beware of Adultry because it is a grievous and enormous wickedness Truly If I would go about to lay open all the dangers and evills springing out of Adultry this whole day would hardly suffice and yet I fear I have already been to tedious I should now speak of Pride of covetous men of Soldiers their Comrades and Wives of handy crafts men and their Wives but the time doth not permit Truly I have yet many things which I shall say in their due time except I be silenced from preaching But I warn you beloved let not any one hit another in the Teeth with these things which ye have heard because I have only touched the vices of some For we are all guilty and obnoxious to sin But if there be any one here without Sin let him first cast a stone at them whom I have mentioned Believe me as things are with us at present it doth exceedingly concern us that with what speed possible we should amend our lives Otherwise except we so do there are some among you who may live till that time wherein God Almighty may permit some grievous and unusual distress and pressure to happen to men But arise now and let us pray the Lords Prayer and repeat the Angels salutation How after this Sermon the Master was forbidden by his Brethren to Preach again AFter this Sermon all the People of the City did talk much and variously of the Master some praised him some dispraised him but the greater part did commend him saying He is certainly a good man and devout towards God who fears no man but speaks the very meer truth of himself and all others But his Brethren presently after this Sermon being met together in the Chapter-Room unanimously concluded that he should be wholly silenced from Preaching and they studiously enough endeavoured to bring it about that they might send him away to another Monastery of their Order Which when the Rulers and chief men of the City found out they went to those Monks and intreated them to grant License to the Master again to Preach and likewise inquired of them what fault they found in him that they should prohibit him from preaching Who answered He hath offended our best friends and turned them from us To which the Lords said we believe that ye have no better Friends certainly in this City then we who can better take care of your affairs and be more helpful to you then we Therefore we fear that ye rather take it ill that he publickly reproved you But he reproved us also and yet we take it not ill Truly ye ought rather at any price to purchase such a man as he is who dares speak the Truth to men and as it ought to be fears not the face of any man So therefore out of respect to the Lords and for their sakes It was not only permitted to the Master to remain there but also to Preach again Afterwards the Master was intreated by the secular men to Preach again another publick Sermon to them He told them he would do as they desired if the Lord gave him leave the very next Lords day after the ninth Now that Lords day was Judica or the Passion of our Lord in Lent And when the appointed day and hour was come a very great multitude of common People came together thither also came the Master and thus began his Sermon The Masters second Sermon to the vulgar People THE Gospel for this present day Beloved is that where the Lord saith to the multitudes and to the chief Priests Who among you convinceth me of Sin If I say the Truth why do ye not believe me He that is of God heareth the Words of God For this cause ye hear not because ye are not of God This Gospel is long and because I hope most of you have heard it of your Pastors to day omitting it I do make my Discourse so much the shorter But before I begin to obtain Grace let us call upon the Mother of Mercy and all Grace saying Ave Mary c. Truly Beloved of right when as to day the Lords-day after the Lords Passion is Celebrated I ought to Preach of the Passion but I have so many things to speak of that that cannot be done at this time For it is exceeding necessary that we should be spoke to of our sins and failings Nevertheless if it may be commodiously done I have purposed upon some convenient day this week to Preach a Sermon of the venerable Sacrament who namely have right to come unto it and who not and what it is hindreth them who ought not to come Afterwards also I shall make a Sermon upon the most bitter Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ And indeed at this time Beloved I can say nothing to ye unless I do speak of the Community by their several Names and Titles Wherefore also I would have you take this advice that if any be here to whom my discourse shall not belong let not them wrest it as spoken to them neither let them judge them to whom peradventure it shall belong but give God thanks that he hath preserved them from evil But they who shall understand themselves to be guilty and whom my discourse shall note let them the more speedily repent and amend their lives For this will be exceedingly necessary for them to do This common true saying is found in almost every man's mouth when we say that Adam and Eve did exceeding wickedly whilst they followed the Devil and transgressed the Commandment of the Lord their God But if any one rightly did weigh it how many do we think would he find now a dayes entangled in more grievous sins then Adam and Eve were Certainly every rash and swaggering Soldier and his proud and lascivious Wife do commit far more and greater evils then Adam and Eve did Eve indeed followed the Devil and violated the Command of God Adam also had respect to the Woman and being willing to please her he transgressed the precept of God But presently for the violation of this one command they were both driven out of Paradise and in such a manner hath the wrath of Divine vengeance raged against them and all their posterity that from that time for the space of five thousand years it suffered none to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven And in the mean while Adam and Eve were compelled so long in the Limbo of Hell to wait in expectation until that fullness of time came wherein God the Father did vouchsafe to deliver them by his only begotten Son Truly Beloved I know that Adam and Eve never neglected but this one command neither have I found in Scripture that they committed any other grievous sin If therefore Almighty God hath so severely horribly revenged upon them this one sin there is no cause certainly why these proud immodest and vain Women do discommend them for many things and accuse them of many crimes For verily be certain
that I had good reason to say with St. Peter the Apostle Lord it is good for us to be here For believe it in that short hour I did receive more truth with more clear light and certain evidence more truth I say than what either you Mr. Doctor or all the Doctors in the world can teach me even till Dooms-day But Mr. Doctor I suppose I have spoken enough already as much as concerns your present state and condition This following Discourse shows how the Lord was pleased to Convert by the means of this Layman a certain Pagan that lived in a far Country It shews likewise how the Holy Ghost even at this day doth pour forth the same Virtue and Grace upon minds that he finds apt and well prepared to receive it that he did upon the Apostles at the day of Penticost As also it sheweth how this Layman did at large explain these things to the Doctor and how by plain and clear Reasons he proved the Doctor to be a Pharisee and at last brought him to this that he resolved fully with himself to take a new course and amend his life Doctor DEar Son if thou hast any thing more to say I would willingly hear it for truly I have been much taken with those things which you have hitherto discoursed of But above all I intreat you again that you will stay with me and by no means yet leave me If you want money to defray your charges I will willingly supply your want though I do pawn my Books to take up money only I desire you by all means to stay with me Layman Reverend Sir I pray God reward you for your proffer'd Courtesie toward me But I would have you know this that I stand not in need either of yours or any other mans Temporal goods for God Almighty hath made me his Steward and I have neer five thousand Crowns which are Gods and I would willingly spend them all wheresoever it shall be necessary or where ever God requireth them at my hands Doctor I perceive then if so that you are Steward of a very rich and munificent Lord But I cannot sufficiently admire at what you even now spake That neither I nor all the Doctors in the World are able to teach you so much even between this and Dooms-day as you have in one hour learned of God Let me ask you this Question Did sacred Scripture proceed and flow from the Holy Ghost Layman Yes they did without all doubt and so the Catholick Faith teacheth us to believe But Mr. Doctor it grieveth me that I have said so great things unto you and that you notwithstanding should talk so childishly But see you I will propound one Question to you and if you can by Scripture or without it resolve me I promise you I will give you on Gods behalf a thousand Crowns Doctor Prethee good Son tell me what Question is that Layman I would know of you Mr. Doctor whether you can instruct me how I may write a Letter in such a Language to a certain Pagan living in a far remote Country that he may be able both to read it and understand it and how the form and manner of the Letter may be such that the same Pagan by the reading of it may be converted to the Faith Doctor Truly Son I know not what to say to this for such kind of works as you are even the works of the Holy Ghost But I beseech you tell me whether any such thing ever happened unto you and if you did thereby understand by what means this may be done or whether you your self were not he that did it Layman No Mr. Doctor it was not I that did it but the Holy Ghost was pleased to work so by me an unworthy Instrument And truly much may be said touching this matter but it were too tedious to rehearse all for if this whole business should be written it would even fill a Volumn But I shall tell you a few passages from whence you may collect the whole matter There was a certain Pagan a true hearted honest man and in his way very just This man for a long time together did cry unto Heaven and daily did call upon him who created both him all Creatures and did daily pray after this manner O God thou Eternal Creator of all things behold I am born and bred up in this Country and in the Faith of it But I perceive the Jews have another Belief and likewise the Christians follow another Faith do thou therefore O Lord who art over all and hast made all things shew unto me I beseech thee by what ever means it pleaseth thee whether there be any other Faith better or truer than this in which I have been born and bred that I may believe it and I will willingly and readily obey thee by taking upon me that Belief But if thou shalt refuse to signifie thus much unto me and it shall happen that I die in this Faith because I know no better surely this will be hard measure After the Pagan had thus prayed it came to pass that a Letter was written unto him from me which when he had read he was converted unto the Christian Faith He likewise did write back again a Letter to me in which he fully shewed how it happened unto him which Letter I will assure you was so written in our vulgar High Dutch as I could very well read it Many things Mr. Doctor remains to be spoken concerning this matter but you have in brief the sum of it Doctor Truly God is wonderful in his gifts and I will assure you dear Son these are strange and rare matters which you have told me Layman Verily I do enough fear Mr. Doctor that I have told you more than was fit for me to tell you And to say the truth I do perceive that I have spoken somewhat that doth something trouble you and go against your stomack For whereas I am but a Layman and illiterate but you a great Dr. of sacred Divinitie nevertheless I have taken upon me by way of tutoring and teaching to tell you so many things it cannot be but this must somewhat offend you Doctor Son if you would not take it ill I would tell you what doth displease me Layman Assuredly I will not take it ill you may speak all your mind freely Doctor Dear Son I cannot away with this but do what I can it goes against my stomack that you when as you are a Lay-man should teach me a Doctor and a Divine as also that you should call me a Pharisee Layman Is there any thing more in me that doth displease you Doctor Not the least I assure you that I know of Layman Will you give me leave patiently Mr. Doctor to satisfie you in these two things Doctor Dear Son you have not only free leave but I again and again desire you to do it Layman Pray tell me Mr. Doctor how it should come to
Son that these men are dead The Layman smiling said if they be dead it is the fault of you and the Bridegroom Master If the Bridegroom have a hand with me in the business we shall easily find a Remedy for this evil Layman You need not at all doubt Sir but that all these men shall live yet in time and I could wish that you would speak to the Holy Virgins of this Monastery that they would cause them to be carryed within the first Cloisters of their Monastery to some warm place least by reason of the damp ground they should catch harm Accordingly it was done the Virgins very modestly commanding them to be carried into warm Rooms and they told the Doctor that they also had one of their Sisters rapped into an exstasie and lying upon her Bed whither they had carryed her as one dead The Master answered them I beseech you Beloved be not troubled at this thing but when any of them comes to themselves give them if they will take it some kind of warm broth The Virgins answered him That they would willingly do And so the Doctor together with the Layman departed and went together to the Doctors Cell Where the Layman said to the Doctor What think you Reverend Sir did ever the like matter befal you since you were born you see now what great things God doth work by a fit Instrument And I doubt not but very many more will be sensible of this your Sermon and what was done at it For they will tell one another Wherefore I shall like it well if you please that you would suffer these your weak Sons and Daughters to rest a while For truly this Sermon will find them work enough for a long time But I verily think many would reap much benefit if you would likewise God permitting Preach to the secular men For now during this time of Lent they will more readily run to Sermons And I believe very many will flock together the more because of this Sermon which you preached to day Master If you advice me to it dear Son I will willingly follow your counsel And as I remember this next Sabbath day is the Feast of the Virgin S. Gartrude Layman And pray what is the Gospel appointed for that day Master It is concerning the Woman taken in adultry and brought to Christ But whatever the Gospel be for that day I intend not to stick only to that But will easily take from thence some sentence or other which shall be the scope of my whole Sermon and from it I will take occasion as Divine Grace shall assist me to set before Mens Eyes their sins and Iniquities Neither do I much care what becomes of me for so doing Though I easily believe that first this will be my portion my Brethren will do what they can to expel me out of the Monastery for I am resolved neither to flatter them nor any body else but will simply speak the naked truth as the Lord shall enable me neither will I balk that though I should be therefore to suffer death Layman Truly I believe Sir for these two or three hundred years or more by past there hath not been so much need to speak the naked Truth simply and seriously as now in these our days Wherefore be not at all moved with whatever can happen For if you be not suffered to abide here you may be some where else and wheresoever you be God will in no wise forsake you The Master therefore gave order to one that at the end of his Sermon he should give notice to the People that he intended to Preach the next Sabbath day which was consecrated to St. Gartrude When that day came a very great multitude of Men of divers ranks came together to hear the Doctors Sermon Who coming at the time appointed Thus began his Discourse A Sermon of the Doctors Preached to the People in which he sharply reproves Sin VVHat shall I say or where shall I begin my Discourse Dearly Beloved seeing 't is obvious to every Eye how ill it is with us in many things and unless we amend our Lives undoubtedly things will grow worse and worse and more dangerous But before I enter upon my Discourse I earnestly beg this of you all that none of you would take that grievously which I shall say unto you For truly it is more needful at this time to speak the Truth plainly and openly then it hath been any time these two or three hundred years or upwards Whereupon I have resolved with my self to reprove the Faults of us all in general and not at all to flatter any man but without any daubing obscure glosses or comments to speak simply and nakedly whatever the Lord shall teach or suggest to me being ready for the Love of God to undergo any thing that shall be laid upon me for this cause But if I shall be hindred by the shortness of the time to finish now what I have to say I shall at another time if liberty be granted me make an end of it Truly I have purposed to handle so many things in this Sermon that I will neither meddle with the Gospel for the day nor speak any thing of blessed Gartrude to whom the day is consecrated nor mingle any Latine sentences in my Discourse that so I may have the longer time to speak what I intend I have only taken for my Text a Verse or two out of this days Gospel upon which I will only insist The Words are these The Pharisees bringing a Woman taken in Adultry to our Lord set her in the midst and accused her that she ought to be stoned The Lord said unto them He that is without Sin among you let him cast the first stone When they heard this they went one after another out of the Temple Verily Beloved if in these our days our Lord Jesus Christ should speak the same Words to us Christians I verily believe very few of us could remain behind who ought not to go forth And least whilst I am reproving others for their faults I should seem to pass by my own and the sins of our Order I will begin with my self and my Brethren the Preachers and Confessors How many think you of us would stay behind upon these Words of our Saviour who being conscious to themselves of no sin would not be compelled to go forth Truly we are called and accompted poor and live upon the Patrimony of the Crucifix that is upon the Almes of the faithful But how worthily in all things we answer this our calling the Lord knows and the Devil knows Truly I fear there are very few among us who in hearing confessions do purely love God and aim at his Glory Of which thing this is an evident Argument that for the most part we are more ready to hear the confessions of the Rich than of the Poor And that this is so is plain by this If any such of us be taking