes vnto their maisters but also when mankynde increased and spread it selfe more largely ouer the worlde he by his holye worde dyd constitute and ordayne in Cities and Countreys seuerall and speciall gouernours and rulers vnto whom the residue of his people shoulde be obedient As in readyng of the holye scriptures we shall finde in very many and almoste infinite places aswell of the olde Testament as of the newe that kynges and princes aswell the euill as the good do raigne by Gods ordinaunce and that subiectes are bounden to obey them that God doth geue princes wysdome great power and aucthoritie that God defendeth them agaynst their enemies and destroyeth their enemies horribly that the anger and displeasure of the prince is as the roaring of a Lion and the very messenger of death and that the subiect that prouoketh hym to displeasure sinneth agaynst his owne soule With many other thinges concernyng both the aucihoritie of princes and the duetie of subiectes But here let vs rehearse two speciall places out of the new Testament which may stand in steade of all other The first out of saint Paules Epistle to the Romanes and the. 1◠Chapter where he wryteth thus vnto all subiectes Let euery soule be subiect vnto the hygher powers for there is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordeyned of god Whosoeuer therfore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinaunce of God and they that resist shall receaue to them selues dampnation For princes are not to be feared for good workes but for euil Wylt thou then be without feare of the power Do well so shalt thou haue prayse of the same For he is the minister of GOD for thy wealth but yf thou do euill feare for he beareth not the sworde for naught for he is the minister of God to take vengeaunce vppon hym that doth euyll Wherefore ye muste be subiect not because of wrath only but also for conscience sake for for this cause ye pay also tribute for they are Gods ministers seruyng for the same purpose Geue to euery man therefore his duetie tribute to whom tribute belongeth custome to whom custome is due feare to whom feare belongeth honour to whom ye owe honour Thus farre are saint Paules wordes The seconde place is in saint Peters first Epistle and the second chapter whose wordes are these Submit yoūr selues vnto all maner ordinaunce of man for the lordes sake whether it be vnto the kyng as vnto the cheefe head eyther vnto rulers as vnto them that are sent of hym for the punishment of euyll doers but for the cheryshing of them that do well For so is the wyll of GOD that with well doyng ye may stoppe the mouthes of ignoraunt and foolishe men as free and not as hauing the libertie for a cloke of malitiousnesse but euen as the seruauntes of god Honour all men loue brotherly felowship feare GOD honour the kyng Seruauntes obey your maisters with feare not onlye yf they be good and curteous but also though they be frowarde Thus farre out of Saint Peter By these two places of the holy scriptures it is moste euident that Kinges Queenes and other Princes for he speaketh of
is flee to this aunswere that Gods worde forbiddeth not absolutely all images to be made but that they shoulde not be made to be worshypped and that therefore we maye haue images so we worshyp them not for that they be thynges indifferent which may be abused or wel vsed Which semeth also to be the iudgement of Damascene and Gregorie the firste as is aboue declared And this is one of their cheefe allegations for the maynteynance of images whiche haue ben alleaged since Gregorie the first his tyme. Well then we be come to their seconde allegation whiche in parte we woulde not sticke to graunte them For we are not so superstitious or scrupulous that we do abhorre eyther flowres wrought in Carpettes hangynges and other arrasse eyther the Images of Princes prynted or stamped in their Coynes whiche when Christe did see in a Romane Coyne we reade not that he reprehended it neyther do we condemne the artes of payntyng and image making as wicked of them selues But we would admit and graunt them that images vsed for no religion or superstition rather we meane images of none worshipped nor in daunger to be worshypped of any may be suffred But images placed publiquely in Temples can not possiblye be without daunger of worshyppyng and idolatrie wherfore they are not publiquely to be had or suffered in Temples and Churches The Jewes to whom this lawe was firste geuen and yet beyng a morall commaundement and not ceremoniall as all Doctours interpret it byndeth vs aswel as them the Jewes I saye who shoulde haue the true sense and meanyng of Gods lawe so peculierly geuen vnto them neyther had in the begynnyng anye images publiquely in their Temple as Origines and Iosephus at large declareth neither after the restitution of the Temple would by any meanes consent to Herode Pilate or Petronius that images shoulde be placed only in the Temple at Hierusalem although no worshyppyng of images was requyred at their handes but rather offered them selues to the death then to assent that images shoulde once be placed in the Temple of God neyther woulde they suffer anye image maker among them And Origene addeth this cause least their myndes shoulde be plucked from God to the contemplation of earthly thynges And they are muche commended for this earnest zeale in maynteyning of Gods honour and true religion And trueth it is that the Jewes and Turkes who abhorre images idols as directly forbiddenby Gods worde wil neuer come to the trueth of our religion whiles these stumbling blockes of images remayne amongest vs and lye in their way If they obiect yet the brasen serpent which Moyses dyd set vp or the images of the Cherubims or anye other Images whiche the Jewes had in their Temple the aunswere is easy We must in religion obey Gods general lawe which bindeth al men not folowe examples of particuler dispensation which be no warrantes for vs els we may by the same reason resume circūcision sacrifising of beastes other rites permitted to the Jewes Neither can those images of cherubim set in secret wher no man might come nor behold be any example for our publique set-vp of images in Churches and Temples But to let the Jewes go Where they say that images so they be not worshypped as thynges indifferent maye be tollerated in Temples and Churches We inferre and say for the aduersatiue that all our images of God our Sauiour Christ and his Saintes publiquely set vp in Churches Temples places peculierlye appoynted to the true worshipping of God be not thynges indifferent nor tollerable but agaynst Gods lawe and commaundement taking their owne interpretation and exposition of it Firste for that all images so set vp publiquely haue ben worshipped of the vnlearned and simple sorte shortly after they haue ben publiquely so set vp and in conclusion of the wyse learned also Secondly for that they are worshypped in sundry places now in our time also And thirdly for that it is impossible that images of God Christe or his Saintes can be suffered specially in Temples and Churches anye while or space without worshipping of them that idolatrie which is most abhominable before God can not possibly be escaped auoyded without the abolishing and destruction of images pictures in Temples and Churches for that idolatrie is to images speciallye in Temples and Churches an inseparable accident as they tearme it so that images in Churches and idolatrie go alwayes both together and that therefore the one can not be auoyded except the other specially in all publique places be destroyed Wherefore to make images and publiquely to set them vp in Temples and Churches places appoynted peculierly to the seruice of God is to make images to the vse of religion and not onlye agaynst this precept Thou shalt make no maner of image but agaynst this also Thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them For they beyng set vp haue ben be and euer will be worshipped And the full proofe of that which in the beginning of the first part of this treatie was touched is here to be made perfourmed To wit that our images and idols of the Gentiles be all one aswell in the things them selues as also in that our images haue ben before be now and euer wil be worshypped in like fourme and maner as the idols of the Gentiles were worshipped so long as they be suffered in Churches and temples Whereupon it foloweth that our images in Churches haue ben be and euer wil be none other but abominable idols and be therefore no thynges indifferent And euerye of these partes shal be proued in order as hereafter foloweth And firste that our images and the idols of the Gentiles be all one concernyng themselues is most euident the matter of them beyng golde siluer or other mettall stone wood clay or plaster as were the idols of the Gentiles and so beyng eyther moulten or caste eyther carued grauen hewed or otherwise fourmed and fashioned after the similitude and likenesse of man or woman be dead and dumbe workes of mans handes hauing mouth and speake not eyes and see not handes and feele not feete and go not and so aswell in fourme as matter be altogether like the idols of the Gentiles Insomuch that al the titles which be geuen to the idols in the Scriptures may be verified of our images Wherfore no doubt but the lyke curses whiche are mentioned in the scriptures wyll lyght vppon the makers and worshippers of them both Secondly that they haue ben and be worshypped in our tyme in lyke fourme and maner as were the idols of the Gentiles is nowe to be proued And for that idolatrie standeth cheefely in the minde it shal in this part first be proued that our image maynteyners haue had and haue the same opinions and iudgement of saintes whose images they haue made and worshipped as the Gentiles idolaters had of theyr gods And afterwarde shal be declared that our image
the Lorde Which one benefite among all other is so great wonderfull that neyther tongue can well expresse it neither heart thinke it much lesse geue sufficient thankes to god for it But here is a great controuersie betwene vs and the Jewes whether the same Jesus which was borne of the virgin Marie be the true Messias and true sauiour of the worlde so long promised prophesied of before They as they are and haue ben alwayes proude stiffe necked woulde neuer acknowledge hym vntil this day but haue loked and gaped for another to come They haue this fond imagination in their heades that Messias shall come not as Christ did like a poore pilgrime and simple soule rydyng vppon an Asse But lyke a baliaunt and mightie king in great royaltie honour Not as Christ did with a fewe fishermen and men of small estimation in the world but with a great armie of strong men with a great traine of wyse noble mē as knightes Lords Earles Dukes Princes so foorth Neither do they thinke that their Messias shal slaunderously suffer death as Christ dyd but that he shall stoutly conquer and manfully subdue al his enemies and finallie obtayne such a kingdome on earth as neuer was seene from the beginning While they faigne vnto them selues after this sort a Messias of theyr owne brayne they deceaue them selues and accompt Christe as an abiect foole of the worlde Therefore Christ crucified as saint Paul sayth is vnto the Jewes a stumbling blocke and to the Gentiles foolishnes because they thinke it an absurde thing and contrary to all reason that a redemer and sauiour of the whole world should be handled after suche a sort as he was namelye scorned reuiled scourged condempned and last of al cruelly hanged This I say seemed in their eyes straunge and most absurde and therefore neyther they would at that tyme neyther wyll they as yet acknowledge Christe to be theyr Messias and sauiour But we dearely beloued that hope loke to be saued must both stedfastly beleue and also boldly confesse that the same Jesus which was borne of the virgin Marie was the true Messias and mediatour betweene God and man promised and prophecied of so long before For as the Apostle writeth With the heart man beleueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made vnto saluatiō Againe in the same place Whosoeuer beleueth in hym shall neuer be ashamed nor confounded Wherto agreeth also the testimonie of saint John written in the fourth Chapter of his first generall Epistle on this wyse Whosoeuer confesseth that Jesus is the sonne of God he dwelleth in God and God in hym There is no doubt but in this poynt all Christian men are fully and perfectly perswaded Yet shal it not be a lost labour to instruct and furnish you with a fewe places concerning this matter that ye maye be able to stoppe the blasphemous mouthes of all them that moste Jewishely or rather diuelishly shall at any time go about to teache or maintaine the contrary First ye haue the witnesse and testimonie of the angel Gabriel declared aswel to Zacharie the high priest as also to the blessed virgin Secondly ye haue the witnesse and testimonie of John the Baptist poynting vnto Christe and saying Behold the lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the worlde Thirdly ye haue the witnesse and testimonie of God the father who thundred from heauen and sayde This is my dearelye beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him Fourthly ye haue the witnesse and testimonie of the holye ghost whiche came downe frō heauen in maner of a white doue and lighted vpon him in time of his baptisme To these myght be added a great number more namely the witnesse testimonie of the wise men that came to Herode the witnes and testimonie of Simeon and Anna the witnesse and testimonie of Andrew and Philip Nathanael and Peter Nicodemus and Martha with diuers other But it were to long to repeate all and a fewe places are sufficient in so plaine a matter specially among them that are alredye perswaded Therfore if the priuie impes of amechriste and craftie instrumentes of the deuil shal attempt or go about to withdrawe you frō this true Messias and perswade you to loke for another that is not yet come let thē not in any case seduce you but cōfirme your selues with these such other testimonies of holy scripture whiche are so sure certaine that all the deuils in hell shal neuer be able to withstand them For as truelye as God liueth so truelye was Jesus Christe the true messias and sauiour of the worlde euen the same Jesus which as this day was borne of the virgin Marie without all helpe of man only by the power and operation of the holy ghost Concerning whose nature and substaunce because diuers sundry heresies are rysen in these our dayes through the motion and suggestion of Satan therefore it shal be needefull profitable for your instruction to speake a worde or two also of this parte We are euidently taught in the scripture that our Lord and sauiour Christ consisteth of two seuerall natures of his manhood being thereby perfect man and of his Godhead being thereby perfect god It is written The worde that is to say the seconde person in Trinitie became fleshe GOD sendyng his owne sonne in the similitude of sinfull fleshe fulfilled those thinges which the lawe coulde not Christ being in fourme of God toke on him the fourme of a seruaunt was made like vnto man beyng founde in shape as a man GOD was shewed in fleshe iustified in spirite seene of angels preached to the Gentiles beleued on in the world and receaued vp in glorye Also in another place There is one God and one mediatour betwene God and man euen the man Jesus Christe These be plaine places for the profe and declaration of both natures vnited and knitte together in one Christe Let vs diligently consyder and waygh the workes that he dyd whiles he lyued on earth and we shall thereby also perceaue the selfe same thing to be most true In that he did hunger and thirst eate and drinke sleepe and wake in that he preached his Gospell to the people in that he wept and sorowed for Hierusalem in that he payde tribute for him selfe and Peter in that he dyed and suffered death what other thing dyd he els declare but onlye this that he was perfect man as we are For whiche cause he is called in holye scripture sometyme the sonne of Dauid sometime the sonne of man sometime the sonne of Marie sometime the sonne of Joseph and so foorthe Nowe in that he forgaue sinnes in that he wrought myracles in that he dyd cast out deuils in that he healed men with his only worde in that he knewe the thoughtes of mens heartes in that he had the seas at his cōmaundement in that he walked on the water in that
the expresse and liuelye image of God he woulde notwithstanding humble him selfe and take vppon him the fourme of a seruant and that onely to saue and redeeme vs O how much are we bounde to the goodnesse of God in this behalfe Howe manye thankes and prayses do we owe vnto him for this our saluatiō wrought by his deare and onely sonne Christe who became a pilgrime in earth to make vs citizens in heauen who became the sonne of man to make vs the sonnes of God who became obedient to the lawe to deliuer vs from the cursse of the lawe who became poore to make vs rich vyle to make vs precious subiect to death to make vs liue for euer What greater loue coulde we seelye creatures desire or wishe to haue at Gods handes Therefore dearelye beloued let vs not forget this exceeding loue of our Lorde and sauiour let vs not shew our selues vnmyndful or vnthankefull towardes him but let vs loue him feare him obey him and serue him Let vs confesse him with our mouthes praise him with our tongues beleue on him with our heartes and glorifie him with our good workes Christe is the light let vs receaue the light Christe is the trueth let vs beleue the trueth Christ is the way let vs folowe the way And because he is our onely maister our onely teacher our onely shepheard and cheefe captayne therfore let vs become his seruantes his schollers his sheepe and his souldiers As for sinne the flesh the worlde and the deuill whose seruantes and bondslaues we were before Christes comming let vs vtterly cast them of and defie them as the cheefe onely enemies of our soule And seing we are once deliuered from their cruel tyrannie by Christ let vs neuer fal into their hands againe lest we chance to be in a worse case then euer we were before Happy are they saith the scripture that continue to the ende Be faythful sayth God vntil death and I wil geue thee a crowne of lyfe Agayne he sayth in another place He that putteth his hand vnto the plough and looketh backe is not meete for the kyngdome of god Therefore let vs be strong stedfast and vnmoueable abounding alwayes in the workes of the lord Let vs receaue Christ not for a tyme but for euer let vs beleue his worde not for a tyme but for euer let vs become his seruaunts not for a tyme but for euer in consyderation that he hath redeemed saued vs not for a time but for euer and will receaue vs into his heauenly kingdome there to raygne with him not for a tyme but foreuer To him therfore with the father and the holy ghost be all honour prayse glory foreuer and euer Amen ¶ An homilee for good Friday concerning the death and passion of our sauiour Iesu Christ. IT shuld not become vs welbeloued in christ being that people whiche he redeemed frō the deuil from sinne and death and from euerlasting damnation by Christ to suffer this time to passe foorth without any meditation and remembraunce of that excellent worke of our redemption wrought as about this time through the great mercy and charitie of our sauiour Jesus Christ for vs wretched sinners and his mortall enemies For if a mortal mans deede done to the behofe of the common wealth be had in remembrance of vs with thankes for the benefite and profite whiche we receaue thereby How much more redily shoulde we haue in memorie this excellent act and benefite of Christes death whereby he hath purchased for vs the vndoubted pardon and forgeuenes of our sinnes whereby he made at one the father of heauen with vs in suche wyse that he taketh vs now for his louing children and for the true inheritours with Christe his naturall sonne of the kyngdome of heauen And verily so muche more doth Christes kindnes appeare vnto vs in that it pleased him to deliuer him selfe of all his godly honour which he was equally in with his father in heauen and to come downe into this vale of miserye to be made mortall man and to be in the state of a most lowe seruaunt seruing vs for our wealth and profite vs I saye whiche were his sworne enemies whiche had renounced his holy law and commaundements and folowed the lustes and sinfull pleasures of our corrupt nature And yet I say did Christe put him selfe betwene Gods deserued wrath our sinne and rente that obligation wherein we were in daunger to God and payde our dette Our dette was a great deale to great for vs to haue payde And without payment God the father coulde neuer be at one with vs Neyther was it possible to be losed from this dette by our owne habilitie It pleased him therefore to be the payer thereof and to discharge vs quite Who can now consyder the greuous det of sinne whiche coulde none otherwyse be payde but by the death of an innocent and will not hate sinne in his heart If God hateth sinne so much that he would allowe neither man nor Angell for the redemption thereof but onely the death of his onelye and welbeloued sonne who will not stande in feare thereof If we my freendes consyder this that for our sinnes this most innocent lambe was driuen to death we shall haue much more cause to bewayle our selues that we were the cause of his death then to crye out of the mallice and crueltie of the Jewes whiche pursued him to his death We did the deedes wherefore he was thus stricken and wounded they were onely the ministers of our wickednes It is meete then we shoulde step lowe downe into our heartes and bewayle our owne wretchednes and sinful liuing Let vs know for a certainetie that if the most dearly beloued sonne of God was thus punished and stricken for the sinne which he had not done him self how muche more ought we sore to be stricken for our dayly and manifolde sinnes whiche we commit agaynst God if we earnestlye repent vs not and be not sorye for them No man can loue sinne which God hateth so much and be in his fauour No man can saye that he loueth Christe truely and haue his great enemie sinne I meane the aucthour of his death familiar and in frendship with him So much do we loue God and Christe as we hate sinne We ought therefore to take great heede that we be not fauourers thereof least we be founde ennemies to God and traytours to Christe For not onelye they whiche nayled Christe vppon the crosse are his tormentours and crucifiers but all they sayth saint Paule crucifie agayne the sonne of God as muche as is in them whiche do commit vice and sinne which brought him to his death If the wages of sinne be death and death euerlasting Surely it is no small daunger to be in seruice thereof If we liue after the fleshe and after the sinfull lustes thereof saint Paule threatneth yea almightie God in saint Paule threatneth that we shal surely dye
We can none otherwyse liue to God but by dying to sinne If Christ be in vs then is sinne dead in vs and if the spirit of God be in vs which raysed Christ from death to lyfe so shall the same spirite rayse vs to the resurrection of euerlasting lyfe But if sinne rule and raigne vs then is God whiche is the fountaine of all grace and vertue departed from vs then hath the deuill his vngratious spirit rule and dominion in vs And surelye if in suche miserable â—iate we dye we shall not ryse to lyfe but fall downe to death dampnation that without ende For Christe hath not so redeemed vs from synne that we may safely returne therto agayne but he hath redeemed vs that we should forsake the motions thereof liue to righteousnes Yea we be therfore washed in our baptisme from the filthynes of sinne that we should liue afterwarde in the purenesse of lyfe In baptisme we promised to renounce the deuill and his suggestions we promised to be as obedient chyldren alwayes following Gods will pleasure Then if he be our father in deede let vs geue him his due honour If we be his children let vs shew him our obedience like as Christ openly declared his obedience to his father which as saint Paul wryteth was obedient euen to the verye death the death of the crosse And this he did for vs all that beleue in him For him selfe he was not punished for he was pure and vndefiled of al maner of sinne He was wounded saith Esai for our wickednes and striped for our sinnes he suffred the penaltie of them him selfe to deliuer vs from daunger he bare sayth Esai al our sores and infirmities vpon his owne backe No payne did he refuse to suffer in his owne body that he myght deliuer vs from payne euerlasting His pleasure it was thus to do for vs we deserued it not Wherfore the more we see our selues bound vnto him the more he ought to be thanked of vs yea and the more hope may we take that we shall receaue all other good thinges of his hand in that we haue receaued the gifte of his onelye sonne through his liberalitie For if God sayth Saint Paul hath not spared his owne soÌ„ne from paine and punishment but deliuered him for vs all vnto the death how should he not geue vs all other thinges with him If we wante any thing eyther for body or soule we may lawfully and boldlye approche to God as to our mercifull father to aske that we desyre and we shall obtaine it For such power is geuen to vs to be the children of God so many as beleue in Christes name In his name whatsoeuer we aske we shall haue it graunted vs For so well pleased is the father almighty God with Christ his sonne that for his sake he fauoureth vs and will denye vs nothyng So pleasant was this sacrifice and oblation of his sonnes death which he so obediently and innocently suffred that he would take it for the onelye and full amendes for all the sinnes of the worlde And such fauour did he purchase by his death of his heauenly father for vs that for the merite thereof if we be true Christians in deede and not in worde onely we be now fullye in Gods grace agayne and clearelye discharged from our sinne No tongue surelye is able to expresse the worthines of this so precious a death For in this standeth the continual pardon of our daylye offences in this resteth our iustification in this we be allowed in this is purchased the euerlasting health of al our soules Yea there is none other thing that can be named vnder heauen to saue our soules but this onelye worke of Christes precious offering of his body vppon the aulter of the crosse Certes there can be no worke of any mortall man be he neuer so holy that shal be coupled in merites with Christes moste holye act For no doubt all our thoughtes and deedes were of no value if they were not allowed in the merites of Christes death All our ryghteousnes is far vnperfect if it be compared with Christes ryghteousnes For in his actes and deedes there was no spot of sinne or of any vnperfectnes And for this cause they were the more able to be the true amendes of our vnryghteousnes where our actes and deedes be ful of imperfection and infirmities therfore nothing worthy of them selues to stirre God to anye fauour muche lesse to chalenge the glory that is due to Christes acte merite For not to vs sayeth Dauid not to vs but to thy name geue the glory O lord Let vs therfore good freends with al reuerence glorifie his name let vs magnifye and prayse him for euer For he hath dealt with vs according to his great mercy by himselfe hath he purchased our redemtion He thought it not enough to spare him selfe and to sende his Angel to do this deede but he would do it him selfe that he might do it the better and make it the more perfect redemption He was nothing moued with the intollerable paynes that he suffered in the whole course of his long passion to repent him thus to do good to his enemies but he opened his heart for vs and bestowed him selfe wholly for the raunsomming of vs Let vs therefore nowe open our heartes againe to him and studie in our lyues to be thankfull to such a Lorde and euermore to be myndefull of so great a benefite yea let vs take vp our crosse with Christe and folowe him His passion is not onely the raunsome whole amendes for our sinne but it is also a most perfect example of all patience and sufferaunce For if it behoued Christ thus to suffer to enter into the glorye of his father how should it not become vs to beare paciently our small crosses of aduersitie and the troubles of this world For surely as saith saynâ— Peter Christ therefore suffred to leaue vs an example to folow his steps And if we suffer with him we shall be sure also to raigne with him in heauen Not that the sufferaunce of this transitory lyfe should be worthy of that glory to come but gladly should we be contented to suffer to be lyke Christ in our lyfe that so by our workes we may glorifie our father which is in heauen And as it is paynefull and greuous to beare the crosse of Christe in the greefes and displeasures of this life so it bringeth forth the ioyfull fruit of hope in all theÌ„ that be exercised therewith Let vs not so much beholde the payne as the rewarde that shall follow that labour Nay let vs rather endeuour our selues in our sufferaunce to endure innocentlye and gyltlesse as our sauiour Christ did For if we suffer for our deseruinges then hath not patience his perfect worke in vs but if vndeseruinglye we suffer losse of goodes and lyfe
to be coÌ„dempned vnto death to take vpon him the rewarde of our sinnes and to geue his body to be broken on the crosse for our offences He sayth the prophete Esai meaning Christe hath borne our infirmities hath caried our sorowes the chastisement of our peace was vpoÌ„ him by his stripes are we made whole Saint Paul like wyse sayth God made him a sacrifice for our sinnes whiche knewe not sinne that we should be made the righteousnesse of God by him And saint Peter most agreeably wryting in this behalfe sayth Christe hath once died suffered for our sinnes the iust for the vniust c. To these myght be added an infinite number of other places to the same effect but these fewe shal be sufficient for this tyme Now then as it was said at the beginning let vs ponder weigh the cause of his death that therby we may be the more moued to glorifie him in our whole lyfe Whiche yf you wyll haue comprehended briefelye in one worde it was nothyng els in our parte but onlye the transgression and sinne of mankinde When the angell came to warne Joseph that he should not feare to take Mary to his wife Did he not therefore will the childes name to he called Jesus because he should saue his people from their sinnes When John the Baptist preached Christ and she wed hym to the people with his finger Dyd he not playnely say vnto them Behold the lambe of God whiche taketh away the sinnes of the worlde When the woman of Canaan besought Christ to helpe her daughter which was possest with a deuil did he not openly confesse that he was sent to saue the lost sheepe of the house of Israel by geuing his life for theyr sinnes It was sinne then O man eueÌ„ thy sinne that caused Christe the onlye sonne of God to be crucified in the fleshe and to suffer the most vyle slaunderous death of the crosse If thou haddest kept thy selfe vyryght if thou haddest obserued the commaundementes yf thou haddest not presumed to transgresse the wyll of God in thy fyrst father Adam then Christe being in fourme of God needed not to haue taken vppon him the shape of a seruaunt being immortall in heauen he needed not to become mortal on earth beyng the true bread of the soule he needed not to hunger being the healthfull water of lyfe he needed not to thirst being life it selfe he needed not to haue suffred death But to these and many other suche extremities was he dryuen by thy sinne which was so manifolde great that god could be onlye pleased in hym and none other Canst thou thinke of this O sinful man and not tremble within thy selfe Canst thou heare it quietlye without remorse of conscience and sorowe of heart Did Christ suffer his passion for thee and wylt thou shewe no compassion towardes hym Whyle Christe was yet hangyng on the Crosse and yelding vp the ghost the Scripture witnesseth that the vale of the temple did rent in twaine and the earth dyd quake that the stones claue asunder that the graues dyd open the dead bodyes rise And shall the heart of man be nothyng moued to remember how greeuously and cruelly he was handled of the Jewes for our sinnes Shall man shew himselfe to be more hard hearted then stones to haue lesse compassion theÌ„ dead bodies Call to minde O sinful creature and set before thyne eyes Christe crucified Thinke thou seest his body stretched out in length vppon the crosse his head crowned with sharpe thorne his handes his feete pearsed with nailes his heart opened with a long speare his fleshe rente and torne with whippes his browes sweating water and blood Thinke thou hearest hym nowe crying in an intollerable agonie to his father saying My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Couldest thou behold this wofull sight or heare this mournefull voyce without teares consydering that he suffered all this not for any desart of his owne but only for the greeuousnes of thy sinnes O that mankinde shoulde put the euerlasting sonne of God to such paines O that we should be the occasion of his death the only cause of his condempnation May we not iustly crye wo worth the time that euer we sinned O my brethren let this image of Christe crucified be alwayes printed in our heartes let it stirre vs vp to the hatred of sinne prouoke our mindes to the earnest loue of almightie god For why Is not sinne thinke you a greuous thing in his sight seing for the transgressing of Gods precept in eating of one apple he condempned all the world to perpetuall death and would not be pacified but only with the blood of his own sonne True yea moste true is that saying of Dauid Thou O Lorde hatest all them that worke iniquitie neyther shall the wicked and euill man dwell with thee By the mouth of his prophete Esai he cryeth mainely out agaynst sinners and sayth â—o be vnto you that draw iniquitie with cordes of vanitie and sinne as it were with cart ropes Dyd not God geue a plaine token howe greatly he hated abhored sinne wheÌ„ he drowned all the world saue only eyght persons when he destroyed Sodome Gomorra with fire and brimstone when in three dayes space he killed with pestilence threescore and ten thousande for Dauids offence when he drowned Pharao and al his hoast in the red sea when he turned Nabuchodonozor the kyng into the fourme of a bruite beast creeping vppon all foure when he suffered Achitophel Iudas to hang them selues vpoÌ„ the remorse of sinne whiche was so terrible to theyr eyes A thousand such examples are to be found in scripture yf a man would stand to seeke them out But what neede we This one example which we haue now in hande is of more force ought more to moue vs then all the rest Christe being the sonne of god and perfect God him self who neuer committed sinne was compelled to come downe from heauen to geue his body to be bruised broken on the crosse for our sinnes Was not this a manifest token of Gods great wrath and displeasure towardes sinne that he could be pacified by no other meanes but onlye by the sweete precious blood of his deare sonne O sinne sinne that euer thou shouldest dryue Christe to suche extremitie Wo worth the tyme that euer thou camest into the world But what booteth it now to bewayle Sinne is come and so come that it can not be auoyded There is no man liuing no not the iustest man on the earth but he falleth seuen times a day as Salomon sayth And our Sauiour Christe although he hath deliuered vs from sinne yet not so that we shal be free from committing sinne But so that it shal not be imputed to our condempnation He hath taken vpon him the iust rewarde of sinne which was death by death
hath ouerthrowen death that we beleuing in him myght lyue for euer and not dye Ought not this to engender extreme hatred of sinne in vs to consyder that it did violently as it were plucke God out of heauen to make him feele the horrours and paynes of death O that we would sometimes consyder this in the middest of our pompes pleasures it would bridle the outragiousnesse of the fleshe it would abate and asswage our carnall affectes it woulde restraine our fleshly appetites that we shoulde not run at randon as we commonly do To commit sinne wylfully desperatly without feare of god is nothing els but to crucifie Christ a new as we are expressly taught in the 〈◊〉 to the Hebrues Which thing if it were dencâ—â— printed in all mens heartes then shoulde not sinne raigne euery where so much as it doth to the great griefe and torment of Christe nowe sittyng in heauen Let vs therefore remember and alwaies beare in minde Christe crucified that therby we may be inwardly moued both to abhorre sinne throughly and also with an earnest and zelous heart to loue god For this is another fruite which the memoriall of Christes death ought to worke in vs an earnest and vnfayned loue towardes god So God loued the worlde sayth saint John that he gaue his only begotten soÌ„ne that whosoeuer beleued in hym shoulde not perishe but haue life euerlasting If god declared so great loue towardes vs his seely creatures how can we of ryght but loue him agayne Was not this a sure pledge of his loue to geue vs his own sonne from heauen He myght haue geuen vs an angel if he would or some other creature and yet should his loue haue ben farre aboue our desartes Nowe he gaue vs not an angell but his sonne And what sonne His only sonne his naturall sonne his welbeloued sonne euen that sonne whom he had made Lorde and ruler of al thinges Was not this a singuler token of great loue But to whom did he geue him He gaue him to the whole worlde that is to say to Adam and all that should come after him O lord what had Adam or anye other man deserued at Gods handes that he should geue vs his owne sonne We are all miserable persons sinfull persons dampnable persoÌ„s iustly driuen out of paradice iustly excluded from heauen iustly condempned to hell fyre And yet see a wonderfull token of Gods loue he gaue vs his only be gotten sonne vs I say that were his extreme and deadly enemies that we by vertue of his blood shed vppon the crosse might be cleane purged from our sinnes and made righteous agayne in his sight Who can chose but maruaile to heare that god should she we such vnspeakable loue towardes vs that were his deadly enemies Indeede O mortall man thou oughtest of ryght to marueyle at it to acknowledge therein Gods great goodnesse and mercie towards mankind which is so wonderful that no fleshe be it neuer so worldly wyse may wel conceaue it or expresse it For as Saint Paul testifieth God greatly commendeth and setteth out his loue towardes vs in that he sent his sonne Christ to die for vs when we were yet sinners and open enemies of his name If we had in any maner of wyse deserued it at his handes then had it ben no marueile at all but there was no desert on our part wherefore he shoulde do it Therefore thou sinful creature when thou hearest that GOD gaue his sonne to dye for the sinnes of the worlde thinke not he dyd it for any desert or goodnes that was in thee for thou wast then the bondslaue of the deuill But fall downe vpon thy knees and crye with the prophete Dauid O Lorde what is man that thou art so mindefull of him or the sonne of man that thou so regardest him And seeing he hath so greatlye loued thee endeuour thy self to loue him againe with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength that therin thou mayst appeare not to be vnworthy of his loue I report me to thyne owne conscience whether thou wouldest not thinke thy loue ill bestowed vpon him that could not finde in his heart to loue thee agayne If this be true as it is most true then thinke howe greatly it behoueth to thy duetie to loue God whiche hath so greatly loued thee that he hath noâ— spared his owne onlye sonne from so cruell and shamefull a death for thy sake And hitherto concerning the cause of Christes death passion which as yet was on our part most horrible and greeuous sinne so on the other side it was the free gift of God proceeding of his meere and tender loue towards mankind without any merite or desert of our part The Lorde for his mercies sake graunt that we neuer forget this great benefite of our saluation in Christe Jesu but that we alwayes shewe our selues thankefull for it abhorring all kinde of wickednesse and sinne and applying our myndes wholy to the seruice of God and the diligent keeping of his commaundementes Now resteth to shewe vnto you howe to applie Christes death and passion to our comfort as a medicine to our woundes so that it maye worke the same effect in vs wherefore it was geuen namely the health saluatioÌ„ of our soules For as it profiteth a man nothing to haue salue vnlesse it be well applied to the part affected So the death of Christ shall stand vs in no force vnlesse we applie it to our selues in suche sorte as God hath appoynted Almightie God commonly worketh by meanes and in this thing he hath also ordained a certaine meane wherby we may take fruite and profite to our soules health What meane is that forsooth it is fayth Not an vnconstant or wauering fayth but a sure stedfast grounded and vnfaigned fayth GOD sent his sonne into the worlde sayth Saint John. To what end that whosoeuer beleueth in hym shoulde not perishe but haue lyfe euerlasting Marke these wordes that whosoeuer beleueth in him Here is the meane whereby we must apply the fruites of Christes death vnto our deadly wounde Here is the meane whereby we must obtaine eternall lyfe namely fayth For as saint Paul teacheth in his Epistle to the Romanes With the heart man beleueth vnto ryghteousnes and with the mouth confessioÌ„ is made vnto saluation Paul beyng demaunded of the keeper of that prison what he should do to be saued made this aunswere Beleue in the Lorde Jesus so shalt thou and thyne house both be saued After the Euangelist had described and set foorth vnto vs at large the life and the death of the Lorde Jesus in the end he concludeth with these wordes These thinges are written that we may beleue Jesus Christe to be the sonne of God a through sayth obtayne eternall lyfe To conclude with the wordes of saint Paul which are these Christ is the ende of the lawe vnto saluation for euery
then such lenitie whiche sinfull humanitie sayeth holy Chrisostome is more cruell before God then any murder or shedding of blood when it is commaunded of god But yet how euill soeuer Saul the kyng was and out of Gods fauour yet was he obeyed of his subiect Dauid the verye best of all subiectes and moste valiaunt in the seruice of his Prince and countrey in the warres the moste obedient and louyng in peace and alwayes most true and faythfull to his soueraygne and Lord and furthest of from all maner rebellion For the which his most painfull true and faithfull seruice Kyng Saule yet rewarded him not onelye with great vnkyndnesse but also sought his destruction and death by all meanes possible so that Dauid was faine to saue his lyfe not by rebellion nor any resistaunce but by flight and hyding him selfe from the kings sight Which notwithstanding when kyng Saul vpon a time came alone into the caue where Dauid was so that Dauid might easily haue slaine him yet woulde he neither hurt him him selfe neyther suffer any of his men to lay handes vppon hym Another tyme also Dauid entring by nyght with one Abisai a valiaunte and a fierce man into the tent where Kyng Saule did lye a sleepe where also he myght yet more easylye haue slayne hym yet woulde he neyther hurte hym hym selfe nor suffer Abisai who was wyllyng and redye to slea Kyng Saule once to touche hym Thus did Dauid deale with Saule his prince notwithstanding that Kyng Saule continuallye sought his death and destruction It shall not be amisse vnto these deedes of Dauid to adde his wordes and to shewe you what he spake vnto such as encouraged him to take his oportunitie and aduantage to slaye kyng Saule as his mortall enemie when he myght The Lord keepe me sayth Dauid from doing that thing and from laying handes vpon my Lorde Gods annoynted For who can lay his hand vpon the Lords annointed and be gyltlesse As truely as the Lord lyueth except that the Lorde do smyte hym or his dayes shall come to dye or that he go downe to warre and be slayne in battell the Lorde be mercifull vnto me that I laye not my hande vppon the Lordes annoynted These be Dauids words spokeÌ„ at sundry times to diuers his seruauntes prouokyng hym to stea king Saul when oportunitie serued him thervnto Neither is it to be omitted and left out how when an Amalechite had slayne king Saul euen at Sauls owne bidding commaundement for he would lyue no longer now for that he had lost the feeld against his enemies the Philistines the said Amalechite making great hast to bryng fyrst word and newes thereof vnto Dauid as ioyous vnto him for the death of his mortal enemy bringing withall the crowne that was vppon Kyng Saules head and the bracelet that was vppon his arme both as a proofe of the trueth of his newes and also as fit and pleasaunt presentes vnto Dauid beyng by God appoynted to be king Saul his successour in the kyngdome Yet was that faithfull and godly Dauid so farre from reioycing at these newes that he rent his clothes wept and mourned and fasted and so farre of from thankesfeuing to the messenger either for his deede in killing the king though his deadly enemy or for his message and newes or for hys presentes that he brought that he sayd vnto him How happened it that thou wast not afrayde to lay thy handes vppon the Lordes annoynted to slea hym Whereupon immediatelye hee commaunded one of his seruauntes to kyll the messenger and sayd Thy blood be vpon thyne owne head for thine owne mouth hath wytnessed agaynst thy selfe in confessyng that thou haste slayne the Lordes annoynted This example dearely beloued is notable and the circumstances thereof are well to be considered for the better instruction of all Subiectes in theyr bounden duetie of obedience and perpetuall fearyng of them from attemptyng of any rebellion or hurt agaynst theyr Prince On the one part Dauid was not onely a good and true Subiect but also suche a Subiect as both in peace and warre had serued and saued his Princes honour and lyfe and delyuered hys countrey and countreymen from great daunger of Infidels forraigne and most cruell enemies horribly inuading the kyng and hys countrey for the whiche Dauid was in singuler fauour wyth all the people so that he might haue had great numbers of them at hys commaundement if he woulde haue attempted any thyng Besydes thys Dauid was no commoÌ„ or absolute subiect but heyre aparant to the crowne and kyngdome by God appoynted to raygne after Saule whiche as it increased the fauour of the people that knewe it towardes Dauid so did it make Dauids cause case much differing from the case of common and absolute subiectes And which is most of all Dauid was hyghly and singulerly in the fauour of God On the contrary part kyng Saul was out of Gods fauour for that cause which is before rehearsed and he as it were Gods enemy and therefore like in warre and peace to be hurtful and pernitious vnto the common wealth and that was knowen to many of his subiectes for that he was openly rebuked of Samuel for his disobedience vnto God whiche might make the people the lesse to esteeme him Kyng Saul was also vnto Dauid a mortall and deadlye enemie though without Dauids deseruing who by his faythfull paynefull profitable yea moste necessarye seruice had well deserued as of his country so of his prince but kyng Saul farre otherwyse the more was his vnkyndnesse hatred and crueltie towardes suche a good subiect both odious and detestable Yet would Dauid neither him selfe sâ—ea nor hurt suche an enemie for that he was his prince and Lord nor would suffer any other to kill hurt or laye hand vppon hym when he myght haue ben slayne without any sturre tumult or daunger of any mans lyfe Now let Dauid answere to such demaundes as men desyrous of rebellion do vse to make Shall not we speciallye beyng so good men as we are ryse and rebell agaynst a Prince hated of God and Gods enemie and therefore like not to prosper either in warre or peace but to be hurtful and pernitious to the commoÌ„ wealth No sayth good and godly Dauid Gods and such a kynges faythful subiect and so conuicting such subiectes as attempt any rebellion agaynst suche a king to be neither good subiects nor good men But say they shall we not ryse and rebell against so vnkynde a Prince nothing consyderyng or regarding our true faythfull and payneful seruice or the safegarde of our posteritie No sayth good Dauid whom no such vnkyndnesse coulde cause to forsake his due obedience to his Soueraigne Shall we not say they ryse and rebell agaynst our knowen mortall and deadly enemie that seeketh our lyues No sayth godly Dauid who had learned the lesson that our Sauiour afterwarde playnelye taught
euerye man that hath but halfe an eye may see howe vayne they be rebellion being as I haue before declared the greatest ruine destruction of all common wealthes that may be possible And who so looketh on the one part vppon the persons and gouernement of the Queenes most honorable counsellers by the experiment of so manye yeres proued honorable to her Maiestie and moste profitable and beneficial vnto our countrey countreymen on the other part considereth the persons state conditions of the rebels thē selues the refourmers as they take vpon them of the present gouernment he shall fynd that the most rash and harebrayned men the moste greatest vnthryftes that haue moste lewdely wasted their owne goodes and landes those that are ouer the eares in debt and suche as for their theftes robberies and murthers dare not in anye well gouerned common wealth where good lawes are in force shewe their faces suche as are of moste leud and wycked behauiour and lyfe and all suche as wyll not or can not lyue in peace are alwayes moste redye to moue rebellion or to take part with rebels And are not these meete men trowe you to restore the common wealth decayed who haue so spoyled and consumed all their owne wealth and thrifte and very lyke to mende other mens maners who haue so vyle vyces and abhominable conditions them selues Surely that whiche they falsely call reformation is in deede not onely a defacyng or a deformation but also an vtter destruction of al common wealth as woulde well appeare myght the rebelles haue their wylles and doth ryght well and to well appeare by their doyng in suche places of the countrey where rebelles do route where though they tary but a very litle while they make suche reformation that they destroy al places and vndo al men where they come that the chylde yet vnborne may rue it and shall many yeres hereafter curse them Let no good and discreete subiectes therefore folowe the flagge or banner displayed to rebellion and borne by rebelles though it haue the image of the plough paynted therein with God speede the plough wrytten vnder in great letters knowyng that none hynder the plough more then rebels who will neither go to the plough them selues nor suffer other that would go vnto it And though some rebels beare the picture of the fyue woundes painted against those who put their onlye hope of saluation in the woundes of Christe not those woundes which are paynted in a clout by some leude painter but in those woundes whiche Christe hym selfe bare in his pretious body though they litle knowyng what the crosse of Christe meaneth whiche neyther caruer nor paynter can make do beare the image of the crosse paynted in a ragge against those that haue the crosse of Christe painted in their heartes yet though they paynt withall in their flagges Hoc signo vinces By this signe thou shalt get the victorie by a most fond imitation of the posie of Constantinus magnus that noble Christian Emperour and great conquerer of Gods enemies a moste vnmeete ensigne for rebels the enemies of God their prince and countrey or what other banner soeuer they shall beare yet let no good godly subiect vpon any hope of victorie or good successe folowe suche standarde bearers of rebellion For as examples of suche practises are to be founde aswell in the histories of olde as also of latter rebellions in our fathers and our freshe memorie so not withstandyng these pretences made and banners borne are recorded withall vnto perpetuall memorie the great horrible murthers of infinite multitudes and thousandes of the common people slayne in rebellion the dreadfull executions of the aucthours and captaynes the pitifull vndoing of their wyues and chyldren and disheriting of the heyres of the rebelles for euer the spoiling wasting and destruction of the people and countrey where rebellion was fyrst begun that the childe then yet vnborne myght rue and lament it with the finall ouerthrowe and shamefull deathes of all rebels set foorth aswell in the histories of forraigne nations as in the Chronicles of our owne countrey some thereof beyng yet in freshe memorie which yf they were collected together woulde make many vollumes and bookes But on the contrary part al good lucke successe and prosperitie that euer happened vnto any rebels of any age tyme or countrey may be conteyned in a very fewe lines or wordes Wherefore to conclude let all good subiectes consydering how horrible a sinne agaynst God theyr prince theyr countrey and countreymen agaynst all Gods and mans lawes rebellion is beyng in deede not one seuerall sinne but all sinnes agaynst God and man heaped together consydering the mischeuous life and deedes and the shamefull endes and deathes of all rebels hitherto and the pitifull vndoyng of their wyues chyldren and families and disheriting of theyr heyres for euer and aboue all thinges consydering the eternall dampnation that is prepared for all impenitent rebels in hell with Satan the first founder of rebellion and graunde captayne of all rebels let all good subiectes I say consyderyng these thinges auoide and flee all rebellion as the greatest of all mischeefes and embrace due obedience to God and our prince as the greatest of all vertues that we may both escape all euils and miseries that do folowe rebellion in this worlde and eternall dampnation in the world to come and enioye peace quietnesse and securitie with all other Gods benefites and blessinges which folowe obedience in this life and finally may enioy the kyngdome of heauen the peculier place of all obedient subiectes to God and their prince in the world to come which I beseche God the kyng of all kynges graunt vnto vs for the obedience of his sonne our Sauiour Jesus Christe vnto whom with the father and the holy ghost one God and kyng immortall all honour seruice and obedience of all his creatures is due foreuer and euer Amen Thus haue you heard the fourth part of this Homilee nowe good people let vs pray The prayer as before The fifth part of the Homilee agaynst disobedience and wylfull rebellion WHereas after both doctrine and examples of due obedience of subiectes to theyr princes I declared lastlye vnto you what an abominable sinne agaynst God and man rebellion is and what horrible plagues punishmentes deathes with death euerlastyng finally doth hang ouer the heades of all rebels it shall not be eyther impertinent or vnprofitable nowe to declare who they be whom the deuyll the fyrst aucthour and founder of rebellion doth cheefely vse to the stirring vp of subiectes to rebel agaynst their lawfull princes that knowyng them ye maye flee them their dampnable suggestions auoyde all rebellion and so escape the horrible plagues and dreadfull deathes and dampnation eternall finally due to all rebels Though manye causes of rebellion maye be reckened and almost as many as there be vices in men women as hath ben before noted yet in this place I wyll onlye touche