vs ruminate and as it wer chewe the cudde that we maie haue the swete ieuse spirituall effecte mary hony kirnell tast comfort and consolacion of theim Let vs staie quiet and certifie our consciences with the moste infallible certaintie truthe and perpetual assuraunce of them Let vs praie to God the onely aucthor of these heauenly meditacions that we maie speake thynke beleue liue and depart hence accordyng to the wholesome doctrine and verities of theim And by that meanes in this worlde wee shall haue Gods proteccion fauor and grace with the vnspeakeable solace of peace and quietnes of conscience and after this miserable life we shall enioy the endlesse blisse and glorie of heauen whiche he graunt vs all that died for vs all Iesus Christ to whom with the father holy ghost bee all honor and glorie both now euerlastyngly AMEN ¶ An Homelie of the miserie of al mankynd and of hys condempnacion to death euerlastyng by hys awne synne THe holy Ghost in writing the holy scripture is in nothinge more diligent then to pulle doune mannes vainglory and pride whiche of all vices is most vniuersally grafted in al mankynd euen from the first infection of our first father Adam And therfore we reade in many places of scripture many notable lessons against this old rooted vice to teache vs the moste commendable vertue of humilitie how to knowe our selfes and to remembre what we be of our selfes In the boke of Genesis almighty God geueth vs al a title name in our great graūd father Adā which ought to admonish vs al to considre what we be wherof we be frō whence we came whether we shal saiyng thus in y e sweat of thy face shalt thou eate thy bread til thou be turned again into the groūd for out of it wast thou taken in asmuch as y u art dust into dust shalte thou be turned again Here as it wer in a glasse we may learne to know our selfes to be but groūde earth asshes that to earth and asshes we shall returne Also the holy patriarche Abraham did well remembre this name and title dust earth and asshes appoynted and assigned by God to all mankynde and therfore he calleth hymself by that name when he maketh his earnest praier for Sodome and Gomore And we read that Iudith Hester Iob ▪ Hieremie with other holy men and womē in the old Testament did vse sacke cloth and to cast dust and asshes vpon their heddes when they bewailed their synfull liuyng They called cried to God for help and mercye with suche a ceremonie of sacke clothe duste and asshes that thereby thei might declare to the whole worlde what an hūble and lowly estimacion thei had of themselfes how well thei remembred their name title aforesayd their vile corrupt fraile nature dust earth and asshes The boke of wisedom also willing to pul doune our proude stomackes moueth vs diligently to remēbre our mortall and earthly generacion whiche we haue all of hym that was firste made and that all men aswell kynges as subiectes come into this worlde and go out of thesame in lyke sorte that is as of our selfes full miserable as we may dayly see And almightye God cōmaunded hys prophet Esaie to make a proclamacion and crie to the whole worlde and Esaie askinge what shall I crie The Lorde aunswered crie that all fleshe is grasse and that al the glory of man therof is but as the floure of the felde whē the grasse is withered the floure falleth away when the wynd of the Lord bloweth vpon it The people surely is grasse the which drieth vp and the floure fadeth awaye And the holy prophete Iob hauyng in himself great experience of the miserable and sinful estate of man doth open thesame to y e world in these wordes Man saith he that is borne of a woman liuyng but a short tyme is ful of manifold miseries he spryngeth vp like a floure fadeth again vanishyng awaye as it wer a shadowe ▪ and neuer continueth in one state And doest thou iudge it mete o Lorde to open thyne eyes vpon suche a one and to bring hym to iudgement with the Who can make hym cleane that is conceiued of an vncleane seede And all men of their euilnesse and natural pronesse wer so vniuersally geuen to synne that as the scripture saith God repēted that euer he made mā And by synne hys indignacion was so muche prouoked against the worlde that he drouned all the worlde with Noes floud except Noe hymself and hys litle housholde It is not without greate cause that the scripture of God doeth so many tymes call all men here in this worlde by this woorde yearth O thou yearth yearth yearth sayth Ieremie heare y e worde of the Lord. This our right name vocacion title yearth yearth yearth pronoūced by the Prophete sheweth what wee bee in deede by whatsoeuer other stile title or dignitie men do call vs. Thus he plainly named vs who knoweth best both what we be and what we ought of right to be called And thus he describeth vs speakyng by hys faithfull Apostle S. Paule all men Iewes and Gentiles are vnder syn ther is none righteous no not one ther is none that vnderstandeth there is none that seketh after God thei are al gone out of the way thei are all vnprofitable ther is none that doth good no not one their throte is an open sepulchre with their tōgues they haue vsed craft deceipt the poyson of serpentes is vnder their lippes their mouth is full of cursing and bitternes their fete are swift to shed bloud destrucciō and wretchednes are in their waies and the way of peace haue thei not knowen there is no feare of God before their eyes And in another place S. Paule writeth thus God hath wrapped all nacions in vnbelefe that he might haue mercy on all The scripture concludeth all vnder synne that the promyse by y e faith of Iesus Christ should be geuē vnto theim that beleue S. Paule in many places painteth vs out in our colours callyng vs the children of the wrath of God when we be borne saiyng also that we cānot thinke a good thought of our selfes muche lesse we can saye wel or do wel of our selfes And the wiseman saieth in the boke of Prouerbes the iust man falleth seuē times a day The most tried approued man Iob feared all hys workes S. Ihon the Baptist beynge sanctified in his mothers wōbe and praised before he was borne called an Aungell great before the lord replenished euē from his birthe with the holy Ghost the preparer of the way for our sauior Christ and commēded of our sauior Christ to be more then a prophet the greatest that euer was borne of a woman yet he plainly graūteth that he had nede to be wasshed of Christ he worthely extolleth and glorifieth his Lorde and
threatenynges which should certifye them that as thei do ouer boldely presume of gods mercy and liue dissolutely so doeth God still more and more withdrawe his mercie from theim and he is so prouoked thereby to wrathe at lenght that he destroyeth suche presumers many tymes sodainly For of suche saincte Paule sayed thus when they shall saye it is peace there is no daunger then shall sodayn destruction come vpon theim Let vs beware therfore of suche naughtie boldenesse to synne for God whiche hath promised his mercie to them that bee truely repentaunte although it bee at the latter ende hath not promised to the presumpteous synner either that he shall haue long life or that he shal haue true repentaunce at the laste ende But for that purpose hath he made euery mannes deathe vncertayne that he should not put his hope in thend and in the meane season to Gods highe displeasure lyue vngodly Wherfore let vs folowe the counsaill of the WisemaÌ„ let vs make no tariyng to turne vnto the lord let vs not put of from daie to day for sodainly shal his wrath come and in tyme of vengeaunce he shal destroye the wycked Let vs therefore turne betymes and when we turne let vs praye to GOD as Ozee teacheth saiyng Forgeue vs all oure synnes receyue vs graciously And if we turne to him with an humble and a very penitent harte he wil receiue vs to his fauor and grace for his holy names sake for his promise sake for his truthe and mercies sake promysed to all faithefull beleuers in Iesus Christ his onely naturall sonne To whoÌ„ the onely sauiour of the world with the father and the holy ghost bee all honor glory and power world without end Amen ¶ An exhortation agaynst the feare of Death IT is not to be marueyled that worldly men do feare to dye For death depriueth them of all worldly honors riches and possessions in the fruition whereof the worldely man compteth hymself happie so long as he maye enioye theim at hys awne pleasure and other wyse if he be dispossessed of thesame without hope of recouery then he can none other thinke of himself but that he is vnhappie because he hath loste hys worldely ioye and pleasure Alas thinketh this carnall man shall I now depart for euer froÌ„ all my honors all my treasures from my countrey frendes riches possessioÌ„s and worldly pleasures whiche are my ioy and hartes delight Alas that euer that daie shal come wheÌ„ all these I muste bid farewell at once and neuer to enioye any of theÌ„ after Wherfore it is not without greate cause spoken of the wiseman O death how bitter and sower is the remembraunce of thee to a man that liueth in peace and prosperitie in his substaunce to a man liuyng at ease leading his life after his awne mind without trouble is therwithal well pampered and fed There be other men whom this world doth not so greatly laugh vpon but rather vexe and oppresse with pouertye sickenesse or some other aduersitie Yet thei do fear death partly because the fleashe abhorreth naturally his awne sorowful dissolucion whiche death doth threaten vnto theim and partely by reason of sickenesses and paynfull diseases whiche be moste strong pangues and agonies in the fleshe and vse commoÌ„ly to come to sicke men before death or at the leaste accompany death whensoeuer it commeth Although these twoo causes sâ—me great weightie to a worldly man wherupoÌ„ he is moued to feare death yet there is another cause much greater then any of these afore rehersed for whiche in dede he hath iuste cause to feare death and that is the state and coÌ„dicion wherunto at the last ende death bryngeth all them that haue their hartes fixed vpoÌ„ this world without repentaunce and amendemeÌ„t This state condicion is called the second death whiche vnto all suche shall insue after this bodily deathe And this is that death whiche in deede ought to be dread feared for it is an euerlasting losse without remedy of the grace fauor of God and of euerlastyng ioy pleasure and felicitie And it is not onely the losse for euer of all these eternall pleasures but also it is the condempnacion both of body soule without either appellacioÌ„ or hope of redempcion vnto euerlastynge paynes in hell Unto this state death sent the vnmercyfull and vngodly richeman that Luke speaketh of in his Gospell who liuyng in all wealthe and pleasure in this worlde and cherishyng himself daily with daintie fare and gorgeous apparel despiced poore Lazarus that lay pitifully at his gate miserably plagued and full of sores and also greuously pined with hunger Bothe these twoo were arrested of deathe whiche sent Lazarus the poore miserable man by aungels anone vnto Abrahams bosome a place of rest pleasure and consolacion But the vnmerciful rich-man descended doune into hel and beyng in tormeÌ„tes he cried for comforte complainyng of the intollerable payn that he suffered in that flamme of fire but it was to late So vnto this place bodily death sendeth all them that in this world haue their ioye and felicite all them that in this world be vnfaithfull vnto God and vncharitable vnto their neighbors so diyng without repentauÌ„ce hope of Gods mercie Wherfore it is no maruaile that the worldly man feareth death for he hath muche more cause so to do then he himself doeth considre Thus we se thre causes why worldly men feare death One because thei shal lose therby their worldely honors riches possessions and all their hartes desires Another because of the painfull diseases bitter pangues which commonly men suffre either before or at the tyme of death but the chiefe cause aboue al other is the dread of the miserable state of eternall dampnacion bothe of body and soule whiche they feare shal folow after their departyng out of the worldly pleasures of this present life For these causes be all mortall men whiche be geueÌ„ to the loue of this world both in feare state of death through syn as y e holy apostle saith so loÌ„g as thei liue here in this world But euerlasting thaÌ„kes be to almighty God for euer there is neuer one of al these causes no nor yet thei altogether that caÌ„ make a true Christian man afraied to dye whiche is the very membre of Christe the temple of the holy Ghoste the sonne of God â–ª and the very inheritor of the euerlastyng kyngdom of heauen but plainly contrary he conceiueth great and many causes vndoubtedly grounded vpon the infallyble and euerlastynge truth of the woorde of God whiche moue hym not onely to put away the feare of bodiely death but also for the manifolde benefites and singuler commodities whiche ensue vnto euery faithfull person by reason of thesame to wish desire longe hartely for it For death shall be to hym no death at all but a very deliueraunce from death froÌ„ all paynes cares and sorowes miseries
the difficultie to vnderstande it and the hardnes thereof is so greate that it is meete to bee reade onely of Clearkes and learned men As touchyng the firste ignoraunce of Gods worde is the cause of al error as Christ hymself affirmed to y e Sadduces saiyng that thei erred because thei knewe not the scripture How should thei then escheue error that will be still ignoraunt And how should thei come out of ignoraunce that wil not read nor heare that thyng whiche should geue them knowledge He that now hath moste knowledge was at the first ignoraunt yet he forbare not to reade for feare he should fall into error but he diligently redde lest he ▪ should remain in ignoraunce and through ignoraunce in error AND if you will not knowe the truthe of God a thyng moste necessary for you least you fall into error by thesame reason you maie then lye still and neuer go leaste if you goo you fall in the mire nor eate any good meate least you take a surfet nor sow your Corne nor labour in your occupacion nor vse your marchaūdise for feare you lose your sede your labor your stocke and so by that reason it should be beste for you to liue idlely and neuer to take in hande to do any maner of good thyng least peraduenture some euill thyng maie chaunce therof And if you be afraied to fal into error by readyng of holy scripture I shall shewe you how you maie reade it without daunger of error Reade it humbly with a meke and a lowly harte to thintent you maie glorifie God and not your self with the knowledge of it and reade it not without daily praiyng to God that he would directe your readyng to good effecte and take vpon you to expounde it no further then you can plainly vnderstande it For as sainct Augustine saieth the knowledge of holy scripture is a great large and a high palace but the doore is verie lowe so that the high and arrogant man cannot runne in but he must stoupe lowe and humble hym self that shall entre into it Presumpcion and arrogancie is the mother of all error and humilitie nedeth to feare no error For humilitie will onely searche to knowe the truthe it will searche and will conferre one place with another and where it cannot fynde the sense it will praie it will inquire of other that knowe and will not presumpteously and rasshely define any thyng whiche it knoweth not Therfore the humble man maie searche any truthe boldely in the scripture without any daunger of error And if he bee ignoraunt he ought the more to read and to search holy scripture to bryng hym out of ignoraunce I saie not naie but a man maie prospere with onely hearyng but he maie muche more prospere with bothe hearyng and readyng This haue I said as touchyng the feare to read through ignoraunce of the person And concernyng the difficultie of scripture he that is so weake that he is not hable to brooke strong meate yet he maie sucke the swete and tender milke and differre the rest vntill he waxe strōger and come to more knowledge For God receiueth the learned and vnlearned and casteth awaie none but is indifferent vnto al. And the scripture is full aswel of lowe valleis plain waies and easie for euery man to vse and to walke in as also of high hilles and mountaines which few men can ascende vnto And whosoeuer geueth his mynd to holy scriptures with diligent studie and feruent desire it cannot be saieth sainct Ihon Chrisostom that he should be destitute of helpe For either God almightie will sende hym some Godly doctor to instruct hym as he did to instruct Ennuchus a noble man of Ethiope and threasorer vnto Quene Candace who hauyng a great affeccion to read the scripture although he vnderstode it not yet for the desire that he had vnto Gods worde God sent his Apostle Phillip to declare vnto hym the true sense of the scripture that he redde or els if we lacke a learned man to instruct and teache vs yet God hymself from aboue will geue light vnto our myndes and teach vs those thynges whiche are necessary for vs and wherin we be ignoraunt And in another place Chrisostom saith that mannes humain and worldly wisedom or science nedeth not to the vnderstandyng of Scripture but the reuelacion of the holy ghoste who inspireth the true sense vnto theim that with humilitie and diligence do search therfore He that asketh shall haue and he that seketh shal find and he that knocketh shall haue the doore open If we reade once twise or thrise and vnderstande not let vs not cease so but still continue readyng praiyng askyng of other and so by still knockyng at the laste the doore shalbe opened as sainct Augustyne saieth Although many thynges in the scripture bee spoken in obscure misteries yet there is no thyng spoken vnder darke misteries in one place but the selfe same thyng in other places is spoken more familiarly and plainly to the capacitie bothe of learned and vnlearned And those thynges in the scripture that be plain to vnderstande and necessarie for saluacion euery mannes duetie is to learne theim to print theim in memorye and effectually to exercise theim And as for the obscure misteries to be contented to bee ignoraunt in theim vntill suche tyme as it shall please God to open those thynges vnto hym In the meane ceason if he lacke either aptnesse or opportunitie God will not impute it to his foly but yet it behoueth not that suche as bee apt should set aside readyng because some other be vnapte to reade neuerthelesse for the difficultie of suche places the readyng of the whole ought not to be set a part And briefly to conclude as sainct Augustine saieth by the scripture all men be amended weake men be strengthned and strong men be comforted So that surely none bee enemies to the readyng of Gods worde but such as either be so ignoraunt that thei knowe not how wholsome a thyng it is or els be so sicke that thei hate the moste comfortable medicine that should heale them or so vngodly that thei would wishe the poeple still to continue in blindnesse and ignoraunce of God THVS we haue briefly touched some part of the commodities of Gods holy worde whiche is one of Gods chief and principall benefites geuen and declared to mankynde here in yearth Let vs thanke God hartely for this his greate and speciall gyfte beneficiall fauor and fatherly prouidence Lette vs be glad to reuiue this precious gyft of our heauenly father Let vs heare reade and knowe these holy rules iniunccions and statutes of our christian religion vpon that we haue made profession to God at our baptisme Lette vs with feare and reuerence laie vp in the cheste of our hartes these necessarie and fruitfull lessons Lette vs night and daie muse and haue meditacion and contemplacion in theim Lette
and wretchednes of this world and the very entry into rest and a beginnyng of euerlastyng ioye a tastyng of heauenly pleasures so great that neither toungue is able to expresse neither eye to se nor eare to heare them no nor for anye earthly mans hart to conceyue them So excedinge greate benefites thei be whiche God our heauenly father by his mere mercye and for the loue of his sonne Iesus Christe hathe layed vp in store and prepared for theim that humbly submitte themselfes to Gods wil and euermore vnfainedly loue him from the botome of their hartes And we oughte to beleue that death beyng slayne by Christe cannot kepe any man that stedfastly trusteth in Christ vnder his perpetuall tirāny and subiection but that he shall ryse from death agayne vnto glory at the last daye appoynted by almighty God lyke as Christ oure head did ryse agayne accordinge to Gods appoyntement the thyrde daye For sainct Augustine saieth The head goynge before the mēbres trust to folowe come after And sainct Paule saieth if Christe be rysen from the dead we shall ryse also from thesame And to comforte all Christen persons herein holye scripture calleth this bodiely death a slepe wherin mās senses be as it were takē from hym for a ceason and yet when he awaketh he is more freash then he was when he went to bed So althoughe we haue our soules seperated from our bodyes for a ceason yet at the general resurreccion we shalbe more freash beautifull and perfite then we be now For now we be mortall then we shal be immortall now infect with diuers infirmities then clerely voyde of all mortall infirmities now we be subiect to all carnall desyres then we shalbe al spirituall desiryng nothynge but Gods glory thinges eternal Thus is this bodiely death a doore or entrynge vnto lyfe and therfore not so muche dreadfull if it be rightly considered as it is comfortable not a mischief but a remedy of all mischief no enemy but a frende not a cruel tyraūt but a gētle guide leadyng vs not to mortalitie but to immortalitie not to sorow and payne but to ioye and pleasure and that to endure for euer if it be thankefully taken and accepted as Gods messenger and paciently borne of vs for Christes loue that suffered most paynfull death for oure loue to redeme vs from death eternall Accordynge hereunto saincte Paule saieth our lyfe is hidde with Christ in God but when our lyfe shall appere then shall we also appere with hym in glorye Why then shall we feare to dye consideryng the manifolde and comfortable promises of the Gospell and of holy scriptures God the father hath geuen vs euerlastynge lyfe saieth S. Ihon thys lyfe in is hys sonne he that hath the sonne hath lyfe he that hath not y e sonne hath not lyfe And this I wrote saieth S. Ihon to you that beleue in y e name of the sonne of God that you maye knowe that you haue euerlastynge lyfe and that you do beleue vpō the name of the sonne of God And our sauior Christ sayeth he that beleueth in me hath lyfe euerlastynge and I wyll rayse him frō death to lyfe at the last day Sainct Paule also sayeth that Christe is ordeyned and made of God oure righteousnes our holynes and redemption to the entent that he which wyll glory should glory in the Lorde Sainct Paule did contemne and set litle by all other thynges estemynge them as dunge whiche before he had in very greate pryce that he might be found in Christ to haue euerlasting lyfe true holynes righteousnes and redēpcion Finally S. Paule maketh a playne argument in this wise If our heauenly father woulde not spare his awne naturall sonne but dyd geue hym to death for vs how can it be that with him he shoulde not geue vs all thynges Therfore if we haue Christ then haue we with him and by him all good thinges whatsoeuer we can in our hartes wish or desire as victorie ouer death sinne and hel we haue the fauor of God peace wyth hym holynes wysedome iustice power lyfe and redempcion we haue by hym perpetuall health wealth ioye and blysse euerlastynge All those therefore haue great cause to be full of ioye that be ioyned to Christ with true faythe stedfast hope and perfyt charitie and not to feare death nor euerlastynge dampnacion For deathe cānot depriue them of Iesu Christ nor any sinne can cōdempne them y t are graffed surely in him which is their onely ioy treasure and lyfe Let vs repent our synnes amend our lyfes trust in hys mercy and satisfaction and death can neyther take hym from vs nor vs from hym For then as s. Paul saieth whether we lyue or dye we be the Lordes awne And agayne he sayeth Christ did dye and rose agayne because he should be Lord both of the dead quicke Then if we be the Lordes awne when we be dead it must nedes folowe that suche temporall deathe not onely cānot harme vs but also that it shall muche be to our profit and ioyne vs vnto God more perfectly And thereof the christian hart may surely be certified by the infallible truth of holye scripture It is God sayeth sainct Paule which hath prepared vs vnto immortalitie and thesame is he which hath geuen vs an earnest of the spirite Therfore let vs be alwaies of good comforte for we knowe that so longe as we be in the body we be as it were farre from God in a straunge countrey subiect to many perils walkyng without perfite sighte and knowledge of almighty God onely seynge hym by faythe in holy scriptures But we haue a courage desire rather to be at home with God and oure sauior Christe farre from the body where we maye behold hys Godhead as he is face to face to oure euerlastyng comfort These be saincte Paules wordes in effecte wherby we may perceyue that the lyfe in this world is resembled to a pilgrimage in a straunge countrie far frome God and that death deliuerynge vs from our bodyes doth sende vs straight home into our awne countrey and maketh vs to dwell presently with God for euer in perpetuall rest and quietnesse So that to dye is no losse but profite and winnynge to all true christē people What lost the thefe that hanged on the crosse with Christ by hys bodiely death Yea how much dyd he gayne by it Did not our sauiour say vnto hym thys daye thou shalt be with me in Paradyse And Lazarus that pitifull person that lay before y e richemans gate payned with sores and pined with hungre did not death highlye profite and promote hym Which by the ministery of Aungels sent hym vnto Abrahās bosome a place of rest ioye and heauenly consolacion Let vs thinke none other good christen people but Christ hath prepared thesame ioye and felicitie for vs that he prepared for Lazarus the thefe Wherfore let vs sticke vnto his
vs for oure goodnes shewed to them as if he him selfe had receyued lyke benefite at oure handes as he witnesseth in the Gospell saiynge Whatsoeuer ye haue done to any of these symple persones whiche do beleue in me that haue ye doen to my selfe Therfore let vs diligently forese that our fayth and hope whiche we haue conceyued in almightie God and in oure sauioure Christe waxe not faynte nor that the loue whiche we pretende to beare to hym waxe not coulde but let vs studye dayly and diligently to shewe oure selfes to be the true honorers and louers of God by kepynge of his commaundemētes by doyng of good dedes vnto our nedy neighbors releuynge by all meanes that we can their pouertye with our abundaunce their ignoraunce with oure wisedome and learnynge and comforte their weakenesse with oure strength and aucthoritie calling all men backe from euill doynge by Godly counsayll and good example perseuerynge styll in well doynge so longe as we lyue So shall we not nede to feare death for any of those three causes afore mencioned nor yet for any other cause that can be imagined But contrary consideryng the manifold sickenesses troubles sorowes of this present lyfe the daungers of this perilous pilgrimage and the greate encombraunce whiche oure spirite hath by thys synful fleshe and frayle body subiect to death considerynge also the manifolde sorowes and daūgerous deceiptes of this world on euery side the intollerable pride coueteousnes and lechery in tyme of prosperitie the impacient murmurynge of them that be worldly in tyme of aduersitie whiche cease not to withdrawe and plucke vs from God oure sauioure Christe from oure life wealth or eternal ioy and saluacion considerynge also the innumerable assaultes of oure Ghostly enemy the deuill with al his fiery dartes of ambicion pryde lechery vain-glory enuie malice detractiō with other hys innumerable deceiptes engines and snares whereby he goeth busely aboute to catche al men vnder his dominion euer lyke a roreynge Lyon by all meanes searchynge whome he maye deuoure the faythfull Christian man which considereth al these miseries perilles and incommodities whereunto he is subiecte so longe as he here liueth vpon earthe and on the other part considereth that blessed and comfortable state of the heauēly lyfe to come and the swete condicion of them that departe in the Lorde howe they are deliuered from the continuall encombraūces of their mortall and synfull bodye from all the malice craftes and deceiptes of this world from al the assaultes of their ghostly enemy the deuil to liue in peace reste and perpetuall quietnes to liue in the felowship of innumerable Aungelles and with the congregacion of perfecte iuste mē as Patriarches Prophetes Martyrs and Confessors and finally vnto the presence of almighty God and oure sauior Iesus Christe He that doeth consider all these thinges and beleueth theim assuredly as they are to be beleued euen from the botome of his harte beynge established in God in thys true faythe hauynge a quiete conscience in Christe a firme hope and assured trust in Gods mercy through the merites of Iesu Christe to obteyne thys quietnes reste and eternall ioye shal not onely be without feare of bodiely deathe when it commeth but certainlye as saincte Paule did so shall he gladly accordynge to Gods will and when it pleaseth God to call hym oute of thys lyfe greately desyre in hys harte that he maye be rid from al these occasions of euil and liue euer to Gods pleasure in perfecte obedience of hys will with our sauior Iesus Christe to whose gracious presence the Lorde of hys infinitie mercye and grace brynge vs to reigne with hym in lyfe euerlastynge To whome with oure heauenly father and the holy Ghoste be glorye in worldes without ende AMEN ¶ An exhortacion concernyng good ordre and obedience to rulers and magistrates ALmightie God hath created appointed all thinges in heauē yearth and waters in a moste excellent and perfect ordre In heauē he hath appoynted distinct orders and states of Archangelles and Angels In yearth he hath assigned kynges princes with other gouernors vnder them all in good necessary ordre The water aboue is kept and raineth doune in due time and ceason The sunne mone sterres rainbow thūder lightning cloudes and al birdes of the aire do kepe their ordre The yearth trees seedes plantes herbes corne grasse and all maner of beastes kepe thē in their ordre All the partes of y e whole yeare as winter somer monethes nightes dayes continue in their ordre All kyndes of fishes in the sea riuers and waters with all fountaynes sprynges yea the seas themselfes kepe their comely course and ordre And mā hymself also hath al his partes both within without as soule harte mynd memory vnderstandyng reason speache withall and singuler corporall mēbres of his body in a profitable necessary and pleasaunt ordre Euery degre of people in their vocacion callyng office hath appoynted to them their duetie ordre Some are in high degre some in lowe some kynges princes some inferiors and subiectes priestes and laimen masters seruauntes fathers chyldren husbandes and wifes riche and poore and euery one haue nede of other so that in all thinged is to be laudes praysed the goodly ordre of God without the whiche no house no citie no cōmon wealth can continue endure For where there is no right ordre there reigneth all abuse carnall libertie enormitie syn babilonicall cōfusion Take awaye kynges princes rulers magistrates iudges and such states of Gods ordre no man shal ride or go by the high waie vnrobbed no man shall slepe in his awne house or bed vnkilled no mā shall kepe his wife children possessions in quietne sall thynges shal be cōmon and there must nedes folow all mischief and vtter destructiō both of soules bodies goodes and common wealthes But blessed be God that we in this realme of England fele not the horrible calamities miseries wretchednes which al thei vndoubtedly fele suffre y t lacke this godly ordre And praised be God that we knowe the great excellēt benefite of god shewed towards vs in this behalfe God hath sente vs his high gifte our most dere souereigne lord king Edward y e sixt with godly wise and honorable coūsail with other superiors and inferiors in a beautifull ordre Wherefore let vs subiectes do our bounden duties geuing hartie thankes to God and praiyng for the preseruaciō of this Godly ordre Let vs al obey euen from the botome of our hartes al their Godly procedynges lawes statutes proclamacions and iniunctiōs with al other Godly orders Let vs considre the scriptures of the holy ghost whiche perswade cōmaunde vs all obediently to be subiect First chiefly to the kynges maiestie supreme had ouer all next to his honorable counsail and to all other noble men magistrates and officers which by Gods goodnes be placed and ordered for almightie God is the
vices the one is picking of querelles with sharpe and cōtencious wordes the other standeth in froward answering and multipliyng euil wordes againe The first is so abhominable that saincte Paule saieth if any y t is called a brother be a worshipper of ydols a brauler or piker of querels a thefe or an extorcioner with hym that is suche a mā se that ye eate not Now here considre that saincte Paule numbreth a scolder a brauler or a picker of querels emōg thiefes and ydolaters and many tymes commeth lesse hurt of a thief then of a raylyng tongue for the one taketh away a mannes good name the other taketh but hys richesse which is of muh lesse value estimacion then is hys good name And a thief hurteth but him from whom he stealeth but he that hath an euill tongue troubleth al the towne where he dwelleth sometyme the whole coūtrey And a raylynge tongue is a pestilence so full of contagiō that sainct Paule willeth christian men to forbeare the cōpany of suche and neyther to eate nor drynke with theim And where as he will not that a Christian woman shoulde forsake her husband although he be an infidele nor that a christian seruaunt should departe from hys master whiche is an infidele and Heathē and so suffre a christian man to kepe company with an infidel yet he forbiddeth vs to eat or drink with a scolder or a querel picker And also in y e .vi. chapi to the Cor. he saieth thus Be not deceyued for neither fornicators neither worshippers of ydols neyther thiefes nor dronkards neither cursed speakers shall dwell in the kyngdom of heauē It must nedes be a great fault that doeeh moue cause the father to disherite hys natural sonne And how cā it otherwise be but that this cursed speakynge must nedes be a most dampnable synne the whiche doeth cause God our moste merciful louing father to depriue vs of hys moste blessed kyngdō of heauē Agaynst the other synne that standeth in requiting taunt for taunte speaketh Christe himselfe I saye vnto you saieth oure sauior Christe resiste not euill but loue your enemies and saye well by them that saye euill by you do well vnto theim that do euill to you and praye for them that do hurte and pursue you that you maye be the chyldren of youre father whiche is in heauen whoo suffereth hys sunne to ryse bothe vpon good and euill and sendeth hys rayn both to the iuste and vniuste To thys doctryne of Christe agreeth very well the teaching of sainct Paul that electe vessell of God who ceaseth not to exhorte and call vpon vs saiynge blesse them that curse you blesse I saye and curse not recompense to no man euill for euill if it be possible asmuche as lieth in you lyue peaceablye with all men Dearely beloued auenge not youre selfes but rather geue place vnto wrath for it is written vengeaunce is myne I will reuenge saieth the Lorde Therfore if thyne enemye honger fede hym if he thirst geue hym drinke be not ouercome with euill but ouercome euil with goodnes All these be the woordes of s. Paule But they that be so full of stomacke and sette so muche by them selfes that they may not abyde so muche as one euill woorde to bee spoken of them peraduenture wyll saye if I be euil reuiled shal I stād stil like a goose or a foole with my finger in my mouth Shall I be such an ydiot diserde to suffre euery mā to speake vpō me what thei list to rayle what they liste to spewe out al their venyme agaynst me at their pleasures Is it not cōuenient that he that speaketh euill shoulde be aunswered accordingly If I shall vse this lenitie and softnes I shal both encrease mine enemies frowardnesse and prouoke other to do lyke Suche reasons make they that can suffre nothynge for the defence of their impacience And yet if by froward aunsweryng to a froward persone there were hope to remedy his frowardnesse he should lesse offende y t should so aunswer doyng thesame not of yre or malice but onely of that intent that he that is soo frowarde or malicious may be refourmed But he that can not amende another mans faulte or cannot amende it without hys awn faulte better it were y e one should perishe then two Then if he cānot quiete hym with gentle woordes at the least let hym not folowe him in wicked vncharitable wordes If he can pacifie him with suffering let him suffre if not it is better to suffre euil then to do euil to saye wel then to say euill For to speake well agaynst euill commeth of the spirite of God but to rendre euill for euill commeth of the contrary spirite And he that cannot tēper ne rule hys awn yre is but weake and feble and rather more lyke a woman or a child then a stronge man For the true strength and mālines is to ouercome wrath and to despice iniury and other mēnes folishnes And besides this he that shall despice the wronge dooen vnto hym by his enemye euery man shall perceyue that it was spoken or doen withoute cause where as contrary he that doeth fume chafe at it shall help the cause of hys aduersary geuynge suspicion that the thing is true And so in goynge about to reuenge euil we shew our selfes to be euil and while we will punysh and reuenge another mānes foly we double and augment our awne foly But many pretenses fynd they that be wilful to colour theyr impaciēce Myne enemy saye they is not worthy to haue gentle wordes or deedes beynge so ful of malice or frowardnes The lesse he is worthy the more arte thou allowed of God the more arte thou commended of Christe for whose sake thou shoulde render good for euyll because he hath commaunded the also deserued that thou shouldest so do Thyne neighbor hath peraduēture with a worde offended the call thou to thy remēbraūce with howe many wordes dedes how greuously thou hast offended thy lord God What was man when Christe dyed for hym Was he not hys enemye and vnworthy to haue hys fauor and mercye Euen so with what gentlenes pacience doeth he forbeare tollerate the although he is dayly offended by the Forgeue therfore a lighte tresspace to thy neighbor that Christ maye forgeue the many thousandes of trespasses which arte euery daye an offendor For if thou forgeue thy brother beynge to the a trespasser then hast thou a sure signe and token that God wyll forgeue the to whom all men be debtors or trespassers How wouldest thou haue God merciful to the if thou wilt be cruell vnto thy brother Canste thou not find in thyne hart to do that towardes an other that is thy felowe which God hath done to the that arte but hys seruaunt Ought not one sinner to forgeue another seyng that Christ which was no synner did praye to hys father for