all men and the bed vndefyled But whoremongers and fornicatours God wyll iudge 〈◊〉 is to saye punishe and coÌ„dempne But to what purpose is this labour taken to describe and set furth the greatnes of the synne of whoredome and the incommodities that issue and flowe out of it seynge that breath and toungue shall soner fayle any man then he shall or maye be able to set it out according to the abhominacion and haynousnes therof Notwithstandynge thys is spoken to the entent that all men shoulde flee whoredome and lyue in the feare of God God graunt that it maye not be spoken in vayne Now wyll I declare vnto you in ordre with what greuous punishmentes God in tymes passe plagued adulterye and howe certayne worldly Princes also dyd punishe it that ye maye perceaue that whoredom and fornicacioÌ„ be synnes no lesse detestable in the sight of God of all good men then I haue hytherto vttered In the fyrst boke of Moyses we reade that when mankynd began to be multiplyed vpon the yearth the men and women gaue their myndes so greatlye to carnall delectacion and fylthy pleasure that they lyued without all feare of God God seynge this their beastlye and abhominable liuynge and perceyuynge that they amended not but rather encreased dayly more and more in their synfull and vncleane maners repented that he euer had made man and to shewe how greatly he abhorred adultery whoredome fornicacion and all vnclennes he made all the fountaynes of the depe yearth to burste out and the â—â—uces of heauen to be opened so that the rayne came downe vpon the yearth by the space of forty dayes and forty nyghtes and by thys meanes destroyed the whole world and all mankynde eighte persons onely excepted that is to saye Noe the preacher of righteousnes as Sainct Peter calleth hym and his wyfe his three sonnes and their wyfes O what a greuous plague dyd God cast here vpon all lyuyng creatures for the synne of whordome For the which God toke vengeaunce not onely of man but also of beastes foules and all lyuynge creatures Manslaughter was committed before yet was not the worlde destroyed for that but for whoredome all the worlde fewe onely excepte was ouerflowed with waters and so peryshed An example worthye to be remembred that ye maye learne to feare GOD. We reade agayne that for the fylthye synne of vncleannes Sodome and Gomorre and the other cytyes nyghe vnto them were destroyed with fyre and brymstone from heauen so that there was neither man woman chylde nor beaste nor yet anye thynge that grewe vpon the yearth there lefte vndestroyed Whose harte trembleth not at the hearynge of this hystorie Who is so drowned in whoredome and vncleannes that wil not nowe for euer after leaue this abhominable liuynge seynge that God so greuously punysheth vncleannes to rayne fyre and brymstone from heauen to destroye whole cyties to kyll man womaÌ„ and chylde and all other liuynge creatures there abydyng to consume wyth fyre all that euer grewe what can be more manyfest tokens of Gods wrathe and vengeauÌ„ce against vncleannes and impuritie of lyfe Marke this hystorye good people and feare the vengeaunce of God Do we not reade also that GOD dyd smyte Pharao and his house with great plagues because that he vngodly desyred Sara the wyfe of Abraham Lykewyse reade we of Abimelech Kynge of Gerar although he touched her not by carnal knowledge These plagues and punyshmeÌ„tes did God caste vpon fylthye and vncleane persones before the law was geuen the lawe of nature onely reignynge in the hartes of men to declare howe greate loue he had to matrimonye and agayne howe muche he abhorred adulterye fornicacion and all vncleannes And when the lawe that forbad whoredome was geuen by Moyses to the Iewes dyd not God commaunde that the transgressours thereof shoulde be put to death The wordes of the lawe be these Who so coÌ„mitteth adulterye with anye mans wyfe shal dye the death bothe the man and the woman because he hath broken wedlocke wyth hys neighbours wyfe In the lawe also it was coÌ„maunded that a damosell and a man taken together in whoredome should be both stooned to death In an other place we also reade that God commaunded Moyses to take all the heade rulers and princes of the people to to hang them vpon gybbets openly that euery man might see them because they eyther committed or dyd not punishe whoredom Agayne dyd not God sende suche a plague emonge the people for fornication and vncleannes that they dyed in one daye three and twenty thousande I passe ouer for lacke of tyme many other historyes of the holy Byble which declare the greuous vengeaunce and heauy displeasure of God agaynste whoremongers and adulterers Certes this extreme punyshment appoynted of God sheweth euidently how greatly God hateth whoredom And let vs not doubte but that God at thys present abhorreth all maner of vncleannes no lesse then he did in the olde lawe and wyll vndoubtedly punishe it both in this worlde and in the worlde to come For he is a God that can abyde no wyckednes therefore oughte it to be eschewed of all that tendre the glorye of God and the saluacion of theyr awne soules Sainct Paule saieth all these thynges are written for oure example and to teache vs the feare of God and the obedience to his holy lawe For if God spared not the naturall braunches neither wyll he spare vs that be but graftes if we commit lyke offence If God destroyed many thousandes of people many cyties yea the whole worlde for whoredome let vs not flatter oure selfes and thinke we shal eschape free and without punishment For he hath promised in hys holy lawe to sende moste greuous plagues vpon them that transgresse his holy commaundementes Thus haue we hearde howe God punisheth the synne of adulterye let vs nowe heare certayn lawes which the cyuile Magistrates deuised in dyuers countrays for the punishmeÌ„t therof that we maye learne how vnclennes hath euer bene detested in all well ordered cyties and coÌ„mon wealthes and emonge all honeste persons The lawe emong the Lepreâ—ans was thys that when any were taken in adultery they were bound and caried three daies through the cytie and afterward as longe as they lyued were they despiced and with shame and confusyon reputed as persones desolate of all honestye Emonge the Locreusyans the adulterers had bothe theyr eyes thrust oute The Romayns in tymes paste punyshed whoredome sometyme by fyre sometyme by swourde If a man emonge the Egyptians had bene taken in adulterye the lawe was that he shoulde openly in the presence of all the people be scourged naked with whippes vnto the numbre of a thousande strypes The woman that was takeÌ„ with hym had her nose cut of whereby she was knowen euen after to be an whore and therfore to be abhorred of all men Emong the Arabians they that were taken in adulterye had theyr heades
vs ruminate and as it wer chewe the cudde that we maie haue the swete ieuse spirituall effecte mary hony kirnell tast comfort and consolacion of theim Let vs staie quiet and certifie our consciences with the moste infallible certaintie truthe and perpetual assuraunce of them Let vs praie to God the onely aucthor of these heauenly meditacions that we maie speake thynke beleue liue and depart hence accordyng to the wholesome doctrine and verities of theim And by that meanes in this worlde wee shall haue Gods proteccion fauor and grace with the vnspeakeable solace of peace and quietnes of conscience and after this miserable life we shall enioy the endlesse blisse and glorie of heauen whiche he graunt vs all that died for vs all Iesus Christ to whom with the father holy ghost bee all honor and glorie both now euerlastyngly AMEN ¶ An Homelie of the miserie of al mankynd and of hys condempnacion to death euerlastyng by hys awne synne THe holy Ghost in writing the holy scripture is in nothinge more diligent then to pulle doune mannes vainglory and pride whiche of all vices is most vniuersally grafted in al mankynd euen from the first infection of our first father Adam And therfore we reade in many places of scripture many notable lessons against this old rooted vice to teache vs the moste commendable vertue of humilitie how to knowe our selfes and to remembre what we be of our selfes In the boke of Genesis almighty God geueth vs al a title name in our great graūd father Adā which ought to admonish vs al to considre what we be wherof we be frō whence we came whether we shal saiyng thus in y e sweat of thy face shalt thou eate thy bread til thou be turned again into the groūd for out of it wast thou taken in asmuch as y u art dust into dust shalte thou be turned again Here as it wer in a glasse we may learne to know our selfes to be but groūde earth asshes that to earth and asshes we shall returne Also the holy patriarche Abraham did well remembre this name and title dust earth and asshes appoynted and assigned by God to all mankynde and therfore he calleth hymself by that name when he maketh his earnest praier for Sodome and Gomore And we read that Iudith Hester Iob ▪ Hieremie with other holy men and womē in the old Testament did vse sacke cloth and to cast dust and asshes vpon their heddes when they bewailed their synfull liuyng They called cried to God for help and mercye with suche a ceremonie of sacke clothe duste and asshes that thereby thei might declare to the whole worlde what an hūble and lowly estimacion thei had of themselfes how well thei remembred their name title aforesayd their vile corrupt fraile nature dust earth and asshes The boke of wisedom also willing to pul doune our proude stomackes moueth vs diligently to remēbre our mortall and earthly generacion whiche we haue all of hym that was firste made and that all men aswell kynges as subiectes come into this worlde and go out of thesame in lyke sorte that is as of our selfes full miserable as we may dayly see And almightye God cōmaunded hys prophet Esaie to make a proclamacion and crie to the whole worlde and Esaie askinge what shall I crie The Lorde aunswered crie that all fleshe is grasse and that al the glory of man therof is but as the floure of the felde whē the grasse is withered the floure falleth away when the wynd of the Lord bloweth vpon it The people surely is grasse the which drieth vp and the floure fadeth awaye And the holy prophete Iob hauyng in himself great experience of the miserable and sinful estate of man doth open thesame to y e world in these wordes Man saith he that is borne of a woman liuyng but a short tyme is ful of manifold miseries he spryngeth vp like a floure fadeth again vanishyng awaye as it wer a shadowe ▪ and neuer continueth in one state And doest thou iudge it mete o Lorde to open thyne eyes vpon suche a one and to bring hym to iudgement with the Who can make hym cleane that is conceiued of an vncleane seede And all men of their euilnesse and natural pronesse wer so vniuersally geuen to synne that as the scripture saith God repēted that euer he made mā And by synne hys indignacion was so muche prouoked against the worlde that he drouned all the worlde with Noes floud except Noe hymself and hys litle housholde It is not without greate cause that the scripture of God doeth so many tymes call all men here in this worlde by this woorde yearth O thou yearth yearth yearth sayth Ieremie heare y e worde of the Lord. This our right name vocacion title yearth yearth yearth pronoūced by the Prophete sheweth what wee bee in deede by whatsoeuer other stile title or dignitie men do call vs. Thus he plainly named vs who knoweth best both what we be and what we ought of right to be called And thus he describeth vs speakyng by hys faithfull Apostle S. Paule all men Iewes and Gentiles are vnder syn ther is none righteous no not one ther is none that vnderstandeth there is none that seketh after God thei are al gone out of the way thei are all vnprofitable ther is none that doth good no not one their throte is an open sepulchre with their tōgues they haue vsed craft deceipt the poyson of serpentes is vnder their lippes their mouth is full of cursing and bitternes their fete are swift to shed bloud destrucciō and wretchednes are in their waies and the way of peace haue thei not knowen there is no feare of God before their eyes And in another place S. Paule writeth thus God hath wrapped all nacions in vnbelefe that he might haue mercy on all The scripture concludeth all vnder synne that the promyse by y e faith of Iesus Christ should be geuē vnto theim that beleue S. Paule in many places painteth vs out in our colours callyng vs the children of the wrath of God when we be borne saiyng also that we cānot thinke a good thought of our selfes muche lesse we can saye wel or do wel of our selfes And the wiseman saieth in the boke of Prouerbes the iust man falleth seuē times a day The most tried approued man Iob feared all hys workes S. Ihon the Baptist beynge sanctified in his mothers wōbe and praised before he was borne called an Aungell great before the lord replenished euē from his birthe with the holy Ghost the preparer of the way for our sauior Christ and commēded of our sauior Christ to be more then a prophet the greatest that euer was borne of a woman yet he plainly graūteth that he had nede to be wasshed of Christ he worthely extolleth and glorifieth his Lorde and
raunsome for what is it els to go freely then to bee set at libertie without paiment of raunsome This reason is satisfied by the greate wisedome of God in this mistery of our redempcioÌ„ who hath so tempered his iustice and mercie together that he would neither by his iustice condempne vs vnto the perpetuall captiuitie of the deuill and his prison of hel remediles for euer without mercie nor by his mercy deliuer vs clerely without iustice or paiment of a iust raunsome but with his endlesse mercie he ioyned his moste vpright and equall iustice His greate mercy he shewed vnto vs in deliueryng vs from our former captiuitie without requiryng of any raunsom to be paied or ameÌ„des to be made vpon our partes whiche thyng by vs had been impossible to bee doen. And where as it laie not in vs that to do he prouided a raunsome for vs that was the moste precious body bloud of his awne moste dere and best beloued sonne Iesu Christe who besides his raunsom fulfilled the lawe for vs perfectly And so the iustice of God his mercie did embrace together and fulfilled the mistery of our redempcion And of this iustice and mercie of God knit together speaketh saincte Paule in the .iii. Chapiter to the Romans al haue offended and haue nede of the glory of God iustified frely by his grace by redempcion whiche is in Iesu Christ whom God hath set furth to vs for a reconciler peace maker through faith in his bloud to shewe his righteousnesse And in the .x. Chapiter Christ is the ende of the law vnto righteousnes to euery man that beleueth And in the .viii. Chapi that whiche was impossible by the lawe in asmuche as it was weake by the flesh God sendyng his awne sonne in the similitude of synfull fleshe by synne dampned synne in the fleshe that the righteousnesse of the lawe might be fulfilled in vs which walke not after the flesh but after the spirite In these foresaied places the Apostle toucheth specially three thynges whiche muste concurre and go together in our iustificacion Upon Gods part his greate mercie and grace vpon Christes parte iustice that is the satisfaccion of gods iustice or the price of our redempcion by the offryng of his body and shedyng of his bloud with fulfillyng of y e law perfectly throughly and vpon our part true and liuely faithe in the merites of Iesu Christe whiche yet is not oures but by Gods workyng in vs. So that in our iustificacion is not onely Gods mercie and grace but also his iustice whiche the Apostle calleth the iustice of God and it coÌ„sisteth in paiyng our raunsome and fulfillyng of the lawe and so the grace of God doth not exclude y e iustice of God in oure iustificacion but onely excludeth the iustice of man that is to saie the iustice of our woorkes as to be merites of deseruyng our iustificacioÌ„ And therefore sainct Paule declareth here nothyng vpon the behalf of man concernyng his iustificacioÌ„ but onely a true and liuely faith whiche neuertheles is the gift of God and not mannes onely worke without God And yet that faithe dooth not exclude repentaunce hope loue dread and the feare of God to be ioyned with faithe in euery maÌ„ that is iustified but it excludeth theÌ„ froÌ„ the office of iustifiyng So that although thei be all present together in hym that is iustified yet thei iustifie not all together Nor that faithe also doth not exclude the iustice of oure good workes necessarily to bee doen afterward of duetie towardes God for wee are moste bounden to serue God in doyng good deedes commaunded by hym in his holy scripture all the daies of oure life But it excludeth theim so that we maie not doo theim to this intent to be made good by doyng of them For all the good workes that we can do bee vnperfecte and therfore not able to deserue our iustificacioÌ„ but our iustificacion dooth come frely by the mere merâ—ie of GOD and of so greate and free mercie that whereas all the worlde was not able of their selfes to paye any parte towardes their raunsome it pleased our heauenly father of his infinite mercie without any our deserte or deseruyng to prepare for vs the mooste precious iewelles of Christes body and bloud wherby our raunsome might be fully paied the lawe fulfilled and his iustice fully satisfied So that Christe is nowe the righteousnesse of all them that truely doo beleue in hym He for theim paied their raunsome by his death He for theim fulfilled the lawe in his life So that nowe in hym and by hym euery true Christian man maie be called a fulfiller of the lawe forasmuche as that whiche their infirmitie lacketh Christes iustice hath supplied Before was declared at large that no manne can be iustified by his awne good workes because that no manne fulfilleth the lawe accordyng to the full request of the lawe And saincte Paule in his Epistle to the GalathiaÌ„s proueth thesame saiyng thus If there had been any lawe geuen whiche coulde haue iustified verely righteousnesse should haue been by the lawe And again he saieth if righteousnesse bee by the lawe then Christe died in vain And again he saieth you that are iustified by the lawe are fallen awaie from grace And furthermore he writeth to the Ephesians on this wise by grace are ye saued through faithe and that not of your selfes for it is the gift of God and not of workes lest any man should glorie And to bee shorte the summe of all Paules disputacion is this that if iustice come of woorkes then it commeth not of grace And if it come of grace then it commeth not of woorkes And to this ende teÌ„deth al the Prophetes as saincte Peter saieth in the tenthe of the Actes Of Christe all the Prophetes saieth saincte Peter do witnes that through his name al they that beleue in him shal receiue the remission of synnes And after this wyse to be iustifyed onely by this true and liuely faithe in Christ speaketh all the olde and auncient aucthors bothe Grekes Latyns Of whom I will specially reherse thre Hillary Basill Ambrose Sainct Hillary sayeth these wordes plainly in the ninth Canon vpon Matthewe Faithe onely iustifyeth And saincte Basill a Greke aucthor writeth thus This is a perfect and a whole reioysyng in God when a man auaunteth not hymselfe for hys awne righteousnes but knowledgeth hymself to lacke true iustice and righteousnes and to be iustifyed by the onely faithe in Christ And Paul saieth he doeth glory in the contempte of hys awne righteousnes and that he loketh for his righteousnes of God by faythe These be the verye woordes of sainct Basill And sainct Ambrose a Latyn aucthor sayeth these wordes This is the ordinaunce of God that he whiche beleueth in Christ should be saued without workes by faithe onely freely receiuyng remission of his synnes Consyder diligently these woordes without
and wretchednes of this world and the very entry into rest and a beginnyng of euerlastyng ioye a tastyng of heauenly pleasures so great that neither toungue is able to expresse neither eye to se nor eare to heare them no nor for anye earthly mans hart to conceyue them So excedinge greate benefites thei be whiche God our heauenly father by his mere mercye and for the loue of his sonne Iesus Christe hathe layed vp in store and prepared for theim that humbly submitte themselfes to Gods wil and euermore vnfainedly loue him from the botome of their hartes And we oughte to beleue that death beyng slayne by Christe cannot kepe any man that stedfastly trusteth in Christ vnder his perpetuall tirāny and subiection but that he shall ryse from death agayne vnto glory at the last daye appoynted by almighty God lyke as Christ oure head did ryse agayne accordinge to Gods appoyntement the thyrde daye For sainct Augustine saieth The head goynge before the mēbres trust to folowe come after And sainct Paule saieth if Christe be rysen from the dead we shall ryse also from thesame And to comforte all Christen persons herein holye scripture calleth this bodiely death a slepe wherin mās senses be as it were takē from hym for a ceason and yet when he awaketh he is more freash then he was when he went to bed So althoughe we haue our soules seperated from our bodyes for a ceason yet at the general resurreccion we shalbe more freash beautifull and perfite then we be now For now we be mortall then we shal be immortall now infect with diuers infirmities then clerely voyde of all mortall infirmities now we be subiect to all carnall desyres then we shalbe al spirituall desiryng nothynge but Gods glory thinges eternal Thus is this bodiely death a doore or entrynge vnto lyfe and therfore not so muche dreadfull if it be rightly considered as it is comfortable not a mischief but a remedy of all mischief no enemy but a frende not a cruel tyraūt but a gētle guide leadyng vs not to mortalitie but to immortalitie not to sorow and payne but to ioye and pleasure and that to endure for euer if it be thankefully taken and accepted as Gods messenger and paciently borne of vs for Christes loue that suffered most paynfull death for oure loue to redeme vs from death eternall Accordynge hereunto saincte Paule saieth our lyfe is hidde with Christ in God but when our lyfe shall appere then shall we also appere with hym in glorye Why then shall we feare to dye consideryng the manifolde and comfortable promises of the Gospell and of holy scriptures God the father hath geuen vs euerlastynge lyfe saieth S. Ihon thys lyfe in is hys sonne he that hath the sonne hath lyfe he that hath not y e sonne hath not lyfe And this I wrote saieth S. Ihon to you that beleue in y e name of the sonne of God that you maye knowe that you haue euerlastynge lyfe and that you do beleue vpō the name of the sonne of God And our sauior Christ sayeth he that beleueth in me hath lyfe euerlastynge and I wyll rayse him frō death to lyfe at the last day Sainct Paule also sayeth that Christe is ordeyned and made of God oure righteousnes our holynes and redemption to the entent that he which wyll glory should glory in the Lorde Sainct Paule did contemne and set litle by all other thynges estemynge them as dunge whiche before he had in very greate pryce that he might be found in Christ to haue euerlasting lyfe true holynes righteousnes and redēpcion Finally S. Paule maketh a playne argument in this wise If our heauenly father woulde not spare his awne naturall sonne but dyd geue hym to death for vs how can it be that with him he shoulde not geue vs all thynges Therfore if we haue Christ then haue we with him and by him all good thinges whatsoeuer we can in our hartes wish or desire as victorie ouer death sinne and hel we haue the fauor of God peace wyth hym holynes wysedome iustice power lyfe and redempcion we haue by hym perpetuall health wealth ioye and blysse euerlastynge All those therefore haue great cause to be full of ioye that be ioyned to Christ with true faythe stedfast hope and perfyt charitie and not to feare death nor euerlastynge dampnacion For deathe cānot depriue them of Iesu Christ nor any sinne can cōdempne them y t are graffed surely in him which is their onely ioy treasure and lyfe Let vs repent our synnes amend our lyfes trust in hys mercy and satisfaction and death can neyther take hym from vs nor vs from hym For then as s. Paul saieth whether we lyue or dye we be the Lordes awne And agayne he sayeth Christ did dye and rose agayne because he should be Lord both of the dead quicke Then if we be the Lordes awne when we be dead it must nedes folowe that suche temporall deathe not onely cānot harme vs but also that it shall muche be to our profit and ioyne vs vnto God more perfectly And thereof the christian hart may surely be certified by the infallible truth of holye scripture It is God sayeth sainct Paule which hath prepared vs vnto immortalitie and thesame is he which hath geuen vs an earnest of the spirite Therfore let vs be alwaies of good comforte for we knowe that so longe as we be in the body we be as it were farre from God in a straunge countrey subiect to many perils walkyng without perfite sighte and knowledge of almighty God onely seynge hym by faythe in holy scriptures But we haue a courage desire rather to be at home with God and oure sauior Christe farre from the body where we maye behold hys Godhead as he is face to face to oure euerlastyng comfort These be saincte Paules wordes in effecte wherby we may perceyue that the lyfe in this world is resembled to a pilgrimage in a straunge countrie far frome God and that death deliuerynge vs from our bodyes doth sende vs straight home into our awne countrey and maketh vs to dwell presently with God for euer in perpetuall rest and quietnesse So that to dye is no losse but profite and winnynge to all true christē people What lost the thefe that hanged on the crosse with Christ by hys bodiely death Yea how much dyd he gayne by it Did not our sauiour say vnto hym thys daye thou shalt be with me in Paradyse And Lazarus that pitifull person that lay before y e richemans gate payned with sores and pined with hungre did not death highlye profite and promote hym Which by the ministery of Aungels sent hym vnto Abrahās bosome a place of rest ioye and heauenly consolacion Let vs thinke none other good christen people but Christ hath prepared thesame ioye and felicitie for vs that he prepared for Lazarus the thefe Wherfore let vs sticke vnto his
saluacion and gracious redempcion and beleue hys worde serue hym frō our hartes loue obeye hym and whatsoeuer we haue done heretofore contrarye to hys moste holy wyll now let vs repent in tyme and hereafter study to correct our lyfe doubt not but we shall finde hym as mercifull vnto vs as he was either to Lazarus or to y e thefe whose exāples are written in holy scripture for the comfort of thē that be sinners and subiecte to sorowes miseries calamities in this worlde that thei shoulde not despayre in Gods mercy but euer truste therby to haue forgiuenesse of their synnes lyfe euerlastinge as Lazarus and the thefe had Thus I trust euery christen man perceyueth by the infallible woorde of God that bodiely death cannot harme nor hinder theim that truly beleue in Christ but contrary shal profit promote the christen soules whiche beynge truly penitēt for their offences departe hēce in perfect charitie and in sure truste that God is mercifull to thē forgiuinge theyr synnes for the merites of Iesus Christe hys onely naturall sonne The seconde cause why some do feare death is sore sickenesse and greuous paynes whiche partly come before death and partely accompayneth deathe whensoeuer it cometh This feare is the feare of the frayle fleashe and a naturall passion belonginge vnto the nature of a mortall man But true fayth in Gods promyses and regarde of the paynes and pangues whiche Christe vpon the crosse suffered for vs miserable synners with consideracion of the ioye and euerlastyng lyfe to come in heauen wil mitigate those paynes and moderate thys feare y t it shall neuer be able to ouerthrowe the hartie desire and gladnesse that the christian soule hath to be seperated from thys corrupt body that it maye come to the gracious presence of our sauiour Iesus Christ. If we beleue stedfastly the woorde of god we shal perceyue that suche bodiely sickenesse pangues of death or whatsoeuer dolorous paynes we suffre either before or with death be nothynge els in Christē mē but the rodde of our heauenly and louynge father wherwith he mercifully correcteth vs either to trie and declare the faythe of hys pacient chyldren that they maye be founde laudable glorious and honorable in hys sight when Iesus Christ shalbe openly shewed to be the Iudge of al the worlde or els to chastise and amende in them whatsoeuer offendeth hys fatherly and gracious goodnesse lest they shoulde peryshe euerlastingly And this hys correctynge rodde is common to all them that be truly hys Therfore let vs caste away the burden of synne that lyeth so heuye in our neckes and returne vnto God by true penaunce and amendemente of our lyfes Let vs with paciēce runne thys course that is appoynted sufferyng for hys sake that dyed for our saluacion al sorowes and pangues of death and death it selfe ioyfully when God sendeth it to vs hauynge our eyes fixed euer vpon the heade and capitayn of our fayth Iesus Christe Who considerynge the ioye that he shoulde come vnto cared neyther for the shame nor payne of deathe but willingly conformyng hys wyll to hys fathers wyll moste paciently suffered the moste shamefull and paynefull deathe of the crosse beyng innocent And now therfore he is exalted in heauen and euerlastingly sitteth on the rigtht hande of the throne of God the father Let vs call to our remembraunce therfore the lyfe and ioyes of heauen that are kepte for al them that paciently doo suffre here with Christe and cōsider that Christe suffered all hys paynfull passion by synners and for synners and then we shall with pacience and the more easyly suffre suche sorowes and paynes when they come Let vs not set at light the chastisinge of the Lorde nor grudge at hym nor fall from hym when of hym we be corrected for the Lorde loueth them whom he doth correcte and beateth euery one whom he taketh to be hys chylde What chylde is that saieth saincte Paule whome the father loueth and doth not chastice If ye be without Gods correctiō which al hys welbeloued and true children haue then be you but bastardes finally regarded of God not hys true chyldren Therfore seynge that whē we haue in earth our carnall fathers to be our correctors we do feare them and reuerently take their correction shall we not much more be in subieccion to God our spirituall father by whome we shall haue eternal lyfe And our carnall fathers some tyme correct vs euen as pleaseth thē without cause but this father iustely correcteth vs either for our synne to the intēt we should amende or for our commoditie wealthe to make vs therby partakers of his holynesse Furthermore all correction whiche God sendeth vs in thys present tyme semeth to haue no ioye and comforte but sorowe and payne Yet it bringeth with it a taste of Gods mercye and goodnes towardes thē that be so corrected a sure hope of Godes euerlastyng consolacion in heauē If then these sorowes diseases and sickenesses and also death it selfe be nothyng els but our heauenly fathers rod wherby he certifieth vs of hys loue gracious fauor wherby he trieth and purifieth vs wherby he geueth vnto vs holynesse certifieth vs that we be hys children and he our mercifull father shall not we then with all humilitie as obedyent louyng chyldren ioyfully kysse our heauenly fathers rod and euer saye in oure harte with oure sauior Iesus Christe Father if this āguishe and sorowe wich I fele and death which I se approche maye not passe but that thy wyll is that I muste suffre them thy wyll be done Now the thirde and speciall cause why death in deede is too be feared is the miserable state of the worldly and vngodly people after their death But this is no cause at all why the godly and faytheful people should feare death but rather contrariwise their godly conuersacion in thys lyfe and beliefe in Christ cleauing continually to hys merites should make them to longe sore after that lyfe that remayneth for them vndoubtedly after this bodely death Of this immortall state after thys transitory lyfe where we shal liue euermore in the presence of god in ioye and reste after victory ouer all sickenes sorowes sinne and death there be many bothe playn places of holy scripture which confirme the weake conscience agaynst the feare of al suche dolours sickenesses synne and death corporal to asswage such trembling and vngodly feare and to encourage vs with comforte and hope of a blessed state after thys life Sainct Paule wissheth vnto the Ephesians y t God the father of glory woulde geue vnto theim y e spirite of wisedome and reuelacion that the eyes of their hartes might haue light to knowe him and to perceyue how great thinges he had called thē vnto and how riche inheritaunce he hath prepared after this life for thē that perteyne vnto hym And sainct Paul himself declareth the desire of his hart which was
to be dissolued and losed frō hys body and to be with Christ which as he sayde was much better for him althoughe to them it was more necessary y t he should liue which he refused not for their sakes Euen like as sainct Martyn sayde good Lorde if I be necessary for thy people to do good vnto them I will refuse no labor but els for myne awne selfe I beseche the to take my soule Now the holy fathers of the olde lawe and all faythful and righteous men which departed before our sauior Christes ascencion into heauen dyd by death departe from troubles vnto rest frō the handes of theyr enemies into y e hādes of God frō sorowes sickenesses vnto ioyful refreashing into Abrahās bosome a place of al cōfort cōsolaciō as scriptures do plainly by manifest wordes testifie The boke of Wisedō saith y t the righteous mens soules be in the hand of God no torment shal touche thē They semed to the eyes of folishe men to dye and their death was cōpted miserable and theyr departing out of this worlde wretched but thei be in rest And another place saieth that the righteous shall liue for euer and their rewarde is with the Lorde their myndes be with God who is aboue al. Therfore they shall receyue a glorious kyngdome and a beautifull croune at the Lordes hand And in another place thesame boke saieth y e righteous though he be preuented with sodain death neuerthelesse he shalbe there where he shalbe refreshed Of Abrahās bosome Christes wordes be so playne that a christē man nedeth no more profe of it Now then if thys were y e state of y e holy fathers righteous mē before the cōminge of our sauior and before he was glorified how much more then oughte all wee to haue a stedfast faith a sure hope of this blessed state cōdicion after our death Seynge that oure sauior now hath perfourmed the whole worke of oure redempcion and is gloriously ascended into heauen to prepare oure dwellinge places with hym saied vnto hys father Father I will that where I am my seruauntes shalbe with me And we knowe that whatsoeuer Christe wyll hys father will the same wherfore it cannot be but if we be his faythfull seruauntes our soules shalbe with hym after oure departynge out of this present life Sainct Stephin when he was stoned to death euen in the middest of hys tormentes what was hys mynde moste vpon When he was full of the holy Ghoste sayeth holye scripture hauynge hys eyes lifted vp into heauen he sawe the glory of God and Iesus standinge on the righte hande of God The which truth after he had confessed boldely before the enemies of Christ they drewe hym oute of the citie and there they stoned hym who cried vnto God saiynge Lorde Iesu Christe take my spirite And doeth not oure sauior saye playnely in saincte Ihons Gospel Uerely verely I saye vnto you he that heareth my woorde beleueth on hym y t sente me hath euerlastynge lyfe and commeth not into iudgemēt but shall passe frō death to lyfe Shall we not then thinke that death to be precious by the whiche we passe vnto lyfe Therfore it is a true saiynge of the Prophete the death of the holy and righteous mē is precious in the Lordes sighte Holy Simeon after that he had hys hartes desire in seynge oure sauior that he euer longed for all hys lyfe he embraced hym in his armes and sayde Now Lord let me departe in peace for myne eyes haue beholdē that sauior which thou haste prepared for all nacions It is truthe therefore that the death of the righteous is called peace and the benefite of the Lord as the Church saieth in y e name of the righteousnes departed out of this world My soule turne the to thy rest for the Lorde hath bene good to the and rewarded the. And we se by holy scripture and other auncient Histories of Martyrs that the holy faithfull and righteous euer syns Christes ascencion in their death did not doubte but that they went to be with Christe in spirite whiche is oure lyfe healthe wealth and saluacion Ihon in his holy Reuelaciō saw a C.xl. and .iiij. M. virgins and innocentes of whome he saide These folow the Lābe Iesu Christ wheresoeuer he goeth And shortly after in thesame place he saieth I heard a voyce frō heauen saiyng vnto me Write happye and blessed are the dead whiche dye in the Lorde from hencefurthe surelye saieth the syirite they shall reste from theyr paynes and labours for their woorkes do folow them So that then they shall reape with ioye and comforte that whiche they sowed with labors and paynes They that sowe in the spirit of the spirit shall reape euerlastynge lyfe Let vs therefore neuer be wery of well doynge for when the tyme of reapynge or reward commeth we shal reape without any werines euerlastynge ioye Therfore whyle we haue time as saincte Paule exhorteth vs let vs doo good to all men not lay vp our treasurers in earth where ruste and mothes corrupt it whiche ruste as sainct Iames saieth shall beare witnes against vs at the great daye condempne vs and shal like most brennynge fyre tormente oure fleashe Let vs beware therefore as we tendre oure awne wealthe that we be not in the numbre of those miserable coueteous men whiche sainct Iames biddeth mourne and lament for their gredy gatherynge and vngodly kepynge of goodes Let vs be wise in time and learne to folowe the wise example of the wicked Stuarde Let vs so prudently dispose oure goodes and possessions committed vnto vs here by God for a ceason that we maye truely heare and obeye this commaundement of oure sauior Christes I saye vnto you sayeth he make you frendes of the wicked Mammon that they maye receiue you into euerlastynge tabernacles Ryches he calleth wicked because the worlde abuseth them vnto all wickednes which are otherwise the good gifte of God and the instrumentes whereby Gods seruauntes do truely serue hym in vsynge of thesame He commaunded them not to make them ryche frendes to get hyghe dignities and worldly possessiōs to geue great giftes to ryche men that haue no neede thereof but to make theim frendes of poore and miserable men vnto whome whatsoeuer they geue Christe accepteth it as geuen to hymselfe And to these frendes Christe in the Gospell geueth so greate honor and preeminence that he sayeth they shall receyue theyr benefactors into euerlastynge houses Not that men shalbe oure rewarders for our well doyng but that Christ will rewarde vs and take it to be done vnto hymselfe whatsoeuer is doone to suche frendes Thus makynge poore wretches oure frendes we make oure sauioure Christe oure frende whose membres they are whose miserie as he taketh for hys awne misery so theyr reliefe succour and helpe he taketh for hys succoure reliefe and helpe and will asmuche thanke vs and rewarde
the euill and vicious people Let vs praye that they may faithfully folowe the moste faithfull kynges and capitaines in the Bible Dauid Ezechias Iosias Moses with such other And let vs praye for our selfes that we maye liue Godly in holy and christiā cōuersaciō so we shal haue God of our side And then let vs not feare what man can do against vs so we shall liue in true obedience bothe to oure moste mercifull kynge in heauen and to oure moste Christian kynge in earthe so shall we please God and haue the excedynge benefite peace of consciēce reste and quietnesse here in this worde after thys lyfe we shall enioye a better lyfe rest peace and the eternal blisse of heauē whiche he graunt vs all that was obedient for vs al euē to the death of the crosse Iesus Christ to whom with the father and the holy ghost be al honor glory bothe now euer Amen ¶ An Homelie of whoredome and vnclennesse ALthough there want not good christian people great swarmes of vices worthi to be rebuked vnto such decai is true godlynes verteous liuinge now come yet aboue other vices the outragious seas of adultery whoredome fornicacion and vnclennesse haue not onelye braste in but also ouerflowed almoste the whoole worlde vnto the greate dishonor of God the excedyng infamie of the name of Christ the notable decay of true religion and the vtter destruction of the publique wealthe and that so abundātly that through the customable vse thereof thys vice is growē into suche an height that in a maner emong many it is compted no sin at all but rather a pastyme a dalliaunce and but a touche of youthe not rebuked but winked at not punyshed but laughed at wherfore it is necessarye at this presente to entreat of the syn of whoredom and fornicacion declaringe vnto you the greatnes of this syn and how odious hatefull and abhominable it is and hath alwaye been reputed before God and al good men and how greuously it hath been punished bothe by the lawe of God and the lawes of diuerse princes Again to shewe you certayne remedies whereby ye maye through the grace of God eschew this moste detestable synne of whoredom and fornicacion and lead youre lyfes in all honestie and cleannesse And that ye maye perceiue that fornicacion and whoredome are in the sight of God moste abhominable synnes ye shall call to remembraunce this commaundemēt of GOD thou shalte not commit adultery by the whiche woorde adultery although it bee properly vnderstande of the vnlawful commixcion of a maryed manne with any woman beside his wife or of a wife with any man beside her husbande yet therby is signified also all vnlawfull vse of those partes whiche bee ordeined for generacion And this one commaundement forbiddyng adultery dooth sufficiently painte and sette out before our iyes the greatnesse of this synne of whoredome and manifestly declareth how greatly it ought to bee abhorred of all honest and faithfull persones And that none of vs all shall thynke hymselfe excepted from this commaundement whether we be old or young maried or vnmaried man or woman heare what God the father saieth by his mooste excellent Prophete Moses there shalbee no whore emong the daughters of Israell nor no whoremongers emong the sonnes of Israell Here is whoredome fornicacion and all vnclennesse forbidden to all kyndes of people all degrees and all ages without excepcion And that wee shall not doubt but that this precept perteineth to vs in deede heare what Christe the perfecte teacher of all truthe saieth in the newe Testament ye haue heard saieth Christe that it was saied to theim of the old tyme thou shalte not commit adultery but I saie vnto you whosoeuer seeth a womā to haue his lust of her hath committed adultery with her all ready in his harte Here our sauior Christe doth not onely confirme and stablishe the lawe agaynste adultery geuen in the olde Testament of God the father by his seruaunt Moses and make it of full strength continually to remain emong the professors of his name in the newe lawe But he also condempnyng the grosse interpretacion of the Scribes and Phariseis whiche taught that the aforesaied commaundement onely required to abstein from the outward adultery and not from the filthie desires and vnpure lustes teacheth vs an exacte and full perfeccion of puritie and clennesse of life bothe to kepe our bodies vndefiled and our hartes pure and fre from all euill thoughtes carnall desires and fleshly consentes Howe can wee then bee free from this commaundement where so greate charge is laied vpon vs Maie a seruaunt do what he will in any thyng hauyng a commaundement of his master to the cōtrary Is not Christe our Master Are not wee his seruauntes Howe then maie wee neglecte our Masters will and pleasure and folowe oure awne will and phantasie Ye are my frendes saieth Christe if you kepe those thynges that I commaunde you Nowe hath Christe our Master commaunded vs that we should forsake all vnclennesse and lecherie bothe in body and spirite this therfore must we do if we loke to please GOD. In the Gospell of sainct Matthewe we reade that the Scribes and Phariseis were greuously offended with Christe because his disciples did not kepe the tradicions of the fore fathers for thei washed not their handes when thei went to diner or supper and emong other thynges Christ aunswered and saied heare and vnderstand not that thyng whiche entereth into the mouthe defileth the man but that whiche commeth out of the mouthe defileth the man For those thinges whiche procede out of the mouthe come furth from the hart and thei defile the man For out of the hart procede euill thoughtes murders breakyng of wedlocke whoredome theftes false witnes blasphemies these are the thynges whiche defile a man Here maie we se that not onely murder thefte false witnes blasphemie defile men but also euill thoughtes breakyng of wedlocke fornicacion and whoredome Who is nowe of so litle witte that he will esteme whoredome and fornicacion to bee thynges of smal importaunce and of no waight before God Christe whiche is the truthe and cannot lye saieth that euill thoughtes breakyng of wedlocke whoredome and fornicacion defile a manne that is to saie corrupte bothe the body and soule of manne and make theim of the Temples of the holy Ghoste the filthy dunghill or dungeon of all vncleane spirites of the Mansion of GOD the dwellyng place of Sathan Agayne in the Gospell of saincte Ihon when the woman taken in adultery was broughte vnto Christe saied not he vnto her Go thy waie and synne no more Dooth not he here call whoredome synne And what is the rewarde of synne but euerlastyng deathe If whoredome bee synne then is it not lawful for vs to commit it For. S. Ihon saith he that cōmitteth synne is of the deuill And our sauior saith euery one that committeth syn
striken from their bodyes The Athenians punyshed whoredome by death in lyke maner So lykewyse dyd the Barbarous Cartarians Emong the turkes euen at thys day they that bee taken in adultery bothe man woman are stoned streightewayes to death without mercy Thus se we what godly actes were deuised in tymes paste of the high powers for the puttyng awaye of whoredome for the mainteynyng of holy matrimony pure cōuersaciō And the aucthors of these actes were no christians but Heathen Yet were they so enflāmed with the loue of honestye and purenes of lyfe that for the maintenaūce conseruaciō of that they made godly statutes suffering neyther fornicaciō nor adultery to reigne in their realmes vnpunished Christ sayde to the people The Niniuites shall ryse at the iudgement with thys naciō meanyng the vnfaythful Iewes and shal condempne them For they repēted at the preachyng of Ionas but beholde sayeth he a greater thē Ionas is here meanynge hymselfe yet they repent not Shall not thynke you likewise the Locreusians Arabians Athenians with suche other ryse vp at the iudgement and condempne vs for asmuche as they ceased from whoredome at the commaundement of man and we haue the law and manifest preceptes of God and yet forsake we not our filthy conuersacion Truly truly it shalbe easier at the daye of iudgement to these Heathen then to vs except we repent and amende For althoughe death of body semeth to vs a greuous punyshment in this worlde for whoredome yet is that payn nothynge in comparison of the greuous tormentes whiche adulterers fornicatours and all vncleane persons shall suffer after thys lyfe For all suche shalbe excluded shut out of the kingdome of heauen as s. Paule saieth Be not deceiued for neyther whoremongers nor worshippers of Images nor adultrers nor softelinges nor Sodomites nor thefes nor couetous persons nor dronkards nor cursed speakers nor pyllers shall inherite the kyngdō of God And S. Ihon in hys reuelacion saieth that whoremongers shall haue their parte with murderers sorcerers enchaunters liars ydolaters such other in the lake whiche burneth with fyre brimstone which is the seconde death The punyshmēte of the bodye although it be death hath an ende but the punishment of the soule which s. Ihon calleth y e secōd death is euerlasting there shalbe fyre brimstone there shall be wepinge and gnashing of tethe the worme that shall there gnawe the conscience of the dampned shall neeur dye O whose hart distilleth not euen droppes of bloud to heare and consydre these thinges If we tremble and shake at the hearyng and naming of these paynes oh what shal they do that shall feele them that shall suffer theim yea and euer shal suffer worldes without ende god haue mercy vpon vs. Who is now so drowned in synne past all godlynes that he wyll set more by a fylthy and stynkyng pleasure whiche sone passeth away then by the losse of euerlasting glory Againe who will so geue himselfe to the lustes of the fleshe that he feareth nothynge at all the paynes of hell fyre But let vs heare howe we maye eschewe the synne of whoredome and adultery that we maye walke in the feare of God and bee free from those moste greuous and intollerable tormentes whiche abyde all vncleane persons To auoyde fornicaciō adultery and all vnclennes let vs prouide that aboue all thynges we maye kepe oure hartes pure and cleane from all euill thoughtes and carnal lustes For if that be once infected and corrupte we fall hedlonge into all kynde of vngodlynes Thys shal we easly do if when we fele inwardly that Sathan oure olde enemy tempteth vs vnto whoredō we by no meanes consente to hys craftye suggestions but valiauntly resiste and withstande hym by stronge fayth in the woorde of God obiectinge agaynst hym alwayes in oure harte this commaundemente of God Scriptum est non moechaberis It is written thou shalt not commit whoredome It shall be good also for vs euer to lyue in the feare of God and to set before oure eyes the greuous threateninges of God agaynste all vngodly synners and to consider in oure mynde howe fylthye beastly and shorte that pleasure is wherunto Sathan moueth vs And agayn how the payne appoynted for that sinne is intollerable and euerlasting Moreouer to vse a temperaūce sobrietie in eatyng drynkyng to eschewe vncleane cōmunicaciō to auoyde al fylthy company to flee ydlenes to delight in readynge holy scripture to watche in godly prayers vertuouse meditacions and at all tymes to exercise some godly trauayles shall helpe greatly vnto the eschewynge of whoredome And here are all degrees to be monyshed whether they be maryed or vnmaryed to loue chastitie and clennes of lyfe For the maryed are bounde by the lawe of God so purely to loue one an other that neyther of them seke any straunge loue The man muste onely cleue to hys wyfe and the wyfe agayne onely to her husband they muste so delighte one in an others companye that none of them couit any other And as they are bounde thus to lyue together in al godlines and honesty so likewyse is their duetye vertuously to brynge vp their chyldren and to prouide that they fall not into Sathans snare nor into any vnclennes but that they come pure and honeste vnto holy wedlocke when tyme requyreth So likewyse ought all masters and rulers to prouide that no whoredome nor any poynte of vnclennes be vsed emonge their seruauntes And agayne they that are single and feele in theim selfes that they cannot liue without the company of a woman let them get wifes of theyr awne and so lyue Godly together For it is better to mary then to burne And to auoyde fornicacion saieth the Apostle lette euery man haue hys awne wyfe and euerye woman her awne husbande Finally all suche as feele in themselfes a sufficiency and habilitie throughe the operacion of Gods spirite to leede a sole and contynent lyfe let them prayse God for his gifte and seke all meanes possible to maynteyne thesame As by readyng of holy scriptures by godly meditations by continuall prayers and suche other vertuous exercises If we all on this wyse wyll endeuour our selfes to eschewe fornicacion adultery and all vnclennes and leade oure lyfes in all Godlynes and honestye seruynge God with a pure and cleane harte and glorifiynge hym in oure bodies by leadynge an innocente lyfe we maye be sure to bee in the numbre of those of whome oure sauioure Christe speaketh in the Gospell on this maner Blessed are the pure in harte for they shall see God to whome alone be all glory honour rule and power worldes withoute ende AMEN ¶ An Homelie agaynst contencion and braulynge THys daye good christen people shalbe declared vnto you the vnprofitablenes and shamfull vnhonesty of contencion stryfe and debate to the entente that when you shall se as it were in a table paynted before your eyes the euilfauorednes