not have found a meeter Patron for the maintenance of such a matter than this Irene whose Ambition and desire of Rule was insatiable whose Treason continually studied and wrought was most abominable whose wicked and unnatural cruelty passed Mâ—dea and Progne whose detestable Parricides have ministred matter to Poets to write their horrible Tragedies And yet certain Historiographers who do put in writing all these her horrible Wickednesses for love they had to Images which she maintained do praise her as a Godly Empress and as sent from God Such is the blindness of false Superstition if it once take Possession in a Man's Mind that it will both declare the Vices of wicked Princes and also commend them But not long after the said Irene being suspected to the Princes and Lords of Greece of Treason in alienating the Empire to Charles King of the Francons and for practising a secret Marriage between herself and the said King and being convicted of the same was by the said Lords deposed and deprived again of the Empire and carried into exile into the Island Lesbos where she ended her lewd Life While these Tragedies about Images were thus working in Greece Another Council against Images the same question of the use of Images in Churches began to be moved in Spain also And at Eliberi a notable City now called Granate was a Council of Spanish Bishops and other learned Men assembled and there after long deliberation and debating of the matter it was concluded at length by the whole Council after this sort in the 36. Article Doctors of the Council against Images We think that Pictures ought not to be in Churches lest that which is honored or worshipped be painted on Walls And in the xlj Canon of that Council it is thus writtten We thought good to admonish the faithful that as much as in them lyeth they suffer no Images to be in their Houses but if they fear any violence of their Servants at the least let them keep themselves clean and pure from Images if they do not so let them be accounted as none of the Church Note here I pray you how a whole and great Country in the West and South Parts of Europe nearer to Rome a great deal than to Greece in scituation of place do agree with the Greeks against Images and do not only forbid them in Churches but also in private Houses and do excommunicate them that do the contrary Yet another Council against-Images And another Council of the learned Men of all Spain also called Concilium Toletanum Duodecimum decreed and determined likewise against Images and Image-worshippers But when these Decrees of the Spanish Council at Eliberi came to the knowledg of the Bishop of Rome and his Adherents they fearing lest all Germany also would decree against Images and forsake them thought to prevent the matter and by the consent and help of the Prince of Francons whose Power was then most great in the West Parts of the World assembled a Council of Germans at Frankford and there procured the Spanish Council against Images aforementioned to be condemned by the Name of the Foelician Heresie for that Foelix Bishop of Aquitania was chief in that Council and obtained that the Acts of the second Nicone Council assembled by Irene the holy Empress whom ye heard of before and the sentence of the Bishop of Rome for Images might be received For much after this sort do the Papists report of the History of the Council of Frankford Notwithstanding the Book of Carolus Magnus his own writing as the Title sheweth which is now put in print and commonly in Mens hands sheweth the Judgment of that Prince and of the whole Council of Frankford also to be against Images and against the second Council of Nice assembled by Irene for Images and calleth it an arrogant foolish and ungodly Council and declareth the assembly of the Council of Frankford to have been directly made and gathered against the Nicene Council and the errors of the same So that it must needs follow that either there were in one Princes time two Councils assembled at Frankford one contrary to the other which by no History doth appear or else that after their custom the Popes and Papists have most shamefully corrupted the Council as their manner is to handle not only Councils but also all Histories and Writings of the old Doctors falsifying and corrupting them for the maintenance of their wicked and ungodly purposes as hath in times of late come to light and doth in our days more and more continually appear most evidently Let the forged gift of Constantine The forged gift of Constantine c. and the notable attempt to falsify the first Nicene Council for the Pope's Supremacy practised by Popes in St. Augustine's time be a Witness hereof Which practice indeed had then taken effect had not the diligence and wisdom of St. Augustine and other learned and godly Bishops in Afric by their great labour and charges also resisted and stopped the same Nicene Council like to be falsified Now to come towards an end of this History and to shew you the principal point that came to pass by the maintenance of Images Whereas from Constantinus Magnus time until this day all Authority Imperial and princely Dominion of the Empire of Rome remained continually in the right and Possession of the Emperors who had their continuance and Seat Imperial at Constantinople the City Royal. Leo the Third then Bishop of Rome seeing the Greek Emperors so bent against his Gods of Gold and Silver Timber and Stone and having the King of the Francons or French-Men named Charles whose Power was exceeding great in the West-Countries very applyable to his mind for causes hereafter appearing under the pretence that they of Constantinople were for that matter of Images under the Pope's Ban and Curse and therefore unworthy to be Emperors or to bear Rule and for that the Emperors of Greece being far off were not ready at a beck to defend the Pope against the Lombards his enemies and others with whom he had variance This Leo the Third I say attempted a thing exceeding strange and unheard of before and of incredible boldness and presumption For he by his Papal Authority doth translate the Government of the Empire and the Crown and name Imperial from the Greeks and giveth it unto Charles the Great King of the Francons not without the consent of the forenamed Irene Empress of Greece who also sought to be joined in Marriage with the said Charles These things were done about the 803 year of our Lord. For the which cause the said Irene was by the Lords of Greece deposed and banished as one that had betrayed the Empire as ye before have heard And the said Princes of Greece did after the deprivation of the said Irene by common consent elect and create as they always had done an Emperor named Nicephorus whom the Bishop of Rome and they
CERTAIN SERMONS OR HOMILIES Appointed to be Read in CHURCHES In the Time of Queen Elizabeth OF FAMOUS MEMORY And now Reprinted for the Use of Private Families In Two Parts LONDON Printed for George Wells at the Sun Abel Swall at the Unicorn in St. Paul's Church-yard and George Pawlett at the Bible in Chancery-Lane 1687. THE PREFACE As it was Published In the Year 1562. COnsidering how necessary it is that the Word of God which is the only food of the Soul and that most excellent Light that we must walk by in this our most dangerous Pilgrimage should at all convenient times be Preached unto the People that thereby they may both learn their Duty towards God their Prince and their Neighbours according to the Mind of the Holy Ghost expressed in the Scriptures And also to avoid the manifold Enormities which heretofore by false Doctrine have crept into the Church of God And how that all they which are appointed Ministers have not the Gift of Preaching sufficiently to instruct the People which is committed unto them whereof great inconveniences might rise and ignorance still be maintained if some honest Remedy be not speedily found and provided The Queens most Excellent Majesty tendering the Souls Health of Her Loving Subjects and the Quieting of their Consciences in the Chief and Principal Points of Christian Religion and willing also by the true setting forth and pure declaring of God's Word which is the principal Guide and Leader unto all Godliness and Virtue to expel and drive away as well corrupt vicious and ungodly Living as also Erroneous and poisoned Doctrines tending to Superstition and Idolatry Hath by the Advice of Her most Honourable Counsellors for her discharge in this behalf caused a Book of Homilies which heretofore was set forth by Her most Loving Brother a Prince of most worthy Memory Edward the Sixth to be Printed anew wherein are contained certain Wholsome and Godly Exhortations to move the People to Honour and Worship Almighty God and diligently to Serve Him every one according to their Degree State and Vocation All which Homilies Her Majesty Commandeth and straitly Chargeth all Parsons Vicars Curates and all others having Spiritual Cure every Sunday and Holiday in the Year at the ministring of the Holy Communion or if there be no Communion ministred that day yet after the Gospel and Creed in such order and place as is appointed in the Book of Common Prayers to Read and Declare to their Parishioners plainly and distinctly one of the said Homilies in such order as they stand in the Book except there be a Sermon according as is enjoyned in the Book of Her Highness Injunctions and then for that Cause only and for none other the Reading of the said Homily to be deferred unto the next Sunday or Holiday following And when the foresaid Book of Homilies is read over Her Majesties pleasure is that the same be repeated and read again in such like sort as was before prescribed Furthermore Her Highness Commandeth that notwithstanding this Order the said Ecclesiastical Persons shall read Her Majesties Injunctions at such times and in such order as in the Book thereof appointed And that the Lords Prayer The Articles of the Faith and the Ten Commandments be openly read unto the People as in the said Injunctions is specified that all Her People of what Degree or Condition soever they be may learn how to invocate and call upon the Name of God and know what Duty they owe both to God and Man So that they may Pray Believe and Work according to Knowledge while they shall live here and after this life be with him that with his Blood hath bought us all To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory for ever Amen AN ADMONITION TO ALL MINISTERS Ecclesiastical FOR that the Lord doth require of his Servant whom he hath set over his Houshold to shew both Faithfulness and Prudence in his Office it shall be necessary that Ye above all other do behave your Selves most faithfully and diligently in your so high a Function That is aptly plainly and distinctly to read the Sacred Scriptures diligently to instruct the Youth in their Catechism gravely and reverently to Minister his most Holy Sacraments prudently also to choose out such Homilies as be most meet for the time and for the more agreeable instruction of the People committed to your charge with such discretion that where the Homily may appear too long for one Reading to divide the fame to be read part in the Forenoon and part in the Afternoon And where it may so chance some one or other Chapter of the Old Testament to fall in order to be read upon the Sundays or Holidays which were better to be changed with some other of the New Testament of more edification it shall be well done to spend your time to consider well of such Chapters before-hand whereby your prudence and diligence in your Office may appear so that your People may have cause to Glorifie God for you and be the readier to embrace your Labours to your better commendation to the discharge of your Consciences and their own A TABLE OF THE SERMONS Contained in this present Volume I. A Fruitful Exhortation to the Reading of Holy Scripture Pag. 1. II. Of the Misery of all Mankind Pag. 10 III. Of the Salvation of all Mankind Pag. 19 IV. Of the true and lively Faith Pag. 32 V. Of Good Works Pag. 46 VI. Of Christian Love and Charity Pag. 61 VII Against Swearing and Perjury Pag. 69 VIII Of the Declining from God Pag. 78 IX An Exhortation against the Fear of Death Pag. 89 X. An Exhortation to Obedience Pag. 105 XI Against Whoredom and Adultery Pag. 119 XII Against Strife and Contention Pag. 137 XIII Of the right Use of the Church Pag. 159. XIV Against peril of Idolatry Pag. 175 XV. For repairing and keeping clean the Church Pag. 282 XVI Of Good Works And First of Fasting Pag. 289 XVII Against Gluttony and Drunkenness Pag. 309 XVIII Against excess of Apparel Pag. 322 XIX An Homily of Prayer Pag. 334 XX. Of the Place and Time of Prayer Pag. 356 XXI Of Common-Prayer and Sacraments Pag. 370 XXII An Information of them which take offence at certain places of Holy Scripture Pag. 385 XXIII Of Alms-Deeds Pag. 402 XXIV Of the Nativity Pag. 421 XXV Of the Passion for Good-Friday Pag. 434 and 435 XXVI Of the Resurrection for Easter-day Pag. 455 XXVII Of the worthy receiving of the Sacrament Pag. 467 XXVIII An Homily concerning the coming down of the Holy Ghost for Whitsunday Pag. 480 XXIX An Homily for Rogation-week Pag. 497 XXX Of the state of Matrimony Pag. 530 XXXI Against Idleness Pag. 540 XXXII Of Repentance and true Reconciliation unto God Pag. 556 XXXIII An Homily against Disobedience and wilful Rebellion Pag. 583 A Fruitful EXHORTATION TO THE Reading and Knowledge OF HOLY SCRIPTURE UNto a Christian Man there can be nothing either more necessary
can lay his hands on the Lords anointed and be guiltless And David said furthermore As sure as the Lord liveth the Lord shall smite him or his day shall come to die or he shall descend or go down into Battel and there perish the Lord keep me from laying my hands upon the Lord 's anointed But take thou now the spear that is at his head and the cruse of Water and let us go And so he did Here is evidently proved that we may not withstand nor in any ways hurt an anointed King which is God's Lieutenant Vicegerent and highest Minister in that Country where he is King But peradventure some here would say that David in his own defence might have killed King Saul lawfully An Objection and with a safe Conscience But holy David did know than he might in no wise withstand An Answer hurt or kill his Sovereign Lord and King He did know that he was but King Saul's Subject though he were in great favour with God and his Enemy King Saul out of God's favour Therefore though he were never so much provoked yet he refused utterly to hurt the Lord 's anointed He durst not for offending God and his own Conscience although he had occasion and opportunity once lay his hands upon God's high Officer the King whom he did know to be a Person reserved and kept for his Office sake only to God's Punishment and Judgment therefore he prayeth so oft and so earnestly that he lay not his hands upon the Lord 's anointed And by these two Examples Holy David being named in Scripture a Man after God's own Heart Psal 88. giveth a general Rule and Lesson to all Subjects in the World not to withstand their Liege Lord and King not to take a Sword by their private Authority against their King God's anointed who only beareth the Sword by God's Authority for the Maintenance of the good and for the Punishment of the evil who only by God's Law hath the use of the Sword at his command and also hath all Power Jurisdiction Regiment Correction and Punishment as Supreme Governor of all his Realms and Dominions and that even by the Authority of God and by God's Ordinances Yet another notable Story and Doctrine is in the second Book of the Kings that maketh also for this purpose When an Amalekite 2 Kings 1. by King Saul's own consent and Commandment had killed King Saul he went to David supposing to have had great Thanks for his Message that he had killed David's deadly Enemy and therefore he made great haste to tell to David the chance bringing with him King Saul's Crown that was upon his Head and his Bracelet that was upon his Arm to persuade his tidings to be true But Godly David was so far from rejoycing at this news that immediately and forthwith he rent his Cloaths off his Back he Mourned and wept and said to the Messenger How is it that thou wast not afraid to lay thy hands on the Lords anointed to destroy him And by and by David made one of his Servants to kill the Messenger saying Thy blood be on thine own head for thine own mouth hath testified and witnessed against thee granting that thou hast slain the Lords anointed These examples being so manifest and evident it is an intolerable ignorance madness and wickedness for Subjects to make any Murmuring Rebellion Resistance or withstanding Commotion or Insurrection against their most dear and most dread Sovereign Lord and King ordained and appointed of God's Goodness for their Commodity Peace and Quietness Yet let us believe undoubtedly good Christian People that we may not obey Kings Magistrates or any other though they be our own Fathers if they would command us to do any thing contrary to God's Commanments In such a case we ought to say with the Apostle Acts 7. We must rather obey God than man But nevertheless in that case we may not in any wise withstand violently or rebel against Rulers or make any Insurrection Sedition or Tumults either by force of Arms or otherwise against the Anointed of the Lord or any of his Officers But we must in such case patiently suffer all wrongs and injuries referring the Judgment of our Cause only to God Let us fear the terrible Punishment of Almighty God against Traytors and rebellious Persons by the Example of Korah Dathan and Abiram who repined and grudged against God's Magistrates and Officers and therefore the Earth opened and swallowed them up alive Others for their wicked Murmuring and Rebellion were by a sudden Fire sent down from God utterly consumed Others for their froward behaviour to their Rulers and Governors God's Ministers were suddenly striken with a foul Leprosie Others were stinged to death with wonderful strange fiery Serpents Others were sore plagued so that there were killed in one day 2 Kings 18. the Number of Fourteen thousand and seven hundred for Rebellion against them whom God had appointed to be in Authority Absalom also rebelling against his Father King David was punished with a strange and notable Death The Third Part of the Sermon of Obedience YE have heard before in this Sermon of good Order and Obedience manifestly proved both by the Scriptures and Examples that all Subjects are bound to obey their Magistrates and for no cause to resist or withstand or rebel or make any Sedition against them yea although they be wicked Men. And let no Man think that he can escape unpunished that committeth Treason Conspiracy or Rebellion against his Sovereign Lord the King though he commit the same never so secretly either in Thought Word or Deed never so privily in his privy Chamber by himself or openly communicating and consulting with others For Treason will not be hid Treason will out at length God will have that most detestable Vice both opened and punished for that it is so directly against his Ordinance and against his high Principal Judge and Anointed on Earth The Violence and Injury that is committed against Authority is committed against God the Commonweal and the whole Realm which God will have known and condignly or worthily punished one way or the other For it is notably written of the wise Man in Scripture Eccl. 10. in the Book called Ecclesiastes Wish the King no evil in thy Thought nor speak no hurt of him in thy privy chamber For the bird of the air shall betray thy voice and with her feathers shall bewray thy words These Lessons and Examples are written for our Learning Therefore let us all fear the most detestable vice of Rebellion ever knowing and remembring that he that resisteth or withstandeth common Authority resisteth or withstandeth God and his Ordinance as it may be proved by many other places of Holy Scripture And here let us take heed that we understand not these or such other like places which so straitly command Obedience to Superiours and so straitly punished Rebellion and Disobedience to the same to be
Serenus his Judgment thinking it meet that Images whereunto Idolatry was committed should be destroyed had taken place Idolatry had been overthrown For to that which is not no Man committeth Idolatry But of Gregory's Opinion thinking that Images might be suffered in Churches so it were taught that they should not be worshipped What ruine of Religion and what mischief ensued afterward to all Christendom Experience hath to our great hurt and sorrow proved First By the Schism rising between the East and the West Church about the said Images Next By the Division of the Empire into two parts by the same occasion of Images to the great weakening of all Christendom whereby last of all hath followed the utter overthrow of the Christian Religion and Noble Empire in Greece and all the East parts of the World and the increase of Mahomet's false Religion and the cruel Dominion and Tyranny of the Saracens and Turks who do now hang over our Necks also that dwell in the West parts of the World ready at all occasions to over-run us And all this do we owe unto our Idols and Images and our Idolatry in worshipping of them Eutrop. lib. de rebus Ro. 23. But now give you ear a little to the process of the History wherein I do much follow the Histories of Paulus Diaconus and others joyned with Eutropius an old Writer For though some of the Authors were Favourers of Images yet do they most plainly and at large prosecute the Histories of those times Platina in vitis Constantini Greg. 2. whom Baptist Platina also in his History of Popes as in the Lives of Constantine and Gregory the second Bishops of Rome and other places where he treateth of this matter doth chiefly follow After Gregory's time Constantine Bishop of Rome assembled a Council of Bishops in the West Church and did condemn Philippicus then Emperor and John Bishop of Constantinople of the Heresie of the Monothelites not without a cause indeed but very justly When he had so done by the consent of the learned about him the said Constantine Bishop of Rome caused the Images of the ancient Fathers which had been at those six Councils which were allowed and received of all Men to be painted in the entry of Saint Peter's Church at Rome When the Greeks had knowledge hereof they began to dispute and reason the matter of Images with the Latins and held this Opinion That Images could have no place in Christs Church and the Latins held the contrary and took part with the Images So the East and West Churches which agreed well before upon this contention about Images fell to utter enmity which was never well reconciled yet But in the mean season Philippicus and Arthemius or Anastasius Emperors commanded Images and Pictures to be pulled down and rased out in every place of their Dominion After them came Theodosius the Third he commanded the defaced Images to be painted again in their places But this Theodosius reigned but one year Leo the third of that Name succeeded him who was a Syrian born a very wise godly merciful and valiant Prince This Leo by Proclamation commanded That all Images set up in Churches to be worshipped should be plucked down and defaced And required specially the Bishop of Rome that he should do the same and himself in the mean season caused all Images that were in the Imperial City Constantinople to be gathered on an heap in the midst of the City and there publickly burned them to ashes and whited over and rased out all Pictures painted upon the Walls of the Temples and punished sharply divers maintainers of Images And when some did therefore report him to be a Tyrant he answered That such of all other were most justly punished who neither Worshipped God aright nor regarded the Imperial Majesty and Authority but maliciously rebelled against wholsom and profitable Laws When Gregorius the Third of that Name Bishop of Rome heard of the Emperors doings in Greece concerning the Images he assembled a Council of Italian Bishops against him and there made Decrees for Images and that more Reverence and Honour should yet be given to them than was before and stirred up the Italians against the Emperor first at Ravenna and moved them to Rebellion Treason and Rebellion for the defence of Images And as Vspurgensis and Anthonius Bishops of Florence testifie in their Chronicles he caused Rome and all Italy at the least to refuse Obedience and the payment of any more Tribute to the Emperor And so by Treason and Rebellion maintained their Idolatry Which Example other Bishops of Rome have continually followed and gone through withal most stoutly After this Leo who Reigned Thirty four years succeeded his Son Constantine the Fifth who after his Fathers example kept Images out of the Temples and being moved with the Council which Gregory had assembled in Italy for Images against his Father He also assembled a Council of all the Learned Men and Bishops of Asia and Greece although some Writers place this Council in Leo Isauricus A Council against Images his Fathers later days In this great Assembly they sate in Council from the Fourth of the Idus of February to the sixth of the Idus of August and made concerning the use of Images this Decree It is not lawful for them that believe in God through Jesus Christ to have any Images neither of the Creator nor of any Creatures set up in Temples to be Worshipped but rather that all things by the Law of God and for the avoiding of Offence ought to be taken out of the Churches And this Decree was executed in all places where any Images were found in Asia or Greece And the Emperor sent the Determination of this Council holden at Constantinople to Paul then Bishop of Rome and commanded him to cast all Images out of the Churches Which he trusting in the Friendship of Pipine a Mighty Prince refused to do And both he and his Successor Stephanus the Third who assembled another Council in Italy for Images condemned the Emperor and the Council of Constantinople of Heresie and made a Decree That the Holy Images for so they called them of Christ the Blessed Virgin and other Saints were indeed worthy Honour and Worshipping When Constantine was dead Leo the Fourth his Son Reigned after him who Married a Woman of the City of Athens named Theodora who also was called Irene Or Eirene by whom he had a Son named Constantine the Sixth and dying whilst his Son was yet young left the Regiment of the Empire and Governance of his young Son to his Wife Irene These things were done in the Church about the year of our Lord 760. Note here I pray you in this process of the Story that in the Churches of Asia and Greece there were no Images publickly by the space of almost Seven Hundred years And there is no doubt but the Primitive Church next the Apostles time was most pure Note also
that when the Contention began about Images how of Six Christian Emperors who were the chief Magistrates by Gods Law to be obeyed only one which was Theodosius who Reigned but one year held with Images All the other Emperors and all the Learned Men and Bishops of the East Church and that in assembled Councils condemned them besides the two Emperors before mentioned Valens and Theodosius the Second who were long before these times who strictly forbad that any Images should be made And universally after this time all the Emperors of Greece only Theodosius excepted destroyed continually all Images Now on the contrary part note ye that the Bishops of Rome being no ordinary Magistrates appointed of God out of their Diocess but Usurpers of Princes Authority contrary to Gods Word were the Maintainers of Images against Gods Word and Stirrers up of Sedition and Rebellion and Workers of continual Treason against their Sovereign Lords contrary to Gods Law and the Ordinances of all Human Laws being not only Enemies to God but also Rebels and Traytors against their Princes These be the first bringers in of Images openly into Churches These be the maintainers of them in the Churches and these be the means whereby they have maintained them To wit Conspiracy Treason and Rebellion against God and their Princes Now to proceed in the History most worthy to be known In the Nonage of Constantine the Sixth the Empress Irene his Mother in whose Hands the Regiment of the Empire remained was governed much by the advice of Theodore Bishop and Tharasius Patriarch of Constantinople who practised and held with the Bishop of Rome in maintaining of Images most earnestly By whose Counsel and intreaty the Empress first most wickedly digged up the Body of her Father in Law Constantine the Fifth and commanded it to be openly burned and the Ashes to be thrown into the Sea Which Example as the constant report goeth had like to have been put in practice with Princes Corses in our days had the Authority of the Holy Father continued but a little longer The cause why the Empress Irene thus used her Father in Law was for that he when he was alive had destroyed Images and had taken away the sumptuous Ornaments of Churches saying That Christ whose Temples they were allowed Poverty and not Pearls and precious Stones Afterward the said Irene at the persuasion of Adrian Bishop of Rome and Paul the Patriarch of Constantinople and his Successor Tharasius assembled a Council of the Bishops of Asia and Greece at the City Nicea where the Bishop of Rome's Legates being Presidents of the Council and ordering all things as they listed the Council which was assembled before under the Emperor Constantine the Fifth and had decreed that all Images should be destroyed was Condemned as an Heretical Council and Assembly And a Decree was made That Images should be put up in all the Churches of Greece and that Honour and Worship also should be given unto the said Images And so the Empress sparing no diligence in setting up of Images A Decree that Images should be Worshipped nor cost in decking them in all Churches made Constantinople within a short time altogether like Rome itself And now you may see that come to pass which Bishop Serenus feared and Gregory the First forbad in vain to wit that Images should in no wise be Worshipped For now not only the Simple and Unwise unto whom Images as the Scriptures teach be specially a snare but the Bishops and Learned Men also fall to Idolatry by occasion of Images yea and make Decrees and Laws for the maintenance of the same So hard is it and indeed impossible any long time to have Images publickly in Churches and Temples without Idolatry as by the space of little more than One Hundred years betwixt Gregory the First forbidding most strictly the Worshipping of Images and Gregory the Third Paul and Leo the Third Bishops of Rome with this Council Commanding and Decreeing that Images should be Worshipped most evidently appeareth Now when Constantine the young Emperor came to the Age of Twenty years he was daily in less and less estimation For such as were about his Mother persuaded her that it was Gods Determination that she should Reign alone and not her Son with her The Ambitious Woman believing the same deprived her Son of all Imperial Dignity and compelled all the Men of War with their Captains to Swear to her that they would not suffer her Son Constantine to Reign during her Life With which Indignity the young Prince being moved recovered the Regimen of the Empire unto himself by force and being brought up in true Religion in his Father's time seeing the Superstition of his Mother Irene and the Idolatry committed by Images cast down brake and burned all the Idols and Images that his Mother had set up But within a few years after Irene the Empress taken again into her Son's Favour after she had persuaded him to put out Nicephorus his Uncle's Eyes and to cut out the Tongues of his four other Uncles and to forsake his Wife and by such means to bring him into hatred with all his Subjects now further to declare that she was no Changeling but the same Woman that had before digged up and burned her Father-in-Law's Body and that she would be as natural a Mother as she had been a kind Daughter seeing the Images which she loved so well and had with so great cost set up daily destroyed by her own Son the Emperor by the help of certain good Companions deprived her Son of the Empire And first like a kind and loving Mother put out both his Eyes and laid him in Prison where after long and many Torments she at the last most cruelly slew him In this History joined to Eutropius it is written That the Sun was darkned by the space of xvij days most strangely and dreadfully and that all Men said that for the horribleness of that cruel and unnatural Fact of Irene and the putting out of the Emperor's Eyes the Sun had lost his light But indeed God would signifie by the darkness of the Sun into what darkness and blindness of Ignorance and Idolatry Christendom should fall by the occasion of Images The bright Sun of his eternal Truth and light of his Holy Word by the mists and black Clouds of Mens Traditions being blemished and darkned as by sundry most terrible Earthquakes that happened about the same time God signified that the quiet estate of true Religion should by such Idolatry be most horribly tossed and turmoiled And here may you see what a gracious and virtuous Lady this Irene was how loving a Neece to her Husband's Uncles how kind a Mother-in-Law to her Son's Wife how loving a Daughter to her Father-in-Law how natural a Mother to her own Son and what a stout and valiant Captain the Bishops of Rome had of her for the setting up and maintenance of their Idols or Images Surely they could
degree or state soever they be In which place he maketh mention by name of Kings and Rulers which are in Authority putting us thereby to acknowledge how greatly it concerneth the profit of the Common-wealth to pray diligently for the Higher Powers Neither is it without good cause that he doth so often in all his Epistles crave the Prayers of Gods People for himself Colos 4. Rom. 15. 2 Thess 3. For in so doing he declareth to the World how expedient and needful it is daily to call upon God for the Ministers of his Holy Word and Sacraments that they may have the door of utterance oppened unto them Ephes 6. that they may truly understand the Scriptures that they may effectually Preach the same unto the People and bring forth the true Fruits thereof to the Example of all other After this sort did the Congregation continually Pray for Peter at Jerusalem Acts 12. and for Paul among the Gentiles to the great increase and furtherance of Christs Gospel And if we following their good Example herein will study to do the like doubtless it cannot be expressed how greatly we shall both help our selves and also please God To discourse and run through all degrees of Persons it were too long Therefore ye shall briefly take this one conclusion for all Whomsoever we are bound by express Commandment to love for those also are we bound in Conscience to pray But we are bound by express Commandment to love all men as our selves therefore we are also bound to Pray for all men even as well as if it were for our selves notwithstanding we know them to be our extream and deadly Enemies For so doth our Saviour Christ plainly teach us in his Gospel saying Love your enemies Matt. 5. bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you pray for them that persecute you that ye may be the children of your Father which is in Heaven And as he taught his Disciples so did he practice himself in his life-time Luke 23. praying for his Enemies upon the Cross and desiring his Father to forgive them because they knew not what they did As did also that Holy and blessed Martyr Stephen Acts 7. when he was cruelly stoned to death of the stubborn and stiff-necked Jews to the example of all them that will truly and unfeignedly follow their Lord and Master Christ in this miserable and mortal life Now to entreat of that Question whether we ought to pray for them that are departed out of this World or no Wherein if we will cleave only unto the Word of God then must we needs grant that we have no Commandment so to do For the Scripture doth acknowledge but two places after this life The one proper to the Elect and Blessed of God the other to the Reprobate and Damned Souls as may be well gathered by the Parable of Lazarus and the Rich man Luke 16. Lib. 2. Evang. quaest 1. cap. 38. which place St. Augustine expounding saith in this wise That which Abraham speaketh unto the Rich man in Lukes Gospel namely that the Just cannot go into those places where the Wicked are tormented what other thing doth it signifie but only this that the just by reason of Gods Judgment which may not be revoked can shew no deed of Mercy in helping them which after this life are cast into Prison until they pay the uttermost farthing These words as they confound the Opinion of helping the dead by Prayer so they do clean confute and take away the vain Error of Purgatory which is grounded upon the saying of the Gospel Thou shalt not depart thence until thou hast paid the uttermost farthing Now doth St. Augustine say that those men which are cast into Prison after this life on that condition may in no wise be holpen though we would help them never so much And why Because the Sentence of God is unchangeable and cannot be revoked again Therefore let us not deceive our selves thinking that either we may help other or other may help us by their good and charitable Prayers in time to come For as the Preacher saith When the tree falleth whether it be toward the South Eccles 11. or toward the North in what place soever the tree falleth there it lieth meaning thereby that every mortal man dieth either in the state of Salvation or Damnation according as the words of the Evangelist John do also plainly import saying John 3. He that believeth on the Son of God hath eternal life But he that believeth not on the Son shall never see life but the wrath of God abideth upon him Where is then the third place which they call Purgatory or where shall our Prayers help and profit the dead Lib. 5. Hypogno Chrysost in Heb. 2. Homil. 5. in Cyprian contra Demetrianum St. Augustine doth only acknowledge two places after this life Heaven and Hell As for the third place he doth plainly deny that there is any such to be found in all Scripture Chrysostom likewise is of this mind that unless we wash away our sins in this present World we shall find no comfort afterward And St. Cyprian saith that after death Repentance and Sorrow of pain shall be without fruit Weeping also shall be in vain and Prayer shall be to no purpose Therefore he counselleth all men to make provision for themselves while they may because when they are once departed out of this life there is no place for Repentance nor yet for satisfaction Let these and such other places be sufficient to take away the gross Error of Purgatory out of our Heads neither let us dream any more that the Souls of the dead are any thing at all holpen by our Prayers But as the Scripture teacheth us let us think that the Soul of man passing out of the Body goeth straightways either to Heaven or else to Hell whereof the one needeth no Prayer the other is without Redemption The only Purgatory wherein we must trust to be saved is the death and blood of Christ which if we apprehend with a true and stedfast Faith it purgeth and cleanseth us from all our sins even as well as if he were now hanging upon the Cross The blood of Christ 1 John 1. Heb. 9. saith St. John hath cleansed us from all sin Thâ— blood of Christ saith St. Paul hath purged our Consciences from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 10. Also in another place he saith We be sanctified and made holy by the offering up of the body of Jesus Christ done once for all Yea he addeth more bidem saying With the one oblation of his blessed Body and precious Blood he hath made perfect for ever and ever all them that are sanctified This then is that Purgatory wherein all Christian men put their whole trust and confidence nothing doubting but if they truly repent them of their sins and die in perfect Faith that then they
earthly Prince doth come in his Regiment the greater Blessing of Gods mercy is he unto that Country and People over whom he Reigneth and the further and further that an earthly Prince doth swerve from the example of the heavenly Government the greater plague is he of Gods wrath and punishment by Gods justice unto that Country and People over whom God for their sins hath placed such a Prince and Governor For it is indeed evident both by the Scriptures and daily by experience that the maintainance of all Vertue and Godliness and consequently of the Wealth and Prosperity of a Kingdom and People doth stand and rest more in a wise and good Prince on the one part than in great multitudes of other Men being Subjects and on the contrary part the overthrow of all Vertue and Godliness and consequently the decay and utter ruin of a Realm and People doth grow and come more by an undiscreet and evil Governor than by many thousands of other Men being Subjects Eccles 10. d. 16. Prov. 16. 29. Eccles 10. Esa 32. a. Thus say the Scriptures Well is thee O thou Land saith the Preacher whose King is come of Nobles and whose Princes eat in due season for necessity and not for lust Again A Wise and Righteous King maketh his Realm and People wealthy And a Good Merciful and Gracious Prince is a shadow in Heat as a defence in Storms as Dew as sweet showers as fresh Water-springs in great droughts Again the Scriptures of undiscreet and evil Princes speak thus Eccles 10.16 Pro. 28. 29. Wo be to thee O thou band whose King is but a Child and whose Princes are early at their Banquets Again When the wicked do Reign then Men go to Ruin And again A foolish Prince destroyeth the People and a covetous King undoeth his Subjects Thus speak the Scriptures thus experince testifieth of good and evil Princes What shall Subjects do then shall they obey Valiant Stout Wise and Good Princes and Contemn Disobey and Rebel against Children being their Princes or against undiscreet and evil Governors God forbid For First What a perilous thing were it to commit unto the Subjects the Judgment which Prince is Wise and Godly and his Government good and which is otherwise as though the Foot must judge of the Head an enterprise very heinous and must needs breed Rebellion For who else be they that are most enclined to Rebellion but such haughty Spirits From whom springeth such foul ruin of Realms Is not Rebellion the greatest of all Mischiefs And who are most ready to the greatest of Mischiefs but the worst Men Rebels therefore the worst of all Subjects are most ready to Rebellion as being the worst of all Vices and farthest from the duty of a good Subject as on the contrary part the best Subjects are most firm and constant in obedience as in the special and peculiar vertue of good Subjects What an unworthy matter were it then to make the naughtiest Subjects and most inclined to Rebellion and all evil Judges over their Princes over their Government and over their Counsellors to determin which of them be good or tolerable and which be evil and so intolerable that they must needs be removed by Rebels being ever ready as the naughtiest Subjects soonest to Rebel against the best Princes specially if they be young in Age Women in Sex or gentle and courteous in Government as trusting by their wicked boldness easily to overthrow their weakness and gentleness or at the least so to fear the minds of such Princes that they may have impunity of their mischievous doings But whereas indeed a Rebel is worse than the worst Prince and Rebellion worse than the worst Government of the worst Prince that hitherto hath been both Rebels are unmeet Ministers and Rebellion an unfit and unwholsom Medicine to reform any small lacks in a Prince or to cure any little griefs in Government such lewd Remedies being far worse than any other maladies and disorders that can be in the Body of a Common-wealth But whatsoever the Prince be or his Government it is evident that for the most part those Princes whom some Subjects do think to be very godly and under whose Government they rejoyce to live some other Subjects do take the same to be evil and ungodly and do wish for a change If therefore all Subjects that mislike of their Prince should Rebel no Realm should ever be without Rebellion It were more meet that Rebels should hear the advice of wise Men and give place unto their Judgment and follow the example of obedient Subjects as reason is that they whose understanding is blinded with so evil an affection should give place to them that be of sound judgment and that the worst should give place to the better and so might Realms continue in long Obedience Peace and Quietness But what if the Prince be undiscreet and evil indeed and is also evident to all Mens eyes that he so is I ask again What if it be long of the wickedness of the Subjects that the Prince is undiscreet and evil Shall the Subjects both by their wickedness provoke God for their deserved punishment to give them an undiscreet or evil Prince and also rebel against him and withal against God who for the punishment of their sins did give them such a Prince Will you hear the Scriptures concerning this Point Job 34.10 Hos 13.6 God say the Holy Scriptures maketh a wicked Man to Reign for the sins of the People Again God giveth a Prince in his anger meaning an evil one and taketh away a Prince in his displeasure meaning especially when he taketh away a good Prince for the sins of the People as in our Memory he took away our good Josias King Edward in his young and good years for our wickedness And contrarily the Scriptures do teach 2 Par. 2.9 Prov. 16. That God giveth wisdom unto Princes and maketh a wise and good King to Reign over that People whom he loveth and who loveth him Again If the People obey God 1 Reg. 12. both they and their King shall prosper and be safe else both shall perish saith God by the mouth of Samuel Here you see that God placeth as well evil Princes as good and for what cause he doth both If we therefore will have a good Prince either to be given us or to continue now we have such a one let us by our obedience to God and to our Prince move God thereunto If we will have an evil Prince when God shall send such a one taken away and a good in his place let us take away our wickedness which provoketh God to place such a one over us and God will either displace him or of an evil Prince make him a good Prince so that we first will change our evil into good For will you hear the Scriptures Prov. 21. The heart of the Prince is in Gods hand which way soever it
provoking him to slay King Saul when opportunity served him thereunto Neither is it to be omitted and left out how when an Amalechite had slain King Saul even at Sauls own bidding and commandment for he would live no longer now for that he had lost the Field against his Enemies the Philistines the said Amalechite making great hast to bring first word and news thereof unto David as joyous unto him for the death of his mortal Enemy bringing withal the Crown that was upon King Sauls head and the Bracelet that was about his arm both as a proof of the truth of his news and also as fit and pleasant Presents unto David being by God appointed to be King Saul his Successor in the Kingdom 2 Reg. 1. c. 12. yet was that faithful and godly David so far from rejoycing at these news that he rent his Cloaths Wept and Mourned and Fasted and so far off from thanksgiving to the Messenger either for his deed in killing the King though his deadly Enemy or for his Message and News or for his Presents that he brought that he said unto him How hapned it that thou wast not afraid to lay thy hands upon the Lords Anointed to slay him Whereupon 2 Reg. 1. c. 4. c. 15. immediately he commanded one of his Servants to kill the Messenger and said Thy Blood be upon thine own head for thine own mouth hath witnessed against thy self in confessing that thou hast slain the Lords Anointed This Example dearly beloved is notable and the Circumstances thereof are well to be considered for the better instruction of all Subjects in their bounden Duty of Obedience and perpetual fearing of them from attempting of any Rebellion or hurt against their Prince On the one part David was not only a good and true Subject but also such a Subject as both in Peace and War had served and saved his Princes honor and life and delivered his Countrey and Countrey-men from great danger of Infidels Foreign and most cruel Enemies horribly invading the King and his Country 1 Reg. 8. d. 18. g. 30. for which David was in a singular favor with all the People so that he might have had great numbers of them at his Command if he would have attempted any thing 1 Reg. 16. c 12. c. c. 1 Reg. 18. c. 11. 2 Reg. 15. c. 11. 1 Reg. 18. 10. 12. Besides this David was no common nor absolute Subject but Heir apparent to the Crown and Kingdom by God appointed to Reign after Saul which as it increased the favor of the People that knew it towards David so did it make Davids cause and case much differing from the case of common and absolute Subjects And which is most of all David was highly and singularly in the favor of God On the contrary part King Saul was out of Gods favor for that cause which is before rehearsed and he as it were Gods Enemy and therefore like in War and Peace to be hurtful and pernicious unto the Commonwealth and that was known to many of his Subjects for that he was openly rebuked of Samuel for his disobedience unto God which might make the People the less to esteem him 1 Reg. 15. 22. 26. King Saul was also unto David a mortal and deadly Enemy though without Davids deserving who by his faithful painful profitable yea most necessary Service had well deserved as of his Country so of his Prince but King Saul far otherwise the more was his unkindness hatred and cruelty towards such a good Subject both odious and detestable Yet would David neither himself slay nor hurt such an Enemy for that he was his Prince and Lord nor would suffer any other to kill hurt or lay hand upon him when he might have been slain without any stir tumult or danger of any Mans life Now let David answer to such demands as Men desirous of Rebellion do use to make Shall not we specially being so good Men as we are The Demand Rise and Rebel against a Prince hated of God and Gods Enemy and therefore likely not to prosper either in War or Peace but to be hurtful and pernicious to the Commonwealth The Answer No saith good and godly David Gods and such a Kings faithful Subject and so Convicting such Subjects as attempt any Rebellion against such a King to be neither good Subjects nor good Men. But say they The Demand shall we not rise and rebel against so unkind a Prince nothing considering or regarding our true faithful and painful Service or the safeguard of our Posterity No saith good David The Answer The Demand The Answer whom no such unkindness could cause to forsake his due obedience to his Sovereign Shall we not say they rise and rebel against our known mortal and deadly Enemy that seeketh our lives No saith godly David who had learned the Lesson that our Saviour afterward plainly taught that we should do no hurt to our Fellow-Subjects though they hate us and be our Enemies much less unto our Prince though he were our Enemy Shall we not Assemble an Army of such good Fellows as we are and by hazarding of our lives The Demand and the lives of such as shall withstand us and withal hazarding the whole Estate of our Country remove so naughty a Prince No saith godly David for I The Answer when I might without Assembling force or number of Men without tumult or hazard of any Mans life or shedding of any drop of Blood The Demand have delivered my self and my Country of an evil Prince yet would I not do it Are not they say some lusty and couragious Captains valiant Men of stomach and good Mens Bodies that do venture by force to kill and depose their King The Answer being a naughty Prince and their mortal Enemy They may be as lusty and couragious as they list yet saith godly David They can be no good nor godly Men that so do for I not only have rebuked but also commanded him to be slain as a wicked Man which slew King Saul mine enemy though he being weary of his life for the loss of the Victory against his Enemies desired that Man to slay him The Demand The Answer What shall we then do to an evil to an unkind Prince an Enemy to us hated of God hurtful to the Common-wealth c Lay no violent hand upon him saith David but let him live until God appoint and work his end either by natural Death or in War by lawful Enemies not by traiterous Subjects Thus would godly David make answer and St. Paul as ye heard before willeth us also to pray for such a Prince If King David would make these Answers as by his deeds and words recorded in the Holy Scriptures indeed he doth make unto all such Demands concerning rebelling against evil Princes unkind Princes cruel Princes Princes that be to their good Subjects mortal Enemies Princes