hath of him self but fleshe And sheweth that the remedye againste this sickenes commeth not of the worthynes of any sacrifice or merytes of his or any sinfull mannes workes But that the remedy thereof dependeth onely vpon the merytes of his bloude and passion and sheweth the same by the comparyson of the Brasen Serpente appoyncted by Moises And argueth thys waye as the people that were stronge wyth the Serpentes in the wildernes were not made whole by their owne workes or for the dignitye or seruyce of anye sacryfyce that they offred but by the syghte of the Serpente that represented Christe too come Euen soo Nicodemus nor anye other that is stong wyth the Serpentes of synne be made whole by theyr owne woorkes or anye sacrifyce they can offre but onely by the merites of Christe And euyn as the people could not come too the knowledge of this remedy by y e serpent thorough their fathers or theyr owne wysedome noo more can Nicodemus or any man liuing come too the knowledge of the remedye for syckenes and synne in oure sauyoure Christe except he learne it by the woorde of God thoroughe the instructyon of the hoyle ghoste The same remeadye alsoo vseth Christe in hys woordes before rehearsed repente ye and beleue the gospell In the whyche woordes oure sauiour Christ sheweth all thinges to be considered in syn in the remedy thereof For in the firste parte of hys wordes he declareth how that men should knowe y e causes of sicknes and in the second parte the remedy help for the same The cause of sicknes as it appeareth by this worde repente is that men haue by their owne folly turned them selues from the truth of God to the erroure and fonde opinion of man from true faythe too vncertaine fables from verteous godlye workes to vncleanlynes and corruption of lyfe Christe therfore seyng the worlde howe it is in daunger by reason it hath forsaken the wisedome rule of goodes word calleth it home agayne too a better way byddynge it repente As though he had sayed tourne too a better mynde and leaue the wayes accustomed and learne to be wyse and walke in the wayes and wysedome appoyncted by God Here appeareth alsoo that the causes of all the daungers that Christe wylled hys audyence too repente for was their synne and iniquytye The cause of synne was infydelytye and accustomed doing of euill The cause of infidelitie and accustomed doing of yuel was ignoraūcie or misunderstandynge of goodes woorde The cause of ignoraunce or mysunderstandinge of goddes word was Sathan goddes and mannes enemie and mans willing consent to the diuelish sophistry and false construinge of goddes woorde And from these causes springeth all deseases and sicknes death and euerlasting dampnatiō from the which Christ was sent of gods inestimable loue towardes vs to redeme saue vs. Notw tstanding these effectes of pestilence sicknes death and euerlasting dampnation can not be remoued except firste the causes of them be eschued wherfore learne ye and teach other to knowe the causes aboue mencioned and also how they maye be remoued For as long as they worke their propre nature in manne so longe wyll they bringe foorthe their naturall effectes sickenes troubles deathe and dampnacyon The originall cause of all yuell was Sathan and the vngodlye consent of oure forefather Adam in Paradise in crediting more the deuils sophistrie and glose then the plaine and manifest word of god And the remedye of thys cause is god that of loue agaynste Sathans hatred promised in the seade of a woman healpe agayne for man And that euerye man y e beleueth the deuil in euill must repent and beleue god his word in good Ignorancie and mistakyng of goddes word is the second cause of euil The remedie wherof is knowledge and right vnderstanding of goddes word Infidelitie accustomed doing of euill be the third cause of euil True faith and accustomed doyng of good remedyeth them Sinne and iniquitie be the causes of sicknes death and dampnaciō vertue godlines healeth remoueth that they shal not bringe man to euerlasting death although sin and sicknes be not cleane taken frō man yet doth god in Christ take away the dampnation of sin suffereth death to destroye by sickenes none other thing then the body of y e sinner so that he vse this remedy repent and beleue y e gospell and shal at length call y e body dead by death out of thearth And place it alyue with the soule in heauen But now to vse this helpe and remedie agaynst the pestilence which Christ calleth repente and beleue the gospell The sicke man muste remembre what the first word repente meaneth and how he maye come by it Repentaunce that God requireth is the retourne of the synner from synne intoo a newe lyfe in Christe Whiche retourne is an innouacyon and renouacyon of the mynde of manne by Goddes spiryte in Christe wyth denyall of the former lyfe too begynne a newe and better lyfe And thys repentaunce spryngeth from the knowledge of sinne by the lawe of God From the knowledge of sinne commeth the hatred of synne from the hatred of synne proceadeth the leauynge and departure from synne From y e departure from synne commeth by faythe thorough Christes bloud remissiō of sinne From remission of synne commeth our acceptatyon into goddes fauoure from oure acceptatyon intoo Goddes fauour commeth the gyftes of the holye ghost to doo and worke by verteouse lyfe the wyll of God From the doyng in Christ the wyll of god commeth goddes defence and fauour y t taketh from vs all plages and pestylence From the delyueraunce of plages and pestylence cōmeth euerlastyng lief as Christe sayeth And as thys medicine called repent ye and beleue the gospell declareth There be also manye that be sycke and in greate daunger and perill by reason of synne and yet fele not the sore and grief therof Therefore they passe not whether they seke for any remedye or not And for lacke of takyng heede they fall daily to more wyckednes then other Wherefore it is euery ministers office of the churche diligently and especially in the tyme of pestylence and plages to call vpon the people for amendmente of lyfe And too shewe them truely diligently and plainly this medicine of repentaunce Whiche consisteth of these partes First in knowledge of sinne then in hatred of synne Thirdly in forsakyng of synne Fourthly in beleuyng y e forgeuenes of sinnes for Christes sake And fifthly to liue in verteous and godly lief to honor god and to shewe hys obedience to goddes lawe that by sinne is transgressed And these partes of penaunce whyche be the very true and onely medicines against sickenes and sinne be knowen onely by goddes lawes For by the lawe of god sinne is knowen detested and forsaken if it be hearde or readen by men that pray vnto god thei may vnderstand it Fayth also that beleueth remission of sinne is shewed opened and offered by the gospell wherin be contained goddes merciful promises towardes sinners And those promises sinners receiue by faith that beleueth what so euer god hath promised in Christ he will perfourme it Fayth doth credite and receiue forgeuenes of sinnes by the operacion of goddes holye spiryte in the poore sinner The sinner studyeth and lyueth a verteous life being led by the holye goste and worketh to serue god wyth souche workes as goddes holy commaundement cōmaundeth euerye true christian man too worke and doo And for the better assuraunce and farther stablishyng of repentaunce and acceptation into the fauoure of god by beleuyng the gospell the poore sinner vseth and receiueth the holy sacrament of Christes precious body bloud in remembraunce that Christe died to be his medicine agaynst sinne and theffecte thereof Wherefore now that it pleaseth god for oure offences to shewe by plages and sicknes how he is offended Let vs all that be ministers of the church and y e watche men of the people cal vpon them diligently to repente and beleue the gospell and to liue a godly and verteous life that for Christes sake he will turne mercifully hys plages from vs and geue vs his most gracious fauour to preserue his vniuersall churche oure most godlye Soueraigne Lorde and Kynge King Edward the sixte his Maiesties most honorable Councell and the whole Realme So be it 18. May ▪ 1553. Imprinted at Worceter by Jhon Oswen Prynter appointed by the Kinges Maiestie for the principalitie of Wales and Marches of the same Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum Ezechi 14. Ezechi 18. Li i. de disse feb cap. 5. Li i. de tempe cap. 4. cap. 14 Psalm Math. 15. Apoca. 14. Rom. 14. Psal. 6.42 Sam. 24 Esay 37.38 2. Corin. 15 Plin. lib 2 ▪ cap. 96. Rom. 5. Psalm 42. Deut. 23. 2. Sam 24 Gene. 1. Li. 7. cap. 1. Rom. 13. 1. Io. 3. Deut. 28. Lib. 1. cap. 96. Deut. 28. Io. 10. Enod 5. Numer 14 1. Sam. ult Cap. 1. Galiende sempera Psal. 19.118 2. Timoth. 3. Math. 1.2 Luc. 2. Ion. 1. Cap. 3. Ioan. 1.3 Math. 3. Cap. 4. Ioan. 3 Ioan. 3. Marci 1. Ioan. 3. Gen. 3. Ioan. 1.3.5 Ioan. 1.3 Ioan. 16. Ioan. 3.3.6
maie be assured through true and godlye doctrine to dye in the Lorde and soo be eternallye blessed straighte waye after their deathe as Saincte Jhon sayeth And incase god reserue them to longer lyef they maye liue in trueth and vearitie vntoo him with detestation and hatred of sinne the originall cause of mannes miserye and wretchednes and wyth the loue of mercy and grace the originall and onely workers of mannes quyetnes and euerlasting saluatiō geuen vnto vs from god the father almightye thorough Jesus Christe his onely sonne our Lorde To whome wyth the holye ghost be all honour and praise worlde wythout eande So be it ¶ An homolie to be reade in the time of pestilence contayninge the true causes of the same And likewise a moste present remedye for as many as be alreadye or hereafter shalbe infected wyth that dysease Gathered out of the holy scripture by John Hoper Busshoppe of Worcester and Gloucester ANNO DOMINI 1553. Marci i. Repente and beleue the gospell IT is the desire of all sicke men to knowe what medicine and remedye hath beene knowen moste to preuayle best too remoue and soonest to cure make whole the person dyseased And the greater and more daungerouse the syckenes is the more circumspect and wise the sicke man muste be in knowledge and choise of the medicine Lest happely he seeke a remedy inferior and to weake for the greatnes strength of his disease The nature cōdicion therfore of pestilence being so daūgerous as it is in dede y t who so euer be infected or attemted therw t al hath nede to be well instructed and thorughly perswaded of a sufficient remedye stronger then the sickenes it selfe Or els the dysease shall more hurte the sicke pacyente then the medicine can do him good Thē must nedes followe the deathe and y e destruction of the diseased person It behoueth therefore all men that be mortall to knowe the most generall and most daūgerous dyseases that mortalitie shalbe troubled withall And then as he seeth his greate and necessary aduersaries and syckenes to knowe also the greatest and most necessary remedy and helpe against his diseases And because sinne hath soo preuayled in vs that trueth perswaded vnto vs by thexamples of others sooner instructeth and longer tarieth then any thinge taught vs by doctrine or testimonye I shall before I enter into the causes of the pestylence shewe the strength and nature of sickenes from thexamples of souche godly persons as in the worde of god are mencioned of for oure instruction Kinge Dauid emonges other dyseases fell intoo the pestilence The greatnes and daunger whereof passed all humane worldly healpes as it appeareth by hys lamentable crye and complaynte vnto the Lorde My soule saieth he is sore troubled But how long Lord wilt thou differre thy help And the same crie and complainte he made vnto the Lorde when the plage of pestilence had infected his whole Realme from Dan too Berzabe And sawe the remedye therof to be onlie in god Praying him to commaund his Aingel to stryke the people no more Ezechias the kinge sawe that besides god al meatsonnes and remedies were to weak and inferior for y e strength and power of the pestilence sickenes ▪ wherfore he turned him selfe to y e wall and praied god to do that for him that no phisicke nor medicine washable to do And sainct Paule in hys wonderfull oratyon that he maketh concernyng the resurrectyon of the dead waigheth moste deapely the nature condicion of mannes myserable estate in thys lief Bourdeinnyng hym wyth suche strong aduersaries sicknes and deseases both of body and soule that euery man may see how impossible it is for mā to fynde deliueraunce from the tirannie and strengthe of syckenes excepte onely the mercy of god in Christe Jesu Nomberyng there sixe and aduersaries so stronge as the least of them except Christ helpe is hable to destroy both bodie and soule The first is corruptiō The second mortalitie The third sinne The fourth the lawe condempning sin The fifth death The sixte hell necessary and indiuisible plagues and sickenes of man in this lief Against the which he findeth no remedy neyther by Galien nor Hipocrates neyther yet by thearth of para y t men say cureth al woundes But with greate faith confydence marketh and weigheth the strength of deseases though they be neuer so stronge too be yet inferior too the medsone and remedy that god hath prouided for vs onlie in Christe Therefore compareth y e inferior strength of althose sicknes vnto y e sufficient remedy of god through Christ saying after this maner Thankes be vnto god which hath geuē vs victorye thorough oure Lorde Jesus Christ. Wherby it is euident and plaine that god is thonely remedy for al plages deseases How be it nowe I shal more speciallye open y e causes of the plage and the nature of the same y t our sicknes the causes therof may be more knowen and the better auoyded The principall cause of pestilence is opened by S. Paule by thies wordes By sinne saith he came death into y e world and for the cause of sinne god sendeth the plage of pestilence and all other diseases that punisheth towardes death Asking Dauid sayth Thou doest punishe the childerin of men for sinne Moises also plainly sheweth that the principall and chyef cause of pestilence is not in the corruption of the ayer nor in the superfluous humors within man But that sinne and y e transgression of goodes lawe is the very cause and chief occasion of pestilence of al other diseases And y e experience therof was tried in the pestylence that raigned in king Dauides time for his sinnes and the sinnes of the people So that al y e scripture of god manifestly declareth that the contempt and breache of goddes lawes is the chief and principall cause of pestylence and of all other plages that he sendeth for our punishment And from this cause procedeth those causes y t phisicions speake of the corruption of the aier whiche is neuer corrupted nor can corrupte man or beast excepte mā for whose sake and comfort both ayer and all other beastes were made be firste corrupted by sin and transgression of goddes lawes Neither could man take any surfeit by meates nor anye yuell humors coulde be engendered of any meates were not y e man that vseth them corrupte first infected with sinne But when the Lord doth see that the people forgeate or contempne his blessed commaundementes and that souche as be appointed to rebuke and punish suche transgressours of goddes lawes suffer without punyshment y e glory of god and his holy commaundementes to be oppressed and set at naught as we se daylie they be in deed From these causes our sinne and abhominacion the Lord taketh occasion to turne hys good creatures made for oure lief to be a meanes of oure deathe which neuer woulde be were
absence Wherfore seing there is no certen remedy deuised by man neyther for suche as can not flee nor for thē that may flee we must seeke another medicine and healpe at goddes hande who can and wil preserue those that be whole and make them whole that be sicke yf it be expedyent for man and moste for hys owne honor The best preseruatyue therfore too kepe men from the pestylence is this that Moses speaketh of Let vs do sacrifice vnto the Lorde least we be striken with pestilence or swearde And Josua and Caleb toulde the people that a faythfull trust in the Lord was the best remedy for them which if they contempned they shoulde fynde that God there threatened speakynge too Moses Howe long wil this people be vnfaythfull I wyll strike them with pestilence and consume thē Also Dauid knewe that thonely remedye to kepe Jerusalem from the plage was that god shoulde tourne hys wrath from the Citie for his sinnes and the sinnes of the people But now to bryng the remedy the better to the vnderstandynge of the people I will shewe it by thys place of Saincte Mark. Repent ye and beleue the gospell In y e whych wordes is contained thonelie medicine against the pestilence and also al other diseases if the text be wel and aduisedly considered wherein Christe vseth a very naturall ordre to heale all diseases For as the remedy naturallye of all deseases is taken from contrary condicions and qualities that worketh and maintaineth y e sickenes So doth Christ in these wordes declare that the preseruacion and healpe of sinne and wickednesse the cause of pestylence proceadeth from vertues and condicions contrary to the quallities and nature of souche thynges as preserue and kepe this wycked sinne sicknes in man As when a man is faullen into sickenes by reason of to mouche coulde and moysture the remedye muste bee gathered naturallye from the contrary heate and drouthe For thys is a commune and true principle contraries be holpen by their contraries If nature waxe too coulde it muste bee holpen wyth heate If it be to hotte it muste be cooled If it be to moyste it muste be dried If it be to drye it must be moysted If it be to coulde and moyst it must be heat and dryed If it be coulde and drie it must be heat and moisted If it be to hotte and moyste it muste be cooled and dryed If it bee hotte and drye it muste be cooled and moysted These be veary naturall remedyes if they bee well vsed wyth true proporcion and conuenyente vse after phisicke And as these bee good and naturall for the bodye wherein the pestilence dwelleth Euen so is Christes medicyne in the fyrste of Saint Mark a more present and certain remedye for the soule that keapeth the body in lief to remoue or to remedye the synne of man whyche is the cause of all plages and pestylence Incase too remoue synne the cause of syckenes thys medicyne of Christe bee vsed as thother is vsed too remoue theffecte of synne whyche is syckenes As the bodye that is fallen into syckenes by to muche colde or moysture eyther by nature that orygynallye was corrupted by Adam eyther by oure owne accustomed and doynge of synne it muste be made whole by the heate of repentaunce and trewe faythe in the merytes of Christe Jesus who dyed for the synnes of the worlde For thys is a trewe and moste certen principle of all relygyon one contrarye muste remedye thother seyng Adam by his fault beganne oure death by sinne it muste be cured by Christe that is wythoute sinne And where as our own workes be synne and fylthynes where with all god is dyspleased we must desire the workes of Christ to worke the good wil and fauour of our heauēly father again And where as by our own wittes wysedomes religion and lerning we haue cōmitted ydolatry supersticion we must now by goddes wisdome goddes word his most true religion amende our faultes and turne to true and godly honouring of him Farther where as our own inuencyons hath broughte vs from the knowledge of god the remedye is y e goddes worde must bring vs to him againe For against all vntruthes brought in by man the worde of god is thonelye remedie The experience therof we may haue plainly in the scripture where as for the saluacyon of the worlde god appoynted Christe hys onely sonne to be borne and also to be opened vntoo the worlde that by him it might be healed of all sickenes and sinne as it appereth by S. Mathew and other of the Euangelistes Yet was the world so blind and so corrupted with synne that Christe was borne and opened vnto them and they of the world nothing the better as it appereth in S. Mathew Where as S. Jhō y e Baptist in few wordes whych be these Repente ye for the kyngdome of god is at hande sheweth the remedy of all sinnes and syckenes and the meanes how to receyue and take the same remedy The remedy was onlye Christe as he sayeth in S. Jhon and also in S. Mathewe And the meanes to come by the remedy was to repent as ye shall know farther hereafter when ye knowe what repentaūce is The same may you also see in S. Jhon in the Dialoge betwene Christe and Nicodemus A man after the iudgement of the world that knew lief death sickenes health the cause of thone and also of thother as well as any learned man emonges al the congregatiō and churche of the Jewes yet in deed as ignoraunt of his own sicknes and also so farre from y e true knowledge how to come to health as an ignoraunt man might be And the cause was that he vnderstode not the nature of sin as it is estemed by the worde of god neither y e remedy thereof y t god hath prescribed and appoincted Wherefore Christe tolde him by playne wordes excepte he were holpen and cured of his desease and sicknes by contrarye remedyes he could neuer vnderstand nor come by his helth and no meruaile for he knew the sicknes of synne noo otherwise then hys forefathers and the worldly men knew sinne That is too saye knew suche sinnes as were knowen to reason and done by the body and outward action of men And the same knowledge had he and no more of the remedye againste the syckenes of synne And as his fathers and the world thoughte so dyd hee that the merites of their sacrifices and the well doing of thē selues was a sufficient remedye to heale them both in body in soule Where vpon Christ most mercifully pitieth y e poore man wyth contrarye knowledge both of sicknes and y e remedy therof sheweth that the desease man is infected wyth goeth farther then reason and the vtter action of the bodye and occupyeth y e soule of man with concupiscence rebellion frowardnes contumacie againste god Wherefore he calleth all y e man