threatenynges which should certifye them that as thei do ouer boldely presume of gods mercy and liue dissolutely so doeth God still more and more withdrawe his mercie from theim and he is so prouoked thereby to wrathe at lenght that he destroyeth suche presumers many tymes sodainly For of suche saincte Paule sayed thus when they shall saye it is peace there is no daunger then shall sodayn destruction come vpon theim Let vs beware therfore of suche naughtie boldenesse to synne for God whiche hath promised his mercie to them that bee truely repentaunte although it bee at the latter ende hath not promised to the presumpteous synner either that he shall haue long life or that he shal haue true repentaunce at the laste ende But for that purpose hath he made euery mannes deathe vncertayne that he should not put his hope in thend and in the meane season to Gods highe displeasure lyue vngodly Wherfore let vs folowe the counsaill of the WisemaÌ„ let vs make no tariyng to turne vnto the lord let vs not put of from daie to day for sodainly shal his wrath come and in tyme of vengeaunce he shal destroye the wycked Let vs therefore turne betymes and when we turne let vs praye to GOD as Ozee teacheth saiyng Forgeue vs all oure synnes receyue vs graciously And if we turne to him with an humble and a very penitent harte he wil receiue vs to his fauor and grace for his holy names sake for his promise sake for his truthe and mercies sake promysed to all faithefull beleuers in Iesus Christ his onely naturall sonne To whoÌ„ the onely sauiour of the world with the father and the holy ghost bee all honor glory and power world without end Amen ¶ An exhortation agaynst the feare of Death IT is not to be marueyled that worldly men do feare to dye For death depriueth them of all worldly honors riches and possessions in the fruition whereof the worldely man compteth hymself happie so long as he maye enioye theim at hys awne pleasure and other wyse if he be dispossessed of thesame without hope of recouery then he can none other thinke of himself but that he is vnhappie because he hath loste hys worldely ioye and pleasure Alas thinketh this carnall man shall I now depart for euer froÌ„ all my honors all my treasures from my countrey frendes riches possessioÌ„s and worldly pleasures whiche are my ioy and hartes delight Alas that euer that daie shal come wheÌ„ all these I muste bid farewell at once and neuer to enioye any of theÌ„ after Wherfore it is not without greate cause spoken of the wiseman O death how bitter and sower is the remembraunce of thee to a man that liueth in peace and prosperitie in his substaunce to a man liuyng at ease leading his life after his awne mind without trouble is therwithal well pampered and fed There be other men whom this world doth not so greatly laugh vpon but rather vexe and oppresse with pouertye sickenesse or some other aduersitie Yet thei do fear death partly because the fleashe abhorreth naturally his awne sorowful dissolucion whiche death doth threaten vnto theim and partely by reason of sickenesses and paynfull diseases whiche be moste strong pangues and agonies in the fleshe and vse commoÌ„ly to come to sicke men before death or at the leaste accompany death whensoeuer it commeth Although these twoo causes sâ—me great weightie to a worldly man wherupoÌ„ he is moued to feare death yet there is another cause much greater then any of these afore rehersed for whiche in dede he hath iuste cause to feare death and that is the state and coÌ„dicion wherunto at the last ende death bryngeth all them that haue their hartes fixed vpoÌ„ this world without repentaunce and amendemeÌ„t This state condicion is called the second death whiche vnto all suche shall insue after this bodily deathe And this is that death whiche in deede ought to be dread feared for it is an euerlasting losse without remedy of the grace fauor of God and of euerlastyng ioy pleasure and felicitie And it is not onely the losse for euer of all these eternall pleasures but also it is the condempnacion both of body soule without either appellacioÌ„ or hope of redempcion vnto euerlastynge paynes in hell Unto this state death sent the vnmercyfull and vngodly richeman that Luke speaketh of in his Gospell who liuyng in all wealthe and pleasure in this worlde and cherishyng himself daily with daintie fare and gorgeous apparel despiced poore Lazarus that lay pitifully at his gate miserably plagued and full of sores and also greuously pined with hunger Bothe these twoo were arrested of deathe whiche sent Lazarus the poore miserable man by aungels anone vnto Abrahams bosome a place of rest pleasure and consolacion But the vnmerciful rich-man descended doune into hel and beyng in tormeÌ„tes he cried for comforte complainyng of the intollerable payn that he suffered in that flamme of fire but it was to late So vnto this place bodily death sendeth all them that in this world haue their ioye and felicite all them that in this world be vnfaithfull vnto God and vncharitable vnto their neighbors so diyng without repentauÌ„ce hope of Gods mercie Wherfore it is no maruaile that the worldly man feareth death for he hath muche more cause so to do then he himself doeth considre Thus we se thre causes why worldly men feare death One because thei shal lose therby their worldely honors riches possessions and all their hartes desires Another because of the painfull diseases bitter pangues which commonly men suffre either before or at the tyme of death but the chiefe cause aboue al other is the dread of the miserable state of eternall dampnacion bothe of body and soule whiche they feare shal folow after their departyng out of the worldly pleasures of this present life For these causes be all mortall men whiche be geueÌ„ to the loue of this world both in feare state of death through syn as y e holy apostle saith so loÌ„g as thei liue here in this world But euerlasting thaÌ„kes be to almighty God for euer there is neuer one of al these causes no nor yet thei altogether that caÌ„ make a true Christian man afraied to dye whiche is the very membre of Christe the temple of the holy Ghoste the sonne of God â–ª and the very inheritor of the euerlastyng kyngdom of heauen but plainly contrary he conceiueth great and many causes vndoubtedly grounded vpon the infallyble and euerlastynge truth of the woorde of God whiche moue hym not onely to put away the feare of bodiely death but also for the manifolde benefites and singuler commodities whiche ensue vnto euery faithfull person by reason of thesame to wish desire longe hartely for it For death shall be to hym no death at all but a very deliueraunce from death froÌ„ all paynes cares and sorowes miseries
and wretchednes of this world and the very entry into rest and a beginnyng of euerlastyng ioye a tastyng of heauenly pleasures so great that neither toungue is able to expresse neither eye to se nor eare to heare them no nor for anye earthly mans hart to conceyue them So excedinge greate benefites thei be whiche God our heauenly father by his mere mercye and for the loue of his sonne Iesus Christe hathe layed vp in store and prepared for theim that humbly submitte themselfes to Gods wil and euermore vnfainedly loue him from the botome of their hartes And we oughte to beleue that death beyng slayne by Christe cannot kepe any man that stedfastly trusteth in Christ vnder his perpetuall tirāny and subiection but that he shall ryse from death agayne vnto glory at the last daye appoynted by almighty God lyke as Christ oure head did ryse agayne accordinge to Gods appoyntement the thyrde daye For sainct Augustine saieth The head goynge before the mēbres trust to folowe come after And sainct Paule saieth if Christe be rysen from the dead we shall ryse also from thesame And to comforte all Christen persons herein holye scripture calleth this bodiely death a slepe wherin mās senses be as it were takē from hym for a ceason and yet when he awaketh he is more freash then he was when he went to bed So althoughe we haue our soules seperated from our bodyes for a ceason yet at the general resurreccion we shalbe more freash beautifull and perfite then we be now For now we be mortall then we shal be immortall now infect with diuers infirmities then clerely voyde of all mortall infirmities now we be subiect to all carnall desyres then we shalbe al spirituall desiryng nothynge but Gods glory thinges eternal Thus is this bodiely death a doore or entrynge vnto lyfe and therfore not so muche dreadfull if it be rightly considered as it is comfortable not a mischief but a remedy of all mischief no enemy but a frende not a cruel tyraūt but a gētle guide leadyng vs not to mortalitie but to immortalitie not to sorow and payne but to ioye and pleasure and that to endure for euer if it be thankefully taken and accepted as Gods messenger and paciently borne of vs for Christes loue that suffered most paynfull death for oure loue to redeme vs from death eternall Accordynge hereunto saincte Paule saieth our lyfe is hidde with Christ in God but when our lyfe shall appere then shall we also appere with hym in glorye Why then shall we feare to dye consideryng the manifolde and comfortable promises of the Gospell and of holy scriptures God the father hath geuen vs euerlastynge lyfe saieth S. Ihon thys lyfe in is hys sonne he that hath the sonne hath lyfe he that hath not y e sonne hath not lyfe And this I wrote saieth S. Ihon to you that beleue in y e name of the sonne of God that you maye knowe that you haue euerlastynge lyfe and that you do beleue vpō the name of the sonne of God And our sauior Christ sayeth he that beleueth in me hath lyfe euerlastynge and I wyll rayse him frō death to lyfe at the last day Sainct Paule also sayeth that Christe is ordeyned and made of God oure righteousnes our holynes and redemption to the entent that he which wyll glory should glory in the Lorde Sainct Paule did contemne and set litle by all other thynges estemynge them as dunge whiche before he had in very greate pryce that he might be found in Christ to haue euerlasting lyfe true holynes righteousnes and redēpcion Finally S. Paule maketh a playne argument in this wise If our heauenly father woulde not spare his awne naturall sonne but dyd geue hym to death for vs how can it be that with him he shoulde not geue vs all thynges Therfore if we haue Christ then haue we with him and by him all good thinges whatsoeuer we can in our hartes wish or desire as victorie ouer death sinne and hel we haue the fauor of God peace wyth hym holynes wysedome iustice power lyfe and redempcion we haue by hym perpetuall health wealth ioye and blysse euerlastynge All those therefore haue great cause to be full of ioye that be ioyned to Christ with true faythe stedfast hope and perfyt charitie and not to feare death nor euerlastynge dampnacion For deathe cānot depriue them of Iesu Christ nor any sinne can cōdempne them y t are graffed surely in him which is their onely ioy treasure and lyfe Let vs repent our synnes amend our lyfes trust in hys mercy and satisfaction and death can neyther take hym from vs nor vs from hym For then as s. Paul saieth whether we lyue or dye we be the Lordes awne And agayne he sayeth Christ did dye and rose agayne because he should be Lord both of the dead quicke Then if we be the Lordes awne when we be dead it must nedes folowe that suche temporall deathe not onely cānot harme vs but also that it shall muche be to our profit and ioyne vs vnto God more perfectly And thereof the christian hart may surely be certified by the infallible truth of holye scripture It is God sayeth sainct Paule which hath prepared vs vnto immortalitie and thesame is he which hath geuen vs an earnest of the spirite Therfore let vs be alwaies of good comforte for we knowe that so longe as we be in the body we be as it were farre from God in a straunge countrey subiect to many perils walkyng without perfite sighte and knowledge of almighty God onely seynge hym by faythe in holy scriptures But we haue a courage desire rather to be at home with God and oure sauior Christe farre from the body where we maye behold hys Godhead as he is face to face to oure euerlastyng comfort These be saincte Paules wordes in effecte wherby we may perceyue that the lyfe in this world is resembled to a pilgrimage in a straunge countrie far frome God and that death deliuerynge vs from our bodyes doth sende vs straight home into our awne countrey and maketh vs to dwell presently with God for euer in perpetuall rest and quietnesse So that to dye is no losse but profite and winnynge to all true christē people What lost the thefe that hanged on the crosse with Christ by hys bodiely death Yea how much dyd he gayne by it Did not our sauiour say vnto hym thys daye thou shalt be with me in Paradyse And Lazarus that pitifull person that lay before y e richemans gate payned with sores and pined with hungre did not death highlye profite and promote hym Which by the ministery of Aungels sent hym vnto Abrahās bosome a place of rest ioye and heauenly consolacion Let vs thinke none other good christen people but Christ hath prepared thesame ioye and felicitie for vs that he prepared for Lazarus the thefe Wherfore let vs sticke vnto his
saluacion and gracious redempcion and beleue hys worde serue hym frō our hartes loue obeye hym and whatsoeuer we haue done heretofore contrarye to hys moste holy wyll now let vs repent in tyme and hereafter study to correct our lyfe doubt not but we shall finde hym as mercifull vnto vs as he was either to Lazarus or to y e thefe whose exāples are written in holy scripture for the comfort of thē that be sinners and subiecte to sorowes miseries calamities in this worlde that thei shoulde not despayre in Gods mercy but euer truste therby to haue forgiuenesse of their synnes lyfe euerlastinge as Lazarus and the thefe had Thus I trust euery christen man perceyueth by the infallible woorde of God that bodiely death cannot harme nor hinder theim that truly beleue in Christ but contrary shal profit promote the christen soules whiche beynge truly penitēt for their offences departe hēce in perfect charitie and in sure truste that God is mercifull to thē forgiuinge theyr synnes for the merites of Iesus Christe hys onely naturall sonne The seconde cause why some do feare death is sore sickenesse and greuous paynes whiche partly come before death and partely accompayneth deathe whensoeuer it cometh This feare is the feare of the frayle fleashe and a naturall passion belonginge vnto the nature of a mortall man But true fayth in Gods promyses and regarde of the paynes and pangues whiche Christe vpon the crosse suffered for vs miserable synners with consideracion of the ioye and euerlastyng lyfe to come in heauen wil mitigate those paynes and moderate thys feare y t it shall neuer be able to ouerthrowe the hartie desire and gladnesse that the christian soule hath to be seperated from thys corrupt body that it maye come to the gracious presence of our sauiour Iesus Christ. If we beleue stedfastly the woorde of god we shal perceyue that suche bodiely sickenesse pangues of death or whatsoeuer dolorous paynes we suffre either before or with death be nothynge els in Christē mē but the rodde of our heauenly and louynge father wherwith he mercifully correcteth vs either to trie and declare the faythe of hys pacient chyldren that they maye be founde laudable glorious and honorable in hys sight when Iesus Christ shalbe openly shewed to be the Iudge of al the worlde or els to chastise and amende in them whatsoeuer offendeth hys fatherly and gracious goodnesse lest they shoulde peryshe euerlastingly And this hys correctynge rodde is common to all them that be truly hys Therfore let vs caste away the burden of synne that lyeth so heuye in our neckes and returne vnto God by true penaunce and amendemente of our lyfes Let vs with paciēce runne thys course that is appoynted sufferyng for hys sake that dyed for our saluacion al sorowes and pangues of death and death it selfe ioyfully when God sendeth it to vs hauynge our eyes fixed euer vpon the heade and capitayn of our fayth Iesus Christe Who considerynge the ioye that he shoulde come vnto cared neyther for the shame nor payne of deathe but willingly conformyng hys wyll to hys fathers wyll moste paciently suffered the moste shamefull and paynefull deathe of the crosse beyng innocent And now therfore he is exalted in heauen and euerlastingly sitteth on the rigtht hande of the throne of God the father Let vs call to our remembraunce therfore the lyfe and ioyes of heauen that are kepte for al them that paciently doo suffre here with Christe and cōsider that Christe suffered all hys paynfull passion by synners and for synners and then we shall with pacience and the more easyly suffre suche sorowes and paynes when they come Let vs not set at light the chastisinge of the Lorde nor grudge at hym nor fall from hym when of hym we be corrected for the Lorde loueth them whom he doth correcte and beateth euery one whom he taketh to be hys chylde What chylde is that saieth saincte Paule whome the father loueth and doth not chastice If ye be without Gods correctiō which al hys welbeloued and true children haue then be you but bastardes finally regarded of God not hys true chyldren Therfore seynge that whē we haue in earth our carnall fathers to be our correctors we do feare them and reuerently take their correction shall we not much more be in subieccion to God our spirituall father by whome we shall haue eternal lyfe And our carnall fathers some tyme correct vs euen as pleaseth thē without cause but this father iustely correcteth vs either for our synne to the intēt we should amende or for our commoditie wealthe to make vs therby partakers of his holynesse Furthermore all correction whiche God sendeth vs in thys present tyme semeth to haue no ioye and comforte but sorowe and payne Yet it bringeth with it a taste of Gods mercye and goodnes towardes thē that be so corrected a sure hope of Godes euerlastyng consolacion in heauē If then these sorowes diseases and sickenesses and also death it selfe be nothyng els but our heauenly fathers rod wherby he certifieth vs of hys loue gracious fauor wherby he trieth and purifieth vs wherby he geueth vnto vs holynesse certifieth vs that we be hys children and he our mercifull father shall not we then with all humilitie as obedyent louyng chyldren ioyfully kysse our heauenly fathers rod and euer saye in oure harte with oure sauior Iesus Christe Father if this āguishe and sorowe wich I fele and death which I se approche maye not passe but that thy wyll is that I muste suffre them thy wyll be done Now the thirde and speciall cause why death in deede is too be feared is the miserable state of the worldly and vngodly people after their death But this is no cause at all why the godly and faytheful people should feare death but rather contrariwise their godly conuersacion in thys lyfe and beliefe in Christ cleauing continually to hys merites should make them to longe sore after that lyfe that remayneth for them vndoubtedly after this bodely death Of this immortall state after thys transitory lyfe where we shal liue euermore in the presence of god in ioye and reste after victory ouer all sickenes sorowes sinne and death there be many bothe playn places of holy scripture which confirme the weake conscience agaynst the feare of al suche dolours sickenesses synne and death corporal to asswage such trembling and vngodly feare and to encourage vs with comforte and hope of a blessed state after thys life Sainct Paule wissheth vnto the Ephesians y t God the father of glory woulde geue vnto theim y e spirite of wisedome and reuelacion that the eyes of their hartes might haue light to knowe him and to perceyue how great thinges he had called thē vnto and how riche inheritaunce he hath prepared after this life for thē that perteyne vnto hym And sainct Paul himself declareth the desire of his hart which was
raunsome for what is it els to go freely then to bee set at libertie without paiment of raunsome This reason is satisfied by the greate wisedome of God in this mistery of our redempcioÌ„ who hath so tempered his iustice and mercie together that he would neither by his iustice condempne vs vnto the perpetuall captiuitie of the deuill and his prison of hel remediles for euer without mercie nor by his mercy deliuer vs clerely without iustice or paiment of a iust raunsome but with his endlesse mercie he ioyned his moste vpright and equall iustice His greate mercy he shewed vnto vs in deliueryng vs from our former captiuitie without requiryng of any raunsom to be paied or ameÌ„des to be made vpon our partes whiche thyng by vs had been impossible to bee doen. And where as it laie not in vs that to do he prouided a raunsome for vs that was the moste precious body bloud of his awne moste dere and best beloued sonne Iesu Christe who besides his raunsom fulfilled the lawe for vs perfectly And so the iustice of God his mercie did embrace together and fulfilled the mistery of our redempcion And of this iustice and mercie of God knit together speaketh saincte Paule in the .iii. Chapiter to the Romans al haue offended and haue nede of the glory of God iustified frely by his grace by redempcion whiche is in Iesu Christ whom God hath set furth to vs for a reconciler peace maker through faith in his bloud to shewe his righteousnesse And in the .x. Chapiter Christ is the ende of the law vnto righteousnes to euery man that beleueth And in the .viii. Chapi that whiche was impossible by the lawe in asmuche as it was weake by the flesh God sendyng his awne sonne in the similitude of synfull fleshe by synne dampned synne in the fleshe that the righteousnesse of the lawe might be fulfilled in vs which walke not after the flesh but after the spirite In these foresaied places the Apostle toucheth specially three thynges whiche muste concurre and go together in our iustificacion Upon Gods part his greate mercie and grace vpon Christes parte iustice that is the satisfaccion of gods iustice or the price of our redempcion by the offryng of his body and shedyng of his bloud with fulfillyng of y e law perfectly throughly and vpon our part true and liuely faithe in the merites of Iesu Christe whiche yet is not oures but by Gods workyng in vs. So that in our iustificacion is not onely Gods mercie and grace but also his iustice whiche the Apostle calleth the iustice of God and it coÌ„sisteth in paiyng our raunsome and fulfillyng of the lawe and so the grace of God doth not exclude y e iustice of God in oure iustificacion but onely excludeth the iustice of man that is to saie the iustice of our woorkes as to be merites of deseruyng our iustificacioÌ„ And therefore sainct Paule declareth here nothyng vpon the behalf of man concernyng his iustificacioÌ„ but onely a true and liuely faith whiche neuertheles is the gift of God and not mannes onely worke without God And yet that faithe dooth not exclude repentaunce hope loue dread and the feare of God to be ioyned with faithe in euery maÌ„ that is iustified but it excludeth theÌ„ froÌ„ the office of iustifiyng So that although thei be all present together in hym that is iustified yet thei iustifie not all together Nor that faithe also doth not exclude the iustice of oure good workes necessarily to bee doen afterward of duetie towardes God for wee are moste bounden to serue God in doyng good deedes commaunded by hym in his holy scripture all the daies of oure life But it excludeth theim so that we maie not doo theim to this intent to be made good by doyng of them For all the good workes that we can do bee vnperfecte and therfore not able to deserue our iustificacioÌ„ but our iustificacion dooth come frely by the mere merâ—ie of GOD and of so greate and free mercie that whereas all the worlde was not able of their selfes to paye any parte towardes their raunsome it pleased our heauenly father of his infinite mercie without any our deserte or deseruyng to prepare for vs the mooste precious iewelles of Christes body and bloud wherby our raunsome might be fully paied the lawe fulfilled and his iustice fully satisfied So that Christe is nowe the righteousnesse of all them that truely doo beleue in hym He for theim paied their raunsome by his death He for theim fulfilled the lawe in his life So that nowe in hym and by hym euery true Christian man maie be called a fulfiller of the lawe forasmuche as that whiche their infirmitie lacketh Christes iustice hath supplied Before was declared at large that no manne can be iustified by his awne good workes because that no manne fulfilleth the lawe accordyng to the full request of the lawe And saincte Paule in his Epistle to the GalathiaÌ„s proueth thesame saiyng thus If there had been any lawe geuen whiche coulde haue iustified verely righteousnesse should haue been by the lawe And again he saieth if righteousnesse bee by the lawe then Christe died in vain And again he saieth you that are iustified by the lawe are fallen awaie from grace And furthermore he writeth to the Ephesians on this wise by grace are ye saued through faithe and that not of your selfes for it is the gift of God and not of workes lest any man should glorie And to bee shorte the summe of all Paules disputacion is this that if iustice come of woorkes then it commeth not of grace And if it come of grace then it commeth not of woorkes And to this ende teÌ„deth al the Prophetes as saincte Peter saieth in the tenthe of the Actes Of Christe all the Prophetes saieth saincte Peter do witnes that through his name al they that beleue in him shal receiue the remission of synnes And after this wyse to be iustifyed onely by this true and liuely faithe in Christ speaketh all the olde and auncient aucthors bothe Grekes Latyns Of whom I will specially reherse thre Hillary Basill Ambrose Sainct Hillary sayeth these wordes plainly in the ninth Canon vpon Matthewe Faithe onely iustifyeth And saincte Basill a Greke aucthor writeth thus This is a perfect and a whole reioysyng in God when a man auaunteth not hymselfe for hys awne righteousnes but knowledgeth hymself to lacke true iustice and righteousnes and to be iustifyed by the onely faithe in Christ And Paul saieth he doeth glory in the contempte of hys awne righteousnes and that he loketh for his righteousnes of God by faythe These be the verye woordes of sainct Basill And sainct Ambrose a Latyn aucthor sayeth these wordes This is the ordinaunce of God that he whiche beleueth in Christ should be saued without workes by faithe onely freely receiuyng remission of his synnes Consyder diligently these woordes without
be the lesse to be passed vpon so that the rest maye profite which wil be more desirous to know the truth then when it is playn enough to contende aboute it and with cōtencious and capcious cauillacions to obscure and darkē it Truthe it is that out awne woorkes doo not iustifye vs to speake properly of our iustificacion that is to saie our workes do not merite or deserue remissiō of our synnes and make vs of vniust iuste before God But God of his mere mercie through the onely merites and deseruynges of his sonne Iesus Christ doth iustifie vs. Neuerthelesse because fayth doth directely sende vs to Christe for remission of our synnes that by faithe geuen vs of God we embrace the promise of Gods mercie and of the remission of oure synnes whiche thyng none other of oure vertues or woorkes properly doth therfore scripture vseth to say that faith without workes doth iustifie And for asmuch that it is al one sentēce in effecte to saye Faithe without woorkes onely fayth doth iustifie vs therfore the olde auncient fathers of the Churche from tyme to tyme haue vttered our iustificacion with this speache Onelye faythe iustifieth vs meanyng none other thing then sainct Paule meant whē he sayd faith without workes iustifieth vs. And because al this is brought to passe through the onely merites and deseruinges of our sauior christ not through our merites or through the merite of any vertue y t we haue within vs or of any worke that cōmeth frō vs therfore in that respecte of merite deseruyng we renoūce as it wer altogether agayn faith workes and all other vertues For our awne imperfeccion is so greate through the corrupciō of original synne that al is imperfect that is within vs faithe charitie hope dreade thoughtes wordes workes and therefore not apte to meryte and deserue any parte of our iustificacion for vs And this forme of speakyng we vse in the humblyng of oure selfes to God and to geue all the glory to our sauior Christ whiche is best worthy to haue it Here you haue heard the office of God in oure iustificacion and how we receyue it of him frely by his mercie without our desertes through true and lyuely faythe Now you shall heare the offyce and duetie of a christian man vnto God what we ought on oure parte to rendre vnto God agayne for his greate mercye and goodnes Oure offyce is not to passe the tyme of his present lyfe vnfruictfully and idlely after that we are baptised or iustified not caryng howe fewe good workes we do to the glory of God and proffite of our neighbors much lesse it is oure office after that we be once made Christes mēbres to lyue cōtrary to thesame makyng our selfes membres of the deuil walking after his inticementes and after the suggestions of the world and the fleshe wherby we know that we do serue the world and the deuill and not God For that faythe which bryngeth furth without repentaunce either euyll workes or no good workes is not a right pure and liuely faithe but a ded Deuilishe counterfeit and feyned fayth as sainct Paul sainct Iames cal it For euen the deuilles know and beleue that Christ was borne of a virgyn that he fasted forty dayes fortye nightes without meate and drynke that he wrought all kynde of myracles declaryng hymself very God They beleue also that Christe for oure sakes suffered moste paynfull death to redeme vs from eternal death that he rose agayn from death the thyrde daye They beleue that he ascended into heauen and that he sitteth on the right hand of the father and at the laste ende of this world shal come agayne and iudge bothe the quicke and the deade These articles of our faith the deuilles beleue and so they beleue all thinges that be writtē in the new and old Testamēt to be true yet for all this faith they be but deuilles remainyng styll in their dampnable estate lackyng the very true christian fayth For the right and true christiā faith is not onely to beleue that holy scripture all the forsaied articles of our fayth are true but also to haue a sure trust confidence in Gods mercifull promises to be saued from euerlastynge dampnacion by Christe wherof doeth folowe a louyng harte to obey his cōmaundementes And this true Christian faythe neyther any deuyll hath nor yet any man which in the outwarde profession of his mouth and in his outward receiuyng of the Sacramentes in commyng to the churche and in all other outward apparaunces semeth to be a Christian man yet in his liuyng and deedes sheweth the cōtrary For how can a man haue this true faith this sure truste and confidence in God That by the merites of Christe his synnes be remitted and he reconciled to the fauor of God and to be partaker of the kyngdom of heauen by Christ when he liueth vngodly and denieth Christe in his dedes Surely no suche vngodly man can haue this faith trust in God For as they know Christe to bee the onely sauior of the worlde so they knowe also that wicked men shall not possesse the kyngdō of God Thei know y t God hateth vnrighteousnes that he will destroye all those that speake vntruly that those that haue doen good workes whiche can not be doen without a liuely faythe in Christe shall come forth into the resurrection of lyfe those that haue doen euill shall come vnto resurrectiō of iudgement and very well they know also that to them that be contencious to them that will not be obedient vnto the truth but wil obey vnrighteousnes shall come indignacion wrathe and affliccion c. Therfore to conclude considerynge the infinite benefites of God shewed and exhibited vnto vs mercifully withoute oure desertes who hath not onely created vs of nothyng from a pece of vile clay of his infinite goodnes hath exalted vs as touchyng our soule vnto hys awne similitude and lykenesse but also wheras we were cōdempned to hel death eternall hath geuen his awne natural sonne beyng God eternall immortall and equal vnto himselfe in power glory to bee incarnated and to take our mortall nature vpō oim with the infirmities of the same and in the same nature ▪ to suffre moste shamefull and paynful death for our offences to thintent to iustifye vs to restore vs to lyfe euerlastyng so makyng vs also his dere beloued chyldrē brethren vnto his only sonne our sauior Christ inheritors for euer with him of his eternall kyngdō of heauē These greate and mercifull benefites of God if they be well considered do neither minister vnto vs occasiō to be idle to liue without doyng any good workes neither yet stirreth vs ▪ by any meanes to do euill thinges ▪ but contrarywise if we be not desperate persones and oure hartes harder then stones they moue vs to rendre our selfes vnto God wholy with all
redemer and thy name is without beginnyng and euerlastyng God gaue thē then grace to be hys chyldren as he doeth vs now But now by the cōming of our sauior Christ we haue receyued more abūdātly the spirite of god in our hartes wherby we maye cōceyue a greater faithe a surer truste then many of them had But in effect they we be al one we haue thesame faith that they had in God thei thesame y t we haue And s Paul so muche extolleth their faith because we should no lesse but rather more geue oure selfes wholy vnto Christ both in profession liuing now when Christ is come then y e olde fathers did before his cōmyng And by all the declaraciō of s Paule it is euident that the true liuely and christian fayth is no dead vain or vnfruictfull thyng but a thyng of perfecte vertue of wonderful operacion and strength bryngyng furth all good mocions good workes All holye scripture agreably beareth witnesse that a true liuely faith in Christ doeth bryng furth good workes and therfore euery mā must examine himself diligētly to know whether he haue thesame true liuely faythe in hys harte vnfaynedly or not whiche he shall know by the fruictes therof Many that professed the faith of Christ were in this error that they thoughte they knewe God and beleued in hym when in their lyfe they declared the contrarye whiche error sainct Ihon in his first Epistle confutynge writeth in this wyse Hereby we are certified that we know god if we obserue his cōmaundemētes he that saieth he knoweth god obserueth not his cōmaundemētes is a liar the trueth is not in him And again he saieth whosoeuer synneth doeth not se God nor knowe him let no man deceiue you welbeloued childrē And moreouer he saieth hereby we know y t we be of the truth so we shal perswade our hartes before hym For if our awne hartes reproue vs God is aboue our hartes and knoweth al thinges Welbeloued if our hartes reproue vs not the◠haue we confidence in God and shall haue of hym whatsoeuer we aske because we kepe hys commaundementes and do those thynges that please hym And yet further he saieth euery man that beleueth that Iesus is Christe is borne of God we knowe that whosoeuer is borne of God doeth not synne but the generacion of God purgeth him and the deuill doth not touche hym And finally he concludeth shewing the cause why he wrote this epistle sayth For this cause haue I thus written vnto you that you maye knowe that you haue euerlastyng lyfe whiche do beleue in the sonne of God And in hys thirde Epistle he confirmeth the whole matter of faith and workes in fewe wordes saiyng he that doth well is of God and he that doeth euill knoweth not God And as s. Ihō saieth that as the liuely knowledge and faith of God bryngeth furth good workes so saieth he likewise of hope Charitie that they cannot stande with euill liuynge Of hope he writeth thus we knowe that when God shall appere we shalbe lyke vnto hym for we shall se hym euen as he is And who soeuer hath this hope in hym doth purifie himself like as God is pure And of charitie he saieth these woordes He that doeth kepe Gods woorde or commaundemente in hym is truely the perfecte loue of God And agayne he saieth this is the loue of God that we should kepe hys commaundementes And s. Ihon wrote not this as a subtile proposicion deuised of hys awne phantasie but as a moste certain necessarie truth taught vnto him by Christ himself the eternall in fallible veritie who in many places doth moste clerely affirme that fayth hope charitie cannot consist without good godly workes Of faith he saith He that beleueth in the sonne hath euerlastyng life but he that beleueth not in the sōne shal not se that life but the wrath of God remayneth vpō him And thesame he confirmeth with a double othe saiyng Forsothe forsothe I saye vnto you he y t beleueth in me hath euerlastyng lyfe ▪ Now for asmuch as he that beleueth in Christ hath euerlastīg lyfe it must nedes consequently folow that he y t hath this faith must haue also good workes be studious to obserue Gods cōmaundemetes obediently For to thē that haue euill workes leade their lyfe in disobedience transgression of Gods commaundemētes without repentaūce perteineth not euerlasting life but euerlastyng death as Christ himself saieth they that do wel shal go into life eternal but thei that do euill shal go into y e eternal fire And again he saith I am the first lettre the last the beginnyng the endyng to him y t is a thirste I wil geue of the welle of the water of lyfe frely He that hath the victorye shal haue all thynges I will be his God and he shalbe my sonne But thei y t be fearfull mistrusting God lacking faith thei y t be cursed people murderers fornicators sorserers Idolaters all liars shall haue their porciō in y e lake that burneth with fire brimstone which is the secōd death And as Christe vndoubtedly affirmeth that true faythe bringeth furth good workes so doth he say likewyse of charitie Whosoeuer hath my cōmaūdementes kepeth thē y t is he y t loueth me And after he saieth he that loueth me will kepe my worde he y t loueth me not kepeth not my woordes And as the loue of God is tried by good workes so is the feare of God also as the Wisemā saieth y e dread of God putteth awaye synne And also he saieth he that feareth god wil do good workes A man may sone deceiue hym self thinke in hys awne phātasie that he by fayth knoweth God loueth him feareth him belongeth to him whē in very dede he doth nothyng lesse For the triall of all these thinges is a very godly christian lyfe He that feleth hys harte set to seke Gods honor studieth to know the wil cōmaundemētes of God to cōforme himself therunto leadeth not hys life after the desire of hys awne fleshe to serue y e deuill by synne but setteth hys minde to serue God for gods awn sake for his sake also to loue al hys neighbors whether they be frēdes or aduersaryes doyng good to euery mā as opportunitie serueth willingly hurtyng no mā Such a mā maye wel reioyce in God perceiuinge by the trade of his life y t he vnfamedly hath y e right knowledge of God a liuely fayth a constant hope a true vnfeined loue feare of god ▪ But he y t casteth awaie y e yoke of gods cōmaundemētes frō hys necke geueth hymself to liue without true repētaūce after hys awne sensual mynde pleasure not regardynge to knowe Gods worde much lesse to
representacion of the thyng it self and is with out life or any maner of mouyng so be the workes of all vnfaithfull persones before God Thei do appere to be liuely workes in deede thei be but ded â–ª not auailyng to the eternall life Thei bee but shadowes and shewes of liuely and good thynges and not good and liuely thynges in dede For true faith doth geue life to the workes and out of suche faith come good woorkes that be very good woorkes in dede and without it no worke is good before God as saieth saincte Augustine wee muste set not good workes before faithe nor thynke that before faithe a man maie do any good worke for suche workes although thei seme vnto men to bee praise worthy yet in deede thei bee but vain and not allowed before God Thei bee as the course of a horse that ruÌ„neth out of the waie whiche taketh great labor but to no purpose Let no man therefore saieth he reckeÌ„ vpon his good workes before his faithe Whereas faithe was not good woorkes were not the intent saieth he maketh the good workes but faith must guide and order thintent of man And Christ saith if thine iye be naught thy whole body is ful of darkenesse The iye doth signifie the intent saith sainct Augustine wherwith a man doth a thyng So that he whiche doth not his good workes with a Godly intent and a true faithe that woorketh by loue the whole body beside that is to saie all the whole nuÌ„bre of his workes is darke and there is no light in it For good deedes bee not measured by the factes theimselfes and so disseuered from vices but by the endes and intentes for the whiche thei bee doen. If a Heathen man clothe the naked fede the hongerie and do suche other like workes yet because he doth theim not in faithe for the honor and loue of God thei â—e but ded vain and fruitles workes to hym Faithe is it that dooth commende the woorke to god for as s. Augustine saith whether thou wilt or no that worke that coÌ„meth not of faithe is naught where the faith of Christ is not the fouÌ„dacion there is no good worke what buildyng soeuer we make There is one worke in y t which be al good workes that is faithe whiche worketh by charitie If thou haue it thou hast the ground of all good woorkes For the vertues of strength wisedom temperaunce iustice be al referred vnto this same faith Without this faith we haue not theÌ„ but onely the names and shadowes of them as s. Augustine saieth All the life of them that lacke the true faithe is syn and nothyng is good without hym that is the aucthor of goodnes where he is not there is but feined vertue although it be in the best workes And s. Augu. declaryng this verse of the psalme the Turtle hath found a nest where she may kepe her young birdes saith that Iewes heretiques and pagans do good workes thei clothe the naked fede the poore and do other workes of mercy but because thei be not doen in the true faithe therfore the birdes be loste But if thei remain in faith then faith is the nest and sauegard of their birdes that is to say safegard of their good workes that the reward of them be not vtterly lost And this matter whiche s. Augustin at large in many bokes disputeth s. Ambrose concludeth in fewe wordes saiyng he that by nature would withstand vice either by naturall will or reason he doth in vain garnishe the tyme of this life and atteineth not the very true vertues for without the worshippyng of the true God that whiche semeth to be vertue is vice And yet moste plainly to this purpose writeth s. Ihon Chriso in this wise you shall finde many which haue not the true faith and be not of y e flocke of Christ and yet as it appereth thei florishe in good workes of mercy You shall finde them full of pitie compassion and geuen to iustice and yet for all that thei haue no fruite of their workes because the chief worke lacketh For when the Iewes asked of Christ what thei should do to worke good workes he aunswered this is y e worke of God to beleue in hym whom he sente So that he called faithe the worke of god And assone as a maÌ„ hath faith anone he shall florish in good workes for faith of it self is full of good workes and nothyng is good without faith And for a similitude he saith that thei whiche glister and shine in good workes without faithe in God be like dead men whiche haue goodly precious toÌ„bes and yet it auaileth them nothyng Faith may not be naked without good workes for then it is no true faith and when it is adioyned to workes yet is it aboue the workes For as men that be very men in dede first haue life and after be norished so must our faithe in Christe go before after be norished with good woorkes And life maie be without norishment but norishment cannot be without life A man must nedes be norished by good workes but first he must haue faithe he that doth good deedes yet without faith he hath no life I can shew a man that by faith without workes liued cam to heaueÌ„ but without faithe neuer man had life The thiefe that was hanged when Christe suffered did beleue onely and the moste mercifull God did iustify hym And because no manne shall obiecte that he lacked tyme to doo good woorkes for els he would haue doen them truthe it is and I will not contend therin but this I will surely affirme that faithe onely saued hym If he had liued and not regarded faith and the workes thereof he should haue lost his saluacion again But this the effecte that I saie that faithe by it self saued hym but workes by theim selfes neuer iustified any man Here ye haue heard the minde of sainct Chrisostome wherby you maie perceiue that neither faith is without workes hauyng opportunitie therto nor workes can auaile to eternall life without faithe Now to procede to the third parte whiche in the former Sermon was noted of faithe that is to say what maner of workes thei be whiche spring out of true faithe and leade faithfull menne vnto eternall life this cannot bee knowen so well as by our sauior Christe hymself who was asked of a certain greate man thesame question What woorkes shall I do said a Prince to come to euerlastyng life To whom Iesus aunswered If thou wilte come to the eternall life kepe the commaundementes But the Prince not satisfied herewith asked farther whiche commaundementes The Scribes and Phariseis had made so many of their awne lawes and tradicions to bryng men to heauen besides Gods coÌ„mauÌ„dementes that this man was in doubte whether he should come to heauen by those lawes tradicions or by the lawes of God therfore he asked Christe whiche
examples of holy scripture we maye knowe that as we forsake God so shall he euer forsake vs. And what miserable state doth cōsequently and necessariely folow therupon a man maye easely consider by the terrible threatenynges of God And although he considre not al the sayde miserie to the vttermost beyng so great that it passeth any mans capacitie in this lyfe sufficiētly to cōsydre thesame yet he shal soone perceyue somuch therof that if his hart be not more then stony or harder then the Adamant he shall feare tremble and quake to call thesame to hys remembraunce Fyrste the displeasure of God towardes vs is commonly expressed in the scripture by these twoo thinges by shewynge hys fearefull countenaunce vpon vs and by turnyng his face or hiding it from vs. By shewyng his dreadful countenaunce is signifyed his great wrath but by turnynge hys face or hidinge therof is many tymes more signified that is to saye that he clerely forsaketh vs geueth vs ouer The whiche significacions be taken of y e properties of mens maners For men towardes them whome they fauour commōly beare a good a chearefull and a louing countenaūce so that by the face or countenaūce of a man it doth commonly appere what wyl or minde he beareth towardes other So when God doeth shew hys dreadfull countenaunce towardes vs that is to say doeth send dreadful plagues of sword famyne or pestilence vpon vs it appereth that he is greatly wroth with vs. But when he withdraweth from vs hys woorde the righte doctryne of Christe hys gracious assistence and ayde which is euer ioyned to hys worde and leaueth vs to our awne wit our awne wyll and strength he declareth then that he beginneth to forsake vs. For where as God hath shewed to all them that truely beleue his Gospel his face of mercy in Iesus christ whiche doeth so lighten theyr hartes that they if they beholde it as they ought to do be transformed to hys Image bee made partakers of the heauenly light and of hys holy spirite and bee fashioned to him in all goodnes requisite to the childrē of God so if they after do neglecte thesame if they bee vnthankefull vnto hym if they ordre not their lyfes accordynge to hys example and doctryne and to the settyng furth of hys glory he wyll take awaye from them hys kyngdō his holy word wherby he should reigne in thē because they bryng not furth the fruit therof that he loketh for Neuertheles he is so mercifull of so long sufferaūce that he doth not shewe vpon vs that great wrathe sodainly But when we beginne to shrinke from his worde not beleuing it or not expressing it in oure liuinges firste he doeth send hys messengers y e true preachers of his worde to admonish vs of our dutie that as he for hys part for y e great loue he bare vnto vs deliuered his awn sonne to suffre death that we by hys death myghte be deliuered frō death be restored to the lyfe eternall euermore to dwel with hym to be partakers and inheritors with hym of hys euerlastyng glory and kingdome of heauen so agayn that we for our partes shoulde walke in a godly lyfe as becōmeth hys chyldrē to do And if thys wyl not serue but stil we remayne disobedient to hys worde and wyll not knowyng him not louing him not fearing him not puttyng our whole trust confidēce in him and on the otherside to our neighbors behauing vs vncharitably by disdayne enuye malice or by cōmittyng murther robbery adultry gluttony deceipt liyng swearyng or other like detestable workes vngodly behauioure then he threateneth vs by terryble cōminacions swearynge in great angree that whosoeuer doeth these workes shall neuer entre into his reste whiche is the kyngdome of heauen Now if this gentle monicion and comminacion together do not serue then god will shewe his terrible countenaūce vpō vs he will powre intollerable plagues vpon our hedes after he wyll take away frō vs all hys ayde assistence wherwith before he did defend vs from all such maner of calamitie As the Euāgelical prophet Esaye agreyng with Christes parable doth teache vs saiyng That God had made a goodly vineyarde for hys beloued children he hedged it he walled it rounde about he plāted it with chosen vynes made a Turret in the myddes therof therein also a wine presse And when he loked that it should bryng hym furth good grapes it brought furth wylde grapes and after it foloweth Now shall I shew you saieth God what I will do with my vyneyarde I wil pluck doune the hedges that it may perysh I will breake downe the walles that it may be trodē vnder fote I wil let it lie wast it shall not be cutte it shall not be didged but briers and thornes shall ouergrowe it I shall cōmaunde the cloudes that they shall no more rayne vpon it By these threatenynges we ar monyshed y t if we whiche are the chosen vyneyarde of God bryng not furth good grapes y t is to say good workes y t may be delectable pleasaūt in hys sight whē he loketh for thē when he sendeth his messengers to cal vpon vs for thē but rather bring furth wyld grapes y t is to say sower workes vnswete vnsauery vnfruictfull thē wil he plucke away all defence suffre greuous plagues of famyne battaile dearth death to light vpō vs. Finally if these do not yet serue he wil let vs lie wast he wil geue vs ouer he wyl turne away frō vs he will dygge delue no more aboute vs he wil let vs alone suffre vs to brynge furthe euen such fruite as we wyl to bryng furth brābles bryers and thornes all naughtynes all vice that so abundantlye that they shal cleane ouergrow vs suffocate strangle vtterly destroye vs. But they that in thys worlde lyue not after god but after theyr awne carnal libertie perceyue not thys greate wrath of god towardes them that he wyll not dygge nor delue any more about them that he doeth let them alone euen to them selfes But they take thys for a great benefite of god to haue all theyr awne libertye so they liue as carnall libertye were the true libertye of the Gospel But god forbidde good people that euer we should desyre such libertie For although god suffre sometymes y e wicked to haue their pleasure in thys world yet the end of vngodly liuyng is at length eternall destruction The murmuryng Israelites had that they longed for they had quayles enough yea til they were wery of thē But what was y e end therof their swete meate had soure sauce euē whiles the meat was in theyr mouthes y e plague of God lighted vpō thē sodainely they died So if we liue vngodly God suffreth vs to folowe our awne wylles to haue our awne delightes pleasures correcteth vs not w t some plague it is
to be dissolued and losed frō hys body and to be with Christ which as he sayde was much better for him althoughe to them it was more necessary y t he should liue which he refused not for their sakes Euen like as sainct Martyn sayde good Lorde if I be necessary for thy people to do good vnto them I will refuse no labor but els for myne awne selfe I beseche the to take my soule Now the holy fathers of the olde lawe and all faythful and righteous men which departed before our sauior Christes ascencion into heauen dyd by death departe from troubles vnto rest frō the handes of theyr enemies into y e hādes of God frō sorowes sickenesses vnto ioyful refreashing into Abrahās bosome a place of al cōfort cōsolaciō as scriptures do plainly by manifest wordes testifie The boke of Wisedō saith y t the righteous mens soules be in the hand of God no torment shal touche thē They semed to the eyes of folishe men to dye and their death was cōpted miserable and theyr departing out of this worlde wretched but thei be in rest And another place saieth that the righteous shall liue for euer and their rewarde is with the Lorde their myndes be with God who is aboue al. Therfore they shall receyue a glorious kyngdome and a beautifull croune at the Lordes hand And in another place thesame boke saieth y e righteous though he be preuented with sodain death neuerthelesse he shalbe there where he shalbe refreshed Of Abrahās bosome Christes wordes be so playne that a christē man nedeth no more profe of it Now then if thys were y e state of y e holy fathers righteous mē before the cōminge of our sauior and before he was glorified how much more then oughte all wee to haue a stedfast faith a sure hope of this blessed state cōdicion after our death Seynge that oure sauior now hath perfourmed the whole worke of oure redempcion and is gloriously ascended into heauen to prepare oure dwellinge places with hym saied vnto hys father Father I will that where I am my seruauntes shalbe with me And we knowe that whatsoeuer Christe wyll hys father will the same wherfore it cannot be but if we be his faythfull seruauntes our soules shalbe with hym after oure departynge out of this present life Sainct Stephin when he was stoned to death euen in the middest of hys tormentes what was hys mynde moste vpon When he was full of the holy Ghoste sayeth holye scripture hauynge hys eyes lifted vp into heauen he sawe the glory of God and Iesus standinge on the righte hande of God The which truth after he had confessed boldely before the enemies of Christ they drewe hym oute of the citie and there they stoned hym who cried vnto God saiynge Lorde Iesu Christe take my spirite And doeth not oure sauior saye playnely in saincte Ihons Gospel Uerely verely I saye vnto you he that heareth my woorde beleueth on hym y t sente me hath euerlastynge lyfe and commeth not into iudgemēt but shall passe frō death to lyfe Shall we not then thinke that death to be precious by the whiche we passe vnto lyfe Therfore it is a true saiynge of the Prophete the death of the holy and righteous mē is precious in the Lordes sighte Holy Simeon after that he had hys hartes desire in seynge oure sauior that he euer longed for all hys lyfe he embraced hym in his armes and sayde Now Lord let me departe in peace for myne eyes haue beholdē that sauior which thou haste prepared for all nacions It is truthe therefore that the death of the righteous is called peace and the benefite of the Lord as the Church saieth in y e name of the righteousnes departed out of this world My soule turne the to thy rest for the Lorde hath bene good to the and rewarded the. And we se by holy scripture and other auncient Histories of Martyrs that the holy faithfull and righteous euer syns Christes ascencion in their death did not doubte but that they went to be with Christe in spirite whiche is oure lyfe healthe wealth and saluacion Ihon in his holy Reuelaciō saw a C.xl. and .iiij. M. virgins and innocentes of whome he saide These folow the Lābe Iesu Christ wheresoeuer he goeth And shortly after in thesame place he saieth I heard a voyce frō heauen saiyng vnto me Write happye and blessed are the dead whiche dye in the Lorde from hencefurthe surelye saieth the syirite they shall reste from theyr paynes and labours for their woorkes do folow them So that then they shall reape with ioye and comforte that whiche they sowed with labors and paynes They that sowe in the spirit of the spirit shall reape euerlastynge lyfe Let vs therefore neuer be wery of well doynge for when the tyme of reapynge or reward commeth we shal reape without any werines euerlastynge ioye Therfore whyle we haue time as saincte Paule exhorteth vs let vs doo good to all men not lay vp our treasurers in earth where ruste and mothes corrupt it whiche ruste as sainct Iames saieth shall beare witnes against vs at the great daye condempne vs and shal like most brennynge fyre tormente oure fleashe Let vs beware therefore as we tendre oure awne wealthe that we be not in the numbre of those miserable coueteous men whiche sainct Iames biddeth mourne and lament for their gredy gatherynge and vngodly kepynge of goodes Let vs be wise in time and learne to folowe the wise example of the wicked Stuarde Let vs so prudently dispose oure goodes and possessions committed vnto vs here by God for a ceason that we maye truely heare and obeye this commaundement of oure sauior Christes I saye vnto you sayeth he make you frendes of the wicked Mammon that they maye receiue you into euerlastynge tabernacles Ryches he calleth wicked because the worlde abuseth them vnto all wickednes which are otherwise the good gifte of God and the instrumentes whereby Gods seruauntes do truely serue hym in vsynge of thesame He commaunded them not to make them ryche frendes to get hyghe dignities and worldly possessiōs to geue great giftes to ryche men that haue no neede thereof but to make theim frendes of poore and miserable men vnto whome whatsoeuer they geue Christe accepteth it as geuen to hymselfe And to these frendes Christe in the Gospell geueth so greate honor and preeminence that he sayeth they shall receyue theyr benefactors into euerlastynge houses Not that men shalbe oure rewarders for our well doyng but that Christ will rewarde vs and take it to be done vnto hymselfe whatsoeuer is doone to suche frendes Thus makynge poore wretches oure frendes we make oure sauioure Christe oure frende whose membres they are whose miserie as he taketh for hys awne misery so theyr reliefe succour and helpe he taketh for hys succoure reliefe and helpe and will asmuche thanke vs and rewarde
vs for oure goodnes shewed to them as if he him selfe had receyued lyke benefite at oure handes as he witnesseth in the Gospell saiynge Whatsoeuer ye haue done to any of these symple persones whiche do beleue in me that haue ye doen to my selfe Therfore let vs diligently forese that our fayth and hope whiche we haue conceyued in almightie God and in oure sauioure Christe waxe not faynte nor that the loue whiche we pretende to beare to hym waxe not coulde but let vs studye dayly and diligently to shewe oure selfes to be the true honorers and louers of God by kepynge of his commaundemētes by doyng of good dedes vnto our nedy neighbors releuynge by all meanes that we can their pouertye with our abundaunce their ignoraunce with oure wisedome and learnynge and comforte their weakenesse with oure strength and aucthoritie calling all men backe from euill doynge by Godly counsayll and good example perseuerynge styll in well doynge so longe as we lyue So shall we not nede to feare death for any of those three causes afore mencioned nor yet for any other cause that can be imagined But contrary consideryng the manifold sickenesses troubles sorowes of this present lyfe the daungers of this perilous pilgrimage and the greate encombraunce whiche oure spirite hath by thys synful fleshe and frayle body subiect to death considerynge also the manifolde sorowes and daūgerous deceiptes of this world on euery side the intollerable pride coueteousnes and lechery in tyme of prosperitie the impacient murmurynge of them that be worldly in tyme of aduersitie whiche cease not to withdrawe and plucke vs from God oure sauioure Christe from oure life wealth or eternal ioy and saluacion considerynge also the innumerable assaultes of oure Ghostly enemy the deuill with al his fiery dartes of ambicion pryde lechery vain-glory enuie malice detractiō with other hys innumerable deceiptes engines and snares whereby he goeth busely aboute to catche al men vnder his dominion euer lyke a roreynge Lyon by all meanes searchynge whome he maye deuoure the faythfull Christian man which considereth al these miseries perilles and incommodities whereunto he is subiecte so longe as he here liueth vpon earthe and on the other part considereth that blessed and comfortable state of the heauēly lyfe to come and the swete condicion of them that departe in the Lorde howe they are deliuered from the continuall encombraūces of their mortall and synfull bodye from all the malice craftes and deceiptes of this world from al the assaultes of their ghostly enemy the deuil to liue in peace reste and perpetuall quietnes to liue in the felowship of innumerable Aungelles and with the congregacion of perfecte iuste mē as Patriarches Prophetes Martyrs and Confessors and finally vnto the presence of almighty God and oure sauior Iesus Christe He that doeth consider all these thinges and beleueth theim assuredly as they are to be beleued euen from the botome of his harte beynge established in God in thys true faythe hauynge a quiete conscience in Christe a firme hope and assured trust in Gods mercy through the merites of Iesu Christe to obteyne thys quietnes reste and eternall ioye shal not onely be without feare of bodiely deathe when it commeth but certainlye as saincte Paule did so shall he gladly accordynge to Gods will and when it pleaseth God to call hym oute of thys lyfe greately desyre in hys harte that he maye be rid from al these occasions of euil and liue euer to Gods pleasure in perfecte obedience of hys will with our sauior Iesus Christe to whose gracious presence the Lorde of hys infinitie mercye and grace brynge vs to reigne with hym in lyfe euerlastynge To whome with oure heauenly father and the holy Ghoste be glorye in worldes without ende AMEN ¶ An exhortacion concernyng good ordre and obedience to rulers and magistrates ALmightie God hath created appointed all thinges in heauē yearth and waters in a moste excellent and perfect ordre In heauē he hath appoynted distinct orders and states of Archangelles and Angels In yearth he hath assigned kynges princes with other gouernors vnder them all in good necessary ordre The water aboue is kept and raineth doune in due time and ceason The sunne mone sterres rainbow thūder lightning cloudes and al birdes of the aire do kepe their ordre The yearth trees seedes plantes herbes corne grasse and all maner of beastes kepe thē in their ordre All the partes of y e whole yeare as winter somer monethes nightes dayes continue in their ordre All kyndes of fishes in the sea riuers and waters with all fountaynes sprynges yea the seas themselfes kepe their comely course and ordre And mā hymself also hath al his partes both within without as soule harte mynd memory vnderstandyng reason speache withall and singuler corporall mēbres of his body in a profitable necessary and pleasaunt ordre Euery degre of people in their vocacion callyng office hath appoynted to them their duetie ordre Some are in high degre some in lowe some kynges princes some inferiors and subiectes priestes and laimen masters seruauntes fathers chyldren husbandes and wifes riche and poore and euery one haue nede of other so that in all thinged is to be laudes praysed the goodly ordre of God without the whiche no house no citie no cōmon wealth can continue endure For where there is no right ordre there reigneth all abuse carnall libertie enormitie syn babilonicall cōfusion Take awaye kynges princes rulers magistrates iudges and such states of Gods ordre no man shal ride or go by the high waie vnrobbed no man shall slepe in his awne house or bed vnkilled no mā shall kepe his wife children possessions in quietne sall thynges shal be cōmon and there must nedes folow all mischief and vtter destructiō both of soules bodies goodes and common wealthes But blessed be God that we in this realme of England fele not the horrible calamities miseries wretchednes which al thei vndoubtedly fele suffre y t lacke this godly ordre And praised be God that we knowe the great excellēt benefite of god shewed towards vs in this behalfe God hath sente vs his high gifte our most dere souereigne lord king Edward y e sixt with godly wise and honorable coūsail with other superiors and inferiors in a beautifull ordre Wherefore let vs subiectes do our bounden duties geuing hartie thankes to God and praiyng for the preseruaciō of this Godly ordre Let vs al obey euen from the botome of our hartes al their Godly procedynges lawes statutes proclamacions and iniunctiōs with al other Godly orders Let vs considre the scriptures of the holy ghost whiche perswade cōmaunde vs all obediently to be subiect First chiefly to the kynges maiestie supreme had ouer all next to his honorable counsail and to all other noble men magistrates and officers which by Gods goodnes be placed and ordered for almightie God is the
striken from their bodyes The Athenians punyshed whoredome by death in lyke maner So lykewyse dyd the Barbarous Cartarians Emong the turkes euen at thys day they that bee taken in adultery bothe man woman are stoned streightewayes to death without mercy Thus se we what godly actes were deuised in tymes paste of the high powers for the puttyng awaye of whoredome for the mainteynyng of holy matrimony pure cōuersaciō And the aucthors of these actes were no christians but Heathen Yet were they so enflāmed with the loue of honestye and purenes of lyfe that for the maintenaūce conseruaciō of that they made godly statutes suffering neyther fornicaciō nor adultery to reigne in their realmes vnpunished Christ sayde to the people The Niniuites shall ryse at the iudgement with thys naciō meanyng the vnfaythful Iewes and shal condempne them For they repēted at the preachyng of Ionas but beholde sayeth he a greater thē Ionas is here meanynge hymselfe yet they repent not Shall not thynke you likewise the Locreusians Arabians Athenians with suche other ryse vp at the iudgement and condempne vs for asmuche as they ceased from whoredome at the commaundement of man and we haue the law and manifest preceptes of God and yet forsake we not our filthy conuersacion Truly truly it shalbe easier at the daye of iudgement to these Heathen then to vs except we repent and amende For althoughe death of body semeth to vs a greuous punyshment in this worlde for whoredome yet is that payn nothynge in comparison of the greuous tormentes whiche adulterers fornicatours and all vncleane persons shall suffer after thys lyfe For all suche shalbe excluded shut out of the kingdome of heauen as s. Paule saieth Be not deceiued for neyther whoremongers nor worshippers of Images nor adultrers nor softelinges nor Sodomites nor thefes nor couetous persons nor dronkards nor cursed speakers nor pyllers shall inherite the kyngdō of God And S. Ihon in hys reuelacion saieth that whoremongers shall haue their parte with murderers sorcerers enchaunters liars ydolaters such other in the lake whiche burneth with fyre brimstone which is the seconde death The punyshmēte of the bodye although it be death hath an ende but the punishment of the soule which s. Ihon calleth y e secōd death is euerlasting there shalbe fyre brimstone there shall be wepinge and gnashing of tethe the worme that shall there gnawe the conscience of the dampned shall neeur dye O whose hart distilleth not euen droppes of bloud to heare and consydre these thinges If we tremble and shake at the hearyng and naming of these paynes oh what shal they do that shall feele them that shall suffer theim yea and euer shal suffer worldes without ende god haue mercy vpon vs. Who is now so drowned in synne past all godlynes that he wyll set more by a fylthy and stynkyng pleasure whiche sone passeth away then by the losse of euerlasting glory Againe who will so geue himselfe to the lustes of the fleshe that he feareth nothynge at all the paynes of hell fyre But let vs heare howe we maye eschewe the synne of whoredome and adultery that we maye walke in the feare of God and bee free from those moste greuous and intollerable tormentes whiche abyde all vncleane persons To auoyde fornicaciō adultery and all vnclennes let vs prouide that aboue all thynges we maye kepe oure hartes pure and cleane from all euill thoughtes and carnal lustes For if that be once infected and corrupte we fall hedlonge into all kynde of vngodlynes Thys shal we easly do if when we fele inwardly that Sathan oure olde enemy tempteth vs vnto whoredō we by no meanes consente to hys craftye suggestions but valiauntly resiste and withstande hym by stronge fayth in the woorde of God obiectinge agaynst hym alwayes in oure harte this commaundemente of God Scriptum est non moechaberis It is written thou shalt not commit whoredome It shall be good also for vs euer to lyue in the feare of God and to set before oure eyes the greuous threateninges of God agaynste all vngodly synners and to consider in oure mynde howe fylthye beastly and shorte that pleasure is wherunto Sathan moueth vs And agayn how the payne appoynted for that sinne is intollerable and euerlasting Moreouer to vse a temperaūce sobrietie in eatyng drynkyng to eschewe vncleane cōmunicaciō to auoyde al fylthy company to flee ydlenes to delight in readynge holy scripture to watche in godly prayers vertuouse meditacions and at all tymes to exercise some godly trauayles shall helpe greatly vnto the eschewynge of whoredome And here are all degrees to be monyshed whether they be maryed or vnmaryed to loue chastitie and clennes of lyfe For the maryed are bounde by the lawe of God so purely to loue one an other that neyther of them seke any straunge loue The man muste onely cleue to hys wyfe and the wyfe agayne onely to her husband they muste so delighte one in an others companye that none of them couit any other And as they are bounde thus to lyue together in al godlines and honesty so likewyse is their duetye vertuously to brynge vp their chyldren and to prouide that they fall not into Sathans snare nor into any vnclennes but that they come pure and honeste vnto holy wedlocke when tyme requyreth So likewyse ought all masters and rulers to prouide that no whoredome nor any poynte of vnclennes be vsed emonge their seruauntes And agayne they that are single and feele in theim selfes that they cannot liue without the company of a woman let them get wifes of theyr awne and so lyue Godly together For it is better to mary then to burne And to auoyde fornicacion saieth the Apostle lette euery man haue hys awne wyfe and euerye woman her awne husbande Finally all suche as feele in themselfes a sufficiency and habilitie throughe the operacion of Gods spirite to leede a sole and contynent lyfe let them prayse God for his gifte and seke all meanes possible to maynteyne thesame As by readyng of holy scriptures by godly meditations by continuall prayers and suche other vertuous exercises If we all on this wyse wyll endeuour our selfes to eschewe fornicacion adultery and all vnclennes and leade oure lyfes in all Godlynes and honestye seruynge God with a pure and cleane harte and glorifiynge hym in oure bodies by leadynge an innocente lyfe we maye be sure to bee in the numbre of those of whome oure sauioure Christe speaketh in the Gospell on this maner Blessed are the pure in harte for they shall see God to whome alone be all glory honour rule and power worldes withoute ende AMEN ¶ An Homelie agaynst contencion and braulynge THys daye good christen people shalbe declared vnto you the vnprofitablenes and shamfull vnhonesty of contencion stryfe and debate to the entente that when you shall se as it were in a table paynted before your eyes the euilfauorednes