didde vnto them Audite coeli percipe auribus tuis ô terra quoniaÌ„ Dominus loquutus est Hear O heauens harkeÌ„ O earth â–ª hear ye that be riche and ye that be poore ye that be honorable ye that be miserable ye bothe good and badde Audite Audite But peraduenture so me man museth what I do meane thus earnestly to wyl you to heare declaryng nothing what you shuld heare Cum audire non possitis sine predicante If here were no manne to speake vnto then Rom. 10 although I should saye audite yet mighte I chose whether I wold speak furder bicause it is wrytten Auditus vbi non est non effundas Eccl. 32 sermonem I can make no such excuse seing here is so goodly an audience so learned an auditory so diligently bent to hear that that shal be spoken but am compelled for conscience sake to speak that that the lord wylleth to be spokeÌ„ by me wherfore as it is written Qui habet aures ad audiendum audiat Speake on therfore what would you that we shoulde Mar. 4. heare Verely ye shall heare the wholsome comfortable and sweet exhortacion yea rather the humble supplicacion that the holye Apostle S. Paul made vnto the CorinthiaÌ„s But I wold not haue you to heare for your belies sake or to satisfy the wanton lustes of your fleshe as dyd the Epicures neither to tryppe the preachers in their wordes as dyd the Phariseis or cursed Herodians least the Seyng plage I wold say the Synne plage of Aegypte fall vppon you as it dyd vppon theym for theyr so wylfulle enterprise Auditu audietis non intelligebitis videÌ„tes Math. 13. Esa 6. Marc. 4. Act. 18. uidebitis non uidebitis But I wold wyshe you so to heare that ye myght learn so to attend that ye myght comprehende your dutie towardes our merciful god To this end do they heare that are either wyse or religious As Salomon witnesseth Auris sapientuÌ„ Pro. 18. quaerit doctrinam non calumniaÌ„ as those that be vndiscrete do to whoÌ„ to speke of knowlege it auaileth not bycause they refuse to be lerned therin vnto whom SalomoÌ„ forbiddeth to speake saying In auribus insipientiuÌ„ ne loquaris despicient enim doctrinaÌ„ eloquij tui hopyng Pro. 23. therfore that ye seke to knowe with the wise not to carp with the folish that ye seke to learn not to lurch to sauor the truth not to snare them yâ— seke the prosperitie of your soules I am bolde at this instant through the permission of god to open my mouthe in the truthe Beyng well assured that if ye disceaue me herein yet can you not deceyue the lorde who seeth clerely in the darkenesse Gen. 11. 17. Psal 7. Apo. 2. who knoweth the very secretes of all mens hertes vnto whom no thyng is hyd but knowen as it is written â—mnia nuda sunt illius oculis de quo agimus who can not be begiled Psal 93. bycause he made man and all that is in man As the prophete saythe Shall not he that made the eare heare or he that made the eie shall not he see and he that made the hert shall not he vnderstand and knowe yea verely Wherfore without all hypocrisy bowe your eares to the Lord and obediently lerne to serue hym that your soule maye lyue As the Lorde hym selfe sayth Aurem uestram inclinate Esa 55. uenite ad me audite uiuet anima uestra To this end sainct Paule made this supplication vnto the CorinthiaÌ„s that they myght lyue Therfore to declare how carefull he was ouer theyr lyfe and fearefull lest thorow theyr owne foly they shoulde fall to death he sayde Quin adiuuantes obsecramus ne in uacuum 2 Cor. 6. gratiaÌ„ dei receperitis Dicit enim in teÌ„pore accepto exaudiuite in die salutis suâ—curri tibi Ecce nunc tempus acceptum ecce nunc dies salutis Ne quam demus offensionem ne reprehendatur ministerium nostrum sed in omnibus commendemus nosâ—psos vt Dei ministri c. After this humble and louely maner dyd saynt Paule exhort the Corinthians which were citisyns of the head citie of Achaia of whom they had theyr names and were called Corinthians wyllyng them as a tender father dooth his beloued chyldern that they shuld not receyue the abundant grace of god mynystred vnto them by his preachynge in vayne Wherfore he sayth We as helpers exhorte Rom. 11. 1. Cor. 8. Eph. 1. 2. Cor. 3. Apoc. 17. you not that he ment by those wordes to helpe god which needeth not the helpe of men bycause he is a perfect God holy iust and good vnto whom nothing can be added nor any thyng diminished but that he holpe the Corinthians in this that he slacked not the ministration of the worde toward them neyther behaued hym selfe vnfaythfully towards God by whom he was chosen to be an instrumente to beare his name vnto the Gentiles No neither vnkyndly toward the Corinthians whom he had conuerted vnto the truthe from their gentilitie and vngodlynes For as it appeareth by auncient and godly wryters he lyued among the Corinthians one hole yere and sixe monethes in the which he laboured with all diligent preachynge to bryng theym from all lettes that hyndered Christes religion vnto the obedience of the fayth wherwith before his commyng they were not a lyttell infected What mischief was there to be sene amoÌ„g any people that coulde not be bothe sene and founde among the Corinthians before his prechyng Were they not deuout ydolaters execrable blasphemers vnmercifull oppressers violent exactours beastly aduoutters full of enuy pride dronkennes gluttonye strife sedition and vnspeakeable villanye agaynst God and his dere son Iesus Christ Dyd they not through ignorance the chiefe enemy to knowledge abuse all the good giftes of god But the Lorde entendyng to set forth mercy towardes them lyke as he hath doon to all the hole worlde dyd moue saynte Paule by his holy spirite to go preache vnto them the glad tydynges of saluation call theim to repentaunce that they myght by grace through faith in Iesus Christ obtein the crowne of immortalitie and euerlastyng lyfe whyche thynge whan he lyued familiarly among theym thorough the spirite of grace in preachyng he performed Wherefore by trewe preachyng he layd a sure foundation among them vt sapiens archytectus 1. Cor. 3. namely the Lord Iesus yâ— they beyng buylt vpon hym myght grow to an holy temple in the Lorde Howbeit the dyuel the ancieÌ„t enmy of God endeuouryng to destroy that that God worketh labouryng to euert that that God buyldeth and to roote vp that that God planteth bycause he may not abyde the creatures of God to tourne from synne and faythefully to serue their God Therfore soone after saynct Paules departure from Corynth the dyuell woorkyng in the children of vnbelefe styrred the Corinthians to theyr old vomite agayn that they myght peryshe
principall medicine to theym that by faithe cleane to Goddes promyse made in Christ sayenge Benedictus deus et pater domini nostri Iesu Christi qui benedixit nos iÌ„ omni benedictioÌ„e spirituali Eph. 1. in coelestibus iÌ„ Christo sicut elegit nos in ipso ante mundi constitutionem ut essemus sancti immaculati in conspectu eius in charitate Qui praedestinauit nos in adoptionem filioruÌ„ perâ—â—sum Christum c. If there had ben no predestination then wold not S. Paul haue giuen thanks to God for it But out of doubt ther is a predestynation the whych is certayn in God although it be vncertayne in vs and none otherwyse knowen but in that we fele the spirite of grace workyng fayth and obedience in our hartes vnto the word of god and that is the true token wherby the spirite of god certifieth our spirites that we at the electe sonnes of God Let no man therfore rashely iudge of gods holy predestination but let euery man submyt his iudgement to the word of God without curiositie sekyng that ende in predestination whiche sayncte Paul wylled the Ephesians to lerne namely Elegit nos in ipso ut sancti essemus immaculati in conspectu eius in charitate That felyng this mynde and desyre in theim selues they may reioyce in theyr election and geue thaiskes with saint Paul Who so euer than ther be that is faythfull and coueteth rightly to vnderstande predestination let hym attende vpon Christ that he may fynde hym selfe in hym without whom there can be found no worthy tokeÌ„ of PredestinatioÌ„ beware that no man be so blynde that he shulde deny the predestination of God for so shoulde he declare hym selfe to be infected with this stynkyng floure of the dyuell Nowe as it is a wycked errour to deny the Predestination of God and our election in Christ and a floure not to be found among christen men so it is a moste damnable heresy and an execrable flowre of hell wherein may be smelled the poyson blasphemy of the dyuell agaynste the sonne of God Iesus Christe to affirme and holde that by predestination God is the author of syn where as we may learne in scripture that the holy Predestination of God neuer passeth but alwayes continueth within the boundes of Godlynes and ryghteousnes where by all myghty God at no tyme moueth any man to sinne Vniuersae enim viae domini misericordia veritas Saynt Iames therfore to declare Iacob that God is not the author of synne sayth that God tempteth no man to euyll Satan is the cause of synne and synne the cause of our punyshemente what bryngeth the wrathe of God vpon vs and maketh his anger so fierse ouer vs Syn. What is the cause that Gods truthe taketh no place in vs and that we receyue the grace of god in vayne Synne Therefore it is written In cor maleuoluÌ„ non introibit sapientia nec habitabit â—ap 1. in corpore subdito peccatis c. Esai coÌ„firmeth the same saying Your sinnes haue separate you frome god Sainct Paule also teachiÌ„g the Romains wherwith God was and is displeased sayd Reuelatur ira Dei de Rom. 1. coelo super omnem iniustitiam impietatem hominum c. If God bee than displeased at synne as his word doth declare hym to be than is he not the authour of syn onlesse we shuld grant as God forbyd that he is both a mutable god or a dissembling God which coueteth or alloweth that which he saith by his word he doth hate For he is the author of nothyng but of that whiche he aloweth As he therfore is good only and goodnes it selfe contrarye to all iniquitie so is he author of all godlynes and vertue and no syn For this cause hath he coÌ„manded vs to flee from all syn as from a serpent declaryng in his blessed testament that they be blynd as concernyng the knowlege of god yea strangers from al truth that say thei haue felowship with the light yet walke in darkenes 1. Ioan. 1. Therfore he willeth al men to absteyn from syn wherof he is not the author but the hater not the cause but aueÌ„ger with a liuely faith to withstand the diuel the author only Ioan. 8. cause of syn as it is writen Diabolus mendax est pater eius Awai therfor with this pestilent floure creping pestileÌ„ce in the dark wherby the diuell busily sekiÌ„g our destruction laboureth to persuade vs litell to regard the lawe of God to neglecte our conscience to eschue no euyll to folowe all mischiefe lyke vnbrideled horses and that bicause God is displeased at no synne whiche is the author of all as the dyuell teacheth But lette vs buylde our fayth vpon the word of god sanctified and sealed with the bloud of Christe wherby we are taught that God is holy iust and good and the cause of no synne as it is wryten Quoniam non Deus uolens iniquitateÌ„ Psal 5. tu es Neque habitabit iuxta te malignus neque permane bunt iniusti ante oculos tuos Odisti omnes qui operantur iniquitatem c. Therefore by predestination god doth not prouoke or allure any man to synne bycause he is god and playeth not the part of the dyuel but he hath predestinate his iudgement wherwith he wyll reward euery man as he hath done either lyfe or death vnto whose predestination nothyng appertayneth but iust condemnation to the vnbeleuers and vndeserued mercy to the faythfull Christe came to take away our synne and there was no synne in hym As there was no synne in hym so was there no synne of hym that that was not of hym was not his woorke that whiche was not in his work was not in his predestination a damnable floure of the diuels orchard But if this flowre serue not he hath an other ready in store the smell whereof no lesse infecteth than thother That is Christ died for his owne synnes as well as for the sinnes of the people How the diuel hath wrought by this flour ye haue an exaÌ„ple before youre eies that ye may learn to eschew the sauor of so perillous a flour For the poisonyng of this ought to be to you a perpetuall warnyng to beware the engins of the diuel that he at no time bewitch you to fall into such an errour so farre against the truthe By this blynd suggestioÌ„ the dyuel goth to appeach Christs innocency righteousnes death and to make hym an insufficient Sauiour whereby he myghte make vs opynion that the law were not satisfied for vs neither yet God contented towardes vs. For God coulde not bee pleased towardes vs vntyll his lawe were satisfied And the lawe coulde not bee satisfied vntyll one that had not transgressyd the law shuld be propitiation for their synnes that were condemned by the law Seyng therfore that none could be found of the synfull generation of Adam that hadde not in
A GODLY AND FRVTEFVLL SERMON MADE â—t Maydstone in the county of Kent the fyrste sonday in Lent in the presence of the most Reuerend father in God THOMAS Archbishop of Canterbury c. by M. Thomas Cole scholemayster there againste dyuers erronious opinions of the Anabaptistes and others ⧠LONDINI ANNO DOMINI M. D. LIII A SERMON MADE AT MAYDSTONE THE FYRT sonday in Lente the yeare of oure Lord 1552. in the presence of the most reue rend father in God Thomas Archbyâ—shop of Canterbury c. by M. Thomas Cole schoolemaister there agaynst dyuers errours of the Anabaptistes and such sectes where soeuer they be as in christen religion call theym selues Brothers and Systers and dyuide theym selues from other christian people Audite coeli percipe auribus tuis ô terra quoniaÌ„ Dominus loquutus est WHo dooth not meruayle or counte it a thing very straunge that a mortall man of the generation of Adam conceyued in synne borne in wyckednes brynge no creatour but a creature yea dust and ashes shuld so boldly speak vnto al states and degrees of men commanding them to heare Some peraduenture do not only meruayle but accuse the Prophet that he should say being but a man Audite quoniam Dominus loquutus est But deere christians meruail not neyther charge you gods elect prophet with any euel or breache of ciuilitie least happely in faultyng them whom god sendeth vnto you with the worde of reconciliation ye procure to your selues the same rebuke whych our Sauiour Christ gaue to the catchyng Phariseis namelye Quare vos malum cogitatis in cordibus vestris For although Esay spake woordes Math 9. Marc. 2. Luc. 9. of commandyng and of auctoritye yet hee spake theym not of hym selfe neither in hys owne name but in the name of the lyuynge god which called him to be his prophet and made hym a messaunger vnto the people to call them to the obedience of the fayth Seynge therfore that almighty God the lorde of all creatures sent him to speake vnto theÌ„ he gaue him power to say Audite and seing he sent him not to speake his owne wordes but the wordes of God he also gaue hym power to saye Quoniam Dominus loquutus est For as the penne is the instrument that formeth the lettre whereby the mynde of the writer doth appeare vnto them that read it not through the pen only but by the writer that vseth the pen euen so the prophet Esay al thei that haue the ministery of the word of god are but the instrumeÌ„ts which god vseth according to his godly pleasure to make his wil to be knoweÌ„ vnto the hearers Which coÌ„meth not of theÌ„selues but of god which speketh in them Dauid not forgetting that he Psal 45 was the instrumeÌ„t of god although called to the dignitie of a prophet vnable of himselfe to set forth the inestimable riches of Gods wisdom wtout the aide of his holy spirit said Lingua mea calam us scribae velociter scribentis S. Paule wel remeÌ„bring that yâ— ministratioÌ„ of the word was honorable whereof God had made him a choseÌ„ instrument on the other side not forgetful howe lytle he had deserued at the lords hands such a promocion whan he heard the people of Corinth fallen into such a phrenetical contention that thei wold as meÌ„ do now a daies either coÌ„mende or lothe the word for the instrument sake bicause he wold not haue theÌ„ to regard his person but almighty God that spake in him Therfore to declare him self to be but an instrumeÌ„t to set forth yâ— glory of God he sayd Quid igitur est Paulus Quis â—utem 1 Cor. â— â–ª Apollo nisi ministri per quos credidistis et ut cuique dominus dedit Ego plantaui Apollo râ—gauit sed Deus deditincrementuÌ„ Itaque neque qui plantat est aliquid neque qui rigat sed qui dat incrementum Deus Esay vpoÌ„ like consideracioÌ„ entendinge to drawe the Israelites from the deceauable affections of flesh and bloud vnto the worthy receiuyng and reuerent embrasyng of the woord of lyfe that they shuld not thynke on the person but on the Lorde that spake in him sayed Audite coeli percipe auribus tuis ô terra quoniam Dominus loquutus est The lyke mynde ought to be at this daye in all them that either preache or heare the woord of the Lord that the preachers may acknowledge themselues to bee but instruments and the hearers to seeke nothyng in them but god speakyng in them the wordes of eternall lyfe Now therfore that almighty God speaketh by his instrumentes the true preachers of his word thorow the operation of his holy spirit which in times past spake immediately from himself by the patriarkes and prophetes to the world Let vs giue eare with diligence that we may vnderstand his heauenly mynd and beware that we despise not neglect and abandon this high treasure of the wisedome of god the word of faith although it seeme to come from a base poore instrument but hartely receiue it ioyfully accept it obediently folow it and faithfully persist in it to the ende that the may reape with great comfort thie promise of God Qui perseueâ— auerit vsque in finem hic saluus erit For Math. 24. Mat. â—â— without doubt god wylleth his word spoken by those whoÌ„ he choseth to this sacred function to be receiued with lyke worthynes and estimacion euen as though hee spake it him self And therfore he sayth Qui uos audit me Luc. 10. Ioan. 14. Marc. 6. Math. 10. audit qui uos spernit me spernit As the mouth of the kinges embassadour is for the time he speaketh the woordes of the kyng the verye mouthe of the kynge so the mouth of the preacher speakyng syncerely the woorde of God is the mouth of god for the time he preacheth And therfore the Prophets whaÌ„ they had spoken to the people vnto whome they were sent the mynd and woord of God they for the moste parte concluded their matters with these wordes saying Quoniam os Esa 1. Domini loquutum est Wherfore as they that despise the kinges emdassadour lytle regard or esteme the kyng so lykewise they that despise the true preachers of the worde of god as much as in them lyeth despise god Now derely beloued christiaÌ„s although Esay speaketh not vnto you but a synful man one vnwoorthy to beare Esayes bookes after hym either for the dexteritie of life that was in hym eyther for the deepe knowledge in the mysteries of God yet bycause it hath pleased oure heauenlye father to call me at this tyme to this place truely wythout couloure to speake hys truth and nothing but hys truthe I shall defyre yow in the name of God to dee dylygent hearers Wherefore hopyng to haue you lyke attentiue nowe as the true worshippers of God were in Esayes time I vse the same introduction to my matter as Esay did saiynge vnto you as he
seeth not their execrable ypocrisy No meruail therfore though they litle regard with their beastly lyuing to deny god yâ— bought them Many therbe that caÌ„ say wel ye they caÌ„ speak of God of Christ of eternal lâ—â—e yea of iudgmeÌ„t the reward yâ— yâ— vngodly shal haue as though ther were angels late come from heaueÌ„ â–ª but yet fireâ—raÌ„ds of hel For out of al questioÌ„ if thei did câ—â—dite yâ— truth that coÌ„meth out of their lips or fear yâ— God of whoÌ„ thei talke or loue that Christe whoÌ„ thei cal a sauiour or coueted yâ— kingdom wherin is euerlasting lyfe to conclude if thei beleued that God were iust caÌ„ not but rewarde impenitent ypocrites wold they think you serue their fylthy flesh with such greedines be such patrons of impiety Ful wel prophecied Esay of you ye ypocrites saithe the loâ—de Esay 1â— Math. 1â— Mar. 7. This people draw me me with their â—â—â—pes but their hartes are far from me No greater friendes hath the dyuell had from the bee ginning than those that say and do not neyther greater fryendes dooth hee require to haue to the worldes end For by say and doo not the dyuell brought to passe to kyll oure sauiour Christe and by saye and doo not hee purposeth to kyll euen in the blade the 〈◊〉 of the gospell Who doothe not lamente to heare men so expert in talkyng and so abhominable in lyuynge so frutefull in teaching and so frutelesse in woorkyng suche baâ—laâ—â— of fayth and haue so lytle Euery man can say couetousnes is naught yet they desyre theyr neighbours goods and lyuelode Euery man caÌ„ say that whoredom is yll but who almost liueth chast Euery man can saye that enuye is a vyce yet for the moste all are enemyes to charity Euery manne can say slaunder and detractatioÌ„ is wycked yet very fewe canne speake good by their neighboures Euery man can saye Pryde Glottonye Dronkennesse and insolent behauiour bee very yll yet cannot they away wyth humility temperance sobrenes nor discrete manners To conclude Euerye man sayth he loueth God yet very fewe desyre truly to worship hym but in their deedes they denye him lyue lyke Paganes Ther fore with the same plage that God in tyme past rewarded them that said dyd not will he bring vpon them that in these dayes saye do not whose daÌ„nable ypocrisy is as hateful in his sight as their was But God for their ypocrisy strake them with blyndenes dasynes of heart wherby they thought they were well whan theyr case was myserable they thought themselues in lyght wheÌ„ they were in darkenes and to bee the sonnes of God when they were as their frutes dyd declare theÌ„ children of the dyuel EueÌ„ so wil he do to them that imitate their manners in these our daies Thus God rewarded theÌ„ Perdam sapientiam sapientium prudentiam prudentium adnihilabo So that whyles they thought them selues well and no danger at hand sodeynly came theyr destruction vpon them lyke a violent floud that can not be resysted yea whan they thynke with their wisdome to escape their foolyshnes shall bee so greate that they shall fall into theyr owne mischief no maÌ„ persecutyng them but a gilty conscience accusynge them for that they said and did not yea for this theyr hipocrisy yf they die in theyr vnbelefe all that thei take in hand shal be impure and accursed of God so that theyr praier to hym shall be as blasphemy theyr fastyng as fylthynes their almes dede as robbery and theyr worshyppyng of God as moste greatest dishonour and that bicause they said and did not This S. Paul proueth saying Omnia pura puris porro pollutis infidelibus nihil est puruÌ„ Sed polluta est illorum mens conscientia Profitentur se scire deum caeterum factis negant cum sint abhominabiles dicto non audientes ad omne opus bonum reprobi If therfore it be wycked as it is in dede vnder good lyuyng to mayntain yl doctrine so is it moste wycked and damnable vnder well saying to cloake a fylthy and detestable lyuyng yea some be I feare me growen in suche wylfull wyckednes that neyther the terrible iugementes of God neither worldly shame wyll dryue them from their synne but as past graces they neuer leaue to worke wyckednes tyll it forsake them that is tyll thei can syn no more Wherfore lyke inheritance as God giueth to those that knowing the truth wilfully or obstinatly vnder good liuyng defend heresy euen so will he reward those hypocrites that say and do not so that although thei with wel saing be exalted to the cloudes yet for their euil workyng with the Capernâ—â—â—es thei shall fall downe to hell as holy Iob sayth Hypocritae superbia si ad coelum Ioâ— â—0 usque ascederit caput eius nubes tetigerit quasi ster quilinium in fide perdetur qui eum uiderant dicent vbi est Wherfore as they can not plead in iudgment their vertue that obstinatly mayntayn vntruth so can not thei in iudgement pleade their welsaiyng or holsom doctrine that wilfully leade a naughtye conuersation but as the sentence of god is fearful to the one so is it most horrible to the other It shal therfore litle profite them that say and do not although thei bragge before Gods throne saiyng Master master haue we not in thy name prophecied and in thy name cast out diuels and in thy name haue done many myracles where he will answer them again I neuer knew you Depart froÌ„ me ye workers 〈…〉 these two wais ful 〈…〉 uel goth about to ma 〈…〉 other in tyme past to re 〈…〉 in vayn I thought it not 〈…〉 necessary to make the same 〈…〉 exhortation to you the S. Paul m 〈…〉 rinth That ye receiue not the grace of 〈…〉 in vayn But as god of his fauorable me 〈…〉 for Christs sake hath sent vnto you the w 〈…〉 of Reconciliation of faith to call you to 〈…〉 pentaunce that ye myght not alone feâ—e t 〈…〉 comfort of your election but also expresse thâ— fruits of the gospel in your lyues maners So be ye not found I besech you such children as halt out of the way either in defendyng yl speakyng vnder vertuous liuyng or yll lyuyng vnder vertuous speakyng But rather as it wel besemeth true christians he pure both in worde dede after the ensample of the fore runner Iesus Christ Folowe holynes rightuousnes without the which no man shall see God for so hath he taught vs saying Sancti eritis quia ego sanctus sum do Leuit. 2. minus deus uester Therfor s Paul sayth We are not called to vncleannes but to holynes for this cause as he councelleth vs let vs glorify god both in our bodies in ouâ— spirites We ar not our own but his bought with a precious ransoÌ„ not with corruptible gold siluer 〈…〉 as S. Peter 〈…〉 s bloud of Christ