kepe our feaste the whole tearme of our lyfe with eatyng the bread of purenes of godly life and trueth of Christes doctrine Thus shal we declare that Christes giftes and graces haue their effect in vs and that we haue the ryght beleefe and knowledge of his holy resurrection where truely if we apply our fayth to the vertue thereof and in our lyfe confourme vs to the example signification meant thereby we shal be sure to ryse hereafter to euerlastyng glory by the goodnesse and mercie of our Lord Jesus Christ to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all glory thankes geuyng and prayse in infinita seculorum secula Amen ¶ An homilee of the worthy receauyng and reuerent esteeming of the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christe THE great loue of our Sauiour Christ towardes mankynd good Christian people doth not onlye appeare in that deare bought benefite of our redemption saluation by his death passiō but also in that he so kindlye prouided that the same most mercyful worke myght be had in continual remembraunce to take some place in vs and not be frustrate of his ende and purpose For as tender parentes are not content to procure for their chyldren costly possessions and liuelode but take order that the same may be conserued and come to their vse So our Lorde and sauiour thought it not sufficient to purchase for vs his fathers fauour agayne whiche is that deepe fountayne of all goodnesse and eternall lyfe but also inuented the wayes most wysely whereby they myght redound to our commoditie profite Amongst the which meanes is the publique celebration of the memorie of his pretious death at the Lordes table Whiche although it seeme of small vertue to some yet beyng ryghtly done by the faythfull it doth not onlye helpe their weaknesse who be by their poysoned nature redyer to remember iniuries then benefites but strengthneth comforteth their in ward man with peace gladnesse and maketh them thankfull to their redeemer with diligent care and godly conuersation And as of olde tyme God decreed his wonderous benefites of the delyueraunce of his people to be kepte in memorie by the eatyng of the passeouer with his rites and ceremonies So our louyng Sauiour hath ordeyned and establyshed the remembraunce of his great mercie expressed in his passion in the institution of his heauenly supper where euery one of vs must be ghestes and not gasers eaters and not lookers seedyng our selues and not hiryng other to feede for vs that we may lyue by our owne meate and not perishe for hunger whiles other deuour all To this his commaundement forceth vs saying Do ye thus drinke ye all of this To this his promise enticeth This is my body whiche is geuen for you this is my blood whiche is shed for you So then as of necessitie we muste be our selues partakers of this table and not beholders of other So we must addresse our selues to frequent the same in reuerent and due maner least as phisike prouided for the body beyng misused more hurteth then profiteth so this comfortable medicine of the soule vndecently receaued tendeth to our greater harme and sorow And saint Paul sayth He that eateth and drynketh vnworthyly eateth and drynketh his owne dampnation Wherefore that it be not saide to vs as it was to the ghest of that great supper Freende howe camest thou in not hauing the mariage garment And that we maye fruitfully vse Saint Paules counsell Let a man proue hym selfe and so eate of that bread and drynke of that cuppe We muste certaynelye knowe that three thynges be requisite in hym which woulde seemely as becommeth suche hygh mysteries resorte to the Lordes table That is Fyrste a ryght and a worthye estimation and vnderstandyng of this mysterie Secondely to come in a sure fayth And thirdely to haue newenesse or purenesse of lyfe to succeede the receauing the same But before all other thynges this we must be sure of especially that this Supper be in suche wyse done and ministred as our Lorde and sauiour did and commaunded to be done as his holy Apostles vsed it and the good fathers in the primatiue Churche frequented it For as that worthy man saint Ambrose sayth he is vnworthy of the Lord that otherwise doth celebrate that mysterie then it was delyuered by him Neither can he be deuout that other waies doth presume thē it was geuen by the aucthor We must then take heede leaste of the memorie it be made a sacrifice least of a cōmunion it be made a priuate eatyng least of two partes we haue but one least applying it for the dead we lose the fruit that be aliue Let vs rather in these matters folowe the aduice of Ciprian in the lyke cases that is cleaue fast to the firste beginnyng holde fast the Lordes tradition do that in the Lordes cōmemoration which he him selfe did he him selfe commaunded his apostles confirmed This caution or foresight yf we vse then may we see to those thynges that be requisit in the worthy receauer wherof this was the fyrste that we haue a ryght vnderstandyng of the thyng it selfe As concerning which thing this we maye assuredlye perswade our selues that the ignoraunt man can neyther worthyly esteeme nor effectually vse those marueilous graces and benefites offered and exhibited in that Supper but eyther wyll lightly regarde them to no small offence or vtterly condempne them to his vtter destruction So that by his negligence he deserueth the plagues of God to fall vppon hym and by contempt he deserueth euerlastyng perdition To auoyde then these harmes vse the aduice of the wyse man who wylleth thee when thou sittest at an earthlye kynges table to take diligent heede what thinges are set before thee So nowe much more at the kyng of kynges table thou must carefully searche and knowe what dainties are prouided for thy soule whyther thou art come not to feede thy senses and belly to corruption but thy in warde man to immortalitie and lyfe nor to consyder the earthlye creatures whiche thou seest but the heauenlye graces which thy fayth beholdeth For this table is not sayth Chrisostome for chattering Jayes but for Egles who flee thither where the dead bodye lyeth And yf this aduertisement of man can not perswade vs to resorte to the lordes table with vnderstandyng see the counsell of GOD in the lyke matter who charged his people to teache their posteritie not onlye the rites and ceremonies of the Passouer but the cause and ende thereof Whence we may learne that both more perfect knowledge is required at this tyme at our handes and that the ignoraunt can not with fruite and profite exercise hym selfe in the Lordes Sacramentes But to come nygher to the matter Saint Paul blaming the Corinthians for the prophaning of the Lordes supper concludeth that ignoraunce both of the thing it selfe and the signification thereof was the cause of their abuse for they came thither
turne agayne vnfaignedly vnto god The inconueniences and mischeefes that come of idlenes aswel to mans body as to his soule are more then can in short time be well rehearsed Some we shall declare and open vnto you that by consyderyng them ye may the better with your selues gather the rest An idle hande sayth Salomon maketh poore but a quicke labouring hand maketh rich Agayne he that tillleth his lande shall haue plenteousnesse of bread but he that floweth in idlenesse is a very foole and shall haue pouertie enough Agayne a slouthfull body wyl not go to plowe for colde of the winter therefore shal he go a beggyng in sommer and haue nothyng But what shall we nede to stand much about the prouing of this that pouertie foloweth idlenesse We haue to much experience therof the thing is the more to be lamented in this Realme For a great part of the beggery that is amōg the poore can be imputed to nothyng so muche as to idlenesse and to the negligence of parents which do not bryng vp their chyldren eyther in good learnyng honest labour or some commendable occupation or trade wherby when they come to age they myght get their liuing Dayly experience also teacheth that nothyng is more enemie or pernicious to the health of mans bodye then is idlenesse to much ease and sleepe and want of exercise But these and suche lyke incommodities albeit they be great noysome yet because they concerne chiefely the body and externall goodes they are not to be compared with the mischeefes inconueniences which through idlenesse happen to the soule whereof we wyll recite some Idlenes is neuer alone but hath alwaies a long tayle of other vices hanging on whiche corrupt and infect the whole man after such sort that he is made at length nothyng els but a lumpe of sinne Idlenesse sayth Jesus Syrach bringeth much euill and mischeefe Saint Barnarde calleth it the mother of al euyls and stepdame of all vertues addyng moreouer that it doth prepare and as it were treade the way to hell fyre Where idlenesse is once receaued there the deuill is alwaies redy to set in his foote and to plant al kind of wickednesse and sinne to the euerlasting destruction of mans soule Whiche thing to be most true we are plainely taught in the. xiii of Matthewe where it is sayde That the enemie came while men were a sleepe sowed naughtie tares among the good wheate In verye deede the best tyme that the deuyll can haue to worke his feate is when men be a sleepe that is to say idle Then is he moste busie in his worke then doth he soonest catch men in the snare of perdition then doth he fill them with all iniquitie to bryng them without Gods speciall fauour vnto vtter destruction Hereof we haue two notable examples most liuely set before our eyes The one in kyng Dauid who tarying at home idelly as the scripture sayth at suche tymes as other kynges go foorth to battaile was quicklye seduced of Satan to forsake the Lord his God and to commit two greeuous abominable sinnes in his sight adultrie and murther The plagues that ensued these offences were horrible and greeuous as it may easyly appeare to them that wyl reade the story Another example of Sampson who so long as be warred with the Philistines enemies to the people of God could neuer be taken or ouercome But after that he gaue him selfe to ease and idlenesse he not onlye committed fornication with the strumpet Dalila but also was taken of his enemies and had his eyes miserablie put out was put in prison and compelled to grinde in a myl and at length was made the laughing stock of his enemies If these two who were so excellēt men so welbeloued of God so endued with singuler and deuine giftes the one namelye of prophesie and the other of strength and such men as neuer coulde by vexation labour or trouble be ouercome were ouerthrowen and fell into greeuous sinnes by geuing them selues for a short time to ease and idlenesse and so consequently incurred miserable plagues at the handes of God What sinne what mischeefe what inconuenience and plague is not to be feared of them whiche all theyr lyfe long geue them selues wholye to idlenesse and ease Let vs not deceaue our selues thynkyng litle hurte to come of doyng nothyng For it is a true saying When one doth nothing he learneth to do euyll Let vs therefore alwayes be doyng of some honest worke that the deuill maye finde vs occupied He hym selfe is euer occupied neuer idle but walketh continually seekyng to deuoure vs Let vs resist hym with our diligent watching in labour and in well doyng For he that diligently exerciseth hym selfe in honest businesse is not easily catched in the deuils snare When man through idlenesse or for default of some honest occupation or trade to liue vpon is brought to pouertie and want of thinges necessarie we see howe easyly suche a man is induced for his gaine to lye to practise howe he maye deceaue his neyghbour to foresweare him selfe to beare false witnesse and oftentimes to steale and murther or to vse some other vngodly meane to liue withall Whereby not onlye his good name honest reputation and a good conscience yea his life is vtterly loste but also the great displeasure and wrath of God with diuers and sundry greuous plagues are procured Lo here the ende of the idle and sluggishe bodyes whose handes can not away with honest labour losse of name fame reputation life here in this worlde and without the great mercie of god the purchasyng of euerlasting destruction in the worlde to come Haue not al men then good cause to beware and take heede of idlenesse seeyng they that embrace and folowe it haue commonly of their pleasant idlenesse sharpe and sowre displeasures Doubtlesse good and godly men waying the great and manifold harme that come by idlenesse to a common weale haue from tyme to tyme prouided with all diligence that sharpe and seuere lawes myght be made for the correction and amendement of this euill The Egyptians had a lawe that euery man should weekely bryng his name to the chiefe rulers of the prouince there withall declare what trade of life he occupied to thintent that idlenesse myght be worthyly punished and diligent labour duely rewarded The Athenians dyd chastice sluggishe and slouthful people no lesse then they dyd heynous greeuous offenders consydering as the trueth is that idlenesse causeth much mischeefe The Arreopagites called euery man to a strayght accompt howe he lyued And yf they founde anye loyterers that dyd not profite the common weale by one meanes or other they were driuen out and banished as vnprofitable members that dyd onlye hurt and corrupt the body And in this Realme of Englande good and godlye lawes haue ben diuers times made that no idle vagaboundes and loytring runnagates should be suffered to go from towne
we be so myndful of our common base houses deputed to so lowe occupying And be forgetfull toward that house of God wherin be ministred the wordes of our eternall saluation wherein be intreated the Sacramentes and mysteries of our redemption The fountaine of our regeneration is there presented to vs the partaking of the body and blood of our Sauiour Christe is there offered vnto vs And shal we not esteeme the place where so heauenly thinges be handled Wherefore if ye haue any reuerence to the seruice of God if ye haue any common honestie if ye haue any conscience in keeping of necessary and godly ordinaunces kepe your churches in good repayre wherby ye shal not onely please God and deserue his manifolde blessinges but also deserue the good report of all godly people The seconde poynt whiche apparteyneth to the mayntenaunce of Gods house is to haue it well adourned comely cleane kept Whiche thinges maye be the more easylye perfourmed when the Churche is well repayred For lyke as men are wel refreshed and comforted when they fynde their houses hauing all thinges in good order and all corners cleane and sweete So when Gods house the Churche is well adourned with places conuenient to sit in with the pulpit for the preacher with the Lordes table for the ministration of his holy supper with the Fonte to Christen in and also is kept cleane comely and sweetely the people is the more desyrous and the more comforted to resort thyther and to tarrye there the whole tyme appoynted them With what earnestnesse with what vehement zeale did our Sauiour Christ driue the byers and sellers out of the temple of God and hurled downe the tables of the chaungers of mony and the seates of the doue sellers and could not abyde that any man should cary a vessel through the temple He tolde them that they had made his fathers house a denne of theeues partelye through their superstition hypocrisie false worship false doctrine and insatiable couetousnes and partly through contempt abusing that place with walking and talking with worldly matters without all feare of God and due reuerence to that place What dennes of theeues the Churches of Englande haue ben made by the blasphemous bying and selling the moste precious body and blood of Christe in the Masse as the worlde was made to beleue at Diriges at monthes myndes in trentalles in abbeyes and chauntries beside other horrible abuses Gods holy name be blessed for euer we no we see and vnderstande All these abominations they that supplie the roome of Christe haue cleansed and purged the Churches of Englande of takyng awaye all suche fulsumnesse and filthynesse as through blynde deuotion and ignoraunce hath crept into the Churche this manye hundred yeres Wherefore O ye good Christian people ye dearelye beloued in Christ Jesu ye that glory not in worldly and vaine religion in phantasticall adourning and decking but reioyce in heart to see the glory of God truelye set foorth and the Churches restored to their auncient and godly vse render your most harty thankes to the goodnesse of almightie God who hath in our dayes styrred vp the hearts not onely of his godly preachers and ministers but also of his faythfull and most Christian magistrates and gouernours to bring suche godly thinges to passe And forasmuche as your Churches are scoured and swept from the sinnefull and superstitious fylthynesse wherewith they were defiled and disfigured Do ye your partes good people to kepe your Churches comely and cleane suffer them not to be defyled with rayne and weather with dounge of doues and owles stares choughes and other filthinesse as it is soule and lamentable to beholde in many places of this countrey It is the house of prayer not the house of talking of walking of â—rawling of minstrelsie of hawkes of dogges Prouoke not the displeasure and plagues of God for despysing and abusing his holy house as the wicked Jewes did But haue God in your hart be obedient to his blessed wil bynde your selues euery man and woman to their power towarde the reparations and cleane keeping of your Church to the entent ye may be partakers of Gods manifolde blessings and that ye may be the better encouraged to resort to your parish churche there to learne your duties toward God and your neighbour there to be present and partakers of Christes holye sacramentes there to render thankes to your heauenly father for the manifolde benefites whiche he dayly powreth vppon you there to pray together and to call vppon Gods holye name whiche be blessed worlde without ende ⧠An Homilee of good workes And first of Fasting THE lyfe whiche we liue in this worlde good Christian people is of the free benefite of God lent vs yet not to vse it at our pleasure after our own fleshly wil but to trade ouer the same in those workes which are beseeming them that are become new creatures in christ These workes the Apostle calleth good workes saying We are Gods workemanship created in Christ Jesu to good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them And yet his meaning is not by these words to induce vs to haue any affiaunce or to put anye confidence in our workes as by the merite and deseruing of them to purchase to our selues and others remission of sinne so consequently euerlasting lyfe for that were mere blasphemie against Gods mercy and great derogation to the bloodshedding of our sauiour Jesus Christe For it is of the free grace mercy of God by the mediation of the blood of his sonne Jesus Christ without merite or deseruing on our part that our sinues are forgeuen vs that we are reconciled and brought agayne into his fauour and are made heyres of his heauenly kyngdome Grace sayth S. Augustine belongeth to God who doth call vs and then hath he good works whosoeuer receaued grace Good workes then bring not foorth grace but are brought foorth by grace The wheele sayeth he turneth rounde not to the ende that it maye be made rounde but because it is firste made rounde therefore it turneth round So no man doth good workes to receaue grace by his good workes but because he hath first receaued grace therefore consequentlye he doth good workes And in another place he sayth Good workes go not before in him whiche shall afterwarde be iustified but good workes do folow after when a man is first iustified Saynt Paule therefore teacheth that we must do good workes for dyuers respectes First to shewe our selues obedient children vnto our heauenly father who hath ordeyned them that we shoulde walke in them Secondly for that they are good declarations and testimonies of our iustification Thirdly that others seing our good workes may the rather by them be stirred vp and excited to glorifie our father which is in heauen Let vs not therefore be slacke to do good workes seyng it is the will of God that we should walke in them assuring
made without faith in hym on whom they call but that we must first beleeue in hym before we can make our prayers vnto hym whereuppon we must only and solely pray vnto god For to say that we shoulde beleeue eyther in angell or saint or in any other liuing creature were more horrible blasphemie against God and his holy worde neither ought this fancie to enter into the heart of any Christian man because we are expressly taught in the worde of the Lorde only to repose our fayth in the blessed trinitie in whose only name we are also baptized according to the expresse commaundement of our sauiour Jesus Christe in the last of Matthewe But that the trueth hereof may the better appeare euen to them that be moste simple and vnlearned let vs consider what prayer is Saint Augustine calleth it a liftyng vp of the mynde to God that is to say an humble and lowly powring out of the heart to god Isidorus sayth that it is an affection of the heart and not alabour of the lippes So that by these places true prayer doth consist not so muche in the outward sounde and voyce of wordes as in the inwarde gronyng and crying of the heart to God. Nowe then is there any angell any virgin any patriarche or prophete among the dead that can vnderstand or knowe the meanyng of the heart The scriptures sayth it is God that searcheth the heart and raynes and that he only knoweth the heartes of the chyldren of men As for the saintes they haue so litle knowledge of the secretes of the heart that many of the auncient fathers greatly doubt whether they knowe any thing at al that is commonly done on earth And albeit some thynke they do yet saint Augustine a Doctour of great aucthoritie and also antiquitie hath this opinion of them that they knowe no more what we do on earth then we know what they do in heauen For proofe wherof he alleageth the wordes of Esai the prophete where it is sayde Abraham is ignoraunt of vs and Israel knoweth vs not His mynde therefore is this not that we shoulde put any religion in worshyppyng them or praying vnto them but that we shoulde honour them by folowyng their vertuous and godly lyfe For as he witnesseth in an other place the martyrs and holy men in tymes past were wont after their death to be remembred and named of the prieste at diuine seruice but neuer to be inuocated or called vpon And why so because the prieste sayth he is Gods priest and not theirs Whereby he is bounde to call vpon God and not vpon them Thus you see that the aucthoritie both of scripture and also of Augustine doth not permit that we should pray vnto them O that al men would studiously reade and searche the scriptures then shoulde they not be drowned in ignoraunce but shoulde easily perceaue the trueth aswell of this poynt of doctrine as of all the rest For there doth the holy ghost playnely teache vs that Christe is our only mediatour and intercessour with God and that we muste seeke and runne to no other If any man sinneth saith saint John we haue an aduocate with the father Jesus Christe the ryghteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes Saint Paul also sayth There is one God and one mediatour betweene God and man euen the man Jesus Christe Whereunto agreeth the testimonie of our sauiour hym selfe witnessing that no man commeth to the father but onely by hym who is the way the trueth the life yea and the only dore whereby we muste enter into the kingdome of heauen because GOD is pleased in no other but in hym For whiche cause also he cryeth and calleth vnto vs that we shoulde come vnto hym saying Come vnto me all ye that labour and be heauie laden and I shall refreshe you Woulde Christe haue vs so necessarily come vnto hym and shall we moste vnthankfully leaue hym and runne vnto other This is euen that whiche God so greatly complayneth of by his prophet Ieremie saying My people haue committed two great offences they haue forsaken me the fountaine of the waters of lyfe and haue digged to them selues broken pits that can holde no water Is not that man thinke you vnwyse that wyll runne for water to a litle brooke when he may aswell go to the head spryng Euen so may his wisedome be iustly susspected that wyll flee vnto saintes in tyme of necessitie when he may boldly and without feare declare his greefe and direct his prayer vnto the Lorde himselfe If God were straunge or daungerous to be talked withall then myght we iustly drawe backe and seeke to some other But the Lorde is nygh vnto them that call vppon hym in fayth and trueth and the prayer of the humble and meeke hath alwayes pleased hym What if we be sinners shall we not therefore pray vnto God or shall we dispayre to obteyne any thyng at his handes Why dyd Christe then teache vs to aske forgeuenesse of our sinnes saying And forgeue vs our trespasses as we forgeue them that trespasse agaynst vs Shall we thynke that the saintes are more mercifull in hearing sinners then God Dauid sayth that the Lorde is full of compassion and mercy slowe to anger and of great kyndnesse Saint Paul sayth that he is riche in mercy towardes all them that call vppon hym And he hymselfe by the mouth of his prophet Esai sayth For a litle while haue I forsaken thee but with great compassion wyll I gather thee For a moment in myne anger I haue hid my face from thee but with euerlastyng mercy haue I had compassion vpon thee Therefore the sinnes of any man ought not to withholde hym from praying vnto the Lorde his god But if he be truely penitent and stedfast in fayth let him assure him selfe that the Lorde wylbe mercifull vnto hym and heare his prayers O but I dare not wyll some man say trouble God at all times with my prayers We see that in kinges houses courtes of princes men can not be admitted vnlesse they fyrst vse the helpe and meane of some speciall noble man to come vnto the speache of the kyng and to obtayne the thing that they woulde haue To this reason doth saint Ambrose aunswere verye well writing vppon the first Chapter to the Romanes Therefore sayth he we vse to go vnto the king by officers and noble men because the kyng is a mortall man and knoweth not to whom he maye commit the gouernment of the common wealth But to haue God our frende from whom nothing is hid we nede not any helper that should further vs with his good worde but only a deuoute and godlye minde And yf it be so that we neede one to entreate for vs why maye we not content our selues with that one mediatour whiche is at the ryght hande of God the father and there
the same that they choose continually to abyde and dwell in sinne The thyrde sorte he calleth scorners that is a sorte of men whose heartes are so stuffed with mallyce that they are not contented to dwell in sinne and to leade their lyues in all kynde of wickednesse but also they do contempne and scorne in other all godlinesse true religion all honestie and vertue Of the two first sortes of men I will not say but they may take repentaunce and be conuerted vnto god Of the third sort I thinke I may without daunger of gods iudgement pronounce that neuer anye yet conuerted vnto God by repentaunce but continued on still in their abhominable wyckednesse heaping vp to them selues damnation agaynst the day of Gods ineuitable iudgement Examples of such scorners we reade in the seconde booke of Chronicles When the good kyng Ezechias in the beginnyng of his raygne had destroyed idolatrie purged the temple and refourmed religion in his Realme he sent messengers into euerye Citie to gather the people vnto Hierusalem to solemnize the feast of Easter in such sort as God had appoynted The postes went from citie to citie through the land of Ephraim and Manasses euen vnto Zabulon And what did the people thinke ye Did they laude and prayse the name of the Lorde whiche had geuen them so good a kinge so zelous a Prince to abolish idolatrie and to restore againe Gods true religion No no. The scripture sayeth The people laughed them to scorne and mocked the kynges messengers And in the laste Chapter of the same booke it is written that almyghtie God hauing compassion vppon his people sent his messengers the Prophetes vnto them to call them from their abhominable idolatrie and wicked kinde of liuing But they mocked his messengers they dispised his wordes misused his Prophetes vntill the wrathe of the Lord arose against his people and till there was no remedie For he gaue them vp into the hands of their enemies euen vnto Nabucodonozar kyng of Babilon who spoiled thē of their goods brent their citie and led them their wyues and their children captiues vnto Babylon The wicked people that were in the dayes of Noe made but a mocke at the worde of God when Noe tolde them that God woulde take vengeaunce vppon them for their sinnes The fludde therefore came sodainely vpon them and drowned them with the whole worlde Lot preached to the Sodomites that except they repented both they and their Citie shoulde be destroyed They thought his sayings impossible to be true they scorned and mocked his admonition and reputed him as an olde doting foole But when God by his holy angels had taken Lot his wyfe and two daughters from among them he raigned downe fyre and brymstone from heauen and brent vp those scorners and mockers of his holye worde And what estimation had Christes doctrine among the Scribes and Pharisees What rewarde had he among them The Gospell reporteth thus The Pharisees whiche were couetous did scorne him in his doctrine O then ye see that worldly riche men scorne the doctrine of their saluation The worldly wyse men scorne the doctrine of Christe as foolishenesse to their vnderstanding These scorners haue euer ben and euer shal be to the worldes ende For Saint Peter prophesied that suche scorners shoulde be in the worlde before the latter daye Take heede therefore my brethren take heede be ye not scorners of Gods most holy worde prouoke him not to powre out his wrath now vpon you as he did then vppon those gybers and mockers Be not wilfull murderers of your owne soules Turne vnto God whyle there is yet tyme of mercye ye shall els repent it in the worlde to come when it shal be to late for there shall be iudgement without mercy This might suffise to admonishe vs and cause vs henceforth to reuerence Gods holy scriptures but all men haue not faith This therfore shal not satisfy and content al mens mindes but as some are carnal so they will stil continue abuse the scriptures carnally to their greater dampnation The vnlearned and vnstable saith saint Peter paruerte the holy scriptures to their owne destruction Jesus Christ as saint Paul sayth is to the Jewes an offence to the Gentiles foolishnesse But to Gods children as wel of the Jewes as of the Gentiles he is the power and wisdome of god The holy man Simeon sayeth that he is set foorth for the fall and rysing againe of many in Israel As Christe Jesus is a fall to the reprobate which yet perishe through their owne default So is his worde yea the whole booke of God a cause of dampnation vnto them through their incredulitie And as he is a rysing vp to none other then those whiche are Gods children by adoption So is his worde yea the whole scripture the power of God to saluation to them onelye that do beleue it Christe him selfe the Prophetes before him the apostles after him all the true ministers of Gods holye worde yea euery worde in Gods booke is vnto the reprobate the sauour of death vnto death Christ Jesus the prophetes the apostles and all the true ministers of his worde yea euery iot and title in the holy scripture haue ben is and shal be for euermore the sauour of lyfe vnto eternall lyfe vnto all those whose heartes God hath purified by true fayth Let vs earnestlye take heede that we make no iesting stocke of the bookes of holy scriptures The more obscure and darke the sayinges be to our vnderstanding the further let vs thinke our selues to be from God and his holye spirite who was the aucthour of them Let vs with more reuerence endeuour our selues to searche out the wisdome hidden in the outwarde barke of the scripture If we can not vnderstand the sense and the reason of the saying yet let vs not be scorners iesters and deryders for that is the vttermost token and shewe of a reprobate of a playne enemie to God and his wysdome They be not ydle fables to iest at whiche God doth seriouslye pronounce and for serious matters let vs esteeme them And though in sundrye places of the scriptures be set out diuers rites and ceremonies oblations sacrifices let vs not thynke straunge of them but referre them to the tymes and people for whom they serued although yet to learned men they be not vnprofitable to be cōsydered but to be expounded as figures and shadowes of thinges and persons afterwarde openlye reuealed in the new Testament Though the rehearsall of the genealogies petegrees of the fathers be not to much edification of the playne ignoraunt people yet is there nothyng so impartinently vttered in all the whole booke of the Byble but may serue to spirituall purpose in some respecte to all suche as will bestowe theyr labours to searche out the meanynges These may not be condemned because they serue not to our vnderstandyng nor make not to our edification But let vs turne our labour to
this a full perfect and blessed estate Coulde any thing els be well added hereunto or greater felicitie desyred in this worlde But as the common nature of all men is in tyme of prosperitie and wealth to forget not only them selues but also God Euen so did this first man Adam who hauing but one commaundement at Gods hande namely that he shoulde not eate of the fruite of knowledge of good ill dyd not withstanding most vnmindefully or rather moste wylfully breake it in forgetting the straight charge of his maker and geuing eare to the craftie suggestion of that wicked serpent the deuill Whereby it came to passe that as before he was blessed so nowe he was accursed as before he was loued so now he was abhorred as before he was most beautifull and pretious so nowe he was moste vyle and wretched in the sight of his Lorde and maker Insteade of the image of God he was nowe become the image of the deuill Insteade of the citezin of heauen he was become the bondslaue of hell hauing in hym selfe no one part of his former puritie cleannesse but being altogether spotted defiled insomuch that nowe he seemed to be nothing els but a lumpe of sinne and therfore by the iust iudgement of god was condempned to euerlasting death This so great and miserable a plague if it had only rested on Adam who first offended it had ben so muche the easyer and myght the better haue ben borne But it fell not only on hym but also on his posteritie children for euer so that the whole broode of Adams flesh should sustaine the selfe same fall punishment which their forefather by his offence most iustly had deserued Saint Paul in the fifth Chapter to the Romanes sayth By the offence of onlye Adam the fault came vpon all men to condempnation by one mans disobedience many were made sinners By which words we are taught that as in Adam al men vniuersally sinned so in Adam all men vniuersally receaued the reward of sinne that is to say became mortall subiect vnto death hauing in them selues nothyng but euerlasting dampnation both of body and soule They became as Dauid sayth corrupt abominable they went all out of the way there was none that dyd good no not one O what a miserable wofull state was this that the synne of one man should destroy and condempne al men that nothyng in all the worlde might be looked for but only pangues of death paynes of hell Had it ben any maruaile if mankinde had ben vtterlie driuen to desperation beyng thus fallen from life to death from saluation to destruction from heauen to hell But beholde the great goodnes tender mercie of god in this behalf Albeit mans wickednes sinfull behauiour was such that it deserued not in any part to be forgeuē yet to the intent he might not be cleane destitute of al hope and comfort in tyme to come he ordeyned a new couenaunt made a sure promise thereof namely that he would send a Messias or mediatour into the world which shoulde make intercession put him selfe as a stay betweene both parties to pacifie the wrath indignation conceaued against sinne to deliuer man out of the miserable curse and cursed miserie wherinto he was fallen headlong by disobeying the wyll commaundement of the only Lord maker This couenaunt and promise was first made vnto Adam him selfe immediatly after his fall as we reade in the thirde of Genesis where God sayd to the serpent on this wyse I wyll put enmitie betweene thee and the woman betweene thy seede her seede He shall breake thyne head thou shalt bruse his heele After warde the selfe same couenaunt was also more amplie plainely renued vnto Abraham where God promised him that in his seede all nations families of the earth should be blessed Agayne it was continued and confirmed vnto Isahac in the same fourme of wordes as it was before vnto his father And to the intent that mankinde myght not dispaire but alwayes lyue in hope almightie god neuer ceassed to publishe repeate confirme continue the same by diuers and sundrye testimonies of his prophetes who for the better perswasion of the thing prophesied the tyme the place the maner and circumstaunce of his birth the affliction of his life the kinde of his death the glory of his resurrection the receauing of his kingdome the deliueraunce of his people with all other circumstaunces belonging thereunto Esaias prophesied that he should be borne of a virgin and called Emanuel Micheas prophesied that he shoulde be borne in Bethlehem a place of Jurie Ezechiel prophesied that he shoulde come of the stocke and lynage of Dauid Daniel prophesied that all nations and languages shoulde serue him Zacharie prophesied that he should come in pouertie riding vpon an Asse Malachie prophesied that he shoulde sende Elias before him whiche was John the Baptist. Hieremie prophesied that he should be solde for thirtie peeces of siluer c. And all this was done that the promise couenaunt of God made vnto Abraham his posteritie concerning the redemption of the worlde myght be credited and fully beleued Nowe as the Apostle Paul sayth when the fulnesse of time was come that is the perfection and course of yeres appoynted from the beginning then God accordyng to his former couenaunt and promise sent a Messias otherwyse called a mediatour vnto the worlde not such a one as Moyses was not such a one as Josua Saul or Dauid was but suche a one as shoulde deliuer mankinde from the bitter curse of the lawe and make perfect satisfaction by his death for the sinnes of all people namely he sent his deare and only sonne Jesus Christ made as the Apostle sayth of a woman and made vnder the lawe that he might redeeme them that were in bondage of the lawe make thē the chyldren of God by adoption Was not this a wonderfull great loue towardes vs that were his professed and open enemies towardes vs that were by nature the children of wrath and fyrebrandes of hell fyre In this sayth Saint John appeared the great loue of God that he sent his onlye begotten sonne into the worlde to saue vs when we were his extreme enemies Herein is loue not that we loued him but that he loued vs and sent his sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes Saint Paul also sayth Christ when we were yet of no strength dyed for vs being vngodlye Doubtlesse a man wyll scarse dye for a ryghteous man Peraduenture some one durst dye for him of whom they haue receaued good But god setteth out his loue towardes vs in that he sent Christe to dye for vs when we were yet voyde of all goodnesse This and such other comparisons doth the Apostle vse to amplifie and set forth the tender mercie great goodnes of God declared towardes mankinde in sendyng downe a sauiour from heauen euen Christe
he rose from death to lyfe in that he ascended into heauen and so foorth What other thing dyd he shew therein but only that he was perfect god coequal with the father as touching his deitie Therfore he sayth The father and I are all one which is to be vnderstood of his godhead For as touching his manhood he sayth The father is greater theÌ„ I am Where are nowe those Marcionites that denie Christ to haue ben borne in the fleshe or to haue ben perfect man Where are nowe those Arians whiche denye Christe to haue ben perfect God of equall substaunce with the father If there be any suche ye may easyly reproue them with these testimonies of Gods word and such other Wherevnto I am most sure they shall neuer be able to aunswere For the necessitie of our saluation dyd requyre such a mediatour sauiour as vnder one person should be a partaker of both natures It was requisite he shoulde be man it was also requisite he shoulde be god For as the transgression came by man so was it meete the satisfaction shoulde be made by man And because death accordyng to S. Paul is the iust stipende and rewarde of sinne therfore to appease the wrath of God and to satisfie his iustice it was expedient that our mediatour shoulde be suche a one as might take vpon him the sinnes of mankinde and sustayne the due punishment therof namely death Moreouer he came in fleshe and in the selfe same fleshe ascended into heauen to declare and testifie vnto vs that all faithfull people whiche stedfastly beleue in hym shall likewyse come vnto the same mansion place whereunto he beyng our chiefe captayne is gone before Last of all he became man that we thereby might receaue the greater comfort as well in our prayers as also in our aduersitie consydering with our selues that we haue a mediatour that is true man as we are who also is touched with our infirmities and was tempted eueÌ„ in like sort as we are For these and sundry other causes it was most nedefull he shoulde come as he dyd in the fleshe But because no creature in that he is onlye a creature hath or maye haue power to destroye death and geue lyfe to ouercome hell and purchase heauen to remit sinnes and geue ryghteousnesse therefore it was needefull that our MeÌ„ssias whose proper duetie and office that was shoulde be not onlye full and perfect man but also full and perfect GOD to the entent he myght more fully and perfectly make satisfaction for mankind God sayth This is my welbeloued sonne in whom I am wel pleased By which place we learne that Christ appeased and quenched the wrath of his father not in that he was only the sonne of man But muche more in that he was the sonne of God. Thus ye haue hearde declared out of the scriptures that Jesus Christe was the true Messias and sauiour of the world that he was by nature substaunce perfect God and perfect man and for what cause it was expedient he should be so Nowe that we may be the more mindefull and thankefull vnto God in this behalfe let vs briefly consyder and call to minde the manifolde and great benefites that we haue receaued by the Natiuitie and byrth of this our Messias and sauiour Before Christes comming into the worlde all men vniuersally in Adam were nothyng els but a wicked and crooked generation rotten and corrupt trees stony ground ful of brambles and bryers lost sheepe prodigall sonnes naughtie and vnprofitable seruauntes vnryghteous stewardes workers of iniquitie the broode of Adders blind guides sitting in darknesse and in the shadowe of death to be shorte nothyng els but chyldren of perdition and inheritours of hell fyre To this doth saint Paul beare witnesse in diuers places of his Epistles and Christe also him selfe in sundrye places of his Gospell But after he was once come downe froÌ„ heauen and had taken our frayle nature vppon hym he made all them that woulde receaue hym truely and beleue his word good trees good ground fruitefull and pleasaunt braunches chyldren of light citezins of heauen sheepe of his folde members of his body heyres of his kyngdome his true freendes and brethren sweete and liuely bread the elect and chosen people of god For as saint Peter sayth in his fyrst Epistle and seconde Chapter He bare our sinnes in his body vppon the crosse he healed vs made vs whole by his stripes and whereas before we were sheepe going astray he by his comming brought vs home agayne to the true shephearde and Byshop of our soules makyng vs a chosen generatioÌ„ a royall priesthood an holy nation a peculier people of GOD in that he dyed for our offences and rose agayne for our iustification Saint Paul to Timothie the thirde Chapter We were sayth he in tymes past vn wyse disobedient deceaued seruing diuers lustes and pleasures liuyng in hatred enuie maliciousnesse and so foorth But after the louing kindnesse of God our Sauiour appeared towardes mankynde not accordyng to the ryghteousnesse that we had done but accordyng to his great mercie he saued vs by the fountayne of the newe byrth and by the renewyng of the holy ghost whiche he powred vpon vs aboundauntly through Jesus Christe our sauiour that we beyng once iustified by his grace shoulde be heyres of eternaâ—l lyfe through hope and fayth in his blood In these and suche other places is set out before our eyes as it were in a glasse the aboundaunt grace of God receaued in Christ Jesu whiche is so muche the more wonderfull because it came not of any desert of ours but of his meere tender mercy euen then when we were his extreme enemies But for the better vnderstanding and consyderation of this thyng let vs beholde the ende of his comming so shall we perceaue what great commoditie and profite his Natiuitie hath brought vnto vs miserable and sinful creatures The ende of his comming was to saue and deliuer his people to fulfill the law for vs to beare witnesse vnto the trueth to teache and preache the wordes of his father to geue light vnto the world to cal sinners to repentaunce the refreshe them that labour and be heauy laden to cast out the prince of this worlde to reconcile vs in the body of his fleshe to desolue the workes of the deuill last of all to become a propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours onelye but also for the sinnes of the whole worlde These were the cheefe endes wherefore Christ became man not for any profit that should come to him selfe thereby but onely for our sakes that we might vnderstande the will of God be partakers of his heauenly lyght be delyuered out of the deuils clawes releassed from the burthen of sinne iustified through fayth in his blood and finally receaued vp into euerlasting glory there to raigne with him foreuer Was not this a great and singuler loue of Christ towardes mankynd that being
auayle vs to haue in meditation the fruites and pryce of his passion to magnifie them and to delyght or trust to them except we haue in mynd his examples in passion to folowe them If we thus therefore consyder Christes death and will sticke thereto with fast fayth for the merite and deseruing thereof and will also frame our selfe in such wyse to bestowe our selues and all that we haue by charitie to the behoofe of our neyghbour as Christe spent him selfe whollye for our profite then do we truelye remember Christes death and being thus folowers of Christes steps we shal be sure to followe him thyther where he sitteth now with the father and the holye ghost to whom be all honour and glory Amen ¶ The seconde homilee concerning the death and passion of our sauiour Christ. THat we may the better conceaue the great mercy and goodnesse of our Sauiour Christ in suffering death vniuersally for all men it behoueth vs to descende into the bottome of our conscience deeply to consider the first and principall cause wherefore he was compelled so to do When our great graundfather Adam had broken Gods commaundement in eating the apple forbidden him in paradice at the motion and suggestion of his wyfe he purchased therby not onelye to him selfe but also to his posteritie for euer the iust wrath indignation of God who according to his former sentence pronoūced at the geuing of the cōmaundement condemned both him all his to euerlasting death both of body and soule For it was said vnto him Thou shalt eat frely of euery tree in the garden but as touching the tree of knowledge of good ill thou shalt in no wyse eat of it For in what houre soeuer thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death Now as the Lorde had spoken so it came to passe Adam toke vppon him to eate thereof and in so doing he dyed the death that is to saye he became mortall he lost the fauour of God he was cast out of paradice he was no longer a citizen of heauen but a fyrebrand of hell and a bond slaue to the deuil To this doth our sauiour beare witnesse in the Gospell callyng vs loste sheepe which haue goue astray wandred from the true shephearde of our soules To this also doth saint Paule beare witnesse saying That by the offence of onely Adam death came vppon all men to condempnation So that no we neyther he nor any of his had any ryght or interest at all in the kyngdome of heauen but were become plaine reprobates and castawayes being perpetually dampned to the euerlasting paynes of hell tyre In this so great miserie and wretchednes if mankind could haue recouered him selfe againe and obtayned forgeuenes at Gods handes then had his case ben somwhat tollerable because he might haue attempted some way how to deliuer him selfe from eternall death But there was no way left vnto him he coulde do nothyng that might pacifie gods wrath he was altogether vnprofitable in that behalfe There was none that did good no not one And howe then coulde he worke his owne saluation Should he go about to pacifie gods heauie displeasure by offering vp brent sacrifices according as it was ordayned in the olde lawe by offering vp the blood of Oxen the blood of calues the blood of goates the blood of lambes and so foorth O these thinges were of no force nor strēgth to take away sinnes they could not put away the anger of God they could not coole the heate of his wrath nor yet bryng mankynd into fauour againe they were but only sigures and shadowes of things to come and nothing els Reade the Epistle to the Hebrues there shall you find this matter largely discussed there shal you learne in most plaine wordes that the blooddy sacrifice of the olde lawe was vnperfect and not able to deliuer man from the state of dampnation by any meanes so that mankind in trusting thereunto shoulde trust to a broken staffe and in the ende deceaue him selfe What should he then do Shoulde he go about to obserue and kepe the lawe of God diuided into two tables so purchase to him selfe eternall life In deede if Adam and his posteritie had ben able to satisfie and fulfill the lawe perfectly in louyng God aboue all thinges and their neyghbour as them selues then shoulde they haue easily quenched the Lordes wrath and escaped the terrible sentence of eternall death pronounced agaynst them by the mouth of almightie god For it is written Do this thou shalt liue that is to say fulfill my commaundementes kepe thy selfe vpright and perfect in them accordyng to my wyll then shalt thou liue and not dye Here is eternal lyse promised with this condition so that they kepe and obserue the lawe But suche was the frailtie of mankinde after his fall suche was his weakenes imbecilitie that he could not walke vpryghtly in Gods commaundementes though he woulde neuer so faine but dayly and hourely fell from his bounden duetie offending the Lord his God diuers wayes to the great encrease of his condempnation insomuch that the prophete Dauid cryeth out on this wyse All haue gone astray all are become vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one In this case what profite coulde he haue by the lawe None at all For as saint James sayth He that shall obserue the whole lawe and yet faileth in one poynt is become giltie of all And in the booke of Deuteronomie it is written Cursed be he sayth God which abydeth not in all thinges that are written in the booke of the lawe to do them Behold the lawe bringeth a curse with it and maketh vs giltie not because it is of it self naught or vnholy God forbid we shoulde so thinke but because the frailtie of our sinfull fleshe is such that we can neuer fulfill it accordyng to the perfection that the Lorde requireth Coulde Adam then thinke you hope or trust to be saued by the law No he could not But the more he looked on the law the more he sawe his owne dampnation set before his eyes as it were in a most cleare glasse So that now of him selfe he was most wretched and miserable destitute of all hope neuer able to pacifie Gods heauie displeasure nor yet to escape the terrible iudgement of God wherinto he and all his posteritie were fallen by disobeying the straight commaundement of the Lorde theyr god But O the aboundaunt ryches of Gods great mercie O the vnspeakable goodnes of his heauenly wysoome When all hope of righteousnes was past on our part when we had nothing in our selues whereby we myght quenche his burning wrath worke the saluation of our owne soules and rise out of the miserable estate wherin we lay Then euen then dyd Christ the sonne of God by the appoyntment of his father come downe frō heauen to be wounded for our sakes to be reputed with the wicked
hath ouerthrowen death that we beleuing in him myght lyue for euer and not dye Ought not this to engender extreme hatred of sinne in vs to consyder that it did violently as it were plucke God out of heauen to make him feele the horrours and paynes of death O that we would sometimes consyder this in the middest of our pompes pleasures it would bridle the outragiousnesse of the fleshe it would abate and asswage our carnall affectes it woulde restraine our fleshly appetites that we shoulde not run at randon as we commonly do To commit sinne wylfully desperatly without feare of god is nothing els but to crucifie Christ a new as we are expressly taught in the 〈◊〉 to the Hebrues Which thing if it were dencâ—â— printed in all mens heartes then shoulde not sinne raigne euery where so much as it doth to the great griefe and torment of Christe nowe sittyng in heauen Let vs therefore remember and alwaies beare in minde Christe crucified that therby we may be inwardly moued both to abhorre sinne throughly and also with an earnest and zelous heart to loue god For this is another fruite which the memoriall of Christes death ought to worke in vs an earnest and vnfayned loue towardes god So God loued the worlde sayth saint John that he gaue his only begotten soÌ„ne that whosoeuer beleued in hym shoulde not perishe but haue life euerlasting If god declared so great loue towardes vs his seely creatures how can we of ryght but loue him agayne Was not this a sure pledge of his loue to geue vs his own sonne from heauen He myght haue geuen vs an angel if he would or some other creature and yet should his loue haue ben farre aboue our desartes Nowe he gaue vs not an angell but his sonne And what sonne His only sonne his naturall sonne his welbeloued sonne euen that sonne whom he had made Lorde and ruler of al thinges Was not this a singuler token of great loue But to whom did he geue him He gaue him to the whole worlde that is to say to Adam and all that should come after him O lord what had Adam or anye other man deserued at Gods handes that he should geue vs his owne sonne We are all miserable persons sinfull persons dampnable persoÌ„s iustly driuen out of paradice iustly excluded from heauen iustly condempned to hell fyre And yet see a wonderfull token of Gods loue he gaue vs his only be gotten sonne vs I say that were his extreme and deadly enemies that we by vertue of his blood shed vppon the crosse might be cleane purged from our sinnes and made righteous agayne in his sight Who can chose but maruaile to heare that god should she we such vnspeakable loue towardes vs that were his deadly enemies Indeede O mortall man thou oughtest of ryght to marueyle at it to acknowledge therein Gods great goodnesse and mercie towards mankind which is so wonderful that no fleshe be it neuer so worldly wyse may wel conceaue it or expresse it For as Saint Paul testifieth God greatly commendeth and setteth out his loue towardes vs in that he sent his sonne Christ to die for vs when we were yet sinners and open enemies of his name If we had in any maner of wyse deserued it at his handes then had it ben no marueile at all but there was no desert on our part wherefore he shoulde do it Therefore thou sinful creature when thou hearest that GOD gaue his sonne to dye for the sinnes of the worlde thinke not he dyd it for any desert or goodnes that was in thee for thou wast then the bondslaue of the deuill But fall downe vpon thy knees and crye with the prophete Dauid O Lorde what is man that thou art so mindefull of him or the sonne of man that thou so regardest him And seeing he hath so greatlye loued thee endeuour thy self to loue him againe with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength that therin thou mayst appeare not to be vnworthy of his loue I report me to thyne owne conscience whether thou wouldest not thinke thy loue ill bestowed vpon him that could not finde in his heart to loue thee agayne If this be true as it is most true then thinke howe greatly it behoueth to thy duetie to loue God whiche hath so greatly loued thee that he hath noâ— spared his owne onlye sonne from so cruell and shamefull a death for thy sake And hitherto concerning the cause of Christes death passion which as yet was on our part most horrible and greeuous sinne so on the other side it was the free gift of God proceeding of his meere and tender loue towards mankind without any merite or desert of our part The Lorde for his mercies sake graunt that we neuer forget this great benefite of our saluation in Christe Jesu but that we alwayes shewe our selues thankefull for it abhorring all kinde of wickednesse and sinne and applying our myndes wholy to the seruice of God and the diligent keeping of his commaundementes Now resteth to shewe vnto you howe to applie Christes death and passion to our comfort as a medicine to our woundes so that it maye worke the same effect in vs wherefore it was geuen namely the health saluatioÌ„ of our soules For as it profiteth a man nothing to haue salue vnlesse it be well applied to the part affected So the death of Christ shall stand vs in no force vnlesse we applie it to our selues in suche sorte as God hath appoynted Almightie God commonly worketh by meanes and in this thing he hath also ordained a certaine meane wherby we may take fruite and profite to our soules health What meane is that forsooth it is fayth Not an vnconstant or wauering fayth but a sure stedfast grounded and vnfaigned fayth GOD sent his sonne into the worlde sayth Saint John. To what end that whosoeuer beleueth in hym shoulde not perishe but haue lyfe euerlasting Marke these wordes that whosoeuer beleueth in him Here is the meane whereby we must apply the fruites of Christes death vnto our deadly wounde Here is the meane whereby we must obtaine eternall lyfe namely fayth For as saint Paul teacheth in his Epistle to the Romanes With the heart man beleueth vnto ryghteousnes and with the mouth confessioÌ„ is made vnto saluation Paul beyng demaunded of the keeper of that prison what he should do to be saued made this aunswere Beleue in the Lorde Jesus so shalt thou and thyne house both be saued After the Euangelist had described and set foorth vnto vs at large the life and the death of the Lorde Jesus in the end he concludeth with these wordes These thinges are written that we may beleue Jesus Christe to be the sonne of God a through sayth obtayne eternall lyfe To conclude with the wordes of saint Paul which are these Christ is the ende of the lawe vnto saluation for euery
vs and he rose agayne to sende downe his holy spirite to rule in our heartes to endowe vs with perfect righteousnes Thus it is true that Dauid song Veritas de terra orta est et iustitia de coelo prospexit The trueth of gods promise is in the earth to man declared or from the earth is the euerlasting veritie Gods sonne rysen to life the true righteousnesse of the holy ghost lookyng out of heauen and is in most liberal larges dealt vppon all the worlde Thus is glory and prayse rebounded vpwarde to God aboue for his mercie and trueth And thus is peace come downe from heauen to men of good and faythfull heartes Thus is mercie and trueth as Dauid wryteth together met thus is peace and ryghteousnesse imbrasing and kissing eache other If thou doubtest of so great wealth felicitie that is wrought for thee O man call to thy mynde that therefore haste thou receaued into thyne owne possession the euerlasting veritie our sauiour Jesus Christ to confyrme to thy conscience the trueth of all this matter Thou hast receaued hym yfin true fayth and repentaunce of heart thou haste receaued hym yf in purpose of amendement thou haste receaued hym for an euerlastyng gage or pledge of thy saluation Thou hast receaued his body which was once broken his blood which was shedde for the remission of thy synne Thou hast receaued his body to haue within thee the father the sonne and the holy ghost for to dwell with thee to endow thee with grace to strength thee agaynst thyne enemies and to comfort thee with their presence Thou hast receaued his body to endow thee with euerlasting righteousnes to assue thee of euerlastyng blisse and lyfe of thy soule 〈…〉 r with Christe by true fayth art thou quickened agayne sayth saint Paul from death of synne to lyfe of grace and in hope translated from corporal and euerlastyng death to the euerlastyng lyfe of glorye in heauen where nowe thy conuersation should be and thy heart and desyre set Doubt not of the trueth of this matter how great and hygh soeuer these thynges be It becommeth God to do no litle deedes how impossible so euer they seeme to thee Pray to God that thou mayest haue fayth to perceaue this greate mysterie of Christes resurrection that by faytâ— thou mayst certaynely beleue nothyng to be impossible with god Onlye bryng thou fayth to Christes holy worde and sacrament Let thy repentaunce shewe thy fayth let thy purpose of amendement and obedience of thy heart to Gods lawe hereafter declare thy true beleefe Endeuour thy selfe to saye with Saint Paul From hencefoorth our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for a sauiour euen the Lorde Jesus Christe whiche shall change our vile bodyes that they may be fashioned like his glorious body which he shal do by the same power wherby he rose from death and wherby he shal be able to subdue all thynges vnto hym selfe Thus good Christian people forasmuche as ye haue hearde these so great and excellent benefites of Christes myghtie and glorious resurrection as howe that he hath raunsomed synne ouercome the deuill death and hell and hath victoriouslye gotten the better hande of them all to make vs free and safe from them and knowyng that we be by this benefite of his resurrection rysen with hym by our fayth vnto lyfe euerlastyng beyng in full suretie of our hope that we shall haue our bodyes lykewyse raysed agayne from death to haue them glorified in immortalitie and ioyned to his glorious bodye hauyng in the meane while his holy spirite within our heartes as a seale and pledge of our euerlastyng inheritaunce By whose assistence we be replenished with all ryghteousnes by whose power we shal be able to subdue all our euyll affections rysyng agaynst the pleasure of god These thynges I say well consydered let vs nowe in the rest of our lyfe declare our fayth that we haue to this moste fruitful article by framyng our selues therunto in rysyng dayly from sinne to righteousnes holines of lyfe For what shall it auayle vs sayth saint Peter to be escaped deliuered from the filthynesse of the worlde through the knowledge of the Lorde and sauiour Jesus Christe if we be entangled agayne therewith and be ouercome agayne Certaynely it had ben better sayth he neuer to haue knowne the way of righteousnes then after it is knowne and receaued to turne backwarde agayne from the holy commaundement of God geuen vnto vs For so shall the prouerbe haue place in vs where it is sayde The dogge is returned to his vomite agayne and the sowe that was washed to her wallowyng in the myre agayne What a shame were it for vs beyng thus so clearely and freely washed from our synne to returne to the filthynesse thereof agayne What a follie were it thus endowed with ryghteousnesse to lose it agayne What madnesse were it to lose the inheritaunce that we be nowe set in for the vyle and transitorie pleasure of synne And what an vnkyndenesse shoulde it be where our sauiour Christe of his mercie is come to vs to dwell within vs as our gâ—este to dryue hym from vs and to banishe hym violently out of our soules and in steade of hym in whom is all grace and vertue to receaue the vngratious spirite of the deuyil the founder of all naughtines and mischeefe How can we fynde in our heartes to shewe suche extreame vnkyndnesse to Christe which hath now so gently called vs to mercie and offered him selfe vnto vs and he nowe entred within vs yea howe dare we be so bolde to renounce the presence of the father the sonne and the holy ghost For where one is there is God all whole in maiestie together with all his power wysedome and goodnesse and feare not I say the daunger and peryll of so traiterous a defiaunce and departure Good Christian brethren and sisters aduise your selues consyder the dignite that ye be nowe set in let not follie lose the thyng that grace hath so preciously offered and purchased let not wylfulnesse and blindnesse put out so great lyght that is now shewed vnto you Onlye take good heartes vnto you and put vppon you all the armour of God that ye may stand agaynst your enemies which woulde agayne subdue you and bryng you into their thraldome Remember ye be bought from your vain conuersation and that your freedome is purchased neyther with golde nor syluer but with the price of the precious blood of that most innocent lambe Jesus Christe which was ordeined to the same purpose before the worlde was made But he was so declared in the latter tyme of grace for your sakes which by hym haue your fayth in God who hath raysed hym from death and hath geuen hym glory that you shoulde haue your fayth and hope towarde god Therefore as you haue hytherto folowed the vayne lustes of your myndes and so displeased God to
to towne from place to place without punishment which neyther serue God nor their prince but deuoure the sweete fruites of other mens labour being common liers drunkardes swearers theeues whoremaisters and murtherers refusing all honest labour and geue them selues to nothyng els but to inuent and do mischeefe whereof they are more desyrous and greedy then is any Lion of his pray To remedy this inconueniencie let al parentes others whiche haue the care and gouernance of youth so bring them vp eyther in good learnyng labour or some honest occupation or trade whereby they may be able in time to come not only to sustaine them selues competently but also to relieue and supplie the necessitie and want of others And saint Paul sayth Let hym that hath stolen steale no more and he that hath deceaued others or vsed vnlawful wayes to get his liuing leaue of the same labour rather workyng with his handes that thing whiche is good that he may haue that which is necessarie for hym selfe and also be able to geue vnto others that stande in neede of his helpe The prophet Dauid thinketh him happy that liueth vpon his labour saying When thou eatest the labours of thyne handes happy art thou and wel is thee This happines or blessing consisteth in these such like pointes First it is the gyft of God as Salomon sayth when one eateth and drinketh and receaueth good of his labour Secondaryly when one liueth of his owne labour so it be honest good he liueth of it with a good conscience And an vpryght conscience is a treasure inestimable Thirdly he eateth his bread not with brawling and chiding but with peace and quietnes when he quietly laboureth for the same accordyng to saint Paules admonition Fourthly he is no mans bondman for his meate sake nor needeth not for that to hang vpon the good wyll of other men but so liueth of his owne that he is able to geue part to others And to conclude the labouryng man and his familie whyles they are busilie occupied in their labour be free from many temptations and occasions of sinne which they that liue in idlenesse are subiect vnto And here ought Artificers and Labouring men who be at wages for their worke and labour to consyder theyr conscience to God and theyr duetie to their neighbour least they abuse their tyme in idlenesse so defraudyng them whiche be at charge both with great wages and deare commons They be worse then idle men in deede for that they seeke to haue wages for their loytring It is lesse daunger to God to be idle for no gayne then by idlenes to win out of theyr neyghbours purses wages for that which is not deserued It is true that almyghtie God is angry with suche as do defraude the hyred man of his wages The crie of that iniurie ascendeth vp to Gods eare for vengeaunce And as true it is that the hyred man who vseth deceipt in his labour is a theefe before god Let no man sayth saint Paul to the Thessalonians subtilly beguile his brother let him not defraud him in his busines For the lord is reuenger of suche deceiptes Wherevppon he that wyll haue a good conscience to God that labouring man I say which dependeth wholye vpon Gods benediction ministring all thynges sufficient for his liuing let hym vse his tyme in faythful labour and when his labour by sicknes or other misfortune doth ceasse yet let him think for that in his health he serued GOD and his neyghbour truely he shall not want in tyme of necessitie God vppon respect of his fidelitie in health wyll recompence his indigence to moue the heartes of good men to relieue suche decayed men in sicknesse Where otherwyse whatsoeuer is gotten by idlenesse shall haue no foyson to helpe in tyme of neede Let the labouryng man therfore eschew for his part this vice of idlenesse and deceipt remembring that saint Paul exhorteth euery man to lay away al deceipt dissimulation and lying and to vse trueth plainenesse to his neyghbour because sayth he we be members together in one body vnder one head Christ our sauiour And here myght be charged the seruing men of this Realme who spend their tyme in much idlenesse of life nothyng regardyng the oportunitie of their time forgetting how seruice is no heritage howe age will creepe vpon them where wysdome were they should expende theyr idle time in some good businesse whereby they myght increase in knowledge so the more worthy to be readye for euery mans seruice It is a great rebuke to them that they studie not eyther to write fayre to kepe a booke of accompt to studie the tongues and so to get wysdome knowledge in suche bookes and workes as be nowe plentifully set out in print of all maner languages Let young men consyder the pretious value of their time and wast it not in idlenesse in iolitie in gaming in banqueting in ruffians company Youth is but vanitie and must be accompted for before god Howe mery and glad soeuer thou be in thy youth O young man sayth the preacher how glad soeuer thy heartbe in thy young dayes how fast and freely soeuer thou folowe the waies of thine owne heart and the lust of thyne owne eyes yet be thou sure that God shal bring thee into iudgement for al these thinges God of his mercie put it into the heartes mindes of all them that haue the sworde of punishment in their hands or haue families vnder their gouernance to labour to redres this great enormitie of al such as liue idelly and vnprofitably in the cōmon weale to the great dishonour of God the greeuous plague of his seely people To leaue sinne vnpunished and to neglect the good bryngyng vp of youth is nothyng els but to kindle the Lordes wrath agaynst vs and to heape plagues vpon our owne heades As long as the adulterous people were suffered to liue licenciously without reformation so long dyd the plague continue and increase in Israel as ye may see in the booke of Numbers But when due correction was done vpon them the Lordes anger was straightway pacified and the plague ceassed Let al officers therefore loke straightly to their charge Let all maisters of housholdes refourme this abuse in their families Let them vse the aucthoritie that God hath geuen them Let them not mainteyne vagaboundes and idle persons but deliuer the Realme and their householdes from suche noysome loyterers that idlenesse the mother of al mischeefe being cleane taken away almyghtie God may turne his dreadful anger away from vs cōfirme the couenant of peace vpon vs for euer through the merites of Jesus Christ our only Lord sauiour to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour and glory worlde without ende Amen An Homilee of repentaunce and of true reconciliation vnto God. THere is nothing that the holy ghost doth so much labour in all the scriptures to beate into
vayne Euen so most specially in this matter muste we take heede and beware that we suffer not our selues to be perswaded that all that we do is but labour lost For thereof eyther sodayne desperation doth aryse or a licentious boldnesse to sinne which at length bringeth vnto desperation Least any suche thing then shoulde happen vnto them he doth certifie them of the grace and goodnes of God who is alwayes moste redye to receaue them into fauour agayne that turne speedylye vnto him Which thing he doth proue with the same titles whorwith god doth discribe and set foorth himselfe vnto Moyses speaking on this maner For he is gracious and merciful slowe to anger of great kyndnesse and repenteth hym of the euiâ—â— thatis suche a one as is sorye for your afflictious Fyrst he calleth hym gentle gracious as he who of his own nature is more prompt and redye to do good then to punyshe Whereunto this saying of Esaias the Prophete seemeth to parteyne where he sayeth Let the wycked forsake his waye and the vnryghteous his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lorde and he will haue pitie on him and to our God for he is verye redye to forgeue Secondly he doth attribute vnto him mercy or rather accordyng to the Hebrewe word the bowels of mercies whereby he signifyed the naturall affections of parentes towardes their children Which thing Dauid doth set foorth goodlye saying As a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lorde compassion on them that feare hym for he knoweth whereof we be made he remembreth that we are but duste Thyrdlye he sayth that he is slowe to anger that is to saye long sufferyng and whiche is not lightly prouoked to wrath Fourthly that he is of muche kindnesse for he is that bottomlesse well of all goodnesse who reioyceth to do good vnto vs Therefore did he create and make men that he myght haue whom he shoulde do good vnto and make partakers of his heauenly ryches Fifthlye he repenteth of the euyll that is to saye he doeth call backe agayne reuoke the punyshment whiche he had threatned when he seeth men repent turne and amende Whereupon we do not without a iust cause detest and abhorre the dampnable oppinion of them which do most wickedlye go about to perswade the simple and ignorasâ—t people that if we chaunce after we be once come to God and graffed in his sonne Jesu Christe to fall into some hoâ—rible sinne repentaunce shall be vnprofitable vnto vs there is no more hope of reconciliation or to be receaued agayne into the fauour and mercy of god And that they may geue the better colour vnto their pestilent and pernicious errour they do commonlye bryng in the sixth tenth Chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrues and the second Chapter of the seconde Epistle of Peter not consyderyng that in those places the holy Apostles do not speake of the daily falles that we as long as we cary about this body of sinne are subiect vnto but of the finall fallyng away from Christ and his Gospel which is a sinne agaynst the holy ghost that shall neuer he forgeuen because that they that do vtterlye forsake the knowen trueth do hate Christe and his worde they do crucifie and mocke him but to their vtter destruction and therefore fall into desperation and cannot repent And that this is the true meanyng of the holy spirite of God it appeareth by manye other places of the Scriptures which promiseth vnto all true repentaunt sinners and to them that with their whole hart do returne vnto the Lorde their God free pardon and remission of their sinnes For the probation hereof we reade this O Israel sayeth the holy prophete Hieremie if thou returne returne vnto me sayeth the Lorde and if thou put away thyne abominations out of any syght then shalte thou not be moued Agayne these are Esaias words Let the wicked forsake his owne wayes and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and turne agayne vnto the Lorde and he will haue mercye vpon hym and to our God for he is redye to forgeue And in the prophet Ozee the godlye do exhort one another after this manner Come and let vs turne againe vnto the lord for he hath smitten vs and he will heale vs he hath wounded vs and he will bynde vs vp agayne It is most euident and playne that these thinges ought to be vnderstanded of them that were with the Lorde afore and by their sinnes and wickednesse were gone awaye from hym For we do not turne agayne vnto hym with whom we were neuer before but we come vnto him Nowe vnto all them that will returne vnfaynedlye vnto the Lorde their God the fauour and mercye of God vnto forgeuenesse of sinnes is liberally offered Whereby it followeth necessarilye that although we do after we be once come to God and graffed in his sonne Jesus Christe fall into great sinnes for there is no ryghteous man vpon the earth that sinneth not and if we saye we haue no sinne we deceaue our selues the trueth is not in vs yet if we ryse agayne by repentaunce and with a full purpose of amendement of lyfe do flee vnto the mercye of God taking sure holde thereupon through fayth in his sonne Jesu Christe there is an assured and infallible hope of pardon and remission of the same that we shall be receaued agayne into the fauour of our heauenly father It is written of Dauid I haue founde a man accordyng to myne owne heart or I haue found Dauid the sonne of Jesse a man accordyng to myne owne heart who will do all thinges that I wyll This is a godly commendation of Dauid It is also moste certayne that he did stedfastly beleue the promise that was made hym touching the Messias who shoulde come of him touching the fleshe and that by the same fayth he was iustifyed and graffed in our sauiour Jesu Christ to come and yet afterwards he fell horribly committing moste detestable adultrye and damnable murther and yet assone as he cryed peccaui I haue sinned vnto the Lord his sinne beyng forgeuen he was receaued into fauour agayne Now will we come vnto Peter of whom no man can doubte but that he was graffed in our sauiour Jesus Christe long afore his deniall Whiche thing may easylye be proued by the aunswere whiche he did in his name and in the name of his fellowe Apostles make vnto our sauiour Jesu Christ when he saide vnto theÌ„ Will ye also go away Maister sayth he to whoÌ„ shall we go Thou haste the wordes of eternall lyfe and we beleue and knowe that thou art the Christe the sonne of the lyuing god Whereunto may be added the lyke confession of Peter where Christ doth geue this most infallible testimonie Thou art blessed Simon the sonne of Jonas for neither fleshe nor blood hath reuealed this vnto thee but my father which is in heauen
the bottome of our heartes detest and abhorre with all earnestnesse flee from it syth that it dyd cost the deare heart blood of the onlye begotten sonne of God our sauiour redeemer to purge vs from it Plato doth in a certayne place wryte that if vertue coulde be seene with bodily eyes all men woulde wonderfully be enflamed and kyndeled with the loue of it Euen so on the contrary if we myght with our bodily eyes beholde the filthynesse of synne and the vncleannes therof we coulde in no wyse abyde it but as most present and deadly poyson hate and eschewe it We haue a common experience of the same in them which when they haue committed any heynous offence or some filthy and abhominable synne if it once come to lyght or if they chaunce to haue a through feelyng of it they be so ashamed their owne conscience puttyng before their eyes the filthynes of their acte that they dare looke no man in the face muche lesse that they shoulde be able to stande in the syght of God. Fourthly the vncertayntie and brittlenesse of our owne lyues whiche is such that we can not assure our selues that we shall lyue one houre or one halfe quarter of it Whiche by experience we do fynde daily to be true in them that beyng nowe mery and lustye and sometymes feastyng and banquettyng with their freendes do fall sodenly dead in the streetes and otherwhyles vnder the boarde when they are yet at meate These daily examples as they are moste terrible and dreadfull so ought they to moue vs to seeke for to be at one with our heauenlye iudge that we may with a good conscience appeare before hym whensoeuer it shal please him for to cal vs whether it be sodaynly or otherwyse for we haue no more charter of our lyfe then they haue But as we are moste certayne that we shall dye so are we most vncertayne when we shal dye For our lyfe doth lye in the hande of God who wyll take it away when it pleaseth hym And veryly when the hyghest somner of all which is death shall come he wyll not be sayde nay but we must foorth with be packyng to be present before the iudgement seate of God as he doth fynde vs accordyng as it is wrytten Wheras the tree falleth whether it be towarde the South or towarde the North there it shall lye Whereunto agreeth the saying of the holy martyr of God S. Ciprian saying As God doth fynde thee when he doth call so doth he iudge thee Let vs therefore folowe the counsayle of the wyse man where he sayth Make no tarrying to turne vnto the Lorde and put not of from day to day For sodenly shall the wrath of the Lorde breake foorth and in thy securitie shalt thou be destroyed and shalt perishe in tyme of vengeaunce Whiche wordes I desyre you to marke diligently because they do most lyuely put before our eyes the fondnesse of manye men whiche abusyng the long sufferyng and goodnes of God do neuer thynke on repentaunce or amendement of lyfe Folowe not sayth he thyne owne mynde and thy strength to walke in the wayes of thy heart neyther say thou who wyll bryng me vnder for my workes For God the reuenger wyll reuenge the wrong done by thee And saye not I haue synned and what euyll hath come vnto me For the almyghtie is a patient rewarder but he wyll not leaue thee vnpunished Because thy synnes are forgeuen thee be not without feare to heape sin vpon synne Say not neyther The mercie of god is great he wil forgeue my manifold sinnes For mercy and wrath come from him and his indignation commeth vpon vnrepentant synners As if he should say Art thou strong and myghtie Art thou lustye and young Haste thou the wealth and ryches of the worlde Or when thou hast synned hast thou receaued no punishment for it Let none of all these thynges make thee to be the slower to repent and to returne with speede vnto the Lorde For in the day of punishment and of his sodayne vengeaunce they shall not be able to helpe thee And speciallye when thou art eyther by the preaching of Gods worde or by some inwarde motion of his holy spirite or els by some other meanes called vnto repentaunce neglect not the good occasion that is ministred vnto thee least when thou wouldest repent thou hast not the grace for to do it For to repent is a good gyft of God which he wyll neuer graunt vnto them whiche lyuyng in carnal securitie do make a mocke of his threatnynges or seeke to rule his spirites as they list as though his workyng gyftes were tyed vnto their wyll Fifthly the auoydyng of the plagues of God and the vtter destructiō that by his ryghteous iudgement doth hang ouer the heades of them all that will in no wyse returne vnto the Lorde I wyll saith the Lorde geue them for a terrible plague to all the kyngdomes of the earth and for a reproche and for aprouerbe and for a curse in all places where I shall cast them and wyll send the sworde of famine the pestilence among them tyll they be consumed out of the land And wherfore is this Because they hardned their heartes and woulde in no wyse returne from their euyll wayes nor yet forsake the wyckednesse that was in their owne handes that the fiercenesse of the Lordes furie myght departe from them But yet this is nothing in comparison of the intollerable and endlesse tormentes of hell fyre whiche they shal be fayne to suffer who after their hardnesse of heart that can not repent do heape vnto them selues wrath against the day of anger and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God Wheras if we wyll repent and be earnestly sory for our synnes and with a full purpose of amendement of lyfe flee vnto the mercie of our god and taking sure holde thereuppon through fayth in our sauiour Jesus Christe do bring foorth fruites worthy of repentaunce he wyll not onlye powre his manifold blessynges vpon vs here in this world but also at the last after the paynefull trauayles of this lyfe rewarde vs with the inheritaunce of his chyldren whiche is the kyngdome of heauen purchased vnto vs with the death of his sonne Jesu Christe our Lorde to whom with the father and the holy ghoste be all prayse glory and honour worlde without ende Amen ⧠An Homilee agaynst disobedience and wylful rebellion The fyrst parte AS GOD the creatour and Lord of al thynges appoynted his angels and heauenly creatures in all obedience to serue and to honour his maiestie so was it his wyl that man his cheefe creature vpon the earth shoulde lyue vnder the obedience of his creator and Lord and for that cause God assoone as he had created man gaue vnto him a certayne precept and law whiche he beyng yet in the state of innocencie remaynyng in paradise shoulde obserue as a pledge and
aucthoritie power be it in men or women are ordeyned of God are to be obeyed and honoured of their subiectes that suche subiectes as are disobedient or rebellious agaynst theyr princes disobey GOD and procure theyr owne damnation that the gouernment of princes is a great blessing of God geuen for the common wealth specially of the good and godly for the comfort and cherishing of whom God geueth and setteth vp princes and on the contrary part to the feare and for the punishment of the euyll and wicked Finally that yf seruauntes ought to obey theyr maisters not only beyng gentle but suche as be frowarde aswell and muche more ought subiectes to be obedient not only to their good and curteous but also to theyr sharpe and rigorous princes It commeth therfore neyther of chaunce and fortune as they tearme it nor of thambition of mortal men and women climing vp of theyr owne accorde to dominion that there be Kynges Queenes Princes and other gouernours ouer men beyng theyr subiectes but al Kinges Queenes and other gouernours are specially appoynted by the ordinaunce of god And as GOD him selfe beyng of an infinite maiestie power and wysdome ruleth and gouerneth all thynges in heauen and in earth as the vniuersal Monarche onlye Kyng and Emperour ouer all as beyng onlye able to take and beare the charge of all so hath he constituted ordayned and set earthly princes ouer particuler kyngdomes and dominions in earth both for the auoydyng of all confusion whiche els woulde be in the worlde if it should be without such gouernours and for the great quiet and benefite of earthly men theyr subiectes and also that the princes them selues in aucthoritie power wysdome prouidence and ryghteousnes in gouernment of people and countreys committed to their charge shoulde resemble his heauenly gouernaunce as the maiestie of heauenly thinges may by the bacenes of earthly thinges be shadowed and resembled And for that similitude that is betweene the heauenly Monarchie and earthly kyngdomes wel gouerned our sauiour Christe in sundry parables sayth that the kyngdome of heauen is resembled vnto a man a kyng and as the name of the kyng is very often attributed and geuen vnto GOD in the holy scriptures so doth GOD hym selfe in the same scriptures sometyme vouchsafe to communicate his name with earthly princes tearming them gods Doubtles for that similitude of gouernment which they haue or should haue not vnlike vnto GOD their kyng Unto the which similitude of heaueuly gouernment the nearer and nearer that an earthly prince doth come in his regiment the greater blessing of Gods mercie is he vnto that countrey and people ouer whom he raigneth and the further and further that an earthlye prince doth swarue from the example of the heauenly gouernment the greater plague he is of Gods wrath and punishment by Gods iustice vnto that countrey people ouer whom God for their sinnes hath placed suche a prince and gouernour For it is in deede euident both by the scriptures and by daylye experience that the maintenaunce of all vertue godlinesse and consequently of the wealth and prosperitie of a kyngdome and people both stand and rest more in a wyse and good prince on the one part then in great multitudes of other men being subiectes and on the contrary part the ouerthrowe of all vertue and godlinesse and consequently the decay and vtter ruine of a Realme and people doth growe and come more by an vndiscrete and euill gouernour then by many thousandes of other men being subiectes thus say the holye scriptures Well is thee O thou lande sayth the preacher whose kyng is come of nobles and whose princes eate in due season for necessitie and not for lust Agayne a wyse and ryghteous kyng maketh his Realme and people wealthye and a good mercifull and gratious prince is as a shadowe in heate as a defence in stormes as deawe as sweete showres as freshe water springes in great drougthes Agayne the scriptures of vndiscrete and euill princes speake thus â—o be to thee O thou lande whose kyng is but a childe and whose princes are early at their bankettes Agayne When the wicked do raigne then men go to ruine And agayne A foolishe prince destroyeâ—â— the people and a couetous kyng vndoeth his subiectes Thus speake the scriptures thus experience testifieth of good and euill princes What shall subiectes do then shall they obeye valiaunt stout wyse and good Princes and contempne disobey and rebel agaynst chyldren beyng theyr Princes or agaynst vndiscrete and euill gouernours GOD forbid For fyrst what a perilous thing were it to commit vnto the subiectes the iudgement whiche Prince is wyse and godly and his gouernmeÌ„t good and which is otherwyfe as though the foote must iudge of the head an enterprise very haynous and must needes breede rebellion For who els be they that are moste enclined to rebellion but suche hautie spirites From whom springeth suche foule ruine of Realmes Is not rebellion the greatest of all mischeefes And who are most redye to the greatest mischeefes but the worste men Rebelles therefore the worst of all subiectes are most redye to rebellion as beyng the worst of all vices and furthest from the duetie of a good subiect as on the contrary part the best subiectes are moste firme and constant in obedience as in the speciall and peculier vertue of good subiects What an vnworthy matter were it then to make the naughtiest subiectes and moste enclined to rebellion and all euill iudges ouer their princes ouer their gouernment and ouer their counsellers to determine whiche of them be good or tollerable and whiche be euyll and so intollerable that they must needes be remoued by rebels beyng euer redy as the naughtiest subiectes soonest to rebell agaynst the best Princes specially yf they be young in age women in sexe or gentle and curteous in gouernment as trusting by their wicked boldnesse easilye to ouerthrowe theyr weakenesse and gentlenesse or at the least so to feare the mindes of such princes that they maye haue impunitie of theyr mischeuous doynges But whereas in deede a rebell is worse then the worst Prince and rebellion worse then the worste gouernment of the worst prince that hitherto hath ben both are rebels vnmeete ministers and rebellion an vnfit and vnwholsome medicine to refourme any small lackes in a prince or to cure anye litle greefes in gouernment suche leude remedies beyng farre worse then anye other maladyes and disorders that can be in the bodye of a common wealth But whatsoeuer the prince be or his gouernment it is euident that for the moste part those princes whom some subiectes do thynke to be very godlye and vnder whose gouernment they reioyce to liue some other subiectes do take the same to be euill and vngodly and do wishe for a chaunge If therefore all subiectes that mislike of their prince should rebell no Realme shoulde euer be without rebellion It were more meete that