because it is necessarie profitable shall God wylling be dissolued in the next part of this Homilee In the meane season let vs as we are most bounde geue heartie thankes to God the father and his sonne Jesus Christ for sendyng downe this comforter into the world humbly beseeching him so to worke in our heartes by the power of this holy spirite that we beyng regenerate and newely borne agayne in all goodnesse righteousnesse sobrietie and trueth may in the end be made partakers of euerlastyng lyfe in his heauenly kyngdome through Jesus Christe our Lorde and sauiour Amen The seconde part of the Homilee concernyng the holy ghoste dissoluing this doubt whether al men rightly chalenge to them selues the holy ghost or no. OUR sauiour Christe departyng out of the worlde vnto his father promised his disciples to sende downe another comforter that shoulde continue with thē for euer direct them into al trueth Which thyng to be faythfully truely perfourmed the scriptures do sufficiently beare witnes Neither must we thinke that this comforter was either promised or els geuen onlye to the Apostles but also to the vniuersall Church of Christe dispearsed through the whole world For vnles the holy ghost had ben alwaies present gouernyng and preseruing the Churche from the begynnyng it coulde neuer haue sustayned so many and great bruntes of affliction and persecution with so litle dammage and harme as it hath And the wordes of Christe are moste playne in this behalfe saying that the spirite of trueth shoulde abyde with them for euer that he woulde be with them alwayes he meaneth by grace vertue and power euen to the worldes ende Also in the prayer that he made to his father a litle before his death he maketh intercession not only for him selfe and his apostles but indifferently for all them that shoulde beleue in hym through their wordes that is to wit for his whole Churche Agayne saint Paule sayth If anye man haue not the spirite of Christe the same is not his Also in the wordes folowyng We haue receaued the spirit of adoption wherby we crye abba father Hereby then it is euident and playne to all men that the holy ghost was geuen not onlye to the apostles but also to the whole body of christes congregation although not in lyke fourme maiestie as he came downe at the feaste of Pentecost But nowe herein standeth the controuersie Whether al men do iustly arrogate to thē selues the holy ghost or no The Byshops of Rome haue for a long tyme made a sore chalenge therunto reasoning for them seues after this sort The holy ghost say they was promised to the Churche and neuer forsaketh the Church But we are the cheefe heades the principall part of the Churche therefore we haue the holy ghost for euer whatsoeuer thynges we decree are vndoubted verities and oracles of the holy ghost That ye may perceaue the weakenes of this argument it is needfull to teach you first what the true Churche of Christe is and then to conferre the Churche of Rome therewith to discerne howe well they agree together The true Churche is an vniuersal congregation or felowship of Gods faythfull and elect people buylt vppon the foundation of the apostles and prophets Jesus Christe hym selfe beyng the head corner stone And it hath alwayes three notes or marks wherby it is knowne Pure and sound doctrine the sacramentes ministred accordyng to Christes holy institution and the right vse of ecclesiastical discipline This description of the Churche is agreeable both to the scriptures of God and also to the doctrine of the auncient fathers so that none may iustly fynd fault therewith Now if ye wyll compare this with the Churche of Rome not as it was in the begynnnyg but as it is presently and hath ben for the space of nine hundred yeres and odde you shall well perceaue the state thereof to be so farre wide from the nature of the true Churche that nothing can be more For neyther are they buylt vppon the foundation of the apostles and prophetes retaynyng the sound and pure doctrine of Christe Jesu neyther yet do they order eyther the sacraments or els the ecclesiasticall keyes in such sort as he dyd first institute and ordeyne them But haue so intermyngled their owne traditions and inuentions by choppyng chaungyng by addyng and pluckyng away that now they may seeme to be conuerted into a new guyse Christe commended to his Church a sacrament of his body and blood They haue changed it into a sacrifice for the quicke and the deade Christ dyd minister to his apostles the apostles to other men indifferently vnder both kindes They haue robbed the lay people of the cup saying that for them one kind is sufficient Christ ordeyned no other element to be vsed in baptisme but only water wherunto when the word is ioyned it is made as S. Augustine saith a ful perfect sacrament They beyng wyser in their owne conceipte then Christ thinke it is not wel nor orderly done vnles they vse cōiuration vnles they halow the water vnles there be oyle salt spittle tapers and suche other dumbe ceremonies seruing to no vse contrary to the playne rule of S. Paul who wylleth all thynges to be done in the Churche vnto edification Christe ordeyned the aucthoritie of the keyes to excommunicate notorious sinners and to absolue them whiche are truely penitent They abuse this power at their owne pleasure aswell in cursyng the godly with bell booke and candles as also in absoluing the reprobate whiche are knowne to be vnworthy of any Christian societie Whereof he that lust to see examples let them searche their lyues To be shorte looke what our sauiour Christe pronounced of the Scribes and Pharisees in the Gospell the same may we boldly and with safe conscience pronounce of the bishops of Rome namely that they haue forsaken dayly do forsake the commaundementes of God to erect set vp their owne constitutions Which thyng beyng true as al they which haue any light of Gods word must needes confesse we may wel conclude according to the rule of Augustine That the byshoppes of Rome their adherents are not the true church of Christe muche lesse then to be taken as cheefe heades and rulers of the same Whosoeuer sayth he do discent from the scriptures concernyng the head although they be found in al places where the Church is appoynted yet are they not in the Churche A playne place concluding directly agaynst the Churche of Rome Where is now the holy ghost whiche they so stoutly do clayme to them selues Where is now the spirite of trueth that wil not suffer them in any wise to erre If it be possible to be there where the true Churche is not then is it at Rome otherwyse it is but a vayne bragge and nothyng els Saint Paule as ye haue hearde before sayth If anye man haue not the spirite of
of Grece and that honour and worshippe also should be geuen vnto the sayd images And so the Empresse sparing no diligence in setting vp of Images nor cost in decking them in all churches made Constantinople within a short tyme altogether lyke Rome it selfe And nowe you may see that cummen to passe whiche Bishop Serenus feared and Gregorie the first forbad in vayne to wit that Images should in no wyse be worshipped For nowe not onely the simple and vnwyse vnto whom Images as the scriptures teach be specially a snare but the bishops and learned men also fall to idolatrie by occasion of images yea and make decrees and lawes for the mayntenaunce of the same So harde is it and in deede impossible any long time to haue images publiquely in churches temples without idolatrie as by the space of little more then one hundred yeres betwixt Gregori the first forbidding most strayghtly the worshipping of images and Gregorie the thirde Paule and Leo the third Bishops of Rome with this councel commaunding and decreeing that images should be worshipped most euidently appeareth Nowe when Constantine the younge Emperour came to the age of twentie yeares he was dayly in lesse and lesse estimation for suche as were about his mother perswaded her that it was Gods determination that she should raigne alone and not her sonne with her The ambitious woman beleuing the same depryued her sonne of all imperiall dignitie and compelled all the men of warre with their Capitaynes to sweare to her that they would not suffer her sonne Constantine to raigne during her lyfe With which indignitie the young Prince being moued recouered the regiment of the Empyre vnto him selfe by force and being brought vp in true religion in his fathers tyme seing the superstition of his mother Hyrene and the Idolatrie committed by images cast downe brake and burned al the idols and images that his mother had set vp But within a fewe yeares after Hyrene the Empresse taken agayne into her sonnes fauour after she had perswaded him to put out Nycephorus his vncles eyes and to cut out the tounges of his fowre other vncles to forsake his wyfe and by suche meanes to bring him in hatred with all his subiectes nowe further to declare that she was no chaungeling but the same woman that had before digged vp and burned her father in lawes bodye and that she would be as naturall a mother as she had bene kynde daughter seing the images which she loued so well had with so great cost set vp daily destroyed by her sonne the Emperoure by the helpe of certaine good companions depriued her sonne of the Empire And first lyke a kinde and louyng mother put out both his eyes and layd hym in prison where after long and manye tormentes she at the last most cruellie 〈…〉 ue him In this historie ioyned to Eutropius it is written that the sunne was darkened by the space of xvii dayes most strangely and dreadfully that all men sayde that for the horriblenes of that cruell and vnnaturall fact of Hyrene the putting out of the Emperours eyes the sunne had lost his light But in deede God would signifie by the darkenes of the sunne into what darkenesse and blindenes of ignoraunce and idolatrie all christendom should fall by the occasion of images The bright sunne of his eternall truth and lyght of his holy word by the mistes and blacke cloudes of mens traditions being blemished and darkened as by sūdry most terrible earthquakes that happened about the same tyme God signified that the quiet estate of true religion should by such idolatrie be most horribly tossed and turmoyled And here may you see what a gratious and vertuous lady this Hyrene was how louing a neece to her husbandes vncles how kind a mother in lawe to her sonnes wyfe howe louing a daughter to her father in lawe how naturall a mother to her owne sonne and what a stoute and valiaunt Capitaine the Bishoppes of Rome had of her for the setting vp and maintenaunce of their idols or images Surely they coulde not haue founde a meeter patrone for the maintenaunce of suche a matter then this Hyrene whose ambition and desyre of rule was insatiable whose treason continually studied and wrought was most abominable whose wicked and vnnaturall crueltie passed Medea Progne whose detestable paricides haue ministred matter to Poetes to write their horrible tragidies And yet certaine Historiographers who do put in wryting all these her horrible wickednes for loue they had to images which she mainteined do prayse her as a godly Empresse as sent from god Such is the blyndnes of false superstition if it once take possession in a mans mynde that it will both declare the vices of wicked princes also commend them But not long after the said Hyrene being suspected to the princes and lordes of Grece of treason in alienating the Empire to Charles king of the Francons and for practising a secrete mariage betwene herselfe and the sayd kyng and being conuicted of the same was by the sayd Lordes deposed and depriued againe of the Empire and caried into exile into the Iland Lesbos where she ended her leude lyfe Whyles these tragidies about Images were thus in workyng in Grece the same question of the vse of images in churches began to be moued in Spaine also And at Eliberi a noble citie nowe called Granate was a councel of Spanishe Byshoppes and other learned men assembled and there after long deliberation and debating of the matter it was concluded at length of the whole councell after this sort in the 36. article We thinke that pictures ought not to be in Churches least that which is honoured or worshipped be paynted on walles And in the. xli Canon of that councell it is thus written We thought good to admonishe the faythfull that as much as in them lyeth they suffer no images to be in their houses but if they feare any violence of their seruauntes at the least let them kepe themselues cleane and pure from images if they do not so let them be accompted as none of the Churche Note here I pray you howe a whole and great countrey in the West South partes of Europe nearer to Rome a great deale then to Grece in situatiō of place do agree with the Grekes against images and do not onely forbid them in churches but also in priuate houses and do excommunicate them that do the contrarie and another councell of the learned men of all Spaine also called Concilium Toletanum duodecimum decreed and determined lykewyse agaynst images and image worshippers But when these decrees of the Spanishe councell at Eliberi came to the knowledge of the byshoppe of Rome his adherents they fearyng least al Germanie also would decree against images and forsake them thought to preuent the matter and by the consent helpe of the Prince of Francons whose power was then most great in the West partes of
whosoeuer doth not this shall seeme to haue reproched and done villanye to the image of god For what honour of God is this to runne to images of stocke and stone and to honour vayne and dead figures of God and to despise man in whom is the true image of God And by and by after he sayth Understande ye therefore that this is the suggestion of the serpent satan lurkyng within you whiche perswadeth you that you are godlye when you honour insensible dead images and that you be not vngodly when you hurt or leaue vnsuccoured the lyuely and reasonable creatures All these be the wordes of Clemens Note I pray you howe this most auncient and learned doctour within one hundred yeres of our sauiour Christes tyme moste playnely teacheth that no seruice of God or religion acceptable to him can be in honouryng of dead images but in succouring of the poore the liuely images of God according to saint James who sayth This is the pure and true religion before God the father to succour fatherlesse and motherlesse chyldren and wyddowes in theyr affliction and to hepe hym selfe vndefyled from this worlde True religion then and pleasing of god standeth not in makyng settyng vp payntyng gylding clothing decking of dumbe and dead images which be but great puppettes and mawmettes for old fooles in dotage and wicked idolatrie to dally and play with nor in kyssyng of them cappyng kneelyng offeryng to them in sensyng of thē setting vp of candels hanging vp of legges armes or whole bodies of waxe before them or praying askyng of them or of saintes thynges belongyng onlye to God to geue But al these thynges be vayne and abominable and moste damnable before god Wherefore all suche do not only bestowe theyr money and labour in vayne but with theyr paynes and coste purchase to them selues gods wrath vtter indignation and euerlasting damnation both of bodye and soule For ye haue hearde it euidently proued in these Homilees against idolatrie by Gods word the doctours of the Churche ecclesiasticall histories reason and experience that images haue ben and be worshypped and so idolatrie committed to them by infinite multitudes to the great offence of Gods maiestie and daunger of infinite soules and that idolatrie can not possiblye be separated from images set vp in Churches and Temples gylded and decked gorgeouslye and that therfore our images be in deede verye idols and so all the prohibitions lawes curses threatnynges of horrible plagues as well temporall as eternall conteyned in the holy scripture concerning idols and the makers mainteyners and worshyppers of them apparteyne also to our images set vp in Churches and Temples to the makers maynteyners and worshyppers of them And all those names of abomination which Gods word in the holy scriptures geueth to the idols of the Gentiles apparteyne to our images beyng idolles like to them and hauyng lyke idolatrie committed vnto them And Gods owne mouth in the holye scriptures calleth them vanities lyes deceyptes vncleanlynesse fylthynesse dounge mischeefe and abomination before the Lorde Wherefore Gods horrible wrath and our moste dreadfull daunger can not be auoyded without the destruction and vtter abolishing of all suche images and idols out of the Churche and Temple of God whiche to accomplyshe GOD put in the myndes of all Christian princes And in the meane tyme let vs take heede and be wyse O ye beloued of the Lord and let vs haue no straunge gods but one only god who made vs when we were nothing the father of our Lord Jesus Christe who redeemed vs when we were lost and with his holye spirite who doth sanctifie vs For this is lyfe euerlastyng to knowe hym to be the onlye true God and Jesus Christe whom he hath sent Let vs honour and worship for religions sake none but him and hym let vs worshyp and honour as he will him selfe and hath declared by his word that he wil be honoured and worshipped not in nor by images or idolles whiche he hath moste strayghtly forbidden neyther in kneelyng lyghtyng of candels burnyng of incense offeryng vp of gyftes vnto images idols to beleue that we shall please hym for all these be abomination before God but let vs honour and worshyp god in spirite and trueth fearyng and louing hym aboue all thynges trustyng in hym onlye callyng vppon hym and praying to hym only praysyng and laudyng of hym onlye and all other in hym and for hym For suche worshyppers doth our heauenly father loue who is the most purest spirite and therefore wyll be worshypped in spirite and trueth And suche worshyppers were Abraham Moyses Dauid Helias Peter Paul John and all other the holye patriarkes prophetes apostles martyrs and all true saintes of God who all as the true friendes of God were enemies and destroyers of images and idols as the enemies of God and his true religion Wherefore take heede and be wyse O ye beloued of the Lorde and that whiche others contrarie to gods worde bestowe wickedly and to their damnation vpon dead stockes stones no images but enemies of god and his saintes that bestowe ye as the faithfull seruauntes of God according to Gods worde mercifully vpon poore men and women fatherlesse children wydowes sicke persons straungers prisoners and such others that be in any necessitie that ye may at that great daye of the Lorde heare that most blessed and comfortable saying of our Sauiour Christ Come ye blessed into the kingdome of my father prepared for you before the beginning of the worlde For I was hungrye and ye gaue me meate thirstie and ye gaue me drinke naked ye clothed me harbourlesse and ye lodged me in prison and ye visited me sicke ye comforted me For whatsoeuer ye haue done for the poore and needie in my name for my sake that haue ye done for me To the which his heauenly kingdome God the father of mercies bring vs for Jesus Christes sake our onelye sauiour mediatour and aduocate to whom with the holy ghost one immortall inuisible and most glorious God be all honour and thankesgeuing and glorie world without end Amen ⧠An Homilee for repairing and keping cleane and comelye adourning of Churches IT is a cōmon custome vsed of all mē when they intend to haue their freendes or neighbours to com to their houses to eate or drink with them or to haue anye solempne assembly to treate talke of anye matter they will haue their houses which they kepe in continuall reparations to be cleane and fine lest they should be counted sluttish or litle to regard their frendes and neighbours How much more then ought the house of God whiche we commonlye call the Church to be sufficiently repaired in all places and to be honorably adourned and garnished and to be kept cleane and sweete to the comfort of the people that shall resort thereto It appeareth in the holy scripture how Gods house which was called his holy temple and was the mother Churche of all
muâ—â— be careful to keepe the christian sabbath day which is the sunday not onely for that it is Gods expresse commaundement but also to declare our selues to be louing children in folowing the example of our gratious Lorde and father Thus it may playnely appeare that Gods will and commaundement was to haue a solemne time and standing day in the weke wherin the people shoulde come together and haue in remembraunce his wonderfull benefites and to render him thankes for them as apparteyneth to louing kynd obedient people This example and commaundement of God the godly Christian people began to follow immediately after the ascention of our Lorde Christ and began to chose them a standing daye of the weeke to come together in Yet not the seuenth day which the Jewes kept but the Lordes day the day of the Lordes resurrectioÌ„ the day after the seuenth day which is the first of the weeke Of the which day mention is made of saint Paule on this wyse In the first day of the sabbath let euery man lay vp what he thynketh good meaning for the poore By the first day of the sabbath is meant our Sundaye whiche is the first daye after the Jewes seuenth day And in the Apocalips it is more plaine wher as saint John sayth I was in the spirite vpon the sunday Sithens whiche time Gods people hath alwayes in all ages without any gaynsaying vsed to come together vpon the Sunday to celebrate and honour the Lordes blessed name carefully to kepe that day in holy rest quyetnes both man woman chylde seruaunt and stranger For the trangression and breache of whiche day God hath declared him selfe much to be greued as it may appeare by him who for gathering of sticks on the sabbath day was stoned to death But alas all these notwithstanding it is lamentable to see the wicked boldenes of those that will be counted gods people who passe nothing at al of keeping and halowing the sundaye And these people are of two sortes The one sort if they haue any businesse to do though there be no extreme neede they must not spare for the sunday they must ryde and iourney on the sunday they must dryue carry on the sunday they must row and ferry on the sunday they must buye and sell on the sunday they muste keepe markets and fayres on the sundaye Finallye they vse all dayes alike workdaies and holy daies al are one The other sort is worse For although they wil not trauell nor labour on the sunday as they do on the weke day yet they wil not rest in holines as God commaundeth but they rest in vngodlines filthines prauncing in their pryde prancking and pricking pointing and painting them selues to be gorgeous and gay they rest in exces superfluitie in glutteny and drunkennesse lyke rattes and swyne they rest in brawling and rayling in quarreling and fyghting they reste in wantonnes in toyishe talkyng in filthy fleshlinesse so that it doth to euidentlye appeare that God is more dishonored and the deuill better serued on the sunday then vpon all the dayes in the weeke besyde And I assure you the beastes whiche are commaunded to rest on the sunday honour God better then this kynde of people For they offende not God they breake not their holyday Wherefore O ye people of God lay your handes vpon your heartes repent amend this greeuous and daungerous wickednesse stand in awe of the commaundement of God gladlye folowe the example of God him selfe be not disobedient to the godly order of Christes Churche vsed and kept from the apostles tyme vntill this day Feare the displeasure and iust plagues of almighty God if ye be negligent and forbeare not labouring and trauayling on the sabbath day or sunday and do not resort together to celebrate magnifie Gods blessed name in quiet holinesse and godly reuerence Nowe concerning the place where the people of God ought to resort together and where especially they ought to celebrate and sanctifie the sabbath day that is the sunday the day of holye rest That place is called Goddes Tentple or the churche because the company congregation of Gods people which is properly called the church doth there assemble them selues on the dayes appointed for such assemblies meetinges And sorasmuch as almightie God hath appointed a speciall time to be honored in it is very meete godly and also necessary that there should be a place appoynted where these people should meete and resort to serue their gracious God and mercifull father Trueth it is the holy Patriarches for a great number of yeres had neyther temple nor churche to resort vnto The cause was they were not stayed in any place but were in a continuall perigrination and wandering that they could not conueniently buyld any churche But so soone as God had delyuered his people from their enemies and set them in some libertie in the wildernes he set them vp a costly a curious tabernacle whiche was as it were the paryshe church a place to resort vnto of the whole multitude a place to haue his sacrifices made in and other obseruaunces and rites to be vsed in Furthermore after that God according to the trueth of his promise had placed and quyetlye setled his people in the land of Chanaan now called Jury he commaunded a great and a magnificent temple to be buylded by kyng Salomon as seldome the lyke hath ben seene a temple so decked and adourned so gorgeously garnished as was meete and expedient for people of that tyme whiche would be allured stirred with nothing so much as with suche out warde goodlye gaye thinges This was nowe the temple of God indued also with many gyttes sundry promyses This was the paryshe churche and the mother Churche of all Jury Here was God honoured and serued Hyther was the whole realme of all the Israelites bounde to come at three solempne feastes in the yere to serue their Lord God here But let vs proceede further In the tyme of Christe and his Apostles there was yet no temples nor Churches for Christian men For whye they were alwayes for the moste part in persecution veration and trouble so that there coulde be no libertie nor lycence obteyned for that purpose Yet God delyghted much that they shoulde often resort togyther in a place and therefore after his ascention they remayned togyther in an vpper chamber sometyme they entred into the Temple sometyme into the synagoges sometyme they were in pryson sometymes in theyr houses sometymes in the feeldes c. And this continued so long till the fayth of Chryste Jesus began to multiplye in a great parte of the worlde Nowe when dyuers Realmes were establyshed in gods true religion and God hath geuen them peace and quyetnes then began kynges noble men and the people also stirred vp with a godly zeale and feruentnesse to buylde vp temples and Churches whyther the people might resort the better to do their dutie
regarde of reuerent vnderstanding in his presence but he wyll prepare his heart before he presume to speake vnto god And therefore in our common prayer the minister doth oftentymes say Let vs pray meanyng thereby to admonishe the people that they shoulde prepare their eares to heare what he shoulde craue at Gods hand and their heartes to consent to the same and their tongues to say Amen at the ende thereof On this sort dyd the prophet Dauid prepare his heart when he sayde My heart is redy O God my heart is redy I wyll syng and declare a Psalme The Jewes also when in the tyme of Iudith they dyd with all their heart pray God to visite his people of Israel had so prepared their heartes before they began to pray After this sorte had Manasses prepared his heart before he prayed and sayde And nowe O Lorde do I bow the knees of myne heart asking of thee part of thy mercyful kindnes When the heart is thus prepared the voyce vttred from the heart is harmonious in the eares of god otherwyse he regardeth it not to accept it But forasmuch as the person that so â—ableth his wordes without sense in the presence of God sheweth hymselfe not to regarde the maiestie of hym that he speaketh to He taketh hym as a contemner of his almyghtie maiestie and geueth hym his rewarde among hypocrites whiche make an outwarde she we of holynesse but their heartes are full of abhominable thoughtes euen in the tyme of their prayers For it is the heart that the Lorde looketh vppon as it is wrytten in the historie of kynges If we therefore wyll that our prayers be not abhominable before God let vs so prepare our heartes before we pray and so vnderstande the thynges that we aske when we pray that both our heartes and voyces may together sound in the eares of Gods maiestie and then we shall not fayle to receaue at his hand the thinges that we aske as good men whiche haue ben before vs dyd and so haue from tyme to tyme receaued that whiche for their soules health they dyd at any tyme desyre Saint Augustine seemeth to beare in this matter For he sayth thus of them whiche beyng brought vp in grammer and rhethoricke are conuerted to Christe and so must be instructed in Christian religion Let them know also sayth he that it is not the voyce but the affection of the minde that commeth to the eares of god And so shall it come to passe that if haply they shall marke that some byshoppes or ministers in the Churche do call vppon God eyther with barbarous wordes or with wordes disordered or that they vnderstande not or do disorderly diuide the wordes that they pronounce they shal not laugh them to scorne Hitherto he seemeth to beare with praying in an vnknowne tongue But in the next sentence he openeth his mynde thus Nor for that these thynges ought not to be amended that the people may say Amen to that whiche they do playnely vnderstande But yet these thyngs must be godly borne withal of these catechistes or instructours of the faith that they may learne that as in the common place where matters are pleaded the goodnesse of an oration consisteth in sounde so in the Churche it consisteth in deuotion So that he alloweth not the praying in a tongue not vnderstand of hym that prayeth But he instructeth the skilfull Oratour to beare with the rude tongue of the deuout simple minister To conclude if the lacke of vnderstandyng the wordes that are spoken in the congregation do make them vnfruitfull to the hearers How should not the same make the wordes read vnfruitfull to the reader The mercyfull goodnesse of God graunt vs his grace to call vppon hym as we ought to do to his glory and our endlesse felicitie whiche we shall do if we humble our selues in his sight and in all our prayers both common and priuate haue our myndes fully fixed vpon hym For the prayer of them that humble them selues shall pearse through the doudes and tyll it drawe nygh vnto God it wyl not be aunswered and tyll the moste high do regarde it it wyll not departe And the Lorde wyll not be slacke but he wyll deliuer the iust and execute iudgement To hym therfore be all honour and glory for euer euer Amen An information for them whiche take offence at certayne places of the holy Scripture The first part THe great vtilitie and profite that Christian men and women may take if they wil by hearing and reading the holye scriptures dearely beloued no heart can sufficiently conceaue muche lesse is my tongue able with wordes to expresse Wherefore satan our enemy seing the scriptures to be the very meane and right way to bring the people to the true knowledge of God that Christian religion is greatly furthered by diligent hearing reading of them he also perceauing what an hinderance let they be to him and his kingdome doth what he can to driue the reading of them out of Gods Churche And for that end he hath alwayes stirred vp in one place or other cruel tyrauntes sharpe persecutors and extreame enemies vnto God and his infallible trueth to pull with violence the holy Bibles out of the peoples handes and haue moste spitefully destroyed and consumed the same to ashes in the fyre pretendyng moste vntruely that the muche hearyng and readyng of Gods worde is an occasion of heresie and carnall libertie and the ouerthrowe of all good order in all well ordered common weales If to knowe God aryght be an occasion of euyll then must we needes graunt that the hearyng and readyng of the holy scriptures is the cause of heresie carnall libertie and the subuertion of all good orders But the knowledge of God and of our selues is so farre from beyng an occasion of euill that it is the redyest yea the only meane to brydle carnall libertie and to kyll all our fleshly affections And the ordinarie waye to attayne this knowledge is with diligence to heare and reade the holy scriptures For the whole scriptures sayeth Saint Paule were geuen by the inspiration of god And shall we Christian men thynke to learne the knowledge of God and of our selues in anye earthly mans worke or wrytyng sooner or better then in the holy scriptures wrytten by the inspiration of the holy ghost The scriptures were not brought vnto vs by the wyll of man but holy men of God as witnesseth Saint Peter spake as they were moued by the holye spirite of god The holy ghost is the scholemaister of trueth whiche leadeth his schollers as our Sauiour Christe sayeth of hym into all trueth And who so is not led and taught by this scholemaister can not but fall into deepe errour howe godly soeuer his pretence is what knowledge and learnyng soeuer he hath of all other workes and wrytynges or howe fayre soeuer a shewe or face of trueth he hath in the estimation
that were in deede to deface Christ and to defraud him of his glorie But they meane this and this is the vnderstandyng of those and suche lyke sayinges That God of his mercie and especial fauour towards them whom he hath appoynted to euerlastyng saluation hath so offred his grace especially and they haue so receaued it fruitfully that although by reason of their sinfull lyuyng outwardly they seemed before to haue ben the children of wrath and perdition yet nowe the spirite of God mightily workyng in them vnto obedience to Gods wyll and commaundementes they declare by their outward deedes and lyfe in the shewyng of mercie and charitie which can not come but of the spirite of God and his especiall grace that they are the vndoubted chyldren of God appoynted to euerlastyng lyfe And so as by their wyckednesse and vngodly lyuyng they shewed them selues accordyng to the iudgement of men which folowe the outward appearaunce to be reprobates and castawayes So nowe by their obedience vnto Gods holy wyll and by their mercyfulnesse and tender pitie wherin they shew them selues to be lyke vnto God who is the fou 〈…〉 yne and spryng of all mercye they declare openly and manyfestly vnto the sight of men that they are the sonnes of God and elect of hym vnto saluation For as the good fruite is not the cause that the tree is good but the tree must firste be good before it can bryng foorth good fruite so the good deedes of man are not the cause that maketh man good but he is firste made good by the spirite and grace of God that effectually worketh in hym and afterwarde he bryngeth foorth good fruites And then as the good fruite doth argue the goodnesse of the tree so doth the good and mercyfull deede of the man argue and certainely proue the goodnesse of hym that doth it accordyng to Christes sayinges Ye shall knowe them by their fruites And if any man wyl obiect that euil and naughty men do sometymes by their deedes appeare to be very godly and vertuous I wyll aunswere so doth the crab and choke peare seeme outwardly to haue sometyme as fayre a redde and as melow a colour as the fruite whiche is good in deede But he that wyl byte and take a taste shall easily iudge betwixt the sower bytternesse of the one and the sweete sauorines of the other And as the true christian man in thankfulnesse of his heart for the redemption of his soule purchased by Christes death sheweth kyndly by the fruite of his fayth his obedience to God so the other as a marchaunt with God doth all for his owne gayne thynking to win heauen by the merite of his workes and so defaceth and obscureth the pryce of Christes blood who only wrought our purgation The meanyng then of these sayinges in the scriptures and other holy wrytinges Almes deedes do washe away our sinnes and mercie to the poore doth blot out our offences is that we doing these thynges accordyng to Gods wyl our duetie haue our sinnes in deede washed away and our offences blotted out not for the worthinesse of them but by the grace of God which worketh al in al and that for the promise that God hath made to them that are obedient vnto his commaundement that he which is the trueth might be iustified in perfourming the trueth due to his true promise Almes deedes do wash away our sinnes because god doth vouchsafe then to repute vs as cleane and pure when we do them for his sake and not because they deserue or merite our purgyng or for that they haue anye suche strength and vertue in them selues I know that some men to much addict to the aduauncing of their good workes will not be contented with this aunswere no maruaile for suche men can no aunswere content nor suffice Wherfore leauing them to their owne wylful sense we wyll rather haue regarde to the reasonable and godly who as they most certaynly know and perswade them selues that al goodnes al bountie al mercy al benefites al forgeuenes of sinnes whatsoeuer can be named good and profitable either for the body or for the soule do come only of Gods mercie and mere fauour not of them selues So though they do neuer so many so excellent good deedes yet are they neuer pufte vp with the vayne confidence of them And though they heare and reade in gods word and other where in godly mens workes that almes deedes mercy and charitablenes doth wash away sinne and blot out iniquitie yet do they not arrogantly and proudly sticke and trust vnto them or bragge them selues of them as the proud Pharisee did lest with the Pharisee they shoulde be condemned but rather with the humble and poore Publicane confesse them selues sinfull wretches vnworthye to looke vp to heauen callyng and crauyng for mercie that with the Publicane they may be pronounced of Christ to be iustified The godly do learne that when the scriptures saye that by good and mercifull workes we are reconciled to Gods fauour we are taught then to knowe what Christe by his intercession and mediation obteyneth for vs of his father when we be obedient to his wyl yea they learne in such maners of speakyng a comfortable argument of Gods singuler fauour and loue that attributeth that vnto vs and to our doynges that he by his spirite worketh in vs and through his grace procureth for vs And yet this notwithstandyng they crye out with saint Paule Oh wretches that we are acknowledge as Christe teacheth that when they haue all done they are but vnprofitable seruauntes with the blessed kyng Dauid in respect of the iust iudgementes of God they do tremble and say Who shal be able to abide it Lorde if thou wylt geue sentence accordyng to our desertes Thus they humble them selues and are exalted of God they count them selues vyle and of God are counted pure and cleane they condemne them selues and are iustified of God they thinke them selues vnworthy of the earth and of God are thought worthy of heauen Thus of Gods worde are they truely taught how to thynke ryghtly of mercyfull dealyng of almes and of Gods especial mercie and goodnesse are made partakers of those fruites that his word hath promised Let vs then folowe their examples and both shew obediently in our lyfe those workes of mercie that we are commaunded and haue that ryght opinion iudgement of them that we are taught and we shal in lyke maner as they be made partakers and feele the fruites and rewardes that folowe such godly lyuyng so shall we knowe by proofe what profite and commoditie doth come of geuyng of almes and succouring of the poore The thirde parte of the Homilee of almes deedes YE haue alredye hearde two partes of this treatise of almes deedes The fyrste howe pleasaunt and acceptable before God the doyng of them is the second how muche it behoueth vs and how profitable it is to apply our selues vnto them Nowe in the
vs and he rose agayne to sende downe his holy spirite to rule in our heartes to endowe vs with perfect righteousnes Thus it is true that Dauid song Veritas de terra orta est et iustitia de coelo prospexit The trueth of gods promise is in the earth to man declared or from the earth is the euerlasting veritie Gods sonne rysen to life the true righteousnesse of the holy ghost lookyng out of heauen and is in most liberal larges dealt vppon all the worlde Thus is glory and prayse rebounded vpwarde to God aboue for his mercie and trueth And thus is peace come downe from heauen to men of good and faythfull heartes Thus is mercie and trueth as Dauid wryteth together met thus is peace and ryghteousnesse imbrasing and kissing eache other If thou doubtest of so great wealth felicitie that is wrought for thee O man call to thy mynde that therefore haste thou receaued into thyne owne possession the euerlasting veritie our sauiour Jesus Christ to confyrme to thy conscience the trueth of all this matter Thou hast receaued hym yfin true fayth and repentaunce of heart thou haste receaued hym yf in purpose of amendement thou haste receaued hym for an euerlastyng gage or pledge of thy saluation Thou hast receaued his body which was once broken his blood which was shedde for the remission of thy synne Thou hast receaued his body to haue within thee the father the sonne and the holy ghost for to dwell with thee to endow thee with grace to strength thee agaynst thyne enemies and to comfort thee with their presence Thou hast receaued his body to endow thee with euerlasting righteousnes to assue thee of euerlastyng blisse and lyfe of thy soule 〈…〉 r with Christe by true fayth art thou quickened agayne sayth saint Paul from death of synne to lyfe of grace and in hope translated from corporal and euerlastyng death to the euerlastyng lyfe of glorye in heauen where nowe thy conuersation should be and thy heart and desyre set Doubt not of the trueth of this matter how great and hygh soeuer these thynges be It becommeth God to do no litle deedes how impossible so euer they seeme to thee Pray to God that thou mayest haue fayth to perceaue this greate mysterie of Christes resurrection that by faytâ— thou mayst certaynely beleue nothyng to be impossible with god Onlye bryng thou fayth to Christes holy worde and sacrament Let thy repentaunce shewe thy fayth let thy purpose of amendement and obedience of thy heart to Gods lawe hereafter declare thy true beleefe Endeuour thy selfe to saye with Saint Paul From hencefoorth our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for a sauiour euen the Lorde Jesus Christe whiche shall change our vile bodyes that they may be fashioned like his glorious body which he shal do by the same power wherby he rose from death and wherby he shal be able to subdue all thynges vnto hym selfe Thus good Christian people forasmuche as ye haue hearde these so great and excellent benefites of Christes myghtie and glorious resurrection as howe that he hath raunsomed synne ouercome the deuill death and hell and hath victoriouslye gotten the better hande of them all to make vs free and safe from them and knowyng that we be by this benefite of his resurrection rysen with hym by our fayth vnto lyfe euerlastyng beyng in full suretie of our hope that we shall haue our bodyes lykewyse raysed agayne from death to haue them glorified in immortalitie and ioyned to his glorious bodye hauyng in the meane while his holy spirite within our heartes as a seale and pledge of our euerlastyng inheritaunce By whose assistence we be replenished with all ryghteousnes by whose power we shal be able to subdue all our euyll affections rysyng agaynst the pleasure of god These thynges I say well consydered let vs nowe in the rest of our lyfe declare our fayth that we haue to this moste fruitful article by framyng our selues therunto in rysyng dayly from sinne to righteousnes holines of lyfe For what shall it auayle vs sayth saint Peter to be escaped deliuered from the filthynesse of the worlde through the knowledge of the Lorde and sauiour Jesus Christe if we be entangled agayne therewith and be ouercome agayne Certaynely it had ben better sayth he neuer to haue knowne the way of righteousnes then after it is knowne and receaued to turne backwarde agayne from the holy commaundement of God geuen vnto vs For so shall the prouerbe haue place in vs where it is sayde The dogge is returned to his vomite agayne and the sowe that was washed to her wallowyng in the myre agayne What a shame were it for vs beyng thus so clearely and freely washed from our synne to returne to the filthynesse thereof agayne What a follie were it thus endowed with ryghteousnesse to lose it agayne What madnesse were it to lose the inheritaunce that we be nowe set in for the vyle and transitorie pleasure of synne And what an vnkyndenesse shoulde it be where our sauiour Christe of his mercie is come to vs to dwell within vs as our gâ—este to dryue hym from vs and to banishe hym violently out of our soules and in steade of hym in whom is all grace and vertue to receaue the vngratious spirite of the deuyil the founder of all naughtines and mischeefe How can we fynde in our heartes to shewe suche extreame vnkyndnesse to Christe which hath now so gently called vs to mercie and offered him selfe vnto vs and he nowe entred within vs yea howe dare we be so bolde to renounce the presence of the father the sonne and the holy ghost For where one is there is God all whole in maiestie together with all his power wysedome and goodnesse and feare not I say the daunger and peryll of so traiterous a defiaunce and departure Good Christian brethren and sisters aduise your selues consyder the dignite that ye be nowe set in let not follie lose the thyng that grace hath so preciously offered and purchased let not wylfulnesse and blindnesse put out so great lyght that is now shewed vnto you Onlye take good heartes vnto you and put vppon you all the armour of God that ye may stand agaynst your enemies which woulde agayne subdue you and bryng you into their thraldome Remember ye be bought from your vain conuersation and that your freedome is purchased neyther with golde nor syluer but with the price of the precious blood of that most innocent lambe Jesus Christe which was ordeined to the same purpose before the worlde was made But he was so declared in the latter tyme of grace for your sakes which by hym haue your fayth in God who hath raysed hym from death and hath geuen hym glory that you shoulde haue your fayth and hope towarde god Therefore as you haue hytherto folowed the vayne lustes of your myndes and so displeased God to
is within vs For it is the holy ghost and no other thyng that doth quicken the mindes of men stirring vp good and godly motions in their heartes which are agreeable to the wil commaundement of God suche as otherwyse of their owne crooked and peruerse nature they shoulde neuer haue That whiche is borne of the fleshe sayth Christe is fleshe and that which is borne of the spirite is spirite As who shoulde saye Man of his owne nature is fleshly and carnal corrupt and nought synnefull and disobedient to God without any sparke of goodnes in hym without any vertuous or godly motion onely geuen to euyl thoughtes and wicked deedes As for the workes of the spirite the fruites of fayth charitable and godly motions if he haue anye at all in hym they proceede only of the holy ghost who is the onlye worker of our sanctification maketh vs newe men in Christ Jesu Dyd not Gods holy spirite miraculously worke in the childe Dauid when of a poore shephearde he became a princelike prophet Dyd not Gods holy spirite miraculously worke in Matthewe sitting at the receipte of custome when of a proude Publicane he became an humble and lowly Euangelist And who can choose but maruayle to consyder that Peter shoulde become of a simple fisher a cheefe and mightie Apostle Paul of a cruell and bloody persecutour a faythful disciple of Christe to teache the Gentiles Suche is the power of the holy ghost to regenerate men and as it were to bryng them foorth a newe so that they shal be nothyng lyke the men that they were before Neyther doth he thynke it sufficient inwardlye to worke the spirituall and newe byrth of man vnlesse he do also dwell and abide in hym Knowe ye not sayth saint Paule that ye are the temple of God and that his spirite dwelleth in you Knowe ye not that your bodies are the temples of the holy ghost which is within you Agayne he sayth You are not in the fleshe but in the spirite For why The spirite of God dwelleth in you To this agreeth the doctrine of saint John wrytyng on this wyse The annoyntyng whiche ye haue receaued he meaneth the holy ghost dwelleth in you And the doctrine of Peter sayth the same who hath these wordes The spirite of glory and of God resteth vppon you O what comfort is this to the hearte of a true Christian to thynke that the holy ghost dwelleth within hym If God be with vs as the Apostle sayth who can be agaynst vs O but howe shall I knowe that the holy ghost is within me some man perchaunce wyll say Forsoth as the tree is knowne by his fruite so is also the holy ghost The fruites of the holy ghost accordyng to the mynde of saint Paule are these Loue ioy peace long sufferyng gentlenes goodnesse faythfulnesse meekenes temperaunce c. Contrarywyse the deedes of the fleshe are these Adultrie fornication vncleannesse wantonnes idolatrie witchcrafte hatred debate emulation wrath contention sedition heresie enuie murther drunkennesse gluttonie and such lyke Here is nowe that glasse wherein thou muste behold thy selfe and discerne whether thou haue the holy ghost within thee or the spirite of the fleshe If thou see that thy workes be vertuous and good consonant to the prescript rule of gods worde sauouring and tastyng not of the fleshe but of the spirite then assure thy selfe that thou art endued with the holy ghoste Otherwyse in thynkyng wel of thy selfe thou doest nothyng els but deceaue thy selfe The holy ghost doth alwayes declare hym selfe by his fruitefull and gratious gyftes namely by the worde of wysedome by the worde of knowledge whiche is the vnderstandyng of the scriptures by fayth in doyng of miracles by healyng them that are diseased by prophesie whiche is the declaration of Gods mysteries by discerning of spirites diuersities of tonges interpretation of tonges and so foorth All whiche gyftes as they proceede from one spirite and are seuerally geuen to man accordyng to the measurable distribution of the holy ghost Euen so do they bryng men and not without good cause into a wonderfull admiration of Gods diuine power Who wyll not marueyle at that whiche is wrytten in the Actes of the Apostles to heare their bolde confession before the counsell at Jerusalem And to consyder that they went away with ioy and gladnesse reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebukes and checkes for the name and fayth of Christe Jesus This was the myghtie worke of the holy ghost who because he geueth patience and ioyfulnesse of heart in temptation and affliction hath therefore worthyly obtayned this name in holye scripture to be called a comforter Who wyl not also marueyle to reade the learned and heauenly sermons of Peter and the disciples consyderyng that they were neuer brought vp in schole of learnyng but called euen from their nettes to supply roomes of Apostles This was lykewyse the mightie worke of the holy ghost who because he doth instruct the hearts of the simple in the true knowledge of God and his holy worde is moste iustly tearmed by this name and title to be the spirite of trueth Eusebius in his ecclesiasticall historie telleth a straunge storie of a certayne learned and subtill Philosopher who beyng an extreame aduersarie to Christ and his doctrine could by no kynd of learnyng be conuerted to the fayth but was able to withstande all the argumentes that coulde be brought agaynst hym with litle or no labour At length there started vp a poore simple man of small wit and lesse knowledge one that was reputed among the learned as an ideote And he on Gods name woulde needes take in hande to dispute with this proude Philosopher The Byshoppes and other learned men standyng by were marueylously abashed at the matter thinking that by his doynges they shoulde be all confounded and put to open shame He notwithstandyng goeth on and begynnyng in the name of the Lorde Jesus brought the Philosopher to suche poynte in the ende contrary to all mens expectation that he coulde not choose but acknowledge the power of God in his wordes and to geue place to the trueth Was not this a miraculous worke that one seely soule of no learnyng shoulde do that whiche many byshops of great knowledge and vnderstanding were neuer able to bryng to passe So true is the saying of Bede Where the holy ghost doth instruct and teache there is no delay at al in learnyng Much more myght here be spoken of the manyfolde gyftes and graces of the holy ghost moste excellent and wonderfull in our eyes But to make a long discourse through all the shortnes of tyme wil not serue And seing ye haue heard the cheefest ye may easily conceaue and iudge of the rest Nowe were it expedient to discusse this question Whether all they whiche boaste and bragge that they haue the holy ghost do truely chalenge this vnto them selues or no Which doubt
vayne Euen so most specially in this matter muste we take heede and beware that we suffer not our selues to be perswaded that all that we do is but labour lost For thereof eyther sodayne desperation doth aryse or a licentious boldnesse to sinne which at length bringeth vnto desperation Least any suche thing then shoulde happen vnto them he doth certifie them of the grace and goodnes of God who is alwayes moste redye to receaue them into fauour agayne that turne speedylye vnto him Which thing he doth proue with the same titles whorwith god doth discribe and set foorth himselfe vnto Moyses speaking on this maner For he is gracious and merciful slowe to anger of great kyndnesse and repenteth hym of the euiâ—â— thatis suche a one as is sorye for your afflictious Fyrst he calleth hym gentle gracious as he who of his own nature is more prompt and redye to do good then to punyshe Whereunto this saying of Esaias the Prophete seemeth to parteyne where he sayeth Let the wycked forsake his waye and the vnryghteous his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lorde and he will haue pitie on him and to our God for he is verye redye to forgeue Secondly he doth attribute vnto him mercy or rather accordyng to the Hebrewe word the bowels of mercies whereby he signifyed the naturall affections of parentes towardes their children Which thing Dauid doth set foorth goodlye saying As a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lorde compassion on them that feare hym for he knoweth whereof we be made he remembreth that we are but duste Thyrdlye he sayth that he is slowe to anger that is to saye long sufferyng and whiche is not lightly prouoked to wrath Fourthly that he is of muche kindnesse for he is that bottomlesse well of all goodnesse who reioyceth to do good vnto vs Therefore did he create and make men that he myght haue whom he shoulde do good vnto and make partakers of his heauenly ryches Fifthlye he repenteth of the euyll that is to saye he doeth call backe agayne reuoke the punyshment whiche he had threatned when he seeth men repent turne and amende Whereupon we do not without a iust cause detest and abhorre the dampnable oppinion of them which do most wickedlye go about to perswade the simple and ignorasâ—t people that if we chaunce after we be once come to God and graffed in his sonne Jesu Christe to fall into some hoâ—rible sinne repentaunce shall be vnprofitable vnto vs there is no more hope of reconciliation or to be receaued agayne into the fauour and mercy of god And that they may geue the better colour vnto their pestilent and pernicious errour they do commonlye bryng in the sixth tenth Chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrues and the second Chapter of the seconde Epistle of Peter not consyderyng that in those places the holy Apostles do not speake of the daily falles that we as long as we cary about this body of sinne are subiect vnto but of the finall fallyng away from Christ and his Gospel which is a sinne agaynst the holy ghost that shall neuer he forgeuen because that they that do vtterlye forsake the knowen trueth do hate Christe and his worde they do crucifie and mocke him but to their vtter destruction and therefore fall into desperation and cannot repent And that this is the true meanyng of the holy spirite of God it appeareth by manye other places of the Scriptures which promiseth vnto all true repentaunt sinners and to them that with their whole hart do returne vnto the Lorde their God free pardon and remission of their sinnes For the probation hereof we reade this O Israel sayeth the holy prophete Hieremie if thou returne returne vnto me sayeth the Lorde and if thou put away thyne abominations out of any syght then shalte thou not be moued Agayne these are Esaias words Let the wicked forsake his owne wayes and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and turne agayne vnto the Lorde and he will haue mercye vpon hym and to our God for he is redye to forgeue And in the prophet Ozee the godlye do exhort one another after this manner Come and let vs turne againe vnto the lord for he hath smitten vs and he will heale vs he hath wounded vs and he will bynde vs vp agayne It is most euident and playne that these thinges ought to be vnderstanded of them that were with the Lorde afore and by their sinnes and wickednesse were gone awaye from hym For we do not turne agayne vnto hym with whom we were neuer before but we come vnto him Nowe vnto all them that will returne vnfaynedlye vnto the Lorde their God the fauour and mercye of God vnto forgeuenesse of sinnes is liberally offered Whereby it followeth necessarilye that although we do after we be once come to God and graffed in his sonne Jesus Christe fall into great sinnes for there is no ryghteous man vpon the earth that sinneth not and if we saye we haue no sinne we deceaue our selues the trueth is not in vs yet if we ryse agayne by repentaunce and with a full purpose of amendement of lyfe do flee vnto the mercye of God taking sure holde thereupon through fayth in his sonne Jesu Christe there is an assured and infallible hope of pardon and remission of the same that we shall be receaued agayne into the fauour of our heauenly father It is written of Dauid I haue founde a man accordyng to myne owne heart or I haue found Dauid the sonne of Jesse a man accordyng to myne owne heart who will do all thinges that I wyll This is a godly commendation of Dauid It is also moste certayne that he did stedfastly beleue the promise that was made hym touching the Messias who shoulde come of him touching the fleshe and that by the same fayth he was iustifyed and graffed in our sauiour Jesu Christ to come and yet afterwards he fell horribly committing moste detestable adultrye and damnable murther and yet assone as he cryed peccaui I haue sinned vnto the Lord his sinne beyng forgeuen he was receaued into fauour agayne Now will we come vnto Peter of whom no man can doubte but that he was graffed in our sauiour Jesus Christe long afore his deniall Whiche thing may easylye be proued by the aunswere whiche he did in his name and in the name of his fellowe Apostles make vnto our sauiour Jesu Christ when he saide vnto theÌ„ Will ye also go away Maister sayth he to whoÌ„ shall we go Thou haste the wordes of eternall lyfe and we beleue and knowe that thou art the Christe the sonne of the lyuing god Whereunto may be added the lyke confession of Peter where Christ doth geue this most infallible testimonie Thou art blessed Simon the sonne of Jonas for neither fleshe nor blood hath reuealed this vnto thee but my father which is in heauen
of personage neither nobilitie nor fauour of the people no nor the fauour of the king him selfe can saue a rebel from due punishment God the king of al kinges being so offended with him that rather then he should lacke due execution for his treason euery tree by the way wyl be a gallous or gybbet vnto hym and the heere of his owne head wyl be vnto him insteade of an haulter to hang hym vp with rather then he shoulde lacke one A fearefull example of Gods punishment good people to consider Now Achitophel though otherwyse an exceedyng wyse man yet the mischeeuous counseller of Absolon in this wycked rebellion for lacke of an hangman a conuenient seruitour for suche a traytour went and hanged vp hym selfe a worthy end of al false rebelles who rather then they shoulde lacke due execution wyll by Gods iust iudgement become hangmen vnto them selues Thus happened it to the captaynes of that rebellion besyde fourtie thousande of rascall rebelles slayne in the feelde and in the chase Lykewyse is it to be seene in the holy scriptures how that great rebellion which the traytor Seba moued in Israel was sodenly appeased the head of the captayne traytor by the meanes of a seely woman beyng cut of And as the holy scriptures do shewe so doth daily experience proue that the counsels conspiracies and attemptes of rebelles neuer tooke effect neyther came to good but to most horrible ende For though God doth often tymes prosper iust and lawefull enemies which be no subiectes against their forraigne enemies yet dyd he neuer long prosper rebellious subiectes against their prince were they neuer so great in aucthority or so many in number Fiue princes or kynges for so the scripture tearmeth them with all their multitudes coulde not preuayle agaynst Chodorlaomor vnto whom they had promised loyaltie and obedience and had continued in the same certain yeres but they were all ouerthrowen and taken prisoners by him but Abraham with his familie and kynsfolkes an handefull of men in respect owyng no subiection vnto Chodorlaomor ouerthrēwe hym and all his hoast in battell and recouered the prisoners and delyuered them So that though warre be so dreadfull and cruell a thyng as it is yet doth God often prosper a fewe in lawefull warres with forraigne enemies agaynste manye thousandes but neuer yet prospered he subiectes beyng rebelles agaynst their naturall soueraigne were they neuer so great or noble so manye so stout so wittie and politike but alwayes they came by the ouerthrowe and to a shamefull ende so muche doth God abhorre rebellion more then other warres though otherwyse beyng so dreadfull and so great a destruction to mankynde Though not onlye great multitudes of the rude and rascall commons but sometyme also men of great wit nobilitie and aucthoritie haue moued rebellions agaynst their lawefull princes whereas true nobilitie shoulde moste abhorre suche vilanous and true wysedome shoulde moste detest suche frantike rebellion though they would pretende sundry causes as the redresse of the common wealth which rebelliō of all other mischeefes doth most destroy or reformation of religion whereas rebellion is most agaynst all true religion though they haue made a great shewe of holy meanyng by begynnyng their rebellions with a counterfet seruice of God as dyd wycked Absolon begyn his rebellion with sacrificing vnto God though they display and beare about ensignes and banners whiche are acceptable vnto the rude ignoraunt common people great multitudes of whom by such false pretences and shewes they do deceaue and draw vnto them yet were the multitudes of the rebels neuer so huge and great the captaines neuer so noble politike and wittie the pretences faigned to be neuer so good and holye yet the speedie ouerthrowe of all rebelles of what number state or condition so euer they were or what colour or cause soeuer they pretended is and euer hath ben suche that God thereby doth shewe that he alloweth neyther the dignitie of anye person nor the multitude of anye people nor the waight of any cause as sufficient for the whiche the subiectes may moue rebellion agaynste their princes Turne ouer and reade the histories of all nations looke ouer the Chronicles of our owne countrey call to mynde so manye rebellions of olde tyme and some yet freshe in memorie ye shall not fynde that God euer prospered anye rebellion agaynst their naturall and lawefull prince but contrarywyse that the rebelles were ouerthrowen and slayne and such as were taken prisoners dreadfullye executed Consyder the great noble families of Dukes Marquesses Earles and other Lordes whose names ye shall reade in our Chronicles now cleane extinguished and gone seeke out the causes of the decay you shall fynd that not lacke of issue heires male hath so muche wrought that decay and waste of noble blooddes and houses as hath rebellion And for so muche as the redresse of the common wealth hath of olde ben the vsual faigned pretence of rebels and religion nowe of late begynneth to be a colour of rebellion let all godlye and discreete subiectes consyder well of both and fyrste concerning religion If peaceable king Salomon was iudged of God to be more meete to buylde his Temple whereby the orderyng of religion is meant then his father kyng Dauid though otherwyse a moste godlye kyng for that Dauid was a great warryer and had shead muche blood though it were in his warres agaynste the enemies of God of this may all godly and reasonable subiects consyder that a peaceable prince specially our most peaceable and mercyfull Queene who hath hitherto shed no blood at all no not of her most deadly enemies is more lyke and farre meeter eyther to set vp or to mainteyne true religion then are bloody rebels who haue not shead the blood of Gods enemies as kyng Dauid had done but do seeke to shead the blood of Gods freendes of their owne countreymen and of their owne most deare freendes and kynsfolke yea the destruction of their moste gratious prince and naturall countrey for defence of whom they ought to be redy to shedde their blood if need should so requyre What a religion it is that such men and by suche meanes would restore may easily be iudged euen as good a religion surely as rebels be good men and obedient subiectes and as rebellion is a good meane of redresse and reformation beyng it selfe the greatest deformation of all that may possible be But as the trueth of the Gospel of our sauiour Christe beyng quietly and soberly taught though it do coste them their lyues that do teache it is able to maynteyne the true religion so hath a frantike religion neede of such furious maintenances as is rebellion and of suche patrones as are rebels beyng redy not to dye for the true religion but to kyll all that shall or dare speake agaynste their false superstition and wicked idolatrie Now concernyng pretences of any redresse of the common wealth made by rebels
wretches heard ye neuer of this Hath it not ben preached to you since the beginning how by the creation of the worlde and the greatnesse of the worke they myght vnderstande the maiestie of God the Maker and Creatour of all to be greater then that it could be expressed or set foorth in any image or bodily similitude Thus farre the Prophet Esaias who from the. xliiii Chapter to the xlix intreateth in a maner of no other thyng And. S. Paul in the Actes of the Apostles euidentlye teacheth the same that no similitude can be made vnto God in golde siluer stone or anye other matter By these and many other places of scripture it is euideÌ„t that no image either ought or can be made vnto god For how can God a most pure spirite whom man neuer sawe be expressed by a grosse bodily and visible similitude How can the infinite maiestie greatnes of god incomprehensible to mans mynde muche more not able to be compassed with the sense be expressed in an infinite and litle image How can a dead and dombe image expresse the lyuyng God What can an image which when it is fallen can not ryse vp agayne which can neyther help his freendes nor hurte his enemies expresse of the moste puissaunt and myghtie God who alone is able to rewarde his freendes and to destroy his enemies euerlastyngly A man myght iustly crye with the prophet Habacus Shall suche images instruct or teach any thyng ryght of God or shall they become doctours Wherfore men that haue made an image of God wherby to honour hym haue therby dishonoured him most hyghly diminished his maiestie blemished his glorye and falsified his trueth And therefore saint Paul saith that suche as haue framed anye similitude or image of God lyke a mortall man or anye other lykenes in tymber stone or other matter haue chaunged his trueth into a lye For both they thought it to be no longer that whiche it was a stocke or a stone and toke it to be that which it was not as God or an image of god Wherfore an image of God is not onlye a lye but a double lye also But the deuill is a lyer and the father of lyes wherefore the lying images which be made of God to his great dishonour and horrible danger of his people came from the deuyll Wherefore they be conuict of foolishnesse and wickednesse in making of images of God or the Trinitie for that no image of God ought or can be made as by the scriptures and good reason euidently appeareth yea and once to desyre an image of God commeth of infidelitie thinking not God to be present except they myght see some signe or image of hym as appeareth by the Hebrues in the wyldernesse wyllyng Aaron to make them gods whom they might see go before them Where they obiect that seeyng in Esaias and Daniel be certayne descriptions of God as sittyng on a hygh seate c. why may not a paynter lykewyse set him foorth in colours to be seene as it were a iudge syttyng in a throne as well as he is described in wrytyng of the prophetes seing that scripture or wrytyng and picture differ but a litle Firste it is to be aunswered that thynges forbidden by Gods worde as payntyng of images of God and thynges permitted of God as such discriptions vsed of the prophets be not all one neyther ought nor can mans reason although it shewe neuer so goodly preuayle anye thyng agaynste Gods expresse worde and playne statute lawe as I may well tearme it Furthermore the scripture although it haue certayne discriptions of God yet if you reade on foorth it expoundeth it selfe declaring that God is a pure spirite infinite who replenisheth heauen and earth whiche the picture doth not nor expoundeth not it selfe but rather when it hath set God foorth in a bodily similitude 〈◊〉 a man there and wyll easyly bryng one into the heresie of the Anthropomorphites thinking God to haue handes and feete to sit as a man doth which they that do sayth saint Augustine in his booke de fide simbolo cap. 7. fall into that sacriledge which the apostle 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 who haue chaunged the glorye of the 〈◊〉 God into the similitude of a 〈◊〉 â—â—n For it is wyckednesse for a Christian to 〈◊〉 suche an image to God in a Temple and muche more wyckednesse to erecte suche a one in â—is heart by 〈◊〉 â—â—yng of it But to this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that this reaâ—on notwithstandyng 〈◊〉 of Christe may be made for that he toke vppon him fleshe and became man It were well that they woulde firste graunt that they haue hytherto done moste wyckedlye in makyng and maynteyning of images of God and of the trinitie in euery place whereof they are by force of Gods word and good reason conuicted and then to discend to the tryall for other images Nowe concernyng their obiection that an image of Christe may be made the aunswere is easy For in Gods worde and religion it is not onlye requyred whether a thyng may be done or no but also whether it be lawfull and agreeable to Gods worde to be done or no. For al wyckednesse may be is dayly done which yet ought not to be done And the wordes of the reasons aboue alleaged out of the Scriptures are that images neither ought nor can be made vnto god Wherefore to reply that images of Christe maye be made excepte withall it be proued that it is lawfull for them to be made is rather then to holde ones peace to say somwhat but nothyng to the purpose And yet it appeareth that no image can be made of Christe but a lying image as the scripture peculierlye calleth images lyes For Christ is God and man Seing therefore that for the Godhead which is the most excellent parte no images can be made it is falsly called the image of Christe wherefore images of Christe be not onlye defectes but also lyes Which reason serueth also for the images of saintes whose soules the more excellent partes of them can by no images be represented and expressed Wherefore they be no images of saintes whose soules raigne in ioy with God but of the bodies of Saintes whiche as yet lye putrified in the graues Furthermore no true image can be made of Christes body for it is vnknowen nowe of what fourme and countenaunce he was And there be in Grece and at Rome and in other places dyuers images of Christe and none of them lyke to other and yet euerye of them affirmeth that theirs is the true and liuely image of Christ which can not possible be Wherefore as sone as an image of Christe is made by and by is a lye made of hym which by Gods word is forbidden Which also is true of the images of any Saintes of antiquitie for that it is vnknowen of what fourme and countenaunce they were Wherefore seeing that religion ought to be grounded vppon trueth images whiche can
not be without lyes ought not to be made or put to anye vse of religion or to be placed in Churches and Temples places peculierly appoynted to true religion and seruice of god And thus much that no true image of God our sauiour Christe or his saintes can be made wherwithall is also confuted that their allegation that images be the laye mens bookes For it is euident of that whiche is afore rehearsed that they teache no thinges of God of our sauiour Christe and of his saintes but lyes and errours Wherfore either they be no bookes or if they be they be false and lying bookes the teachers of all errour And nowe if it should be admitted graunted that an image of Christe could truely be made yet it is vnlawfull that it shoulde be made yea or that the image of anye saint shoulde be made speciallye to beset vp in Temples to the greate and vnauoydable daunger of idolatrie as hereafter shal be proued And fyrste concernyng the image of Christe that though it myght be had truelye yet it were vnlawfull to haue it in Churches publiquely is a notable place in Ireneus who reproued the heritikes called Gnostici for that they caryed about the image of Christe made truely after his owne proportion in Pilates tyme as they said and therefore more to be esteemed then those lying images of hym which we nowe haue The whiche Gnostici also vsed to set garlandes vppon the head of the sayde image to shewe their affection to it But to go to Gods worde Be not I pray you the wordes of the scripture playne Beware least thou beyng deceaued make to thy selfe to say to any vse of religion anye grauen image or anye similitude of any thyng c. And cursed be the man that maketh a grauen or molten image abhomination before the Lorde c. Be not our images such Be not our images of Christe and his saintes 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ed or molten or caste or similitudes of men and women It is happye that we haue not folowed the Gentiles in makyng of images of 〈…〉 es fyshes and vermynes also Notwithstandyng the image of an Horse as also the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Asse that Christe â—ode on haue in di 〈…〉 places ben brought into the Churche and Temple of god And is not that whiche is written in the begynning of the Lordes moste holye lawe and dayly read vnto you moste euident also Thou shalt not make any lykenesse of anye thyng in heauen aboue in earth beneath or in the water vnder the earth c. Coulde anye more beforbidden and sayde then this eyther of the kyndes of images whiche be eyther carued molten or otherwyse similitudes or of thynges whereof images are forbidden to be made Are not all thinges either in heauen earth or water vnder the earth And be not our images of Christe and his saintes lykenesses of thynges in heauen earth or in the water If they continue in their former aunswere that these prohibitions concerne the idols of the Gentiles and not our images Fyrste that aunswere is alreadye confuted concernyng the images of God and the trinitie at large and concerning the images of Christe also by Ireneus And that the lawe of God is lykewyse to be vnderstanded agaynst all our images aswell of Christe as his saintes in Temples and Churches appeareth further by the iudgement of the olde Doctours and the primatiue Churche Epiphanius rentyng a paynted cloth wherein was the picture of Christe or of some saint affyrmyng it to be agaynst our religion that any such image shoulde be had in the temple or Church as is before at large declared iudged that not onlye idols of the Gentiles but that all images of Christe and his saintes also were forbidden by Gods worde and our religion Lactantius affyrming it to be certayne that no true religion can be where an image or picture is as is before declared iudged that aswell all images and pictures as the idols of the gentiles were forbidden els woulde he not so generallye haue spoken and pronounced of them And saint Augustine as is before alleaged greatlye alloweth M. Varro affyrmyng that religion is moste pure without images and sayth hym selfe Images be of more force to crooke an vnhappye soule then to teache and instruct it And he sayth further Euery chyld yea euerye beast knoweth that it is not God that they see Wherefore then doth the holye ghost so ofte monishe vs of that whiche all men knowe Whereunto saint Augustine aunswereth thus For saith he when images are placed in Temples and set in honourable sublimitie begyn once to be worshypped foorthwith breedeth the most vyle affection of errour This is saint Augustines iudgemente of images in Churches that by and by they breede errour and idolatrie The Christian Emperours the learned Byshops all the learned men of Asia Grece and Spayne assembled in counselles at Constantinople and in Spayne vii and. viii C. yeres ago and more condemnyng and destroying al images aswell of Christ as of the Saintes set vp by the Christians as is before at large declared testifie that they vnderstood Gods worde so that it forbad our images as well as the idols of the Gentiles And as it is written Sapi. xiiij that images were not from the beginning neyther shall they continue to the end so were they not in the begynnyng in the primatiue Churche God graunt they may in the ende be destroyed For all Christians in the primatiue Churche as Origen agaynste Celsus Ciprian also and Arnobius do testified were sore charged and complayned on that they had no aulters nor images Wherefore dyd they not I pray you confourme themselues to the Gentiles in makyng of images but for lacke of them sustayned their heauie displeasure if they had taken it to be lawfull by Gods worde to haue images It is euident therefore that they toke al images to be vnlawful in the Churche or Temple of God and therefore had none though the Gentiles therefore were most highly displeased folowing this rule We must obey God rather then men And Zephirius in his notes vppon the Apologie of sertullian gathereth that all his vehement perswasion shoulde be but colde except we know this once for all that Christian men in his tyme dyd moste hate images with their ornamentes And Ireneus as is aboue declared reproueth the heretikes called Gnostici for that they caryed about the image of christ And therefore the primatiue Church which is speciallie to be folowed as most incorrupt and pure had publiquely in Churches neyther idols of the Gentiles nor any other images as thynges directly forbidden by Gods word And thus it is declared by Gods worde the sentences of the Doctours and the iudgement of the primatiue Churche whiche was moste pure and sincere that all images aswell ours as the idols of the Gentiles be by Gods word forbidden and therfore vnlawful specially in Temples and Churches Nowe yf they as their custome
and iudgement of the worlde If some man wyll say I woulde haue a true paterne and a perfect discription of an vpryght lyfe approued in the sight of God can we fynde thinke ye any better or any suche agayne as Christe Jesus is and his doctrine whose vertuous conuersation and godly lyfe the scripture so liuely painteth and setteth foorth before our eyes that we beholding that paterne myght shape and frame our lyues as nigh as may be agreeable to the perfection of the same Folow you me sayth S. Paul as I folowe Christe And saint John in his Epistle sayth Who so abydeth in Christe must walke euen so as he walked before hym And where shall we learne the order of Christes lyfe but in the scripture Another woulde haue a medicine to heale all diseases and maladies of the minde Can this be found or gotten other where then out of Gods owne booke his sacred scriptures Christe taught so muche when he sayde to the obstinate Jewes Search the scriptures for in them ye thynke to haue eternall lyfe If the scriptures conteyne in them euerlastyng lyfe it must nedes folow that they haue also present remedie agaynst all that is an hinderaunce and let vnto eternall lyfe If we desire the knowledge of heauenly wysedome why had we rather learne the same of man then of God hym selfe who as saint James sayth is the geuer of wysedome Yea why wyl we not learne it at Christes owne mouth who promising to be present with his Churche tyll the worldes ende doth perfourme his promise in that he is not only with vs by his grace and tender pitie but also in this that he speaketh presently vnto vs in the holy scriptures to the great and endlesse comfort of all them that haue any feelyng of God at all in them Yea he speaketh nowe in the scriptures more profitably to vs then he dyd by worde of mouth to the carnall Jewes when he liued with them here vpon earth For they I meane the Jewes coulde neyther heare nor see those thynges whiche we may nowe both heare and see if we wyll bryng with vs those eares and eyes that Christe is hearde and seene with that is diligence to heare and reade his holy scriptures and true fayth to beleue his most comfortable promises If one could shewe but the printe of Christes foote a great number I thynke would fal downe and worship it But to the holy scriptures where we may see daily yf we wyll I wyll not say the print of his feete onlye but the whole shape and liuely image of hym alas we geue litle reuerence or none at all If any coulde let vs see Christes coate a sorte of vs woulde make hard shift except we mought come nygh to gase vppon it yea and kysse it to And yet all the clothes that euer he dyd weare can nothyng so truely nor so liuely expresse hym vnto vs as do the scriptures Christes images made in wood stone or mettall some men for the loue they beare to Christe do garnishe and beautifie the same with pearle golde and pretious stone And shoulde we not good brethren muche rather imbrace and reuerence Gods holy bookes the sacred bible whiche do represent Christ vnto vs more truely then can any image The image can but expresse the fourme or shape of his body if it can do so muche But the scripture doth in such sort set foorth Christe that we may see both God and man we may see hym I say speakyng vnto vs healyng our infirmities diyng for our sinnes rysing from death for our iustification And to be short we may in the scriptures so perfectly see whole Christ with the eye of fayth as we lacking fayth coulde not with these bodily eyes see hym though he stoode now present here before vs Let euery man woman and chylde therefore with all their hearte thirst and desyre gods holy scriptures loue them embrace them haue their delight and pleasure in hearing and readyng them so as at length we may be transfourmed and chaunged into them For the holy scriptures are Gods treasure house wherein are found al thynges needefull for vs to see to heare to learne and to beleue necessarie for the attaynyng of eternall lyfe Thus muche is spoken onely to geue you a taste of some of the commodities whiche ye maye take by hearing reading the holy scriptures For as I said in the beginning no tongue is able to declare and vtter all And although it is more cleare then the noone day that to be ignorant of the scriptures is the cause of errour as Christe sayth to the Saducees Ye erre not knowing the scriptures and that errour doth holde backe plucke men away from the knowledge of god And as saint Hierome sayth Not to know the scriptures is to be ignoraunt of christ Yet this notwithstandyng some there be that thynke it not meete for all sortes of men to reade the scriptures because they are as they thynke in sundry places stumblyng blockes to the vnlearned Fyrst for that the phrase of the scriptures is somtyme so homlye grosse and playne that it offendeth the fine and delicate wittes of some courtiers Furthermore for that the scripture also reporteth euen of them that haue their commendation to be the children of God that they did diuers actes wherof some are contrary to the lawe of nature some repugnaunt to the law wrytten and other some seeme to fight manifestly agaynst publique honestie All whiche thynges say they are vnto the simple an occasion of great offence and cause many to thynke euyl of the Scriptures and to discredite their aucthoritie Some are offended at the hearyng and readyng of the diuersitie of the rites and ceremonies of the sacrifices and oblations of the lawe And some worldly witted men thynke it a great decay to the quiet and prudent gouerning of their common weales to geue eare to the simple and plaine rules and preceptes of our sauiour Christe in his Gospell as beyng offended that a man shoulde be redy to turne his right eare to hym that strake hym on the lefte and to hym whiche woulde take away his coate to offer hym also his cloke with suche other sayinges of perfection in Christes meanyng For carnal reason beyng alway an enemie to God and not perceauing the thynges of Gods spirite doth abhorre suche preceptes whiche yet rightly vnderstanded infringeth no iudiciall policies nor Christian mens gouernementes And some there be whiche hearyng the scriptures to bid vs to lyue without 〈◊〉 without studie or forecasting do deride tâ—e 〈…〉 ities of them Therefore to remoue and put away occasions of offence so muche as may be I wyll aunswere orderly to these obiections Firste I shall rehearse some of those places that men are offended at for the homelynes and grossenesse of speach and wil shewe the meanyng of them In the booke of Deuteronomie it is wrytten that almyghtie God made a lawe yf a man dyed without