issue his brother or next kynsman shoulde marrye his wydowe and the childe that were firste borne betweene them shoulde be called his chylde that was dead that the dead mans name myght not be put out in Israel And if the brother or nexte kynsman would not marry the widow then she before the magistrates of the Citie shoulde pull of his shoe and spitte in his face saying So be it done to that man that wyll not buylde his brothers house Here dearely beloued the pullyng of his shoe and spitting in his face were ceremonies to signifie vnto all the people of that Citie that the woman was not nowe in faulte that Gods lawe in that poynt was broken but the whole shame and blame therof did now redound to that man whiche openly before the magistrates refused to marry her And it was not a reproch to hym alone but to all his posteritie also For they were called euer after the house of hym whose shoe is pulled of Another place out of the Psalmes I wyl breake saith Dauid the hornes of the vngodly and the hornes of the ryghteous shal be exalted By anhorne in the scripture is vnderstand power myght strength sometime rule gouernment The prophet then saying I wyll breake the hornes of the vngodly meaneth that all the power strength and myght of Gods enemie shall not onlye be weakened and made feeble but shall at length also be cleane broken and destroyed though for a tyme for the better triall of his people God suffereth the enemies to preuayle and haue the vpper hande In the â–ª 132. Psalme it is sayde I wyll make Dauids horne to florishe Here Dauids horne signifieth his kyngdome Almightie God therefore by this maner of speakyng promiseth to geue Dauid victorie ouer all his enemies and to stablishe hym in his kyngdome spyte of all his enemies And in the threescore psalme it is wrytten Moab is my washpot and euer Edom wyl I cast out my shoe c. In that place the prophete sheweth how gratiâ—usly God hath dealt with his people the children of Israel geuing them great victories vpon their enemies on euery side For the Moabites and Idumeans being two great nations proude people stout and mighty God brought them vnder and made them seruauntes to the Israelites seruantes I say to stowpe downe to pul of their shoes and washe their feete Then Moab is my washpot and ouer Edom wyl I cast out my shoe is as if he had sayde The Moabites and the Idumeans for all their stoutnesse agaynst vs in the wyldernesse are now made our subiects our seruauntes yea vnderlynges to pull of our shoes and washe our feete Nowe I pray you what vncomly maner of speach is this so vsed in common phrase among the Hebrues It is a shame that Christian men shoulde be so light headed to toy as ruffians do of suche maner speaches vttered in good graue signification by â—he holy ghost More reasonable it were for vaine men to learne to reuerence the fourme of Gods wordes then to gaude at them to his damnation Some againe are oâ—â—ended to heare that the godly fathers had many wiues and concubines â–ª although after the phrase of the scripture a concubine is an honest name for euery concubine is a lawfull wyfe but euery wyfe is not a concubine And that ye may the better vnderstande this to be true ye shall note that it was permitted to the fathers of the olde Testament to haue at one time mo wiues then one for what purpose ye shall afterwarde heare Of whiche wyues some were free women borne some were bond women and seruauntes She that was free borne had a prerogatiue aboue those that were seruauntes bond women The free borne woman was by mariage made the ruler of the house vnder her husband is called the mother of the housholde the maistres or the dame of the house after our maner of speaking and had by her mariage an interest a right and an ownership of his goodes vnto whom she was marryed Other seruauntes and bond women wer geuen by the owners of them as the maner was then I wyll not say alwaies but for the moste parte vnto their daughters at that day of their mariage to be handmaydens vnto them A 〈…〉 ter such a sort did Pharao kyng of Egypt geue vnto Sara Abrahams wyfe Agar the Egyptian to be her mayde So dyd Laban geue vnto his daughter Lia at the day of her mariage Zilpha to be her handmayde And to his other daughter Rachell he gaue another bondmayde named Bilham And the wyues that were the owners of their handmaydes gaue them in mariage to their husbandes vppon diuers occasions Sara gaue her maide Agar in mariage to Abraham Lia gaue in lyke maner her mayde Zilpha to her husbande Jacob. So dyd Rachell his other wyfe geue hym Bilâ—am her mayde saying vnto hym Go in vnto her and she shall beare vppon my knees whiche is as if she had sayde take her to wyfe and the chyldren that she shall beare wyll I take vpon my lappe and make of them as if they were myne owne These handmaydens or bond women although by mariage they were made wyues yet they had not this prerogatiue to rule in the house but were styll vnderlinges and in subiection to their maisters and were neuer called mothers of the houshold maistresses or dames of the house but are called sometymes wyues sometyme concubines The pluralitie of wyues was by a speciall prerogatiue suffered to the fathers of the olde Testament not for satisfiyng their carnall and fleshly lustes but to haue many children because euery one of them hoped and begged oft tymes of God in their prayers that that blessed seede whiche God promised shoulde come into the worlde to breake the serpentes head myght come and be borne of his stocke and kinred Now of those whiche take occasion of carnalitie and euil life by hearing and reading in Gods boke what God hath suffered euen in those men whose commendation is praysed in the scripture As that Noe whom S. Peter calleth the eight preacher of ryghteousnesse was so drunke with wyne that in his sleepe he vncouered his owne priuities The iust man Lot was in lyke maner drunken and in his drunkennesse lay with his owne daughters contrary to the law of nature Abraham whose fayth was so great that for the same he deserued to be called of Gods owne mouth a father of many nations the father of all beleuers besydes with Sara his wife had also carnall company with Agar Saraes handemayde The patriarche Jacob had to his wyues two sisters at one tyme The Prophete Dauid and king Salomon his sonne had many wyues and concubines c. Which thinges we see plainly to be forbidden vs by the lawe of God and are now repugnaunt to all publique honestie These and suche lyke in Gods booke good people are not wrytten that we shoulde or may do the lyke folowyng
of Grece and that honour and worshippe also should be geuen vnto the sayd images And so the Empresse sparing no diligence in setting vp of Images nor cost in decking them in all churches made Constantinople within a short tyme altogether lyke Rome it selfe And nowe you may see that cummen to passe whiche Bishop Serenus feared and Gregorie the first forbad in vayne to wit that Images should in no wyse be worshipped For nowe not onely the simple and vnwyse vnto whom Images as the scriptures teach be specially a snare but the bishops and learned men also fall to idolatrie by occasion of images yea and make decrees and lawes for the mayntenaunce of the same So harde is it and in deede impossible any long time to haue images publiquely in churches temples without idolatrie as by the space of little more then one hundred yeres betwixt Gregori the first forbidding most strayghtly the worshipping of images and Gregorie the thirde Paule and Leo the third Bishops of Rome with this councel commaunding and decreeing that images should be worshipped most euidently appeareth Nowe when Constantine the younge Emperour came to the age of twentie yeares he was dayly in lesse and lesse estimation for suche as were about his mother perswaded her that it was Gods determination that she should raigne alone and not her sonne with her The ambitious woman beleuing the same depryued her sonne of all imperiall dignitie and compelled all the men of warre with their Capitaynes to sweare to her that they would not suffer her sonne Constantine to raigne during her lyfe With which indignitie the young Prince being moued recouered the regiment of the Empyre vnto him selfe by force and being brought vp in true religion in his fathers tyme seing the superstition of his mother Hyrene and the Idolatrie committed by images cast downe brake and burned al the idols and images that his mother had set vp But within a fewe yeares after Hyrene the Empresse taken agayne into her sonnes fauour after she had perswaded him to put out Nycephorus his vncles eyes and to cut out the tounges of his fowre other vncles to forsake his wyfe and by suche meanes to bring him in hatred with all his subiectes nowe further to declare that she was no chaungeling but the same woman that had before digged vp and burned her father in lawes bodye and that she would be as naturall a mother as she had bene kynde daughter seing the images which she loued so well had with so great cost set vp daily destroyed by her sonne the Emperoure by the helpe of certaine good companions depriued her sonne of the Empire And first lyke a kinde and louyng mother put out both his eyes and layd hym in prison where after long and manye tormentes she at the last most cruellie 〈…〉 ue him In this historie ioyned to Eutropius it is written that the sunne was darkened by the space of xvii dayes most strangely and dreadfully that all men sayde that for the horriblenes of that cruell and vnnaturall fact of Hyrene the putting out of the Emperours eyes the sunne had lost his light But in deede God would signifie by the darkenes of the sunne into what darkenesse and blindenes of ignoraunce and idolatrie all christendom should fall by the occasion of images The bright sunne of his eternall truth and lyght of his holy word by the mistes and blacke cloudes of mens traditions being blemished and darkened as by sūdry most terrible earthquakes that happened about the same tyme God signified that the quiet estate of true religion should by such idolatrie be most horribly tossed and turmoyled And here may you see what a gratious and vertuous lady this Hyrene was how louing a neece to her husbandes vncles how kind a mother in lawe to her sonnes wyfe howe louing a daughter to her father in lawe how naturall a mother to her owne sonne and what a stoute and valiaunt Capitaine the Bishoppes of Rome had of her for the setting vp and maintenaunce of their idols or images Surely they coulde not haue founde a meeter patrone for the maintenaunce of suche a matter then this Hyrene whose ambition and desyre of rule was insatiable whose treason continually studied and wrought was most abominable whose wicked and vnnaturall crueltie passed Medea Progne whose detestable paricides haue ministred matter to Poetes to write their horrible tragidies And yet certaine Historiographers who do put in wryting all these her horrible wickednes for loue they had to images which she mainteined do prayse her as a godly Empresse as sent from god Such is the blyndnes of false superstition if it once take possession in a mans mynde that it will both declare the vices of wicked princes also commend them But not long after the said Hyrene being suspected to the princes and lordes of Grece of treason in alienating the Empire to Charles king of the Francons and for practising a secrete mariage betwene herselfe and the sayd kyng and being conuicted of the same was by the sayd Lordes deposed and depriued againe of the Empire and caried into exile into the Iland Lesbos where she ended her leude lyfe Whyles these tragidies about Images were thus in workyng in Grece the same question of the vse of images in churches began to be moued in Spaine also And at Eliberi a noble citie nowe called Granate was a councel of Spanishe Byshoppes and other learned men assembled and there after long deliberation and debating of the matter it was concluded at length of the whole councell after this sort in the 36. article We thinke that pictures ought not to be in Churches least that which is honoured or worshipped be paynted on walles And in the. xli Canon of that councell it is thus written We thought good to admonishe the faythfull that as much as in them lyeth they suffer no images to be in their houses but if they feare any violence of their seruauntes at the least let them kepe themselues cleane and pure from images if they do not so let them be accompted as none of the Churche Note here I pray you howe a whole and great countrey in the West South partes of Europe nearer to Rome a great deale then to Grece in situatiō of place do agree with the Grekes against images and do not onely forbid them in churches but also in priuate houses and do excommunicate them that do the contrarie and another councell of the learned men of all Spaine also called Concilium Toletanum duodecimum decreed and determined lykewyse agaynst images and image worshippers But when these decrees of the Spanishe councell at Eliberi came to the knowledge of the byshoppe of Rome his adherents they fearyng least al Germanie also would decree against images and forsake them thought to preuent the matter and by the consent helpe of the Prince of Francons whose power was then most great in the West partes of
the world assembled a counsell of Germans at Frankford and there procured the spanishe councel against images afore mentioned to be condemned by the name of the Foelician heresie for that Foelix Bishop of Aquitania was chiefe in that councell obteyned that the actes of the second Nicene counsel asâ—eÌ„bled by Hyrene the holie Empresse whom ye hearde of before and the sentence of the bishop of Rome for images might be receaued For much after this sort do the papistes report of the historie of the councell of Frankforde Notwithstanding the booke of Carolus magnus his owne writing as the tytle sheweth whiche is nowe put in print and commonly in mens handes sheweth the iudgement of that prince and of the whole councel of Frankforde also to be against images against the second councell of Nice assembled by Hyrene for images and calleth it an arrogant foolishe and vngodly councel and declareth the assemble of the councell of Frankforde to haue ben directly made and gathered against that Nicene councell the errours of the same So that it must needes folow that either there were in one princes time two councels assembled at Frankforde one contrarie to another whiche by no historie doth appeare or els that after their custome the Popes and Papistes haue most shamefully corrupted that councell as their manner is to handle not onely councels but also all histories and wrytinges of the olde Doctours falsifiyng and corrupting them for the mayntenaunce of their wicked and vngodlie purposes as hath in tymes of late come to lyght and doeth in our dayes more and more continuallye appeare most euidentlie Let the forged gyft of Constantine and the notable attempt to falsifie the first Nicene councell for the Popes supremacie practised by Popes in Saynte Augustines tyme be a witnes hereof which practise in deede had then taken effect had not the diligence and wisedome of saynt Augustine and other learned and godly bishoppes in A 〈…〉 rike by their great labour and charges also resisted and stopped the same Nowe to come towardes an ende of this historie and to shewe you the principall poynte that came to passe by the maintenaunce of images Where as from Constantinus Magnus tyme vntil that day al aucthoritie imperiall princely dominion of the empire of Rome remayned coÌ„tinually in the right and possession of the Emperours who had their continuaunce and seat imperiall at Constantinople the citie royall Leo the third then Bishop of Rome seing the Greeke Emperours so vent agaynst his Gods of golde and syluer tymber and stone and hauyng the kyng of the Francons or Frenchemen named Charles whose power was exceeding great in the west countries very appliable to his mynde for causes here after appearing vnder the pretence that they of Constantinople were for that matter of images vnder the Popes ban curse and therefore vnworthy to be emperours or to beare rule and for that the emperours of Grece being farre of were not redye at a beche to defende the Pope agaynst the Lumbardes his enemies and other with whom he had variaunce This Leo the thirde I saye attempted a thyng exceeding straunge and vnhearde of before and of incredible boldnesse and presumption For he by his papall aucthoritie doth translate the gouernement of the Empire and the crowne and name imperiall from the Greekes and geueth it vnto Charles the great kyng of the Francons not with out the coÌ„sent of the forenamed Hyrene empresse of Grece who also sought to be ioyned in mariage with the said Charles For the which cause the sayd Hyrene was by the Lordes of Grece deposed and banished as one that had betrayed the empire as ye before haue heard And the said princes of Grece did after the depriuation of the sayde Hyrene by common consent elect and create as they alwayes had done an Emperour named Nycaephorus whom the Bishop of Rome and they of the west would not acknowledge for their Emperour for they had alredy created them another and so there became two Emperours And the empire whiche was before one was diuided into two partes vppon occasion of idols images and the worshipping of them Euen as the kingdome of the Israelites was in olde tyme for the lyke cause of Idolatrie diuided in King Roboam his tyme And so the Byshoppe of Rome hauing the fauour of Charles the great by this meanes assured to him was wonderously enhaunced in poweâ— and aucthoritie and did in all the west Church specially in Italie what he lust where images were set vp garnished and worshipped of al sorts of men But images were not so fast set vp and so much honoured in Italie and the west but Nycaephorus emperour of Constantinople and his successours Scauratius the two Michaels Leo Theophilus and other emperours their successours in the empire of Grece continually pulled them downe brake them burned them and destroyed them as fast And when Theodorus Emperour would at the councel of Lions haue agreed with the Bishop of Rome and haue set vp images he was by the nobles of the empire of Grece depriued and another chosen in his place and so rose agelousie suspition grudge hatred and enmitie betwene the christians and empires of the East countries and west which could neuer be quenched nor pacified So that when the Sarasens first and afterwarde the Turkes inuaded the Christians the one part of christendome would not helpe the other By reasoÌ„ wherof at the last the noble empire of Grece and the citie imperial Constantinople was lost and is come into the hands of the infidels who now haue ouerrunne almost all christendome and possessing past the middle of Hungarie whiche is part of the west empire do hang ouer all our heades to the vtter daunger of all christendome Thus we see what a sea of mischiefes the maintenaunce of images hath brought with it what an horrible scisme betweene the east and the west Churche what an hatred betwene one christian and another councels agaynst councels churche agaynst church christians agaynst christians princes against princes rebellions treasons vnnaturall and most cruell murders the daughter digging vp and burning her father the Emperours bodye the mother for loue of idols most abominably murdering her owne sonne being an Emperour at the last the tearing in sunder of Christendome and the empire into two peeces till the Infidels Sarasens and Turkes common enemies to bothe partes haue most cruellye vanquished destroyed and subdued the one parte the whole empire of Grece Asia the lesse Thrasia Macedonia Epirus and manye other great and goodlye countries and prouinces and haue wonne a great peece of the other empire and put the whole in dreadfull feare and most horrible daunger For it is not without a iust and great cause to be dread leaste as the Empire of Rome was euen for the lyke cause of images and the worshyppyng of them torne in peeces and diuided as was for Idolatry the kyngdome of Israel in olde tyme diuided so lyke
people of Hierusalem whom Esai the Prophete threatneth because they walked with stretched out neckes and wandring eyes mincing as they went and nicely treading with their feete that almightie God shoulde make their heades balde and discouer their secrete shame In that daye sayth he shall the Lord take away the ornament of the slippers and the caules and the rounde attires and the sweete balles and the bracelets and the attires of the head and the sloppes and the headbandes and the tablettes and the earerynges the ringes and the mustlers the costlye apparel and the vayles and wymples and the crisping pinne and the glasses the fine linnen and the hoodes the lawnes So that almighty god would not suffer his benefites to be vainly wantonly abused no not of that people whō he most tenderly loued and had chosen to him selfe before all other No lesse truely is the vanitie that is vsed amongst vs in these dayes For the proude hautie stomackes of the daughters of Englande are so mainteyned with diuers disguised sortes of costlye apparell that as Tertulian an auncient father sayth there is lefte no difference in apparell betweene an honest matrone and a common strumpet Yea manye men are become so effeminate that they care not what they spende in disguysing them selues euer desyring newe toyes and inuenting new fassions Therefore a certayne man that woulde picture euery countrey man in his accustomed apparell when he had paynted other nations he pictured the English man all naked and gaue him cloth vnder his arme and bad him make it him selfe as he thought best for he chaunged his fassion so often that he knewe not how to make it Thus with our phantasticall deuises we make our selues laughing stockes to other nations while one spendeth his patrimonie vppon pounces and cuttes another bestoweth more on a dauncyng shyrt then myght suffyce to buy him honest and comelye apparell for his whole bodye Some hang their reuenues about their neckes ruffling in their ruffes many a one ieopardeth his best ioynt to maynteyne him selfe in sumptuous rayment And euery man nothing considering his estate and condition seeketh to excell other in costely attyre Whereby it commeth to passe that in aboundaunce and plenty of al thin ges we yet complayne of want and penurye whyle one man spendeth that whiche myght serue a multitude and no man distributeth of the aboundaunce whiche he hath receaued and all men excessiuely waste that which should serue to supplye the necessities of other There hath ben very good prouision made agaynst such abuses by dyuers good and wholsom lawes which if they were practised as they ought to be of all true subiectes they myght in some part serue to diminishe this ragyng and ryotous excesse in apparell But alas there appeareth amongst vs litle feare and obedience eyther of God or man Therefore must we needes loke for Gods fearful vengeaunce from heauen to ouerthrowe our presumption and pryde as he ouerthrewe Herode who in his royall apparell forgetting God was smitten of an Angell and eaten vp of wormes By whiche terrible example God hath taught vs that we are but wormes meate although we pamper ourselues neuer so muche in gorgeous apparell Here we may learne that which Jesus the sōne of Syrache teacheth not to be proude of clothing and rayment neyther to exalte our selues in the day of honour because the workes of the Lorde are wonderfull and glorious secrete and vnknowen teaching vs with humblenesse of mynde euery one to be myndeful of the vocation whereunto God hath called him Let Christians therefore endeuour them selues to quenche the care of pleasing the fleshe let vs vse the benefites of God in this worlde in such wise that we be not to much occupied in prouiding for the bodye Let vs content our selues quyetlye with that which God sendeth be it neuer so litle And if it please him to sende plentye let vs not waxe proude thereof but let vs vse it moderatly aswel to our owne comfort as to the reliefe of such as stande in necessitie He that in aboundaunce and plentye of apparell hydeth his face from him that is naked despyseth his owne fleshe as Esai the Prophete sayeth Let vs learne to know our selues and not to despyse other let vs remember that we stand all before the maiestie of almyghtie God who shall iudge vs by his holy worde wherein he forbiddeth excesse not onely to men but also to women So that none can excuse them selues of what estate or condition so euer they be Let vs therfore present our selues before his throne as Tertulian exhorteth with the ornamentes whiche the Apostle speaketh of Ephesians the. vi Chapter hauing our loynes gyrte about with the veritie hauing the brest plate of ryghteousnesse and shodde with shoes prepared by the Gospell of peace Let vs take vnto vs simplic 〈…〉 e c 〈…〉 itie and comlinesse submitting our ne 〈…〉 s to the sweete yoke of christ Let women be subiect to their husbandes and they are sufficiently attyred sayth Tertulian The wyfe of one Philo an heathen Philosopher beyng demaunded why she ware no golde she aunswered that she thought her husbandes vertues sufficient ornamentes Howe muche more ought Christian women instructed by the word of God to cōtent them selues in their husbandes Yea how much more ought euery Christian to content him selfe in our sauiour Christe thinkyng him selfe sufficientlye garnished with his heauenlye vertues But it wil be here obiected and said of some nyce and vaine women that al which we do in paintyng our faces in dying our heere in embawming our bodyes in decking vs with gay apparell is to please our husbandes to delyght his eyes and to retayne his loue towardes vs O vayne excuse and most shameful aunswere to the reproche of thy husband What couldest thou more say to set out his foolishnes then to charge him to be pleased and delyghted with the deuyls tyre Who can paint her face and curle her heere and chaunge it into an vnnaturall colour but therein doth worke reprofe to her maker who made her As though she coulde make her selfe more comely then God hath appointed the measure of her beawtie What do these women but go about to refourme that whiche God hath made not knowing that all thinges naturall is the worke of God and thinges disguysed and vnnaturall be the workes of the deuill And as though a wyse and Christian husbande shoulde delyght to see his wife in such painted florished visions which common harlottes mostly do vse to traine therwith their louers to naughtinesse or as though an honest woman could delight to be lyke an harlot for pleasing of her husbande Nay nay these be but vayne excuses of suche as go about to please rather others then their husbandes And such attyres be but to prouoke her to shewe her selfe abroade to entyce others a worthy matter She must kepe debate with her husbande to maynteyne such apparel whereby
of Gibeon makyng his humble petition to almyghtie God caused the sunne and the moone to stay their course and to stand still in the middest of heauen for the space of a whole day vntyll suche tyme the people were sufficiently auenged vpon their enemies And was not Iehosaphates prayer of great force and strength when God at his request caused his enemies to fall out among them selues and wylfully to destroy one another Who can maruayle enough at the effecte and vertue of Elias prayer He being a man subiect to affections as we are prayed to the Lorde that it myght not rayne and there fell no rayne vpon the earth for the space of three yeres and. vi moneths Againe he prayed that it myght rayne and there fell great plentie so that the earth brought forth her encrease most aboundauntly It were to long to tell of Iudith Hester Susanna and of diuers other godly men and women how greatly they preuayled in all their doinges by geuing their myndes earnestly and deuoutly to prayer Let it be sufficient at this tyme to conclude with the sayinges of Augustine and Chrisostome wherof the one calleth prayer the key of heauen the other playnely affyrmeth that there is nothyng in all the worlde more strong then a man that geueth hym selfe to feruent prayer Nowe then dearely beloued seeing prayer is so needeful a thyng and of so great strength before God let vs accordyng as we are taught by the example of Christe and his apostles be earnest and diligent in calling on the name of the lord Let vs neuer faynt neuer slacke neuer geue ouer but let vs daily and hourely early and late in season and out of season be occupyed in godly meditations and prayers What if we obtayne not our petitions at the firste yet let vs not be discoraged but let vs continually crye and call vpon God He wyll surely heare vs at length if for no other cause yet for very importunities sake Remember the parable of the vnryghteous iudge and the poore wydowe how she by her importunate meanes caused hym to do her iustice agaynst her aduersarie although otherwyse he feared neyther God nor man Shall not God muche more auenge his elect sayth our sauiour Christe whiche crye vnto hym day and nyght Thus he taught his disciples in them all other true Christian men to pray alwayes and neuer to faint or shrinke Remember also the example of the woman of Canaan how she was reiected of Christe and called dogge as one moste vnworthie of any benefite at his handes yet she gaue not ouer but folowed hym still crying and callyng vppon hym to be good and mercifull vnto her daughter And at length by very importunitie she obtayned her request O let vs learne by these examples to be earnest and feruent in prayer assuryng our selues that whatsoeuer we aske of God the father in the name of his sonne Christe and accordyng to his wyll he wyll vndoubtedly graunt it He is trueth it selfe and as truely as he hath promised it so truely wyll he perfourme it God for his great mercies sake so worke in our heartes by his holy spirite that we may alwayes make our humble prayers vnto hym as we ought to do and alwayes obtayne the thyng which we aske through Jesus Christe our Lorde to whom with the father and the holy ghost be al honour and glory worlde without ende Amen The second part of the Homilee concernyng prayer IN the firste parte of this sermon ye hearde the great necessitie also the great force of deuout and earnest praier declared proued vnto you both by diuers waightie testimonies and also by sundry good examples of holy scripture Now shal you learne whom you ought to call vppon and to whom ye ought alwayes to direct your prayers We are euidently taught in Gods holy Testament that almightie God is the only fountayne and welspring of al goodnes and that whatsoeuer we haue in this world we receaue it only at his handes To this effecte serueth the place of S. James Euery good and perfect gift sayth he commeth from aboue and proceedeth from the father of lyghtes To this effect also serueth the testimonie of Paul in diuers places of his Epistles witnessing that the spirite of wisedome the spirite of knowledge and reuelation yea euery good and heauenly gyfte as fayth hope charitie grace and peace commeth onely and solely of god In consideration whereof he bursteth out into a sodayne passion and sayeth O man what thyng hast thou whiche thou hast not receaued Therefore whensoeuer we neede or lacke any thyng parteyning eyther to the body or to the soule it behoueth vs to runne onely vnto GOD who is the onely geuer of all good thynges Our sauiour Christe in the Gospell teachyng his disciples how they shoulde pray sendeth them to the father in his name saying Uerily verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye aske the father in my name he wyll geue it vnto you And in an other place when ye pray pray after this sorte Our father whiche art in heauen c. And doth not God hym selfe by the mouth of his Prophete Dauid wyll and commaunde vs to call vpon hym The Apostle wysheth grace and peace to all them that call on the name of our Lord and of his sonne Jesus Christ as doth also the Prophet Joel saying And it shall come to passe that whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shal be saued Thus then it is playne by the infallible worde of trueth and lyfe that in all our necessities we must flee vnto God direct our prayers vnto hym call vppon his holy name desyre helpe at his handes and at no others Whereof if ye wyll yet haue a further reason marke that whiche foloweth There are certayne conditions most requisit to be founde in euery suche a one that muste be called vppon whiche if they be not founde in hym vnto whom we pray then doth our prayer auayle vs nothyng but is altogether in vayne The first is this that he to whom we make our prayers be able to helpe vs The second is that he wyll helpe vs The thirde is that he be suche a one as may heare our prayers The fourth is that he vnderstand better then we our selues what we lacke and howe farre we haue neede of helpe If these thynges be to be founde in any other sauing onely God then may we lawfully call vpon some other besides god But what man is so grosse but he wel vnderstandeth that these thynges are only proper to him which is omnipotent and knoweth al thyngs euen the very secretes of the heart that is to say only and to God alone whereof it foloweth that we must call neyther vpon angell nor yet vpon saint but only and soly vpon God as S. Paul doth write Now shall men call vppon hym in whom they haue not beleued So that inuocation or prayer may not be
thy husband for gods precept theÌ„ alleage such thyngs as be in his duetie to do but perfourme thou diligently those thynges which the lawmaker hath charged thee to do For thus is it moste reasonable to obey God if thou wylt not suffer thy selfe to transgresse his law He that loueth his freende seemeth to do no great thyng but he that honoreth hym that is hurtful hatefull to hym this man is worthy much commendation Euen so thinke thou if thou canst suffer an extreame husband thou shalt haue a great rewarde therefore But if thou louest hym only because he is gentle curtesse what rewarde wyll God geue thee therefore Yet I speake not these thynges that I would wish the husbandes to be sharpe towardes their wyues But I exhort the women that they woulde patiently beare the sharpnesse of their husbandes For when eyther partes do their beste to perfourme their dueties the one to the other then foloweth theron great profite to their neighbours for their examples sake For wheÌ„ the woman is redy to suffer a sharp band the man wil not extreamely intreate his stubborne troublesome wife then be al things in quyet as in a most sure haueÌ„ Euen thus was it done in olde time that euery one did their own duetie and office was not busie to require the duetie of their neighbours Consyder I pray thee that Abraham tooke to him his brothers sonne his wyfe dyd not blame hym therefore He commaunded him to go with him a long iourney â—he did not gaynesay it but obeyed his precept Agayne after all those great miseries labours paines of that iourney when Abraham was made as lord ouer al yet did he geue place to Lot of his superioritie whiche matter Sara toke so litle to greefe that she neuer once suffered her tong to speake such wordes as the coÌ„mon maner of womeÌ„ is wont to do in these daies when they see their husbandes in suche roomes to be made vnderlyngs and to be put vnder their youngers then they vpbrayde them with combrous talke and call them fooles dastardes cowardes for so doyng But Sara was so farre from speakyng any such thing that it came neuer into her mynd and thought so to say but allowed the wysdome and wyll of her husbande Yea besydes all this after the sayde Lot had thus his wyll and left to his vnkle the lesser portion of lande he chaunceth to fall into extreame peryll Whiche chaunce when it came to the knowledge of this sayd Patriarche he incontinently put al his men in harnes prepared him self with al his family frendes against the hoast of the Persians In which case Sara dyd not counsayle hym to the contrarie nor dyd say as then myght haue ben sayde My husbande whither goest thou so vnaduisedly Why runnest thou thus on head Why doest thou offer thy selfe to so great perylles and art thus redy to ieopard thyne owne lyfe and to perill the lyues of all thine for suche a man as hath done thee suche wrong At the least way if thou regardest not thy selfe yet haue compassion on me whiche for thy loue haue forsaken my kynred and my countrey and haue the want both of my freendes and kynsfolkes and am thus come into so far countreyes with thee haue pitie on me make me not here a wydowe to cast me to suche cares and troubles Thus myght she haue sayde But Sara neither said nor thought such words but she kept her self in scilence in al thynges Furthermore all that time when she was baren and toke no paynes as other women did by bringing foorth fruite in his house What dyd he He complayned not to his wyfe but to almyghtie god And consyder howe eyther of them dyd their dueties as became them For neyther dyd he despise Sara because she was baren nor neuer dyd cast it in her teeth Consyder agayne how Abraham expelled the handmayde out of the house when she requyred it So that by this I maye truely proue that the one was pleased and contented with the other in all thynges But yet set not your eyes only on this matter but looke further what was done before this that Agar vsed her maistresse despitefully and that Abraham hym selfe was somwhat prouoked against her which must needes be an intollerable matter a payneful to a free hearted woman and a chast Let not therfore the woman be to busie to call for the duetie of her husbande where she shoulde be redy to perfourme her owne for that is not worthy any great commendation And euen so agayne let not the man onlye consyder what longeth to the woman to stand to earnestly gasing theron for that is not his part or duety But as I haue said let eyther partie be redy willyng to perfourme that which belongeth specially to them selfe For if we be bounde to holde out our left cheeke to straungers which wyll smyte vs on the ryght cheeke how much more ought we to suffer an extreame and vnkynd husbande But yet I meane not that a man should beate his wife God forbid that for that is the greatest shame that can be not so much to her that is beaten as to hym that doth the deed but if by such fortune thou chauncest vpon such an husband take it not to heauily but suppose thou that therby is layde vp no smal rewarde hereafter and in this lyfe tyme no small commendation to thee if thou canst be quyet But yet to you that be men thus I speake Let there be none so greeuous fault to compell you to beate your wyues But what say I your wyues no it is not to be borne with that an honest man should lay handes on his mayâ— seruaunt to beat her Wherfore if it be a great shame for a man to beate his bonde seruaunt muche more rebuke it is to lay vyolent handes vppon his tree woman And this thyng may be well vnderstande by the lawes whiche the painims hath made whiche doth discharge her any longer to dwell with such an husbande as vnworthye to haue any further pany with her that doth smyte her For it is an extreame poynt thus so vyle to entreate her lyke a slaue that is felowe to thee of thy lyfe and so ioyned vnto thee before tyme in the necessarie matters of thy lyuyng And therefore a man may well lyken such a man if he may be called a man rather then a wylde beaste to a kyller of his father or his mother And whereas we be commaunded to forsake our father and mother for our wyues sake and yet thereby do worke them none iniurie but do fulfill the law of god Howe can it not appeare then to be a poynt of extreame madnesse to entreate her despitefully for whose sake God hath commaunded thee to leaue parents Yea who can suffer such despite Who can worthiâ—y expresse the inconuenience that is to see what weepynges and waylinges be made in the open streates when neighbours runne together
euerye man that hath but halfe an eye may see howe vayne they be rebellion being as I haue before declared the greatest ruine destruction of all common wealthes that may be possible And who so looketh on the one part vppon the persons and gouernement of the Queenes most honorable counsellers by the experiment of so manye yeres proued honorable to her Maiestie and moste profitable and beneficial vnto our countrey countreymen on the other part considereth the persons state conditions of the rebels thē selues the refourmers as they take vpon them of the present gouernment he shall fynd that the most rash and harebrayned men the moste greatest vnthryftes that haue moste lewdely wasted their owne goodes and landes those that are ouer the eares in debt and suche as for their theftes robberies and murthers dare not in anye well gouerned common wealth where good lawes are in force shewe their faces suche as are of moste leud and wycked behauiour and lyfe and all suche as wyll not or can not lyue in peace are alwayes moste redye to moue rebellion or to take part with rebels And are not these meete men trowe you to restore the common wealth decayed who haue so spoyled and consumed all their owne wealth and thrifte and very lyke to mende other mens maners who haue so vyle vyces and abhominable conditions them selues Surely that whiche they falsely call reformation is in deede not onely a defacyng or a deformation but also an vtter destruction of al common wealth as woulde well appeare myght the rebelles haue their wylles and doth ryght well and to well appeare by their doyng in suche places of the countrey where rebelles do route where though they tary but a very litle while they make suche reformation that they destroy al places and vndo al men where they come that the chylde yet vnborne may rue it and shall many yeres hereafter curse them Let no good and discreete subiectes therefore folowe the flagge or banner displayed to rebellion and borne by rebelles though it haue the image of the plough paynted therein with God speede the plough wrytten vnder in great letters knowyng that none hynder the plough more then rebels who will neither go to the plough them selues nor suffer other that would go vnto it And though some rebels beare the picture of the fyue woundes painted against those who put their onlye hope of saluation in the woundes of Christe not those woundes which are paynted in a clout by some leude painter but in those woundes whiche Christe hym selfe bare in his pretious body though they litle knowyng what the crosse of Christe meaneth whiche neyther caruer nor paynter can make do beare the image of the crosse paynted in a ragge against those that haue the crosse of Christe painted in their heartes yet though they paynt withall in their flagges Hoc signo vinces By this signe thou shalt get the victorie by a most fond imitation of the posie of Constantinus magnus that noble Christian Emperour and great conquerer of Gods enemies a moste vnmeete ensigne for rebels the enemies of God their prince and countrey or what other banner soeuer they shall beare yet let no good godly subiect vpon any hope of victorie or good successe folowe suche standarde bearers of rebellion For as examples of suche practises are to be founde aswell in the histories of olde as also of latter rebellions in our fathers and our freshe memorie so not withstandyng these pretences made and banners borne are recorded withall vnto perpetuall memorie the great horrible murthers of infinite multitudes and thousandes of the common people slayne in rebellion the dreadfull executions of the aucthours and captaynes the pitifull vndoing of their wyues and chyldren and disheriting of the heyres of the rebelles for euer the spoiling wasting and destruction of the people and countrey where rebellion was fyrst begun that the childe then yet vnborne myght rue and lament it with the finall ouerthrowe and shamefull deathes of all rebels set foorth aswell in the histories of forraigne nations as in the Chronicles of our owne countrey some thereof beyng yet in freshe memorie which yf they were collected together woulde make many vollumes and bookes But on the contrary part al good lucke successe and prosperitie that euer happened vnto any rebels of any age tyme or countrey may be conteyned in a very fewe lines or wordes Wherefore to conclude let all good subiectes consydering how horrible a sinne agaynst God theyr prince theyr countrey and countreymen agaynst all Gods and mans lawes rebellion is beyng in deede not one seuerall sinne but all sinnes agaynst God and man heaped together consydering the mischeuous life and deedes and the shamefull endes and deathes of all rebels hitherto and the pitifull vndoyng of their wyues chyldren and families and disheriting of theyr heyres for euer and aboue all thinges consydering the eternall dampnation that is prepared for all impenitent rebels in hell with Satan the first founder of rebellion and graunde captayne of all rebels let all good subiectes I say consyderyng these thinges auoide and flee all rebellion as the greatest of all mischeefes and embrace due obedience to God and our prince as the greatest of all vertues that we may both escape all euils and miseries that do folowe rebellion in this worlde and eternall dampnation in the world to come and enioye peace quietnesse and securitie with all other Gods benefites and blessinges which folowe obedience in this life and finally may enioy the kyngdome of heauen the peculier place of all obedient subiectes to God and their prince in the world to come which I beseche God the kyng of all kynges graunt vnto vs for the obedience of his sonne our Sauiour Jesus Christe vnto whom with the father and the holy ghost one God and kyng immortall all honour seruice and obedience of all his creatures is due foreuer and euer Amen Thus haue you heard the fourth part of this Homilee nowe good people let vs pray The prayer as before The fifth part of the Homilee agaynst disobedience and wylfull rebellion WHereas after both doctrine and examples of due obedience of subiectes to theyr princes I declared lastlye vnto you what an abominable sinne agaynst God and man rebellion is and what horrible plagues punishmentes deathes with death euerlastyng finally doth hang ouer the heades of all rebels it shall not be eyther impertinent or vnprofitable nowe to declare who they be whom the deuyll the fyrst aucthour and founder of rebellion doth cheefely vse to the stirring vp of subiectes to rebel agaynst their lawfull princes that knowyng them ye maye flee them their dampnable suggestions auoyde all rebellion and so escape the horrible plagues and dreadfull deathes and dampnation eternall finally due to all rebels Though manye causes of rebellion maye be reckened and almost as many as there be vices in men women as hath ben before noted yet in this place I wyll onlye touche