that Ionas was neuer better knowen to be the occasion of thys tempeste in the sea then I knowe these foure sortes of people to be the trouble and wyll be the dystruccion of thys commune wealth if they be not found out by lotte and wysdome be tyme. But a man myghte aske what should the kynges magestie do in suche a case wyth all these foure sortes of Ionasses Let hys maiestie learne of these mariners then shall he do wel and as they dyd with Ionas so the kynges magestie must do with these four sorts of people What they dyd the Prophet shall tell hys owne tale and declare the third daunger he fell into whiche is the examinaciō of Ionas in thys forme Thei said vnto him shewe vs I praye the how thys trouble happeneth vnto vs What is thyne occupacion whence commest thou what countrie man art thou Of what nacion art thou In these Ethnicall Mariners we se a singuler discrecion wit humanitie What if our Mariners Christiās had suffered the lyke daunger and detriment for any mānes sake with in their shyppe Doubtles they would haue sworne and out of hande wythoute examinacion haue cast him into the sea But these men be wyse that they do not onelye serch to knowe his faulte by lottes but diligently seketh to knowe all the circumstances howe he fell into thys daunger lest Ionas should accompt him selfe vniustlye condemned Ot thys doyng of the Mariners we learne two thinges one humanitie towardes the aflicted persons The other that all kynges and magistrates oughte to condemne thys lawe as a thynge pestiferous and damned by gods lawes to execute sentence agaynste anye man before his cause and matter be heard for it is contrarye to the lawe of god the lawe of nature and the law of mā Yea God commaundeth that nomā shoulde be condemned with the testimony of one mā deu xvii Here is for the kynges magestye and hys coūsel one more doctrine to be learned of these Mariners I sayde that foure sortes of people were the occasion of the trouble of hys Magisties shyppe thys Realme of Englande but I sayd not that euerye man of these foure sorts was giltye of the tempest therfore there muste be lottes and examinacion of euerye deorce and of eche person in hys degree that the innocente be not punyshed neither the transgressoure fauored And these muste be examined by the mayster hys shyppemen that is to oure purpose of the Kynges magestye and hys Counsel So that in case the godlye wythout respect of persons seeke to know and vpon truthe and knoweledge punyshe as they knowe the shyppe of thys commune wealthe shall rest in peace and quyetnes if it be not serched for and amended the shyppe of the commune wealthe shall at laste be burste in pieces whyche the Lorde defend Amen ¶ The thyrd Sermon vpon Ionas made by Iohn Hoper the .v. of Marche ☞ The Preface WE neuer rede in anye wryters whether they be holy or prophāe of anye kyngedome or comune wealth that continually endured without tumultes sedicion or warre eyther by foreyn and outwarde enemies eyther amonge it selfe by conspiracye treason disobedience of subiectes of the same realme and the same euyll not beynge in tyme taken hede of and redressed brought alwayes the kingdom or commune wealth from trouble and sedicion vnto vtter ruyne and confusion We wyll omitte and passe ouer to speake of the kyngdome of the Assirians the Persians Grekes Romaynes althoughe of theyr originall continuaūce and distruccion the holye Byble maketh in Daniell the prophet and other places of the Scripture muche mencion of we wil speake but of two kingdomes of Iuda and Israell What troublers contencion warres sedicion and rebellion they suffred and at laste came cleane to noughte the bookes of the Kyngs and Chronicles doth recorde and the Prophet Ieremye What the causes of these troubles and dystruccion were the godlye readers of the scriptures he not ignoraunte But the men of that tyme the Princes the kynges neyther the priestes would vnderstād but assigned false causes the preachynge of goddes worde .iii. Regum xviii For thus sayeth Ahab vnto Elias the prophet arte not thou he that trobleth Israel and so sayeth the people Hiere xiiii The worde of god y t thou hast spoken vnto vs in the name of the lorde we wyll not receyue it but we will do whatsoeuer seme vnto vs good y t we may do sacrifice vnto the Quene of heauē and offer oure offerynges vnto her as we haue done and oure fathers our kinges our princes in the cities of Iuda and in the stretes of Ierusalē Thē had we aboūdaunce of al thinges and wel was it wyth vs we felte no yuell Assone as we lefte offerynge to the Quene of heauen and sacrificed no more sacrifyce vnto her we lacked al thynges and be consumed wyth warre and hungre But the true Prophetes of GOD shewed the true causes of these euils to be the contempt of goddes word as Elias saide vnto Ahab I trouble not Israell but thou and thy fathers house troubleth it For ye haue forsaken the commaūdemente of the Lorde and thou goest after Baalim But the princes and the people cōtinually defēded y e falle causes accōpted y e prophetes of god y t wold haue corrected theyr error to be sedicious trayterus persons and euen so persecuted and kylled them for there true preachynge Till at the last they perished and theyr realme wyth theym as ye maye rede .iiii. Regu xvii and in the last booke of the Cronicles in the last Chapiter Unto the lessō of those two Chapters I exhorte the wyse and godly hearer For ye shal gather of those places that the contempte of goddes worde was the occasion of the losse of these realmes The same euyll vexeth vs at thys presente daye The ship of thys commune wealthe of Englande is tossed vpsyde downe and the occacion thereof is imputed and layed vnto Christe and hys holye worde though falsly for Christes nature is to apeace and quiet all troubles and tempestes wyth hys presence Iohn .vi. Therefore thys false and preposterous cause of trouble muste be taken hede of if we wyshe the shyp of this kyngdom to come to rest We shal neuer bryng it to passe vntyll suche tyme as we agree and confesse that Ionas is the occasion whye the realme is thus vnquieted that is to saye as manye as be in this realme that neglect or peruerte theyr appoynted vocacyon I sayde O Kynge that Ionas myght be founde amonge foure sortes of people wyth in youre maiestyes Realme amonge the priestes noble men lawers and the commune people But lest anye man shulde thynke I condempned euerye man within the shippe of your commune wealthe we wyll folowe the wisdome and comendable doinges of these shippemen which were not only content to haue found out Ionas the cause of theyr trouble by Lottes but also diligētly they examin him So y e same thing most gracious kyng we
of hys lawe not to harken vnto his voyce nor to walke in hys wayes to go after the prauitye and euylnes of euer owne hartes The viciatynge and iuste vse of the Lordes supper i. Cor. xi Also y ◠neglecrynge of wydowes and orphalynges causes not to iudge ryghte iudgemente to the power Ierem. v. These causes muste be auoyded or else truelye thy sayinge of Ieremye wyll take place Chap. vii You trust in youre selfes and in lyes that nothynge profytteth The nexte waye to returne the hande of gods angre great displeasure against vs is to folowe Iosophat the kinge that appoynted good iudges and godlye pryestes in euerye cyty The iudges to iudge after the true lawes of the realme and the preystes to do all thynges in the churche accordynge to the worde of God which teacheth suche knowledge and feare of God and of the magystrates that all the wysedome lawes and bokes that euer were made be but counterfeete and folyshe in respecte of it Nor euer had God in heauen or kynge vpon the earthe suche a frende as is the holy Bible For it reacheth y ◠people and subiectes of the realme the feare of God obedyence to the kynges maiestye and hys Magestrates and all mutuall and fraternal loue Thys example and counsel of Iosaphat if it beneglected ther cā no godlynes be amonge the people as the texte sayeth when Prophecye wanteth the people shall be dysipated scattered abrode Prouerves xxix To the doinges of these godlye offyces shoulde all menne be exhorted specyallye suche as bare the name of Bishoppes and preistes If they will not be desyrous and glad to haue helpe the mynistery of the church to the primatyue and perfecte estate agayne the Lorde dothe crye vengeaunce towardes them and wyl not onlye requyre the lose of them selfes but also of all the people at theire handes Ezech. iii. xxxiii Let them remember the complaynte of God hym selfe Ierem. i. My people hath haue a loste flocke my shepperdes haue deceiued them and haue made them go astraye vpon the hylles If these threatnynges wyll not amend theym Gracyous Kynge and you my honourable Lordes of his highe counsel muste do wyth them as the mariners did with Ionas What y ◠is seing it pleased the kinges maiestie and you my Lordes of his moste honourable councell in the lente to heare by me I haue nowe at the request of manye godlye persons caused it to come abrode and dedicated the same to youre Pryncelye maiestye and mooste prudente Counsell that youre hyghenes maye be bothe iudge and recorde of my doctrine vnto youre Maiestyes true and louing subiectes The whyche doctryne is Catholyke and godly in al thynges nothynge dyssentinge but agreable wyth the Prophetes and the Aposteles as I am accordynge to my bonnden dutye redye at all tymes to make answere if anye thyng shal be attempted to the contrarye Incase ther be now thē added a word more or lesse or peraduenture some sentence yet I know well y e matter is not chaunged nor aultered other wyse then I spake it before youre maiestye for I haue memoryaies wherin I wrot before y ◠inuenciō order disposition of al the matters I wolde entreate vpon As I vse euer wyl doo of all thinges I speake in goddes behalfe to the people wryt my selfe or cause an other to wryte the pethe and disposycion of al thinges I speake vpon that I maye as well learne a farther knoweledge my selfe thereby as make answere to myne enemyes if any shuld accuse me of false doctryne The God of all strengthe and consolation gouerne poure maiestye an youre mooste honourable counsell wyth hys holye spyryte and gyue you the vyctorye of all your ennemies Ami. Anno. M. D. L. Septembris .vi. Sence y ◠angel of god slew in the armye of Senacherive gods ennemie a hundreth thousand and syue thousande menne Anno. M.M.C.C. lxxx viii ¶ The fyrste Sermon made the .xix. day of March in the yere of our lord a. M. CCCCC.L before the kinges maiestie his most honourable Counsel by Ihon Hoper Preacher vpon the holy Prophet Ionas ¶ Preface vnto the Prophet IT is the offyce and dewty of euerye good chyld that studiousli laboreth to obey and folow hys fathers commaundemente before all thynges to know perfectly the nature and condiciō of hys fathers wyl Wherof if he be ignoraunte manye tymes in the same thynges he iudgeth best of he moste offendeth and the thynges moste pleasaunte and acceptable as thynges moste dyspleasaūt and vnacceptable vnto hys father he flyeth and refuseth Euen so wee that be subiectes and the chyldren of God the father almyghty can do nothyng gratefully and acceptable vnto his Maiesty excepte we first knowe hys good wyl and pleasure towards vs or else we shal ther most offēde hym wher as we mynde moste to please him And agayn happyly to improue as pernicious and heretycal that his wisdom approueth to be most Godlye and profytable Wherefore as the fyrste poynte of a louynge Childe is to know what pleasyth and what dyspleasyth what contentyth and what discontentyth hys father least he should by ignoraūce displease where as hys sonnelyke affeccion by naturall zeale woulde please so is it the second poynt of a good Chylde hys fathers wyll once trulye knowen dyligently to obserue and kepe the same least he should by neglygence or contempt be seene wilfullye to contemne the thynge he hathe wyth dylygence and studye obedyentlye submyttyd hym selfe vnto And incase as suche cases be moste common and daylye that infyrmities or other occasyon ledde the sonne from the obedyence of hys father The thyrde poynte of hys dewtie is speedely to acknowledge his offēce and desyre pardon merci for his trāsgressiō As the prodigal and disobedient sonne dyd Luke xv And Dauid ii Samuel and so after the remyssyon and pardon obtayned to be more circumspect and wyse how he fall and transgresse agayne Psal. li. These proposicions and sentences be so true that no resonable man doubteth of them But as the deuyll hath lefte in the world no truth nor veritie whych by argument and question he hathe not called into dout so trobleth he in this case the myndes of men wyth twoo questiōs The first is how and from whence the wyll of God maye be knowen The seconde what y e wil of god is So hath he preuayled amonge men for synne that the truthe of these questions is vnknowen to the greatest part of the world as it was in Moses tyme Christes tyme now in oure tyme more ignoraunte and far from God thē thei He perswaded in those daies that the wil of God was knowen not from heauen nor out of the scripture Canonical as the Patriarches Prophets and the Apostles tawghte but that it was knowē by the writings decrees and statutes of mē that were in the earth and that the wyl of God was to do that man commaunded and not that God commaunded But as almighty God left
thing shalbe to y e best vnto those that loue the lorde Ionas also in thys hys peruerse froward opinion to w tdraw the mercy of god froÌ„ the Niniuits expresseth y e noughty opinion that saieth that sinners can neuer be receaued into grace after they fal once froÌ„ the Lorde They would abrogate y e greatest work of god to say hys mercye that it shoulde not woorke where it pleaseth hym but where as it pleaseth mans fancies to appoynte it The Lord doth not onelye fauour and bear with Ionas infirmityes but also couereth him from the burnyng heate of the sunne and also teacheth him by the tree that he is offeÌ„ded w tout cause what tree this was it is not agreed vpon yet among writers but it maketh no matter therof it is ynough we knowe it was a tree wyth brode leaues wherby the lord would succour both the bodye and knowledge of the infirme Ionas That it grewe vp sodenly and wythered away sodenly it beareth therein the ymage and propertie of suche honours riches and treasures as be in thys world whych sodenly ryse and sodenly fall agayne Noman therfore shuld hasard or daunger hys sowle for so britle and fraile things And by the withering away of this lytle tree God woulde shew Ionas howe vncharitable he was angry that y â— great Citie of Niniue was saued as though he had sayd if it greue the somuch for the losse of this lytle tre shuld it not be a greater grefe vnto the to se the destruccion of so greate a Citye For the tree sprang vp in one nyght and the Citie had stand many hundred yeares Againe for the tree Ionas laboured neuer a dele but God buylded Niniue The tree is but one thynge the Citie had greate nombre both of men and catel And least Ionas myght haue sayd yea but al men of the citie be euyl therfore worthy to perysh but God addeth to the mater and sayth there were in the citie aboue a hundred and twentye thousande persones that knewe not betwene the ryghte hande and the lefte that is to saye chyldren and foules Of thys dialoge betwene God and Ionas we maye gather thys generall and vniuersal doctrine that god wyl saue al penitente synners .i. Timo. ii for seyng he gaue hys onely soÌ„ne for vs whiles we wer yet his enemies how shuld it be he wold not in him giue vs al thiÌ„ges Romaynes .viii. Mathe. xi But here of commeth oure losse and perdicion that we repente not from oure euyll as the Proclamacion of the king of Niniue commaunded the people and subiectes thereof that woulde not onelye men to amend theyr yuel liues but also they shuld restore agayne all false goten goodes and make restitucioÌ„ therof as well to god as to man Restitucion towardes God is when al honoure and glory is geuen vnto hym as saynte Paule sayeth .i. Timotheus .i. But thys glorye is and hathe bene taken froÌ„ God by men of euery sorte as well by those of the Ecclesiasticall polycye as those of the Ciuile policie Those of the Ecclesiastical Policye take awaye thys honoure and prayse from God two waies One by neglecting the true doctrine the other by defeâ—dynge of false doctryne By negligence offend such as know God and hys ministerie bi the holi word of god yet for priuate respectes ether for lucre or for feare of them selues suffer many tokens monumeÌ„tes and ceremonyes of supersticion as is the dyuersitie of meates for religions sake yet I aproue the commaundemeÌ„t of the Magistrates that for a Ciuile Policie cause certayne dayes apoynted to eat fish in ymages forbyddyng of mariage in the lent the vse of suche vestimentes or apparel as obscure the mynysterie of Christes churche and representeth the forme and fasshyon of the Aaronicall ministerie of the old law abrogated and ended in Christ eyther els seldom or neuer teach the people neither procure them to be taught Al those I exhort to restitucioÌ„ or els doubtles theyr thefte wyll bryng them to damnacioÌ„ Let them preach truly the woorde of God and minister his Sacramentes after the institucioÌ„ of Christ and theÌ„ theyr harme done in time past shall not be thought vpon Ther be an other sorte that refuse not only to mocke thys satisfaccion but also obstinatly maintaine and defend false doctrine and study to oppresse the true doctryne Of thys sort is no smalle numbre But those I exhorte also to leaue theyr yuel sayinges and to make restitucion As many as be of the laytie as thei be called that is to sai not of the publicke ministerie of the church robbeth also god of hys glory honoure They seke remedy for synne by another meanes then through the death of Christ as by the marchaundies of Masses Indulgences InuocacioÌ„ of saintes the peines of Purgatorie but I aduyse them to geue God that for it appertayneth onlye vnto hym Harken vnto the woord of God and call vpon hys name as he teacheth thorowe Christ in spirit and veritie And thancke hym for all hys gyftes he geueth bothe to your body and soule At your death commende your soules to hym for Christ that dyed vnder Pontius Pilate as Saynte Steauen did Act .vii. And do not dout of y â— dead for they be at rest al redy eyther in heauen eyther in hell Io. iii. v.i Cor. xv.i. Tess. iiii Apoca. iiii Wherefore rather gyue thankes to God for theÌ„ then praye from them ¶ Of restitucion to be made to man IN external goodes maye a man offend thre maner of wayes In yuel getting of theÌ„ An euyl kepyng of theÌ„ And in euyll spendyng of theÌ„ They be yuel gotten manye wayes Fyrste when they be taken from an other by murder Rape Uyolencie Crafte or Thefte Thus offeÌ„did quen Iesabel in takyng away Nabothes vineyard .iii. Reg. xxi at length she was torne wyth dogges for her labour Then be they iueâ— gotten by subtylties fraudes corrupcion of lawes by lying flattery and such other Let euery man make restitucion of goodes thus gotten or els he shal sure perish Let the sedicious hurtful and daungerous traytoure that contrarye vnto Gods lawes taketh weapon agaynst hys leage Lorde and kynge restore both hys hearte and hys goodes agayne to the Kynges pleasure and commaundement Let al men cease from gettyng of theyr goodes by thys vnlawfull meanes and the goodes so gotten lette them restore againe As zacheus dyd Luc. xix And that they may be y e better fensed against thys vnlawful vngodly gettiÌ„g to gether of goods I prai theÌ„ to read the Canon of saint Paul .i. Tim. vi Such as wil be ryche et cetera Goodes be yuel kept Fyrste if thei exalt theÌ„ vnto arrogancie and pryde whych bringeth the contempt of other and theÌ„ if in the aboundauÌ„ce of goods thou forget God Thyrdly yf hauynge goodes thou cease from labour and put thy selfe to ease so that thou make thy selfe profitable neither to god neyther to y â— commune wealth thou dwellest in Here offende verye
This scuit of Iosias holp his godly coūcellers vertuous priestes Euē so Ioas beynge but a child was holp by his coūcellers in the lyke procedinges reformaciō of religion In case y t princes Bishops priests had not knowen it to be the cōmaundemēt of God to haue obeyed these .ii. yonge godlye kynges they wold not haue consented vnto his procedinges But we see howe gladde they were to do it The Princes and councellours moued no sedicion the Bishop and the priestes soughte not for the defence of their proper doctrine eyther to myngle theirs with goddes but were content wyth the sole and onely lawe of God Ye noble Princes and councellours praise be vnto the liuinge God for your great wisdome and godlye assistaunce in this behalfe And the Lorde be magnifyed in all the godlye and learned Bishoppes and others of this Realme that haue and do put to their helpes and studies to brynge the churche of Chryste to her olde and reuerende perfeccion agayn And al other that hynder your maiesties godlye purpose openly or secretelye God wyll douteles reuenge at length The godly and vertuouse begynnynges moste noble Prince of your father the kynges maiestie Henry the eyght of a blessed memorie shall by your hyghnes godlye be ended in hym that can and wyl do al thinges for Christ his deare sōnes sake And a thousande tymes the rather shal your maiestie restore agayn the true ministerie of y e church incase ye remoue take away all y ◠monumētes tokens leauinges of papistry For as longe as anye of them remayne there remayneth also occasion of relapse vnto the abolyshed supersticion of Antichriste Seynge I see in the writynges of the Prophets God to require the obseruacion of his lawe onely concerninge religion and threatneth all Prynces priestes and prophets w t his displeasure that neglecte or contaminate it with their own cogitacions I can do no lesse howe soeuer the worlde shall take my doynges but exhorte and pray the magistrates to brynge the churche to her fyrst perfeccion For if I shulde studye to please man herein I were not the seruaunt of God And I am afrayd leste the dissease that infected the Pharises infecteth also many now a dayes that minister in the church vnto whom Chryst spake Ihon .v. Howe can ye beleue that seeke glorye one of other and the glory of God ye contemne God geue grace I maye not saye Hinc ille lacrime Helpe ye therefore O ye Byshoppes and pryestes the kynges maiestyes and hys noble couurelles procedinges that all thynges maye be broughte to a perfecte and Apostolicall reformacion it is not inoughe to laye the foundacion of the temple but there muste bee buylded vpon it golde syluer and precyous stone But in anye case wee muste take heede we laye no strawe nor stubble upon the foundacion if we do it wyll be burned i. Corrinth iii. If wee do not buylde vp vpon the foundacion then shal we be shente as the Israelites were Agge .i. Lette no manue excuse hym selfe vpon the kynges maiesties age for the age canne not excuse the kynges maiestie it selfe If hys relygyon in hys youthe be accordynge to goddes woorde he hathe the fauoure and promyses of God to blesse preserue and keepe hys maiestye and hys Realme thoughe the Deuyll and hys members wolde saye nay If in youthe hys maiestye take a wronge relygyon he shall bee assisted of goddes displeasure as it is to be seene .iiii. Regum xxi Manasses beynge of twelue yeres olde was crouned kynge and in his youth reuoked the Idololatry that his father Ezechias had abolished and in hys so doing displeased haynously y ◠maiestie of God at lēgth was sore afflicted and punyshed for his so doyng Behold y ◠displeasure of God in a yonge kynge for a false religion Ieoachim crouned the eyght yere of hys age for the euyll he dyd in the syghte of the Lorde he was taken prisoner by the kynge of Babilon .ii. Paral. xxxvi wyth all the goodly vessels of the Lorde Thys kinge raygned but thre monethes ten dayes before the Lorde reuenged the false doctrine he mainteined These examples I dout not moste godlye kynge and vertuouse councellers moneth you to be carefull of the true religion The Lorde hathe strengthe and power inough seeke ye hym and geue no place to the infirme perswasions of the flesh for the Lorde shall be wyth you Souche as thynke peace and quyetnes shal come to the realme a better waye then to haue the true relygyon of God restored they shal knowe the contrarye in the Prophete Ie. Chapter .vi. the whyche Chapter if the kynges maiestye bare in mynde and folowe it is wourthe a kynges reuenue If a Lord the value of hys lande if the Byshoppe the estimacion of hys Byshopprycke if the marchaunte the gaynes of hys laboure if the husbande hys Oxen plough And the same commaunded God Leuit .xxv. Obserue my statutes and my iudgementes then shal ye dwell safelye in the earth and the earthe shal brynge forthe her frute ye shall eate and be satyfied and dwel in the earthe wyth out feare It is a fonde opynyon most gracyous kynge and vnmete for a chrystyan man to bare the Magystrates of God in hande that incase the doctryne of Chryste and hys holy sacramentes shuld not be decked and set forthe wyth these plausible and well lykynge ceremonyes that is to speake playnelye w t papysticall superstisticion it were to be feared of sediciō and tumults Doutelesse if the Popes members woulde not deceyue the people but teach thē gods word y ◠people wold sone see the truthe and willingelye leaue asmuch as God and their king shulde commaunde them as y ◠gests and factes of Iosyas and Ioas declareth Moste gracyous kynge and noble councellers as ye haue taken away the Masse from the people so take from them her fethers also the aulter vestmentes and suche like as apparelled her And lette the holye communion be decked wyth the holye ceremonyes that the hyghe and wyse preyste Chryste deckyed and apparelled her fyrste of all And frō whence myghtye Prynce and soueraygne Lord spryngeth warre and sedicion Come they not frome the onlye God beynge angrye for the neclectynge of hys lawe so we be taughte by Esa. l. And Ieremye .ix. sayeth who is wise vnderstandeth thys and he vnto whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken declareth wherefore the earth perisheth and is like vnto the burned wildernes y t no man maye passe by it And the Lord sayed because they haue forsakē my lawe whyche I put vnto them and hearde not my wayes and walketh not therein but folowed the desyre of theyr owne hertes and after Baalimas they were taughte by there fathers And because wee myngle mennes inuencyons wyth his lawe For he sayeth menne worshyp hym in vayne wyth the preceptes of men Math. xv And in the .ix. of Ieremy the Lord declareth other manner of causes of warre and sedicion The forsakynge