mountaines hilles and wildernes some haue ben racked some slaine some stoned some sawen some rente in pieces some headed some brente without mercy and would not be deliuered because they loked to rise again to a better state All these fathers martyrs and other holy men whom S. Paule spake of had their faith surely sixed 〈◊〉 God wheÌ„ al the world was against them They did not onely knowe god to be the Lord maker and gouernour of al men in the world but also they had a special coÌ„fidence and trust that he was would be their God their coÌ„forter â—ider helper mainteiner and defendour This is 〈◊〉 â—â—ristian faith whiche these holy men had also ought to haue And altough they were 〈◊〉 named ChristiaÌ„ men yet was it a ChristiaÌ„â—aten 〈◊〉 they had for they loked for all benefytes of 〈…〉 father through the merites of his soÌ„ne 〈…〉 we now doe This difference is betwene them and vs for they loked when Christ should come and wâ—â—â—â— in the time when he is come 〈◊〉 Iohn 〈◊〉 xiv Therfore saith s Augustin the time is altered chaunged but not the faith For we haue both one faith in one Christe The same holy goste also that we haue had they sayth S. Paule â— Cor. iiii For as the holy Gost dooeth teach vs to trust in God and to call vpon him as our father so did he teache them to say as it is written Thou lord art our father and redemer â—say xiiii thy name 〈◊〉 without begynning and euerlasting God gaue them then grace to be his children as he doth vs â—â—we But now by the comming of oure sauiour Christe we haue receiued more aboundantly the spirite of god in our heartes wherby we may conceiue a greater faith and a surer truste then many of them had But in effecte they we be al one we haue the same faith that they had in god and they the same that we haue And S. Paule so much extolleth their faith because we shold no lesse but rather more geue our selfes wholy vnto Christ doth in profession liuinge now when Christ is come then the old fathers did before his coÌ„myng And by al the declaratioÌ„ of S. Paul it is euident that the true liuely christiaÌ„ faith is no dead vaine or vnfruitfull thinge but a thinge of perfecte vertue of wonderful operacion or working strength bringyng furth all good mocions and good woorkes Al holy scripture agreably beareth witnes that a true liuely faith in Christ doth bring furth good workes therfore euery man must examine tryâ— himselfe diligently to know whether he haue the same true liuely faithe in his heart vnfainedly or not whiche he shall knowe by the fruites therof â—â—â—nt that professed the faith of christ wer in this error that they thought they knew god beloued in him when in their life they declared the contrary which error sainct Iohn in his first Epistle coÌ„futing i. Iohn .ii. writeth in this wise herby we are certified that we know God if we obserue his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes He that saith he knoweth God and obserueth not his commaundementes is a liar the truth is not in him And again he saith i. Iohn .iii. whosoeuer sinneth doth not see god nor knowe him not no man deceiue you wel beloued childreÌ„ And moreouer he saith hereby we know that we be of the trueth i. Iohn .iii. so we shal perswade our heartes before him For if our owne heartes reproue vs God is aboue oure heartes knoweth al thinges Wel beloued if our heartes reproue vs not then haue we coÌ„fidence in god and shal haue of him whatsoeuer we aske because we kepe his coÌ„maunde mendes and do those thinges that please him And yet further he fayth i. Iohn .v. Euery man that beleueth that Iesus is Christe is borne of god we know that whatsoeuer is borne of god doth not sinne but the generation of God purgeth him and the deuill doeth not touche him And finally he concludeth and shewing the cause i. Iohn .v. why he wrote this Epistle saith for this cause haue I thus writte vnto you that you may know that ye haue euerlastinge life whiche do beleue in the sonne of God And in his third Epistle iii. Iohn .i. he confirmeth the whole matter of faith and workes in fewe wordes saying the that doth wel is of god he that doth euill knoweth not god And 〈◊〉 â—ainct Iohn saith that as the liuely knowlege 〈…〉 of god briÌ„geth furth good worke 〈◊〉 saith he likewise of hope and charitie that theâ— cannot stande with euill liuing i. Iohn iii. Of hope he wâ—â—teth thus we know that when god shal appeare â—â—e shal be lyke vnto him for we shal see him euen as he is And whosoeuer hathe this hope in hym doth purifie himselfe i. Iohn .ii. lyke as God is pure And of charitie he saieth these wordes he that doth kepe gods worde or coÌ„mauÌ„dement in him is truely the perfect loue of god i. Iohn .v. And again he saith this is the loue of god that we should kepe his commauÌ„dementes And. s Iohn wrote not this as a subtile sayinge deuised of his owne phantasye but as a most certaine and necessary trueth taught vnto him by Christ himself the eternal infallible veritie who in many places doeth most clerely affirme that faith hope charitie cannot consyst or stande without good and godly workes Iohn .iii. i. Iohn .v. Of saith he saith He that beleueth in the sonne hath euerlasting life but he that beleueth not in the sonne shal not se that life but the wrath of god remaineth vpon him Iohn .vi. And the same he confirmeth with a double othe saying forsothe forsorth I say vnto you he that beliueth in me hath euerlasting life Now forasmuch as he that beleueth in Christ hath euerlasting life it must nedes coÌ„sequeÌ„tly folow that he that hath this faith must haue also good workes and be studious to obserue Gods commandementes obediently For to them that haue euil workes 〈…〉 leade their life in disobedience transgression or breakyng of Gods commaunds mentes without repeÌ„taunce perteineth not euen lastyng life but euerlasting death as Christe hym selfe saith â–ª Matt. xxv They that doe wel shal go into life eternal but they that do euil shal go into the euerlastyng fyre And again he saith Apoca. xxi I am the first letter the last the beginning the endinge to hym that is a thirst I wil geue of the wel of the water of life frely he that hath the victory shal haue al thinges I will be his God he shal be my sonne but they that be fearefull mistrusting god lackyng faith they that be cursed people and murderers and fornicatours and forcerers and Idolaters and all liers shal haue their porcion in the lake that burneth with fyre and brimstone which is the second death And as
and superstitions of .xv. Dos of i. Bernardes vearses of S. Agathes letters of Purgatorye of Masses satisfactorye of Stacions and Iubilies of feined Reliques of halowed Beades Belles Bred Water Palmâ—s Candels Fyre and suche other of Superstitious fastinges of fraternities or brother heades of Pardons with such lyke marchaundyse whiche were so estemed and abused to the great preiudice of gods glorye and commaundementes that they were made most high and moost holye thinges wherby to attaine to the euerlasting lyfe or remissioÌ„ of sinne Yea also vaine inuentions vnfruitfull ceremonies and vngodli lawes decrees and counsels of Rome Decrees Decretalies were in such wise aduaunced that nothynge was thought comparable in auctoritie wisdom lerninge godlines vnto them So that the lawes of Rome as they said were to be receiued of all men as the four EuaÌ„gelistes to the which al lawes of princes must geue place And the lawes of God also partly were left of and lesse estemed that the sayd lawes decrees and counsels with theyr traditions and ceremonies might be more duelye kepte and hadde in greater reuerence Thus was the people throughe ignorance so blinded with the goodly shewe and apparaunce of those thinges that they thought the kepynge of them to be a more holynes a more perfecte seruice honoring of God more pleasinge to God then the keping of gods commaundementes Such hath bene the corrupte inclination of man euer superstitiously geuen to make new honorynge of God of his own head and then to haue more affectioÌ„ and deuotion to keepe that then to searche out Goddes holye commaundementes and to keepe theim And furthermore to take Gods commaundementes for mens commaundementes and mens commaundementes for Gods commaundementes yea for the highest and most perfect and holy of all Gods commaundemeÌ„tes And so was all confused that scante wel learned men and but a small number of them knew or at the least would knowe durste affyrme the trueth to separate or seuere Gods commaundementes from the commaundementes of men whervpon did grow much error Superstition ydolatry vayne religion ouertwart iudgement great contention with all vngodly liuing An exhortation to the 〈◊〉 of Gods coÌ„manÌ„dementes Wherfore as you haue any zeale to the ryghte and pure honoring of God as you haue any regarde to your owne soules and to the life that is to come which is both without pain and without end apply youre selues chieflye aboue all thing to reade and to heare Gods word marke diligently therin what his wyll is you shal doe and with all your endeuoure applye your selues to folow the same Firste you must haue an assured faith in god A briefe rehersall of Gods coÌ„manÌ„dementes and geue your selues wholly vnto him loue him in prosperitie and aduersitie and dreade to offende him euermore Then for his sake loue all men frendes and foes because they be hys creation and ymage redemed by Christ as ye are Cast in your mindes how you may do good vnto al men vnto your powers and hurte no man Obey al your superiours gouernours serue your masters faythfully and diligentlye aswell in theyr absence as in their presence not for dreade of punishment onely but for conscience sake knowing that you are bouÌ„de â—o to do by Gods commaundementes Disobey not your fathers and mothers but honor them help theÌ„ and please theim to youre power Oppresse not kyll not beat not neither slauÌ„dre nor hate any man But loue al men speake well of al men help and succoure euery man as you maye yea eueÌ„ your enemies that hate you that speake euill of you and that do hurte you Take no mans goodes nor couet youre neyghbours goodes wrongfully but content your selues with that which ye get truly and also bestow youre own goodes charitably as nede and case requireth Flee all ydolatry witchcraft and periury committe no maner of adultery â–ª fornication nor other vnchastnes in wilnor in dede with any other mans wyâ—e widowe mayde or other wyse And trauailing continually during your life thus in the keping the commaundementes of God wherein standeth the pure principal and right honor of God which wrought in fayth God hath ordeyned to be the righte trade and path way vnto heauen you shall not fayle as Christ hath promised to come to that blessed and euerlastinge life where you shal lyue in glorye and ioye with God for euer To whom be prayse honour and impery for euer and euer Amen A Sermon of christian 〈◊〉 and Charitie OF all thinges that be good to be taught vnto christen people there is nothinge more necessarye to be spoken of and dayly called vppon then charitie as well for that all manner of workes of ryghteousnes bee conteyned in it as also that the decay thereof is the ruyne or falle of the worlde the banishment of vertue and the cause of al vice And for so muche as almoste euery man maketh and frameth to him selfe charitie after his owne appetite and how detestable soeuer his lyfe be both vnto God and man yet he perswadeth him selfe still that he hath charitie therfore you shal heare now a true and plaine description or setting forth of charitie not of mens imagination but of the very wordes and example of our sauiour Iesus Christ In which description or setting forth euery man as it were in a glasse may consider him self and se plainely without errour What â—â—â—rytye 〈◊〉 whether he be in the true charitie or not Charitie is to loue God with al our heart al oure lyfe and al our powers and strength With all oure heart that is to say that our heartes mind The 〈◊〉 of god and study â–ª be set to beleue his word to truste in him and to loue him aboue all other thinges that we loue beste in heauen or in earth With all oure lyfe that is to say that our chiefe ioy and delight be set vpon hym his honour our whole life geueÌ„ vnto the seruice of him aboue al thinges with him to liue and dye and to forsake all other thynges rather then hym â–ª For he that loueâ—â—his father or mother Mat. 10. sonne or doughter house or land more then me saith Christe is not worthy to haue me Withal our powers that is to say that with our handes and feete with oure eyes and eares our mouthes and tonges and with all other partes powers both of body and soul we shoulde be geuen to the keping and fulfilling of his coÌ„maundementes This is the fyrst and principal part of charitie but it is not the whole for Charitie is also to loue euerye man The loue of thy neighbor good and euyl frende and foe and whatsoeuer cause be geueÌ„ to the contrarye yet neuertheles to beare good wyll and hert vnto euery man to vse our selues wel vnto them aswell in woordes and countenaunce as in al our outwarde actes and dedes For so Christ himself taught so also he performed in deede Of the loue
beste both what we be what we ought of right to be called And thus he setteth vs forth speking by his faithful Apostle S. Paul Rom. iiâ—â— al men Iewes and Gentiles are vnder sinne ther is none righteous no not one there is none that vnderstandeth ther is none that seketh after god they are al gone out of the way they are all vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one their throte is an open sepulchre with their toÌ„ges they haue vsed craft deceit the poyson of serpentes is vnder their lyppes theyr mouth is ful of cursyng bytternes their fete are swift to shed blud destruction wretchednes are in their wayes and the way of peace haue they not knoweÌ„ their is no fere of god before their eyes And in another place S. Paule writeth thus God hath wray 〈◊〉 â—â—â—cioÌ„s in vnbeliefe 〈…〉 that he might haue 〈…〉 The scripture shutteth vp al 〈…〉 promise by the faith of Iesus Christ Would be geuen vnto theÌ„ that beleue S. Paule in many places painteth vs out in our colours callyng vs the children of the wrath of god wheÌ„ we be borne saiyng also that we cannot thinke a good thought of our selues much lesse can we say wel or do wel of our selues And the wise man saith in the boke of Prouerbes Pro. xxiiii the iust man falleth seueÌ„ times a day The most tried approued man Iob feared al his workes Luke i. S. Iohn the Baptist being sanctified in his mothers woÌ„be praysed before he was borne beyng called an Aungell great before the lord fylled euen from his birth with the holy gost the preparer of the way for our sauior Chryst commended of our sauior Christ to be more then a prophet the greatest that euer was borne of a woman yet he plainely graunteth that he had nede to be washed of Christ he worthely extolleth and glorifieth his lord and master Christ humbleth himself as vnworthy to vnbuckle his shoes geueth al honor glory to god So doth S. Paule both oft euideÌ„tly coÌ„fesse himself Math. iii. what he was of himself euer geuing as a most faithful seruaunt al praise to hys master sauior So doth blessed S. Iohn the EuaÌ„gelist 1. Iohn .i. â—ud ii in the name of himself of al other holy men be thei neuer so iust make this open confession if we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues the truth is not in vs If we knowlege our sinnes God is faythfull iust to forgeue vs our synnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnes yf wee say we haue not synned we make him a lyer and his word is not in vs. Wherfore the wise man in the boke Eccle. vii called Ecclesiastes maketh this true generall 〈…〉 There is 〈…〉 earth that doth good sinneth not And. S. Dauid is ashamed of his sinne Psalm .ii. but not to confesse his sinne How oft how earnestly lamentably both he desire gods great mercy for his great offences that god should not enter into iudgement with him And againe Psal cxâ—â—â— how wel weigheth this holy maÌ„ his sinnes when he confesseth that they he so many in numbre so hid harde to vnderstand that it is in maner vnpossible to knowe vtter or numbre them Wherfore he hauing a true earnest and depe contemplacion consideracion of his sinnes yet not comming to the bottome of them Psal xix he maketh supplicacion to God to forgeue him his prieuy secret hid sinnes to the knowledge of that which he cannot attaine vnto He weigheth ryghtly hys sinnes from the original roote spring head perceiuing inclinacions prouocacioÌ„s stirringes stinginges buddes brauÌ„ces dregges infectioÌ„s tastes felynges sentes of them to continue in him stil Wherfore he saith marke and beholde Psalm .ii. I was conceiued in sinnes he saith not sinne but in the plurall number sinnes forasmuch as out of one as fountayne springeth all the reste Oure sauioure Christ saieth there is none good but god Markâ— x. Luk. xviiâ— Iohn .xv. Luke xviâ— and that we can do nothing that is good without him nor no man can come to the father but by him He coÌ„maundeth vs all to saye that we be vnprofytable seruauntes when we haue don al that we can do He preferreth the penytent Publycan before the proude holy glorious Pharisey Luk. xviiâ— Math. iâ— He calleth himselfe a phisicyon but not to them that be whole but to them that be sicke haue nede of his sâ—â—ue 〈…〉 prayer◠〈…〉 knowledge our selues sinners and to aske righteousnes and deliueraunce from al euyls at our heauenly fathers hande He declareth that the sinnes of our owne heartes do defyle our own selues He teacheth that an euyll word or thought Mat. xii deserueth condemnacion affirminge that we shall geue an accoumpt for euery idle worde Mat. xv He saith he came not to saue but the shepe that were vtterly lost cast away Therfore fewe of the proude iust learned wise perfect and holy Pharise ys were saued by him because they iustified them selues by their counterfeit holynesse before men Wherfore good people let vs be ware of such hipocrisie vaineglory and iustifying of our selues ¶ The seconde part of the Sermon of the miserie of man FOr asmuch as the true knowledge of our selues is verye necessarye to come to the right knowledge of God ye haue hearde in the laste readynge howe humbly all godly meÌ„ alwayes haue thought of them selues and so to thynke and iudge of them selues are taught of God theyr creator by his holy worde For of oure selues we be crabtrees that can brynge forth no apples We be of our selues of suche earth as can bryng forth but weedes nettles brambles bryers cockle and darnell Our fruites be declared in the .v. Chapter to the Galathians We haue neyther faith 〈◊〉 v. charitie hope pacience chastitie nor any thyng els that good is but of 〈◊〉 thâ—◠〈◊〉 these vertues be called there the scuites of the hâ—ly ghost not the fruites of man Let vs therefore acknowledge our selues before God as we be in dede miserable and wretched sinners And let vs ernestly repent and humble our selues heartely crye to God for mercie Lette vs all confesse with mouth and hearte that we be full of imperfections Let vs knowe oure owne woorkes of what imperfection they be and then we shall not stand foolyshely and arrogantly in our owne conceites nor chalenge any part of Iustification by our merites or woorkes For truely there be imperfections in our best woorkes we doe not loue God so much as we are bounde to do with all our heart mynde and power we do not feare God so much as we ought to do we do not pray to Godde but with greate and manye imperfections we geue forgeue beleue liue and hope vnperfectlye we speake thynke and do vnperfectlye we fyght agaynst the deuyll
should confyrme hys communicacyon wyth an othe For euerye christian mans woorde sayeth Saint Hierome should be so true that it shoulde be regarded as an othe And Chrisostome wytnessyng the same sayth It is not conueniente to sweare for what nedeth vs to sweare when it is not lawefull for one of vs to make a lye vnto another Peraduenture some wil saye I am compelled to sweare An obiection for els men that do common with me or do bye and sell with me wil not beleue me An answere To this aunswereth S. Chrisostome that he that thus sayth sheweth hymselfe to be an vniust and a deceitfull personne for yf he were a trustie man and his dedes taken to agree with his wordes he shoulde not nede to sweare at al. For he that vseth trueth and playnes in hys bargaynyng and communication he shal haue noâ—â—eâ—â— by such vaine swearing to bring himselfe in credeÌ„ce with his neighbours nor his neighbours wyll not mistrust his sayinges And if hys credence bee soo much lost in dede that he thinketh no man wyll beleue him without he sweare then he maye well thynke hys credence is cleane gone For truth it is as Theophilactus writeth that no man is lesse trusted then he that vseth much to sweare And almyghty GOD by the wiseman sayth Eccl 33 That manne whiche sweareth much shal be ful of sinne and the scourge of GOD shal not depart from his house Another obiection But here some men wil say for excusing of theyr many othes in theyr dayly talke why shoulde I not sweare when I sweare truelye To such men it may be said that though they sweare truelye yet in swearing often An Answere vnaduisedly for trifles without necessitie and wheÌ„ they should not sweare they be not without fault but do take Gods most holy name in vayne Much more vngodlye and vnwyse men are they that abuse Gods most holy name not onlye in bying and selling of smal thinges daylye in all places but also eating drinking playing commoning and reasoning As yf none of these thinges myghte be doen except in doyng of them the moost 〈◊〉 holye name of GOD be commonly vsed and abused â—aynely and vnreuerently talked of sworne by and for sworne to the breakyng of Gods commaundement and procurement of hys indygnatyon The second part of the Sermon of swearyng YOu haue bene taught in the first part of this sermon agaynst swering periury what gret daunger it is to vse the name of GOD in vaine And that al kinde of swearinge is not vnlawefull neyther agaynst GODS commaundement and that there be thre thinges required in a lawful oth Fyrste that it be made for the maintenaunce of the truth Second that it be made with iudgemente not rashlye vnaduisedly Thirdly for the zeale and loue of iustyce Ye heard also what commodities coÌ„meth of lawfull othes And what daunger coÌ„meth of rashe vnlawful othes Nowe as concerning the rest of the same matter ye shal vnderstand that as wel thei vse the name of god in vaine that by an oth make laweful promises of good and honest thinges Lawfull othes and promyses would be better regarded and performe them not as they which do promise euil and vnlawefull thinges and doe perfourme the same Of such men that regard not their godly promyses bounde by an othe but wittinglye and wilfully breaketh them we doe reade in holye scrypture two notable punyshmeâ—â—s Fyrst Iosue 9 Iosue and the people of Israel made a league and faythful promise of perpetual amytye and frendship with the Gabaonites notwithstanding afterward in the dayes of wicked Saule many of these Gabaonites were murdered contrary to that said faithful promise made Wherwith almyghtye GOD was so sore dyspleased that he sent an vniuersall hunger vpon the whole countrye whiche contynued by the space of three yeres And god woulde not with draw his punyshment vntill the sayde offence was reuenged by the deathe of .vii. sonnes or next kinsmen of Kyng Saule 2. Re. xi Also wher as Sedechias kynge of Ierusalem had promysed fidelytye to the kynge of Chaldea afterwarde when Sedechias contrary to hys othe and allegeaunce dyd rebel agaynst kinge Nabugodonozor this Heathen king by GODS permission and suffraunce inuadinge the land of Iewry and besieging the cytye of Ierusalem compelled the sayd king Sebechias to flee in fleeing tooke him priesoner slewe hys sonnes bee fore hys face and put out bothe hys eyes and bynding hym with chaynes led him priesoner miserably into Babylon Vnlawful oths and promyses are not to be kepte Thus doeth GOD shewe playnly howe much he abhorreth breakers of honeste promises bounde by an othe made in hys name And of them that make wicked promises by an othe and wil perfourme the same we haue exaumple in the scrypture chyetly of Herode Ma. 14 of the wicked Iewes and of Iephthath Herode promysed by an othe vnto the damosel whyche daunsed beefore hym to geue vnto her whatsoeuer she shoulde aske when she was instructed beefore of her wicked mother to aske the hoade of saynt Iohn Baptyste Herode as he tooke a wycked othe so he more wyckedly performe the same cruellye slewe the most holy Prophete Lykwise dyd the malytious Iewes make an othe Act 23. cursyng theÌ„selues yf they did eyther eat or drink vntil they had slaine S. Paule And Iephthath Iudieâ—â— 11. when GOD had geuen to him victorye of the chyldrn of Ammon promysed of a foolyshe deuotion vnto God to offre for a sacrifice vnto him that persone which of his owne house shoulde fyrste meete with him after his returne home By force of whiche fonde and vnaduised othe he did slea hys owne and onely doughter whiche came oute of hys house with myrth and ioye to welcome him home Thus the promise whiche he made moste foolyshlye to God against Gods euerlasting will and the law of nature most cruelly he performed so committing agaynst GOD double offence Therfore whosoeuer maketh any promise bynding him selfe thervnto by an othe let him foresee that the thing which he promiseth bee good honeste and not agaynste the commaundement of GOD and that it be in his owne power to perfour me it instely And suche good promyses must all men kepe euermore assuredly But yf a man at anye tyme shall eyther of ignoraunce or of malyce promise and sweare to do any thing whiche is eyther against the lawe of almighty GOD or not in his power to performe let hym take it for an vnlawfull and vngodly othe Against periurye Nowe something to speake of periury to the intent you should knowe howe great and greuous an offence againste God this wilfull periury is I wil shewe you what it is to take an oth before a Iudge vpon a boke Fyrst An othe before iudge when they layinge theyr handes vpon the gospel booke do sweare truelye to inquyre and to make a true presentment of thinges wherewith they be charged and
theÌ„ that thei maye haue gods fauoure and gods protection Let vs pray that they maye euer in all thinges haue God before their eies Let vs praye that they may haue wisedom strength iustice clemencie zeale to gods glory to gods verytie to Christian soules and to the common wealth Let vs praye that they maye rightly vse theyr sweorde and authoritie for the maintenaunce defence of the catholique fayth couteyned in holye Scripture and of their good and honest subiectes and for the feare and punishmente of the euyll and vitions people Let vs praye that they maye faithfully folowe the most faithful kings and Capitaynes in the Bible Dauid Ezechias Iosias and Moses Iudith v with suche other And let vs praye for our selues that we maye liue godly in holy christian conuersation so we shall haue God of our syde And then let vs not feare what man can doo against vs. So we shal liue in true obedience bothe to oure moste mercifull kynge in heauen and to oure moste Christian Quene in earth so shall wee please God and haue the exceding benefite peace of conscience reste and quietnes here in the worlde and after this life we shall enioye a better life rest peace and the euerlasting blesse of heaueÌ„ which he graunt vs all that was obedient for vs al eueÌ„ to the death of the crosse Iesus Christ to whome with the father and the holy ghost be all honour glory bothe nowe and euer Amen ¶ A Sermon agaynst whoredome and vncleannesse ALthough there want not good christian people greate swarmes of vices worthy to be rebuked vnto suche decaye is true godlynes and vertuous liuynge nowe come yet aboue other vyces the outragions seas of adultery or breaking of wedlocke whoredome fornication vncleannesse haue not onely braste in but also ouerflowed almost the whole world vnto the great dishonor of God the excedinge infamye of the name of Christe the notable decaie of true religion the vtter destruccioÌ„ of the publique welth that so aboundantly that throughe the customable vse thereof thys vice is growen vnto such an heighth that in a maner emonge many it is coumpted no synne at all but rather a pastime a daliaunce and but a touche of youth not rebuked but wynked at not punished but laughed at wherefore it is necessary at this present to intreate of the sinne of whoredome and fornicacion declaring vnto you the greatnes of thys synne and howe odyous hatefull and abhominable it is and hathe alwaye bene reputed before god and all good men and howe grenouslyeit hathe bene punished bothe by the lawe of God and the lawes of diuerse princes Agayne to shewe you certayne remedyes whereby ye maye through the grace of god eschewe thys most detestable sinne of whoredome and fornication and leade your liues in all honestie aâ—â— cleannesse And that ye maie perceiue that fornication and whoredome are in the sighte of god most abhominable sinnes ye shall call to remembraunce this coÌ„maundemente of god Exod. xx thou shalt not commit adultery by the which word adultery although it be proprely vnderstaÌ„d of the vn laweful coÌ„mirtion or ioyning together of a maryed man with any womaÌ„ beside his wife or of a wife with any man beside her husband yet thereby is signyfyed also all vnlawfull vse of those partes whiche be ordayned for generation And this one commauÌ„demente forbidding adulterye doeth sufficientlye paynt and sette out before oure eyes the greatnes of this sinne of whoredome and manifestly declareth howe greately it ought to be abhorred of al honest and faithfull persons And that none of vs all shall thinke himselfe excepted from this commaundement whether we be olde or yong maryed or vnmaried man or woman heare what God the father sayethe by hys moste excellente Prophete Moyses There shall be no whore emonge the daughters of Israell Deut. xxiii nor no whoremongers emonge the sonnes of Israell Here is whoredome fornication and all vncleannesse forbidden to al kindes of people all degrees al ages wtout exception And that wee shal not doubt but that this precept or commauÌ„demente pertaineth to vs in dede hear what Christ the perfect teacher of al truth saith in the newe testament ye haue heard saith Christe that it was said to them of the olde tyme Mat. v. thou shalt not committe adultery but I saye vnto you whosoeuer seeth a womaÌ„ to haue his luste of her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart Here our sauiore Christ doth not only confyrme and stablishe the law agaynst adulterye geuen in the olde Testamente of God the father by hys seruaunt Moses and make it of full strengthe continually to remayne emonge the professors of his name in the new law But he also condemning the grosse interpretacyon of the Scribes and Phariseis which taught that the aforesaide commaundement onely required to abstayne from the outwarde adultery and not from the filthye desires and vnpure lustes teacheth vs an exacte and full perfection of puritie and clennes of life bothe to keepe oure bodies vndefyled and oure hertes pure and fre from all euill thoughtes carnal desyres and fleshlye consentes Howe cane we then be free from thys commaundemente where so great charge is layde vpon vs May a seruaunte do what he will in anye thyng hauinge a commaundemente of hys master to the contrary Is not Christ our master Are not we hys seruauntes How then may we neglect our masters wil and pleasure and folow our own wil and phantasy Ye are my frends sayeth Christe yf you keepe those thinges that I commaunde you Ihon. â—â— Nowe hath Christe oure master commaunded vs that we shoulde fortake all vnclennesse and lecherye both in body and spirite thys therefore muste we do if we looke to please god Mat. xâ— In the gospell of Saincte Matthewe we reade that the Scribes and Pharisies were grieuously offended with Christe because his disciples did not keepe the tradicions of the forefathers for they washed not their handes when thei wente to diner or supper and emong other thynges Christ aunswered and saide heare and vnderstande 〈…〉 not that thing which entreth into the mouthe Math. â—v defyleth the man but that whiche cummeth oute of the mouth defyleth the man For those thynges whyche procede out of the mouth come furthe froÌ„ the heart and they defyle the man For out of the hert procede euil thoughtes murthers breakynge of wedlocke whoredome theftes false witnes blasphemies these are the thynges whiche defyle a man Here may we se that not onely murther theft false witnes blasphemy defile menne but also euill thoughtes breaking of wedlocke fornication and whoredome Who is nowe of so little wit Ihon xiiii Titus .i. that he will esteme whoredome and fornicacion to bee thinges of small importaunce and of no weight before God Christe whiche is the truth and cannot lye saith that euill thoughtes breaking of wedlocke whoredome and fornicacion defyle a manne that is to