beste both what we be what we ought of right to be called And thus he setteth vs forth speking by his faithful Apostle S. Paul Rom. iiâ—â— al men Iewes and Gentiles are vnder sinne ther is none righteous no not one there is none that vnderstandeth ther is none that seketh after god they are al gone out of the way they are all vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one their throte is an open sepulchre with their toÌ„ges they haue vsed craft deceit the poyson of serpentes is vnder their lyppes theyr mouth is ful of cursyng bytternes their fete are swift to shed blud destruction wretchednes are in their wayes and the way of peace haue they not knoweÌ„ their is no fere of god before their eyes And in another place S. Paule writeth thus God hath wray 〈◊〉 â—â—â—cioÌ„s in vnbeliefe 〈…〉 that he might haue 〈…〉 The scripture shutteth vp al 〈…〉 promise by the faith of Iesus Christ Would be geuen vnto theÌ„ that beleue S. Paule in many places painteth vs out in our colours callyng vs the children of the wrath of god wheÌ„ we be borne saiyng also that we cannot thinke a good thought of our selues much lesse can we say wel or do wel of our selues And the wise man saith in the boke of Prouerbes Pro. xxiiii the iust man falleth seueÌ„ times a day The most tried approued man Iob feared al his workes Luke i. S. Iohn the Baptist being sanctified in his mothers woÌ„be praysed before he was borne beyng called an Aungell great before the lord fylled euen from his birth with the holy gost the preparer of the way for our sauior Chryst commended of our sauior Christ to be more then a prophet the greatest that euer was borne of a woman yet he plainely graunteth that he had nede to be washed of Christ he worthely extolleth and glorifieth his lord and master Christ humbleth himself as vnworthy to vnbuckle his shoes geueth al honor glory to god So doth S. Paule both oft euideÌ„tly coÌ„fesse himself Math. iii. what he was of himself euer geuing as a most faithful seruaunt al praise to hys master sauior So doth blessed S. Iohn the EuaÌ„gelist 1. Iohn .i. â—ud ii in the name of himself of al other holy men be thei neuer so iust make this open confession if we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues the truth is not in vs If we knowlege our sinnes God is faythfull iust to forgeue vs our synnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnes yf wee say we haue not synned we make him a lyer and his word is not in vs. Wherfore the wise man in the boke Eccle. vii called Ecclesiastes maketh this true generall 〈…〉 There is 〈…〉 earth that doth good sinneth not And. S. Dauid is ashamed of his sinne Psalm .ii. but not to confesse his sinne How oft how earnestly lamentably both he desire gods great mercy for his great offences that god should not enter into iudgement with him And againe Psal cxâ—â—â— how wel weigheth this holy maÌ„ his sinnes when he confesseth that they he so many in numbre so hid harde to vnderstand that it is in maner vnpossible to knowe vtter or numbre them Wherfore he hauing a true earnest and depe contemplacion consideracion of his sinnes yet not comming to the bottome of them Psal xix he maketh supplicacion to God to forgeue him his prieuy secret hid sinnes to the knowledge of that which he cannot attaine vnto He weigheth ryghtly hys sinnes from the original roote spring head perceiuing inclinacions prouocacioÌ„s stirringes stinginges buddes brauÌ„ces dregges infectioÌ„s tastes felynges sentes of them to continue in him stil Wherfore he saith marke and beholde Psalm .ii. I was conceiued in sinnes he saith not sinne but in the plurall number sinnes forasmuch as out of one as fountayne springeth all the reste Oure sauioure Christ saieth there is none good but god Markâ— x. Luk. xviiâ— Iohn .xv. Luke xviâ— and that we can do nothing that is good without him nor no man can come to the father but by him He coÌ„maundeth vs all to saye that we be vnprofytable seruauntes when we haue don al that we can do He preferreth the penytent Publycan before the proude holy glorious Pharisey Luk. xviiâ— Math. iâ— He calleth himselfe a phisicyon but not to them that be whole but to them that be sicke haue nede of his sâ—â—ue 〈…〉 prayer◠〈…〉 knowledge our selues sinners and to aske righteousnes and deliueraunce from al euyls at our heauenly fathers hande He declareth that the sinnes of our owne heartes do defyle our own selues He teacheth that an euyll word or thought Mat. xii deserueth condemnacion affirminge that we shall geue an accoumpt for euery idle worde Mat. xv He saith he came not to saue but the shepe that were vtterly lost cast away Therfore fewe of the proude iust learned wise perfect and holy Pharise ys were saued by him because they iustified them selues by their counterfeit holynesse before men Wherfore good people let vs be ware of such hipocrisie vaineglory and iustifying of our selues ¶ The seconde part of the Sermon of the miserie of man FOr asmuch as the true knowledge of our selues is verye necessarye to come to the right knowledge of God ye haue hearde in the laste readynge howe humbly all godly meÌ„ alwayes haue thought of them selues and so to thynke and iudge of them selues are taught of God theyr creator by his holy worde For of oure selues we be crabtrees that can brynge forth no apples We be of our selues of suche earth as can bryng forth but weedes nettles brambles bryers cockle and darnell Our fruites be declared in the .v. Chapter to the Galathians We haue neyther faith 〈◊〉 v. charitie hope pacience chastitie nor any thyng els that good is but of 〈◊〉 thâ—◠〈◊〉 these vertues be called there the scuites of the hâ—ly ghost not the fruites of man Let vs therefore acknowledge our selues before God as we be in dede miserable and wretched sinners And let vs ernestly repent and humble our selues heartely crye to God for mercie Lette vs all confesse with mouth and hearte that we be full of imperfections Let vs knowe oure owne woorkes of what imperfection they be and then we shall not stand foolyshely and arrogantly in our owne conceites nor chalenge any part of Iustification by our merites or woorkes For truely there be imperfections in our best woorkes we doe not loue God so much as we are bounde to do with all our heart mynde and power we do not feare God so much as we ought to do we do not pray to Godde but with greate and manye imperfections we geue forgeue beleue liue and hope vnperfectlye we speake thynke and do vnperfectlye we fyght agaynst the deuyll
not to lette from sayinge the trueth and doyng truely for fauor loue breade or malyce of any person as GOD maye helpe theym and the holy contentes of that booke They muste considre that in that booke is conteyned Gods euer lasting trueth his mooste holy and eternall worde whereby we haue forgeuenesse of our sinnes and be made inheritoures of Heaâ—en to lyue for ener with goddes Angelies and his sainctes in ioye and gladnesse In the gospell booke is conteined also Gods terrible threates to obstinate synners that wyll not amende theyr liues nor beleue the trueth of God his holy worde and the euerlasting payne prepared in helle for Idolaters Hypoerites for false and vaine swearers for periured men for false witnes bearers for false condemners of innocent and gylteles men and for them whiche for fauoure hide the crymes of euyll doers that they shoulde not be punyshed So that whosoeuer wilfully forsweareth himselfe vpon Christes holy Euangely they vtterly forsake Gods mercye goodnesse and trueth the merites of our sauiour Christes natiuitie life passion death resurrection and assention They refuse the forgeuenesse of synnes promised to all penitente synners the ioyes of heauen the company with Angelles and sainctes for euer All whiche benefites and comfortes are promised vnto true christian persons in the gospell And they so being for sworne vpon the gospel do be take them selfes to the deuilles seruice the master of all lyes falshod deceite and periurye prouokynge the great indignation and curse of God against theÌ„ in this lyfe and the terrible wrath and iudgemente of our sauior Christ at the great day of the last iudgement when he shal iustly iudge both the quicke and the dead accordynge to theyr woorkes For whosoeuer forsaketh the trueth for loue or displeasure of any man or for lucre and profite to hym selfe doeth forsake Christ and with Iudas betrayeth hym Though peâ—iuryâ— do escape here vnespied and vnpunished it shall not do so euer And although such periured mennes falshod bee now kept secrete yet it shal be opened at the last day when the secretes of all mennes heartes shal be manifest to all the worlde And then the trueth shall appeare and accuse them and theyr owne conscience with all the blessed companye of heauen shall beare witnes truely against them And Christ the righteous iudge shall then iustly condemne them to euerlastyng shame and death This sinne of periurye almightie God by the prophete Malachy doth threaten to punyshe sore saying vnto the Iewes Malac. 〈◊〉 I wyll come to you in iudgement and I wil be a swift witnes and a sharpe iudge vpon sorcerers adulterers and periured persons Which thing to the Prophete Zachary God declareth in a vision zachar 〈◊〉 wherin the prophete saw a booke fliyng which was twentye cubites long and tenne cubites broade God saying then vnto hym this is the curse that shall goe furthe vppon the face of the yearth for falshoode false swearynge and periurye And this curse shall entre into the house of the false man and into the house of the periured man and it shall remaine in the middeste of his house and consume hym the tymbre and stones of his house Thus you see how much God doth hate periurye and what punishment God hath prepared for false swearers and periured persones Thus you haue heard how and in what causes it is lawfull for a Christian man to sweare ye haue heard what properties and conditions a lawefull othe must haue and also howe suche lawefull othes are bothe godlye and necessarye to be obserued ye haue heard that it is not lawfull to sweare vaynly that is other wayes then in suche causes and after suche sort as is declared and fynally ye haue heard how damnable a thing it is eyther to forsweare our selues or to keepe an vnlawfull and an vnaduised othe Wherfore let vs earnestly call for grace that al vayne swearing and periury set a part we may onely vse suche othes as bee lawful and godly and that we maye truelye withoute all fraude keepe the same accordinge to Gods will and pleasure To whom with the sonne and holye ghost bee all honour and glory AMEN A Sermon how daungerous a thinge it is to sall from God OF oure goynge from God Euâ—â— â— the wyseman sayth that pryde was the fyrste beginning for by it mannes hearte was turned from God his maker For pride sayeth he is the fountaine of all synne he that hath it shall be ful of cursinges and at the ende it shall ouerthrow him And as by pride and synne we go from God so shall God and al goodnes with him go from vs. Ozee 5. And the prophete Ozee doeth playnly affyrme that they which go away stil froÌ„ God by vicious liuing yet would go aboute to pacyfye him otherwise by sacrifice and entertayne hym thereby they labour in vayne For notwithstandinge all theyr sacrifice yet he goeth stil awaye from them For so muche sayth the prophet as they do not applye theyr myndes to retourne to God althoughe they goo aboute with whole flockes and heardes to seeke the Lorde yet they shall not fynde him for he is gone awaye from them But as touchinge our turninge to God or from God you shal vnderstand that it may be doen dyuerse waies Sometimes directlye by ydolatrye as Israell and Iuda then did sometimes men go from GOD by lacke of fayth and mistrusting of God wherof Esay speaketh in this wyse Woe to them that go doune into Egipt to seke for helpe trusting in Horses â—hauing confidence in the numbre of chariots Esai â—â— and â—â—â—saunce or power of Horsemen They haue n◠〈…〉 dence in the holy god of Israel nor seke for the Lord But what foloweth The Lorde shall let hys hande fall vpon them and downe shall come both the helper and he that is holpen They shal be destroyed altogether Sometyme men go from God by the neglecting of his commaundementes conceining theyr neyghbours which commaundeth them to expresse hartie loue towardes â—uery man â—â—her 7. as Zacharye sayde vnto the people in Gods behalfe Geue true iudgemente shewe mercye and compassion euery one to his brother Imagin no deceite towardes widows or children fatherles motherles towardes straunger or the poore let no man forge euill in his heart against his brother But these thynges they passed not of they turned their backes and went theyr way they stopped theyr eares that they might not heare they hardened theyr hartes as an Adamante stone that they might not listen to the lawe the wordes that the Lorde had sente through his holy spirite by his aunciente Prophetes Wherefore the Lorde shewed his great indignation vppon them It came to passe sayeth the Prophete euen as I tolde them as they would not heare 〈◊〉 7 so when they cryed they were not heard but were scattered into al kingdomes which they neuer knew theyr lande was made desolate And to be short al they that may not abide the
commaund the cloudes that they shall not raine vpon it wherby is signified the teachinge of his holy word which S. Paule after a lyke maner expresseth by planting and watering meaning that he wylcake that away from theÌ„ So that they shal be no lenger of his kingdome they shal be no leiger gouerned by his holy spirites they shal be frustrated of the grace and benefites that they hadde and tuer mighte haue enioyed throughe Christe They shal be depriued of the heauenly light and life which they had in Chryst whiles they abode in him They shal be as they were once as men without GOD in this world or rather in woorse takynge And to be short they shal be geuen into the power of the deuyl which beareth the rule in al theÌ„ that be cast awaye from GOD as be dyd in Saul Iudas and generally in al suche as worke after their owne wylles 1. Re 25. the children of diffidence and infidelitie Let vs beware therefore good christyan people lest that we reiecting GODS woord by the whyche we obteine and reteine true faith in GOD be not at length cast of so farre that we become as the chyldren of infidelitie which be of two sortes farre dyuerse yea almost cleane contrary and yet both bee verye farre from returning to GOD. The one forte onelye waying their sinful detestable liuing with the right iudgment straightnes of GODS righteousenes be so destitute of counsail and be so comfortles as all they must nedes be from whom the spirite of counsayl and comfort is gone that they will not be perswaded in their hertes but that either GOD cannot or els that he wil not take them agayne to his fauor and mercye The other hearyng the louing large promises of GODS mercye and so not conceiâ—â—nge a right faith therof make those promises larger then euer GOD did trusting that although they coÌ„tinue in their sinful and detestable liuinge neuer so longe yet that GOD at the ende of their lyte wil shewe hys mercy vpon them and that then they wil returne And doth these two fortes of men Eze. 18. and. 33. de in a dawnable state and yet neuer thelesse GOD who willeth not the deth of the wicked hath shewed meanes wherby both the same if they take hede in season may escape A gaynst desperation The fyrst as they doe dread GODS rightefull iustice in punishing sinners wherby they shuld be dismaid and shuld despayre indeoe as touching any hope that may be in themselues soo if they woulde constantly beleue that GODS mercy is the remedye appoynted agaynst such despayre and distrust not onely for them but generally for al that be forye and truely repentant wil therwithall sticke to GODS mercy they may be sure they shal obtein mercy and enter into the porte or hauen of sauegarde into the which whosoeuer doth come be they defore time neuer so wicked they shal be oute of daunger of euerlasting damnation Eze. 33. as GOD by Ezechiel saith what time soeuer the wicked doth returne take earnest and true repentauÌ„ce I wil forget al his wickednes Agaynste presumptyon The other as they be ready to beleue GODS promises so they shuld be as ready to beleue the threatninges of GOD aswel they should beleue the lawe as the gospell aswell that there is an bel and euerlasting fyre as that there is an heauen and euerlastynge ioye aswel they should beleue damnation to be threatened to the wicked and euill doers as saluation to be promysed to the faythful in worde and workes aswell they should beleue God to be true in the one as in the other And the sinners that continue in theyr wicked lyuyng ought to thynke â–ª that the promises of Goddes mercy and the Gospel perteyne not vnto them beynge in that state but onely the lawe and those scriptures whiche conteine the wrathe and indignation of GOD and his threateninges whiche should certifie them that as they do ouer boldely presume of GODS mercye liue dissolutely so doth GOD â—tyl more and more withdrawe his mercy from them and he is so prouoked therby to wrathe at lengthe that he destroieth suche presumers many tymes sodayâ—lye For of suche Saynct Paule sayde thus when they shall saye it is peace 1. Cess 5 there is no daunger â–ª then shall sodaine destruction come vpon them Let vs beware therefore of suche naughtye boldenesse to synne for GOD which hath promysed his mercy to them that bee truely repentaunte althoughe it be at the latter ende hath not promised to the presumtuous sinner eyther that he shal haue longe lyfe or that he shal haue true repentaunce at the laste ende But for that purpose hath he made euerye mannes death vncertaine that he should not put his hope in th ende and in the meane season to GODS hyghe displeasure lyue vngodlye Wherfore let vs folowe the counsayle of the Wyseman let vs make no tarying to turne vnto the lord let vs not put of from day to daye for so daynly shall hys wrath come â–ª and in tyme of vengâ—â—nce he wyll destroy the wicked Let vs therfore turne betymes and wheÌ„ we turne â—se 14 let vs praye to GOD as Dzeâ— teacheth saying Forgeue vs al our sines â–ª receiue vs graciouslye And if we turne to him with an humble a very penitent heart he wyl receiue vs to hys fauour and grace for hys holye names sake for hys promyse sake for his trueth and mercyes sake promised to all faythful beleuers in Iesus Christe his onely naturall sonne To whom the only sauiour of the worlde with the father and the holy ghoste bee all honour glory and power worlde without ende Amen An exhortation agaynste the feare of death IT is not to be merueiled that worldlye men doe feare to dye For death depryueth theim of all worldlye honours ryches and possessions in the fruition whereof the worldely man counteth hym self happy so longe as he maye enioye theim at his owne pleasure and otherwise if he be dispossessed of the same withoute hope of recouâ—rye then he can none other thinke of him self but that he is vnhappy â–ª because he hath lost his worldlye ioye and pleasure Alas thinketh this carnall man shall I nowe depart for euer froÌ„ al my honours al my treasure from my country frendes riches possessions and worldlye pleasures whiche are my ioye and heartes delyghte Alas that euer that daye shall come when all these I muste byddâ— fare well at once and neuer to enioye anye of them after Wherefore it is not withoute great cause spoken of the Wise man O death howe bytter sower is the remembraunce of thee to a man that liueth in peace and prosperytie in his substaunce Ecct. 41. to a man liuinge at ease leadyng his lyse after hys owne mind withoute trouble and is there withall well pampered and fedde There be other menne whome thys worlde doth not so greatlyâ— laugh vpon â–ª but rather bere