worlde I wyll shewe you an 〈◊〉 There was one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a seruaunte of Saule the kynge he was 〈◊〉 pastorum the maister ouer his 〈◊〉 Whan Dauid flyeng from Saule came to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very hungrye and werye and therfore desyred some 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 hauyng none other 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 propositionis the holye bread of that he gaue Dauid and after that he gaue him the sworde of Gohath whome Dauid hadde kylled before Now thys Doeg beynge there at that tyme what doeth he lyke a 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 goeth to Saule the kynge and tolde hym 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 had refreshed Dauid in hys iourney and 〈◊〉 geuen vnto hym the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Saule hearyng that beynge in a greate fury sente for all the priestes and theyr wyfes and theyr chyldren and 〈◊〉 them all Thys Doeg nowe that 〈◊〉 was not a peace maker but a peace breaker and therefore not a 〈◊〉 of GOD but of the diuell I coulde 〈◊〉 you of 〈◊〉 other 〈◊〉 of other whisperers for I haue knowen some in my tyme but all suche are the chyldren of the 〈◊〉 they are not Goddes 〈◊〉 for Christe our 〈◊〉 called those Goddes chyldren that are peacemakers not them that cutte 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 throate Seeyng nowe that it is so good a thynge to be a peacemaker 〈◊〉 all them that be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 themselues to be peacemakers let the 〈◊〉 shew 〈◊〉 to be peacemakers when they 〈◊〉 of contentions and 〈◊〉 betwene their tenants send for them here theyr 〈◊〉 and make hym that is faultye to bee 〈◊〉 and so let them be peacemakers but there be some gentlemen in England which thinke themselues borne to nothyng 〈◊〉 but to haue good cheere in thys worlde 〈◊〉 go a haukynge and huntyng I would wishe they woulde 〈◊〉 them selues rather to bee peacemakers to counsayle and healpe poore men and when they heare of any discord to be betwene neighbours and neighbours to set them together at 〈◊〉 this shoulde bee rather theyr exercise than banquettyng and spending the tyme in vayne But they wyll 〈◊〉 it is a great payne and labour to meddle in matters to be a peacemaker Syr you muste consider that it is a greate matter to bee a chylde of God And therfore we ought to be contente to take paynes to be peacemakers that we may be the chyldren of god But in matters of religion we must take heede that we haue such a peace which may stande with god and his word for it is better to haue no peace at all then to haue it wyth the losse of gods worde In the tyme of the sixe articles there was a Bishop whiche euer cryed vnity vnity but he would haue a 〈◊〉 vnitie Saint Paule to the 〈◊〉 sayeth 〈◊〉 vnanimes 〈◊〉 of one mynde but he addeth Secundum 〈◊〉 Christum accordyng to 〈◊〉 Christe that is accordyng to gods holy word els it were better warre than peace we oughte neuer regard vnity so much that we wold or should forsake gods worde for her sake when we were in 〈◊〉 we agreed wel because we were in the kingdom of the diuell we were in blyndnes In Turky we heare not of any discention amongest 〈◊〉 for religions sake The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now 〈◊〉 haue no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they be in blyndenesse Whan the rebelles were vp in Norffolke and Deuonshire they agreed all there was no dissencion but their peace was not Secundum 〈◊〉 Christum accordynge to Iesus Christ. Therfore S. 〈◊〉 hath a 〈◊〉 saying Speciosum quidem nomen est pacis pulchra opinio vnitatis sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eam solam 〈◊〉 Ecclesiae pacem esse quae Christi est It is a goodly word peace and a faire thing Unitie but who doutes but this to be the onely ryght peace of the churche which peace is after Christ accordyng to his wordes Therfore let vs set by vnitie lette vs be geuen to loue and charitie but so that it maye stande with godlines For peace oughte not to be redeemed iactura veritatis with losse of the truthe that we wold seke peace so much that we should lose the truthe of Gods worde Beati qui persecutionem patiuntur propter 〈◊〉 Blessed be they that suffer persecution for rightuousnes sake for theirs is the kyngdom of heauen This is the last iourney whan we be demanded of our faith and examined and afterwarde be forced to beleue as they wyl whan we come to that poynte Blessed are we whan we suffre rather all extremities than forsake the truth yea we shall esteme it to be a great blessednes whā we 〈◊〉 in suche trouble And not onely this but who 〈◊〉 suffreth any thing for any maner of rightuousnes sake blessed is he the questmonger doyng vprightly his duetie in dischargyng of his conscience now he shal haue displeasure happy is he and he shall haue his rewarde of God Beati cum maledixerint vobis homines dice. Blessed are ye whan men speake yll of you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 merces vestra multa est c. Be merie because your reward is great in heauen Nowe ye haue heard whiche is the way to heauen what maner a pylgremage we must goe Namely first by spirituall pouertie by hunger and thirst after rightuousnes by mekenes and lenitie by wepyng and waylyng by pitie and mercyfulnes Item we muste haue a cleane hert Item we must be peace makers Item we muste suffre tribulation and affliction Than shall the ende bee Merces vestra 〈◊〉 multa in coelis your rewarde shal be great in heauen Merces this woorde soundeth as though we shoulde merite somwhat by our owne woorkes for reward and merite are correspondent one foloweth the other whan I haue merited than I ought to haue my reward But we shall not thynke so for ye must vnderstande that all our workes are imperfect we can not doo them so perfectely as the lawe requireth because of our fleshe which euer letteth vs. Wherfore is the kyngdome of god called than a rewarde because it is merited by Christ for as touchyng our saluation and eternall lyfe it must be merited but not by our owne workes but onely by the merites of our 〈◊〉 Christ. Therfore beleue in hym trust in him it is he that merited heauen for vs yet for all that euery man shall be rewarded for his good workes in euerlastyng lyfe but not with euerlastyng lyfe For it is written Vita aeterna donum Dei The euerlasting lyfe is a gift of god Therfore we shuld not esteme our workes so perfect as though we should or coulde merite heauen by them yet god hath such pleasures in suche workes which we doo with a faithfull heart that he promiseth to rewarde thē in euerlasting lyfe Now to make an end I desire you in gods behalfe remēbre this pilgremage which I haue taught you set not lyght by it for it is our sauiors owne doctrine he with his owne mouth taught vs this pilgremage whan we will now folowe hym and doo
haue their battailyng shoen which Saint Paule required of them Now whan we be shoed we must haue a bucklar that is fayth and this must be a right faith a faith accordyng vnto goddes worde for the Turkes haue theyr fayth so lyke wise the Iewes haue theyr faythe Item the false Christians haue theyr fayth but they haue not the right fayth not that faythe of which Saincte Paule speaketh here but they haue 〈◊〉 men dacé a false faith a deceiuable faith for it is not grounded in gods word therfore the right saith cā not be gottē except by goddes worde And the worde worketh not hath no commodities excepte it be taken with faythe Now we may trye our selues whether we haue this faythe or not yf we lye in synne and wickednes care not for gods worde and his holye commaundements but lyue onely accordyng to our lustes appetites thā we hauē ot this faith whā we be slouthful whā we be whoremōgers swearers or vumerciful vnto the poore thē we haue not this faith as lōg as we be in such 〈◊〉 sinnes but if we heare gods word beleue be 〈◊〉 to liue after it leaue our sinnes 〈◊〉 thā we haue that fayth of which S. Paule speaketh here then we shal bee able to quenche the fyery arrowes of the deuyll So yehaue hearde what the armour of god is namelye truthe Iustice readines to heare gods worde and faith but this fayth must not be onely in our mouth in our tongue but it must bee in oure handes that is to say we muste not onelye talke of the gospell but also we must folowe it in our conuersations and 〈◊〉 Now than we must haue a helmet a salet that is saluatiō whatsoeuer we do we must consider whether it may further or let vs of our saluation when it may let thee of thy saluation leaue it whē it may further thee thē do it so throughout 〈◊〉 our lyues we must haue a respect whether oure doynges may stande with our saluation or not Whan we are now redy and armed rounde about so that our enemy can not hurte vs than we must haue a sworde in our handes to 〈◊〉 withall and to ouercome our ghostly ene my what maner of sworde is this Mary it is gods worde it is a spirituall sword which all people oughte to haue Here ye here that all men and women ought to haue that sworde that is the worde of god wherwith they may fight agaynste the deuill Now I pray you how could the lay people haue that sworde how could they fyghte with the deuyll when al thynges were in Latine so that they coulde not vnderstand it Therfore how needefull it is for euery man to haue gods words it appeareth here for only with the worde of God we must fight against the deuyll which deuyll entendeth dayly to do vs mischief how could now the vnlerned fight against him whan all thyngs were in latine so that they might not come to the vnderstandyng of gods worde Therfore let vs geue god most harty thankes that we haue gods worde and let vs thankfully vse the same for only with gods word we shall auoyde and chase the diuel and with nothyng els Our Sauioure when he was tempted what were his weapons wherewith he foughte nothyng els but goddes word Whan the deuill tempted him he euer sayeth Scriptum est it is written whan the deuyll would haue hym to caste hym selfe doune from the temple he saide vnto hym Scriptum est non 〈◊〉 dominum Deum tuum It is written Thou shalte not tempt thy lorde god that is to say we may not put god to do that thing miraculously when it may be done other wayes Agayn vpon the mountaine whan the deuyll wold haue hym to worship him he said Scriptum est It is writen thou shalt honor thy god onely So lykewise we muste haue gods worde to fyghte with the deuill and to withstande his temptations and assaultes as when the deuyll moueth me to commit adultery I must fight against him with the word of god Scriptum est it is written thou shalt not 〈◊〉 adultery Thou deuill thou shalt not be able to bring me vnto it to do against my lorde God So likewise when the deuil moueth me to make lyes I must confoūd him with gods word S. Paule saith Veritaté loquimini 〈◊〉 cum proximo suo speake the truth euery one with his neighbour as there is a common saying amongest vs Say the 〈◊〉 and shame the diuel so euery one man woman must fighte agaynst the dyuel But we 〈◊〉 we haue a greater and higher degree we are magistrates we haue the spirituall sworde of god in a higher degree then the common people we must rebuke other men and spare no man our office is to teach euery man the way to heauen And whosoeuer wyll not folow but liueth stil in sinne and 〈◊〉 him ought we to stryke not to spare like as Iohn Baptist did whē he said to the great and proude king 〈◊〉 non licet tibi Sir it becōmeth not thee to do so So we preachers must vse gods word to that correctiō of other 〈◊〉 sins we may not be flatterers or clawbackes other people that haue not this vocatiō may exhort euery one his neighbour to leaue sinnes but we haue the sword we are auctorised to stryke them with gods word Now the last part of this armour is prayer and I warrant you it is not left out for it is the christen mans special weapon wherwith to stryke the deuil vanquishe his assautes and if we be weake and feele our selues not able to withstād our enemy we must fall to prayer which is a sure remedye to 〈◊〉 god to help for his own sake and for Christes sake for his promise sake for he were not god yf he shold not kepe his promises therfore Christ cōmaundeth vs to pray alwais when we haue nede and no dout there is neuera tyme but we haue 〈◊〉 eyther for oure selues or els for oure neighbours therfore to pray we haue nede and we shal ouercome the deuill with faithful prayer For prayer is the principall weapon wherwith we must fight against the diuel I spake of faithful praier for in times paste we toke bibling babling for 〈◊〉 whā it was nothing lesse and therfore 〈◊〉 Paul addoth 〈◊〉 in spirit We must pray in spirit with a penitēt 〈◊〉 for there is no mā that hath an yl conscience that doth pray in spirit he that is a whoremōger or a swearer a carder or 〈◊〉 a dronkard or suche like that 〈◊〉 his praier hathe no 〈◊〉 as long as he is in purpose of sinne he can not pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can not pray thē he is vnarmed he hath not these wea pons of which s. Paul speaketh here but he that hath a penitent heart is cōtent to leaue his sinnes wickednes that same is he whose praiers shal be heard And whan we praye
layd snares to destroy them but he ouerturneth the in theyr own traps Qui comprehendit tastutos in fallacia eorum He taketh the craf ty in their own subtile ginnes and snares but not maliciously to destroy them as they malitiosly wold haue sene him hanged but mercifullye to tourne them from theyr wicked imaginations that they mighte consider that no wisdome no subtile craftes nor Counsell is agaynste the Lord and so repent and become new men At 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illi denarium And they brought him a denari a pece of theyr currant coyne that was worth x. of our vsual pence suche another pece as our 〈◊〉 And he sayd Cuius est imago 〈◊〉 super scriptio dicunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose Image is thys and superscription They saide Ceasers for nowe was Iewerye broughte vnder the bondage of the Romains and therfore vsed they the Romaine coyne that had vppon it doth Ceasars image and Ceasars superscription Then aunsweared Iesus 〈◊〉 ergo quae 〈◊〉 Caesaris Caesari quae sunt dei Deo Paye to Ceasar that is due to Ceasar and to God that which is due to God Make not a mingle mangle of them but geue to God hys owne geue to Ceasar his owne To GOD geue thy soule thy faythe thy hoope thy obedient minde to keepe hys woorde and frame thy life there after To Ceasar geue tribute Taxe Subsidie and all other dueties 〈◊〉 to him as to haue hym in thy honoure and reuerence to obey his iuste lawes and righte wise commaundementes c. But because the tyme is paste I wyll heare make an ende for thys fore noone desiringe you to pray to God for hys healpe for at after noone I purpose to begin agayne at this texte and to goo forthe as God shall geue me hys grace Nowe let vs al say together the Lordes prayer Oure 〈◊〉 which art in heauen c. ¶ The resydue of the Gospell declared at after none by maister Latimer Reddite caesari quae sunt Caesaris quae sunt dei Deo YElde to Ceasar that belongeth to Ceasar and to God that belongeth to God ye may perceiue by that we haue sayde who spake these wordes and vpon what occa syon they were spoken Oure sauyoure Christ spake them to the tempting Pharises to the craftye and subtile holowe harted Pharises willinge them to knowe their duetye by their own confession and to geue to Ceasar his dutye and to God his dutye Our sauioure Christe spake them If he spake them we oughte to regarde them Regarde them I say and make muche of them for thoughe they were then spoken to them yet in them they were spoken to all the world I vse to make a rehearsall of that I spake before but because the time is shorte I will omit it The seruyce must be dòne and the daye goeth faste awaye Therfore I wil to my matter and leaue the rehersall These words be wordes of great importaunce and would wel be considered for he that doth this receiueth greate benefites by it but he that doth it not incurreth great dammage and dan ger The occasyon was a counsel taken amonge these holy fathers to snarle Christ a good and charitable dede yet wer they holy men holye fathers full of 〈◊〉 vp to the harde eares This they learned in their councell and thys now they set on broche But Christ nowe causeth them to make answer to their own question as he also did a lyttle before When he was come vp into Ierusalē and had driuen out the biers and sellers in the temple The Archpharises prouincials and Abbots phariseis came stoutlye to him as he was preaching in the Temple and said to him Qua authoritate ista facis aut quis dedit tibi istam aut horitatem By what authority dost thou these things who hath geuē thee this authority We haue the rule of the people of god we haue geuen thee no such authority A wōderous thing Christ had testimonye of his father This is my beloued sonne hear him Ihon had born him witnesse sayinge 〈◊〉 the Lambe of God that taketh awaye the sinnes of that world his workes and miracles wer testimonies that hys doctrine was of God well al this wil not serue He muste haue licence of these holye fathers or els all is nothynge worth Christ answered not directlye to their questyon but asked them a nother question made them geue answer a 〈◊〉 them selues as it were with one wedge dryued out a nother The baptisme of Ihon was it of God or of man Was Ihon sent of God had he his authority of god or of man Here he driueth them to confesse his doctrin to be of God For Ihon whome they could not denye to haue ben sent from god bare witnes that his doctrin was 〈◊〉 If they had confessed thys he wold haue inferred why beleue ye him not If they shoulde haue sayde Ihon was not of god thē wold al that people haue ben against them yea in a horlye burlye haue stoned them This they consydered wythin them selues and yet theyr malitious hartes wolde not bear it to confes the truth nay rather like wise gentle men they answered We know not we cannot tel These Arch Pharises thought nothing might be done or taughte withoute their license nor otherwise but as they pleased to interpreat They were like our religion clergy that thought nothing mought be taughte but as they pleased They wold pay no tribute taxe nor tribute They had their Immunities priueledges and graunts from the Romain bishop And to maintain this they alledged many scriptures as thus Nolite tarigere Christos meos whiche is touch not mine annoynted or consecrated people whyche wordes the Lord spake by the Israelites in Egipte warning king Pharao to leaue and cease from persecutyng that Israelites it maketh as much for our cleargyes immunity and proueth it as wel as if a man alledged Quem ter ra pontus to proue that an Ape hath a tail Well they answered Cesaris Lesars they confessed it was Lesars mony and Lesars image and wrytinge vpon it heare Christe compelled them to make āswer vnto their owne question And if enuy should arise to take it them self For they con fessed it to be Ceasars Then saide he Geue to Lesar that which is Ceasars and to God that is due to God Thys answer of Christ I woulde haue you all to learne geue to your Ceaser to your king to our most noble king Edward our Ceasar our king and magistrate appoynted and geuen to vs of God geue to him that whiche is due to hym Thys is a commaundemente of God as are these Thou shalt not murther thou shalt not steal nor beare fals witnesse against thy neighbors And as thou art bound vpon pearil of thy soule to obey the other so vpon pearill of thy soule thou art bound to obey and kepe this Loke wel vpon it for it is vppon pearill of thy soule date
he sayth Coelum terram impleo I syll heauen and earthe And agayne Coelum mihi sedes est terta scabellum pedum meorum Heauen is my seate and the earth is my footestoole Where we see that he is a mighty GOD that he is in heauen and earthe with his power and might In heauen he is apparantly where face to face he sheweth himself vnto his Angels and Saines In earth he is not so apparantly but darkelye and obscurelye he exhibiteth himselfe vnto vs for oure corrupte and feble fleshe coulde not beare hys maiestye Yet he 〈◊〉 the earth that is to saye he ruleth and gouerneth the same ordering all things according vnto his will and pleasure Therefore we muste learne to persuade our selues and vndoutedlye beleue that he is able to helpe and that he beareth a good and fatherly wyll towardes vs that he will not forgette vs. Therfore the king and prophet Dauid sayth Dominus de coelo prospexit The Lorde hath seene doune from heauen As farre as the earthe is from heauen yet GOD loketh doune he seeth all thynges he is in euerye corner He sayethe the Lorde hathe looked doune not the Saynctes No he sayeth not so For the Sainctes haue not so sharpe eyes to see doune from heauen they be spurre blynde and sande blynd they can not see so farre nor haue not so long eares to heare And therefore our petition and prayer shoulde bee vnto hym whyche wyll heare and can heare For it is the Lorde that looketh downe He is here in earth as I tolde you verye darkely but he is in heauen moste manifestely where he sheweth him 〈◊〉 vnto his angels and sayntes face to face We reade in Scripture that Abels bloode dydde crie vnto God where it appeareth that he can heare yea not onely heare but also see and feele for he seeth ouer all thynges so that the least thought of our heartes is not hydde frome hym Therfore ponder and consyder these wordes well for they fortifie oure saythe We call hym Father to put our selues in remembraunce of his good wylle towardes vs. Heauenly we calle hym signifying his myghte and power that he maye healpe and doo all thynges accordynge to his wyll and pleasure So it appereth moste manifestly that there lacketh neither good will nor power in hym There was ones a prophete whiche whan he was yll intreated of kyng Ioas sayde Dominus videat 〈◊〉 The Lorde looke vppon it and require it There bee many menne in Englande and other where els whiche care not for God yea they be cleane without God whych saye in their heartes Nubes latibulum eius 〈◊〉 nostra considerat circa car dines 〈◊〉 ambulat Tushe the cloudes couer hym that he may not se and he dwelleth aboue in heuen But as I told you before Abels blood may certifie vs of his present know ledge Let vs therfore take hede that we doo nothyng that myght displease his maiestie neither openly nor secretely For he is euery where and nothyng can be hyd from hym Vider requiret He seeth it and will punishe it Further this worde Father is not onely apt and conuenient for vs to strengthen oure faith withall as I tolde you but also it moueth God the sooner to heare vs when we call him by that name Father For he perceiuing our confidence in him can not chose but shew hym lyke a Father So that this word Father is most mete to moue god to pitie and to graunt oure requestes Certaine it is and proued by holy Scripture that God hath a fatherly and louyng affection towarves vs farre passyng the loue of bodilye parentes to their children Yea as far as heauen and earth is a sonder so far hys loue towards mankynd exccdeth the loue of natu ral parentes to theyr children which loue is set out by the mouthe of hys holye Prophete Esay Where he sayeth Num 〈◊〉 tradet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suum quo minus misereatur 〈◊〉 vteri sui si esto 〈◊〉 illae ego tamen 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 Wyll a wyfe forget the chyld of her womb and the sonne whome she hathe borne and though she doe forgette hym yet wyll not I forgette thee Here are 〈◊〉 the affections and vnspeakeable loue whiche GOD beareth towarde vs. He sayeth 〈◊〉 potest 〈◊〉 Maye a woman He speaketh of the woman meanyng the man too but because women moste commenly are more 〈◊〉 towardes theyr Children then men bee therefore he nameth the woman And it is a verye vnnaturall woman that hateth her chylde or neglecteth the same But O lorde what craftes and conueiaunces vseth the deuyll abroade that he can bryng his matters so to passe that some women sette a syde not alonely all motherly affections but also all naturall humanitye in so muche that they kyll theyr owne children their owne bloud and fleshe I was a late credibly informed of a prieste whiche had taken in hande to be a middewyfe O what an abhominable thyng is this but what folowed he ordered the matter so that the poore innocente was loste in the meane season Suche thynges the deuyll cannebrynge to passe but what then God sayeth Though a woman doe forgette her chyldren though they kyll theym yet wyll I not forgette thee sayeth the Lorde GOD almightye Truthe it is there bee some women verye vnnaturall and vnkynde whiche shall receiue their punishements of GOD for it But for all that we oughte to beware and not beleue euerye tale tolde vnto vs and so rashelye iudge I knowe what I meane There hathe bene alate suche tales spreade abroade and most vntruly such false taletellers shal haue a greuous punishement of the Lorde whan he shall come to rewarde eue rye one according vnto his desertes Here I haue occasion to tell you a storye whyche happened at Cambridge Mayster Bylney or rather Saint Bylney that suffered death for Gods worde sake the same Bilney was the instrumente wherby God called me to knowledge for I maye thanke him next to god for that knowledge that I haue in the woord of GOD. For I was as obstinate a 〈◊〉 as anye was in Englande in so muche that when I shoulde bee made Bacheler of Diuinitie my whole oration went against Philip Melanchton agaynst his opinions Bilney heard me at that tyme and perceiued that I was zelous without knowlage and he came to me afterwarde in my studie and desired me for Gods sake to heare his confession I dyd so And to say the truthe by his confession I learned more than asore in many yeares So from that tyme forwarde I began to smell the word of god and forsoke the schole doctors and such foolries Now after I had ben acquainted with him I went with hym to visite the prisoners in the towre at Cambridge for he was euer visityng prisoners and sicke folke So we wente togither and exhorted them as well as we were able to doo mouing
that gods will maye be done And we should be con tent to lose oure lyues for rightuousnes sake For he that loseth his lyfe for because he wil not agree to the 〈◊〉 of god he seketh that gods will may be done Happy is that man for he syndeth his lyfe he loseth it not For Christ wylbe his keper Ioab that greate and valiaunte capitaine he knew well ynough when Dauid sent vnto hym good Urias with letters he knew I saye that the kynges will was against gods will yet he looked thorough his fyngers he wynked at it he wold rather do the wicked wyll of the kyng than the will of God Of suche 〈◊〉 there be a great number whiche care not for the honour and wyll of god These chaplaynes about the king and great men had neede to say 〈◊〉 voluntas tua Our father Thy vvill be done but they are verye slow and slacke they winke commonly at all matters be they neuer so 〈◊〉 They be Capellani ad manus They wyll not 〈◊〉 mundum de peccato they dare not rebuke the world of sinne they dare not doe as the prophete commaundeth vnto them to doe whan he saith Audiant montes 〈◊〉 domini let the 〈◊〉 heare the iudgementes of the lorde though the smoke as he saith 〈◊〉 montes fumigabūt Touche the 〈◊〉 and they will smoke Yea and though they smoke yet stryke thē spare thē not tel thē theyr faults But great mē cānot suffer that to be so rebuked their chapleins muste be faught a discretion if they will go so to wurke They 〈◊〉 commonly magistrates should be brought out of estimation yf they shoulde be handled so Syrs I wyll tel you what you shal do to kepe your estimation and credite do well handle vprightly and indifferently al matters defend the people from oppressiōs do your office as god hath apointed you to do whan you do so I war rant you you shall keepe your estimation and credite And I warrant you againe the preacher will not strike nor cut you with his sworde but rather praise you and commende your weldoings Els whan you do nought and wickedly oppresse the poore and geue false iudgements whan you do so that is negodly preacher that will hold his peace and not strike you with his sworde that you smoke againe But it is commenly as the scripture sayth Laudatur impius in desideriis animae 〈◊〉 The wicked is praised in the desyres of his wickednes Chaplaines wyll not doe their ducties they will not drawe their swordes but rather flatter they wil vse discretion But what shall folow Mary they shal haue gods curse vpon their heades for theyr labour this shal be al their gaines that they shall get by their flatterings An other scripture saith Qui po estatem exercent hi benefi cia vocantur The greate and mighty men be called benefactours weldoers but of whom be they called so Mary of 〈◊〉 terers of those which seke not to do the wyll of God but the pleasures of men S. John Baptist that hardy knight and excellent preacher of god he said this petitiō right with a good faith Our father Thy vvill be done Therfore he went to the king saying Nō licet tibi Syr it is not lauful for thee to do so See what bold nes he had how hoate a stomacke in gods quarell to defende gods honor glory But our 〈◊〉 what do they nowe a 〈◊〉 Mary they winke at it they wyl not displease for they seeke 〈◊〉 they seke benefices therfore they be not worthy to be gods officers Esaias that faithful minister of god he is a good plain felow he telleth them the matter in plain saying Argentum tuum versum est in 〈◊〉 principes tui infideles socii furum Thy siluer is turned to drosse thy princes are vnfaithfull and felowes of theues he is no flatterer hetelleth them that truth Thy princes said he are 〈◊〉 subuerters of iustice This Esay did for he had respecte to gods word he perceiued things amisie he knew that it was his parte to admonish to cut them with his sword Would god our preachers would be so feruent to promote the honor and glory of god to admonish the great and the smal to do the wit of the lord I pray god they may be as feruent as our sauiour was whan he said to his disciples Moos 〈◊〉 est vt faciam vo luntatem patris mei qui est in coelo My meat is to do the wit of my father which is in heauē that is to say you are no more desirous to eate your meate when you be a hongry then I am to do my fathers wil which is in heauen By what occasiō our sauiour saith these words you shal perceiue whā you consider the circumstances I pray you reade the chapter it is the. 4. of John The story is this He sendeth his disciples to a toune to bye meate where it appeareth that our sauiour had money after their departure he setteth him doune which was a soken that he was a weary and I warrant you he had neuer a cusshyne to lay vnder him Now as he was syttyng so there com meth a womā out of the toune to fateh water he or syred her to geue him drinke She made answer wil you drink 〈◊〉 whi cheam a Samaritain So they wēr 〈◊〉 in their talk at that lēgth he bad her go cal her hus bād she made answer I haue no husbād thou saiest wel said our sauior for thou hast had 5. this that thou hast now is not thy husbād so he reueled himself vnto her 〈◊〉 men peraduenture wyll say what meaneth this that our 〈◊〉 talketh alone with this woman Answer his humility and gentilnes is shewed herein For he was consente to talk with her beyng alone and to teach her the way to hea uen Agayne some men may learne here not to be so 〈◊〉 in their iudgementes that when they see 〈◊〉 persons talke together to suspect them For in so doyng they mighte 〈◊〉 our sauior himself It is not good it is against the wil of god to iudge rashely I know what I meane I know what vnhay py tales be abroad but I can do no more but to geue you war ning Now the woman went her way into the city making much 〈◊〉 how she had found the Messiah the sauior of the world in so much that a great many of the Samaritaines came oute vnto him Now as the woman was gone the disciples desired him to èate he made thē answer Ego aliū cibum habeo I haue other meat thā they thought some body had brought him som 〈◊〉 at that length he breaketh out saith Hic est cibus mcus vt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 quod misie me I am as desirous to do my fathers wil as you be of meate drinke let vs now for gods sake be so desirous to
vnto mankynde libertye to eate all manner of cleane beastes all thinges that hadde lyfe bee it fyshe or 〈◊〉 And this was done for thys cause that the earthe was not so frambde nor broughte not forthe so holsome herbes after the 〈◊〉 as she did before the floud ther fore God allowed vnto man all maner of meate bee it fyshe or fleshe yet it muste bee done measurablye But seeyng I haue occasion to speake of eatyng I wyl entreate somewhat of it and tell you what liberties we haue by gods worde Truely we be allowed by goddes worde to eate all manner of meate be it fyshe or 〈◊〉 that be eatable But ye must vn derstand that there be certaine hedges ouer which we ought not to leape but rather kepe our selues wythin those same hedges Now the fyrst hedge is this 〈◊〉 cum sanguine ne comederitis ye shall not eate the fleshe with the bloud that is to say we shall not eate rawe flesh for yf we shoulde be allowed to eate rawe flesh it should engender in vs a certayn cruelnes so that at the length one should eate another and so all the writers expounde this place so that God forbiddeth here that mankynde or mannes fleshe may not bee eaten We reade in the bookes of the kynges and so likewyse in Iosephus that certayne women had eaten theyr owne chyldren at the tyme when Ierusalem was besieged whyche thynge no doute dyspleased GOD and they dyd naughtelye in so doyng For mankynde 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 eaten therefore the fyrste hedge is that we muste abstayne from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so like wise from mans 〈◊〉 one may not eate another Neither yet we may shed bloude of priuate authority a man may not kill another but the magistrate he hath the sword committed vnto hym from god he may shed bloud when he seeth cause why he may take away the wicked from amongest the people and punish him accordyng vn to his doyng or 〈◊〉 Now will ye say I perceiue whē I 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 flesh or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thē I may eate al maner of flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 howsoeuer I can get it But I tel thee my 〈◊〉 not so you may not eate your neighbors 〈◊〉 or steale his fishes 〈◊〉 of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ye may not doe 〈◊〉 for there is a hedge made for 〈◊〉 god saith Non facies furtū thou shalt do 〈◊〉 theft Here I am hedged in so that I may not eate my neighbors meate but it must be my own 〈◊〉 I must haue gotten it vprightly or els by bying or cls by inheritance or 〈◊〉 that it be geuen vnto me I may not 〈◊〉 it frō my neigh bour when I lepe ouer this hedge then I synne damnably Now then ye wil say so it be my owne then I may eate of it as muche as I will No not so there is an other 〈◊〉 I may not commit gluttony with my owne meate for so it so written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à crapula ebrietare take heede of gluttony 〈◊〉 Here is a hedge we may not eate to much for 〈◊〉 we do we displease god highly So ye se that we may not eate of our owne meate as much as we would but rather we must kepe a measure for it is a great syn to abuse or waste the giftes of god and to play the glutton with it Whē one man cōsumeth as much wold serue 3. or 4. that is an 〈◊〉 thing before god for God geueth vs his creatures not to abuse them but to vse them to our necessity and nede let euery one therfore haue a measure and let no man abuse the giftes of god One man somtimes eateth more thā another we are not all alyke but for all that we ought all to kepe vs within this hedge that is to take no more then sufficeth our nature for 〈◊〉 that abuse the giftes of god no dout they greatly 〈◊〉 god by so doyng For it is an yll fauou red thyng when a man eateth or drinketh to much at a time Somtimes in dede it hapneth that a man drynketh to much but euery good and godly man wyll take heede to himselfe when he once hathe taken to muche he wyll beware afterward We reade in scripture of Noah that good man which was the fyrst that plāted vyneyardes after the sloud he was ones dronken before he knew the strength and the nature of wyne and so lay in his tente vncouered now one of his sonnes whose name was Cham sceyng his father lying naked wente and tolde his 〈◊〉 of it and so made a mocking stocke of his father Therefore Noah when he arose and had disgested his wyne and knowyng what his sonne had done vnto hym cursed him but we rede not that Noah was dronken afterward any tyme more Therfore if ye haue ben dron ken at any tyme take hecde hence forwarde and 〈◊〉 of abuse not the good creatures of God Now then ye wyll say 〈◊〉 I take them measurably then I maye eate all manner of meate at all tymes and euery where No not so there is an other hedge behynde ye muste haue a respecte to your owne 〈◊〉 and to your neighbours For I may eate no maner of meate against my conscience neither maye I eatemy meate in presence of my neighbour whereby he mighte bee offended for I ought to haue respecte vnto him as S. Paul playnly sheweth saying I know and am assured by the lord Iesus that there is nothyng vncleane of it selfe but vnto hym that iudgeth it to bee common to hym it is common yf thy brother bee greued with thy meate nowe 〈◊〉 thou not charitablye destroye not him with thy meate for whom Christ dyed As for an ensample When I should come into the North countrey where they bee not taughte and there I should cal for my egges on a fryday or for flesh then I shoulde do naughtely for I should destroye hym for whom Christ did suffer Therfore I must beware that I offend no mans conscience but rather trauayle with him first and shewe him the truth when my neighbour is taught and knoweth the truthe and wyll not beleue it but wyll abyde by his olde mumpsimus then I maye eatc not regardyng him for he is an obstinate felowe he wyll not beleue goddes worde And thoughe he be offended with me yet it is but pharisaicall offence lyke as the 〈◊〉 were offended wyth Christe our 〈◊〉 the faulte was not in Christe but in themselues So I saye I must haue a respecte to my 〈◊〉 conscience and then to my owne conscience But yet there is an other hedge behynde that is 〈◊〉 lawes the kyngs statutes and 〈◊〉 which are gods lawes for as muche as we ought to obey them as well as gods lawes and commaundementes S. Paule saith let euery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 himself vnto the autority of the higher power for there is no power but it is of god the powers that be are ordeyned of god whosoeuer ther
Oh he is a great man I 〈◊〉 not displease him c. 〈◊〉 vpon 〈◊〉 art thou a Iudge wilt be afrayd to geue right 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hym not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great a man but vpryghtly do true iustice Likewyse some pastures go 〈◊〉 their cure they are 〈◊〉 of the plage they dare not com nye any sicke body but hyer other and they go away them selues Out vpon 〈◊〉 The Woulfe commeth vpon thy flocke to deuour 〈◊〉 and when they haue most nede of thee thou run nest away from them The souldiour also that shoulde go on 〈◊〉 he wyl draw backe asmuche as he can 〈◊〉 I shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh suche and suche went and neuer came home agayne Suche men went the last yeare into Northfolke and were slayne there Thus they are 〈◊〉 to go They wyll labour to tarye at home If the Kyng commaunde thee to go 〈◊〉 bound to go and 〈◊〉 the King thou 〈◊〉 God 〈◊〉 serue God he wyl not shorten thy daies to thine hurt Well sayth some if they had not gon they had lyued vnto this 〈◊〉 How knowest thou that who made thee so pryuy of gods councel folow thou thy vocation and serue the kyng when 〈◊〉 calleth thee In seruyng hym thou shalt serue God And 〈◊〉 thy tyme come 〈◊〉 shalt not die It 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 escaped in such a cytie what then Yet God preserued hym so that he could not perish Lake therfore an example of 〈◊〉 and euery man follow hys vocation not fearing men but 〈◊〉 God An other seede that Christe was sowynge in the Sermon was thys Qui confessus me fuerit hominibus confitebor et ego illum coram patre meo He that confesseth me before men I shall also confesse hym hefore my Father We must confesse hym wyth mouthe It was of a Byshope not longe agoo asked as touchyng thys Lawes sayth he muste be obeyed and ciuyll ordynaunce I wyll follow outwardlye but my hearte in religyon is fre to thinke as I wyll So sayde Fryer Forest halfe a papyst yea worse then a whole Papist Well an other 〈◊〉 was he that sinneth agaynst the holy ghoste it shal not be 〈◊〉 him neither in this world nor in the world to come What is thys same synne agaynst the holy 〈◊〉 an horrible synne that neuer shal be forgeuen neither in thys world nor in the world to come What is thys synne final 〈◊〉 and some say impugning of the truth One came to me 〈◊〉 that dispayred because of synne agaynst the holye ghost 〈◊〉 was sore troubled in his conscience that he should bedamned and that it was not possible for him to be saued because 〈◊〉 had sinned against the holye 〈◊〉 I sayde to hym what man quod I comfort your selfe in these words of the Apostle Christus est propiciatio pro peccatis nostris And agayn Ideo me misit pater in mundum vt qui credit in me non 〈◊〉 sed habeat vitam eternam My father hathe for this purpose sent me into the world that he which beleueth in me maye not pearish but may haue the lyfe euerlasting Also Quaqumque hora ingemuerit peccator saluus erit In what hour soeuer the sinner shal mourn for his sinne he shal be saued I had scriptures inoughe for me as me thoughte but saye what I could say he could say more against him selfe then I could say at that tyme to doo him good with all Where some say that the sinne againste the holy ghost is originall sinne I allcdged against that the saying of S. Paule Sicut per vnius delictum c. And siquis egerit penitenciam If a man had don all the sinnes in the worlde and haue true repentaunce with fayth and hope in Gods mercy he shall be forgeuen But 〈◊〉 I said he could still obiect against me and aduoyde my reasons I was fayne to take an other daye and did so Let me go to my boke quod I and go you to your prayers for ye are not all together without fayth I got me to my study I red many doetours but none could content me no expositour could please me nor satisfye my minde in the matter And it is with me as it is with a schol ler of Cambridge who being demaunded of his Tutoure how he vnderstode his lesson and what it mente I knowe quod he what it meaneth but I can not tell it I can not expresse it So I vnderstode it well inoughe but I can not well declare it 〈◊〉 I will boungle at it as well as I can Nowe to tell you by the waye what sinne it was that he had committed he had fallen frō the truth knowen And afterward fell to mocking and scorning of it And this sinne it was that he thought to be vnforgeueable I sayde vnto him that it was a behement manner of spcakyng in scripture yet quod I this is not spoken vniuersallye nor it is not 〈◊〉 that God doothe neuer 〈◊〉 it but it is commonly called irremissible vnforgeueable because that God doth seldom forgeue it but yet there is no sin so great but God may forgeue it doth forgeue it to the repentant hart though in words it sound that it shall neuer be forgeuen As priuilegium paucorum non destruit regulam vniuersalem The priuelege of a few persons dothe not destroye an vniuersall rule or saying of scripture For the scripture sayth Omnes moriemur We shall dye euery one of vs yet som shall be rapt and taken a liue as S. Paule saith For this priuiledge of a few doth not hurte a generalty An irremissible sinne an vnercusable sin yet to him that will truly repent it is forgeueable In Christe it may be remitted if there be no more but one man forgeuen ye maye be that same one man that shall be forgeuen Vb abundauit delictum ibi abundabit et gratia Where iniquitie hathe habounded there shal grace habounde Thus by litle and litle this man came to a setled conscience agayne and toke comfort in Christes mer 〈◊〉 Therfore dispaire not though it be sayd it shall neucr be forgeuen Wher Lain said my wickednes is so greate that God cānot forgeue it Nay thou lyest sayeth Austē to Cain Maior est dei misericordia quam iniquitas 〈◊〉 The mercye of God is greater then thine iniquitie Therefore dispaire not but this one thynge I saye beware of this sin that ye fall not into it for I haue knowē no mo but this one man this one man that hath fallen frō the truth and hath afterward repented and come to grace again I haue knowen manye sēce god hath opened mine eies to see a litle I haue knowē many I say that knew more then I and some whom I haue honored that haue afterwards fallen from the truth but neuer one of them this man except that haue retourned to grace and to the truth againe But yet though God doth very seldom forgeue this sin although it be
one of the sinnes that God doth hate most of all others suche as is almost neuer forgeuē yet it is forgeueable In the bloud of Christ if one truely repent lo it is vniuersal As there is also an other scripture Voe 〈◊〉 cuius rex puer est Wo be to the Lande to the Realme whose king is a child whych some interpreate and referre to childish condicions But it is commonly true the otherwaye to when it is referred to the age and yeares of childhod For where the king is with 〈◊〉 age 〈◊〉 that haue gouernaunce aboute the kyng haue much libertie to lyue voluptuously and lycencyously and not to be in feare howe they gouerne as they woulde bee if the kynge were of full age and then commonly they gonerne not wel But yet Iosias and one or two mo though they were chyldren yet had theyr Realmes well gouerncd and rayned prosperously and yet the saying Vae terroe euius rex puer est neuertheles true for all that And thys I gather of thys irremissyble synne agaynste the holy Ghoste that the Scripture saythe it is neuer forgeuen because it is seldome forgeuen For in deede I thynke that there is no 〈◊〉 whyche God doothe so seldome nor so hardely forgeue as thys synne of fallyng awaye from the truthe after that a manne once knoweth it And in deede thys tooke best place with the manne that I haue toulde you of and best quyeted hys conscyence An other seede was thys Be not carefull sayeth Chryste what ye shall saye before Judges and Magistrates when ye are brought afore them for my names sake for the holy Ghoste shall put in youre myndes euen at the presente houre what ye shal speake A comfortable saying and a goodlye promyse of the holy Ghoste That the aduersaryes of the truthe sayeth he shall not be able to resyste vs what shall the aduersaryes of the truthe be dumme naye there 〈◊〉 no greater talkers nor bosters and sacers then they be But they shall not be able to resyst the truthe to destroye it Here some wil saye what nedeth Uniuersities then and the preseruacion of scholes the holye Ghost wyll 〈◊〉 alwayes what to saye Yea but for all that we may not tempte God we muste trust in the holye Ghost but we must not presume on the holy Ghoste Heare now shoulde I speake of Uniuersytyes and for preferryng of Scholes But he that preached the laste Sondaye spake verye well in it and substauncyally and lyke one that knew the estate and condycion of the Uniuersityes and Scholes very well But thus muche I saye vnto you Magistrates If ye will not maynteyne Scholes and Unyuersyties ye shall haue a brutalytie Therfore no we a sute agayne to youre highnes So order the matter that preachyng may not decaye For surely if preaching decay ignorance and brutishnes wil enter again Nor geue that preachere liuings to seculer men What should seculer men do with the liuings of preachers I think there be at this day ten thousand Studients les then wer within these 〈◊〉 yeares and fewer preachers and that is the cause of rebellion if there were good bishops there should be no rebellion I am now almost come to my mater sauing one saying of Christ which was an other seede Date et dabitūr vobis 〈◊〉 and it shal be geuen vnto you c. But who beleueth this if men beleued this promise they woulde geue more thē they do 〈◊〉 at least wise they would not stick to geue a litle but now a daies mēs study is set rather to take gifts and to get of other mennes good then to geue any of theyr owne so all other the promises are mistrusted and vnbeleued For if the riche men did beleue this promise of God they would willingly and readely geue a lytle to haue the ouerplus So where Christ sayth of iniuryes or offences trespasses Mihi vindictam et ego reoribuam c. 〈◊〉 the aduengyng of wronges a lone vnto me and I shall pay them home c. If the rebels had beleued this promise they wold not haue don as they did So all the promises of God are mistrusted Noe also after the floud feared at euery rayne least the world should be drowned and destroyed agayn til God gaue the raine bow And what exercise shall we haue by the rainbow we may learne by the rainbowe that God will be true of his promises and wil fulfill his promises For God sent the rainbow and. iiii M. yeares it is more 〈◊〉 this promise was made and yet God hathe ben true of his promise vnto this day So that now when we see the rainbow we may learn that god is true of his promise And as God was true in this promes so is he wil be in al the reast but the couetous mā doth nat beleue that god is true of his promise for if he did he woulde not sticke to geue of his goods to that poore But as touching that I spake afore when we see the rainbow and see in the rainbow that that is like water and of a watrie colour and as we may and ought not only to take therof holde and comfort of Goddes promise that he will no more destroye the world with water for sinne but also we may take an example to feare god who in such wise hateth sin Likewise when in the rainbow we see that that is of firye couloure and like vnto fire we may gather an example of the ende of the worlde that except we amende the world shall at last be consumed with fire for sin and to feare the iudgement of God after which they that are damned shal be burned in hel fyre These wer the seedes that Christe was sowing when thys couetous man came vnto him And now I am come to my matter While Christe was this preaching thus couetous fellowe would not tary till all the sermon was done but interrupted the sermon euen sodenly chopping in Master quod he speake to my brother that he may deuide the inheritance with me He woulde not abide tyll the ende of the Sermō But his minde was on his halfepeny and he would nedes haue his matter dispatched out of hande Master quod he let my brother diuide with me Yet this was a good fellow he could be contented with parte he desired not to haue all together alone to himself but coulde be content with a diuisyon and to haue hys parte of the inheritance what was the enheritance Ager So that it was but one peece 〈◊〉 ground or one farme This couetous man could be contēt with the halfe of one farme where oure men now a daies cannot be satisfied with many farmes at once one manne must now haue as many farmes as will serue many men or els he will not be contented nor satisfied They will 〈◊〉 now a dayes one with an other excepte they haue all Oh sayth the wise man There be thre