that most odious and abominable vice Of the whiche ordinaunces and lawes so geuen by the Lorde to his people concerning that matter I wyll rehearse and alleage some that be moste speciall for this purpose that you by them may iudge of the rest In the fourth Chapter of the booke named Deuteronomie is a notable place and most worthy with all diligence to be marked whiche begynneth thus And nowe Israel heare the commaundementes and iudgements which I teach thee sayth the Lorde that thou doyng them mayest liue and enter possesse the lande which the Lorde God of your fathers wyll geue you Ye shall put nothyng to the worde whiche I speake to you neyther shall ye take anye thyng from it Kepe ye the commaundementes of the Lorde your God which I commaund you And by and by after he repeateth the same sentence three or foure tymes before he come to the matter that he woulde specially warne them of as it were for a preface to make them to take the better heede vnto it Take heede to thy selfe sayth he and to thy soule with all carefulnes lest thou forgettest the thynges whiche thyne eyes haue seene and that they go not out of thy heart all the dayes of thy life thou shalt teach them to thy children and nephues or posteritie And shortly after The Lorde spake vnto you out of the middle of fire but you hearde the voyce or sounde of his wordes but you did see no fourme or shape at al. And by and by foloweth Take heede therefore diligently vnto your soules you sawe no maner of image in the day in the which the lord spake vnto you in Horeb out of the myddest of the fyre least peraduenture you beyng deceaued shoulde make to your selues any grauen image or lykenesse of man or woman or the lykenesse of any beaste whiche is vppon the earth or of the birdes that flee vnder heauen or of any creeping thing that is moued on the earth or of the fishes that do continue in the waters leste paraduenture thou lyftyng vp thyne eyes to heauen do see the sunne and the moone and the starres of heauen and so thou being deceaued by errour shouldest honour and worshyp them whiche the Lord thy God hath created to serue all nations that be vnder heauen And agayne Beware that thou forget not the couenaunt of the Lorde thy God whiche he made with thee and so make to thy selfe any carued image of them whiche the Lorde hath forbidden to be made for the Lorde thy God is a consumyng fyre and a ielous god If thou haue chyldren and nephues and do tary in the lande and beyng deceaued do make to your selues any similitude doyng euyll before the Lord your GOD and prouoke hym to anger I do this day call vppon heauen and earth to wytnesse that ye shall quicklye peryshe out of the lande whiche you shall possesse you shall not dwell in it anye long tyme but the Lorde wyll destroye you and wyll scatter you amongst all nations and ye shall remayne but a verye fewe amongst the nations whyther the Lorde wyll leade you away and then shall you serue gods whiche are made with mans handes of wood and stone whiche see not and heare not neyther eate nor smell and so foorth This is a notable Chapter and entreateth almoste altogether of this matter But because it is to lōg to write out the whole I haue noted you certayne principall poyntes out of it First howe earnestly and ofte he calleth vpon them to marke to take heede that vpon the perill of their soules to the charge which he geueth them Then howe he forbyddeth by a solemne long rehearsal of all thinges in heauen in earth and in the water any image or lykenes of any thyng at all to be made Thirdly what penaltie and horrible destruction he solemly with inuocation of heauen earth for recorde denounceth and threatneth to them their children and posteritie if they contrary to this commaundement do make or worshyppe anye images or similitude which he so straightly hath forbidden And whē they this notwithstanding partlye by inclination of mans corrupte nature moste prone to idolatrie and partly occasioned by the Gentiles and Heathen people dwellyng about them who were idolaters dyd fall to the makyng and worshyppyng of Images GOD accordyng to his worde brought vppon them all those plagues whiche he threatned them with as appeareth in the bookes of the kinges and the Chronacles in sundrye places at large And agreeable hereunto are many other notable places in the olde Testament Deuteronomie xxvii Cursed be he that maketh a carued image or a cast or moulten image whiche is abomination before the Lorde the worke of the artificers hand and setteth it vp in a secret corner and all the people shall say Amen Reade the xiii and. xiiii Chapters of the booke of wysedome concernyng idols or images howe they be made set vp called vppon and offered vnto and how he prayseth the tree whereof the gybbet is made as happye in comparison to the tree that an image or idoll is made of euen by these very wordes Happie is the tree wherethrough ryghteousnesse commeth meaning the gybbet but cursed is the idoll that is made with handes yea both it and he that made it and so foorth And by and by he sheweth how that the thynges whiche were the good creatures of God before as trees or stones when they be once altered and fashioned into images to be worshypped become abhomination a temptation vnto the soules of men and a snare for the feete of the vnwyse And why the seekyng out of images is the begynnyng of whoredome sayth he and the bryngyng vp of them is the destruction of lyfe for they were not from the begynnyng neyther shall they contynue for euer The welthy idlenesse of men hath founde them out vppon earth therefore shall they come shortlye to an ende and so foorth to the ende of the Chapter conteynyng these poyntes Howe idols or images were fyrste inuented and offered vnto how by an vngratious custome they were establyshed how tyrauntes compell men to worshyppe them how the ignoraunt and the common people are deceaued by the cunnyng of the workeman and the beawty of the image to do honour vnto it and so to erre from the knowledge of God and of other great and many mischefes that come by images And for a conclusion he sayth that the honouring of abhominable images is the cause the begynnyng and ende of all euyll and that the worshippers of them be either mad or most wycked See and view the whole Chapter with diligence for it is worthy to be well consydered speciallie that is wrytten of the deceauing of the simple and vnwyse common people by idols and images and repeated twyse or thrise least it shoulde be forgotten And in the Chapter folowyng be these wordes The paynting of the picture and carued image with dyuers colours enticeth the ignoraunt so that he
in stone tymber mettall and other lyke matter and were not onlye set vp but began to be worshypped also And therefore Serenus Byshoppe of Massile the heade towne of Gallia Narbonensis nowe called the Prouince a godly and learned man who was about sixe hundreth yeres after our sauiour Christe seeyng the people by occasion of images fal to most abominable idolatrie brake to peeces all the images of Christe and saintes whiche were in that citie and was therfore complayned vpon to Gregorie the first of that name Byshop of Rome who was the first learned Byshop that dyd alowe the open hauyng of images in Churches that can be knowen by any wrytyng or historie of antiquitie And vpon this Gregorie do all image worshyppers at this day ground theyr defence But as all thinges that be amysse haue from a tollerable beginning growen worse and worse tyll they at the last became vntollerable So dyd this matter of images Firste men vsed priuately stories paynted in tables clothes and walles Afterwardes grosse and embossed images priuately in theyr owne houses Then afterwardes pictures first and after them embossed images began to creepe into Churches learned and godly men euer speaking agaynst them Then by vse it was openly mayneteyned that they might be in Churches but yet forbidden that they shoulde be worshypped Of which opinion was Gregorie as by the sayde Gregories Epistle to the forenamed Serenus Bishop of Massile playnely appeareth Whiche Epistle is to be founde in the booke of the Epistles of Gregorye or Register in the tenth part of the fourth Epistle where he hath these wordes That thou diddest forbid images to be worshipped we praise altogether but that thou diddest breake them we blame For it is one thyng to worshyp the pycture and another thyng by the pycture of the storie to learne what is to be worshypped For that whiche scripture is to them that reade the same doth picture perfourme vnto idiottes or the vnlearned beholdyng and so foorth And after a fewe wordes therefore it shoulde not haue ben broken whiche was set vp not to be worshipped in Churches but onlye to instruct the mindes of the ignoraunt And a lytle after thus thou shouldest haue sayde If you wyll haue images in the Churche for that instruction wherefore they were made in olde tyme I do permit that they may be made and that you may haue them And shewe them that not the syght of the storie whiche is opened by the picture but that worshyppyng whiche was inconueniently geuen to the pictures did mistike you And if any woulde make images not to forbid them but auoide by all meanes to worship any image By these sentences taken here and there out of Gregories Epistle to Serenus for it were to long to rehearse the whole ye may vnderstand wherunto the matter was now come vi hundreth yeres after Christe that the hauyng of images or pyctures in the Churches were then maynteyned in the west part of the worlde for they were not so frowarde yet in the easte Churche but the worshyppyng of them was vtterlye forbidden And you may withall note that seeyng there is no grounde for worshyppyng of images in Gregories wrytyng but a playne condemnation thereof that suche as do worshyp images do vniustly alleage Gregorie for them And further if images in the Churche do not teachemen accordyng to Gregories mynde but rather blynde them it foloweth that images shoulde not be in the Churche by his sentence who onely woulde they shoulde be placed there to the ende that they might teache the ignoraunt Wherefore if it be declared that images haue ben and be worshypped and also that they teache nothyng but errours and lyes which shall by Gods grace hereafter be done I truste that then by Gregories owne determination al images and image worshippers shal be ouerthrowen But in the meane season Gregories aucthoritie was so great in all the west Churche that by his incouragement men set vp images in all places but their iudgement was not so good to consider why he would haue them set vp but they fell all on heapes to manifest idolatrie by worshyppyng of them which Bishop Serenus not without iust cause feared woulde come to passe Now if Serenus his iudgemēt thinking it meete that images whervnto idolatrie was committed should be destroied had taken place idolatrie had ben ouerthrowen For to that which is not no man committeth idolatrie But of Gregories opinion thynkyng that images might be suffered in churches so it were taught that they should not be worshipped what ruine of religion and what myschiefe insued afterwarde to all Christendome experience hath to our great hurt and sorowe proued First by the scisme rysing betwene the East and the West Churche about the sayde images Nexte by the diuision of the Empire into twoo partes by the same occasion of images to the great weakening of all Christendome whereby last of all hath followed the vtter ouerthrowe of the christian religion and noble empire in Grece and all the east partes of the worlde and the encrease of Mahomets false religion and the cruel dominion tyrannie of the Sarasens Turks who do nowe hange ouer our neckes also that dwell in the west partes of the worlde readye at all occasions to ouerrunne vs And all thys do we owe vnto our idols and images and our idolatrie in worshipping of them But nowe geue you eare a little to the processe of the historie wherin I do much follow the histories of Paulus Diaconus others ioyned with Eutropius an olde writer For though some of the aucthours were fauourers of images yet doe they most playnely and at large prosecute the histories of those times whom Baptist Platina also in his historie of Popes as in the lyues of Constantine and Gregorie the seconde byshoppes of Rome and other places where he intreateth of this matter doth chieflye followe After Gregories time Constantine bishop of Rome assembled a councell of bishoppes in the west Churche and did condempne Philippicus then emperour and John bishop of Constantinople of the heresie of the Monothelites not without a cause in deede but very iustly When he had so done by the consent of the learned about him the sayd Constantine Bishop of Rome caused the images of the auncient fathers which had ben at those sixe councels which were alowed and receaued of all men to be paynted in the entrie of saint Peters Church at Rome When the Grekes had knowledge hereof they began to dispute and reason the matter of images with the Latines and held this opinion that images could haue no place in Christes Churche and the Latines helde the contrarie toke part with the images So the east west Churches which agreed euil before vpon this contention about images fell to vtter enmitie which was neuer well reconciled yet But in the meane season Philippicus and Arthemius or Anastasius Emperours commaunded images and pictures to be pulled downe rased out in euery place of their
muâ—â— be careful to keepe the christian sabbath day which is the sunday not onely for that it is Gods expresse commaundement but also to declare our selues to be louing children in folowing the example of our gratious Lorde and father Thus it may playnely appeare that Gods will and commaundement was to haue a solemne time and standing day in the weke wherin the people shoulde come together and haue in remembraunce his wonderfull benefites and to render him thankes for them as apparteyneth to louing kynd obedient people This example and commaundement of God the godly Christian people began to follow immediately after the ascention of our Lorde Christ and began to chose them a standing daye of the weeke to come together in Yet not the seuenth day which the Jewes kept but the Lordes day the day of the Lordes resurrectioÌ„ the day after the seuenth day which is the first of the weeke Of the which day mention is made of saint Paule on this wyse In the first day of the sabbath let euery man lay vp what he thynketh good meaning for the poore By the first day of the sabbath is meant our Sundaye whiche is the first daye after the Jewes seuenth day And in the Apocalips it is more plaine wher as saint John sayth I was in the spirite vpon the sunday Sithens whiche time Gods people hath alwayes in all ages without any gaynsaying vsed to come together vpon the Sunday to celebrate and honour the Lordes blessed name carefully to kepe that day in holy rest quyetnes both man woman chylde seruaunt and stranger For the trangression and breache of whiche day God hath declared him selfe much to be greued as it may appeare by him who for gathering of sticks on the sabbath day was stoned to death But alas all these notwithstanding it is lamentable to see the wicked boldenes of those that will be counted gods people who passe nothing at al of keeping and halowing the sundaye And these people are of two sortes The one sort if they haue any businesse to do though there be no extreme neede they must not spare for the sunday they must ryde and iourney on the sunday they must dryue carry on the sunday they must row and ferry on the sunday they must buye and sell on the sunday they muste keepe markets and fayres on the sundaye Finallye they vse all dayes alike workdaies and holy daies al are one The other sort is worse For although they wil not trauell nor labour on the sunday as they do on the weke day yet they wil not rest in holines as God commaundeth but they rest in vngodlines filthines prauncing in their pryde prancking and pricking pointing and painting them selues to be gorgeous and gay they rest in exces superfluitie in glutteny and drunkennesse lyke rattes and swyne they rest in brawling and rayling in quarreling and fyghting they reste in wantonnes in toyishe talkyng in filthy fleshlinesse so that it doth to euidentlye appeare that God is more dishonored and the deuill better serued on the sunday then vpon all the dayes in the weeke besyde And I assure you the beastes whiche are commaunded to rest on the sunday honour God better then this kynde of people For they offende not God they breake not their holyday Wherefore O ye people of God lay your handes vpon your heartes repent amend this greeuous and daungerous wickednesse stand in awe of the commaundement of God gladlye folowe the example of God him selfe be not disobedient to the godly order of Christes Churche vsed and kept from the apostles tyme vntill this day Feare the displeasure and iust plagues of almighty God if ye be negligent and forbeare not labouring and trauayling on the sabbath day or sunday and do not resort together to celebrate magnifie Gods blessed name in quiet holinesse and godly reuerence Nowe concerning the place where the people of God ought to resort together and where especially they ought to celebrate and sanctifie the sabbath day that is the sunday the day of holye rest That place is called Goddes Tentple or the churche because the company congregation of Gods people which is properly called the church doth there assemble them selues on the dayes appointed for such assemblies meetinges And sorasmuch as almightie God hath appointed a speciall time to be honored in it is very meete godly and also necessary that there should be a place appoynted where these people should meete and resort to serue their gracious God and mercifull father Trueth it is the holy Patriarches for a great number of yeres had neyther temple nor churche to resort vnto The cause was they were not stayed in any place but were in a continuall perigrination and wandering that they could not conueniently buyld any churche But so soone as God had delyuered his people from their enemies and set them in some libertie in the wildernes he set them vp a costly a curious tabernacle whiche was as it were the paryshe church a place to resort vnto of the whole multitude a place to haue his sacrifices made in and other obseruaunces and rites to be vsed in Furthermore after that God according to the trueth of his promise had placed and quyetlye setled his people in the land of Chanaan now called Jury he commaunded a great and a magnificent temple to be buylded by kyng Salomon as seldome the lyke hath ben seene a temple so decked and adourned so gorgeously garnished as was meete and expedient for people of that tyme whiche would be allured stirred with nothing so much as with suche out warde goodlye gaye thinges This was nowe the temple of God indued also with many gyttes sundry promyses This was the paryshe churche and the mother Churche of all Jury Here was God honoured and serued Hyther was the whole realme of all the Israelites bounde to come at three solempne feastes in the yere to serue their Lord God here But let vs proceede further In the tyme of Christe and his Apostles there was yet no temples nor Churches for Christian men For whye they were alwayes for the moste part in persecution veration and trouble so that there coulde be no libertie nor lycence obteyned for that purpose Yet God delyghted much that they shoulde often resort togyther in a place and therefore after his ascention they remayned togyther in an vpper chamber sometyme they entred into the Temple sometyme into the synagoges sometyme they were in pryson sometymes in theyr houses sometymes in the feeldes c. And this continued so long till the fayth of Chryste Jesus began to multiplye in a great parte of the worlde Nowe when dyuers Realmes were establyshed in gods true religion and God hath geuen them peace and quyetnes then began kynges noble men and the people also stirred vp with a godly zeale and feruentnesse to buylde vp temples and Churches whyther the people might resort the better to do their dutie
turne agayne vnfaignedly vnto god The inconueniences and mischeefes that come of idlenes aswel to mans body as to his soule are more then can in short time be well rehearsed Some we shall declare and open vnto you that by consyderyng them ye may the better with your selues gather the rest An idle hande sayth Salomon maketh poore but a quicke labouring hand maketh rich Agayne he that tillleth his lande shall haue plenteousnesse of bread but he that floweth in idlenesse is a very foole and shall haue pouertie enough Agayne a slouthfull body wyl not go to plowe for colde of the winter therefore shal he go a beggyng in sommer and haue nothyng But what shall we nede to stand much about the prouing of this that pouertie foloweth idlenesse We haue to much experience therof the thing is the more to be lamented in this Realme For a great part of the beggery that is amōg the poore can be imputed to nothyng so muche as to idlenesse and to the negligence of parents which do not bryng vp their chyldren eyther in good learnyng honest labour or some commendable occupation or trade wherby when they come to age they myght get their liuing Dayly experience also teacheth that nothyng is more enemie or pernicious to the health of mans bodye then is idlenesse to much ease and sleepe and want of exercise But these and suche lyke incommodities albeit they be great noysome yet because they concerne chiefely the body and externall goodes they are not to be compared with the mischeefes inconueniences which through idlenesse happen to the soule whereof we wyll recite some Idlenes is neuer alone but hath alwaies a long tayle of other vices hanging on whiche corrupt and infect the whole man after such sort that he is made at length nothyng els but a lumpe of sinne Idlenesse sayth Jesus Syrach bringeth much euill and mischeefe Saint Barnarde calleth it the mother of al euyls and stepdame of all vertues addyng moreouer that it doth prepare and as it were treade the way to hell fyre Where idlenesse is once receaued there the deuill is alwaies redy to set in his foote and to plant al kind of wickednesse and sinne to the euerlasting destruction of mans soule Whiche thing to be most true we are plainely taught in the. xiii of Matthewe where it is sayde That the enemie came while men were a sleepe sowed naughtie tares among the good wheate In verye deede the best tyme that the deuyll can haue to worke his feate is when men be a sleepe that is to say idle Then is he moste busie in his worke then doth he soonest catch men in the snare of perdition then doth he fill them with all iniquitie to bryng them without Gods speciall fauour vnto vtter destruction Hereof we haue two notable examples most liuely set before our eyes The one in kyng Dauid who tarying at home idelly as the scripture sayth at suche tymes as other kynges go foorth to battaile was quicklye seduced of Satan to forsake the Lord his God and to commit two greeuous abominable sinnes in his sight adultrie and murther The plagues that ensued these offences were horrible and greeuous as it may easyly appeare to them that wyl reade the story Another example of Sampson who so long as be warred with the Philistines enemies to the people of God could neuer be taken or ouercome But after that he gaue him selfe to ease and idlenesse he not onlye committed fornication with the strumpet Dalila but also was taken of his enemies and had his eyes miserablie put out was put in prison and compelled to grinde in a myl and at length was made the laughing stock of his enemies If these two who were so excellēt men so welbeloued of God so endued with singuler and deuine giftes the one namelye of prophesie and the other of strength and such men as neuer coulde by vexation labour or trouble be ouercome were ouerthrowen and fell into greeuous sinnes by geuing them selues for a short time to ease and idlenesse and so consequently incurred miserable plagues at the handes of God What sinne what mischeefe what inconuenience and plague is not to be feared of them whiche all theyr lyfe long geue them selues wholye to idlenesse and ease Let vs not deceaue our selues thynkyng litle hurte to come of doyng nothyng For it is a true saying When one doth nothing he learneth to do euyll Let vs therefore alwayes be doyng of some honest worke that the deuill maye finde vs occupied He hym selfe is euer occupied neuer idle but walketh continually seekyng to deuoure vs Let vs resist hym with our diligent watching in labour and in well doyng For he that diligently exerciseth hym selfe in honest businesse is not easily catched in the deuils snare When man through idlenesse or for default of some honest occupation or trade to liue vpon is brought to pouertie and want of thinges necessarie we see howe easyly suche a man is induced for his gaine to lye to practise howe he maye deceaue his neyghbour to foresweare him selfe to beare false witnesse and oftentimes to steale and murther or to vse some other vngodly meane to liue withall Whereby not onlye his good name honest reputation and a good conscience yea his life is vtterly loste but also the great displeasure and wrath of God with diuers and sundry greuous plagues are procured Lo here the ende of the idle and sluggishe bodyes whose handes can not away with honest labour losse of name fame reputation life here in this worlde and without the great mercie of god the purchasyng of euerlasting destruction in the worlde to come Haue not al men then good cause to beware and take heede of idlenesse seeyng they that embrace and folowe it haue commonly of their pleasant idlenesse sharpe and sowre displeasures Doubtlesse good and godly men waying the great and manifold harme that come by idlenesse to a common weale haue from tyme to tyme prouided with all diligence that sharpe and seuere lawes myght be made for the correction and amendement of this euill The Egyptians had a lawe that euery man should weekely bryng his name to the chiefe rulers of the prouince there withall declare what trade of life he occupied to thintent that idlenesse myght be worthyly punished and diligent labour duely rewarded The Athenians dyd chastice sluggishe and slouthful people no lesse then they dyd heynous greeuous offenders consydering as the trueth is that idlenesse causeth much mischeefe The Arreopagites called euery man to a strayght accompt howe he lyued And yf they founde anye loyterers that dyd not profite the common weale by one meanes or other they were driuen out and banished as vnprofitable members that dyd onlye hurt and corrupt the body And in this Realme of Englande good and godlye lawes haue ben diuers times made that no idle vagaboundes and loytring runnagates should be suffered to go from towne
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
of the Gospell But these pictures or images came not yet into Churches nor were not worshypped of a long tyme after And least you shoulde thynke that I do say this of myne owne head onlye without aucthoritie I alleage for me Eusebius Byshop of Cesarea and the moste auncient aucthour of the ecclesiasticall historie who lyued about the 330. yere of our Lord in Constantinus magnus dayes and his sonne Constantius Emperours in the seuenth booke of his historie ecclesiasticall the xiiii Chapter and saint Jerome vppon the x. Chapter of the prophete Jeremie who both expresly say that the errours of images for so saint Jerome calleth it hath come in and passed to the Christians from the Gentyles by an Heathenyshe vse and custome The cause and meanes Eusebius she weth saying It is no maruell if they whiche beyng Gentiles before and did beleue semed to offer this as a gyft vnto our sauiour for the benefites whiche they had receaued of him Yea and we do see no we that images of Peter and Paul and of our sauiour hym selfe be made and tables to be paynted whiche me thynke to haue ben obserued and kept indifferently by an Heathenishe custome For the Heathen are wont so to honour them whom they iudged honour worthy for that some tokens of old men should be kept For the remembraunce of posteritie is a token of theyr honour that were before and the loue of those that come after Thus farre I haue rehearsed Eusebius wordes Where note ye that both saint Jerome and he agreeth herein that these images came in amongst Christian men by suche as were Gentyles and accustomed to idols and beyng conuerted to the fayth of Christe retayned yet some remnauntes of gentilitie not throughlye purgeth For saint Jerome calleth it an errour manifestlye And the lyke example we see in the Actes of the Apostles of the Jewes who when they were conuerted to Christe woulde haue brought in theyr circumcision whereunto they were so long accustomed with them into Christes religion With whom the Apostles namelye saint Paul had muche ado for the staying of that matter But of circumcision was lesse maruell for that it came first in by Gods ordinaunce and commaundement A man may most iustly wonder of images so directly agaynst gods holy worde and straight commaundement how they should enter in But images were not yet worshypped in Eusebius tyme nor publiquely set vp in Churches and temples and they who priuatly had them dyd erre of a certayne zeale and not by malice but afterwardes they crepte out of priuate houses into Churches and so bread first superstition and last of all idolatrie amongst Christians as hereafter shall appeare In the tyme of Theodosius and Martian Emperours who raigned about the yere of our Lorde 460. and. 1100. yeres ago when the people of the citie of Nola once a yere dyd celebrate the byrth day of saint Felix in the temple and vsed to banquet there sumptuouslye Pontius Paulinus Byshop of Nola caused the walles of the temple to be paynted with stories taken out of the olde Testament that the people beholdyng and consyderyng those pictures might the better abstayne from to muche surfetting and ryot And about the same time Aurelius Prudentius a very learned Christian poet declareth howe he dyd see paynted in a Church the historie of the passion of saint Cassian a scoolemaister and martyr whom his owne scollers at the commaūdement of the tyraunt tormented with the pryckyng or stabbing in of theyr poyntelles or brasen pennes into his body and so by a thousand wounds and mo as sayth Prudentius most cruelly slew him And these were the first payntings in Churches that were notable of antiquitie And so by this example came in painting and afterwarde images of tymber and stone and other matter into the Churches of Christians Nowe and ye wyll consyder this beginning men are not so redye to worshyppe a picture on a wal or in a wyndowe as an embossed and gylte image set with pearle and stone And a processe of a storie painted with the gestures and actions of many persons and commonly the summe of the storie written withall hath another vse in it then one dumbe idoll or image standing by it selfe But from learning by paynted stories it came by lytle and litle to idolatrie Whiche when godly men aswell Emperours and learned Byshoppes as others perceaued they commaunded that suche pyctures images or idols shoulde be vsed no more And I wyll for a declaration therof begin with the decree of the auncient Christian Emperours Valens and Theodosius the seconde who raigned about foure hundreth yeres after our sauiour Christes ascention who forbad that anye images shoulde be made or paynted priuatelye For certayne it is that there was none in temples publiquely in theyr tyme These Emperours dyd write vnto the capitayne of the armie attendyng on the Emperours after this sorte Valens and Theodosius Emperours vnto the captayne of the armie Whereas we haue a diligent care to maynteyne the religion of GOD aboue in all thynges We wyll graunt to no man to set foorth graue carue or paynt the image of our sauiour Christe in colours stone or any other matter but in what place soeuer it shal be founde we commaunde that it be taken away and that all suche as shall attempte any thyng contrary to our decrees or commaundement herein shal be moste sharpely punished This decree is written in the bookes named Libri Augustales the Emperial bokes gathered by Tribunianus Basilides Theophilus Dioscorus Satira men of great aucthoritie and learnyng at the cōmaundement of the Emperour Iustiniane and is alleaged by Petrus Erinilus a notable learned man in the. ix booke and. ix Chapter of his worke entituled De honesta disciplina that is to say of honest learnyng Heare you see what Christian princes of most auncient times decreed agaynst images whiche then began to creepe in amongst the Christians For it is certayne that by the space of three hundreth yeres and more after the death of our sauiour Christe and before these godlye Emperours raigne there were no images publiquely in Churches or temples Howe woulde the idolaters glory if they had so muche antiquitie and aucthoritie for them as is here agaynst them Nowe shortlye after these dayes the Gothes Uandales Hunnes and other barberous and wicked nations burst into Italie and all partes of the westcountreyes of Europe with huge and mightie armies spoyled all places destroyed Cities and burned Libraries so that learning and true religion went to wracke and decayed incrediblye And so the Byshops of those latter dayes beyng of lesse learnyng and in the myddest of warres takyng lesse heede also then did the Byshops afore by ignoraunce of Gods worde and negligence of Byshops and specially barbarous princes not ryghtly instructed in true religion bearyng the rule images came into the Church of Christe in the sayde west partes where these barbarous people ruled not nowe in paynted clothes only but embossed
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
and iudgement of the worlde If some man wyll say I woulde haue a true paterne and a perfect discription of an vpryght lyfe approued in the sight of God can we fynde thinke ye any better or any suche agayne as Christe Jesus is and his doctrine whose vertuous conuersation and godly lyfe the scripture so liuely painteth and setteth foorth before our eyes that we beholding that paterne myght shape and frame our lyues as nigh as may be agreeable to the perfection of the same Folow you me sayth S. Paul as I folowe Christe And saint John in his Epistle sayth Who so abydeth in Christe must walke euen so as he walked before hym And where shall we learne the order of Christes lyfe but in the scripture Another woulde haue a medicine to heale all diseases and maladies of the minde Can this be found or gotten other where then out of Gods owne booke his sacred scriptures Christe taught so muche when he sayde to the obstinate Jewes Search the scriptures for in them ye thynke to haue eternall lyfe If the scriptures conteyne in them euerlastyng lyfe it must nedes folow that they haue also present remedie agaynst all that is an hinderaunce and let vnto eternall lyfe If we desire the knowledge of heauenly wysedome why had we rather learne the same of man then of God hym selfe who as saint James sayth is the geuer of wysedome Yea why wyl we not learne it at Christes owne mouth who promising to be present with his Churche tyll the worldes ende doth perfourme his promise in that he is not only with vs by his grace and tender pitie but also in this that he speaketh presently vnto vs in the holy scriptures to the great and endlesse comfort of all them that haue any feelyng of God at all in them Yea he speaketh nowe in the scriptures more profitably to vs then he dyd by worde of mouth to the carnall Jewes when he liued with them here vpon earth For they I meane the Jewes coulde neyther heare nor see those thynges whiche we may nowe both heare and see if we wyll bryng with vs those eares and eyes that Christe is hearde and seene with that is diligence to heare and reade his holy scriptures and true fayth to beleue his most comfortable promises If one could shewe but the printe of Christes foote a great number I thynke would fal downe and worship it But to the holy scriptures where we may see daily yf we wyll I wyll not say the print of his feete onlye but the whole shape and liuely image of hym alas we geue litle reuerence or none at all If any coulde let vs see Christes coate a sorte of vs woulde make hard shift except we mought come nygh to gase vppon it yea and kysse it to And yet all the clothes that euer he dyd weare can nothyng so truely nor so liuely expresse hym vnto vs as do the scriptures Christes images made in wood stone or mettall some men for the loue they beare to Christe do garnishe and beautifie the same with pearle golde and pretious stone And shoulde we not good brethren muche rather imbrace and reuerence Gods holy bookes the sacred bible whiche do represent Christ vnto vs more truely then can any image The image can but expresse the fourme or shape of his body if it can do so muche But the scripture doth in such sort set foorth Christe that we may see both God and man we may see hym I say speakyng vnto vs healyng our infirmities diyng for our sinnes rysing from death for our iustification And to be short we may in the scriptures so perfectly see whole Christ with the eye of fayth as we lacking fayth coulde not with these bodily eyes see hym though he stoode now present here before vs Let euery man woman and chylde therefore with all their hearte thirst and desyre gods holy scriptures loue them embrace them haue their delight and pleasure in hearing and readyng them so as at length we may be transfourmed and chaunged into them For the holy scriptures are Gods treasure house wherein are found al thynges needefull for vs to see to heare to learne and to beleue necessarie for the attaynyng of eternall lyfe Thus muche is spoken onely to geue you a taste of some of the commodities whiche ye maye take by hearing reading the holy scriptures For as I said in the beginning no tongue is able to declare and vtter all And although it is more cleare then the noone day that to be ignorant of the scriptures is the cause of errour as Christe sayth to the Saducees Ye erre not knowing the scriptures and that errour doth holde backe plucke men away from the knowledge of god And as saint Hierome sayth Not to know the scriptures is to be ignoraunt of christ Yet this notwithstandyng some there be that thynke it not meete for all sortes of men to reade the scriptures because they are as they thynke in sundry places stumblyng blockes to the vnlearned Fyrst for that the phrase of the scriptures is somtyme so homlye grosse and playne that it offendeth the fine and delicate wittes of some courtiers Furthermore for that the scripture also reporteth euen of them that haue their commendation to be the children of God that they did diuers actes wherof some are contrary to the lawe of nature some repugnaunt to the law wrytten and other some seeme to fight manifestly agaynst publique honestie All whiche thynges say they are vnto the simple an occasion of great offence and cause many to thynke euyl of the Scriptures and to discredite their aucthoritie Some are offended at the hearyng and readyng of the diuersitie of the rites and ceremonies of the sacrifices and oblations of the lawe And some worldly witted men thynke it a great decay to the quiet and prudent gouerning of their common weales to geue eare to the simple and plaine rules and preceptes of our sauiour Christe in his Gospell as beyng offended that a man shoulde be redy to turne his right eare to hym that strake hym on the lefte and to hym whiche woulde take away his coate to offer hym also his cloke with suche other sayinges of perfection in Christes meanyng For carnal reason beyng alway an enemie to God and not perceauing the thynges of Gods spirite doth abhorre suche preceptes whiche yet rightly vnderstanded infringeth no iudiciall policies nor Christian mens gouernementes And some there be whiche hearyng the scriptures to bid vs to lyue without 〈◊〉 without studie or forecasting do deride tâ—e 〈…〉 ities of them Therefore to remoue and put away occasions of offence so muche as may be I wyll aunswere orderly to these obiections Firste I shall rehearse some of those places that men are offended at for the homelynes and grossenesse of speach and wil shewe the meanyng of them In the booke of Deuteronomie it is wrytten that almyghtie God made a lawe yf a man dyed without
he rose from death to lyfe in that he ascended into heauen and so foorth What other thing dyd he shew therein but only that he was perfect god coequal with the father as touching his deitie Therfore he sayth The father and I are all one which is to be vnderstood of his godhead For as touching his manhood he sayth The father is greater theÌ„ I am Where are nowe those Marcionites that denie Christ to haue ben borne in the fleshe or to haue ben perfect man Where are nowe those Arians whiche denye Christe to haue ben perfect God of equall substaunce with the father If there be any suche ye may easyly reproue them with these testimonies of Gods word and such other Wherevnto I am most sure they shall neuer be able to aunswere For the necessitie of our saluation dyd requyre such a mediatour sauiour as vnder one person should be a partaker of both natures It was requisite he shoulde be man it was also requisite he shoulde be god For as the transgression came by man so was it meete the satisfaction shoulde be made by man And because death accordyng to S. Paul is the iust stipende and rewarde of sinne therfore to appease the wrath of God and to satisfie his iustice it was expedient that our mediatour shoulde be suche a one as might take vpon him the sinnes of mankinde and sustayne the due punishment therof namely death Moreouer he came in fleshe and in the selfe same fleshe ascended into heauen to declare and testifie vnto vs that all faithfull people whiche stedfastly beleue in hym shall likewyse come vnto the same mansion place whereunto he beyng our chiefe captayne is gone before Last of all he became man that we thereby might receaue the greater comfort as well in our prayers as also in our aduersitie consydering with our selues that we haue a mediatour that is true man as we are who also is touched with our infirmities and was tempted eueÌ„ in like sort as we are For these and sundry other causes it was most nedefull he shoulde come as he dyd in the fleshe But because no creature in that he is onlye a creature hath or maye haue power to destroye death and geue lyfe to ouercome hell and purchase heauen to remit sinnes and geue ryghteousnesse therefore it was needefull that our MeÌ„ssias whose proper duetie and office that was shoulde be not onlye full and perfect man but also full and perfect GOD to the entent he myght more fully and perfectly make satisfaction for mankind God sayth This is my welbeloued sonne in whom I am wel pleased By which place we learne that Christ appeased and quenched the wrath of his father not in that he was only the sonne of man But muche more in that he was the sonne of God. Thus ye haue hearde declared out of the scriptures that Jesus Christe was the true Messias and sauiour of the world that he was by nature substaunce perfect God and perfect man and for what cause it was expedient he should be so Nowe that we may be the more mindefull and thankefull vnto God in this behalfe let vs briefly consyder and call to minde the manifolde and great benefites that we haue receaued by the Natiuitie and byrth of this our Messias and sauiour Before Christes comming into the worlde all men vniuersally in Adam were nothyng els but a wicked and crooked generation rotten and corrupt trees stony ground ful of brambles and bryers lost sheepe prodigall sonnes naughtie and vnprofitable seruauntes vnryghteous stewardes workers of iniquitie the broode of Adders blind guides sitting in darknesse and in the shadowe of death to be shorte nothyng els but chyldren of perdition and inheritours of hell fyre To this doth saint Paul beare witnesse in diuers places of his Epistles and Christe also him selfe in sundrye places of his Gospell But after he was once come downe froÌ„ heauen and had taken our frayle nature vppon hym he made all them that woulde receaue hym truely and beleue his word good trees good ground fruitefull and pleasaunt braunches chyldren of light citezins of heauen sheepe of his folde members of his body heyres of his kyngdome his true freendes and brethren sweete and liuely bread the elect and chosen people of god For as saint Peter sayth in his fyrst Epistle and seconde Chapter He bare our sinnes in his body vppon the crosse he healed vs made vs whole by his stripes and whereas before we were sheepe going astray he by his comming brought vs home agayne to the true shephearde and Byshop of our soules makyng vs a chosen generatioÌ„ a royall priesthood an holy nation a peculier people of GOD in that he dyed for our offences and rose agayne for our iustification Saint Paul to Timothie the thirde Chapter We were sayth he in tymes past vn wyse disobedient deceaued seruing diuers lustes and pleasures liuyng in hatred enuie maliciousnesse and so foorth But after the louing kindnesse of God our Sauiour appeared towardes mankynde not accordyng to the ryghteousnesse that we had done but accordyng to his great mercie he saued vs by the fountayne of the newe byrth and by the renewyng of the holy ghost whiche he powred vpon vs aboundauntly through Jesus Christe our sauiour that we beyng once iustified by his grace shoulde be heyres of eternaâ—l lyfe through hope and fayth in his blood In these and suche other places is set out before our eyes as it were in a glasse the aboundaunt grace of God receaued in Christ Jesu whiche is so muche the more wonderfull because it came not of any desert of ours but of his meere tender mercy euen then when we were his extreme enemies But for the better vnderstanding and consyderation of this thyng let vs beholde the ende of his comming so shall we perceaue what great commoditie and profite his Natiuitie hath brought vnto vs miserable and sinful creatures The ende of his comming was to saue and deliuer his people to fulfill the law for vs to beare witnesse vnto the trueth to teache and preache the wordes of his father to geue light vnto the world to cal sinners to repentaunce the refreshe them that labour and be heauy laden to cast out the prince of this worlde to reconcile vs in the body of his fleshe to desolue the workes of the deuill last of all to become a propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours onelye but also for the sinnes of the whole worlde These were the cheefe endes wherefore Christ became man not for any profit that should come to him selfe thereby but onely for our sakes that we might vnderstande the will of God be partakers of his heauenly lyght be delyuered out of the deuils clawes releassed from the burthen of sinne iustified through fayth in his blood and finally receaued vp into euerlasting glory there to raigne with him foreuer Was not this a great and singuler loue of Christ towardes mankynd that being
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
hath purified our heartes by fayth to the sincere acknowledging of his Gospel and imbracing of his mercies in Christe Jesu that so at this his table we receaue not only the outwarde Sacrament but the spirituall thing also not the figure but the trueth not the shadowe only but the bodye not to death but to lyfe not to destruction but to saluation which God graunt vs to do through the merites of our Lord and Sauiour to whom be all honour and glory for euer Amen The seconde part of the Homilee of the worthy receauing and reuerent esteeming of the sacrament of the body and blood of Christe IN the Homilee of late rehearsed vnto you ye haue hearde good people why it pleased our sauiour Christe to institute that heauenly memorie of his death and passion and that euery one of vs ought to celebrate the same at his table in our owne personnes and not by other You haue hearde also with what estimation knowledge of so hygh mysteries we ought to resort thyther You haue hearde with what constant fayth we shoulde clothe and decke our selues that we myght be fit and decent partakers of that celestiall foode Nowe foloweth the thirde thing necessarie in him that woulde not eate of this breade nor drinke of this cuppe vnworthyly which is newnesse of lyfe and godlinesse of conuersation For newenesse of lyfe as fruites of fayth are required in the partaker of this table â—e maye learne by the eating of the tipicall lambe whervnto no man was admitted but he that was a Jewe that was circumcized that was before sanctiâ—â—ed Yea Saint Paul testifieth that although the people were partakers of the Sacramentes vnder Moyses yet for that some of them were still worshippers of images whoremongers tempters of Christe murmurers and coueting after euill thinges God ouerthrewe those in the wyldernesse and that for our example that is that we Christians shoulde take heede we resorte vnto our Sacramentes with holinesse of lyfe not trustyng in the outwarde receauing of them and infected with corrupte and vncharitable maners For this sentence of GOD must alwayes be iustified I wyll haue mercie and not sacrifice Wherefore â—ayth Basâ—l it behoueth him that commeth to the bodye and blood of Christe in commemoration of hym that dyed and rose agayne not only to be pure from all filthynesse of the fleshe and spirite least he eate and drinke to his condempnation but also to shewe out euidently a memorie of hym that dyed rose agayne for vs in this point that he be mortified to sinne and the world to liue now to God in Christe Jesu our Lorde So then we must shewe outwarde testimonie in folowyng the signification of Christes death amongst the which this is not esteemed least to render thankes to almightie God for all his benefites briefely comprised in the death passion resurrection of his dearely beloued sonne The which thing because we ought chiefly at this table to solempnise the godly fathers named it Eucharistia that is thankesgeuing As yf they should haue sayde Nowe aboue all other tymes ye ought to laude and prayse god Now may you beholde the matter the cause the begynning and the ende of all thankesgeuing Nowe yf you stacke ye shewe your selues most vnthankfull and that no other benefite can euer stirre you to thanke God who so litle regarde here so many so wonderfull and so profitable benefites Seeyng then that the name thing it selfe doth monishe vs of thanks let vs as saint Paul sayth offer alwayes to god the hoste or sacrifice of prayse by Christe that is the fruite of the lippes which confesse his name For as Dauid singeth He that offereth to God thankes and prayse honoureth hym But howe fewe be there of thankfull personnes in comparison to the vnthankfull Loe ten Lepers in the Gospell were healed and but one only returned to geue thankes for his health Yea happye it were yf among fourtie Communicantes we coulde see two vnfaignedly geue thankes So vnkinde we be so obliuious we be so proude beggers we be that partly we care not for our owne commoditie partlye we knowe not our duetie to God and chiefely we wyll not confesse all that we receaue Yea and yf we be forced by Gods power to do it yet we handle it so coldely so drylye that our lippes prayse him but our heartes disprayse hym our tongues blesse hym but our lyfe curseth hym our wordes worshippe hym but our workes dishonour him O let vs therfore learne to geue God here thankes aright and so to agnise his exceeding graces powred vppon vs that they beyng shutte vp in the treasure house of our heart maye in due tyme and season in our lyfe and conuersation appeare to the glorifying of his holye name Furthermore for newenesse of lyfe it is to be noted that Saint Paul wryteth that we beyng many are one bread and one body For all be partakers of one bread Declaring thereby not onlye our Communion with Christ but that vnitie also wherin they that eate at this table shoulde be knitte together For by discention vaineglory ambition strise enuying contempt hatred or malyce they shoulde not be disseuered but so ioyned by the bonde of loue in one mysticall bodye as the cornes of that bread in one lofe In respecte of which strait knot of charitie the true Christians in the tender tyme of Christes Churche called this supper loue As yf they shoulde saye none ought to sit downe there that were out of loue and charitie who bore grudge vengeaunce in his heart who also dyd not professe his kynd affection by some charitable reliefe for some parte of the congregation And this was their practise O heaueÌ„ly â—anket then so vsed O godly ghestes who so estemed this feast But O wretched creatures that we be at these daies who be without reconciliation of our brethren whoÌ„ we haue offended without satisfying them whom we haue caused to fall without any kynde of thought or compassion toward them whoÌ„ we myght easyly relieue without any conscience of slaunder disdayne misrâ—poet diuision rancour or inwarde bitternes Yea being accombred with the cloked hatred of Caine with the long couered malice of Esau with the dissembled falshood of Ioab dare ye presume to come vp to these sacred and fearefull mysteries O man whyther rushest thou vnaduisedly It is a table of peace and thou art redy to fight It is a table of singlenes and thou art imagining mischeefe It is a table of quietnesse and thou art geuen to debate It is a table of pitie and thou art vnmercifull Doest thou neyther feare GOD the maker of this feast nor reuerence his Christe the refection and meate nor regardest his spouse his beloued ghest nor weighest thyne owne conscience which is sometime thyne inwarde accuser Wherfore O man tender thyne owne saluation examine and trye thygood wyl and loue towardes the chyldren of God the members of Christe the heyres of the heauenly heritage
lawes are by rebels violated and broken that all sinnes possible to be committed against God or man be contayned in rebellion which sinnes yf a man list to name by the accustomed names of the seuen capitall or deadly sinnes as pride enuie wrath couetousnes slouth gluttonie and letcherie he shall finde them all in rebellion and amongst rebels For first as ambition and desyre to be aloft whiche is the propertie of pryde styrreth vp many mens myndes to rebellion so commeth it of a luciferian pryde and presumption that a fewe rebellious subiects should set themselues vp against the maiestie of theyr prince agaynst the wysedome of the counsellers agaynst the power and force of all nobilitie and the faythfull subiectes and people of the whole realme As for enuie wrath murther and desyre of blood and couetousnes of other mens goodes landes and lyuynges they are the inseparable accidentes of all rebelles and peculier properties that do vsually stirre vp wycked men vnto rebellion Nowe suche as by riotousnesse gluttonye drunkennesse excesse of apparell and vnthriftie games haue wasted their owne goodes vnthriftily the same are moste apte vnto and most desyrous of rebellion whereby they trust to come by other mens goodes vnlawfully and vyolentlye And where other gluttons and drunkardes take to muche of suche meates and drynkes as are serued to tables rebelles waste and consume in short space al corne in barnes feeldes orels wher whole garners whole storehouses whole cellers deuour whole flockes of sheepe whole droues of oxen and kyne And as rebels that are maryed leauyng their owne wyues at home do moste vngratiously so much more do vnmaryed men worse then any stallandes or horsses beyng now by rebellion set at libertie from correction of lawes whiche brydeled them before whiche abuse by force other mens wyues and daughters and rauishe virgins and maydens moste shamefully abhominably and damnably Thus all synnes by all names that synnes may be named and by all meanes that all synnes maye be committted and wrought do all wholly vppon heapes folowe rebellion and are to be founde altogether amongst rebelles Nowe whereas pestilence famine warre are by the holy scriptures declared to be the greatest worldly plagues and miseries that lightly can be it is euident that all the miseries that all these plagues haue in them do wholly altogether folowe rebellion wherin as all their miseries be so is there much more mischeefe then in them al. For it is knowne that in the resortyng of great companyes of men together whiche in rebellion happeneth both vppon the parte of true subiectes and of the rebelles by their close lying together and corruption of the ayre and place where they do lye with ordure and muche fylth in the hoatte weather and by vnholesome lodging and lying often vppon the grounde specially in cold and wette wethers in Wynter by their vnholesome diet and feedyng at all tymes and often by famine and lacke of meate and drinke in due tyme and again by takyng to muche at other tymes It is well knowne I say that aswell plagues and pestilences as all other kyndes of sicknesse and maladies by these meanes growe vpon and amongst men whereby mo men are consumed at the length then are by dint of sworde sodenly slayne in the feelde So that not onlye pestilences but also all other sicknesse diseases and maladies do folow rebellion which are muche more horrible then plagues pestilences and diseases sent directlye from god as hereafter shall appeare more plainelye And as for hunger and famine they are the peculier companions of rebellion for whiles rebels do in short tyme spoyle and consume al corne and necessarie prouision whiche men with their labours had gotten and appoynted vpon for their fyndyng the whole yere after and also do let all other men husbandmen and others from their husbandrie and other necessarie workes wherby prouision should be made for times to come who seeth not that extreame famine and hunger must needes shortly ensue and folowe rebellion Now whereas the wyse kyng and godly prophete Dauid iudged warre to be worse then either famine or pestilence for that these two are often suffered by God for mans amendment and be not sinnes of them selues but warres haue alwayes the synnes and mischeefes of men vpon the one syde or other ioyned with them and therfore is warre the greatest of these worldly mischeefes but of all warres ciuil warre is the worst and farre more abhominable yet is rebellion then anye ciuill warre beyng vn worthy the name of any warre so farre it exceedeth all warres in all naughtynesse in all mischeefe and in all abhomination And therfore our sauiour Christe denounceth desolation and destruction to that Realme that by sedition and rebellion is diuided in it selfe Nowe as I haue shewed before that pestilence and famine so is it yet more euident that all the calamities miseries and mischeefes of warre be more greeuous and do more folowe rebellion then anye other warre as beyng farre worse then all other warres For not onlye those ordinarye and vsuall mischeefe and miseseries of other warres do folowe rebellion as corne and other thynges necessarie to mans vse to be spoyled houses villages townes cities to be taken sacked burned destroyed not onlye many very wealthy men but whole countreyes to be impouerished and vtterly beggered manye thousandes of men to be slayne and murthered women and maydes to be vyolated and deflowred whiche thynges when they are done by forraigne enemies we do muche mourne as we haue great causes yet are al these miseries without any wyckednesse wrought by any our countreymen But when these mischeefes are wrought in rebellion by them that shoulde be freendes by countreymen by kynsmen by those that should defende their countrey and countreymen from suche miseries the miserie is nothyng so great as is the mischeefe and wyckednesse when the subiectes vnnaturally do rebel against their prince whose honour and lyfe they shoulde defende though it were with the losse of their owne lyues countreymen to disturbe the publique peace and quietnesse of their countrey for defence of whose quietnesse they shoulde spende their lyues the brother to seeke and often to worke the death of his brother the sonne of the father the father to seeke or procure the death of his sonnes beyng at mans age and by their faultes to disherite their innocent chyldren and kynsmen their heires for euer for whom they myght purchase lyuynges and landes as naturall parentes do take care and paynes and be at great costes and charges and vniuersally in stead of all quietnesse ioy and felicitie which do folow blessed peace and due obedience to bryng in all trouble sorowe disquietnesse of myndes and bodyes and al mischeefe and calamities to turne al good order vpsyde down to bryng all good lawes in contempt and to treade them vnder feete to oppresse all vertue and honestie and all vertuous and honest persons and to set al vice and wickednesse and all
of personage neither nobilitie nor fauour of the people no nor the fauour of the king him selfe can saue a rebel from due punishment God the king of al kinges being so offended with him that rather then he should lacke due execution for his treason euery tree by the way wyl be a gallous or gybbet vnto hym and the heere of his owne head wyl be vnto him insteade of an haulter to hang hym vp with rather then he shoulde lacke one A fearefull example of Gods punishment good people to consider Now Achitophel though otherwyse an exceedyng wyse man yet the mischeeuous counseller of Absolon in this wycked rebellion for lacke of an hangman a conuenient seruitour for suche a traytour went and hanged vp hym selfe a worthy end of al false rebelles who rather then they shoulde lacke due execution wyll by Gods iust iudgement become hangmen vnto them selues Thus happened it to the captaynes of that rebellion besyde fourtie thousande of rascall rebelles slayne in the feelde and in the chase Lykewyse is it to be seene in the holy scriptures how that great rebellion which the traytor Seba moued in Israel was sodenly appeased the head of the captayne traytor by the meanes of a seely woman beyng cut of And as the holy scriptures do shewe so doth daily experience proue that the counsels conspiracies and attemptes of rebelles neuer tooke effect neyther came to good but to most horrible ende For though God doth often tymes prosper iust and lawefull enemies which be no subiectes against their forraigne enemies yet dyd he neuer long prosper rebellious subiectes against their prince were they neuer so great in aucthority or so many in number Fiue princes or kynges for so the scripture tearmeth them with all their multitudes coulde not preuayle agaynst Chodorlaomor vnto whom they had promised loyaltie and obedience and had continued in the same certain yeres but they were all ouerthrowen and taken prisoners by him but Abraham with his familie and kynsfolkes an handefull of men in respect owyng no subiection vnto Chodorlaomor ouerthrēwe hym and all his hoast in battell and recouered the prisoners and delyuered them So that though warre be so dreadfull and cruell a thyng as it is yet doth God often prosper a fewe in lawefull warres with forraigne enemies agaynste manye thousandes but neuer yet prospered he subiectes beyng rebelles agaynst their naturall soueraigne were they neuer so great or noble so manye so stout so wittie and politike but alwayes they came by the ouerthrowe and to a shamefull ende so muche doth God abhorre rebellion more then other warres though otherwyse beyng so dreadfull and so great a destruction to mankynde Though not onlye great multitudes of the rude and rascall commons but sometyme also men of great wit nobilitie and aucthoritie haue moued rebellions agaynst their lawefull princes whereas true nobilitie shoulde moste abhorre suche vilanous and true wysedome shoulde moste detest suche frantike rebellion though they would pretende sundry causes as the redresse of the common wealth which rebelliō of all other mischeefes doth most destroy or reformation of religion whereas rebellion is most agaynst all true religion though they haue made a great shewe of holy meanyng by begynnyng their rebellions with a counterfet seruice of God as dyd wycked Absolon begyn his rebellion with sacrificing vnto God though they display and beare about ensignes and banners whiche are acceptable vnto the rude ignoraunt common people great multitudes of whom by such false pretences and shewes they do deceaue and draw vnto them yet were the multitudes of the rebels neuer so huge and great the captaines neuer so noble politike and wittie the pretences faigned to be neuer so good and holye yet the speedie ouerthrowe of all rebelles of what number state or condition so euer they were or what colour or cause soeuer they pretended is and euer hath ben suche that God thereby doth shewe that he alloweth neyther the dignitie of anye person nor the multitude of anye people nor the waight of any cause as sufficient for the whiche the subiectes may moue rebellion agaynste their princes Turne ouer and reade the histories of all nations looke ouer the Chronicles of our owne countrey call to mynde so manye rebellions of olde tyme and some yet freshe in memorie ye shall not fynde that God euer prospered anye rebellion agaynst their naturall and lawefull prince but contrarywyse that the rebelles were ouerthrowen and slayne and such as were taken prisoners dreadfullye executed Consyder the great noble families of Dukes Marquesses Earles and other Lordes whose names ye shall reade in our Chronicles now cleane extinguished and gone seeke out the causes of the decay you shall fynd that not lacke of issue heires male hath so muche wrought that decay and waste of noble blooddes and houses as hath rebellion And for so muche as the redresse of the common wealth hath of olde ben the vsual faigned pretence of rebels and religion nowe of late begynneth to be a colour of rebellion let all godlye and discreete subiectes consyder well of both and fyrste concerning religion If peaceable king Salomon was iudged of God to be more meete to buylde his Temple whereby the orderyng of religion is meant then his father kyng Dauid though otherwyse a moste godlye kyng for that Dauid was a great warryer and had shead muche blood though it were in his warres agaynste the enemies of God of this may all godly and reasonable subiects consyder that a peaceable prince specially our most peaceable and mercyfull Queene who hath hitherto shed no blood at all no not of her most deadly enemies is more lyke and farre meeter eyther to set vp or to mainteyne true religion then are bloody rebels who haue not shead the blood of Gods enemies as kyng Dauid had done but do seeke to shead the blood of Gods freendes of their owne countreymen and of their owne most deare freendes and kynsfolke yea the destruction of their moste gratious prince and naturall countrey for defence of whom they ought to be redy to shedde their blood if need should so requyre What a religion it is that such men and by suche meanes would restore may easily be iudged euen as good a religion surely as rebels be good men and obedient subiectes and as rebellion is a good meane of redresse and reformation beyng it selfe the greatest deformation of all that may possible be But as the trueth of the Gospel of our sauiour Christe beyng quietly and soberly taught though it do coste them their lyues that do teache it is able to maynteyne the true religion so hath a frantike religion neede of such furious maintenances as is rebellion and of suche patrones as are rebels beyng redy not to dye for the true religion but to kyll all that shall or dare speake agaynste their false superstition and wicked idolatrie Now concernyng pretences of any redresse of the common wealth made by rebels
the principall and most vsual causes as specially ambition and ignoraunce By ambition I meane the vnlawful and restles desire in men to be of higher estate then God hath geuen or appoynted vnto them By ignoraunce I meane no vnskilfulnesse in artes or sciences but the lacke of knowledge of Gods blessed wyll declared in his holye worde whiche teacheth both extremely to abhorre all rebellion as the roote of all mischeefe and specially to delyght in obedience as the begynnyng and foundation of all goodnesse as hath ben also before specified And as these are the two cheese causes of rebellion so are there specially two sortes of men in whom these vices do raigne by whom the deuill the aucthour of al euill doth cheefely stirre vp all disobedience and rebellion The restlesse ambitious hauing once determined by one meanes or other to atcheeue to theyr intended purpose when they can not by lawfull and peaceable meanes clime so hygh as they do desyre they attempt the same by force and violence wherein when they can not preuaile agaynst the ordinarie aucthoritie and power of lawfull princes and gouernours them selues alone they do seeke the ayde and helpe of the ignoraunt multitude abusing them to theyr wicked purpose Wherfore seeing a fewe ambitious and malitious are the aucthours heades and multitudes of ignoraunt men are the ministers and furtherers of rebellion the cheefe poynt of this part shal be aswell to notifie to the simple and ignorant men who they be that haue ben and be the vsuall aucthours of rebellion that they may knowe them and also to admonishe them to beware of the subtill suggestions of suche restles ambitious persons and so to flee them that rebellions though attempted by a fewe ambitious through the lack of mayntenaunce by any multitudes maye speedyly and easyly without any great labour daunger or domage be repressed and clearely extinguished It is well knowen as well by all histories as by dayly experience that none haue eyther more ambitiously aspired aboue Emperours Kinges and Princes nor haue more pernitiously moued the ignoraunt people to rebellion agaynst theyr Princes then certayne persons whiche falsely chalenge to them selues to be onlye counted and called spirituall I must therefore heare yet once agayne breefely put you good people in remembraunce out of Gods holye worde howe our Sauiour Jesus Christe and his holy Apostles the heades and cheefe of all true spirituall and ecclesiastical men behaued them selues towards the princes and rulers of their tyme though not the best gouernours that euer were that you be not ignoraunt whether they be the true disciples and folowers of Christe and his Apostles and so true spirituall men that eyther by ambition do so highly aspyre or do most malitiously teach or most pernitiously do execute rebellion agaynst theyr lawfull princes beyng the worst of all carnall workes and mischeuous deedes The holye scriptures do teache most expresly that our sauiour Christe him selfe and his apostle saint Paul saint Peter with others were vnto the magistrates and higher powers which ruled at their beyng vppon the earth both obedâ—â—nt them selues and dyd also diligently and earnestly exhort all other Christians to the lyke obedience vnto their princes and gouernours whereby it is euident that men of the Cleargie and ecclesiasticall ministers as theyr successours ought both them selues specially and before others to be obedient vnto their princes and also to exhort all others vnto the same Our sauiour Christe like wyse teachyng by his doctrine that his kingdome was not of this worlde dyd by his example in fleeing from those that would haue made him kyng confirme the same expresly also forbidding his Apostles and by them the whole Cleargie all princely dominion ouer people and nations and he and his holy Apostles like wyse namely Peter Paul dyd forbid vnto all ecclesiasticall ministers dominion ouer the Churche of Christe And in deede whiles that ecclesiasticall ministers continued in Christes Church in that order that is in Christes worde prescribed vnto them and in Christian kyngdomes kept them selues obedient to their owne princes as the holy scripture do teache them both was Christes Churche more cleare from ambitious emulations and contentions and the state of Christian kyngdomes lesse subiect vnto tumultes and rebellions But after that ambition and desyre of dominion entred once into ecclesiasticall ministers whose greatnes after the doctrine and example of our sauiour shoulde cheefely stande in humbling of them selues and that the Byshop of Rome being by the order of Gods worde none other then the bishop of that one see and diocesse and neuer yet well able to gouerne the same did by intollerable ambition chalenge not only to be the head of all the Churche dispersed throughout the worlde but also to be Lorde of all the kyngdomes of the worlde as is expresly set foorth in the booke of his owne Cannon lawes most contrary to the doctrine and example of our sauiour Christe whose Uicar and of his holy apostles namely Peter whose successour he pretendeth to be after his ambition entred and this chalenge once made by the Byshop of Rome he became at once the spoyler destroyer both of the Church which is the kyngdome of our sauiour Christe and of the Christian Empyre and all Christian kyngdomes as an vniuersall tyraunt ouer all And whereas before that chalenge made there was great amitie and loue amongst the Christians of al countreis herevpon began emulation and much hatred betweene the Bishop of Rome and his Cleargie and freendes on the one part and the Grecian Cleargie and Christians of the East on the other part for that they refused to acknowledge any such supreme aucthoritie of the Bishop of Rome ouer them the Bishop of Rome for this cause amongst other not onlye namyng them and taking them for schismatikes but also neuer ceassing to persecute them and the Emperours who had their see and continuaunce in Grece by stirring of the subiectes to rebellion agaynst their soueraigne lordes and by raysyng deadly hatred and most cruell warres betweene them and other Christian princes And when the Byshops of Rome had translated the title of the Emperour and as much as in them dyd lye the Empyre it selfe from their lorde the Emperour of Grece and of Rome also by ryght vnto the Christian princes of the West they became in short space no better vnto the West Emperours then they were before vnto the Emperours of Grece For the vsuall discharging of subiectes from their othe of fidelitie made vnto the Emperours of the West their soueraigne lordes by the Byshops of Rome the vnnaturall stirring vp of the subiectes vnto rebellion agaynst their princes yea of the sonne agaynst the father by the Byshoppe of Rome the most cruell and blooddy warres raysed amongst Christian princes of all kyngdomes the horrible murder of infinite thousandes of Christian men beyng slayne by Christians and whiche ensued therevpon the pitifull losses of so manye goodlye Cities countreys
Babilonicall beast of Rome and to feare all his threatnings and causelesse curses he abused them thus by their rebellion brought this noble realme and kings of England vnder his most cruell tyrannie and to be a spoyle of his most vyle and vnsaciable couetousnes and rauenye for a long and a great deale to long a tyme And to ioyne vnto the reportes of Histories matters of latter memorie coulde the Byshop of Rome haue raysed the late rebellions in the North and Weste countries in the tymes of Kyng Henry and Kyng Edwarde our gratious Soueraignes father and brother but by abusing of the ignoraunt people Or is it not most euident that the Byshop of Rome hath of late attempted by his Irish Patriarkes and Bishops sent from Rome with his bulles whereof some were apprehended to breake downe the barres and hedges of the publibue peace in Ireland onely vpon confidence easyly to abuse the ignoraunce of the wilde Irish men Or who seeth not that vppon lyke confidence yet more latelye he hath lykewyse procured the breache of the publique peace in Englande with the long and blessed continuaunce wherof he is sore greeued by the ministery of his disguised Chaplaines creeping in lay mens apparell into the houses and whispering in the eares of certaine Northen borderers being men most ignorant of their duetie to God and their prince of all people of the Realme whom therefore as most meet and redy to execute his intended purpose he hath by the said ignorant masse priestes as blynd guides leading the blynd brought those seely blynde subiectes into the deepe ditche of horrible rebellion damnable to them selues and very daungerous to the state of the Realme had not GOD of his mercye miraculouslye calmed that ragyng tempest not onely without any ship wracke of the common wealth but almost without any shedding of christian and Englishe blood at al. And it is yet muche more to be lamented that not onely cōmon people by some other youthful or vnskilful Princes also suffer them selues to be abused by the byshop of Rome his Cardinalles bishops to oppressing of christian men their faithfull subiectes either them selues or els by procuring the force and strength of christian men to be conueyed out of one country to oppresse true Christians in another countrye and by these meanes open an entrie vnto Moores and Infidels into the possession of christian Realmes and countries other Christian Princes in the meane tyme by the Byshop of Romes procuring also beyng so occupyed in cinill warres or troubled with rebellions that they haue neyther leasure nor habilitie to conferre their common forces to the defence of their felow christians agaynste suche inuasions of the common enemies of Christendome the infidels and miscreantes Woulde to God we myght only reade and heare out of histories of the olde and not also see and feele these newe and present oppressions of Christians rebellions of subiectes effusion of christian blood destruction of christian men decay ruine of Christendom increase of paganitie most lamentable pitifull to beholde being procured in these our dayes aswell as in tymes past by the bishop of Rome and his ministers abusing the ignoraunce of Gods word yet remayning in some Chirstian Princes and people By which so wre and bitter fruites of ignorance all men ought to be moued to geue eare and credite to Gods worde she wing as most truly so most playnly how great a mischiefe ignoraunce is and agayne how great and how good a gyft of God knowledge in Gods worde is And to begin with the romish Cleargie who though they do brag nowe as did sometyme the Jewishe Clergie that they can not lacke knowledge yet doth God by his holy prophets both charge them with ignorance and threaten them also for that they haue repelled the knowledge of Gods word law from them selues from his people that he wil repel them that they shal be no more his priests God like wise chargeth princes aswel as priestes that they should indeuour them selues to get vnderstanding knowledge in his worde threatning his heauy wrath destruction vnto them yf they fayle thereof And the wyse man sayeth to all men vniuersally Princes Priestes and people where is no knowledge there is no good nor health to the soule and that almen be vaine in whom is not the knowledge of God and his holy worde That they who walke in darkenes wot not whyther they go and that the people that will not learne shall fall into great mischeefes as did the people of Israel who for their ignoraunce in Gods worde were firste led into captiuitie and when by ignoraunce afterward they would not know the tyme of their visitation but crucified Christ our sauiour persecuted his holye Apostles and were so ignoraunt and blynde that when they did most wickedlye and cruellye they thought they did God good and acceptable seruice as do manye by ignoraunce thynke euen at this daye finally through theyr ignorance and blyndnes their country townes cities Hierusalem it selfe and the holye temple of God were all moste horiblye destroyed the moste cheefest parte of theyr people slayne and the reste led into moste miserable captiuitie For he that made them had no pitie vppon them neyther would spare them and al for their ignoraunce And the holye scriptures do teache that the people that wyll not see with theyr eyes nor heare with theyr eares to learne and to vnderstande with their heartes can not be conuerted and saued And the wicked them selues beyng damned in hell shal confesse ignorance in Gods word to haue brought them therunto saiyng We haue erred from the way of the trueth and the lyght of ryghteousnesse hath not shyned vnto vs and the sunne of vnderstandyng hath not risen vnto vs we haue weeried our selues in the way of wickednesse and perdition haue walked cumberous and crooked wayes but the way of the Lord haue we not knowen And aswel our sauiour him selfe as his apostle s. Paul do teach that the ignorance of Gods word commeth of the deuill is the cause of all errour and misiudging as falleth out with ignoraunt subiectes who can rather espye a little mote in the eye of the Prince or a coūceller then a great beame in their own vniuersally it is the cause of all euil finally of eternal damnation Gods iudgement beyng seuere towardes those who when the light of Christes Gospell is come into the world do delyght more in darkenes of ignorance then in the lyght of knowledge in Gods worde For al are cōmaunded to reade or heare to fearche and studie the holy scriptures and are promised vnderstanding to be geuen them from God if they so do all are charged not to beleue eyther any dead man nor if an Angell shoulde speake from heauen muche lesse if the Pope do speake from Rome agaynst or contrarye to the worde of GOD from the whiche we may not declyne neyther