which he declareth the message of god If he preach before a kinge let hys matter be concerninge the office of a king if before a bishop then let him treate of bishoply duties and orders and so forth in other matters as time and audience shall require I haue thought it good to inteate vpon these wordes folowing which are written in the. xvii Chapter of Deuteronomy Cū veneris in terrā quā Dominus Deus dat tibi possede risque eam c. That is Whē thou art come vnto the land which the Lord thy God geueth the and enioyest it and dwellest therein If thou shalt say I will set a kinge ouer me like vnto all the nations that are about me Then thou shalt make him kinge ouer the whome the Lord thy god shall chose One of thy brethrē must thou make king ouer the and mayst not set a stranger ouer the which is not of thy brethren But in any wise let him not hold to many horses that he bring not the people againe to Egipt thorowe the multitude of horses for as much as the Lord hath sayd vn to you ye shall henre forth go no more againe that waye Also he shal not haue to many wiues lest his hart turne away nether shal he gather hym syluer and golde to much As in diuers other places of scripture is mete matter for al 〈◊〉 So in this foresayd place is discribed chefly the doctrine fit for a king But who is worthy to vtter th is doctrine before oure most noble king Not I God knoweth which am through age both weak in body obliuious 〈◊〉 apt I am not only because of painful study but also for that short warning Wel vnto god I wil make my mone who neuer fayled me Auxiliator in necessitatibus God is my helper in all my all my necessities To him alone wil I make my peticion To praye vnto sayntes departed I am not taught to desire like grace of god as they had right godly it is or to belene god to be no lesse merciful vnto vs being faithful then he was vnto them greatly comfortable it is Therfore only vnto god let vs lift vp our hartes and saye the loros prayer Cum veneris c. When thou arte come vnto the lande which the Lorde c. Thou shalt appoynt him kinge c. One of the brethren muste thou make kinge ouer the and must not set a straunger ouer the whych is not of thy brethren But in any wise let not such one prepare vnto him selfe many horses that he bring not c. Furthermore let him not prepare vnto him selfe many wiues leaste his he arte receede from god Nor he shall not 〈◊〉 vnto him selfe to much golde and syluer As the text doth rise I wil touch and go a little in euery place vn till I come vnto to much I will touch all the forsayd thin ges but not to much The texte is when thou shalte come into the lād c. To haue a king the Isralits did with much importunity cal vnto god god lōg before promised them a king and they were full certified therof that god had pro mised that thinge For vnto Abraham he said Ego crescere te faciam vehementer ponamque te in gentes sed et reges ex te prodibunt That is I will multiply the excedingly and will make nations of the yea and kings shall spring out of the These wordes were spoken long before 〈◊〉 children of Israell had any king Not withstanding yet God prescribed vnto them an order how they should chose their king and what manner a man he should be where he sayth whan thou shalt come into the land c. As who should say O ye children of Israell I know your nature right well which is euill and inclined vnto al euils I know that thou wilt chose a king to raigne ouer the and to appere glorious in the face of the worlde after the manners of Gentyles But because thou art 〈◊〉 necked wilde and art geuen to walke without a brydell and lyne Therfore now I wyll preuent thy euill and beastly manners I wil hedge strōgly thy way I will make a durable lawe whiche shall compell thee to walke ordinatly and in a playne way that is thou shalt not 〈◊〉 thee a king after thy will and fantasy but after me thy Lorde and God Thus God condicioned with the Iewes that their king should be such a one as he himselfe would chose them This was not much vnlyke a bargayn that I herd of late should be betwixte two frinds for a horse the owner promised the other should haue the horsse if he would the other axed the price he sayd xx nobles The other would geue him but iiii pound the owner said he should not haue him then The other claymed the horsse because he said he should haue him if he woulde Thus this bargain became a Westminster matter the law yers gote twyse the valure of the horse and whē all came to all two fooles made an ende of the matter Howbeit the Israelites could not go to law with God for chosyng their king for would they nyl they theyr king shoulde be of his chosyng lest they should walke inordinatly in a deceiuable way vnto their vtter losse and destruction For as they say cōmonly Qui 〈◊〉 plane vadit sane that is he that walketh plaiuly walketh safly As the Iewes were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were euer redy to walk inordinatly no lesse are we English men geuen to vnto wardnes and inordinate walking after our owne fantasies and braynes We wil walk without the limites of Gods word we will chose a kynge at our owne pleasure But let vs learn to frame our liues after the noble king Dauid which when he had many occasions geuen of king Saule to warke euill for euill yea and hauing many times oportunitie to perfourme mischief and to slay kyng Saule Neuertheles yet fearing would not folow his fleshly affections and walke inordinatly without the will of Gods worde which be confessed alwayes to be his direction saying Lucerna 〈◊〉 ineis ver 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 et lumen semitis meis Thy worde O Lorde is a Lanterno vnto my feet aud a lyght vnto my steppes Thus hauing in minde to walke ordinatly he did alwaies 〈◊〉 to do euil For when kyng Saul was in a caue with out any man Dauid and his men sitting by the sydes of the caue yea and Dauids men mouing hym to kill Saull Dauid made answer sayd vnto them Seruet me dominus ne rem istam c. contra dominum meū Messiam c. That is The Lord kepe me from doing this thing vnto my master that is the Lordes anoynted At another tyme also moued by Abisay to kyll Saull slepyng Dauid sayd Ne interficias e dt u quis enim impune manū suā inferret 〈◊〉 domino c. That is Destroy him
let them alone This was a good mynde in Dauid there be but fewe kynges now that wold do so Now at the length god was moued with pitye and sayde vnto the angell Sufficit contine manum it is though leaue of by and by the plague cessed Where you see how redye the aungels of GOD bee to doe the Lordes commaÌ„vemit After that Dauid was minded to be thankfull vn to god offer a great sacrifice vnto him so remoue that wrath of god And therfore he made sute to one of his subiects for cer tain grouÌ„ds to build an altar vpoÌ„ that same maÌ„ was willing to geue it vnto that king frely But Dauid wold not take it at his handes where kings 〈◊〉 learne that it is not lauful for them to take a way other mennes landes to their owne vse This good kig Dauid wold not take it wheÌ„ it was offred vnto him He did not as Achab that wicked 〈◊〉 which did Naboth wroÌ„gin taking away his vinyard against his wil. An other ensaÌ„ple wherin apereth how diligeÌ„ily that angels do gods coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„ts Senacherib king of that 〈◊〉 hauiÌ„g a capitam called 〈◊〉 which capitaine after that he had besieged HierusaleÌ„ spake 〈◊〉 words against god that almighty sayeÌ„g to that Iewes Think you that your god is able to help you or to defeÌ„d you froÌ„ my haÌ„d Now Ezechias that good kyng hering such blasphemo ' words to be speke agaist god fel to praier desired god for aide sent for the prophet Esai asked him couÌ„sel Th end was god sent his angels which killed an Clxxx. v. thousaÌ„d of that AssiriaÌ„s in one night that king him self scaÌ„t escaped with great daÌ„ger feare gat him home Here you see what a god our god is whose wil we ought to do Therfore let vs endeuor our selues to do his wil pleasure whan we ar not able to do it as we be not in dede let vs call vnto him for helpe and ayde The other heaueÌ„ is called a corporal heueÌ„ where that son the moone the starrs ar which heaueÌ„ doth gods coÌ„mandemeÌ„t to As it appereth in that bokes of Iosue that kings how that son stode at that coÌ„mandemeÌ„t of god IteÌ„ how that shadow went backward like as Job saith Precepisti soli 〈◊〉 noÌ„ oritur Thou gauest coÌ„ maÌ„dement to that sun it arose not therfore at that coÌ„mandement of god thei kepe their ordinaric course as god hath coÌ„manded them in that first beginning IteÌ„ the raine that snowe come at his coÌ„mandemiÌ„ts in suÌ„ma nothing rebelleth in his estate wherin it was set at that first but Man that man will not be ruled by him all other things be obedieut rain cometh whaÌ„ god wil haue it snow at his time We rede in Achabs time that Elias that pro phete 〈◊〉 that raine for iii. yere vi monthes for to punishe the people wherof folowed a great dearth Afterward at that request of the same Elias god sent raine whiche tempered the groud to bring frutes I think there be some Elias abroade at this time which stoppeth the raine we haue not had rayne a good whyle Therfore lette vs praye to God that we maye do his wil and than we shal haue al things necessary to soule body For what was this Elias obnoxiê° affectibê° a sinfull maÌ„ borne coÌ„cesued in sin yet god seing his confideÌ„ce grauÌ„ted his requests For he was a maÌ„ that feared that lord trusted in him therfore god loued him heard his praier Therfore I say let vs do as he did thaÌ„ god wil heare our praiers but we are flesh ly we are carnal we do caÌ„ nothig perfectly as we ought to do wherfore we haue nede to say with s. Augustine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preci pis precipe quod uis Lord do thou with in me what thou coÌ„mauÌ„ dest then coÌ„mauÌ„d what thou wilt For we of our own streÌ„gth power are not able to do his commauÌ„demeÌ„ts but that lack oursa uior wil supply with his fulfillig with his perfectnes he wil take away our imperfectnes Now since we haue spokeÌ„ muche of praier I wil desire you let vs pray together so make an end but you must pray with a penitent heart For god wil not heare that praier that procedeth from an impenitent heart it is abominable in his sight I desire you to say after me Our father c. Amen The. v. sermon vpon the Lordes praier made by maister Hugh Latymer PAneÌ„ nostruÌ„ quotidianuÌ„ da nobis hodie Giue vs this day our daily bread This is a very good praier if a body shold say no more at one time but that for as we see our nede so we shall pray whan we see goddes name to be dishonoured 〈◊〉 and yl 〈◊〉 of then a maÌ„ a saithfull maÌ„ should say Our father which art in heauen halowed be thy name Whan wee see the deuill reigne and all the worlde folowe his kingdeme then we maye saye Our father vvhiche art in heauen thy kingdome come Whan we see that the worlde foloweth her owne desyres and lustes and not goddes wyll and his commaundementes and it greeueth vs to see thys we 〈◊〉 sorye for it we shall make oure 〈◊〉 vnto god for it 〈◊〉 Oure father whiche art in heauen Fiat voluntas 〈◊〉 Thy 〈◊〉 be done when we lacke necessaries for the maintenance of this lyfe euery thing is dere then we may say Our father which art in heauen giue vs this day our dayly bread Therfore as we see cause so we should pray And it is better to say one of these short prayers with a good faythe then the whole psalter without fayth By this nowe that I haue sayde you maye perceiue that the common opinion and estimation whiche the people haue had of this prayer the lordes praier I saye is farre from that that it is in deede For it was 〈◊〉 for nothing for whaÌ„ we bee disposed to despise a man and call him an ignoraunte foole we say he can not say his 〈◊〉 noster and so we made it a lighte matter as though euery man knew it But I tell you it is a great matter it conteineth waightie thynges if it be wayed to the very bottome as a learned man coulde doe but as for me that that I haue learned out of the holy scripture and learned mens bookes which expounde the same I wyll she we vnto you but I entende to be short I haue bene very long before in the other petitions which some thyng expounde those that folow therfore I will not tarye so long in them as I haue done in the other Geue vs this day our dayly bread Euery woorde is to be considered for they haue their importance This word bread signifieth all maner of sustinance for the preseruation of this life all thinges whereby man shoulde lyue are contayned in this word Breade
CERTAYN GODLY Sermons made vppon the lords Prayer preached by the right reuerende Father and constant martyr of Christ Master Hughe Latymer before the ryght honorable and vertuous Lady Katherine Duches of Suffolke in the yeare of our Lorde 1553. Whereunto are annexed certaine other sermons preached by the sayde reuerende Father in Lincolneshire which were gathered and collected by Augustine Bernher a seruaunt of his though not so perfectly as they were vttered yet faythfully truly to the singuler commoditie profyt of the christē reader faythfully perused alowed according to thorder appointed in the Queens Maiesties Iniunctions ¶ Repent repent for the kingdom of God is at hande Math. 3. ¶ Imprinted at Lōdon by Iohn Day dwelling ouer Aldersgate ¶ Cumgratia priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis per septennium An. 1562. ¶ To the right honorable the Lady Katherine Duches of Suffolke Augustine Bernher wisheth the grace of God 〈◊〉 the increase of all heauenly vertues to her graces eternall comfort in Iesus Christ. THat princely prophet Dauid describing the peruerse nature and wicked properties of the vngodlie and reprobates amongst other crimes wherof he 〈◊〉 accuse them he laith also to theyr charge that they haue not called vpon God By the whiche wordes he doth manifestly teache that they whiche doo not geue themselues to 〈◊〉 and saythfull prayer and 〈◊〉 ge of the name of God are in the number of those whiche doo saye in theyr hartes there is no God For as the Godly by theyr earnest and continuall praying and praysing of the name of God doo declare their reuerend feare they beare towardes his diuine maiestye and theyr vnfayned loue the whiche is grafted in their harts by the gratious and diuine spirit towardes their heauenly and most louing father by the whiche they ar incoraged willingly and chearfully to walke in the waye of Godlynes and to frame their lyues to the will and pleasure of him whom they feare and loue So on the contrarye syde the vngodly in that they doo not call vppon their God neither prayse him most euidently declare that they stand not in awe of him nor loue him but rather despise him as one that is neither able to hurte or pleasure them By thys now that I haue sayed it doth manifestly appeare that as saythfull and trew prayer is the occasion of all goodnes and godlynes so thomitting neglecting of the same is the rote cause of all sinne mischief And that wil be more euident vnto them that doo consider with thē selues these two principall partes wherin trew prayer doth consist The fyrst part of true praier is called in that hebrew tōg Thephilah the which sig 〈◊〉 Iudicij vel cōdēnationis deprecatīonē a harty ernest request suplica tiō made vnto god theternal iudge for the remission pardon of synnes the which request procedeth frō the harte that is anguished by the ougsome sight of his wickednes reueled by the brightnes of the law of God The other part of prayer is called in that same tōg Thehillah Laus a prayse of gods mercies the which doth folow the former request For whē the hart so an guished hath poured out his grief is by the spirit of God certifyed that hys synnes be forgeuen his prayer hearde for Christes sake by and by it bursteth out into a ioyful praysing of the name of the Lord who so graciously hath shewed hymselfe in geuing comfort vnto hys sorowfull conscience In these two partes of prayer the Children of God doo exercise them selues that is in lamenting of their synnes and in reioysing in the forgeuenesse of the same the whiche consisteth in the deathe of Christe Wheruppon the third parte foloweth the which is to craue at their fathers hands suche thynges as be nedefull for them in this worlde Nowe he that beholdeth diligently the state of the worlde shall 〈◊〉 perceaue that the most part of men are geuē vp to theyr owne harts iust because they be 〈◊〉 of that most comfortable spirit of prayer Who doth not see that the principall occasion of this horrible 〈◊〉 the whiche of all states of men is showed towardes the 〈◊〉 God hapneth by the reasō that men do not passe for theyr sinnes do light ly regard them so do not craue 〈◊〉 of them at Gods handes ney ther be 〈◊〉 If men did exercise themselues in faythfull prayer did vse to examine themselues by the rule of the law of God in the which glasse they may sone 〈◊〉 theyr owne fylthines they would no doute with great diligence consider the great and 〈◊〉 benefites of the Lord theyr god shewed vnto them euen in these our dayes Fyrst how gratiously he gaue vs the light of the Gospell in kyng Edwards time for the space of seuen yeares After the whiche tyme by the reason of oure vnthankefulnes he most 〈◊〉 plaged vs and toke the same away agayne and caused by the deuils hangmen the papists I meane darknes blind nes and most pestiferous doctrine to be brought into the churche by reason wherof a greate number that had before no lust to the truth euen by Gods iust iudgement were thē deceaued by lyes and so peryshed eternallye And yet notwithstanding the faythful Lord in al these tormoylings preserued hys seruauntes geuing vnto a number of them suche a princely spirit that they were able to deride laugh to scorne the threatnings of the tyrauntes to despyse the terriblenes of prisons and torments and in the ende moste ioyfullye to ouercome and conquer deathe to the praise of God and theyr owne endles comforte Unto other some the 〈◊〉 same most gratious God gaue suche a 〈◊〉 spirite that they were able by hys grace to forsake the pleasures and commodityes of this worlde and being armed with patience wer content to trauell into far and vnknowē countreyes with theyr familyes and housholdes hauing small worldlye prouision or none at all but trustyng to hys prouidence who neuer forsaketh them that truste in hym Besydes this ' the same God preserued a greate number euen in the middest of their enemyes not onlye from bodely daungers but also from being infected with that poysoned and blasphemous doctrine that then in allopē 〈◊〉 with shameles brags and ostentation was set abrode I will not speake now of that wonderfull work of God who caused his word to be preached and his sacramēts ministred euen in the midste of the enemyes in spyte of the deuill and all hys ministers These thinges the Lorde wroughte most gratiously for hys people But whē the time came that the measure of wickednes of the wicked was full the selfe same God euen of his owne mercy and by his owne power confounded his enemyes by the meanes of our most gratious La dy the Queenes maiestie for whose prosperous estate and preseruation the God of mercye graunte vnto all faythfull Christians grace most instantly to praye her most ioyfull comming to the imperiall croune of this Realm
lyuers they helpe to multiplie the kingdome of the deuill To this heauenly kyngdome our sauioure exhorteth vs sayeng Querite primum regnum Dei iustitiam eius caetera omnia aducientur vobis Seeke first the kyngdome of god and his rightuousnesse and all other thinges shall come vpon you vnloked for Cast all thy care vpon god as Dauid saith Iacta super dominum curam tuā Then our principall studie shal be to heare gods worde and whan we haue 〈◊〉 it we 〈◊〉 beleue it and folowe it euery man in his vocation Then seruants shall yeld their obedience to their maisters as god requireth of thē Thē the parentes shal bryng vp their chyldren in the feare of god Than the children shall be obedient to their parentes Then subiects shall be obedient to their kyng and prince and all his officers vnder hym So goe thorough out all estates euery one shall lyue vpryghtely in his callyng than god wyll blesse vs so that we shall not lacke necessaries in this worlde and than at the ende we shall come to that perfect 〈◊〉 and ioy that god hath layd vp and prepared for them that studie here to lyue accordyng to his will and commaundemente But we must labour and trauaile as long as we be in this worlde we muste be occupied For saint Paule sayth Si quis non vult operari nec manducet Who soeuer wil not labour let hym not eate Likewise Dauid saith Labores manuum tuarum comedes bene tibi erit Thou shalt eate the labours of thy hande and it shall go well with the. For he that wil labour and is contente to trauaile for his lyuing god will prosper hym he shall not lacke Lette euery man therefore laboure in his 〈◊〉 For so dydde oure Sauioure hym selfe whiche came into this worlde to teache vs the waye to heauen and to suffer deathe for vs. Nowe howe 〈◊〉 he hath ben in his office it appereth euery where For the Enangeliste sayeth I oquebatur Illis de regno Dei he talked with theim of the kyngdome of GOD. Marke here he taught them of the kyngdome of God he taughte them nothynge of the kyngdome of this worlde For he sayth standyng before Pylate Regnum meum non est de hoc mundo My kyngdome is not of this worlde He reigneth by faith thorough his holy ghoste in all those whiche pertain vnto hym He is not an earthly kyng 〈◊〉 the Jewes hope to haue their Messias Therfore whan I fele such motions within me than is it tyme to call vpon God for suche motions come of the deuill therfore I must tunne to God sayeng Thy kyngdom come moste louyng father healpe thou fyght thou for me agaynst my enemies suffre me not to be taken prisoner lette not my 〈◊〉 haue the victorie ouer me So we muste call vpon god without 〈◊〉 For you may be sure we shall neuer bee without battaile trauaile and we are not able to withstande our aduersarie by oure owne power Therfore it is most nedefull for vs to call and crye vnto hym for helpe When we doo so than we shall haue grace to withstande the deuyll For he can not neither is he able to striue with God for all his crafte For Scripture sayth Non est consilium contra dominum No wisedome no craft can preuayle agaynste the Lorde He will healpe and delyuer vs whan he seeth his tyme. For commonly the nature of God is to healpe whan all mans helpe is past whan the 〈◊〉 thynketh himselfe cocksure than GOD commeth and subuerteth his wycked intentes as it appeared in our sauiour hymselfe For when the deuyll had brought the Iewes to suche a madnes that they wente and crucified hym whan this was 〈◊〉 the deuyll triumphed and made mery he thought hymselfe sure mough of hym But what was the ende of it his triumphyng was turned to his owne destruction For Christe hangyng vppon the Crosse dyd by his deathe destroye the power of the deuyll So wee see howe GOD suffereth the deuyll for a whyle and then when he seeth his tyme he commeth wyth hys gracious helpyng hande But as I told you before the diuell hath many inuentions many impedimentes and lettes wherewith he trappeth vs. For we see there bee a great many gospellers whiche begunne very well and godlye but nowe the moste parte of theym become ambicious and couetous personnes all the worlde is full of suche fellowes But what than God wyll preserue hys kyngdome he wil wrastle wyth the deuylles kyngdome and so shall preuayle and pull it downe to the bottome Therfore all those whiche bee in the kyngdome of GOD must wrastle stryue and fighte with the diuell not as the carnall gospellers doe whiche commonly begyn wel at the 〈◊〉 but nowe hauyng rest and tranquillitie and al things goyng with them they leaue the Gospell and sette theyr myndes vpon thys naughtye worlde Therfore it is good and needefull for vs to haue afflictions and exercises for as sainct Augustine sayeth 〈◊〉 Christianorum est veluti semen fructuū Euāgelicorum For whan one is hanged here and another yonder then God goeth a sowyng of his seede For lyke as the corne that is cast into the 〈◊〉 ryseth vppe agayne and is multiplied euen so the bloude of one of those whyche suffre for Goddes woordes sake sturreth vppe a greate manye and happye is he to whome it is geuen to suffre for Goddes holye woordes sake For it is the greatest promotion that a man canne haue in thys worlde to dye for Goddes sake or to be despysed and contemned for hys sake For they shalbce well rewarded for theyr paynes and laboures Merces vestra multa est in coelis Youre rewarde sayeth our Sauiour shal be great in 〈◊〉 Further whan we saye Adueniat regnum 〈◊〉 Thy kyngdome come we desyre of GOD that there may come more and more to the knowledge of Goddes worde And 〈◊〉 we desyre of GOD to brynge those whiche bee come alreadye to the perfecte knowledge of hys woorde andso to kepe them in it still to the verye ende for not he that beginneth but he that endureth shal be saued This kyngdome of GOD is double Regnum gratiae regnum 〈◊〉 The kyngdome of grace and the kyngdome of glorye honour ioye and felicitye As longe as we be in this worlde we be in the kingdome of grace whan we are gone than we shall come to the kyngdome of glorie For as long as we be here god sheweth himselfe vnto vs by grace he ascertaineth vs thorough his spirite of his fauoure and so he reigneth within vs by grace But whan we bee ones gone than we shall see hym face to face which we cannot as long as we be here For he 〈◊〉 hymself vnto vs not soplainly as he doth vnto his angels which be with hym in the kyngdome of glorie Therfore whan we say Thy kingdome come we
worldly thynges than GOD and his worde shall bee shutte out from his supper that is to say from euerlastyng ioy and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is a great matter to despyse Gods woorde or the mynister of the same for the office of preachynge is the office of saluation it hathe warrantes in Scripture it is grounded vpon Gods worde 〈◊〉 Paule to the Romaines maketh a gradation of suche wyse Omnis quicunque 〈◊〉 no men domini saluabitur quomodo ergo inuocabunt in quem nō 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quomodo credent 〈◊〉 quem non 〈◊〉 That is to say who soeuer shall 〈◊〉 on the name of the Lord shal be saued but how shal they call vpon hym in whom they beleue not how shal they beleue on him of whom they haue not herd How shal thei heare without a 〈◊〉 And how shal they 〈◊〉 except they be set At the length be concludeth sayeng Fi les ex 〈◊〉 faith commeth by hearyng where ye may perceiue how necessarye a thyng it is to heare gods word and how needefull a thing it is to haue preachers which may teach vs the worde of god for by 〈◊〉 we must come to faith thorough faithe we must bee instified And therfore Christe saieth himselfe Qui credit in me habet vitam aeternam he that beleueth in me hath eucrla styng lyfe When we heare gods worde by the preacher and beleue that same then we shall be saued for s. Paule sayeth Euangelium est potentia dei ad salutem omm credenti the gospel is the power of god vnto saluation to all that beleue the gospel preached is gods power to the saluation of all beleuers this is a greate commendation of this 〈◊〉 of preachyng therfore we ought not to despise it or little regarde it for it is gods instrument whereby he worketh faith in oure heartes Our Sauiour saith to Nicodeme Nisi quis renatus fuerit except a man be borne a new he can not see the kingdome of god But how commeth this regeneration by hearyng and beleuyng of the worde of god for so saith s. Peter Renati non ex semine mortali corruptibili we are borne a newe not of mortall seede but of immortall by the word of god Likewise Paule sayth in an other place Visum est deo per 〈◊〉 predicationis saluos facore 〈◊〉 It pleased god to saue the beleuers thorough the foolishnes of preachyng But peraduenture you will say What shall a preacher teach foolishnes No not so the preacher when he is a right preacher he preacheth not foolishnes but he preacheth the word of god but it is taken for foolishnes the worlde estemeth it for a trifyll but howsoeuer the world estemeth it S. Paule sayeth that god will saue hys thorough it Here I myghte take occasion to inueigh agaynste those whiche little regarde the office of preachyng which are wont to say what nede we such prechings euery day Haue I not syue wyttes I know as well what is good or yll as he doth that preacheth But I tel thee my friende be not to hasty for whā thou hast nothyng to follow but thy syue wyttes thou shalte goe to the deuyll wyth them Dauid that holye Prophete saide not so he trusted not his fiue wittes but he said Lucerna pedibus meis verbum tuum domine Lord thy word is a candell vnto my feete here we learne not to despise the worde of god but highly to esteme it and reuerently to heare it for that holy day is ordeined apointed to none other thing but that we should at that day heare the word of god exercyse our selues in al godlines but there be some which think that this day is ordeyned only for feastyng drinking or gaming or such foolishnes but they be much deceiued this daye was apointed of god that we should heare his worde and learne his lawes and so serue him but I dare say the deuyll hathe no dayes so muche seruice as vpon sondayes or holye dayes which sondaies are apointed to preaching and to heare gods most holy worde therfore god saith not only in his commaū dements that we shall abstayne from working but he sayth sanctificabis thou shalt halow so that holyday keping is nothing els but to abstein from good workes and to do better workes that is to come together and celebrate the communion together and visite the sicke bodies these are holy dais workes And for that ende god commaunded vs to abstayne frō bodily works that we might be more mete apt to do those workes which he hath apointed vnto vs namely to fede our soules with his worde to remember his benefites to geue him thankes and to cal vpon him So that the holy day may be called a mariage daye wherein we are maried vnto god which day is very nedeful to be kept The foolishe common people thinketh it to be a belly 〈◊〉 day and so they make it a 〈◊〉 daye there is no wickednes no rebellion no 〈◊〉 but she hath most commonly her beginning vpō the holy day We read a story in the 15. chapiter of the booke of that Numbers That there was a 〈◊〉 which gathered sticks vpō the Sabboth day he was a 〈◊〉 of gods ordinances and lawes like as they that now a dayes go about other busines whan they should heare the worde of God and come to the common prayer whiche felowes truelye haue nede of sauce to be made more lustier to come and fede vpon Christ than they be Now Moses and the people consulted with the lord what they should do how thei should punish that felow which had so transgressed the Saboth day he shall dye sayth god which thing is an ensample for vs to take 〈◊〉 that we transgresse not the law of the Sabboth day for though God punish vs not by and by as this man was punished yet he is the very self same god that he was before and wil punish one day eyther here or els in the other worlde where the punishment shal be euerlasting Likewise in the 17. chapiter of the prophet Hieremy god threateneth his fearefull wrath anger vnto those which do 〈◊〉 his sabboth day Again he promiseth his fauour and all prosperity to them that will kepe the holy dayes sayeng princes and kynges shal go thorough thy gates that is to say thou shalt be in prosperity in wealth and greate estimation amongest thy neighbours Agayn yf ye will not kepe my sabboth day I will kyndell a fyre in your gates that is to saye I will destroy you I wyll bryng you to naught and burne your cities with fire These wordes pertain as well vnto vs at this tyme as they pertained to them at their tyme for god hateth the dishallowyng of the Saboth as wel now as then for he is and remaineth stil the old god he wil haue vs to kepe his Saboth as well now as then for vpon the Saboth day goddes sede plough goeth that
our damnation So all the yll thoughtes that ryse vp in our heartes are veniall as long as we consent not vnto them to fulfyll them with the deede I put the case Iosephe had not resisted the temptations of his maisters wyfe but had folowed her and fulfilled the acte of 〈◊〉 wyth her had wayed the matter after a worldlye 〈◊〉 thinking I haue my mistresse fauour alreadye and so by that meane I shall haue my maisters fauour to no body knowyng of it Now when he had done so this acte had ben a deadly sinne for any acte that is done agaynste the law of god willynglye and wittingly is a dedly sinne And that man or womā that committeth 〈◊〉 an acte loseth the holye ghost and the remission of sinnes and so becommeth the childe of the diuell being before the childe of god For a regenerate man a woman that beleueth ought to haue dominion ouer sinne but as soone as 〈◊〉 hath rule ouer him he is gone for she leadeth hym to delectation of it and from delectacion to consen ting and so from consenting to the acte it selfe Now he that is led so with sinne he is in the state of damnation and synneth damnably And so ye may perceiue which 〈◊〉 they that sinne deadly and what is the deadly sin namely that he sinueth deadly that wittingly falleth in sinne therfore it is a pe 〈◊〉 thing to be in such an 〈◊〉 to be in the state of damnation and euerlastyng perdition let vs folow therfore this good warnyng which S. Paule geueth vs here let vs ryse from the slepe of sinne let vs take a hearty purpose to leaue all wickednes But may we do 〈◊〉 May we ryse from sinne yes that we may for god hath prouided a remedy for vs what is that Mary penaunce we must haue the staffe of penance and rise vp withall and this penance is suche a salue that it healeth all sores yf a man haue done all the worldes synne yet when be taketh this staffe of penance in his hand that is to say when he is sory for it and intendeth to leaue them no doute he may recouer and god is that same phisition which vseth but one maner of salue to all maner of sores We reade in the gospel of Luke that when Pilate had done a notable murther and had mingled the bloude of certaine 〈◊〉 with their owne sacrifices Now some came and told Christe what Pilate had done Oure samour maketh them answere sayeng I tell you excepte ye repent ye shal al likewise so perish As who say whatsoeuer Pilate hath done see you that ye do penaunce and amend your naughty lyuynges or els ye shall all be destroyed This was a good quippy that he geueth vnto the Iewes whiche were redy to speake of other mens faultes but of theire own faultes they made no mention as it is our nature to bee more redier to reproue other mens faultes then our own but our sauior he cōmaundeth them to looke home to see to thēselues and this 〈◊〉 is the chiefest thing in al the scripture John Baptist whe he began to preach his sermō was 〈◊〉 agite do penance so likewise Christ saith 〈◊〉 agite credite Euangelio doe penaunce and 〈◊〉 the gospell But wherin standeth the right penance and what is penaunce Answer penance is a turning from synne vnto god a waking vppe from this slepe of which S. Paul speaketh here But 〈◊〉 consisteth this penance The right penance consisteth in three points The first is 〈◊〉 that is I must acknowledge my selfe that I haue transgressed gods most holy 〈◊〉 commaund 〈◊〉 I must confesse my selfe to be faultye and gyltye I muste be sorye for it 〈◊〉 my selfe and my wickednesse When I am nowe in that case then I shall see nothing but helle and euerlastyng damnation before me as long as I looke vpon my selfe and vpon the law of god For the lawe of God when it is preached bryngeth vs to the knowledge of oure synnes For it is lyke as a glasse whiche sheweth vs the spottes in our faces that is the sinnes in our heartes But we may not tary here onely in the law and oure selues For if we do we shall come to desperation Therfore that first pointe is to acknowledge our sinnes and to bee sory for the same but as I said before we must not tary here for Iudas was come so farre he had this poynte he was no doute a sorowfull man as any can be in the world But it was to no purpose he was lost for al his sorowfulnes therfore we must haue an other pointe what is that Mary saithe beliefe we must beleue Christ we must know that our sauiour is come into this worlde to saue synners therefore he is called Jesus because he shall saue his people frome theyr synnes As the angell of God hymselfe wytnesseth And this faith must not be onely a generall faith but it must be a speciall faith for the deuyll hymself hath a generall faythe he beleueth that Christ is come into this world and hath made a reconciliation betwene God and manthe knoweth that there shal be remission of oure synnes but 〈◊〉 beleeueth not that he shall haue parte of it that his wickednesse shall bee forgeuen vnto hym this he beleueth not he hath but a generall 〈◊〉 but I say that euery of one of vs must haue a speciall faith I must beleue for my selfe that his blood was shed for me I must beleue that when Christ saith Come to me all ys that labour and are laden and I will ease you Here I must beleue that Christ calleth me vnto hym that I should come and receyue euerlastyng lyfe at his handes With such a special faith I do apply his passion vnto me In that prayer that our Sauiour made when he was goyng to his deathe 〈◊〉 sayth I pray not for them alone saith 〈◊〉 but for them 〈◊〉 which shal beleue in me through their preching that they 〈◊〉 may be one as thou father art in me I in thee and that they also may be one in vs. So that Christ praieth for vs as well as for his apostles if we 〈◊〉 in hym and so Christes praier and our beliefe bringeth the salue vnto our soules Therfore I oughte to beleue and so thorough faithe apply Christes merites vnto me for God requireth a speciall faith of euerie one of vs as well as he didde of 〈◊〉 when the prophet Nathan came vnto him and 〈◊〉 Abstulit 〈◊〉 tuum The Lorde hath taken awaye thy wickednes which words of the prophet Dauid he beleued so according vnto his belief it hapned vnto him For Dauyd had not such a contrition or penaunce as Iudas had for Iudas in dede had a contricion he was sorye for his sinnes but without faith Dauid was sorye for his sinnes but he ioyned 〈◊〉 vnto it he beleued stedfastly without all douting that
god would be merciful vnto him 〈◊〉 dominus the lord hath taken awaye thy sinnes and god required of him that he shold beleue these words Now like as he required of Da 〈◊〉 to beleue his words so also he requireth of vs to that we shoulde beeleue him for like as Dauid was remedied thorough his faithe in GOD so shall we be remedied to if we beleue as he did and god will bee as glad of vs when we repente and leaue oure sinnes as 〈◊〉 was of Dauid and will also 〈◊〉 should be partakers of the merites of Christ. So ye haue heard nowe these two poyntes whiche pertayne to the right penance the first is contrition when we acknowledge our synnes be 〈◊〉 for them they 〈◊〉 vs very sore The second pointe is faith when we beleue that god wil be mercifull vnto vs and thorough his sonne forgeue vs our wicked nes not 〈◊〉 the same to oure eternal destruction But yet there is an other point left behind which is this that I must haue an earnest 〈◊〉 to leaue sinne to auoide al wicked nes as far forth as I am able to do I must wrastle with sin I mustnot suffer that diuel to haue the victory ouer me though he be very suttle and crafty yet I must withstand him I muste 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 and suggestions I muste not suffer synne to beare rule ouer me for no doute yf we wyll syght and striue 〈◊〉 may haue the victorye ouer this serpent for Christ our sauiour he hath promised vnto vs his help cōfort therfore s. Iames saith Resistite diabolo fugiet a vobis withstand the diuel and he shal flye fro you For at hys first cōming he is very weake so that we 〈◊〉 able if we wil take hede 〈◊〉 to ouercome hym but if we suffer him to enter ones to possesse our hearts then he is very 〈◊〉 so that he with great labour can 〈◊〉 he brought out agayne For he entreth first by yll thoughtes then when he hath cast vs in yll thoughtes yf we withstand not by and by then foloweth de lectation yf we suffer that then commeth consentyng and so from consentyng to the verye acte and afterwarde from one mischiefe vnto another therfore it is a common saying principiis obsta resist the beginninges for when we suffer hym once to enter no dout it is a perylous thing we are thē in ieoperdye of euerlasting death So ye haue hearde now wherin standeth right penaunce fyrst we must knowe and acknowledge our sinnes be sorie for them and lament them in our heartes Then the second point is faith we must beleue that Christ wil be merciful vnto vs and forgeue vs our sinues not impute them vnto vs. Thirdelye we must haue an earnest purpose to leaue all sinnes and wickednes and no more commit the same And thē euer be 〈◊〉 in thy heart that they that haue a good will and an earnest minde to leaue synne that god will strengthē them he wil helpe them But and if we by and by at the first clappe giue place vnto the diuel and folow his mischeuous suggestions then we maie be sure that we highlye displease god our heauenly father when we forsake him so soone Therfore S. Paule saieth Ne regnet igitur peccatum in vestro mortali corpore let not synne beare rule in your 〈◊〉 bodies be not led with synne but fight agaynste it whē we do so it is impossible but we shall haue helpe at goddes hande As touchinge confession I tell you that they that can bee content with the generall absolution which euerye minister of gods worde geueth in his sermons when he pronoūceth that all that be sorye for their sinnes and beleue in Christe seeke helpe and remedy by him and afterwarde intend to amende theyr liues and 〈◊〉 sinne and 〈◊〉 al these that be so mynded shall haue remission of their sinnes Now I say they that can be content with this general absolutiō it is well but they that are not 〈◊〉 with it they may go to some godly learned minister whiche is able to instructs and comforte them with the worde of god to minister that same vnto them to their contentation and quieting of their consciences As for satisfaction or absolution for our 〈◊〉 there is none but in Christ we can not make amends for our sinnes but onely by beleuyng in him which suffered for vs. For he hathe made the mendes for all oure sinnes by his paynefull passion and bloudshedyng And berein standeth our absoluti on or remission of our sins namely when we beleue in him and looke to be saued thorough his death none other 〈◊〉 tion are we able to make But I tell you that yf any manne hath stolen or parloyned away somwhat from his neighbor that man or woman ought to make restitution and amends And this restitution is so necessary that we shall not loke for forgeuenes of our sinnes at Christes hand 〈◊〉 this restitution be made fyrst elles the satisfaction of Christ wyll not serue vs for god wil haue vs to restore or make amends vnto our neighbour whom we haue hurte deceiued or haue in any manner of wayes taken from him wrongfully his goods whatsoeuer it be By this now that I haue said ye may perceiue what 〈◊〉 of slepyng is this of which S. Paul speaketh 〈◊〉 name lye the slepe of sinne 〈◊〉 we 〈◊〉 and spend our time in wickednes than we slepe that deadly slepe which bringeth eternall damnation with him and agayne ye haue heard how you shall ryse vp from that slepe how ye shall fight and 〈◊〉 stle with synne not suffer her to be the 〈◊〉 ouer you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therfore begyn euen now while god geueth vs so good and conuenient a time let vs tary no longer let vs awake from this deadly sleepe of sin it may wel be called a deadly sleepe for this slepe of sin bringeth eternal deth and euerlasting 〈◊〉 nes and sorowes Let vs therfore rise to a godly life and continue in the same til to th end These thinges S. Paul 〈◊〉 generally to al men and against al maner of 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 he cōmeth to 〈◊〉 And first he sheweth what 〈◊〉 shall not do then afterwarde he telleth vs what we shall do Not in eatyng and drinking neither in chambering and wātonnes neither in 〈◊〉 and cnuying I maruel that the English is so translated in eatyng and drinking the latine Exampler hath Non in commessationibus that is to say not in to much eatyng and drinkyng for no dout god alloweth eatyng and drinking so that it be dene measurably and thankfully In the beginning of the worlde before god punished the worlde wyth the 〈◊〉 when he destroyed al 〈◊〉 and beastes saue onelye Noah that good father In the beginning I saye mankinde eate nothyng but herbes and 〈◊〉 and salettes and suche geare as they could 〈◊〉 but after the floude god gaue