commit periury But whether they be men or women that exercise and doe suche vngodly workes thei nether receaue the name of a Christian nor yet the sacramente of baptysme to theyr ayde and consolation but to theyr iudgement and damnatiō And without they repente theym and doe penaunce they shall peryshe for euer Now good brethren I haue opened vnto you who be good and who be euyl Christians And therfore folow those that ye se and perceaue to be good chasten chyde and correcte those ye know to be nought y t through your owne vtilite and theyr amendemente ye may haue and optayne doble rewarde For they that are good chaste sober hūble and gentle wyll by the grace of God continue in theyr good and godly workes and the myslyuers quickelye or euer they departe from hense amend them selues for yf they die without repentaūce they shall not come to ioye but to perpetuall and euerlastynge death from the whiche God vouchesafe to delyuer vs. So be it ¶ Of the mistery frute and manner of fastynge in Lent iii. Ser. WE oughte to esteme suppose y e whole tyme of oure lyfe to be a place to exercise vertue in and with al vertue to stryue to come to the celestiall rewarde But that must and oughte most specially to be done and fulfilled in this holy tyme and dayes of Lent the whiche dayes beyng halowed with abstinēce and fastyng do adde so much to the vertue of y e soule how muche they diminishe of the voluptuous pleasure of the body This is alawfull number of fasting dayes the whiche are celebrated in holy examples Moyses when he shoulde receaue the lawe of God did fast forty dayes and forty nightes without other meate or dryncke by such abstinence and fastyng he was prepared and ordeyned to receaue the wyll and the commaundementes of God Helias after he had fasted fortye dayes was translated and caried out of the world in a charet of fire to the hiest place of heauē Our lord and sauiour through fastinge of xl dayes did triumphe and ouercame the temptations of the deuil and as victorious came to y e predication and declaration of the gospell And we in like maner oughte to faste and to obsrrue these dayes ▪ the whiche we do reade to be consecrated and halowed by suche examples Let vs therefore consecrate and honour these dayes with al alacrite ioyfulnes of heart and minde prefer them aboue al wordly bankets and bodely debate For in these dayes we are most kindled and inflamed to fulfil the wil and the cōmaun dements of god for through abstinence the pleasure of the body is much swaged and debated Truly the pure minde doth then make most haste to God and to do and fulfil hys commaundementes when it is not mistempered wyth surfettynge nor wyth the sacietie of meates and drynkes Where of oure Sauioure in hys Gospell dothe saye Take hede to youre selues leste youre heartes be ouercomme with surfets with dronckennes and with worldelye cares and cogitations leste that sodayne daye come on you vnwares for it shall come as a snare vpon y ◠vniuersall worlde and no mā shall scape it Also this great vtilitie and profyt is in these hungery and fastinge dayes for through suche abstinence and abstayninge from lawful thynges we are monished muche exhorted to abstayne frō that which is vnlawfull We abstayne from fleshe the whiche vpon other dayes we may vse lawfully We abstain from wyne the whiche we maye vse moderatelye Let vs therfore which do exchue and auoyde the thynge that is lawfull flye and aboue all thynges auoyde synne that can neuer be well and lawfullye vsed And if we intende purpose to fast from meat let vs aboue all thinges fast and abstayne frō synne For what doth it auayle vs to abstayn or to voyd the body of meat if we replenish the soule with vyce and synne What doeth it profytte the to be pale and wanne with fastynge if thou be blowen and pufte vp with hatred and enuy What doth it auayle vs to abstaine from wyne yf we be droncken and full of the poysen of anger What auauntageth it the to abstayne from flesh ordeyned to be eaten yf thou backbyte and speake malitiously of thy neyghbour What doth it auayle vs to abstayne frome those thynges whiche are at sometimes lawefull if we do those thinges which are neuer lawfull Therfore let vs as I haue sayd fast and abstayne from meat but muche more frō vice that we maye be replenished with the abundance of good holy conuersation and in time to come deserue merite through gods grace and fauor to be satisfied with the reward of good workes For they as we do read in the gospel are blessed that hūger and thirst iustice for they shalbe satisfied In trueth we oughte to choose thys cōpensation that is to geue to distribute such meates as we do abstayne fro to the poore neadye For it is written Blessed be they that are content to suffer that in another place they may be refreshed For that gyft is acceptable vnto God when the neadye is fed and refreshed when the bare is clothed when anger is not perfourmed nor finished whē y e time of anger is not kept and whē euil is not done for euil Our fastinges are then thankeful and acceptable vnto God when we do refreshe and cōfort those that faste for verye nede necessite for then we shal heare this sentence Uerely I say vnto you inasmuche as ye haue done it vnto one of y e least of these ye haue done it to me O the great be nignitie and goodnes of god the which to represse and asswage the couetousnesse of man saith y t whatsoeuer is geuen to the least poore man that is is geuen vnto himselfe The goodnes of God graunte you my brethren that ye may so serue please hym with your abstinence almes dedes good workes that he the whiche doth lyue eternallye maye brynge you to the eternall and true lyfe So be it ¶ Of fastynge in Lent and almes dedes iiii Ser. I Praye you in lyke maner I admonyshe you my derely beloued brethren y e none of you do presume to dyne in this lawfull and moste holye tyme of Lent except it be vpon the sundaye or that paraduenture ye be in suche care and weakenesse that your in firm tie and sicknes doth not suffer you to fast For why to fast vppon other dayes is other a remedye or elles a rewarde but not to abstaine in dent is synne He that at any other tyme doeth faste shall haue pardon and remission but he that doth not fast and abstayne in Lente shall fele payne And yet let hym that through feblenes cannot fast prepare somewhat as secretlye as maye be for hym selfe and other if there be any modiseased than hym selfe that they maye eate it together But he shall inuite nor call none such to his repast dinner
that may fast For if he do both god and man shal easely perceaue that his infirmitie is not the cause that he fasteth not but that throughe gluttony he wil not fast Let him y t can not fast be content eate his meate with sorowfulnes that he when other men do absteyne and fast abstayneth not Let him cause the thynge that shalbe necessary for the sicke to be secretly prepared for him selfe and some other For it besemeth him not to call any whole mā vnto his table leste that he through otherinēs gluttony encrease and augmente hys owne synne And yet for asmuche as he fasteth not hys charitie and almose ought to be the more larger to the poore so to redeme those sinnes by almose dedes the whiche he coulde not cure nor heale by abstinence and fastynge It is my good brethren a very good and a profitable thyng to fast but yet much better to geue almose Yf a man may or can do both they are two good thinges but if he can not better it is to geue almose Yf thou be not able to fast almose dedes withoute fasting shalbe sufficient but to fast without doyng of charitable and almose dedes is not sufficiente Therfore yf a manne can not fast almose wythoute fasting is good but yf a manne may faste and also do hys almose they are two good thynges but to faste without doyng of almes is nother good nor profitable except a manne be so very nedy and poore that he haue nothynge at all to geue and then the good wyll of hym that hath nothyng to geue is sufficiente For it is wrytten Glorye to God an hyghe and peace be on the earth to those that be wel willynge But who can excuse hym when the lord hath promysed to geue vs a rewarde for a cuppe of colde water And why doth he say of cold water leaste paraduenture some poore man wold excuse him selfe by penury and lack of woode and saye that he hath nother potte nor panne to warme any water withal Finally my dearelye beloued brethren the lorde doth so exhorte and so admonish vs by the holy prophet to do almes dedes that there is in a maner no man so pore and nedy that can excuse hym selfe He sayth thus This is the faste sayth the Lord that I haue chosen breake thy breade to hym that is an hungred He sayth not geue hym a whole loafe for perchaunce the pore man hath it not to geue but he sayth breake it that is to saye yf thou be so nedye and pore y t thou hast but one lofe of bread yet breake of a pece therof geue it to the poore Also he sayth leade the pore mā that is without lodging home to thy house Nowe yf a man be so poore and nedye that he haue not where with al to fede the poore yet at lest wise lette him prepare him a bedde in some corner of hys house O my deare brethren what shal we say to these thinges or what excuse shall we make that haue great wide houses and yet scarcely vouchesafe at any time to receaue the poore pilgrim beynge ignoraunt yea not beleuyng that chryste as he doth saye is receaued in his pilgrimes I was astraunger and ye receaued me and inasmuche as ye haue done it vnto one of the lest of these ye haue done it vnto me It is tedious and laboriouse vnto vs to receaue Christ in poore and neadye menne into oure countreye but I feare me he will requite vs not receaue vs into his heauenly kingdom We despise him here in thys world I feare me he wil despise vs in heauē As he hi self doth saye I was a hungred and ye gaue me no meate I was a straunger and ye dyd not receaue me Inasmuche then as ye did it not to one of the leste of these ye did it not to me But I beseche GOD mi good brethrē that he may remoue from vs the thynge that doth ensue and folowe for afterwardes he sayeth Gette ye from me ye wicked dāned persons into y e eternall euerlasting fire y e whiche is prepared for satā his angels Therfore my brethrē let vs not heare these things slightly or w t our bodely ears only but faithfully hearing it let vs so teache it with word dede that other men maye vnderstande it accomplysh the same Our Lorde Christ Jesu grauntinge it the whiche liueth and reigneth with the father and the holy gost So be it ¶ Of confession and penaunce v. Ser. HOly scripture doth often times exhorte vs to flye to the remedye and medecine of confessiō not that because that God hath anye nede of oure confession vnto whome all that we thynke speake or do is cleare and at hand but because we can not be otherwise saued except y t we being penitent do penitentlye confesse that we negligentlye haue cōmitted Sathan shal not accuse him agayne at domes daye that doth heare of his sinfull dedes and vngodly life accuse him selfe so that he be confest and penitentlye doth leaue and forsake them renueth them not agayne Confesse your sinnes sayeth S. James one to another and praye one for another y t ye may be saued And the Apostle Paule sayeth Confession with the mouth is to our saluation And Salomon sayeth thus of the confession of sinnes he that doth hyde and cloke his sinnes shall sorowe but he that doth confesse his fautes and forsaketh them shal obtayne mercy It is a ryght good medecine of saluation not to renewe our olde misdedes nor to refresh the skarres of our old woundes For S. John sayeth yf we confesse oure synnes God is faythful and iust to forgeue vs and to clense vs from all iniquitie Dauid sayeth lykewise I sayd that I wold confesse mine iniquitie and vnrightewesnesse agaynste my selfe and thou didste remitte the wyckednesse of my sinne Lette the sinner confesse hys sinnes whileste he lyueth for hereafter is no fruyteful confession nor no penaunce that shall profyte to saluation Se nowe is the time of healthe nowe is the acceptable time nowe is the tyme of remission for those that are penitente For why after death shall be the tyme of punysshemente for those that were negligente to confesse them of theyr iniquities All wycked and sinnefull personnes haue bitter penaunce in payne and tormente but yet it doth profyte them nothynge vnto remission for theyr conscience doth wrynge them to the encrease and augmentation of the paine that they do suffre They myghte by confession haue escaped the bitternes of theyr tormentes and payne but they did not regarde it And therfore as they are out wardly troubled with fire so they are inwardly vexed w t y e remorse of consciēce How cā surgion heale the wound the which the pacient is ashamed to shewe God doth desire our confession that there by he might haue a ful and a perfect knowledge of our misdedes He
that is ashamed to disclose and to confesse his sinnes shall haue God both his iudge and his punisher A man shal do best to iudge him selfe in this worlde leste that God here after iudge him to perpetual payne and tormeÌ„t Euery sinful man oughte to haue double sorowe in penaunce firste that throughe his negligeÌ„ce he did no good and agayne that throughe a certayne boldnes he committed y â— thing whiche was euil That he shuld not haue done he did y t he shuld haue done he did not Confession doth iustitie confession doth geue remission of sinne Al hope of forgeuenes doth rest in confession confession is a worke of mercy the verye health of those that be sicke and wyth penaunce our only helpe and comfort whose laude praise the Lord doth declare in the gospel saying Do penannce for why the kingdom of god doth drawe nyghe And S. John the baptiste doth saye Do ye worthy workes of penaunce Worthye workes of penaunce are to bewayle the sinnes that are past and to renewe them no more As it is written loke thou adde nor heape not sinne to sinne And our Lorde by the Prophete Esaias doth saye Washe ye and be cleane He is wasshed cleane that doth bewayle y t is past approcheth no more vnto them He is wasshed not cleane that doth lamente his misdedes and afterward renueth that he lameÌ„ted Of these menne S. Peter doth speake most terribly sayinge A dogge returning to his vomite O my child sayth holy scripture hast thou coÌ„mitted sinne do no more so but pray that the olde may be forgeueÌ„ thee True penaunce is not iudged by the nuÌ„ber of years but by the bitternes and heauines of the minde S. Peter by and by obtayned of God the forgeuenes of his sinnes because he lamented most bitterlye that he had thryse denied him And notwithstanding a mans penaunce be but short yet if it be done with y â— inward bitternes of y e mind God the righteous iudge coÌ„sidering the secretnes of maÌ„s hearte will not despise it For god doth not somuch require the continuaunce of time as he doeth ponder the will and the sincere minde of him that repenteth doeth penaunce For he that with al his heart mind doth trust in Christe althoughe he depart and dye with much sinne yet his faith shall lyue for euer as GOD in his holye Gospell doeth saye I am the resurrection and lyfe whosoeuer beleueth on me thoughe he were deade yet shall he â—yue and whosoeuer lyueth and beleueth on me shal neuer dye He doth speake of y e death of the soule the which shal happen and chaunce vnto man through the infirmities and fraylenes of synne God of his nature is merciful and ready to saue al those by mercye the whiche he can not fynde to saue by iustice He woulde that euerye man shoulde be saued and that no man should perishe saying by the Prophet that whansoeuer a sinner dothe conuerte him selfe that he shall lyue not dye And not withstandynge we are all wicked synners yet if we turne to penaunce let vs not dowte but that throughe the mercye of God we shal obtayne the remission of all our iniquities sinnes The mercye of God doth helpe and succour those that in this world be peniteÌ„t do penaunce For penaunce in the world that is to come where euery man shall geue an accouÌ„tes of his owne workes doth not preuayle Penaunce must be done in thys worlde for after our death is none amendement ¶ Of auriculare confession vi Ser. MEn are wonte to saye moste dearlye beloued brethren that God knoweth al thinges and that with god there is nether time past nor tyme to come for he seyth al thinâ— and pondereth all thinge aâ—â— thinges are bare open vnto god why will God theâ— saye they that we should coÌ„fesse our sinnes to man weâ—â— it not better not to manifest and disclose suche euil dedes then to open them abroade â–ª for who is he that wold gladlye saye I haue trespassed aboue all other â–ª And if I shulâ— shewe al thinge vnto manne I shuld be estemed the worsâ— of al other many throughâ— mine example wold do much euil Why should a man theâ— coÌ„fesse him self to any other O thou man doeste thou noâ— know that we are al sinners for if we say that we be with out synne we deceaue ourâ— selues and the trueth is not in vs. We do all sinne we are all borne in sinne we are all drowned in synne yea the chylde to whyche is but one daye olde Wherfore then do we feare to be confessed And yet we muste nedes be confessed vnto God for he is good and gratious and hys mercy endureth for euer God wold that we should be confest nor that neyther because he knoweth not oure miseddes and fawtes but because the deuill should heare and knowe that we are confessed and sorye for oure iniquities For after that we haue once wept and be truelye confessed he hathe not where withall he maye anye more accuse vs. Marcke and see then good brethren Sathan wold that we shoulde kepe scilence and holde oure peace And God woulde we should be confest vnto whome shoulde we soneste obeye Uerelye vnto God the whiche doth euermore commaunde that good is Nor it is not sufficiente y e we abstayne from euil except we do sorowfully confesse the euil that we haue done Nor it is not ynoughe to be confest to God only but in lyke maner we must confesse oure synnes and trespasses to maÌ„ Therfore thou shalt not lynger to confesse thy selfe and returne vnto GOD. Nor thou shalte not differ it from time to time For why the anger of God shal come sodeÌ„ly and destroy thee O my brethren that haue slepte hyther to awake and retourne vnto your Lorde GOD wyth all your heartes wyth fastynge wepynge and waylyng And inasmuch as he seyth within all your heartes the Prophet doth teache vs that the fontayne of penaunce is in the hearte and that wepynge is referde vnto the eye sobbing vnto the mouth and fastinge vnto the whole body O man linger not to returne agayne vnto the Lorde thy God examen thy conscience Loke vpon the secretes of thy heart and consider or euer thou go to confession that thy hearte hath synned desiring and couetynge the thyng that was naughtes thy eyes in beholdynge of vanities thy mouth by speakynge the thynge that was false thy eares through hearinge of lyes thy handes with smiting and coÌ„mittinge of murder if not in very dede yet peradueÌ„ture in will Who can excuse him selfe our fete also are very quicke spedye to euill Therfore as ye haue geuen your membres seruauÌ„tes to vnclennes and iniquitie from iniquitie to iniquitie euen so nowe geue your members seruauntes vnto righte wesnes that ye may be sanctified And first let the heart be penitente and
to feare God that he teache nor cōpanye with none other mans for as the kynge maye put hym to death that returneth home from the hoost to hys wyfe without licence so maye God punyshe hym perpetuallye that beynge farre from hys wyfe committeth adulterye I praye you good brethren yf so be that any of you through your necessary busynes or by the kinges commaundement be at some tymes farre from your wyues why shoulde ye not lyue so longe in chastitye for the loue of God and y e welth and saluatiō of your soules Doe thy busynesse and the Kynges commaundemente inforce the for so many dayes not once to touche thy wyfe and the loue and precepte of God shall not perswade thee to touche none other mans but I would that all they y ◠whyche for lucre sake onelye and riches and at the kinges commaundement do obserue and kepe these thynges and dissemble to kepe them for Gods sake should knowe y t yf penaunce do not ayde and helpe them that they when they shall stande in iudgemēt before GOD can not escape frō hearing of heauye dolorous wordes for these wordes shalbe sayde vnto them Gette you hence from me ye wycked and cursed people into eternall fyre And what a thynge is this that a bolde champion goyng to battayle shall at some tymes peraduē ture sleye no lesse then tenne of hys enemyes and commit tynge of adultery with some mayd taken in warfare doth murder his owne soule with the sworde of synne Consider howe great an euyll it is that man should be more cruell to hymselfe murderynge hys owne soule through letcherye then to the bodyes of hys enmyes by victory Forsothe it is a dolorous and alamentable thyng that he as I haue sayde who hathe victoriouslye ouerthrowen ten of hys enemyes shoulde be ouercome by a woman or that he which hath ouerthrowen so many of hys enemies bodies shoulde in hearte and soule be ouercome by a woman Surelye it is to greuous a thyng that he which can not be ouercome with no weapon shoulde be subdued through bodely lust and pleasure or that swete and pleasaunt wordes shoulde ouerturne hym whome no hardnes could ouerturne or that he which disdayned to be the bondman of man shoulde me rite to be the bondemanne of synne when that it is a more vnworthye thynge to serue in mynde then in body as it is wrytten For of whomesoeuer a man be ouercome vnto the same is he in bondage Good brethren yf I shoulde not shewe you these thinges I should aunswere for your soules at the daye of iudgemente But whosoeuer he be that is more desirous to be greued or angrye with me then to amende hymselfe he can not nowe throughe ignoraunce excuse hym sayinge that he was not monished of these thinges nor forbydden to do euyll nor prouoked by oft castigation and admonition vnto all suche thynges as shoulde please God But I beleue that the mercy of god shall so inspire euerye negligente person that they shall be muche more wrothe and angrye wyth them selues then wyth the priestes good medecines and admonitions And as the sycke and weake persons do require bodelye helth of the carnall phisition so shall they require and demaunde soule helth of the spirituall and goostlye Phisition But I do hope and trust that throughe the mercye of God they shall so studye to comforte chere vs by theyr good amendemente that they shall come moste prospe rouslye God willyng to the eternall rewarde and lyfe euerlastyng Amen ¶ Of the true paymente of tithes Ser. x. GOd my dearly beloued brethren beinge mercifull vnto vs y e tyme approcheth draweth on together in oure harueste And therfore wyth thankes vnto God that hath geuen vs all let vs thynke vpon our offeringes and true payment of our tythes For God which hath vouchesafed to geue vs all doth also vouchesafe to reape and to aske vs tithes nor that for hys owne gayne and vse but for our gaine and profite For he doth promise vs by the Prophete saying Bring in sayth he all youre tithes into my barnes that there maye be meate in my house and proue me sayeth the Lord in these thynges whether I shal not open vnto you the caractes and the cloudes of the skye geue you fruyte aboundantlye See now I haue proued howe that tithes do profite vs more then they do profite the Lorde O ye imprudente and vnwise people what euil thing doth God commaunde that he should not be worthy to be hearde he sayeth thus Thou shalte not delaye to offer vp vnto me the tithes of thy barne and of thy wine-presse Y fit be sinne to be tardius and slowe in offring vp and paying thy tithes howe great a trespasse is it to offer none at all He sayth agayne Honor and worship thy lorde God with the frute gayne of thy true and iust laboure Do sacrifice and offer vnto him of the first and chiefest of al thine increase that thy barnes may be replenished wyth corne and that thy winepresses may redounde and flowe ouer with wine Thou doste not geue that thing frely nor yet without gayne that sone after thou shalte receaue agayne with great lucre Per aduenture thou dost demaūd to whome shal that thing be profitable that God doth receaue to restore againe And agayne thou dost aske me to whose profite it redoundeth that is geuen vnto the pore If thou beleue wel it is thine owne vtilitie and profite but yf thou wauer be in doubt thou hast lost it Tithes good brethren are the tribute of y e iudgement and pore people therfore geue the poore their tribute and the priestes their offeringes And if perchaūce thou haue no tithe corne as hath the husbandman then thy witte and thy hādy craft wherwith thou dost sustayne thy selfe is Gods and of that thing thou doest gayne get thy liuing withal he doeth aske require tithes Geue him the tithes of thy wages and lucre which thou doeste gayne in warfare the tithes of thy merchaundise and of thy handy craft For why it is a diuerse thing y t we geue and paye for the earthe then that we geue for the vse of our life Therfore o thou mā geue it because thou dost possesse it geue it because thou hast deserued to be borne for the Lord sayth thus Euery man shall redeme his soule there shall be no sicknes nor no misaduenture among thē Thus thou hast in holy scripture Gods owne writynge wherwith he doth promise y e y t if y u paye thy thites y u shalt not only haue aboundance of fruite corne but also y e helth of body Thy barnes sayeth he shalbe ful of corne thy winepresses shall redounde with wine and there shalbe no sicknes amonge you Seinge then that by the true payinge of tithes thou mayst merite both the earthlye and the heauenly rewarde why dost thou through couetousnes defraude thy selfe of
such double benediction Herken therfore vnto me thou vndeuoute man Thou knoweste well that all that thou doste receaue is Gods and wilte thou then not lende the maker and geuer of all thynges part of his owne The Lord hath no neade he doeth aske no rewarde but honour vnlye nor he doth not require y t thou â—eue him any thinge that is thine He vouchesafe to aske the tithes of all thinges and dost thou o thou couetous man saye him naye What wouldeste thou do yf he had kept nine partes vnto him selfe and had left the only the tenth part the whiche thinge verely is so chaunsed nowe when that thy corne for lacke of rayne is thinne naughtes thy vines beaten with hayle destroyed with froste and colde O thou couetous man what dost thou reken vpon nine partes are taken from thee because thou woldest not paye the tenthe It is cleare that thou neuer payest it and yet God dothe demaunde it and require it This is gods moost righteous custome and vse y t if thou do not paye him his tenthe thou shalt be reuoked and reduced to the tenthe For it is written The Lord sayth I saweit and ye thought to begile me but youre treasure youre houses shalbe spoyled thou shalte geue the wicked souldier that thou wouldest not geue the priest Returne vnto me sayth the Lord om nipotente y t I maye open the cloudes for you sprede my benediction vpon you I wil not destroye y e frutes of your possessions nor youre wines shal not widder nor consume awaye al nations shal saye that ye are blessed God is alwayes ready to do well but the malitiousnes of man will not suffer him For man taketh that god shuld geue him al thinge and yet he offreth not those thinges vnto him the whiche he semeth to possesse But what God shulde saye man whome I created and made is mine the earthe y t thou dost inhabite is mine the seede that thou dost sowe is mine the beastes whiche thou doest wery are mine y e dewes the rayne are mine and the heate of the same is mine Considering then that al the elementes wherby maÌ„ doth liue are mine thou that dost only bestowe thy labour dost deserue the tenthe only But inasmuch as y e lord omnipotent doth mekely nourysh vs and fede vs he hathe geuen a righte greate rewarde to y e laborer For he reseruing only vnto him selfe y e tenthe hath geuen vs y e rest O thou vnkind deceauer vnfaythful man I speake vnto the w t the wordes of god Behold see the yeare is gone paste geue the lord that doth send raine his reward O man redeme thy selfe whileste thou hast thy redeÌ„ption in thy haÌ„d whilest thou art aliue whilest thou mayst Redeme thy selfe y e couetous death do not so preuent thee y t thou leaue doth life and rewarde Thou dost coÌ„mitte that thing vnto thy wife but in vayne y t whiche perchaunce wil haue another husband Nor thou womaÌ„ dost leaue it but in vayne vnto thy husband for he coueteth to haue another wyfe Nor thou dost coÌ„mitte y e care of thy soule but in vayn vnto thy kinsfolke for there shal no manne faithfully redeme nor ayde the after thou be departed because that thou beyng in prosperitie woldest not redeme nor helpe thy selfe Cast now o thou couetous manne this burden of auaritiousnes froÌ„ thy shoulders despise this most cruel mistres that doth thus hardlye yoke thee nor will not suffer thee to accepte and take the yoke of Christe vpon thee For as the yoke of auarice is wonte to thruste and to leade men to the paynes of hell so the yoke of Christ is woÌ„t to lift men vp to bring theÌ„ to y e ioyes of heaueÌ„ Tithes are required of dutie he that denieth to paye theÌ„ doth inuade occupie other mens goodes And loke how many poore men die and perish there for huÌ„ger where he y t will not paye his tithes doth dwel he before the seate of the eternall iudge shall appeare gyltye of all theyr deathes for asmuche as he kepte that to hys owne vse store whiche God had prepared for y e pore Therfore who so coueceth to obtayne a re or the forgeuenes of his synnes let him paye his tithes geue of the other nine partes his charitie to the poore beware y t whatsoeuer remayneth aboue a meane a reasonable liuing be not hurded vp to luxurious volup tuous vses but y t it by doinge of good charitable dedes be layd vp in the celestial treasure For whatsoeuer God doth geue vs more then neadeth he geueth it not specially vnto vs but willeth vs to distribute to geue the same vnto other for if we geue it not we inuade occupie other mens goodes ¶ Of sorcery witchecrafte Ser. xi IT is not vnknowen vnto you good brethren that I haue oftentimes prayed you and with al fatherly sollicitude admonished you y t in no maner of wise ye should obserue kepe these sacrilegius customer of paganes But yet as farforth as I do heare my admonition hathe profited some of you but very slenderly litle But yet if I should not shewe you these thinges at y e day of iudgemeÌ„t I shuld geue but a slender an heauy rekening bothe for my selfe you But I excuse cleare my selfe before God when y t oftentimes I do admonish warne you that ye shuld not seke vpoÌ„ these diuiners calkers nor questen w t theÌ„ of any cause or of anye disease Ye shal medle w t no inchauÌ„ters for whosoeuer doth that euil loseth his christianite becometh a pagane and without he succur ayde him selfe with almose dedes and with hard longe penaunce he shalbe lost for euer In like maner looke that ye take no hede to witche craft And wheÌ„ ye be in your iorneye regard not the syngynge and chatterynge of byrdes nor presume not vpon theyr songes to denunce or shewe any deuillishe inchauntment or sorcery Ye shall not obserue nor marke vpon what daye ye go for the of your house nor when ye shall returne home agayne For as scripture doth saye God made al the dayes The first day is made the second and the thirde likewise the fourth the fift the sixte the Sabboth And god made all thinges verye good Take hede also that ye obserue not those sacrilegius folishe nesinges But as oft as ye must nedes goo anye where blesse your selfe in y e name of Christ Jesus saying your crede or els the lordes prayer w t good belefe take your iorney being well assured y t god shall helpe prospere you And when y t ye shall beginne god willing to contemne despise al these forsayd sorceries and sacrilegius fashions with such other wycked thynges as Satan hathe deceaued you withall then shal he take it greuously perceauing y t ye departe