to the Apostles in the mount Sion the fiftie day after Easter And hereof this feast hath his name to be called Pentecoste euen of the number of the dayes For as Saint Luke writeth in the actes of the Apostles When fiftie dayes were come to an ende the Disciples beyng altogether with one accorde in one place the holy ghost came sodenly among them and sate vpon eche of them lyke as it had ben clouen tongues of fyre Whiche thing was vndoubtedly done to teache the Apostles and all other men that it is he whiche geueth eloquence vtteraunce in preaching the Gospel that it is he which openeth the mouth to declare the mightie workes of God that it is he whiche engendreth a burnyng zeale towardes Goddes worde and geueth all men a tongue yea a fierie tongue so that they may boldly and chearefullye professe the trueth in the face of the whole world as Esai was indued with this spirite The Lord saith Esai gaue me a learned a skilful tongue so that I might knowe to rayse vp them that are fallen with the worde The prophete Dauid cryeth to haue this gyft saying Open thou my lippes O Lorde and my mouth shall shew forth thy prayse For our sauiour Christe also in the Gospel sayth to his disciples It is not you that speake but the spirite of your father whiche is within you Al whiche testimonies of holy scripture do sufficiently declare that the mysterie in the tongues betokeneth the preachyng of the Gospell and the open confession of the Christian faith in all them that are possessed with the holy ghost So that if any man be a dumbe Christiā not prosessing his fayth openly but clokyng and colouring hym selfe for feare of daunger in tyme to come he geueth men occasion iustly and with good conscience to doubt least he haue not the grace of the holy ghost within hym because he is tongue tied and doth not speake Thus then haue ye hearde the first institution of this feaste of Pentecoste or Whitsuntide aswell in the olde law among the Jewes as also in the tyme of the Gospell among the Christians Nowe let vs consyder what the holy ghost is and howe consequently he worketh his miraculous workes towardes mankind The holy ghost is a spirituall and diuine substaunce the thyrde person in the deitie distincte from the father and the sonne and yet proceedyng from them both which thyng to be true both the Creede of Athanasius beareth witnesse and may be also easilye proued by most playne testimonies of Gods holy worde When Christe was baptized of John in the ryuer Jordan we reade that the holye ghost came downe infourme of a Doue and that the father thundred from heauen saying This is my deare and welbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased Where note three diuers and distinct persons the father the sonne and the holy ghost which all notwithstandyng are not three Gods but one god Likewyse when Christe dyd fyrste institute and ordeyne the sacrament of baptisme he sent his disciples into the whole world willyng them to baptize al nations in the name of the father the sonne and the holy ghost And in an other place he sayth I wyll pray vnto my father and he shall geue you another comforter Agayne when the comforter shall come whom I wyll sende from my father c. These and suche other places of the newe Testament do so playnly and euidently confirme the distinction of the holy ghost from the other persons in the trinitie that no man possibly can doubt thereof vnles he will blaspheme the euerlastyng trueth of Gods worde As for his proper nature and substaunce it is altogether one with God the father and God the sonne that is to say spirituall eternall vncreated incomprehensible almyghtie to be short he is euen God Lord euerlastyng Therefore he is called the spirite of the father therefore he is sayde to proceede from the father and the sonne and therefore he was equally ioyned with them in the commission that the Apostles had to baptize al nations But that this may appeare more sensibly to the eyes of all men it shal be requisite to come to the other parte namely to the wonderfull and heauenly workes of the holye ghost whiche playnely declare vnto the worlde his myghtie and diuine power Fyrste it is euident that he did wonderfully gouerne and direct the heartes of the patriarkes and prophetes in olde tyme illuminating their myndes with the knowledge of the true Messias geuing them vtteraunce to prophesie of thynges that shoulde come to passe long tyme after For as saint Peter witnesseth the prophesie came not in olde tyme by the wyll of man But the holye men of God spake as they were moued iuwardly by the holy ghost And of Zacharie the hygh priest it is sayde in the Gospell that he beyng full of the holy ghost prophesied and praysed god So dyd also Simeon Anna Marie and diuers other to the great wonder and admiration of all men Moreouer was not the holy ghost a mightie worker in the conception and the natiuitie of Christe our sauiour Saint Matthewe sayth that the blessed virgin was founde with chylde of the holy ghost before Joseph and she came together And the Angell Gabriell dyd expreslye tell her that it shoulde so come to passe saying The holy ghost shall come vppon thee and the power of the most hygh shall ouershadowe thee A marueylous matter that a woman shoulde conceaue and beare a chylde without the knowledge of man But where the holy ghoste worketh there nothyng is vnpossible as maye further also appeare by the inwarde regeneration and sanctification of mankynde When Christe sayde to Nicodemus vnlesse a man be borne a newe of water and the spirite he can not enter into the kyngdome of God he was greatly amazed in his mynde and began to reason with Christe demaundyng howe a man myght be borne whiche was olde Can he enter sayth he into his mothers wombe agayn and so be borne a newe Beholde a liuely paterne of a fleshely and carnall man He had litle or no intelligence of the holy ghost and therefore he goeth bluntly to worke and asketh howe this thyng were possible to be true Whereas otherwyse yf he had knowne the great power of the holye ghost in this behalfe that it is he whiche in wardlye worketh the regeneration and newe byrth of mankynde he woulde neuer haue marueyled at Christes wordes but woulde haue rather taken occasion thereby to prayse and glorifie god For as there are three seuerall and sundrye persons in the deitie So haue they three seuerall and sundrye offices proper vnto eache of them The father to create the sonne to redeeme the holy ghost to sanctifie and regenerate Wherof the last the more it is hidde from our vnderstandyng the more it ought to moue all men to wonder at the secrete and mightie workyng of Gods holy spirite whiche
a figure to signifie and not an example to follow that those outward thinges were suffered for a tyme vntill Christ our Lorde came who turned all those outwarde thinges into spirite fayth and trueth And the same saynt Jerome vpon the seuenth chapter of Jeremy saith God commaunded both the Jewes at that time and nowe vs who are placed in the Churche that we haue no trust in the goodlinesse of building and gylte rooffes and in walles couered with tables of marble and say the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord the temple of the lord For that is the temple of the lorde wherein dwelleth true fayth godly conuersation and the company of all vertues And vppon the Prophet Agge he descrybeth the true and ryght decking of ornamentes of the Temple after this sorte I sayth Saint Jerome do thinke the siluer wherewith the house of God is decked to be the doctrine of the scriptures of the whiche it is spoken The doctrine of the Lorde is a pure doctrine siluer tryed in fyre purged from drosse purified seuen tymes And I do take golde to be that which remayneth in the hid sense of the saintes and the secrete of the heart and shyneth with the true lyght of god Which is euident that the Apostle also meant of the saintes that buylde vppon the foundation of Christ some siluer some golde some precious stones that by the Golde the hid sense by siluer godlye vtteraunce by precious stones workes whiche please God myght be signified With these mettals the Churche of our sauiour is made more goodly and gorgeous then was the synagogue in olde tyme With these liuely stones is the Churche and house of Christ builded and peace is geuen to it for euer All these be saint Hieromes sayinges No more dyd the olde godly Bishops and doctours of the Churche allowe the outragious furniture of Temples and Churches with plate vesselles of golde siluer and precious vestures Saint Chrisostome sayth In the ministerie of the holy Sacramentes there is no neede of golden vesselles but of golden mindes And saint Ambrose saith Christe sent his Apostles without golde and gathered his Church without golde The Churche hath golde not to hepe it but to bestowe it on the necessities of the poore The Sacramentes looke for no golde neyther do they please God for the cōmendation of golde which are not bought for golde The adournyng and deckyng of the Sacramentes is the redemption of captyues Thus much saint Ambrose Saint Hierome commendeth Exuperius Byshop of Tolose that he caryed the Sacrament of the Lordes bodye in a wycker basket and the Sacrament of his blood in a glasse and so caste couetousnes out of the Churche And Bonifacius Byshop and martyr as it is recorded in the decrees testifieth that in olde tyme the ministers vsed treene and not golden vessels And Zepherinus the. xvi Byshoppe of Rome made a decree that they shoulde vse vesselles of glasse Lykewyse were the vestures vsed in the Churche in olde tyme very playne and single and nothyng costly And Rabanus at large declareth that this costly and manifolde furniture of vestmentes of late vsed in the Churche was fet from the Jewishe vsage and agreeth with Aarons apparelling almost altogether For the maintenaunce of the which Innocentius the Pope pronounceth boldly that all the customes of the olde lawe be not abolished that we might in suche apparel of Christians the more willingly become Jewish This is noted not agaynst Churches temples which are most necessary ought to haue theyr due vse and honour as is in another Homilee for theyr purpose declared nor against the conuenient cleanlinesse and ornamentes thereof but agaynst the sumptuousnes abuses of Temples and Churches For it is a Churche or Temple also that glistereth with no marble shyneth with no golde nor syluer glittereth with no pearles nor precious stones but with plainnesse and frugalitie signifieth no proude doctrine nor people but humble frugall and nothyng esteemyng earthly and outwarde thynges but gloriouslye decked with inwarde ornamentes according as the prophet declareth saying The kings daughter is altogether glorious inwardlye Nowe concernyng outragious deckyng of images and idolles with paynting gyldyng adournyng with precious vestures pearle and stone what is it els but for the further prouocation and intisement to spirituall fornication to decke spirituall harlottes moste costly and wantonlye which the idolatrious Churche vnderstandeth wel enough For shee beyng in deede not only an harlot as the scriptures calleth her but also a foule fylthye olde withered harlot for she is in deede of auncient yeres and vnderstandyng her lacke of naturall and true beawtie and great lothsomenesse whiche of her selfe she hath doth after the custome of suche harlottes paynte her selfe and decke tire her selfe with golde pearle stone and all kinde of precious iewels that she shyning with the outward beawtie and glory of them may please the foolyshe fantasie of fonde louers and so entice them to spirituall fornication with her Who yf they sawe her I wyll not say naked but in simple apparell woulde abhorre her as the fowlest and fylthyest harlot that euer was seene Accordyng as appeareth by the discription of the garnyshyng of the great strumpette of all strumpettes the mother of whoredome set foorth by saint John in his reuelation who by her glorye prouoked the Princes of the earth to committe whoredome with her Whereas on the contrarye part the true Churche of GOD as a chaste matrone espoused as the scripture teacheth to one husbande our sauiour Jesus Christe whom alone she is content onlye to please and serue and looketh not to delyght the eyes or phantasies of any other straunge louers or wooers is content with her naturall ornamentes not doubtyng by suche sincere simplicitie best to please him which can well skil of the difference betweene a paynted visage and true naturall beawtie And concerning such glorious gildyng and decking of images both Gods worde wrytten in the. x. Chapter of the prophete Hierome and saint Hieromes commentaries vppon the same are moste worthye to be noted Firste the wordes of the scriptures be these The workeman with his are he wed the tymber out of the wood with the worke of his handes he decked it with golde and syluer he ioyned it with nayles and pinnes and the stroke of an hammer that it myght holde together They be made smothe as the Palme and they can not speake yf they be borne they remoue for they can not go Feare ye them not for they can neyther do euyll nor good Thus sayth the prophete Upon which text saint Hierome hath these wordes This is the description of idols which the Gentiles worshyp theyr matter is vyle corruptible And whereas the artificer is mortal the thinges he maketh must nedes be corruptible he decketh it with siluer and golde that with glitteryng or shynyng of both mettals he may deceaue the simple Which errour in deede hath passed ouer from the
sackcloth and sprinkling them selues with dust and ashes the scripture sayth God saw their workes that they turned from their euill wayes and God repented of the euill that he had sayde that he woulde do vnto them and he dyd it not Nowe beloued ye haue hearde firste what fasting is aswell that whiche is outwarde in the body as that whiche is inward in the heart Ye haue hearde also that there are three endes or purposes whereunto if our outwarde fast be directed it is a good worke that God is pleased with Thirdely hath ben declared what tyme is moste meete for to fast either priuately or publiquely Last of al what thynges fastyng hath obteyned of God by the examples of Ahab and the Niniuites Let vs therefore dearely beloued seeing there are many more causes of fastyng and mournyng in these our dayes then hath ben of manye yeres heretofore in anye one age endeuour our selues both inwardly in our heartes and also outwardly with our bodies diligently to exercise this godly exercise of fastyng in suche sorte and maner as the holy prophetes the Apostles and diuers other deuoute personnes for their tyme vsed the same God is now the same God that was then God that loueth ryghteousnesse and that hateth iniquitie God whiche wylleth not the death of a sinner but rather that he turne from his wyckednesse and lyue God that hath promised to turne to vs if we refuse not to turne to hym yea if we turne our euyll workes from before his eyes ceasse to do euyll learne to do well seeke to do ryght releeue the oppressed be a ryght iudge to the fatherlesse defende the wydowe breake our bread to the hungry bryng the poore that wander into our house clothe the naked and despise not our brother which is our owne fleshe then shalt thou call sayth the Prophete and the Lorde shall aunswere thou shalt cry and he shal saye here am I Yea God whiche heard Ahab and the Niniuites and spared them will also heare our prayers and spare vs so that we after their example will vnfaignedly turne vnto him yea he wyll blesse vs with his heauenly benedictions the tyme that we haue to tary in this worlde after the rase of this mortal life he will bring vs to his heauenly kingdome where we shall raigne in euerlasting blessednesse with our sauiour Christ to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour and glory for euer and euer Amen ¶ An Homilee agaynst gluttony and and drunkennesse YE haue heard in the former Sermon welbeloued the description and the vertue of fastyng with the true vse of the same No we ye shall heare howe foule a thing gluttony and drunkennesse is before God the rather to moue you to vse fasting the more diligently Understande ye therefore that almightie God to to th end that we might keepe our selues vndefiled and serue him in holinesse ryghteousnesse according to his word hath charged in his scriptures so many as looke for the glorious appearing of our sauiour Christe to leade their liues in al sobrietie modestie temperancie Wherby we may learne how necessarie it is for euery Christian that wyll not be founde vnready at the commyng of our sauiour Christe to liue sober minded in this present worlde forasmuche as otherwise being vnready he can not enter with Christ into glorie And being vnarmed in this behalfe he muste needes be in continuall daunger of that cruel aduersarie the roring Lion agaynst whom the Apostle Peter warneth vs to prepare our selues in continuall sobrietie that we may resist being stedfast in fayth To the intent therefore that this sobernesse may be vsed in all our behauiour it shal be expedient for vs to declare vnto you how muche all kynde of excesse offendeth the maiestie of almightie God and how greeuouslye he punisheth the immoderate abuse of those his creatures whiche he ordeyneth to the mayntenaunce of this our needy lyfe as meates drynkes and apparell And agayne to shewe the noysome diseases and great mischeefes that commonly do folow them that inordinately geue vp them selues to be caryed headlong with suche pleasures as are ioyned eyther with daintie and ouerlarge fare or els with costly and sumptuous apparell And firste that ye may perceaue how detestable and hatefull all excesse in eatyng and drynking is before the face of almyghtie God ye shall call to mynde what is wrytten by saint Paul to the Galathians where he numbreth gluttonie and drunkennesse among those horrible crimes with the whiche as he sayth no man shall inherite the kyngdome of heauen He reckeneth them among the deedes of the flesh and coupleth them with idolatrie whoredome and murder whiche are the greatest offences that can be named among men For the first spoyleth God of his honour the seconde defileth his holy Temple that is to wit our owne bodyes the third maketh vs companions of Cayne in the slaughter of our brethren and who so committeth them as saint Paul sayth can not inherite the kyngdome of god Certaynly that sinne is very odious and lothsome before the face of God whiche causeth hym to turne his fauourable countenaunce so farre from vs that he shoulde cleane barre vs out of the dores and disherite vs of his heauenly kyngdome But he so much abhorreth all beastly banquetting that by his sonne our Sauiour Christe in the Gospell he declareth his terrible indignation agaynst all belly Gods in that he pronounceth them accursed saying Wo be to you that are full for ye shall hunger And by the prophet Esaias he crieth out Wo be to you that rise vp early to geue your selues to drunkennesse and set al your myndes so on drinkyng that ye sit swearing therat vntil it be nyght The harpe the lute the shaume and plentie of wyne are at your feastes but the workes of the Lord ye do not behold neither consider the workes of his hands Wo be vnto you that are strong to drinke wyne and are mightie to aduaunce drunkennesse Here the prophet playnely teacheth that feastyng and banquetting maketh men forgetfull of their duetie towardes God when they geue themselues to all kyndes of pleasures not considering nor regarding the workes of the Lorde who hath created meates and drinkes as S. Paul sayth to be receaued thankfully of them that beleue know the trueth So that the very beholdyng of these creatures beyng the handy worke of almyghtie God might teache vs to vse them thankfully as God hath ordeined Therefore they are without excuse before god which either filthily feed themselues not respecting the sanctification which is by the word of god praier or els vnthankfully abuse the good creatures of God by surfetting and drunkennes forasmuch as Gods ordinaunces in his creatures playnely forbiddeth it They that geue them selues therefore to bibbing and banquetting being altogether without consideration of Gods iudgementes are sodenly oppressed in the day of vengeaunce And therfore our sauiour Christe warneth his disciples
their examples or that we ought to thynke that God dyd alow euery of these thyngs in those men But we ought rather to beleue and to iudge that Noe in his drunkennesse offended God highly Lot lying with his daughters committed horrible incest We ought then to learne by them this profitable lesson that if so godlye men as they were which otherwise felt inwardly Gods holy spitite inflamyng in their heartes with she feare and loue of God coulde not by their owne strength kepe them selues from committyng horrible sinne but dyd so greeuousâ—y fal that without Gods great mercie they had perished euerlastinglye Howe much more ought we then miserable wretches which haue no feeling of God within vs at al continually to feare not onely that we may fall as they did but also be ouercome and drowned in sinne which they were not And so by consydering their fal take the better occasion to acknowledge our owne infirmitie and weaknesse and therefore more earnestlye to call vnto almightie God with heartye prayer incessauntlye for his grace to strengthen vs and to defende vs from all euill And though through infirmitie we chaunce at any tyme to fall yet we may by harty repentaunce and true fayth speedily rise againe and not slepe and continue in sinne as the wicked doth Thus good people shoulde we vnderstande such matters expressed in the diuine scriptures that this holye table of Gods worde be not turned to vs to be a snare a trappe and a stumbling stone to take hurt by the abuse of our vnderstanding But let vs esteeme them in suche a reuerent humilitie that we may fynde our necessary foode therein to strengthen vs to comfort vs to instruct vs as God of his great mercye hath appoynted them in all necessarye workes so that we may be perfect before him in the whole course of our lyfe Whiche he graunt vs who hath redeemed vs our Lorde and Sauiour Jesus Christe to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour and glory for euermore Amen ¶ The seconde part of the information for them which take offence at certayne places of the holy scripture YE haue heard good people in the Homilee last read vnto you the great commoditie of holye Scriptures ye haue heard how ignoraunt men voyde of godlye vnderstanding seeke quarrelles to discredite them Some of their reasons haue ye heard aunswered Nowe we will proceede and speake of suche politique wyse men whiche be offended for that Christes preceptes should seeme to destroy all order in gouernaunce as they do alleage for example such as these be If any man strike thee on the right cheeke turne the other vnto him also If anye man will contende to take thy coate from thee let him haue cloke and all Let not thy left hand knowe what thy ryght hand doth If thine eye thine hande or thy foote offende thee pull out thine eye cut of thine hand thy foote and cast it from thee If thine enemie sayeth saint Paul be an hungred geue him meate if he be thirstie geue him drinke so doing thou shalt heape hotte burning coales vpon his head These sentences good people vnto a naturall man seeme mere absurdities contrary to all reason For a naturall man as saint Paule sayeth vnderstandeth not the thinges that belong to God neyther can he so long as olde Adam dwelleth in him Christ therfore meaneth that he would haue his faithfull seruaunts so farre from vengeaunce and resisting wrong that he woulde rather haue him redy to suffer an other wrong then by resisting to breake charitie and to be out of pacience He would haue our good deedes so farre from al carnall respectes that he would not haue our nyest freendes know of our wel doing to win a vaine glorye And though our freendes and kynsfolkes be as deare as our right eyes and our right handes yet if they woulde plucke vs from God we ought to renounce them and forsake them Thus if ye wil be profitable hearers and readers of the holye scriptures ye must firste denye your selues and keepe vnder your carnall senses taken by the outward wordes and searche the inward meaning reason must geue place to Gods holye spirite you must submit your worldly wisedome and iudgement vnto his diuine wysdome and iudgement Consyder that the scripture in what straunge fourme soeuer it be pronounced is the word of the lyuing god Let that alwayes come to your remembraunce which is so oft repeated of the prophete Esaias The mouth of the Lorde sayth he hath spoken it the almighty and euerlasting God who with his onely worde created heauen and earth hath decreed it the Lorde of hoastes whose wayes are in the Seas whose pathes are in the deepe waters that Lorde and God by whose worde all thynges in heauen and in earth are created gouerned and preserued hath so prouided it The God of Goddes and Lorde of all Lordes yea God that is God alone incomprehensible almyghty and euerlasting he hath spoken it it is his worde It can not therefore be but trueth whiche proceedeth from the God of all trueth it can not be but wisely and prudently commaunded what almightie God hath deuysed how vaynely soeuer through want of grace we miserable wretches do imagine and iudge of his most holy worde The prophete Dauid describing an happye man sayeth Blessed is the man that hath not walked after the counsayle of the vngodlye nor stande in the waye of sinners nor sit in the seate of the scornefull There are three sortes of people whose companye the prophete would haue him to flee and auoyde which shall be an happy man and partakers of Gods blessing First he may not walke after the counsayle of the vngodlye Secondlye he may not stand in the waye of sinners Thirdlye he muste not sit in the seat of the scornefull By these three sortes of people vngodly men sinners and scorners all impietie is signified and fully expressed By the vngodly he vnderstaÌ„deth those which haue no regarde of almightye God being voyde of all faith whose heartes mindes are so set vpon the worlde that they studie onely howe to accomplishe their worldlye practises their carnall imaginations their filthy lust and desyre without anye feare of god The seconde sort he calleth sinners not such as do fal through ignoraunce or of frailenesse for then who should be found free What man euer liued vpon earth Christe onely excepted but he hath sinned The iust man falleth seuen times and ryseth agayne Though the godly do fall yet they walke not on purposely in sinne they stande not still to contynue and tarye in sinne they syt not downe like carelesse men without all feare of Gods iust punishment for sinne but defying sinne through Gods great grace and infinite mercye they ryse agayne and fight agaynste sinne The Prophete then calleth them sinners whose heartes are cleane turned from God and whose whole conuersation of lyfe is nothing but sinne they delight so much in
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
prayer to GOD for so gratious a Soueraigne but also them selues take armour wickedly assemble companies and bandes of rebels to breake the publique peace so long continued and to make not warre but rebellion to endaunger the person of suche a gratious Soueraigne to hazarde the estate of theyr countrey for whose defence they should be redye to spend their liues and beyng Englishemen to robbe spoyle destroy and burne in Englande Englishemen to kyll and murther theyr owne neyghbours and kinsfolke theyr owne countreymen to do all euill and mischeefe yea and more to then forraigne enemies woulde or coulde do What shall we say of these men who vse them selues thus rebelliously agaynst theyr gratious Soueraigne Who yf GOD for their wickednesse had geuen them an heathen tyrant to raigne ouer them were by Gods word bound to obey him and to pray for him What maye be spoken of them so farre doth their vnkindnes vnnaturalnesse wickednesse mischeuousnesse in their doynges passe and excel any thing and all thinges that can be expressed or vttered by wordes Onlye let vs wishe vnto all suche moste speedie repentaunce and with so greeuous sorowe of heart as such so horrible sinnes against the maiestie of God do require who in most extreme vnthankfulnesse do ryse not only agaynst theyr gratious prince agaynst theyr naturall countrey but agaynst all theyr countreymen women and chyldren against them selues theyr wiues children and kinsfolkes and by so wicked an example agaynst all Christendome and agaynst whole mankynde of all maner of people throughout the wide worlde suche repentaunce I say suche sorowe of heart GOD graunt vnto all suche whosoeuer ryse of priuate and malitious purpose as is meete for suche mischeeues attempted and wrought by them And vnto vs and all other subiectes God of his mercie graunt that we may be moste vnlyke to all such and most like to good naturall louyng and obedient subiectes nay that we maye be suche in deede not onlye shewyng all obedience ourselues but as manye of vs as be able to the vttermost of our power habilitie and vnderstandyng to staye and represse all rebels and rebellions agaynst God our gratious prince and naturall countrey at euery occasion that is offered vnto vs And that which we all are able to do vnlesse we do it we shal be most wicked and most worthie to feele in the ende suche extreme plagues as GOD hath euer powred vppon rebels Let vs all make continuall prayers vnto almyghtie God euen from the bottome of our heartes that he wyll geue his grace power and strength vnto our gratious Queene Elizabeth to vanquishe and subdue all aswell rebelles at home as forraigne enemies that all domesticall rebellions beyng suppressed and pacified and all outwarde inuasions repulled and abandoned we may not onlye be sure and long continue in all obedience vnto our gratious Soueraigne and in that peaceable and quiet lyfe which hytherto we haue led vnder her Maiestie with all securitie but also that both our gratious Queene Elizabeth and we her subiectes may altogether in al obedience vnto God the kyng of all kynges and vnto his holy lawes leade our liues so in this worlde in all vertue and godlinesse that in the worlde to come we maye enioy his euerlastyng kyngdome whiche I beseche God to graunt aswel to our gratious Soueraigne as vnto vs all for his sonne our sauiour Jesus Christes sake to whom with the father and the holye ghost one God and kyng immortall be all glory prayse and thankes geuing worlde without ende Amen Thus haue you heard the first part of this Homilee nowe good people let vs pray ¶ The prayer O Most mightie God the Lorde of hoastes the gouernour of all creatures the onlye geuer of all victories who alone art able to strengthen the weake agaynst the myghtie and to vanquishe infinite multitudes of thyne enemies with the countenaunce of a fewe of thy seruauntes calling vppon thy name and trusting in thee Defend O Lorde thy seruaunt and our gouernour vnder thee our Queene Elizabeth and all thy people committed to her charge O Lorde withstande the crueltie of all those whiche be common enemies aswell to the trueth of thy eternall worde as to their owne naturall Prince and countrye and manifestlye to this crowne and Realme of Englande whiche thou haste of thy diuine prouidence assigned in these our dayes to the gouernment of thy seruaunt our Soueraigne and gratious Queene O moste mercifull father if it be thy holye will make soft and tender the stony heartes of al those that exalte themselues agaynst thy trueth and seeke eyther to trouble the quyet of this realme of England or to oppresse the crowne of the same and conuert them to the knowledge of thy sonne the onely sauiour of the world Jesus Christ that we and they maye ioyntlye glorifie thy mercies Lyghten we besech thee their ignoraunt hearts to imbrace the trueth of thy worde or els so abate their crueltie O most mightie Lorde that this our Christian region with others that confesse thy holy Gospell maye obteine by thine aide and strength suretie from all enemies without shedding of christian blood wherby al they which be oppressed with their tyranny may be releeued and they which be in feare of their crueltie maye be comforted finally that all christian realmes and specially this realme of England may by thy defence and protection continue in the trueth of the Gospel and enioy perfect peace quietnes and securitie and that we for these thy mercies ioyntly altogether with one consonant hart and voice may thankfully render to thee al laud and praise that we knit in one godlye concorde and vnitie amongst our selues may continuallye magnifie thy glorious name who with thy sonne our sauiour Jesus Christ and the holy ghost art one eternall almyghtye and moste mercifull God To whom be all laude and prayse worlde without ende Amen ¶ The second parte of the Homilee agaynst disobedience and wilfull Rebellion AS in the fyrste parte of this treatie of obedience of subiectes to their Princes against disobedience and rebellion I haue alleaged diuers sentences out of the holye scriptures for proofe so shal it be good for the better declaration and confirmation of the sayd holsome doctrine to alleage one example or two out of the same holy scriptures of the obedience of subiects not onelye vnto their good and gratious gouernours but also vnto their euill and vnkynd princes As king Saul was not of the beste but rather of the worst sort of Princes as beyng out of Gods fauour for his disobedience agaynst God in sparyng in a wrong pitie the kyng Agag whom almyghtye God commaunded to be stayne accordyng to the iustice of God against his sworne enemie and although Saule of a deuotion ment to sacrifice such thinges as he spared of the Amalechites to the honor and seruice of God yet Saul was reproued for his wrong mercy and deuotiō and was tolde that obedience woulde haue more pleased him
The second Tome of Homilees of such matters as were promised and intituled in the former part of Homilees Set out by the aucthoritie of the Queenes Maiestie And to be read in euery parishe Church agreeably 1571. The Table of homilees ensuyng 1 OF the ryght vse of the Churche 2 Against peril of Idolatrie iii. partes 3 For repayryng and kepyng cleane the Churche 4 Of good workes And first of fastyng ii partes 5 Agaynst gluttonie and dronkennesse 6 Agaynst excesse of apparrell 7 An Homilee of prayer iii. partes 8 Of the place and time of prayer ii partes 9 Of common prayer and sacramentes 10 An information for them which take offence at certayne places of holye scripture ii partes 11 Of almes deedes iii. partes 12 Of the Natiuitie 13 Of the passion for good Friday ii Homilees 14 Of the Resurrection for Easter day 15 Of the worthy receauing of the sacrament ii partes 16 An Homilee concerning the cōming downe of the holye Ghost for Whitsunday ii partes 17 An Homilee for rogation weeke iiii partes 18 Of the state of matrimonie 19 Agaynst idlenesse 20 Of repentaunce and true reconciliation vnto god iii. partes 21 An Homilee agaynst disobedience and wylfull rebellion vi partes ¶ An admonition to all Ministers ecclesiasticall FOR that the Lorde doth require of his seruaunt whom he hath set ouer his householde to shewe both faythfulnesse and prudence in his office it shal be necessarye that ye aboue al other do behaue your selfe moste faythfully and diligently in your so hygh a function that is aptly playnely and distinctly to reade the sacred scriptures diligently to instruct the youth in their Catechisme grauely and reuerently to minister his most holy Sacramentes prudently also to choose out such Homilees as be most meete for the time for the more agreeable instruction of the people committed to your charge with such discretion that where the Homilee may appeare to long for one readyng to diuide the same to be read part in the fore noone and part in the after noone And where it may so chaunce some one or other chapter of the olde Testament to fal in order to be read vppon the Sundayes or holye dayes whiche were better to be chaunged with some other of the newe Testament of more edification it shal be wel done to spende your tyme to consyder wel of such chapters before hand wherby your prudence and diligence in your office may appeare so that your people may haue cause to glorifie God for you and be the redyer to imbrace your labours to your better commendatiō to the discharge of your cōsciences their owne An Homilee of the ryght vse of the Churche or temple of God and of the reuerence due vnto the same ¶ The first part WHERE there appeareth at these dayes great slacknesse negligence of a great sorte of people in resorting to the Church there to serue God their heauenly father accordyng to their most bounden duetie as also muche vncomely and vnreuerent behauiour of many persons in the same when they be there assembled and thereby maye iust feare aryse of the wrath of GOD and his dreadfull plagues hanging ouer our heades for our greeuous offences in this behalfe amongst other many great sinnes which we dayly and hourely commit before the Lorde Therefore for the discharge of al our consciences and the auoydyng of the common peryl plague hangyng ouer vs let vs consyder what may be sayde out of Gods holy booke concernyng this matter whereunto I pray you geue good audience for that it is of great wayght and concerneth you all Although the eternall and incomprehensible maiestie of God the Lorde of heauen and earth whose seate is heauen the earth his footestole can not be inclosed in temples or houses made with mans hande as in dwelling places able to receaue or conteyne his maiestie accordyng as is euidently declared by the prophete Esaias and by the doctrine of saint Steuen and saint Paul in the Actes of the Apostles And where kyng Salomon who builded vnto the Lorde the most glorious temple that euer was made sayth Who shal be able to buylde a meete or worthye house for hym if heauen and the heauen aboue all heauens can not contayne hym howe muche lesse can that whiche I haue builded And further confesseth What am I that I shoulde be able to buylde thee an house O Lord But yet for this purpose only it is made that thou mayest regarde the prayer of thy seruaunt and his humble supplication Muche lesse then be our Churches meete dwellyng places to receaue the incomprehensible maiestie of god And in deede the cheefe and speciall temples of God wherein he hath greatest pleasure and moste delyghteth to dwell and continue in are the bodyes and myndes of true Christians and the chosen people of GOD accordyng to the doctrine of the holye scripture declared in the firste Epistle to the Corinthians Knowe ye not sayth Saint Paul that ye be the temple of God and that the spirite of God dwelleth in you If any man defyle the temple of God hym wyll God destroye For the temple of God is holy which ye are And agayne in the same Epistle Knowe ye not that your body is the temple of the holye ghost dwellyng in you whom ye haue geuen you of God and that ye be not your owne for ye are dearely bought Glorifie ye nowe therefore God in your body and in your spirite whiche are Gods. And therefore as our sauiour Christe teacheth in the Gospell of saint John they that worshyp God the father in spirite and trueth in what place so euer they do it worshyp hym a ryght for suche worshyppers doth God the father looke for For God is a spirite those that worshyp hym must worship him in spirit and trueth sayth our sauiour Christe Yet all this notwithstandyng the material Church or temple is a place appoynted aswell by the vsage and continuall examples expressed in the olde Testament as in the newe for the people of God to resort together vnto there to heare Gods holy worde to call vpon his holy name to geue hym thankes for his innumerable and vnspeakeable benefites bestowed vppon vs and duely and truely to celebrate his holy sacramentes In the vnfayned doyng and accomplyshyng of the whiche standeth that true and right worshipping of God afore mentioned and the same Churche or temple is by the scriptures both of the olde Testament and the newe called the house and temple of the Lorde for the peculier seruice there done to his maiestie by his people for the effectuous presence of his heauenlye grace where with he by his sayde holye word endueth his people so there assembled And to the sayde house or temple of God at all tymes by common order appoynted are all people that be godly in deede bounde with all diligence to resorte vnlesse by sicknesse or other moste vrgente causes they be letted therefro And
the temple he should seeme to al men moste worthy of death And in the. xxi of the Actes when the Jewes found Paul in the temple they layde handes vppon hym crying Ye men Israelies helpe this is that man who teacheth all men euery where agaynst the people and the lawe and agaynst this place besydes that he hath brought the Gentiles into the temple and hath prophaned this holy place Behold howe they tooke it for a lyke offence to speake agaynst the temple of God as to speake agaynst the lawe of God and howe they iudged it conuement that none but godly persons and the true worshippers of God should enter into the temple of god And the same fault is layde to Paules charge by Tertullus an eloquent man and by the Jewes in the. xxiiii of the Actes before a temporall Judge as a matter worthy death that he went about to pollute the temple of god And in the. xxvii of Matthewe when the cheefe priestes had receaued agayne the peeces of siluer at Judas hande they sayde It is not lawfull to put them into Corban whiche was the treasure house of the temple because it is the price of blood So that they coulde not abyde that not onely any vncleane person but also any other dead thyng that was iudged vncleane shoulde once come into the temple or any place thereto belonging And to this ende is saint Paules sayyng in the second Epistle to the Corinthians the vi Chapter to be applyed What felowshippe is there betwixt righteousnes vnrighteousnes or what communion betwene light darknesse or what concorde betweene Christe and Beliall or what part can the faythfull haue with thunfaythful or what agremēt can there be betwene the temple of God and images Which sentence although it be cheefly referred to the temple of the mynde of the godlye yet seeyng that the similitude and pith of the argument is taken from the material temple it enforceth that no vngodlines specially of images or idols may be suffred in the temple of God whiche is the place of worshyppyng God and therefore can no more be suffered to stande there then light can agree with darkenes or Christ with Belial for that the true worshipping of god and the worshipping of images are moste contrarye And the settyng of them vp in the place of worshyppyng may geue great occasion to the worshyppyng of them But to turne to the reuerence that the Jewes had to their temple You will say they honoured it superstitiously a great deale to much crying out the temple of the Lorde the temple of the Lorde being notwithstanding most wicked in life be therfore most iustly reproued of Jeremie the prophete of the Lorde Trueth it is that they were superstitiously geuen to the honouryng of theyr temple But I woulde we were not as farre to short from the due reuerence of the Lords house as they ouershot them selues therein And if the prophete iustlye reprehended them hearken also what the Lord requireth at our handes that we may know whether we be blame worthy or no. It is written in Ecclesiastes the fourth Chapter When thou doest enter into the house of God saith he take heede to thy feete draw neare that thou mayest heare for obedience is muche more worth then the sacrifice of fooles whiche know not what euill they do Speake nothyng rashly there neyther let thyne heart be swyft to vtter wordes before god For God is in heauen and thou art vpon the earth therfore let thy wordes be fewe Note welbeloued what quietnesse in gesture and behauiour what scilence in talke wordes is required in the house of God for so he calleth it See whether they take heede to theyr feete as they be here warned which neuer ceasse from vncomely walking and ietting vp downe and ouerthwarte the Churche shewyng an euident signification of notable contempt both of God and all good men there present and what heede they take to their tounges speach which do not only speake wordes swiftly and rashly before the Lorde whiche they be here forbydden but also often tymes speake fylthyly couetously and vngodly talkyng of matters scarce honest or fytte for the alehouse or tauerne in the house of the Lorde lytle consyderyng that they speake before God who dwelleth in heauen as is here declared when they be but vermins here creeping vpon the earth in camparison to his eternall maiestie and lesse regarding that they must geue an accompt at the great day of euery ydle worde whersoeuer it be spoken muche more of fylthye vncleane or wicked words spoken in the Lordes house to the great dishonour of his maiestie and offence of all that heare them And in deede concernyng the people and multitude the temple is prepared for thē to be hearers rather then speakers consyderyng that aswell the word of god is there read or taught whereunto they are bound to geue diligent eare with all reuerence and scilence as also that common prayer and thankes geuyng are rehearsed and sayde by the publique minister in the name of the people the whole multitude present wherunto they geuyng their redye audience shoulde assent and say Amen as S. Paul teacheth in the firste Epistle to the Corinthians And in another place glorifiyng God with one spirite and mouth which can not be when euery man and woman in seuerat pretence of deuotion prayeth priuately one askyng another geuyng thankes another readyng doctrine forceth not to heare the common prayer of the minister And peculierly what due reuerence is to be vsed in the ministring of the Sacramentes in the temple the same saint Paul teacheth in his Epistle to the Corinthians rebukyng suche as dyd vnreuerently vse them selues in that behalfe Haue ye not houses to eate and drynke in sayth he Do ye despise the Churche or congregation of God What shall I saye to you Shall I prayse you In this I prayse you not And God requireth not onely this outward reuerence of behauiour and scilence in his house but al inward reuerence in clensing of the thoughtes of our heartes threatning by his prophete Ose in the. ix Chapter that for the malice of the inuentions and deuises of the people he will cast them out of his house whereby is also signified the eternall castyng of them out of his heauenlye house and kyngdome whiche is most horrible And therefore in the. 19. of Leuit. God sayth Feare you with reuerence my sanctuarye for I am the Lorde And accordyng to the same the prophete Dauid sayth I wyll enter into thine house I wyll worshyp in thy holy temple in thy feare shewyng what inward reuerence and humblenes of mynde the godly men ought to haue in the house of the Lorde And to alleage some what concerning this matter out of the newe Testament in what honour God woulde haue his house or temple kepte and that by the example of our sauiour Christe whose aucthoritie ought
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
is flee to this aunswere that Gods worde forbiddeth not absolutely all images to be made but that they shoulde not be made to be worshypped and that therefore we maye haue images so we worshyp them not for that they be thynges indifferent which may be abused or wel vsed Which semeth also to be the iudgement of Damascene and Gregorie the firste as is aboue declared And this is one of their cheefe allegations for the maynteynance of images whiche haue ben alleaged since Gregorie the first his tyme. Well then we be come to their seconde allegation whiche in parte we woulde not sticke to graunte them For we are not so superstitious or scrupulous that we do abhorre eyther flowres wrought in Carpettes hangynges and other arrasse eyther the Images of Princes prynted or stamped in their Coynes whiche when Christe did see in a Romane Coyne we reade not that he reprehended it neyther do we condemne the artes of payntyng and image making as wicked of them selues But we would admit and graunt them that images vsed for no religion or superstition rather we meane images of none worshipped nor in daunger to be worshypped of any may be suffred But images placed publiquely in Temples can not possiblye be without daunger of worshyppyng and idolatrie wherfore they are not publiquely to be had or suffered in Temples and Churches The Jewes to whom this lawe was firste geuen and yet beyng a morall commaundement and not ceremoniall as all Doctours interpret it byndeth vs aswel as them the Jewes I saye who shoulde haue the true sense and meanyng of Gods lawe so peculierly geuen vnto them neyther had in the begynnyng anye images publiquely in their Temple as Origines and Iosephus at large declareth neither after the restitution of the Temple would by any meanes consent to Herode Pilate or Petronius that images shoulde be placed only in the Temple at Hierusalem although no worshyppyng of images was requyred at their handes but rather offered them selues to the death then to assent that images shoulde once be placed in the Temple of God neyther woulde they suffer anye image maker among them And Origene addeth this cause least their myndes shoulde be plucked from God to the contemplation of earthly thynges And they are muche commended for this earnest zeale in maynteyning of Gods honour and true religion And trueth it is that the Jewes and Turkes who abhorre images idols as directly forbiddenby Gods worde wil neuer come to the trueth of our religion whiles these stumbling blockes of images remayne amongest vs and lye in their way If they obiect yet the brasen serpent which Moyses dyd set vp or the images of the Cherubims or anye other Images whiche the Jewes had in their Temple the aunswere is easy We must in religion obey Gods general lawe which bindeth al men not folowe examples of particuler dispensation which be no warrantes for vs els we may by the same reason resume circūcision sacrifising of beastes other rites permitted to the Jewes Neither can those images of cherubim set in secret wher no man might come nor behold be any example for our publique set-vp of images in Churches and Temples But to let the Jewes go Where they say that images so they be not worshypped as thynges indifferent maye be tollerated in Temples and Churches We inferre and say for the aduersatiue that all our images of God our Sauiour Christ and his Saintes publiquely set vp in Churches Temples places peculierlye appoynted to the true worshipping of God be not thynges indifferent nor tollerable but agaynst Gods lawe and commaundement taking their owne interpretation and exposition of it Firste for that all images so set vp publiquely haue ben worshipped of the vnlearned and simple sorte shortly after they haue ben publiquely so set vp and in conclusion of the wyse learned also Secondly for that they are worshypped in sundry places now in our time also And thirdly for that it is impossible that images of God Christe or his Saintes can be suffered specially in Temples and Churches anye while or space without worshipping of them that idolatrie which is most abhominable before God can not possibly be escaped auoyded without the abolishing and destruction of images pictures in Temples and Churches for that idolatrie is to images speciallye in Temples and Churches an inseparable accident as they tearme it so that images in Churches and idolatrie go alwayes both together and that therefore the one can not be auoyded except the other specially in all publique places be destroyed Wherefore to make images and publiquely to set them vp in Temples and Churches places appoynted peculierly to the seruice of God is to make images to the vse of religion and not onlye agaynst this precept Thou shalt make no maner of image but agaynst this also Thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them For they beyng set vp haue ben be and euer will be worshipped And the full proofe of that which in the beginning of the first part of this treatie was touched is here to be made perfourmed To wit that our images and idols of the Gentiles be all one aswell in the things them selues as also in that our images haue ben before be now and euer wil be worshypped in like fourme and maner as the idols of the Gentiles were worshipped so long as they be suffered in Churches and temples Whereupon it foloweth that our images in Churches haue ben be and euer wil be none other but abominable idols and be therefore no thynges indifferent And euerye of these partes shal be proued in order as hereafter foloweth And firste that our images and the idols of the Gentiles be all one concernyng themselues is most euident the matter of them beyng golde siluer or other mettall stone wood clay or plaster as were the idols of the Gentiles and so beyng eyther moulten or caste eyther carued grauen hewed or otherwise fourmed and fashioned after the similitude and likenesse of man or woman be dead and dumbe workes of mans handes hauing mouth and speake not eyes and see not handes and feele not feete and go not and so aswell in fourme as matter be altogether like the idols of the Gentiles Insomuch that al the titles which be geuen to the idols in the Scriptures may be verified of our images Wherfore no doubt but the lyke curses whiche are mentioned in the scriptures wyll lyght vppon the makers and worshippers of them both Secondly that they haue ben and be worshypped in our tyme in lyke fourme and maner as were the idols of the Gentiles is nowe to be proued And for that idolatrie standeth cheefely in the minde it shal in this part first be proued that our image maynteyners haue had and haue the same opinions and iudgement of saintes whose images they haue made and worshipped as the Gentiles idolaters had of theyr gods And afterwarde shal be declared that our image
of Gibeon makyng his humble petition to almyghtie God caused the sunne and the moone to stay their course and to stand still in the middest of heauen for the space of a whole day vntyll suche tyme the people were sufficiently auenged vpon their enemies And was not Iehosaphates prayer of great force and strength when God at his request caused his enemies to fall out among them selues and wylfully to destroy one another Who can maruayle enough at the effecte and vertue of Elias prayer He being a man subiect to affections as we are prayed to the Lorde that it myght not rayne and there fell no rayne vpon the earth for the space of three yeres and. vi moneths Againe he prayed that it myght rayne and there fell great plentie so that the earth brought forth her encrease most aboundauntly It were to long to tell of Iudith Hester Susanna and of diuers other godly men and women how greatly they preuayled in all their doinges by geuing their myndes earnestly and deuoutly to prayer Let it be sufficient at this tyme to conclude with the sayinges of Augustine and Chrisostome wherof the one calleth prayer the key of heauen the other playnely affyrmeth that there is nothyng in all the worlde more strong then a man that geueth hym selfe to feruent prayer Nowe then dearely beloued seeing prayer is so needeful a thyng and of so great strength before God let vs accordyng as we are taught by the example of Christe and his apostles be earnest and diligent in calling on the name of the lord Let vs neuer faynt neuer slacke neuer geue ouer but let vs daily and hourely early and late in season and out of season be occupyed in godly meditations and prayers What if we obtayne not our petitions at the firste yet let vs not be discoraged but let vs continually crye and call vpon God He wyll surely heare vs at length if for no other cause yet for very importunities sake Remember the parable of the vnryghteous iudge and the poore wydowe how she by her importunate meanes caused hym to do her iustice agaynst her aduersarie although otherwyse he feared neyther God nor man Shall not God muche more auenge his elect sayth our sauiour Christe whiche crye vnto hym day and nyght Thus he taught his disciples in them all other true Christian men to pray alwayes and neuer to faint or shrinke Remember also the example of the woman of Canaan how she was reiected of Christe and called dogge as one moste vnworthie of any benefite at his handes yet she gaue not ouer but folowed hym still crying and callyng vppon hym to be good and mercifull vnto her daughter And at length by very importunitie she obtayned her request O let vs learne by these examples to be earnest and feruent in prayer assuryng our selues that whatsoeuer we aske of God the father in the name of his sonne Christe and accordyng to his wyll he wyll vndoubtedly graunt it He is trueth it selfe and as truely as he hath promised it so truely wyll he perfourme it God for his great mercies sake so worke in our heartes by his holy spirite that we may alwayes make our humble prayers vnto hym as we ought to do and alwayes obtayne the thyng which we aske through Jesus Christe our Lorde to whom with the father and the holy ghost be al honour and glory worlde without ende Amen The second part of the Homilee concernyng prayer IN the firste parte of this sermon ye hearde the great necessitie also the great force of deuout and earnest praier declared proued vnto you both by diuers waightie testimonies and also by sundry good examples of holy scripture Now shal you learne whom you ought to call vppon and to whom ye ought alwayes to direct your prayers We are euidently taught in Gods holy Testament that almightie God is the only fountayne and welspring of al goodnes and that whatsoeuer we haue in this world we receaue it only at his handes To this effecte serueth the place of S. James Euery good and perfect gift sayth he commeth from aboue and proceedeth from the father of lyghtes To this effect also serueth the testimonie of Paul in diuers places of his Epistles witnessing that the spirite of wisedome the spirite of knowledge and reuelation yea euery good and heauenly gyfte as fayth hope charitie grace and peace commeth onely and solely of god In consideration whereof he bursteth out into a sodayne passion and sayeth O man what thyng hast thou whiche thou hast not receaued Therefore whensoeuer we neede or lacke any thyng parteyning eyther to the body or to the soule it behoueth vs to runne onely vnto GOD who is the onely geuer of all good thynges Our sauiour Christe in the Gospell teachyng his disciples how they shoulde pray sendeth them to the father in his name saying Uerily verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye aske the father in my name he wyll geue it vnto you And in an other place when ye pray pray after this sorte Our father whiche art in heauen c. And doth not God hym selfe by the mouth of his Prophete Dauid wyll and commaunde vs to call vpon hym The Apostle wysheth grace and peace to all them that call on the name of our Lord and of his sonne Jesus Christ as doth also the Prophet Joel saying And it shall come to passe that whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shal be saued Thus then it is playne by the infallible worde of trueth and lyfe that in all our necessities we must flee vnto God direct our prayers vnto hym call vppon his holy name desyre helpe at his handes and at no others Whereof if ye wyll yet haue a further reason marke that whiche foloweth There are certayne conditions most requisit to be founde in euery suche a one that muste be called vppon whiche if they be not founde in hym vnto whom we pray then doth our prayer auayle vs nothyng but is altogether in vayne The first is this that he to whom we make our prayers be able to helpe vs The second is that he wyll helpe vs The thirde is that he be suche a one as may heare our prayers The fourth is that he vnderstand better then we our selues what we lacke and howe farre we haue neede of helpe If these thynges be to be founde in any other sauing onely God then may we lawfully call vpon some other besides god But what man is so grosse but he wel vnderstandeth that these thynges are only proper to him which is omnipotent and knoweth al thyngs euen the very secretes of the heart that is to say only and to God alone whereof it foloweth that we must call neyther vpon angell nor yet vpon saint but only and soly vpon God as S. Paul doth write Now shall men call vppon hym in whom they haue not beleued So that inuocation or prayer may not be
made without faith in hym on whom they call but that we must first beleeue in hym before we can make our prayers vnto hym whereuppon we must only and solely pray vnto god For to say that we shoulde beleeue eyther in angell or saint or in any other liuing creature were more horrible blasphemie against God and his holy worde neither ought this fancie to enter into the heart of any Christian man because we are expressly taught in the worde of the Lorde only to repose our fayth in the blessed trinitie in whose only name we are also baptized according to the expresse commaundement of our sauiour Jesus Christe in the last of Matthewe But that the trueth hereof may the better appeare euen to them that be moste simple and vnlearned let vs consider what prayer is Saint Augustine calleth it a liftyng vp of the mynde to God that is to say an humble and lowly powring out of the heart to god Isidorus sayth that it is an affection of the heart and not alabour of the lippes So that by these places true prayer doth consist not so muche in the outward sounde and voyce of wordes as in the inwarde gronyng and crying of the heart to God. Nowe then is there any angell any virgin any patriarche or prophete among the dead that can vnderstand or knowe the meanyng of the heart The scriptures sayth it is God that searcheth the heart and raynes and that he only knoweth the heartes of the chyldren of men As for the saintes they haue so litle knowledge of the secretes of the heart that many of the auncient fathers greatly doubt whether they knowe any thing at al that is commonly done on earth And albeit some thynke they do yet saint Augustine a Doctour of great aucthoritie and also antiquitie hath this opinion of them that they knowe no more what we do on earth then we know what they do in heauen For proofe wherof he alleageth the wordes of Esai the prophete where it is sayde Abraham is ignoraunt of vs and Israel knoweth vs not His mynde therefore is this not that we shoulde put any religion in worshyppyng them or praying vnto them but that we shoulde honour them by folowyng their vertuous and godly lyfe For as he witnesseth in an other place the martyrs and holy men in tymes past were wont after their death to be remembred and named of the prieste at diuine seruice but neuer to be inuocated or called vpon And why so because the prieste sayth he is Gods priest and not theirs Whereby he is bounde to call vpon God and not vpon them Thus you see that the aucthoritie both of scripture and also of Augustine doth not permit that we should pray vnto them O that al men would studiously reade and searche the scriptures then shoulde they not be drowned in ignoraunce but shoulde easily perceaue the trueth aswell of this poynt of doctrine as of all the rest For there doth the holy ghost playnely teache vs that Christe is our only mediatour and intercessour with God and that we muste seeke and runne to no other If any man sinneth saith saint John we haue an aduocate with the father Jesus Christe the ryghteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes Saint Paul also sayth There is one God and one mediatour betweene God and man euen the man Jesus Christe Whereunto agreeth the testimonie of our sauiour hym selfe witnessing that no man commeth to the father but onely by hym who is the way the trueth the life yea and the only dore whereby we muste enter into the kingdome of heauen because GOD is pleased in no other but in hym For whiche cause also he cryeth and calleth vnto vs that we shoulde come vnto hym saying Come vnto me all ye that labour and be heauie laden and I shall refreshe you Woulde Christe haue vs so necessarily come vnto hym and shall we moste vnthankfully leaue hym and runne vnto other This is euen that whiche God so greatly complayneth of by his prophet Ieremie saying My people haue committed two great offences they haue forsaken me the fountaine of the waters of lyfe and haue digged to them selues broken pits that can holde no water Is not that man thinke you vnwyse that wyll runne for water to a litle brooke when he may aswell go to the head spryng Euen so may his wisedome be iustly susspected that wyll flee vnto saintes in tyme of necessitie when he may boldly and without feare declare his greefe and direct his prayer vnto the Lorde himselfe If God were straunge or daungerous to be talked withall then myght we iustly drawe backe and seeke to some other But the Lorde is nygh vnto them that call vppon hym in fayth and trueth and the prayer of the humble and meeke hath alwayes pleased hym What if we be sinners shall we not therefore pray vnto God or shall we dispayre to obteyne any thyng at his handes Why dyd Christe then teache vs to aske forgeuenesse of our sinnes saying And forgeue vs our trespasses as we forgeue them that trespasse agaynst vs Shall we thynke that the saintes are more mercifull in hearing sinners then God Dauid sayth that the Lorde is full of compassion and mercy slowe to anger and of great kyndnesse Saint Paul sayth that he is riche in mercy towardes all them that call vppon hym And he hymselfe by the mouth of his prophet Esai sayth For a litle while haue I forsaken thee but with great compassion wyll I gather thee For a moment in myne anger I haue hid my face from thee but with euerlastyng mercy haue I had compassion vpon thee Therefore the sinnes of any man ought not to withholde hym from praying vnto the Lorde his god But if he be truely penitent and stedfast in fayth let him assure him selfe that the Lorde wylbe mercifull vnto hym and heare his prayers O but I dare not wyll some man say trouble God at all times with my prayers We see that in kinges houses courtes of princes men can not be admitted vnlesse they fyrst vse the helpe and meane of some speciall noble man to come vnto the speache of the kyng and to obtayne the thing that they woulde haue To this reason doth saint Ambrose aunswere verye well writing vppon the first Chapter to the Romanes Therefore sayth he we vse to go vnto the king by officers and noble men because the kyng is a mortall man and knoweth not to whom he maye commit the gouernment of the common wealth But to haue God our frende from whom nothing is hid we nede not any helper that should further vs with his good worde but only a deuoute and godlye minde And yf it be so that we neede one to entreate for vs why maye we not content our selues with that one mediatour whiche is at the ryght hande of God the father and there
not also heare sinners yf with a true penitent heart and a stedfast faith they pray vnto him Yes yf we acknowledge our sinnes God is faythfull iust to forgeue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnesse as we are plainely taught by the examples of Dauid Peter Marie Magdalene the Publicane and diuers other And where as we must nedes vse the helpe of some mediatour intercessour let vs content our selues with him that is the true and only mediatour of the new Testament namely the Lorde and Sauiour Jesus Christe For as saint John sayth If anye man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous who is the propitiation for our sinnes And saint Paul in his first Epistle to Timothie sayth There is one God and one mediatour betweene God and man euen the man Jesus Christe who gaue him selfe a raunsome for all men to be a testimonie in due time Nowe after this doctrine established you shal be instructed for what kinde of thinges and what kinde of persons ye ought to make your prayers vnto god It greatly behoueth all men when they pray to consyder well and diligently with them selues what they aske and require at Gods handes lest if they desyre the thing which they ought not their petitions be made voyde and of none effect There came on a time vnto Agesilaus the king a certaine importunatesuter who requested him in a matter earnestly saying Sir and it please your grace you dyd once promise me Trueth quoth the king if it be iust that thou requirest then I promised thee otherwyse I did onlye speake it and not promise it The man woulde not so be aunswered at the kynges hande but still vrging him more and more said It becommeth a kyng to perfourme the leaste word he hath spoken yea yf he should only becke with his head No more sayth the kyng then it behoueth one that commeth to a king to speake and aske those thinges whiche are rightfull and honest Thus the kyng cast of this vnreasonable and importunate suter Nowe if so great consyderation be to be had when we kneele before an earthly kyng howe much more ought to be had when we kneele before the heauenly kyng who is onlye delighted with iustice and equitie neyther wyll admit any vayne foolishe or vniust petition Therefore it shal be good and profitable throughly to consyder and determine with our selues what thinges we may lawfully aske of God without feare of repulse and also what kinde of persons we are bound to cōmend vnto god in our dayly prayers Two thinges are chiesely to be respected in euerye good and godly mans prayer His owne necessitie the glory of almightie god Necessitie belongeth eyther outwardly to the body or els inwardly to the soule Whiche part of man because it is muche more pretious excellent then the other therefore we ought first of all to craue such thinges as properly belong to the saluation thereof as the gift of repentaunce the gyfte of fayth the gifte of charitie and good workes remission and forgeuenesse of sinnes patience in aduersitie lowlinesse in prosperitie and suche other like fruites of the spirite as hope loue ioy peace long suffering gentlenes goodnes meekenesse and temperauncie which thinges God requireth of all them that professe them selues to be his children saying vnto them in this wyse Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father whiche is in heauen And in another place he also sayth Seeke first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and then al other things shal be geuen vnto you Wherin he putteth vs in mind that our cheefe and greatest care ought to be for those things which parteine to the health and safegarde of the soule because we haue here as the apostle sayth no continuing citie but do seeke after another in the worlde to come Nowe when we haue sufficiently prayed for thinges belonging to the soule then may we lawfully and with safe conscience pray also for our bodily necessities as meate drinke clothing health of body deliueraunce out of prison good lucke in our dayly affayres and so foorth accordyng as we shall haue neede Wherof what better example can we desire to haue then of Christ him selfe who taught his disciples and all other Christian men first to pray for heauenly things and afterwarde for earthly thinges as is to be seene in that prayer whiche he lefte vnto his Churche commonly called the Lordes prayer In the thirde booke of kinges and thirde Chapter it is written that God appeared by night in a dreame vnto Salomon the king saying Aske of me whatsoeuer thou wylt and I wyll geue thee Salomon made his humble prayer and asked a wise prudent hearte that might iudge and vnderstande what were good what were ill what were godlye and what were vngodly what were righteous and what were vnrighteous in the sight of the Lorde It pleased God wonderously that he had asked this thing And God sayd vnto him Because thou hast requested this worde and hast not desyred manye dayes and long yeres vpon the earth neither aboundaunce of ryches and goodes nor yet the lyfe of thyne enemies which hate thee but hast desyred wisdome to sit in iudgement Beholde I haue done vnto thee accordyng to thy wordes I haue geuen thee a wyse heart full of knowledge and vnderstāding so that there was neuer none like thee before time neither shal be in time to come Moreouer I haue besides this geuen thee that whiche thou hast not required namelye worldlye wealth and richesse princely honour and glorie so that thou shalt therein also passe all kynges that euer were Note this example howe Salomon beyng put to his choyse to aske of God whatsoeuer he woulde requested not vaine and transitorie thinges but the high and heauenly treasures of wysdome and that in so doyng he obtayneth as it were in recompence both riches and honour Wherein is geuen vs to vnderstande that in our dayly prayers we should chiefely and principally aske those things which concerne the kingdome of God and the saluation of our owne soules nothyng doubting but all other thinges shall accordyng to the promise of Christe be geuen vnto vs But here we must take heede that we forget not that other ende whereof mention was made before namely the glorye of god Whiche vnlesse we minde and set before our eyes in makyng our prayers we may not looke to be harde or to receaue any thing of the Lorde In the. xx Chapter of Matthewe the mother of the two sonnes of Zebedee came vnto Jesus worshipping him and saying Graunt that my two sonnes may sit in thy kingdome the one at thy ryght hand and the other at thy left hande In this petition she dyd not respect the glory of GOD but plainely declared the ambition and vaine glory of her owne minde for which cause she was also
he sayth because he which speaketh in an vnknowētongue speaketh to God for he knoweth all thinges but men know not and therefore there is no profite of this thing And agayne vppon these wordes If thou blesse or geue thankes with the spirite howe shall he that occupieth the roome of the vnlearned say Amen at thy geuing of thankes seeyng he vnderstandeth not what thou sayest That is sayth Ambrose yf thou speake the prayse of God in a tongne vnknowen to the hearers For the vnlearned hearing that whiche he vnderstandeth not knoweth not the end of the prayer and aunswereth not Amen whiche worde is as much to saye as trueth that the blessing or thankesgeuing may be confirmed For the confirmation of the prayer is fulfilled by them that do aunswere Amen that all thinges spoken might be cōfirmed in the mindes of the hearers through the testimonie of the trueth And after many weightie words to the same end he saith The conclusion is this that nothing shoulde be done in the Churche in vaine and that this thing ought chiefely to be laboured for that the vnlearned also myght take profite least any part of the body should be darke through ignoraunce And least anye man shoulde thinke all this to be meant of preaching and not of prayer he taketh occasion of these wordes of saint Paul If there be not an interpreter let hym keepe silence in the Churche to say as foloweth Let hym praye secretly or speake to GOD who heareth all thinges that be dumbe For in the Churche must he speake that maye profite all personnes Saint Hierome wryting vpon these wordes of saint Paul Howe shall he that supplieth the place of the vnlearned c. sayth It is the laye man whom Paul vnderstandeth here to be in the place of the ignoraunt man which hath no ecclesiasticall office How shal he aunswere Amen to the prayer that he vnderstandeth not And a litle after vppon the wordes of saint Paul For yf I shoulde pray in a tongue c. he sayth thus This is Paules meanyng If any may speake in straunge vnknowen tongues his minde is made vnfruitefull not to hym selfe but to the hearer For whatsoeuer is spoken he knoweth it not Saint Augustine wryting vpon the. xviii Psalme saith What this shoulde be we ought to vnderstande that we maye sing with reason of man and not with chattering of birdes For Owles Popingayes Rauens Pies and other such like birdes are taught by men to prate they know not what But to sing with vnderstāding is geuen by Gods holy wil to the nature of man Againe the same Augustine sayth There nedeth no speache when we pray sauing perhappes as the priestes do for to declare their meanyng not that God but that men maye heare them And so beyng put in remembraunce by consentyng with the priest they may hang vpon God Thus are we taught both by the scriptures and auncient doctours that in the administration of Common prayer and Sacramentes no tongue vnknowen to the hearers ought to be vsed So that for the satisfying of a Christian mans conscience we nede to spend no more tyme in this matter But yet to stoppe the mouthes of the aduersaries whiche stay them selues muche vpon generall decrees it shal be good to adde to these testimonies of scriptures and doctors one constitution made by Iustinian the Emperour who liued fiue hundred and twentie and seuen yeres after Christe and was Emperor of Rome The constitution is this We commaunde that all Byshops and Priestes do celebrate the holye oblation and the prayers vsed in holye Baptisme not speakyng lowe but with a cleare or loude voyce whiche may be heard of the people that therby the mind of the hearers may be stirred vp with great deuotion in vttering the prayers of the Lorde God for so the holy Apostle teacheth in his first Epistle to the Corinthians saying Truely if thou only blesse or geue thankes in spirite howe doth he whiche occupyeth the place of the vnlearned say Amen at thy geuyng of thankes vnto God for he vnderstandeth not what thou sayest Thou verily geuest thankes well but the other is not edified And agayne in the Epistle to the Romanes he sayth With the heart a man beleueth vnto ryghteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made vnto saluation Therefore for these causes it is conuenient that among other prayers those thinges also whiche are spoken in the holy oblation be vttered and spoken of the moste religious byshoppes and priestes vnto our Lorde Jesus Christe our God with the father and the holy ghost with a loude voyce And let the most religious priestes knowe this that if they neglecte any of these thinges that they shal geue an accompt for them in the dreadfull iudgement of the great God and our sauiour Jesus Christe Neyther wyll we when we knowe it rest and leaue it vnreuenged This Emperour as Sabellicus wryteth fauoured the byshoppe of Rome and yet we see ho we playne a decree he maketh for the praying and administring of sacramēts in a knowne tongue that the deuotion of the hearers might be stirred vp by knowledge contrary to the iudgement of them that woulde haue ignoraunce to make deuotion He maketh it also a matter of dampnation to do these thynges in a tongue that the hearers vnderstand not Let vs therefore conclude with God and al good mens assent that no common prayer or Sacramentes ought to be ministred in a tongue that is not vnderstanded of the hearers Nowe a worde or two of priuate prayer in an vnknowne tongue We tooke in hande where we began to speake of this matter not onely to proue that no common prayer or administration of Sacramentes ought to be in a tongue vnknowne to the hearers but also that no person ought to pray priuately in that tongue that he hym selfe vnderstandeth not Whiche thyng shall not be harde to proue if we forget not what prayer is For if prayer be that deuotion of the mynde whiche enforceth the heart to lift vp it selfe to God howe shoulde it be sayde that that person prayeth that vnderstandeth not the wordes that his tongue speaketh in prayer Yea how can it be sayde that he speaketh For to speake is by voyce to vtter the thought of the mynde And the voyce that a man vttereth in speakyng is nothyng els but the messenger of the mynde to bryng abroade the knowledge of that whiche otherwyse lyeth secret in the heart and can not be knowne according to that which Saint Paul wryteth What man sayth he knoweth the thynges that apparteyne to man sauyng only the spirite of man which is in man He therfore that doth not vnderstand the voyces that his tongue doth vtter can not properly be sayde to speake but rather to counterfayte as parattes and suche other byrdes vse to counterfaite mens voyces No man therefore that feareth to prouoke the wrath of God agaynst hym selfe wylbe so bolde to speake of God vnaduisedly without
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
vnderstande and to cary away suche sentences and stories as be more fyt for our capacitie and instruction And wheras we reade in diuers Psalmes how Dauid did wyshe to the aduersaries of god sometymes shame rebuke and confusion sometyme the decay of theyr ofspryng and issue sometime that they might peryshe and come sodaynly to destruction as he did wishe to the Captaynes of the Philistians Cast forth sayth he thy lyghtening and teare them shoote out thyne arrowes and consume them with such other maner of imprecations Yet ought we not to be offended at suche prayers of Dauid being a prophete as he was singulerly beloued of God and rapte in spirite with an ardent zeale to gods glorie He spake them not of a priuate hatred and in a stomake against their persons But wyshed spirituallye the destruction of suche corrupt errours and vyces whiche raygned in all diuilishe persons set agaynst god He was of lyke mynd as saint Paule was when he did deliuer Himeneus and Alexander with the notorious fornicatour to Satan to their temporal confusion that their spirite might be saued against the daye of the lord And when Dauid did professe in some places that he hated the wicked yet in other places of his Psalmes he professeth that he hated them with a perfect hate not with a malitious hate to the hurt of the soule Whiche perfection of spirite because it can not be perfourmed in vs so corrupted in affections as we be we ought not to vse in our priuate causes the lyke wordes in fourme for that we cannot fulfil the like wordes in sense Let vs not therefore be offended but searche out the reason of such wordes before we be offended that we may the more reuerentlye iudge of such sayinges though straunge to our carnall vnderstandinges yet to them that be spiritually minded iudged to be zelously and godlye pronounced God therefore for his mercies sake vouchsafe to purifie our myndes through fayth in his sonne Jesus Christ and to instill the heauenly droppes of his grace into our harde stonye heartes to supple the same that we be not contemners deriders of his infallible worde but that with all humblenes of minde and Christian reuerence we may endeuour our selues to heare and to reade his sacred scriptures and inwardly so to digest them as shall be to the comfort of our soules and sanctification of his holye name to whom with the sonne and the holy ghost three persons and one lyuing God be al laude honor and prayse for euer and euer Amen ⧠An Homilee of Almes deedes and mercifulnes towarde the poore and needie AMongst the manifolde dueties that almighti god requireth of his faithful seruants the true Christians by the which he woulde that both his name should be glorified the certaintie of their vocation declared there is none that is either more acceptable vnto him or more profitable for theÌ„ then are the workes of mercye pity shewed vpon the poore which be afflicted with any kinde of misery And yet this not with standing suche is the slouthfull sluggishnesse of our dull nature to that whiche is good and godlye that we are almoste in nothing more negligent and lesse carefull then we are therein It is therfore a very necessary thing that Gods people should awake their sleepie myndes and consyder their duetie on this behalfe And meete it is that all true Christians should desyrously seke and learne what God by his holy word doth herein requyre of them that fyrst knowing their duetie whereof many by their slacknes seeme to be very ignoraunt they maye afterwardes diligentlye endeuour to perfourme the same By the which both the godly charitable persons may be incouraged to go forwardes and continue in their mercifull deedes of almes geuing to the poore and also suche as hytherto haue eyther neglected or contemned it may yet now at the length when they shall heare howe much it apparteyneth to them aduisedly consyder it and vertuously apply them selues therevnto And to the intent that euerye one of you maye the better vnderstande that whiche is taught and also easylier beare awaye and so take more fruite of that shall be sayde when seuerall matters are seuerally handeled I mind particulerly and in this order to speake and intreat of these poyntes Fyrst I will shewe how earnestly almyghtie God in his holye worde doth exact the doyng of almes deedes of vs and how acceptable they be vnto him Secondlye how profitable it is for vs to vse them and what commoditie and fruit they will bring vnto vs. Thyrdly and laste I will shewe out of Gods worde that who so is liberall to the poore releeueth them plenteously shal notwithstanding haue sufficient for himselfe euermore be without daunger of penurie and scarcitie Concerning the first which is the acceptation and dignitie or pryce of almes deedes before God Knowe this that to helpe and succour the poore in their neede and miserie pleaseth God so much that as the holy scripture in sundry places recordeth nothyng can be more thankfullye taken or accepted of god For firste we reade that almightie God doeth accounte that to be geuen and to be bestowed vpon himselfe that is bestowed vppon the poore For so doth the holy ghost testifie vnto vs by the wyse man saying He that hath pitie vpon the poore lendeth vnto the lord him selfe And Christe in the Gospell aduoucheâ—â— and as a moste certayne trueth byndeth it with an othe that the almes bestowed vppon the poore was bestowed vpon him so shall be reckoned at the last daye For thus he saith to the charitable almes geuers when he sitteth as iudge in the doome to geue sentence of euery maÌ„ accordyng to his desartes Uerylye I saye vnto you whatsoeuer good mercifull deede you did vpon any of the least of these my brethren ye did the same vnto me In releeuing their hunger ye releeued mine in quenching their thirst ye quenched mine in clothing them ye clothed me and when ye harboured them ye lodged me also wheÌ„ ye visited them being sicke or in prison ye visited me For as he that receaueth a Princes imbassadours and entertayneth them wel doth honour the Prince from whom those imbassadours do come So he that receaueth the poore and needy and helpeth them in their affliction and distresse doth thereby receaue and honour Christe their maister who as he was poore and needye him selfe whylest he lyued here amongst vs to worke the mysterie of our saluation so at his departure hence he promised in his steede to sende vnto vs those that were poore by whose meanes his absence should be supplied and therfore that we would do vnto him we muste do vnto them And for this cause doth almyghtye God say vnto Moyses The land wherin you dwell shall neuer be without poore men because he woulde haue continual trial of his people whether they loued him or no that in shewing them selues obedient vnto his will they might certaynlye
he rose from death to lyfe in that he ascended into heauen and so foorth What other thing dyd he shew therein but only that he was perfect god coequal with the father as touching his deitie Therfore he sayth The father and I are all one which is to be vnderstood of his godhead For as touching his manhood he sayth The father is greater theÌ„ I am Where are nowe those Marcionites that denie Christ to haue ben borne in the fleshe or to haue ben perfect man Where are nowe those Arians whiche denye Christe to haue ben perfect God of equall substaunce with the father If there be any suche ye may easyly reproue them with these testimonies of Gods word and such other Wherevnto I am most sure they shall neuer be able to aunswere For the necessitie of our saluation dyd requyre such a mediatour sauiour as vnder one person should be a partaker of both natures It was requisite he shoulde be man it was also requisite he shoulde be god For as the transgression came by man so was it meete the satisfaction shoulde be made by man And because death accordyng to S. Paul is the iust stipende and rewarde of sinne therfore to appease the wrath of God and to satisfie his iustice it was expedient that our mediatour shoulde be suche a one as might take vpon him the sinnes of mankinde and sustayne the due punishment therof namely death Moreouer he came in fleshe and in the selfe same fleshe ascended into heauen to declare and testifie vnto vs that all faithfull people whiche stedfastly beleue in hym shall likewyse come vnto the same mansion place whereunto he beyng our chiefe captayne is gone before Last of all he became man that we thereby might receaue the greater comfort as well in our prayers as also in our aduersitie consydering with our selues that we haue a mediatour that is true man as we are who also is touched with our infirmities and was tempted eueÌ„ in like sort as we are For these and sundry other causes it was most nedefull he shoulde come as he dyd in the fleshe But because no creature in that he is onlye a creature hath or maye haue power to destroye death and geue lyfe to ouercome hell and purchase heauen to remit sinnes and geue ryghteousnesse therefore it was needefull that our MeÌ„ssias whose proper duetie and office that was shoulde be not onlye full and perfect man but also full and perfect GOD to the entent he myght more fully and perfectly make satisfaction for mankind God sayth This is my welbeloued sonne in whom I am wel pleased By which place we learne that Christ appeased and quenched the wrath of his father not in that he was only the sonne of man But muche more in that he was the sonne of God. Thus ye haue hearde declared out of the scriptures that Jesus Christe was the true Messias and sauiour of the world that he was by nature substaunce perfect God and perfect man and for what cause it was expedient he should be so Nowe that we may be the more mindefull and thankefull vnto God in this behalfe let vs briefly consyder and call to minde the manifolde and great benefites that we haue receaued by the Natiuitie and byrth of this our Messias and sauiour Before Christes comming into the worlde all men vniuersally in Adam were nothyng els but a wicked and crooked generation rotten and corrupt trees stony ground ful of brambles and bryers lost sheepe prodigall sonnes naughtie and vnprofitable seruauntes vnryghteous stewardes workers of iniquitie the broode of Adders blind guides sitting in darknesse and in the shadowe of death to be shorte nothyng els but chyldren of perdition and inheritours of hell fyre To this doth saint Paul beare witnesse in diuers places of his Epistles and Christe also him selfe in sundrye places of his Gospell But after he was once come downe froÌ„ heauen and had taken our frayle nature vppon hym he made all them that woulde receaue hym truely and beleue his word good trees good ground fruitefull and pleasaunt braunches chyldren of light citezins of heauen sheepe of his folde members of his body heyres of his kyngdome his true freendes and brethren sweete and liuely bread the elect and chosen people of god For as saint Peter sayth in his fyrst Epistle and seconde Chapter He bare our sinnes in his body vppon the crosse he healed vs made vs whole by his stripes and whereas before we were sheepe going astray he by his comming brought vs home agayne to the true shephearde and Byshop of our soules makyng vs a chosen generatioÌ„ a royall priesthood an holy nation a peculier people of GOD in that he dyed for our offences and rose agayne for our iustification Saint Paul to Timothie the thirde Chapter We were sayth he in tymes past vn wyse disobedient deceaued seruing diuers lustes and pleasures liuyng in hatred enuie maliciousnesse and so foorth But after the louing kindnesse of God our Sauiour appeared towardes mankynde not accordyng to the ryghteousnesse that we had done but accordyng to his great mercie he saued vs by the fountayne of the newe byrth and by the renewyng of the holy ghost whiche he powred vpon vs aboundauntly through Jesus Christe our sauiour that we beyng once iustified by his grace shoulde be heyres of eternaâ—l lyfe through hope and fayth in his blood In these and suche other places is set out before our eyes as it were in a glasse the aboundaunt grace of God receaued in Christ Jesu whiche is so muche the more wonderfull because it came not of any desert of ours but of his meere tender mercy euen then when we were his extreme enemies But for the better vnderstanding and consyderation of this thyng let vs beholde the ende of his comming so shall we perceaue what great commoditie and profite his Natiuitie hath brought vnto vs miserable and sinful creatures The ende of his comming was to saue and deliuer his people to fulfill the law for vs to beare witnesse vnto the trueth to teache and preache the wordes of his father to geue light vnto the world to cal sinners to repentaunce the refreshe them that labour and be heauy laden to cast out the prince of this worlde to reconcile vs in the body of his fleshe to desolue the workes of the deuill last of all to become a propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours onelye but also for the sinnes of the whole worlde These were the cheefe endes wherefore Christ became man not for any profit that should come to him selfe thereby but onely for our sakes that we might vnderstande the will of God be partakers of his heauenly lyght be delyuered out of the deuils clawes releassed from the burthen of sinne iustified through fayth in his blood and finally receaued vp into euerlasting glory there to raigne with him foreuer Was not this a great and singuler loue of Christ towardes mankynd that being
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
Christe the same is not his And by turnyng the wordes it maye be as truely sayd If any man be not of Christe the same hath not his spirite Nowe to discerne who are truely his and who not we haue this rule geuen vs that his sheepe do alwayes heare his voyce And saint John sayth He that is of God heareth Gods worde Whereof it foloweth that the popes in not hearing Christes voyce as they ought to do but preferring their owne decrees before the expresse worde of God do playnely argue to the worlde that they are not of Christe nor yet possessed with his spirite But here they wyll alleage for them selues that there are diuers necessarie poyntes not expressed in holy scripture whiche were left to the reuelation of the holy ghost Who beyng geuen to the Churche accordyng to Christes promise hath taught many thynges from tyme to tyme which the apostles coulde not then beare To this we may easily aunswere by the playne wordes of Christe teachyng vs that the proper office of the holy ghoste is not to institute and bring in newe ordinaunces contrary to his doctrine before taught but to expound declare those thynges whiche he had before taught so that they might be wel truely vnderstode When the holy ghost sayth he shall come he shall leade you into all trueth What trueth doth he meane Any other then he him self had before expressed in his word No. For he sayth He shal take of myne and shew it vnto you Agayne he shall bryng you in remembraunce of all thynges that I haue tolde you it is not then the duetie and part of any christian vnder pretence of the holy ghost to bryng in his owne dreames and phantasies into the Churche but he must diligently prouide that his doctrine decrees be agreeable to Christes holye testament Otherwise in making the holy ghost the aucthour thereof he doth blaspheme and belye the holy ghost to his owne condempnation Now to leaue their doctrine and come to other poyntes What shall we thynke or iudge of the popes intollerable pryde The scripture sayth that God resisteth the proude and sheweth grace to the humble Also it pronounceth them blessed which are poore in spirite promising that they which humble them selues shal be exalted And Christe our sauiour wylieth all his to learne of hym because he is humble and meeke As for pryde saint Gregorie sayth it is the roote of all mischeefe And saint Augustines iudgement is this that it maketh men deuilles Can any man then whiche eyther hath or shall reade the popes lyues iustly say that they had the holy ghoste within them First as touching that they wil be tearmed vniuersall byshoppes and heades of all Christian Churches through the world we haue the iudgement of Gregory expresly against them who wrytyng to Maritius the Emperour condemneth John bishop of Constantinople in that behalfe calling him the prince of pryde Lucifers successour and the forerunner of Antechriste Saint Barnarde also agreeing thereunto sayth What greater pride can there be then that one man should preferre his owne iudgement before the whole congregation as though he onlye had the spirite of God And Chrisostome pronounceth a terrible sentence agaynst them affyrming playnly that whosoeuer seeketh to be cheefe in earth shall finde confusion in heauen and that he whiche striueth for the supremacie shall not be reputed among the seruauntes of Christe Agayne he sayth To desire a good worke it is good but to couet the cheefe degree of honour it is mere vanitie Do not these places sufficiently conuince their outragious pride in vsurping to them selues a superioritie aboue all other aswell ministers and byshops as kynges also and Emperours But as the Lion is knowne by his clawes so let vs learne to knowe these men by their deedes What shall we say of hym that made the noble kyng Dandalus to be tyed by the necke with a chayne and to lye flat downe before his table there to gnaw bones lyke a dogge Shal we thynke that he had Gods holy spirite within hym and not rather the spirite of the deuil Such a tyraunt was pope Clement the sixt What shall we say of hym that proudly and contemptuously trode Fredericke the Emperour vnder his feete applying the vearse of the Psalme vnto him selfe Thou shalt go vpon the Lion and the Adder the young Lion the Dragon thou shalt tread vnder thy foote Shal we say that he had Gods holy spirite within hym not rather the spirite of the deuyll Suche a tyraunt was pope Alexander the thirde What shall we say of him that armed and animated the sonne against the father causing him to be taken to be cruelly famished to death contrary to the law both God and also of nature Shall we say that he had Gods holy spirite within hym and not rather the spirite of the deuyll Suche a tyraunt was pope Pascall the seconde What shall we saye of hym that came into his popedome lyke a foxe that raigned lyke a Lion and dyed lyke a dogge Shal we say that he had Gods holy spirite within hym and not rather the spirite of the deuyll Suche a tyraunt was pope Boniface the eyght What shall we say of hym that made Henrye the Emperour with his wyfe and his young childe to stande at the gates of the Citie in the rough winter bare footed and bare legged only clothed in lincie wolâ—ie eatyng nothyng from mornyng to nyght and that for the space of three dayes Shal we say that he had Gods holy spirite within hym and not rather the spirite of the deuyll Suche a tyraunt was pope Hildebrande moste worthy to be called a fyrebrand if we shal tearme him as he hath best deserued Many other examples might here be alleaged As of pope Jone the harlot that was delyuered of a chylde in the hygh streate goyng solempnly in procession Of pope Iulius the seconde that wilfully cast Saint Peters keyes into the ryuer Tiberis Ofpope Vrban the sixte that caused fiue Cardinals to be put in sackes and cruelly drowned Of pope Sergius the thirde that persecuted the dead bodye of Formosius his predecessour when it had ben buried eight yeres Of Pope John the. xiiii of that name who hauing his enemy deliuered into his handes caused him first to be stripped starke naked his beard to be shauen and to be hanged vp a whole day by the heere then to be set vpon an Asse with his face backward towardes the taile to be caryed round about the Citie in dispite to be miserablye beaten with roddes laste of all to be thrust out of his countrye and to be banished for euer But to conclude and make an ende ye shall breefly take this shorte lesson Wheresoeuer ye fynde the spirite of arrogancye and pryde the spirite of enuye hatred contention crueltie murder extortion witchcraft necromancie c. Assure your selues that there is the spirite of the
thinges distinctly aduisedly consydered in our myndes must needes compell vs in most low reuerence after our bounden duety alwayes to render him thankes againe in some testification of our good hearts for his deserts vnto vs And that the entreating of this matter in hand may be to the glory of almighty God let vs in one faith and charitie call vpon the father of mercy from whom commeth euery good gyfte and euery perfect gift by the mediation of his welbeloued sonne our sauiour that we maye be assisted with the presence of his holye spirite and holsomelye on both our partes to demeane our selues in speaking and hearing to the saluation of our soules In the beginning of my speaking vnto you good Christian people suppose not that I do take vpon me to declare vnto you the excellent power or the incomparable wisdom of almightie God as though I would haue you beleeue that it myght be expressed vnto you by wordes Nay it maye not be thought that that thing maye be comprehended by mans wordes that is incomprehensible And too muche arrogancie it were for dust and ashes to thynke that he could worthyly declare his maker It passeth farre the darke vnderstanding of wysedome of a mortall man to speake sufficiently of that diuine maiestie whiche the Angels cannot vnderstand We shall therefore lay apart to speake of that profounde and vnsearcheable nature of almightie God rather acknowledging our weaknes then rashely to attempt that is aboue all mans capacitie to compasse It shall better suffise vs in low humilitie to reuerence and dreade his maiestie whiche we can not comprise then by ouermuch curious searchyng to be ouercharged with the glorie We shal rather turne our whole contemplation to aunswer a whyle his goodnes to wardes vs wherein we shall be muche more profitably occupied and more may we be bold to search To consyder this great power he is of can but make vs dreade and feare To consyder his hygh wisedome myght vtterly discomfort our frailtie to haue any thyng adoo with him But in consyderation of his inestimable goodnes we take good heart agayne to trust wel vnto hym By his goodnes we be assured to take him for our refuge our hope and comfort our mercyfull father in all the course of our lyues His power and wisedome compelleth vs to take hym for God omnipotent inuisible hauyng rule in heauen and earth hauyng all thynges in his subiection and wyll haue none in counsell with hym nor any to aske the reason of his doyng For he maye do what lyketh hym and none can resist hym For he worketh all thynges in his secrete iudgement to his owne pleasure yea euē the wicked to damnation saith Salomon By the reason of this nature he is called in Scripture consumyng fyre he is called a terrible and fearefull GOD ▪ Of this behalfe therefore we maye haue no familiaritie no accesse vnto hym but his goodnesse agayne tempereth the rigour of his hygh power and maketh vs bolde and putteth vs in hope that he wyll be conuersaunt with vs and easye vnto vs It is his goodnesse that moueth him to say in scripture It is my delyght to be with the children of men It is his goodnesse that moueth him to call vs vnto him to offer vs his frendship presence It is his goodnes that paciently suffereth our straying from him and suffreth vs long to winne vs to repentaunce It is of his goodnes that we be created reasonable creatures where els he myght haue made vs bruite beastes It was his mercye to haue vs borne among the number of christian people thereby in a muche more nyghnes to saluation where we might haue ben borne if his goodnes had not ben among the Panims cleane voyde from God and the hope of euerlasting lyfe And what other thing doth his louyng and gentle voyce spoken in his worde where he calleth vs to his presence frendship but declare his goodnes onelye without regarde of our worthynes And what other thing doth stirre him to call vs to him when we be straied from him to suffer vs paciently to win vs to repentaunce but onelye his singuler goodnes no whit of our deseruyng Let them all come together that be nowe glorified in heauen and let vs heare what aunswere they will make in these poyntes afore rehearsed whether their fyrst creation was in Gods goodnes or of them selues Forsooth Dauid woulde make aunswere for them all and say Knowe ye for suretie euen the Lorde is God he hath made vs and not we our selues If they were asked againe who should be thanked for their regeneration for theyr iustification and for their saluation whether their desertes or Gods goodnes only Although in this poynt euery one confesse sufficiently the truth of this matter in his owne person yet let Dauid aunswere by the mouth of them all at this tyme who cannot choose but saye Not to vs O Lord not to vs but to thy name geue all the thanke for thy louyng mercy and for thy truethes sake If we shoulde aske agayne from whence came their glorious workes and deedes which they wrought in their lyues wherewith God was so hyghly pleased and worshipped by them Let some other witnesse be brought in to testifie this matter that in the mouth of two or three may the truth be knowen Ueryly that holy prophete Esai beareth recorde and sayeth O Lord it is thou of thy goodnesse that hast wrought all our workes in vs not we our selues And to vpholde the truth of this matter agaynst all iusticiaries and hipocrites which rob almyghty God of his honour and ascribe it to them selues saynt Paule bringeth in his beleefe We be not sayeth he sufficient of our selues as of our selues once to thinke any thing but all our ablenes is of Gods goodnes For he it is in whom we haue all our beyng our lyuing and mouing If ye wil know furthermore where they had their gyftes and sacrifices which they offred continually in their liues to almighty god they cannot but agree with Dauid where he sayth Of thy liberal hand O Lord we haue receaued that we gaue vnto thee If this holy company therfore confesseth so constantly that al the goodes and graces wherewith they were indued in soule came of the goodnes of God only what more can be sayde to proue that all that is good commeth from almightie God Is it meete to thynke that all spiritual goodnes commeth from God aboue onely and that other good thinges eyther of nature or of fortune as we call them commeth of any other cause Doeth God of his goodnes adourne the soule with all the powers thereof as it is and commeth the giftes of the body wherwith it is indued from any other If he doth the more can not he do the lesse To iustifie a synner to newe create hym from a wicked person to a ryghteous man is a greater act sayeth S. Augustine then to make such a new heauen
euery where to whom be all honour and glory for euermore ¶ The seconde part of the Homilee for rogation weeke IN the former part of this Homilee good Christian people I haue declared to your contemplation the great goodnes of almightie God in the creation of this world with all the furniture thereof for the vse and comfort of man whereby we might the rather be moued to acknowledge our duetie againe to his maiestie And I trust it hath wrought not onelye credit in you but also it hath moued you to render your thankes secretly in your heartes to almightie God for his louing kyndnes But yet peraduenture some will say that they can agree to this that all that is good parteyning to the soule or what soeuer is created with vs in body should come from God as from the aucthour of all goodnesse and from none other But of suche thinges as be without them both I meane such good things which we call goodes of fortune as riches aucthoritie promotion and honour some men may thynke that they should come of our industrie diligeÌ„ce of our labour and trauayle rather then supernaturally Now then consyder good people if any aucthour there be of suche thinges concurraunt with mans labour and indeuour were it meete to ascribe them to any other then to God as the Panim Philosophers and Poets did erre which toke Fortune and made her a Goddesse to be honoured for such thynges God forbid good Christian people that this imagination shoulde earnestlye be receaued of vs that be worshippers of the true God whose workes and proceedings be expressed manifestly in his worde These be the opinions sayinges of Infidels not of true christians For they indeede as Iob maketh mention beleue and say that God hath his residence resting place in the cloudes consyder nothyng of our matters Epicures they be that imagine that he walketh about the coastes of the heauens and haue no respect to these inferiour thinges but that all these thinges shoulde proceede either by chaunce or at aduenture or els by disposition of fortune and God to haue no stroke in them What other thing is this to say then as the foole supposeth in his heart there is no God Whom we shall none otherwise reproue then with Gods owne words by the mouth of Dauid Heare my people sayeth he for I am thy God thy verye god All the beastes of the wood are myne Sheepe and Oxen that wandreth in the mountaynes I haue the knowledge of all the 〈…〉 les of the ayre the beawty of the feelde is my handy worke myne is the whole circuite of the worlde all the plentie that is in it And againe by the Prophete Hieremie Thinkest thou that I am a God of the place nye me sayeth the Lorde and not a God farre of Can a man hide him selfe in so secrete a corner that I shall not see him Do not I fulfill and replenishe both heauen earth sayth the Lorde whiche of these two shoulde be most beleued Fortune whom they paynte to be blynde of both eyes euer vnstable vnconstant in her wheele in whose handes they saye these thyngs be Or God in whose hand and power these thynges be in deede who for his truth and constance was yet neuer reproued For his sight loketh thorowe heauen and earth and seeth all thinges presently with his eyes Nothing is to darke or hidden from his knowledge not the priuie thoughtes of mennes myndes Trueth it is that of God is all ryches all power all aucthoritie all health wealth prosperitie of the which we shoulde haue no part without his liberal distribution and except it came from hym aboue Dauid first testifieth of rychesse and possesiions If thou geuest good lucke they shall gather and if thou openest thy hand they shal be full of goodnesse but yf thou turnest thy face they shal be troubled And Salomon sayth It is the blessyng of the Lord that maketh riche men To this agreeth that holy woman Anne where she saith in her song It is the Lord that maketh the poore and maketh the riche it is he that promoteth pulleth downe he can rayse a needye man from his miserie from the dounghill he can lyfte vp a poore personage to sit with princes and haue the seate of glory for all the coastes of the earth be his Nowe yf any man wyll aske What shal it auayle vs to knowe that euery good gyft as of nature and fortune so called and euery perfecte gyft as of grace concernyng the soule to be of God and that it is his gyft onlye Forsoothe for many causes is it conuenient for vs to knowe it For so shall we knowe if we confesse the trueth who ought iustly to be thanked for them Our pride shal be thereby abated perceauing naught to come of our selues but sinne and vice yf anye goodnes be in vs to referre all laude prayse for the same to almyghtie god It shal make vs not to aduaunce our selues before our neyghbour to despise him for that he hath fewer giftes seeyng God geueth his giftes where he wyll It shall make vs by the consyderation of our giftes not to extoll our selues before our neyghbours â—t shal make the wyse man not to glory in his wysdome nor the strong man in his strength nor the riche to glory in his riches but in the liuing god which is aucthour of all these lest yf we should do so we myght be rebuked with the wordes of saint Paul What hast thou that thou hast not receaued and if thou hast receaued it why gloriest in thy selfe as though thou haddest not receaued it To confesse that all good thinges commeth from almightie God is a great poynt of wysdome my freendes For so coÌ„fessing we know whyther to resort for to haue them yf we want as saint James bid vs saying If any man wanteth the gyft of wysdome let hym aske it of God that geues it it shal be geuen hym As the wyse man in the want of such a lyke gyft made his recourse to God for it as he testifieth in his booke After I knew sayth he that otherwyse I coulde not be chast except God graunted it and this was as he there wryteth hye wysdome to know whose gyft it was I made haste to the Lorde earnestly besought hym euen from the rootes of my heart to haue it I woulde to God my frendes that in our wantes and necessities we would go to God as saint James biddeth as the wyse man teacheth vs that he dyd I woulde we beleued stedfastly that God only geues them If we did we would not seeke our want and necessitie of the deuil and his ministers so oft as we do as dayly experience declareth it For yf we stand in necessitie of corporal health whyther go the coÌ„mon people but to charmes witchcraftes and other delusions of the deuill If we knewe that god
much more of all spiritual graces behoueable for our soule without whose goodnesse no man is called to fayth or stayed therein as I shall hereafter in the next part of this Homilee declare to you In the meane season forget not what hath alredy ben spoken to you forget not to be conformable in your iudgementes to the trueth of this doctrine and forget not to practise the same in the whole state of your lyfe whereby ye shall obtayne the blessing promised by our sauiour Christ Blessed be they which heare the word of God fulfilleth it in lyfe Whiche blessing he graunt to vs all who raigneth ouer all one God in Trinitie the father the sonne and the holye ghost to whom be all honour and glory for euer Amen ¶ The thirde part of the Homilee for Rogation weeke I Promised to you to declare that all spirituall giftes graces commeth specially from god Let vs consyder the trueth of this matter and heare what is testified fyrst of the gyfte of faith the first entrie into the Christian life without the which no man can please god For S. Paul confesseth it plainely to be Gods gyft saying Fayth is the gyft of god And agayne saint Peter sayth It is of Gods power that ye be kept through fayth to saluation It is of the goodnes of god that we faulter not in our hope vnto him It is verily gods worke in vs the charitie wherwith we loue our brethren If after our fall we repent it is by him that we repent whiche reacheth foorth his mercifull hande to rayse vs vp If any wyll we haue to ryse it is he that preuenteth our wyll disposeth vs therto If after contrition we feele our conscience at peace with god through remission of our sinne and so be reconciled againe to his fauour and hope to be his children inheritours of euerlasting lyfe who worketh these great myracles in vs our worthynesse our deseruinges endeuours our wittes and vertue Nay veryly Saint Paul wyll not suffer fleshe and clay to presume to such arrogancie therfore sayth All is of God which hath reconciled vs to hym selfe by Jesus Christe For God was in Christe when he reconciled the world vnto him selfe GOD the father of all mercie wrought this high benefite vnto vs not by his owne person but by a meane by no lesse meane then his only beloued sonne whom he spared not from any payne trauayle that myght do vs good For vpon him he put our sinnes vpon him he made our raunsome hym he made the meane betwixt vs him selfe whose mediation was so acceptable to GOD the father through his profound and perfect obedience that he toke his acte for a full satisfaction of all our disobedience rebellion whose ryghteousnesse he toke to waye agaynst our sinnes whose redemption he would haue stande agaynst our dampnation In this poynt what haue we to muse within our selues good freendes I thinke no lesse then that which saint Paul sayde in the remembraunce of this wonderfull goodnesse of God Thankes be to almightie God through Christe Jesus our Lorde for it is he for whose sake we receaued this hygh gyft of grace For as by him beyng the euerlastyng wysdome he wrought all the worlde and that is contayned therein So by him only and wholy woulde he haue all thynges restored agayne in heauen and in earth By this our heauenly mediatour therefore do we knowe the fauour and mercie of God the father by him know we his wyll and pleasure towardes vs for he is the brightnesse of his fathers glorye and a verye cleare image and paterne of his substaunce It is he whom the father in heauen delyghteth to haue for his welbeloued sonne whom he aucthorised to be our teacher whom he charged vs to heare saying Heare him It is he by whom the father of heauen doth blesse vs with all spiritual and heauenly giftes for whose sake and fauour writeth saint John we haue receaued grace fauour To this our sauiour mediatour hath God the father geuen the power of heauen and earth and the whole iurisdiction aucthoritie to distribute his goodes and gyftes committed to hym For so wryteth the apostle To euery one of vs is grace geuen accordyng to the measure of Christes geuing And thereupon to execute his aucthoritie committed after that he had brought sinne and the deuill to captiuitie to be no more hurtfull to his members he ascended vp to his father agayne from thence sent liberall gyftes to his welbeloued seruauntes and hath styll the power to the worldes ende to distribute his fathers giftes continually in his Churche to the establishment and comfort thereof And by hym hath almyghtie God decreed to dissolue the world to call al before him to iudge both the quicke and the dead and finally by hym shall he condempne the wicked to eternall fyre in hell and geue the good eternall lyfe and set them assuredly in presence with hym in heauen for euermore Thus ye see how all is of God by his sonne Christe our Lord and sauiour Remember I say once againe your duetie of thankes let thē be neuer to want still ioyne your selfe to continue in thankes geuyng ye can offer to God ne better sacrifice For he sayth hym selfe It is the sacrifice of prayse and thankes that shall honour me Which thyng was well perceaued of that holy prophete Dauid when he so earnestly spake to him selfe thus O my soule blesse thou the Lorde and all that is within me blesse his holy name I say once again O my soule blesse thou the Lorde neuer forget his manifolde rewardes God geue vs grace good people to know these things to feele thē in our heartes This knowledge and feeling is not in our selfe by our selfe it is not possible to come by it a great pitie it were that we shoulde lose so profitable knowledge Let vs therefore meekely cal vpon that bountiful spirite the holy ghost which proceedeth from our father of mercie from our mediatour Christ that he woulde assist vs and inspire vs with his presence that in him we may be able to heare the goodnes of god declared vnto vs to our saluation For without his liuely secrete inspiration can we not once so muche as speake the name of our mediatour as saint Paul plainely testifieth No man can once name our Lorde Jesus Christe but in the holye ghost Much lesse shoulde we be able to beleue knowe these great mysteries that be opened to vs by Christe Saint Paul sayth that no man can knowe what is of god but the spirite of god As for vs sayth he we haue receaued not the spirite of the world but the spirite which is of god for this purpose that in that holye spirite we myght knowe the thynges that be geuen vs by Christe The wyse man sayth that in the power vertue of the holy ghost
which be more meete for brute beastes then for reasonable creatures Saint Peter doth not alowe these thynges but the deuil desyreth them gladly Wherefore take the more heede And yet a man may be a man although he doth not vse such extremitie yea though he should dissemble some thynges in his wyues maners And this is the part of a Christian man which both pleaseth God and serueth also in good vse to the comfort of their mariage state Nowe as concernyng the wyues duetie What shall become her shall she abuse the gentlenes and humanitie of her husbande and at her pleasure turne all thynges vpsyde downe No surely For that is farre repugnaunt agaynst gods commaundement For thus doth Saint Peter preache to them Ye wyues be ye in subiection to obey your owne husband To obey is another thyng then to comptrole or commaund Which yet they may do to their chyldren and to their familie But as for their husbandes them must they obey and ceasse from commaundyng and perfourme subiection For this surelye doth norish concorde very muche when the wyfe is redy at hand at her husbandes commaundement when she wyll apply her selfe to his wyll when she endeuoureth her selfe to seeke his contentation and to do him pleasure when she wyll esche we all thynges that myght offend hym For thus wyll moste truely be verified the saying of the Poet A good wyfe by obeying her husbande shall beare the rule so that he shal haue a delyght and a gladnesse the sooner at al tymes to returne home to her But on the contrary part when the wyues be stubborne froward and malapert their husbandes are compelled therby to abhorre and flee from their owne houses euen as they shoulde haue battayle with their enemies Howbeit it can scantly be but that some offences shal sometyme chaunce betwixt them For no man doth liue without fault specially for that the woman is the more frayle partie Therfore let them beware that they stande not in their faultes and wylfulnesse but rather let them acknowledge their follies and say My husband so it is that by my anger I was compelled to do this or that forgeue it me and hereafter I wyll take better heed Thus ought the women the more redily to do the more they be redy to offende And they shall not do this only to auoyde strife and debate but rather in the respect of the commaundement of God as Saint Paule expresseth it in this fourme of wordes Let women be subiecte to their husbandes as to the Lorde For the husbande is the head of the woman as Christ is the head of the Churche Here you vnderstand that God hath commaunded that ye shoulde acknowledge the aucthoritie of the husbande and referre to hym the honour of obedience And Saint Peter sayth in that place before rehearsed that holy matrones dyd sometyme decke themselues not with gold and syluer but in putting their whole hope in God and in obeying their husbandes as Sara obeyed Abraham calling hym lord whose daughters ye be saith he if ye folowe her example This sentence is very meete for woman to print in their remembraunce Trueth it is that they must specially feele the greefe and paynes of their matrimonie in that they relinquish the libertie of their owne rule in the payne of their traueling in the bryngyng vp of their chyldren In whiche offices they be in great perils and be greued with great afflictions which they might be without if they lyued out of matrimonie But saint Peter sayth that this is the cheefe ornament of holy matrones in that they set their hope and trust in God that is to say in that they refused not from mariage for the busynes therof for the greefes and perils thereof but committed al suche aduentures to God in most sure trust of helpe after that they haue called vppon his ayde O woman do thou the lyke and so shalt thou be most excellently beautified before God and al his angels and saintes and thou needest not to seeke further for doyng any better workes For obey thy husbande take regarde of his requestes and geue heede vnto hym to perceaue what he requireth of thee and so shalt thou honour God and lyue peaceably in thy house And beyond all this God shall folowe thee with his benediction that all thynges shal well prosper both to thee and to thy husband as the Psalme sayth Blessed is the man whiche feareth God and walketh in his wayes thou shalt haue the fruite of thyne owne handes happie shalt thou be and well it shall go with thee Thy wyfe shal be as a vine plentifully spreadyng about thy house Thy chyldren shal be as the young sprynges of the Oliues about thy table â—othus shall that man be blessed sayth Dauid that feareth the Lorde This let the wyfe haue euer in minde the rather admonyshed therto by the apparell of her head whereby is signified that she is vnder couert and obedience of her husbande And as that apparell is of nature so appoynted to declare her subiection So biddeth saint Paul that all other of her rayment shoulde expresse both shame fastnes and sobrietie For if it be not lawful for the woman to haue her head bare but to beare thereon the signe of her power wheresoeuer she goeth more is it required that she declare the thyng that is meant thereby And therefore these auncient women of the old world called their husbandes lordes and shewed them reuerence in obeying them But peraduenture she wyl say that those men loued their wyues in deede I know that wel enough and beare it wel in minde But when I do admonishe you of your dueties then cal not to consideration what their dueties be For when we our selues do teache our chyldren to obey vs as their parentes or when we refourme our seruauntes and tell them that they shoulde obey their maisters not only at the eye but as to the Lorde If they shoulde tell vs agayne our dueties we would not thynke it wel done For when we be admonished al our dueties and faultes we ought not then to seeke what other mens dueties be For though a man had a companion in his fault yet should not he therby he without his fault But this must be onlye loked on by what meanes thou mayst make thy selfe without blame For Adam did lay the blame vpon the woman she turned it vnto the serpeÌ„t but yet neyther of them was thus excused And therefore bryng not suche excuses to me at this tyme but applye al thy diligence to heare thyne obedience to thy husbande For when I take in hande to admonyshe thy husbande to loue thee and to cherishe thee yet wyll I not ceasse to set out the lawe that is appoynted for the woman as well as I woulde requyre of the man what is wrytten for his lawe Go thou therefore about such thynges as becommeth thee only and shew thy selfe tractable to thy husbande Or rather if thou wylt obey
which will seeme to be repentaunt sinners and yet will not forsake their Idolatrie and superstition Secondlye we muste see vnto whom we ought to returne Reuertimini vsque ad me sayeth the Lord that is Returne as farre as vnto me We muste then returne vnto the Lord yea we must returne vnto hym alone for he alone is the trueth and the fountayne of all goodnesse But we muste labour that we do returne as farre as vnto hym and that we do neuer cease nor reste till we haue apprehended and taken holde vpon him But this must be done by fayth For syth that God is a spirite he can by no other meane be apprehended and taken hold vppon Therefore first they do greatly erre which do not turne vnto God but vnto the creatures or vnto the inuentions of men or vnto their owne merites Secondly they that do begin to returne vnto the Lord do faynt in the myd way afore they come to the marke that is appoynted vnto them Thirdly because we haue of our owne selues nothing to present vs to God and do no lesse flee from him after our fall then our fyrst parent Adam did which when he had sinned did seeke to hyde hym selfe from the syght of God we haue nede of a mediatour for to bring and reconcile vs vnto him who for our sinnes is angry with vs The same is Jesus Christe who being true and naturall God equall and of one substaunce with the father did at the tyme appoynted take vpon hym our frayle nature in the blessed virgins wombe that of her vndefyled substaunce that so he myght be a mediatour betwixt God and vs and pacifie his wrath Of hym doeth the father hym selfe speake from heauen saying This is my welbeloued sonne in whom I am wel pleased And he him selfe in his Gospell doth crye out and saye I am the waye the truth and the life no man commeth vnto the father but by me For he alone did with the sacrifice of his body and bloode make satisfaction vnto the iustice of God for our sinnes The Apostles do testifie that he was exalted for to geue repentaunce and remission of sinnes vnto Israel Both whiche thinges he hym selfe did commaunde to be preached in his name Therefore they are greatlye deceaued that preache repentaunce without Christ and teach the simple and ignoraunt that it consisteth onely in the workes of men They may in deede speake many things of good workes and of amendement of lyfe and maners but without Christe they be all vayne and vnprofitable They that thynke that they haue done much of them selues towardes repentaunce are so much more the farther from God because that they do seeke those thinges in their owne workes and merites which ought only to be sought in our sauiour Jesus Christ and in the merites of his death passion and bloodshedding Fourthly this holy prophete Joel doth lyuelye expresse the maner of this our returning or repētaunce comprehendyng all the inward and outwarde thinges that may be here obserued First he will haue vs to returne vnto God with our whole heart whereby he doth remoue and put away all hypocrisie lest the same myght iustly be sayde vnto vs This people draweth neare vnto me with their mouth and worshippeth me with their lippes but their heart is farre of from me Secondlye he requyreth a sincere pure loue of godlynes of the true worshipping and seruice of God that is to say that forsakyng al maner of thinges that are repugnaunt and contrary vnto Gods wil we do geue our heartes vnto him and all the whole strength of our bodyes and soules according to that which is written in the lawe Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule with all thy strength Here therefore nothing is left vnto vs that we may geue vnto the worlde and vnto the lustes of the flesh For sith that the heart is the fountayne of al our works as many as do with their whole heart turne vnto the Lord do liue vnto him onelye Neyther do they yet repent truelye that haltyng on both sydes do otherwhiles obey god but by by do thynk that laying him aside it is lawfull for them to serue the worlde the fleshe And because that we are letted by the natural corruption of our owne fleshe the wycked affections of the same he doeth bid vs also to returne with fasting not thereby vnderstanding a superstitious abstinence and chosing of meates but a true discipline or tamyng of the fleshe whereby the norishmentes of filthy lustes and of stubborne contumacie and pryde may be withdrawen and pluckt awaye from it Whereunto he doth adde weeping and mourning whiche do conteine an outwarde profession of repentaunce which is very needefull necessary that so we may partly set foorth the ryghteousnes of God when by such meanes we do testifye that we deserued punishmentes at his handes and partly stoppe the offence that was openlye geuen vnto the weake This did Dauid see who beyng not content to haue be wept and be wailed his sinnes priuately would publiquelye in his Psalmes declare and set forth the ryghteousnes of God in punishing sinne and also stay them that mought haue abused his example to sinne the more boldely Therfore they are farthest from true repentaunce that wyll not confesse and acknowledge their sinnes nor yet bewaile them but rather do most vngodly glory and reioyce in them Now least any man shoulde thinke that repentaunce doeth consist in outward weeping and mourning onely he doth rehearse that wherein the cheefe of the whole matter doth lye when he sayth Rent your heartes and not your garmentes and turne vnto the Lord your god For the people of the East part of the worlde were wont to rent theyr garmentes if anye thing had happened vnto them that seemed intollerable This thing did hypocrites sometyme counterfaite and followe as though the whole repentaunce did stande in suche outwarde gesture He teacheth then that an other maner of thing is requyred that is that they be contrite in their heartes that they must vtterlye detest and abhorre sinnes and being at defyaunce with them returne vnto the Lorde theyr God from whom they went awaye before For God hath no pleasure in the outwarde ceremonie but requyreth a contrite and humble heart which he will neuer dispyse as Dauid doth testifie There is therefore none other vse to these outwarde ceremonies but as farre foorth as we are stirred vp by them and do serue to the glorie of God and to the edifying of other Now doth he adde vnto this doctrine or exhortation certayne godlye reasons whiche he doeth grounde vpon the nature and propertie of God and whereby he doth teach that true repentaūce can neuer be vnprofitable or vnfruitfull For as in all other thinges mens heartes do quaile and faynt if they once perceaue that they trauayle in
Peter They therefore that haue no mynde at all neyther to reade nor yet to heare Gods word there is but smal hope of them that they wil as muche as once set their feete or take holde vpon the fyrst staffe or steppe of this ladder but rather will sinke deeper and deeper into the bottomlesse pit of perdition For if at anye tyme through the remorse of their conscience which accuseth them they feele any inwarde greefe sorowe or heauines for their sinnes forasmuch as they want the salue and comfort of Gods worde which they do dispyse it will be vnto them rather a meane to bryng them to vtter desperation then otherwyse The seconde is an vnfayned confession and acknowledgyng of our sinnes vnto God whom by them we haue so greeuouslye offended that if he shoulde deale with vs accordyng to his iustyce we do deserue a thousande helles if there coulde be so manye Yet if we wyll with a sorowfull and contrite hearte make an vnfayned confession of them vnto God he will freely and frankly forgeue them so put all our wickednes out of remembraunce before the syght of his maiestie that they shall no more be thought vppon Hereunto doth parteyne the golden saying of the holy prophet Dauid where he sayth on this maner Then I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee neither did I hyde myne iniquitie I sayde I will confesse agaynst my selfe my wickednes vnto the Lorde thou forgauest the vngodlines of my sinne These are also the wordes of John the Euangelist If we confesse our sinnes God is faythfull ryghteous to forgeue vs our sinnes to make vs cleane from all our wickednes Which ought to be vnderstanded of the confession that is made vnto god For these are saint Augustines wordes That confession whiche is made vnto God is requyred by Gods lawe whereof John the apostle speaketh saying If we confesse our sinnes God is faythfull and ryghteous to forgeue vs our sinnes and to make vs cleane from all our wickednesse For without this confession sinne is not forgeuen This is then the cheefest most principal confession that in the scriptures worde of God we are bydden to make and without the whiche we shal neuer obteyne pardon and forgeuenesse of our sinnes In deede besydes this there is another kynde of confession whiche is needefull and necessarye And of the same doth Saint James speake after this maner saying Acknowledge your faultes one to another and praye one for another that ye may be saued As if he should saye Open that whiche greeueth you that a remedye maye be founde And this is commaunded both for hym that complayneth for hym that heareth that the one should shew his greefe to the other The true meaning of it is that the faythfull ought to acknowledge their offences whereby some hatred rancour grudge or malyce hauyng rysen or growen among them one to another that a brotherlye reconciliation maye be had without the which nothing that we do can be acceptable vnto God as our sauiour Jesus Christ doth witnesse himselfe saying When thou offerest thyne offeryng at the aulter if thou remembrest that thy brother hath ought agaynst thee leaue there thyne offryng go and be reconciled and when thou art reconciled come and offer thine offring It may also be thus taken that we ought to confesse our weakenesse and infirmities one to another to the ende that knowing eche others frailnesse we may the more earnestly pray together vnto almyghtye God our heauenly father that he will vouchsafe to pardon vs our infirmities for his sonne Jesus Christes sake and not to impute them vnto vs when he shall render to euery man according to his workes And where as the aduersaries go about to wrest this place for to maynteyne their auriculer confession withal they are greatlye deceaued themselues and do shame fullye deceaue others For if this texte ought to be vnderstanded of auriculer confession then the Priestes are as muche bounde to confesse them selues vnto the laye people as the lay people are bound to confesse them selues to them And if to pray is to absolue then the laytie by this place hath as great aucthoritie to absolue the priestes as the priestes haue to absolue the laytie This dyd Iohannes Scotus otherwyse called Duns well perceaue who vppon this place wryteth on this maner Neyther doth it seeme vnto me that James dyd geue this commaundement or that he dyd set it foorth as beyng receaued of Christe For fyrst and foremoste whence had he aucthoritie to bynde the whole Churche syth that he was only Byshoppe of the Churche of Hierusalem except thou wylt saye that the same Church was at the beginnyng the head Church and consequently that he was the head Byshop which thyng the sea of Rome wyll neuer graunt The vnderstandyng of it then is as in these wordes Confesse your synnes one to another A perswasion to humilitie whereby he wylleth vs to confesse our selues generally vnto our neyghbours that we are synners accordyng to this saying If we say we haue no synne we deceaue our selues and the trueth is not in vs And where that they do alleage this saying of our sauiour Jesu Christe vnto the Leaper to proue auriculer confession to stande on Gods worde Go thy way and shewe thy selfe vnto the prieste Do they not see that the Leaper was cleansed from his leprosie afore he was by Christ sent vnto the priest for to shewe hym selfe vnto hym By the same reason we must be cleansed from our spirituall leprosie I meane our synnes muste be forgeuen vs afore that we come to confession What neede we then to tell foorth our synnes into the eare of the priest sith that they be alredy taken away Therefore holy Ambrose in his seconde sermon vpon the hundred and nyneteenth Psalme doth say full well Go shewe thy selfe vnto the prieste Who is the true prieste but he whiche is the prieste for euer after the order of Melchisedech Whereby this holy father doth vnderstande that both the priesthood and the law beyng chaunged we ought to acknowledge none other prieste for delyueraunce from our synnes but our Sauiour Jesus Christe who beyng our soueraigne Byshop doth with the sacrifice of his body and blood offered once for euer vppon the aulter of the crosse moste effectuallye cleanse the spirituall leprosie and washe awaye the synnes of all those that with true confession of the same do flee vnto hym It is moste euident and playne that this auriculer confession hath not his warraunt of Gods worde els it had not ben lawfull for Nectarius Byshoppe of Constantinople vpon a iust occasion to haue put it downe For when any thyng ordeyned of God is by the lewdenes of men abused the abuse ought to be taken awaye and the thyng it selfe suffered to remayne Moreouer these are Saint Augustines wordes What haue I to do with men that they shoulde heare my confession as though they