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A05390
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A fruitfull sermon made in Poules churche at London in the shroudes, the seconde daye of February by Thomas Leuer
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Lever, Thomas, 1521-1577.
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1550
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STC 15543; ESTC S120436
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21,246
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80
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oure synnes do not cause God to thinke our realme vnworthy to enioye the treasure of so precyous a Iewell Manye other noble men there be as I truste some that I do certaynlye knowe whose tender heartes do muche lamente youre griefes and whose godlye prouision wyll be muche vnto youre comforte if your vnpaciente stubburnes do not disapoynte their good purpose If euer at any tyme God did send vnto any afflycted people releyfe comforte and prosperytye it came alwayes by good rulers at suche tyme as the people beeynge in afflyccyon dyd humble them selues in pacyence and cryed vnto the Lorde wyth prayer as is apparente in the houndreth and seuen Psalme Clamauerunt ad dominum cum tribularentur et de necessitatibus eorum liberauit eos When they were in trouble they called vnto thee Lorde and he deliuered them forth of their troublousesome gryefes And in the bookes of the iudges and of the kynges ye maye reade how that God to delyuer his people forth of miserye and to prosper them in wealth dyd reyse vp good rulers as Gedeon Barac Iepthe Sampson Dauid Samuel and suche other And wythoute doubte euen at this time here in England God hathe raysed vp a gracyous kynge some suche noble men as be neyther cruell nor couetous If ther be therfore in vs pacience humility thankfulnes prayer surelye we shall soone feele relyefe conforte and prosperitie Thei therfore y t as yet feele theÌ„ selues greued let theÌ„ cal vnto y e lord lokinge for his helpe in paciente suffering not prouoking his vengeaunce by vngracious rebellinge agaynste hys officers vnhappye resisting hys ordinaunce vnhappy resistyng may I well call it for vnhappye are all they that vse it purchasing thereby to them selues iudgement vengeaunce and damnacyon O howe vnhappye haue they been here in England whiche haue not quietlye suffered a confortable reformacion of their greatest griefes and harmes to procede from god to theÌ„ by his ordinauÌ„ce but vnpacientlye grudginge haue offeÌ„ded god disquieted this realm and vndone them selues by resystynge goddes ordynaunce For the greatest griefe that hathe been vnto the people in thys realme hath bene the inclosing of comens as concernyng the whyche the powers ordeyned of GOD for thâ—â— purpose made an acte of parlyamente forbiddynge anye man to enclose vnto hys pryuate vse that whyche of long tyme had bene taken and vsed as common And afterwardes the same powers dyd sende forthe proclamacions warnynge theym whyche contrarye to thys acte of parliament had inclosed groundes offendynge the people that they accordynge to these Proclamacions shoulde laye the same inclosed landes abroade agayne to satysfye the acte of parliamente and to releue the people And for because neyther of these wayes toke effecte there was immediatly further commissions dyrected to put suche men in authoryty as could easelye and woulde gladly and were purposed spedely to haue layed vnlawfull inclosed landes abrode agayne in such quiâ—â—â—orte as shoulde haue bene most to the kynges honour to y e wâ—â—lth of thys realme and to the grâ—atest comfoâ—t of thoâ—â— whyche were most greued Now howe the people dyd take or rather how they dyd resyste and wythstand thys ye know And I shall rehearse whan as I haue telled you of one other thyng whyche beynge of longer contynuance in Englande hath done ferre more harme and yet the gâ—yeâ— ther offer lesse yea nothynge at all felt For the deadely wound therof dyd brynge the people past all felynge of gryefe And the venomous poysâ—n broughte the people in suche a Maze that thâ—y dyd not fele and pâ—â—ceyue them â—elues to be in most horâ—yble myâ—â—rable wretchednes whâ—n as the worde of GOD the 〈◊〉 of lâ—fe the sauyng health in Christ Iesu was â—aken away and in a straunge language shut and closed vp from theym so that they wythout felyng were led froÌ„ God by mannes tradicions vnto vayne ceremonis to be most venemously poysoned wyth dyuelishe supersticion Therefore whan as the mercyfull goodnes of God beholdyng the miseries of the people by the prouydence of the kynges maiestye his counsell purposely ordeined of God to confort healpe and amend the people of thys realme by the restoryng of goddes worde and settynge it playnelye forthe in the Englysh tong with the ryght vse and dew adminâ—stracion of hys sacramentes to be imprynted and confyrmed in our hartes Whan as I saye by these gracyous meanes and godlye order God hym selfe dyd offer vnto the people relyefe comforte and prosperitye Then the vngodlye vngracious â— vnhappye people beynge moostâ— vnkynde where as they shoulde haue bene mooste thankefull dystrusted GOD dyspised hys ordinaunce presumed of theyr owne wylfulnes so farre as they coulde or myghte to wythstand the ordynaunce of God refused the grace of God and proâ—ured to theym selues the veÌ„geaunce of God Wherfore we hauynge thys terrible example in freshe memorye and seynge a gracyous Kyng and Godly rulars ordeyned of GOD to amende oure gryefes althoughe all that cannot be amended in one day whyche hath bene appayryng manye yeres yet let vs pacientlye suffer for a tyme not doubtynge but that that reliefe comforte and wealth whyche God hathe promysed vnto Englande by hys word offered of hys goodnes and begon by his ordinaunce shalbe brought vnto passe by hys wysdome and myghte in suche wyse as shall be moste for hys glorye the kynges honoure the wealth of the realme â—nd most to the conforte of theym that mooste pacyentlye in â–ª hopâ— truste to goddes goodnes These exaÌ„ples haue I rehearsed to teach you as it were by experience howe true this saying of Paul is They whyche wythstande or resyste the powers ordeyned of God receyuâ— vnto theym selues Iudgemente whyche is vengeaunce and damnacion Let vs therfore amend our lyues and be good men and we shall not nede to hate and feare but haue greate occasion to loue and truste those whyche be nowe our chyefe rulaâ—s For they be as Paule sayeth made rulars not to put theym in feare that do good but theym whyche do euyll so that none nedeth to feare these rulâ—rs but euell doers Whyche in euyll doynge haue deserued of thâ— râ—lers to be punyshed and in resystynge theyr power ordeyned of GGD do hasten and aggâ—auâ—te towardes theym selues â–ª the â—orâ— vengeaunce of GOD. It fâ—loweth Wouldest thou be wythout feare of power do that whychâ— is good and thou shalte haue prayse of it for he is the mâ—nyster of God to do the good but yâ— thou do 〈◊〉 feare For he beareth not 〈◊〉 swearde wythout a cause but is the mynister of GOD to aduenge in wrath hym that doeth euyll All these wordes Peter concludeth bryefelye in the second of hys fâ—rst Epistle saying that those that haue rule and authorytye be sente ad uindictant malorum laudem â—ero â—onorum That is to saye to take vengeaunce of euell 〈◊〉 and to commende the good Whosoeuer thou arte therefore and of whatsoeuer degree or sorte thou bee yf thou bee a Subiecte thou muste remember and consyder
A fruitfull Sermon made in Poules churche at London in the shroudes the seconde daye of February by Thomas Leuer Anno M.D fiftie GGO be merciful vnto vs. Good Christen people Christe Iesu the sonne of God the wysedome of the father the sauiour of the worlde whyche hath redemed vs with his precious bloud most pitifully lamentyng our myseries and earnestlye threateninge our wylfull blyndnes cryeth oute by the voyce of the wyse king SalomoÌ„ saying Quia uocaui et renuistis et cete Proue i. Because I haue called sayeth the wysedome of God and ye haue denyed I haue stretched forth my hand and there was none that woulde beholde yea ye haue dispised all my councels and my rebukes haue ye not regarded I therfore shall laugh at your destruccion and I shal mocke when it is come vpoÌ„ you whiche ye haue feared Assuredlye good people God Qui mortem non fecit nec letatur in perdicione viroruÌ„ God whiche as the boke of wisedome sayth made not death ne dothe not delyghte in the perdicion of manne cannot be of suche affeccion as to delyghte in laughynge or mockyng our miseries but euen as that man whyche dothe delyghte to laughe at other mens griefes is a man most farre of from lamentynge and pytyinge them to do them good so is God so sore offended dyspleased wyth them that dispyse hys counselles threatning or promises while they might haue mercy that he wyll as it were rather of mockyng laughe and skorne then of pitye lamente and help their miserable wretched griefes when as they would haue conforte Se therfore howe mercyfully God hath called by the sayinges and wrytinges of Moyses the Propheres and the Apostles and howe fewe haue harkened to beleue Se how wonderfully God hath stretched forth hys hande in creatynge heauen and earthe and all thynges in them conteyned to the vse commoditie and conforte to man and how fewe do dayly behold these creatures to be thankefull vnto the creatoure Se howe muche good counsell and earneste threatenynge God hath geuen of late vnto Englande by settynge forth of his worde in the englyshe tonge causynge it to be read dayly in y e churches to be preached purely in the pulpites and to be rehearsed euery wherein communicacioÌ„ and how many continuing yea increasynge their wycked lynes regarde not gods worde dyspise his threateninges desyre not his mercye feare not his vengeance Wythoute doute good people verye manye haue deserued the vengeaunce of God and yet by repentaunce founde plentye of mercye but neuer none that euer refused the mercye of God hath escaped the vengeaunce of God in the time of hys wrathe â–ª and furye Yea but what mercyes of God haue we refused or whaâ— threatenynge of God haue we here in England not regarded whyche haue forsaken the Pope abolyshed idolatrye and supersticion receyued goddes worde so gladly reformed all thynges accordinglye therto so spedily and haue all thinges most nere the order of the primitiue churche vniuersallye Alas good brethren as trulye as al is not golde that glystereth so is it not vertue honesty but very vice and hipocrisie wherof England at this day dothe moste glorye Wherfore the worde is playne and the sayinges be terryble by the whyche at thys tyme God threateneth to punyshe to plage and to destroy England It is a wonderous playne worde to saye that Englande shall be destroyed and vpon thys worde ensuinge it should be a terrible sight to se hundred thousandes of Scottes Frenche menne Papists and Turkes entryng in on euery syde to murther spoyle and to destroye Thys playne worde of a credyble person spoken wyth thys terrible seyng afore our eyes in sight wold make oure corage to fall and oure hertes to ryue in peces for wofull sorowe feare and heauinesse Alas EnglaÌ„d God whom thou mayest beleue for his truthe hathe sayd playnly thou shalt be destroyed and all thyne ennemyes bothe Scots Frenchmen Papistes and Turkes I do not meane the men in whome is some mercye but the most cruell vices of these thy enemyes beynge wythout all pitie as the couetousenes of Scotland the pryde of Fraunce the hipocrysy of Rome and the Idolatrye of the Turkes A hundred thousande of these enemies are landed at thy hauens haue entred thy fortes and do procede to spoyle murther and vtterly destroy and yet for all this thou wretched Englande beleuest not gods worde regardest not hys threatninge callest not for mercye ne feareste not gods vengeaunce Wherfore God beinge true of hys word and righteous in hys dedes thou Englande whyche wylt haue no mercye shalt haue vengeaunce whyche wylte not be saued shalte be destroyed For God hath spoken and it is wrytten Omne regnum in se diuisum desolabituâ— Euerye kyngdome that is deuyded in it selfe shall be desolate and destroyed And Salomon sayeth Because they haue hated learnyng and not receiued the feare of God destruccion commeth sodaynlye Yea trulye and bryngeth Idolaters vnto misery and proude men vnto shame Ye all here fele see knowe and haue experience howe that this Realme is deuyded in it selfe by opynyons in relygyon by rebellious sedicion yea and by couetouse amâ—icion euerye manne pullynge and halynge towardes them selues one from another It is not onelye diuyded but also rente torne and plucked cleane in pieces Yea and euerye couetouse manne is an Idolater settynge that mynd and loue vpon ryches whyche oughte to be geuen vnto God onely Euery couetouse man hateth learnynge and receyueth not the feare of God for the gredy desire that he hathe to the lucre of thys worlde Euerye couetouse man is proude thynkynge hymselfe more worthy a pounde then a nother man a penye more fitte to haue chaunge of sylkes and veluettes then other to haue bare frise cloth and more coÌ„ueniente for hym to haue aboundaunce of diuerse dilicates for hys daintye toth then for other to haue pleÌ„ty of biefes muttons for theyr hongry bellyes and finnally that he is more worthye to haue gorgeouse houses to take his pleasure in in bankettynge then laborynge men to haue poore cotages to take rest in in slepynge Undoubtedlye God wyll make all those to fall wyth shame which set them selues vp in pryde so hygh that they can not see other men to be chyldren of the same heauenlye father heires of the same kingdome and bought wyth the same pryce of Christes bloude that they take them selues to be That realme that realme that is full of couetousnes is full of diuision â–ª is full of contempt of goddâ—s mercye yea and sclaunder of hys wâ—â—de is full of Idolatry and is full of pryde Diuision is a signe of destruccion contemning of goddes mercye causeth his vengeaunce to come sodeynly Idolatrye euer endeth in misery pryde neuer escapeth shame Then if you fele knowe and haue experyence that Englande by reason of couetousnes is full of diuision is full of contempte of goddes mercye is full of Idolatrye is full of pryde Flatter not youre selues in youre owne phaÌ„sies