hym Herode the kyng beyng a cruell man a 〈◊〉 kyng a miscreaunte a man of vnbeliefe No doute it is a greate matter that his disciples coulde haue libertye to speake with him for a man would thynke that no man shoulde haue bene permitted to come nere hym For I knowe that in christian 〈◊〉 some beyng 〈◊〉 into pryson for the 〈◊〉 for gods wordes sake haue not bene 〈◊〉 that their frendes should haue come nere vnto them and here it appeareth moste manifestly that christian princes haue some tymes more cruellye and extremely vsed goddes preachers then the gentiles the heathen vsed theyr preachers sente vnto them from God to teache theym they were more straightlye holden and more extremely handeled then 〈◊〉 was So we reade lykewise of S. Paule which was cast into prison at Rome 〈◊〉 that wicked and cruell tyraunt the em 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche Emperour though he was a cruell tyraunt a wycked man and a venemous persecutour of gods church and his holy worde yet for all that Paule had libertie to speake with euery one that would come vnto him and cōmune with 〈◊〉 So that there came vnto him which 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 might speake with him what they wold for s. Luke 〈◊〉 in the last chapter of the 〈◊〉 these wordes And Paul 〈◊〉 two yeres ful in his lodgyng 〈◊〉 all that came in vnto him preaching the kingdō of god and teaching those thinges which concerne the lord Iesus with all confidēce no mā forbidding him Here by these words we may perceiue that Paule had liberty to say his mynde and to commune with hys frends he was not so straightly kept But we see 〈◊〉 haue had experience that preachers whiche professe that same worde which Paul taught are more straightly handled in christian realms then in 〈◊〉 past they wer when that rulers 〈◊〉 princes were not christians christen princes be 〈◊〉 earnest to extin guish gods word and his true religion thē the heathen were which knew not or would not know god But now ye might aske what maner of workes were these which oure sauiour 〈◊〉 done in the presence of Iohns disciples which by and by afterward 〈◊〉 and told their maister of it what special thinges had our sauior 〈◊〉 Answer Luke the Euangelist she 〈◊〉 a gret meruelous act which Christ our sauior had done immediatly as Iohns disciples came vnto him The sto ry is this when Christ went into a city which is called Nain and many of his disciples folowyng him and muche people when he was come 〈◊〉 to the gate of the city beholde there was a ded mā caried out which was that only son of his mother 〈◊〉 she was a widow 〈◊〉 much people of that city wēt with her 〈◊〉 here you may note by the way that these citisens had their burying place wtout the city which no dout is a laudable thing and I do much maruel that London being so rich a city hath not a burieng place without for no dout it is an vnwholsome thing to bury within the city specially at such a time when there be great sicknesses so that many 〈◊〉 together I think 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many a mā taketh his deth in Paules churchyarde 〈◊〉 thys I speak of experience for I my self when I haue bene there in some mornings to heare that sermons haue felt such an yl faud red 〈◊〉 sauor that I was the worse for it a gret while after And I think no lesse but it be the occasion of much sick nes 〈◊〉 diseases therfore the citisens of Nain had a good and laudable custome to bury the corses wtout that city which ensā ple we may 〈◊〉 Now 〈◊〉 our sauior saw this corse 〈◊〉 the widow which was now a miserable 〈◊〉 sorowful womā for she had lost first her husband 〈◊〉 afterward her son in whō she had all her hope and comfort in this world hym she had loue no we therfore she was sorowfull and not without cause But what doth our sauiour Mary he comforted her saying wepe not Here may al widowes which are destitute of com forte in this worlde here I say they may learne to truste in Christe and to seeke ayde and helpe by him For no doute like as he hath comforted this miserable widowe so he wyll comfort and helpe all them that call vpon him in their nede and necessity For his hand is not abbreuiated or his power diminished he is as strong as ryche as mighty as euer he was therfore let wydowes learn here to seeke ayde and help by him Now when he had comforted her with his words he came nye and touched the coffyne and they that bare the cof fyne 〈◊〉 styll And he said A dolescens tibi dico surge yong man I say vnto thee aryse And he that was dead sate vppe and began to speake Now vpon this there went suche a rumour thoroughout all the countreys so that euery mā merueiled at it And Johns disciples went to theyr maister told him of it what wonderfull thynges he dyd Note here that when we heare that our sauiour is a doer of such wonderful su pernatural works it shal be a wonderous great comfort vnto vs. For by this his dede it appeared manifestly that he is a maister ouer deathe and hathe power to commaunde him so that death is in his dominion For to raise a man vp whom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath deuoured already is as muche as to commaunde death But I tell you death is such an arrogant fellow and so proude yea and of so great might strength that he wyll geue no man place nor submit himself to any man saue onlye vnto god vnto him he must obey and humble himself before his diuyne maiesty And therfore it appeareth here that our sauiour is very god because deathe that stoute felowe muste obey hym he is not able to withstandfor disobey hys commaundementes whiche is a most comfortable thing vnto vs which beleue in suche a sauioure which hath power ouer deathe And therfore yf he hath power ouer death then we shal bee sure that death shall or can not hurte vs whyche beleue in hym for when we beleeue in him he is able to de sende vs from deathe hell and deuyll So that they shal beable with all theyr myghte or power to hurte vs or doe 〈◊〉 mischiefe but we shall haue lyfe 〈◊〉 For he saith Qui credit in me et si mortuus fuerit viuet He that beleueth in me and though he dye yet he shall liue that is to saye though he departe oute of this naturall bodely lyfe yet for all that he shall lyue euerlastingly with me worlde without ende This is now an ercedyng comforte to all chri stian people for they may be assured that when they beleue in Christe when Christe taketh theyr partes there shal bee nothyng neyther in heauen nor in earth that shal bee able to hurte them or lette theym of theyr saluation and so we
learne by thys wonderfull myracle which our sauior did before all the multitude that he proued himself to be very god and one that hath power ouer death But peraduenture ye wyll saye No it foloweth not he raysed vppe the deade Ergo he is very god for we reade in the olde testamente that Elias and Elisa these holye Prophetes of God 〈◊〉 suche workes too they raised vp the dead as well as he and yet for all that they were not goodes but synfull men as we be though they had suche a speciall gifts of god yet they were not goddes nor yet toke vpon them to be goddes To this question or obiection I wyll aunswere hereafter and if I forget it not In the meane season I wyll inoue an other question which is this What shoulde moue Johns disciples to come and tell him the miracles which Christ our sauior dyd thynke ye they came with a good wyll to sette out Christe and to magnifye hys doynges or came they with an yll wyll with an enuious hearte whiche they beare towardes Christe Aunswere They came wyth an yll wyll wyth an enuious hearte whiche they barc agaynste Christe as it appeareth moste 〈◊〉 by the circumstaunces beynge well considered For ye muste vnderstande that John hadde verye muche 〈◊〉 to brynge his disciples to Christe they thoughte that Christe and hys doynges hys conuersation were nothynge in comparison of John For Johns strayghte lyfe whiche he led in the wyldernesse made suche a shewe and outewarde glisteryng that oure Sauiour was regarded for nothyng in comparison of hym For our sauiour led not so harde and straight a lyfe as Iohn did he eats and drunke and woulde come to mens tables when he was bidden he would kepe company with euery body ryche and poore 〈◊〉 receiued hym and woulde beleue in hym but Iohn was in the wyldernes out of the companye of all men Therfore the disciples of Iohn they much more regarded Iohn their maister then Christ their sauiour And therefore they euer lay vpon Iohn in exhortyng hym that he would take vpon him to be Christ and the sauiour of the worlde And when they had heard of any miracles that Christe had done they by and by came vnto theyr maister and told hym of it disdainfully as who say thus and thus we haue heard that Christ hath done wherfore shewest not thou thy selfe to wherfore workest not as well myracles as Christ doth euery man speaketh of hym do thou somwhat too that the people may know thee to be a great man as well as Christ. We reade in the gospell of Mathew that Iohns disciples came once to Christ and quarelled with hym saying Cur nos pharisaei ieiunamus frequenter discipuli autem tui non ieiunāt Wherfore fast we and the pharisees so many a tymes but thy disciples fast not at al They thought in theyr owne opinions that Iohns lyfe was a great deale more to be estemed then Christes because Iohns lyfe was more painfull in the outward shew of the world therfore it greued them that Christ shold be more estemed then Iohn So that we may perceiue by Iohns disciples that they had a good zeale Sed non secundum scientiam but not accordyng vnto knowledge For it is a good thing for a seruaunt to loue his maister but Iohns disciples did naught in that they enuied Christe and wente aboute to styrre vppe theyr maister to take vpon him to be Christe Nowe Iohn entending to correcte and amend theyr false opinion which they hadde in Christ and in hym for they regarded him to muche and Christe whiche was to bee moste regarded him estemed they for nothinge in compa rison of Iohn therfore Iohn that good and faithfull man seyng the ignorauncy of hys disciples playeth a wyse part For hearyng them talke of the wonderfull workes whyche Christ our sauiour dyd he sendeth them vnto Christe with thys question Art thou he that shall come or shall we looke for another When we loke onely vpon the outward shew of these wordes a man might thinke that Iohn hymselfe was doutefull whether Christ were the sauiour of the world or not because he sendeth his disciples to aske such a question of hym But ye must vnderstand that it was not done for Iohns sake to aske such a question but rather for his disciples sake For Iohn thought that this should be the way to bryng them to a good trade namely to no them to Christ. For as for Iohn hym selfe he douted not he knew that Christ was the sauior of the world he knew it I say whiles he was yet in hys mo thers wombe For we rede in the 〈◊〉 of Luke that after 〈◊〉 came vnto Mary and brought her such tidings she arose and went thorough the mountaynes and came to Ierusalem to Elizabeth her cosyne and as she saluted her the Euangelist saith saliit infans in vtero suo the infant which was Iohn lept in his mothers belly So that Iohn beyng in his mothers belly yet knew Christ which should be born out of the virgin Mary After that we rede in the 3. of Mathews when Iohn 〈◊〉 baptise Christ he said vnto Christ Ego po tius I haue more nede to be baptised of thee thē thou of me So that it manifestly appeareth that Iohn douted not of Christ but knew moste certainly that he was the eternal son of god the 〈◊〉 which was promised vnto the fathers to come into the worlde For it was told him from aboue that vpon whomsoeuer he should see the holy ghoste commyng downe from heauen 〈◊〉 that same was he whiche afterwarde 〈◊〉 for Iohn after that he had baptised hym sawe the holye ghoste come doune in a forme of a doue further Iohn appointed hym with hys finger sayinge Ecce agnus 〈◊〉 qui tollit peccata mundi See the lambe of God whiche taketh a way the synnes of the world So I say it is most 〈◊〉 that Iohn hymselfe douted not for he knew it assuredly that Christe was the sauiour but he did it onelye to remedye the doutes of hys discyples Nowe when Iohns disciples came to Christ they dyd theyr message saying Es 〈◊〉 ille qui venturus est an alium expectamus Arte thou he that shall come or shal we looke for another What doth Christ he made not answere with wordes but with the dedes he made not muche adoo in settyng oute himselfe with greate wordes but he shewed himselfe to be Christ in dede For he doth such miracles whiche no man els could do but only he which was bothe very god and man I would wishe of god that we would doe so to that when we bee asked a question whether we bee Christians whether we haue the gospell the true word of god or not I would wyshe I saye that we coulde shewe our faith by our workes and godly conuersations lyke as he shewed hymselfe to be Christ by his acts and
he can bryng thee alofte when it pleaseth him when it is to the furtherāce of his glorye and to the saluation of thy soule John Baptist made no sute for that office namely to be a preacher and to baptyse the people yet for all that god sought hym oute god called hym there unto god would haue him in this office of preachyng So lyke wise Iosephe when he was in Egypte solde of hys owne brethren where he serued with a great man a greate officer he was Potiphar was his name Nowe when he had bene a whyle with him his 〈◊〉 percetuyng his beauty cast her loue vpon him and so would haue hym to be naught with her but Joseph beyng a man that seared god wold not folow her but rather 〈◊〉 her beastly lustes ranne his wayes and lefte his cloke behynde hym And so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thorough false accusations he was cast into prison Thynks ye now that god saw hym not yes yes he sawe him though he was in the darke pryson yet he saw him For when it seemed him good he brought him out agayne of the prison and made him lorde and ruler ouer all Egipt though he lay in a dongeon though he could make no sute for his 〈◊〉 yet god when it pleased him could call him therunto Therfore let vs learne here by the ensaumple of this good Josephe lette vs learne I saye that when we bee meete and that God wyll haue vs to beare offices he wyll call vs thereunto by law full meanes by hys magistrates he wyll not forgette vs for he seeth vs in euery corner he can pycke vs oute when it is hys wyll and pleasure Moyses that greate friende of God what was his occupation Mary he was a shepharde he kepte his fathers in lawe sheepe and though he was in a greate wyldernesse where there was no body aboute hym yet it pleased GOD to call hym and to make hym a captayne ouer his people Israell And thys Moses was very lothe to go to take such a greate charge vpon hym yet at the length he went because it was the callyng of god Therfore let vs folow this ensaumple of Moyses let vs not take in hande any office except we be called thereunto of GOD excepte we haue a lawfull callyng Oure Sauiour commaundeth his disciples and also vs that we shall praye vnto God that he wyll sende labourers into his haruest that is to saye that he wyll sende preachers Whereby it appeareth that our Sauiour woulde that no person shoulde take vpon hym that office excepte he be sent of god except god call hym thereunto Kynge Saule thoughe he was a wycked man in hys ende yet he was made a greate hinge of god for what was hys father No verye great man I tell you and Saule his sonne wente to seke hys fathers affes and so by chaunce because he could not fynde the asses he came to the Prophete Samuell whiche by and by before he departed from hym annoynted hym to bee kynge ouer Israell GOD commaundyng hym so to doe Nowe thys Saule he sceketh not for it it came neuer in hys hearte to thynke that he should bee kyng in so muche that he 〈◊〉 hymselfe when Samuell woulde prclaime him king before the whole congregation yet for all that he coulde not hyde himselfe so but GOD spyeth hym oute and so finally brought him to the kyngdome Here ye see moste manifestlye that whanne GOD wyll haue a thynge to bee doone he canne synde suche meanes whereby it muste needes bee doone Wherefore shoulde nowe anye of vs goe aboute to thruste theymselues into offices wyithoute the callyng of GOD And no doute they that 〈◊〉 so they shewe theymselues to haue no saythe in GOD at all they truste not GOD they thynke they shall brynge all matters to passe by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 owne power and wyttes but it is seene that suche felowes spede euer yll that wyll take in hande to 〈◊〉 them selues without any laufull callyng Dauid that 〈◊〉 man holy 〈◊〉 of god what was he Mary a keper of shepe he thought not that he should be king till he was called ther 〈◊〉 of god But I pray 〈◊〉 what was Ionas the Prophet was he not in the bottome of the great sea in the bellye of a great and horrible whale what hapned vnto hym sawe not god 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saw hym he had not forgotten hym he called hym out again and so sedeth 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 to preach vnto them and teache them penaunce to leaue theyr synful life Now god would haue hym to that 〈◊〉 therfore he cal 〈◊〉 hym and was able to do it 〈◊〉 he lay euen in the hor rible fishes 〈◊〉 Now therfore lette vs well 〈◊〉 this that when god wil haue a man to beare an 〈◊〉 he can and is able to fetch him wheresoeuer he bee and that man that is so called of god to any office no doute god wil work with hym he wyl prosper all his doings he will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from all his enemies he wyll not let him perishe 〈◊〉 and yf any man take in 〈◊〉 an office whereunto he is not called no dout that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haue no good lucke god will not prosper hym And not onely that but he will 〈◊〉 punishe that 〈◊〉 that wil take in hande an 〈◊〉 whereunto he is not called of god which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 aboute to promote himselfe As we haue an example in the boke of that Numbers that when 〈◊〉 Dathan and Abyram would not be contente with their vocation wherunto thei were called of GOD but woulde 〈◊〉 higher and promote themselues what hapned The grounde claue asonder and swalowed them vp with wife and children and al that they had this was their ende this rewarde they had for their ambition Whereby it appeareth that GOD wyll that euerye manne shall keepe hymselfe in his vocation til he be further called of god We reade further in the bookes of the kinges that when Dauyd would bryng in the arke of GOD into his citye as they were going with it there was one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 name he fearyng leaste the arke shoulde fall because the 〈◊〉 stumbled went and helde it vp with his handes which was against his 〈◊〉 for he was not appointed 〈◊〉 for it 〈◊〉 the office of the Leuites to 〈◊〉 the Arke no body 〈◊〉 should come 〈◊〉 vnto it Now what hapned God stroke hym by and by to death because he toke vpon him an 〈◊〉 vnto which he was not called yet after mans reason 〈◊〉 Oza had done a good worke in keepyng the arke frome 〈◊〉 but what then God will that his order shal be kept which he hath appointed in his worde Further we reade in the Bible of a kyng which was called 〈◊〉 which woulde take vpon him the office of a prieste to offer incenses vnto the Lorde whervnto he was not called of god but would do it of his owne 〈◊〉 will would promote himselfe to
fyndeth that he hath brne a wycked man an yrefull man a couetuous or a slouthefull man lette hym repente and bee sorye for it And take a good purpose to leaue that same synne where in he hath lyen before Lette vs not doe as the Jewes dydde which were styfnecked they woulde not leaue theyr synnes they hadde a pleasure in the same they woulde folowe theyr olde tradicions refusyng the worde of GOD therefore theyr destruction came worthelye vppon theym And therefore I saye lette vs not followe them leaste we receyue suche a reward as they hadde leaste euerlastyng destruction come `vpon vs and so we be caste oute of the fauour of god and finally loste worlde without ende And there shal bee signes in the Sunne and in the Mosne in the Starres in the earth There be some which think that there shal be great Eclipses against the course of nature ye know that 〈◊〉 hath bene great thynges sene in the Element diuerg 〈◊〉 Sometymes men haue sene a rynge about the Sunne somtimes there hath bene sene 〈◊〉 sonnes at ones and such like thinges hath 〈◊〉 sene in tymes past which no dout signified that this 〈◊〉 day is not far of in which Christ will come with his heauenly 〈◊〉 to iudge and rewarde euery one of vs accordynge vnto his descrtes And the people shal be at their wittes 〈◊〉 through dispaire men 〈◊〉 wonderfull fearefull they shall pyne awaye for feare and no dout these shal be good men which shal be thus troubled with suche a feare of this daye for you knowe the worldlyn 〈◊〉 care not for that day yea they will scant beleue that there shal be such a day that there shal be an other world or at the least way they would not 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 shold be an other worlde therfore they shal be godly men which 〈◊〉 so vsed to be 〈◊〉 vnto the worlde And no doute there hath bene here in England many already which haue bene so vexed and tormoyled with such feare That same maister Bylney which was burnte here in England for gods worde sake was induced and persuaded by his friendes to beare a fagotte at the tyme when the Cardinall was 〈◊〉 and bare the swynge Now 〈◊〉 that same Bylney cam to 〈◊〉 agayne a whole yere after he was in such an anguish and agony so that nothyng did him good neither eatyng nor 〈◊〉 king nor any other communication of gods worde For he thought that all the whole scriptures were against him 〈◊〉 sounded to his condemnation So that I many a tyme 〈◊〉 with him for I was fannliarly acquainted with him But all thynges whatsoeuer any man coulde allege to his comforte seemed vnto hym to make againste him yet for all that afterwardes he came againe god indued him with such strength and perfectnes of faith that he not onelye confessed his faith the gospell of our Saniour Jesus Christe but also suffered his bodye to be burnte for that same Gospels sake which we now preache in Englande 〈◊〉 Luther that wonderful instrumet of god through whō god hath opened the light of his holy word vnto the world which was a long 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 and neglected he wryteth of himselfe that he hath bene sometymcs in such an agony of the spirite that he felte nothyng but trembling and fearefulnes And I myself know two or three at this present houre which be in this case But as concernyng the vngodly 〈◊〉 say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnia all thynges are well with them they care for no more but for this worlde Lyke as in the 〈◊〉 tyme they were carelesse at all they thought all things were cocksure tyll at such tyme when the floud feil vpon their heades And so it is at this tyme with the vngodlye too they care not for this day of iudgement it greeueth them not till it fall vpon theyr heades one day It is said in scripture that god leadeth into hell and bringeth vp 〈◊〉 and so it is with such fearefull men for god doth cast them into hall he hideth himselfe from them but at the length he bringeth them out agayne and 〈◊〉 thē with a constant sayth so that they may be sure of their salua tion and 〈◊〉 lyse I knew ones a woman that was 17. yere 〈◊〉 such an crercise and feare but at the length she 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and god endued her with a strong and stedfast faith in the ende Therfore no dout these be warnynges wher with the almighty God warneth vs to make ready against that horrible and fearefull day which day no doute is not farre of For the worlde was ordeyned of god to endure as scripture and all lerned men agree syre thousand yeres Now of this number are gone syue thousand fyue hundred 52. so that there is left onely foure hundred and fifty lacking two And this is but a little tyme and yet this tyme shal bee shortened as scripture plainly witnesseth for the elects sake So that peraduentare it may come in my dayes as old as I am or in oure childrens dayes Therefore let vs begynne to 〈◊〉 and fight be tymes wyth synne let vs not set all oure heartes and myndes vppon this worlde for no doubte thys daye whensoeuer yt shall come wylbe wonderfull fearefull vnto all mankynde and speciallye vnto the wycked There wil be great alterations at that date there wil be hurly burly like as ye se in a man whan he dieth what deformitie appereth how he stretcheth out all his membres what a 〈◊〉 is there so that all his body commeth out of frame So wyll it be at this fearefull horrible day there wylbe such alterations of the earth and the element they wyll loose theyr former nature and be endued with an other nature And then shal they see the 〈◊〉 of man come in a cloude with power and great glory Certain it is that he shal 〈◊〉 to iudge but we can not tell the tyme when he wyll come therefore seeyng that he wyl come lette vs make redye lest be finde vs vnprepared And take this for a rule that as he findeth vs so he shal iudge vs. Sainte Paule to the Thessalonians when he speaketh of the resurrection of the good sayeth that at the same day the trompet shall blowe and all shall ryse which dyed synce the worlde beganne than they that shal be founde alyus 〈◊〉 the earth shal be chaunged sodêly and shal be rapte vp into the ayre and so meete Christ our sa uior All those I say that be content to stryue and fight with synne that wyll not be ruled by synne These I say shall of suche wise be taken vp in the ayre and meete with Christe and so shall come doun with him againe but as for the other sort which be wicked and haue a delyte in wickednes will not leaue it but rather goe forwardes in all 〈◊〉 they shal be lefts vpon the earth with the deuylles
sea he had not yet 〈◊〉 that face visage but when he was in the whales bealy aud had there the beholdyng of it what terror and distresse abode he 〈◊〉 whan he sawe Senacherib 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 on euery side most violently was nothyng afrayde of the great hoste and myghty army that was lyke to destroye hym out of hande yet he was afrayde of death Whan the 〈◊〉 came vnto hym and sayd Dispone domui 〈◊〉 morte morieris n on viues It stroke hym so to the heart that he fell a wepyng O Lord what an horror was this There be some writers that sayes that Peter Iames and Iohn were in this felyng at the same tyme and that Peter when he said 〈◊〉 à me Domine quia homo peccator sum did tast som part of it he was so astonished he wyste not what to saye It was not longe that they were in this anguishe some sayes longer somme shorter but Christ was readie to comfort them and sayd to Peter Netimeas Be not afrayd A frende of myne told me of a certayne woman that was eyghtene yeares together in it I knewe a man my selfe Bilney little Bilney that blessed martyr of God what tyme he had borne his fagott and was come agayne to Cambridge had suche 〈◊〉 within hymselfe beholdynge this ymage of deathe 〈◊〉 hys friendes were a frayde to lette hym be alone they were fayne to bee with him daye and nighte and comforted hym as they coulde but no comfortes woulde serue As for the comfortable places of Scripture to bryng them vnto hym it was as though a man woulde runne hym thoroughe the hart with a sworde yet afterward for al this he was reuiued and toke his deathe paciently and died well against the tyrannicall sea of Rome Wo will be to that bishop that had the examination of hym if he repented not Here is a good lesson for you my frendes If euer ye come in danger in durance in prison for gods quarell and his sake as he did for purgatorie matters and put to beare a fagot for preachyng the true worde of God agaynst pilgremage and suche like matters I will aduise you first and aboue all thyng to abiure all your frendes all your frendeshyp leaue not one vnabiured it is they that shall vndoo you and not your ennemies It was his very frendes that brought Bylney to it By this it may somewhat appere what our sauiour Christs suffered he dothe not dissemble it hymselfe when he saythe My soule is heauy to death he was in so sore an agonie that there issued out of hym as I shall entreate anone droppes of blood An vgsome thing surely which his fact dede sheweth vs what horrible paines he was in for our sakes But you wil say how can this be It were possyble that I such other as be great sinners should suffre such affliction The sonne of God what our sauiour Christ neuer sinned 〈◊〉 can this stand that he shold be this handled he neuer deserued it Mary I will tell you how we must consider our sauiour Christ two ways one way in his māhod an other in his godhed Som places of scripture must be referred to his deity som to his humanitie In his godhed he suffrēd nothing but now he made him self void of his deity as 〈◊〉 saith Cū esset in forma 〈◊〉 exinaniuir seipsum Wheras he was in the forme of God he emptied himself of it he did hide it vsed himself as though he had not had it he would not helpe him selfe wyth hys Godheade he humbled himselfe wyth all obedience vnto deathe euen to the deathe of the crosse thys was in that he was man he tooke vppon hym our synnes oure synnes not the worke of synne I meane not so not to doe it not to commytte it but to purge it to cleanse it to beare the stypende of it and that waye he was the greate synner of the worlde he bare all the synne of the worlde on his backe he would become detter for it Nowe to sustayne and suffer the doloures of deathe is not to synne but he came into this worlde wyth hys passion to purge our synnes Nowe thys that he suffered in the Gardyne is one of the bitterest 〈◊〉 of all hys passyon 〈◊〉 feare of deathe was the bytterest payne that euer he abode dewe to synne which he neuer dyd but became detter for vs. All thys he suffered for vs thys he dydde to satisfye for oure synnes It is muche lyke as yf I oughte another man twenty thousande poundes and shoulde paye it out of hande or elles goe to the dungeon of Ludgate and when I am goyng to pryson one of my friendes should come and aske whether goeth thys manne And after he hadde heard the matter shoulde saye lette me aunswers for hym I will beecome suretye for hym Yea I wyll paye all for hym Suche a parte played our Sauiour Chryste with vs. If he hadde not suffered thys I for my parte shoulde haue suffered accordyug to the grauitie and quantitie of my synnes damnation For the greater the synne is the greater is the punishement in hell He suffered for you and me in suche a degree as is dewe to all the synnes of the whole worlde It was as yf you woulde ymagine that one man had committed all the synnes sence Adam you may bee sure he shoulde bee punished with the same horrour of deathe in suche a sorte as all men in the worlde shoulde haue suffered Fayne and put case oure Sauiour Christe had committed all the synnes of the worlde all that I for my parte haue done all that you for your part haue done and that any man els hath done yf he had done all thys hymselfe hys agonye that he suffered shoulde haue bene no greater nor greuouser then it was This that he suffred in the gardyne was a 〈◊〉 I say of his passion and one of the bitterest partes of it And this he suffered for our synnes and not for any synnes that he had committed himselfe for all we shoulde haue suf fered euery man according to his own desertes Thys he dydde of hys goodnesse partely to purge and cleanse oure synnes partlye because he woulde taste and feele oure miseries Quo posset 〈◊〉 nobis That he shoulde the rather helpe and relieue vs and partlye he suffered to geue vs example to behaue our selues as he dydde He dyd not suffer to discharge vs cleane from death to kepe vs cleane from it not to taste of it Nay nay you muste not take it so We shall haue the beholdyng of thys vgsome 〈◊〉 euerye one of vs we shall feele it our selues Yet our Sauiour Christe dyd suffer to the entente to sygnifye to vs that deathe is ouercomable We shall in dede ouercome it yf we repente and acknowledge that oure Sauiour Iesu Christe pacifyed with his panges and paynes the wrathe of the
Discipline they be wythout al order Where they should geue place they wil not stur one inch yea where magistrates shuld determine matters they wil breake into the place before they come and at theyr comming not moue a whit for them Is this discipline Is thys good order If a man say any thing vnto them they regard it not They that be caled to answer wil not answer directly but skoffe the matter oute Men the more they know the worse they be it is truely sayde sciencia inflat knowledge maketh vs proud and causeth vs to forget all and set a way disciplin Surely in Poperye they had a reuerence but now we haue none at al Ineuer saw the like This same lack of the feare of God and dyscipline in vs was one of the causes that the father wold not hear his sonne This pain suffred our sauior Christ for vs who neuer deserued it 〈◊〉 what it was that he suffred in thys garden till Iudas came The dolors the terrors the sorrowes that he suffered be vnspeakable He suffred part ly to make amends for our sinnes partly to geue vs exā ple what we should doo in like case What comes of thys gear in th end Wel now he prayeth again he resorteth to his father again Angore correptus prolixius orabat He was in sorer pains in more anguish thē euer he was therfore he prayeth lōger more ardētly more feruētly more vehemētly thē euer he did before Oh lord what a wōderful thinge is this this horror of death is worse thē death it self more He prayeth now the third time He did it so instantlye so feruently that it brought out a bloudy sweat such plēty that it dropped down euen to the groūd There issued out of his precious body drops of blud What a paine was he in when these bloudy drops fel so aboundantlye frō hym Yet for al that how vnthankful do we shewe oure selues toward him that died only for our sakes for the remedy of our sinnes Oh what blasphemy do we commit day by day what litle regard haue we to his blessed passion thus to swear by gods bloud by Christes passion We haue no thing in our pastime but gods bloud gods woundes We continually blaspheme his passyon in hauking hunting dising carding Who wold think he shuld haue such ennemies amōg those that professe his name What became of his bloud that fel down trow 〈◊〉 was that bloud of Hales of it wo worth it What a do was it to bring this oute of the kinges hed This great abhomination of the bloud of hales could not be taken a great while out of hys minde You that be of the court especially ye sworn chaplains beware of a lesson that a great man taught me at my first cōming to the court he told me for good will he thoughte it wel 〈◊〉 sayd vnto me You must beware how so euer ye do that ye cōtrary not the king let him haue his saiyngs folow him go with him Mary out vpon this counsel shal I say as he sayes Say your cōscience or els what a worm shal ye fele gnawinge what a remorse of conscience shall ye haue when ye remēbre how ye haue slacked your duety It is a good wise verse Gutta cauat lapidem non vi sed sepe cadendo The drop of raine maketh a hole in the stone not by violence but by oft falling Likewise a prince must be turned not violently but he must be won by a litle and a litle He must haue his duty told him but it must be don with humblenesse with request of pardon or els it wer a daungerous thing Unpreachinge prelates haue bene the cause that the bloud of Hales did so long blinde the king Wo worth that such an abhominable thing shoulde be in a Christen realme but thankes be to God it was partlye redressed in the kinges dayes that dead is aud much more now God graunt good wil and power to goo forward if ther be any such abhomination behind that it may vtterly be roted vp O how happy are we that it hath plesed almigh ty God to vouchsafe that his sonne shuld sweat bloud for the redeming of our synnes and again how vnhappy are we if we wil not take it thankfully that was redemed so painfully Alas what hard hartes haue we Our sauioure Christ neuer synned and yet sweat he blud for our sinnes we will not once water our eyes wyth a few tears What an horrible thing is sinne that no other thinge would remedy and pay the raunsome for it but only the bloude of our sauiour Christ. There was nothing to pacifye the fathers wrath against man but such an agony as he suffred al the passion of al the martyrs that euer were all the sacrifices of Patriarkes that euer were al the good workes that euer were done were not able to remedy oure synne to make satisfaction for our sinnes nor any thing besides but this extreme passion and bloud sheddinge of our most merciful sauiour Christ. But to draw toward an end what became of this thre fold prayer at the length it pleased God to hear his sōnes prayer and sent him an angell to corroborate to strengthen to comfort him Christ nead no angels help if he had listed to case him self with his deitye He was the sonne of God what then for so much as he was man he receyued comfort at the aungels hand as it accordes to our infirmity His obedience his continuance and sufferinge so pleased the father of heauen that for his sonnes sake be he neuer so great a sinner leauing his sinne and repentinge for the same he wil owe him such fauoure as thoughe he had neuer committed any sinne The father of heauen wil not suffer him to be tempted wyth this great horror of death and hel to the vttermost and aboue that he is able to bear Loke for it my frendes by him and through him he shal be able to ouercome it let vs do as oure sauioure Christ did and we shal haue helpe from aboue we shal haue angels help if we truste in hym heauen and earth shall geue vp rather then we shall lacke helpe he sayeth he is Adiutor in necessitatibus an healper in tyme of nead When the angell had comforted him and when this horror of death was gon he was so strong that he offred hym self to Iudas and sayd I am he To make an end I praye you take paynes it is a daye of penaunce as we vse to say geue me leue to make you wery this day The Iewes had him to 〈◊〉 and Annas and there they whipte him bet him they set a crowne of sharpe thorne vpon hys head and nailed him to a tree yet all this was not so bitter as thys horror of death and this agony that he suffred in the garden in suche a degree as is
due to all the synnes of the world and not to one mannes synnes Well this passyon is our remeadye it is the satisfaction for oure synnes Hys soule descended to hel for a time Here is much a doo these new vpstarting spirites say Christe neuer descended into hel neyther body nor soule In 〈◊〉 they wil aske was he there what did he there what if we cannot tel what he did there The Crede goth no further but sayth he descended thither what is that to vs if we cannot tell seing we were taught no further Paul was taken vp into the thirde heauen aske likewise what he sawe when he was caryed thyther you shal not finde in scripture what he sawe or what he did there shal we not therfore beleue that he was ther. These arrogant spirites spirites of vaine glorye because they knowe not by any expresse scripture the order of hys doinges in hel they will not beleue that euer he descended into hell In dede thys article hath not so full scripture so manye places and testimonies of scriptures as other haue yet it hathe inough it hath ii or iii. textes and if it had but one one texte of scripture is of as good and lawful authoritye as a 〈◊〉 and of as certayne truth It is not to be wayed by the multitude of textes I beleue as certainlye and verelye that thys realme of Englande hathe as good authoritye to heare Gods word as anye natyon in all the worlde it maye be gathered by two textes one of them is thys Ite in vniuersum mundum predicate euangeliū omni creature Go into the whole world preach that gospel to al creatures Again Deus vult omnes hoīs saluos fieri God wyll haue all men to be saued he exceptes not the English men here nor yet expresly nameth them and yet I am as sure that thys Realme of Englande by this gathering is allowed to hear Gods word as though Christ had sayed a thousand times go preach to Englysh men I wyl that English men be saued Because this arti cle of his descending into hel cannot be gathered so direct ly so necessarily so formally they do vtterly deny it This article hath scriptures two or thre inough for quiet minds as for curiouse braines nothinge can content them Thys the deuils sturring vp of suche spirites of sedityon is an euident argumente that the lighte is come forthe for hys word is a brode when the deuil rusheth when he roreth when he stirreth vp such busy spirites to sclaunder it My entente is not to entreate of this matter at this time I trust the people wil not be caryed awaye with these newe arrogant spirites I dout not but good preachers will labour against them But now I wil say a word and herein I protest first of al not arrogantly to determin and define it I wil contend wyth no man for it I wil not haue it be preiudice to any body but I offer it vnto you to consider way it There be some great clarkes that take my parte and I perceiue not what euill canne come of it in sayinge that our sauiour Christ did not only in soule descend into hel but also that he suffered in hel such paines as the dam ned spirites did suffer there Surelye I beleue verelye for my part that he suffered the pains of hel proporcionably as it correspondes and answers to the whole synne of the world He wold not suffer only bodelye in the garden and vpon the crosse but also in hys soul when it was from the body which was a paine due for our sinne Some wryte so and I canne beleue it that he suffered in the verye place and I cannot tell what it is cal it what ye wil euen in the skalding house in the vgsomnesse of the place in the presence of the place such pain as our capacity can not attain vnto it is somwhat declared vnto vs when we vtter it by these effectes by fyre by gnashynge of teth by the worme that gnaweth on the conscience What so euer the pain is it is a great pain that he suffered for vs. I see no inconuenience to saye that Christ suffered in soule in hell I singularly commende the exceding great charitie of christ that for our sakes would suffer in hel in his soule It settes oute the vnspeakeable hatred that God hathe to sinne I perceyue not that it doth derogate any thing from the dignitie of Christes death as in the garden whē he suffered it derogates nothing from that he suffred on the cros Scripture speaketh on this fashion Qui credit in me habet vi tam aeternam He that beleueth in me hath life euerlasting Here he settes furth fayth as the cause of our 〈◊〉 in other places as high commendation is geuen to works and yet are the workes any derogation from that dignitie of faythe No. And againe scripture sayeth Traditus est propter peccata nostra et exuscitatus propter iustificationem c. It attributeth here oure iustification to his resurrection doth this derogate any thing from his death not a whyt It is whole Christe What with his natiuitie what with his circumcisiō what with his incarnation and the whole proces of hys lyfe with his preaching what with his ascen ding descending what with his deathe it is all Christ that worketh our saluatiō He sitteth on that right hand of that father al for vs. All this is the work of oure saluatiō I would be as lothe to derogate any thing frō Christes death as that best of you all How vnestimably are we bound 〈◊〉 him what thāks ought we to geue him for it We must haue this cōtinually in remembraunce Propter te morti tradimur tota die For the we are in diyng continually The life of a christen man is nothing but a readines to dye and a remembraūce of deathe If this that I haue spoken of Christes sufferyng in the gardeine and in hell derogate any thing from Christes death and passion awaye with it beleue me not in this if it doo not it commendes and settes fourth very well vnto vs the perfection of the satisfaction that Christe made for vs and the worke of redemption not onely before witnes in this worlde but in hell in that vgsome-place where whether he suffered or wrastled with the spirites or comforted Abraham Isaac Iacob I will not desier to know If ye like not that whiche I haue spoken of his sufferyng let it goo I will not stryue in it I will be preiudice to no body wey it as ye list I doo but offer it you to consider It is like his soule did somwhat the thre dayes that his bodye lay in the graue To say he suffered in hel for vs derogats nothing from his death For all thinges that Christ did before his suffering on the crosse and after doo worke oure saluation Yf he had not bene