we be so myndful of our common base houses deputed to so lowe occupying And be forgetfull toward that house of God wherin be ministred the wordes of our eternall saluation wherein be intreated the Sacramentes and mysteries of our redemption The fountaine of our regeneration is there presented to vs the partaking of the body and blood of our Sauiour Christe is there offered vnto vs And shal we not esteeme the place where so heauenly thinges be handled Wherefore if ye haue any reuerence to the seruice of God if ye haue any common honestie if ye haue any conscience in keeping of necessary and godly ordinaunces kepe your churches in good repayre wherby ye shal not onely please God and deserue his manifolde blessinges but also deserue the good report of all godly people The seconde poynt whiche apparteyneth to the mayntenaunce of Gods house is to haue it well adourned comely cleane kept Whiche thinges maye be the more easylye perfourmed when the Churche is well repayred For lyke as men are wel refreshed and comforted when they fynde their houses hauing all thinges in good order and all corners cleane and sweete So when Gods house the Churche is well adourned with places conuenient to sit in with the pulpit for the preacher with the Lordes table for the ministration of his holy supper with the Fonte to Christen in and also is kept cleane comely and sweetely the people is the more desyrous and the more comforted to resort thyther and to tarrye there the whole tyme appoynted them With what earnestnesse with what vehement zeale did our Sauiour Christ driue the byers and sellers out of the temple of God and hurled downe the tables of the chaungers of mony and the seates of the doue sellers and could not abyde that any man should cary a vessel through the temple He tolde them that they had made his fathers house a denne of theeues partelye through their superstition hypocrisie false worship false doctrine and insatiable couetousnes and partly through contempt abusing that place with walking and talking with worldly matters without all feare of God and due reuerence to that place What dennes of theeues the Churches of Englande haue ben made by the blasphemous bying and selling the moste precious body and blood of Christe in the Masse as the worlde was made to beleue at Diriges at monthes myndes in trentalles in abbeyes and chauntries beside other horrible abuses Gods holy name be blessed for euer we no we see and vnderstande All these abominations they that supplie the roome of Christe haue cleansed and purged the Churches of Englande of takyng awaye all suche fulsumnesse and filthynesse as through blynde deuotion and ignoraunce hath crept into the Churche this manye hundred yeres Wherefore O ye good Christian people ye dearelye beloued in Christ Jesu ye that glory not in worldly and vaine religion in phantasticall adourning and decking but reioyce in heart to see the glory of God truelye set foorth and the Churches restored to their auncient and godly vse render your most harty thankes to the goodnesse of almightie God who hath in our dayes styrred vp the hearts not onely of his godly preachers and ministers but also of his faythfull and most Christian magistrates and gouernours to bring suche godly thinges to passe And forasmuche as your Churches are scoured and swept from the sinnefull and superstitious fylthynesse wherewith they were defiled and disfigured Do ye your partes good people to kepe your Churches comely and cleane suffer them not to be defyled with rayne and weather with dounge of doues and owles stares choughes and other filthinesse as it is soule and lamentable to beholde in many places of this countrey It is the house of prayer not the house of talking of walking of â—rawling of minstrelsie of hawkes of dogges Prouoke not the displeasure and plagues of God for despysing and abusing his holy house as the wicked Jewes did But haue God in your hart be obedient to his blessed wil bynde your selues euery man and woman to their power towarde the reparations and cleane keeping of your Church to the entent ye may be partakers of Gods manifolde blessings and that ye may be the better encouraged to resort to your parish churche there to learne your duties toward God and your neighbour there to be present and partakers of Christes holye sacramentes there to render thankes to your heauenly father for the manifolde benefites whiche he dayly powreth vppon you there to pray together and to call vppon Gods holye name whiche be blessed worlde without ende ⧠An Homilee of good workes And first of Fasting THE lyfe whiche we liue in this worlde good Christian people is of the free benefite of God lent vs yet not to vse it at our pleasure after our own fleshly wil but to trade ouer the same in those workes which are beseeming them that are become new creatures in christ These workes the Apostle calleth good workes saying We are Gods workemanship created in Christ Jesu to good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them And yet his meaning is not by these words to induce vs to haue any affiaunce or to put anye confidence in our workes as by the merite and deseruing of them to purchase to our selues and others remission of sinne so consequently euerlasting lyfe for that were mere blasphemie against Gods mercy and great derogation to the bloodshedding of our sauiour Jesus Christe For it is of the free grace mercy of God by the mediation of the blood of his sonne Jesus Christ without merite or deseruing on our part that our sinues are forgeuen vs that we are reconciled and brought agayne into his fauour and are made heyres of his heauenly kyngdome Grace sayth S. Augustine belongeth to God who doth call vs and then hath he good works whosoeuer receaued grace Good workes then bring not foorth grace but are brought foorth by grace The wheele sayeth he turneth rounde not to the ende that it maye be made rounde but because it is firste made rounde therefore it turneth round So no man doth good workes to receaue grace by his good workes but because he hath first receaued grace therefore consequentlye he doth good workes And in another place he sayth Good workes go not before in him whiche shall afterwarde be iustified but good workes do folow after when a man is first iustified Saynt Paule therefore teacheth that we must do good workes for dyuers respectes First to shewe our selues obedient children vnto our heauenly father who hath ordeyned them that we shoulde walke in them Secondly for that they are good declarations and testimonies of our iustification Thirdly that others seing our good workes may the rather by them be stirred vp and excited to glorifie our father which is in heauen Let vs not therefore be slacke to do good workes seyng it is the will of God that we should walke in them assuring
also we may be assured to get his fauour that is both able wyllyng to do vs all pleasures that are for our commoditie and wealth Christe doth declare by this how much he accepteth our charitable affection toward the poore in that he promiseth a rewarde vnto them that geue but a cup of cold water in his name to them that haue neede thereof and that rewarde is the kingdome of heauen No doubt is it therfore that god regardeth highly that which he rewardeth so liberallye For he that promiseth a princely recompence for a beggerly beneuolence declareth that he is more delighted with the geuyng then with the gyfte and that he as muche esteemeth the doyng of the thyng as the fruite and commoditie that commeth of it Who so therefore hath hytherto neglected to geue almes let hym know that God now requireth it of him he that hath ben liberal to the poore let him knowe that his godly doings are accepted thankfully takē at gods handes which he wyll requite with double treble For so sayth the wyse man He whiche sheweth mercie to the poore doth lay his money in banke to the Lorde for a large interest and gayne The gayne beyng cheefely the possession of the lyfe euerlastyng through the merites of our sauiour Jesus Christe to whom with the father the holy ghost be al honour and glory for euer Amen The seonde part of the sermon of almes deedes YE haue hearde before dearely beloued that to geue almes vnto the poore and to helpe them in tyme of necessitie is so acceptable vnto our sauiour Christe that he counteth that to be done to him selfe that we do for his sake vnto them Ye haue heard also howe earnestly both the apostles prophetes holy fathers doctours do exhort vs vnto the same And ye see how welbeloued and deare vnto God they were whom the scriptures reporte vnto vs to haue ben good almes men Wherefore if either their good examples or the holesome counsell of godly fathers or the loue of Christ whose especial fauour we may be assured by this meanes to obteyne may moue vs or do any thyng at all with vs let vs prouide that from hencefoorth we she we vnto Godward this thankful seruice to be myndfull and redy to helpe them that be poore and in miserie Nowe wyll I this second tyme that I entreate of aimes deedes shewe vnto you how profitable it is for vs to exercise them and what fruite therby shall aryse vnto vs if we do them faythfully Our sauiour Christe in the Gospell teacheth vs that it profiteth a man nothyng to haue in possession al the ryches of the whole worlde and the wealth or glory thereof if in the meane season he lose his soule or do that thing whereby it should become captiue vnto death sinne hell fire By the which saying he not only instructeth vs how muche the soule health is to be preferred before worldly commodities but also serueth to stirre vp our myndes and to pricke vs forwardes to seeke diligently and learne by what meanes we may preserue and kepe our soules euer in safety that is howe we may recouer our health if it be lost or impayred and how it may be defended and maynteyned if we once haue it Yea he teacheth vs also thereby to esteeme that as a precious medicine and an inestimable iewel that hath suche strength and vertue in it that can either procure or preserue so incomparable a treasure For if we greatly regard that medicine or salue that is able to heale sundrye and greeuous diseases of the body muche more wyll we esteeme that whiche hath lyke power ouer the soule And because we might be better assured both to knowe and haue in redynesse that so profitable a remedye he as a most faythfull and louyng teacher sheweth hym selfe both what it is and where we may fynde it and how we may vse and applye it For when both he and his disciples were greuously accused of the Pharisees to haue defyled their soules in breakyng the constitutions of the elders because they went to meate and washed not their handes before accordyng to the custome of the Jewes Christe aunswering their superstitious complaynte teacheth them an especiall remedye howe to keepe cleane their soules notwithstandyng the breache of suche superstitious orders Geue almes sayth he and beholde all thynges are cleane vnto you He teacheth them that to be mercyful and charitable in helping the poore is the meanes to keepe the soule pure and cleane in the syght of god We are taught therefore by this that mercyfull almes dealyng is profitable to purge the soule from the infection and filthie spottes of sinne The same lesson doth the holy ghost also teache in sundrye places of the scripture saying Mercyfulnesse and almes geuing purgeth from all synnes and delyuereth from death and suffereth not the soule to come into darknes A great confidence may they haue before the hygh God that shewe mercie and compassion to them that are afflicted The wyse preacher the sonne of Sirach confirmeth the same when he sayth That as water quencheth burning fyre euen so mercie and almes resisteth and reconcileth synnes And sure it is that mercifulnesse quayleth the heate of synne so muche that they shall not take holde vpon man to hurt him or if ye haue by any infirmitie and weaknes ben touched and annoyed with them straightwayes shall mercyfulnesse wipe and washe them away as salues and remedies to heale their sores and greeuous diseases And therupon that holy father Ciprian taketh good occasion to exhort earnestly to the mercyfull worke of geuyng almes and helpyng the poore and there he admonisheth to consider how holesome and profitable it is to releeue the needy and help the afflicted by the which we may purge our synnes and heale our wounded soules But here some wyll say vnto me If almes geuyng and our charitable workes towardes the poore be able to washe away synnes to reconcile vs to God to delyuer vs from the peryll of damnation and make vs the sonnes heires of Gods kingdome then is Christes merites defaced and his blood shed in vayne then are we iustified by workes and by our deedes may we merite heauen then do we in vayne beleue that Christ dyed for to put away our synnes and that he rose for our iustification as saint Paule teacheth But ye shall vnderstande dearely beloued that neither those places of scripture before alleaged neither the doctrine of the blessed martyr Ciprian neither any other godly and learned man when they in extolling the dignitie profite fruit and effect of vertuous and liberall almes do say that it washeth away synnes and bryngeth vs to the fauour of God do meane that our worke and charitable deede is the originall cause of our acception before God or that for the dignitie or worthynesse thereof our sinnes may be washed away and we purged cleansed of al the spottes of our iniquitie for
the bottome of our heartes detest and abhorre with all earnestnesse flee from it syth that it dyd cost the deare heart blood of the onlye begotten sonne of God our sauiour redeemer to purge vs from it Plato doth in a certayne place wryte that if vertue coulde be seene with bodily eyes all men woulde wonderfully be enflamed and kyndeled with the loue of it Euen so on the contrary if we myght with our bodily eyes beholde the filthynesse of synne and the vncleannes therof we coulde in no wyse abyde it but as most present and deadly poyson hate and eschewe it We haue a common experience of the same in them which when they haue committed any heynous offence or some filthy and abhominable synne if it once come to lyght or if they chaunce to haue a through feelyng of it they be so ashamed their owne conscience puttyng before their eyes the filthynes of their acte that they dare looke no man in the face muche lesse that they shoulde be able to stande in the syght of God. Fourthly the vncertayntie and brittlenesse of our owne lyues whiche is such that we can not assure our selues that we shall lyue one houre or one halfe quarter of it Whiche by experience we do fynde daily to be true in them that beyng nowe mery and lustye and sometymes feastyng and banquettyng with their freendes do fall sodenly dead in the streetes and otherwhyles vnder the boarde when they are yet at meate These daily examples as they are moste terrible and dreadfull so ought they to moue vs to seeke for to be at one with our heauenlye iudge that we may with a good conscience appeare before hym whensoeuer it shal please him for to cal vs whether it be sodaynly or otherwyse for we haue no more charter of our lyfe then they haue But as we are moste certayne that we shall dye so are we most vncertayne when we shal dye For our lyfe doth lye in the hande of God who wyll take it away when it pleaseth hym And veryly when the hyghest somner of all which is death shall come he wyll not be sayde nay but we must foorth with be packyng to be present before the iudgement seate of God as he doth fynde vs accordyng as it is wrytten Wheras the tree falleth whether it be towarde the South or towarde the North there it shall lye Whereunto agreeth the saying of the holy martyr of God S. Ciprian saying As God doth fynde thee when he doth call so doth he iudge thee Let vs therefore folowe the counsayle of the wyse man where he sayth Make no tarrying to turne vnto the Lorde and put not of from day to day For sodenly shall the wrath of the Lorde breake foorth and in thy securitie shalt thou be destroyed and shalt perishe in tyme of vengeaunce Whiche wordes I desyre you to marke diligently because they do most lyuely put before our eyes the fondnesse of manye men whiche abusyng the long sufferyng and goodnes of God do neuer thynke on repentaunce or amendement of lyfe Folowe not sayth he thyne owne mynde and thy strength to walke in the wayes of thy heart neyther say thou who wyll bryng me vnder for my workes For God the reuenger wyll reuenge the wrong done by thee And saye not I haue synned and what euyll hath come vnto me For the almyghtie is a patient rewarder but he wyll not leaue thee vnpunished Because thy synnes are forgeuen thee be not without feare to heape sin vpon synne Say not neyther The mercie of god is great he wil forgeue my manifold sinnes For mercy and wrath come from him and his indignation commeth vpon vnrepentant synners As if he should say Art thou strong and myghtie Art thou lustye and young Haste thou the wealth and ryches of the worlde Or when thou hast synned hast thou receaued no punishment for it Let none of all these thynges make thee to be the slower to repent and to returne with speede vnto the Lorde For in the day of punishment and of his sodayne vengeaunce they shall not be able to helpe thee And speciallye when thou art eyther by the preaching of Gods worde or by some inwarde motion of his holy spirite or els by some other meanes called vnto repentaunce neglect not the good occasion that is ministred vnto thee least when thou wouldest repent thou hast not the grace for to do it For to repent is a good gyft of God which he wyll neuer graunt vnto them whiche lyuyng in carnal securitie do make a mocke of his threatnynges or seeke to rule his spirites as they list as though his workyng gyftes were tyed vnto their wyll Fifthly the auoydyng of the plagues of God and the vtter destructiō that by his ryghteous iudgement doth hang ouer the heades of them all that will in no wyse returne vnto the Lorde I wyll saith the Lorde geue them for a terrible plague to all the kyngdomes of the earth and for a reproche and for aprouerbe and for a curse in all places where I shall cast them and wyll send the sworde of famine the pestilence among them tyll they be consumed out of the land And wherfore is this Because they hardned their heartes and woulde in no wyse returne from their euyll wayes nor yet forsake the wyckednesse that was in their owne handes that the fiercenesse of the Lordes furie myght departe from them But yet this is nothing in comparison of the intollerable and endlesse tormentes of hell fyre whiche they shal be fayne to suffer who after their hardnesse of heart that can not repent do heape vnto them selues wrath against the day of anger and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God Wheras if we wyll repent and be earnestly sory for our synnes and with a full purpose of amendement of lyfe flee vnto the mercie of our god and taking sure holde thereuppon through fayth in our sauiour Jesus Christe do bring foorth fruites worthy of repentaunce he wyll not onlye powre his manifold blessynges vpon vs here in this world but also at the last after the paynefull trauayles of this lyfe rewarde vs with the inheritaunce of his chyldren whiche is the kyngdome of heauen purchased vnto vs with the death of his sonne Jesu Christe our Lorde to whom with the father and the holy ghoste be all prayse glory and honour worlde without ende Amen ⧠An Homilee agaynst disobedience and wylful rebellion The fyrst parte AS GOD the creatour and Lord of al thynges appoynted his angels and heauenly creatures in all obedience to serue and to honour his maiestie so was it his wyl that man his cheefe creature vpon the earth shoulde lyue vnder the obedience of his creator and Lord and for that cause God assoone as he had created man gaue vnto him a certayne precept and law whiche he beyng yet in the state of innocencie remaynyng in paradise shoulde obserue as a pledge and
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
our selues that at the last daye euery man shall receaue of God for his labour done in true faith a greater rewarde then his workes haue deserued And because somewhat shall nowe be spoken of one particuler good woorke whose commendation is both in the lawe and in the Gospell thus muche is sayde in the beginning generally of all good workes First to remoue out of the way of the simple and vnlearned this daungerous stumbling blocke that anye man should go about to purchase or bye heauen with his workes Secondly to take away so nyghe as may be from enuious myndes and slaunderous tongues all iust occasion of slaunderous speaking as though good workes were reiected This good worke which now shall be entreated of is Fasting whiche is founde in the scriptures to be of two sortes The one outwarde parteyning to the body the other inward in the hart and mynde This outward fast is an abstinence from meate drinke and all naturall foode yea from al delicious pleasures delectations worldly When this outward fast parteyneth to one particuler man or to a few and not to the whole number of the people for causes whiche hereafter shal be declared then it is called a priuate fast But when the whole multitude of men women and children in a towneship of Citie yea though a whole countrey do faste it is called a publique fast Suche was that fast whiche the whole multitude of the children of Israel were commaunded to keepe the tenth daye of the seuenth moneth because almightie God appoynted that daye to be a clensing day a day of an atonement a tyme of reconciliation a day wherein the people were cleansed from their sinnes The order and maner how it was done is written in the xvi and. xxiii Chapter of Leuiticus That day the people did lament mourne weepe and bewayle their former sinnes And whosoeuer vpon that day did not humble his soule bewayling his sinnes as is sayd abstayning from all bodyly foode vntill the euening that soule sayeth almightie God should be destroyed from among his people We do not reade that Moyses ordayned by order of lawe any dayes of publique fast throughout the whole yere more then that one day The Jewes notwithstanding had more tymes of common fasting whiche the Prophete Zacharie reciteth to be the fast of the fourth the fast of the fifth the fast of the seuenth and the fast of the tenth moneth But for that it appeareth not in the leuiticall lawe when they were instituted it is to be iudged that those other times of fasting more then the fast of the seuenth moneth were ordeyned among the Jewes by the appoyntment of their gouernours rather of deuotion then by any open commaundement geuen from god Upon the ordinaunce of this general fast good men tooke occasion to appoynt to them selues priuate fastes at suche tymes as they did eyther earnestlye lament and bewayle their sinfull lyues or did addict them selues to more feruent prayer that it might please God to turne his wrath from them when eyther they were admonished and brought to the consideration therof by the preaching of the Prophetes or otherwise when they sawe present daunger to hange ouer their heades This sorowfulnes of heart ioyned with fasting they vttered sometyme by their outwade behauiour and gesture of body putting on sackcloth sprinckling them selues with ashes and dust and sitting or lying vppon the earth For when good men feele in them selues the heauy burden of sinne see dampnation to be the rewarde of it and beholde with the eye of their mynde the horrour of hell they tremble they quake and are inwardly touched with sorowfulnesse of heart for their offences and cannot but accuse them selues and open this their griefe vnto almyghtie God and call vnto him for mercye This being done seriously their mynde is so occupyed partly with sorrowe and heauinesse partly with an earnest desyre to be deliuered from this daunger of hell and damnation that all lust of meate and drinke is layde apart and lothsomnesse of all worldlye thinges and pleasures commeth in place so that nothing then liketh them more then to weepe to lament to mourne and both with wordes and behauiour of bodye to shewe them selues weary of this lyfe Thus did Dauid fast when he made intercession to almightie God for the chyldes lyfe begotten in adultrie of Bethsabe Vrias wyfe King Achab fasted after this sorte when it repented him of murdering of Naboth bewayling his owne sinfull doinges Suche was the Niniuites fast brought to repentaunce by Ionas preaching When fourtie thousande of the Israelites were slayne in battaile against the Beniamites the scripture sayeth All the children of Israel and the whole multitude of people went out to Bethel and sate there weeping before the Lord and fasted all that daye vntill nyght So did Daniel Hester Nehemias and many others in the olde testament fast But if anye man will saye it is true so they fasted in deede but we are not nowe vnder that yoke of the lawe we are set at libertie by the freedome of the Gospell therfore those rites and customes of the olde lawe bynde not vs except it can be shewed by the scriptures of the new Testament or by examples out of the same that fasting nowe vnder the Gospell is a restraint of meate drynke and all bodily foode and pleasures frō the body as before First that we ought to fast is a trueth more manifest then that it should here neede to be proued the scriptures whiche teache the same are euident The doubt therfore that is is whether when we fast we ought to withhold from our bodyes all meat and drinke duryng the time of our fast or no That we ought so to do may be well gathered vppon a question moued by the Pharisees to Christ and by his aunswere againe to the same Why say they do Johns Disciples fast often praye and we lykewyse but thy disciples eate and drinke and fast not at all In this smoothe question they coutch vp subtilly this argument or reason Who so fasteth not that man is not of god For fasting and prayer are workes bothe commended and commaunded of GOD in his scriptures and all good men from Moyses till this time as well the prophetes as others haue exercised them selues in these workes John also and his disciples at this daye do fast oft and pray muche and so do we the Pharisees in lyke maner But thy disciples fast not at all whiche if thou wilt denye we can easylye proue it For whosoeuer eateth and drinketh fasteth not Thy disciples eate and drinke therefore they fast not Of this we conclude say they necessaryly that neyther art thou nor yet the disciples of god Christe maketh aunswere saying Can ye make that the children of the weddyng shal fast while the brydegrome is with them The dayes shall come when the bridegrome shal be taken from them In those dayes shall they faste Our sauiour Christe like a good maister
defendeth the innocencie of his disciples agaynst the malice of the arrogant Pharisees and prooueth that his disciples are not gyltie of transgressyng any iot of Gods lawe although as then they tasted not and in his aunswere reproueth the Pharisees of superstition and ignoraunce Superstition because they put a religion in theyr doyngs and ascribed holynesse to the outward worke wrought not regardyng to what ende fastyng is ordayned Of ignoraunce for that they coulde not discerne betweene tyme and tyme They knewe not that there is a tyme of reioycyng and myrth and a tyme agayne of lamentation and mournyng whiche both he teacheth in his aunswere as shal be touched more largely hereafter when we shall shewe what tyme is moste fit to fast in But here beloued let vs note that our sauiour Christe in makyng his aunswere to theyr question denyed not but confessed that his disciples fasted not and therefore agreeth to the pharisees in this as vnto a manifest trueth that who so eateth and drynketh fasteth not Fastyng then euen by Christes assent is a with holdyng of meate drinke and all naturall foode from the body for the determined tyme of fastyng And that it was vsed in the primatiue Churche appeareth most euidently by the Chalcedon counsell one of the foure first generall counselles The fathers assembled there to the number of 630. consydering with them selues howe acceptable a thing fasting is to God when it is vsed accordyng to his worde Agayne hauing before theyr eyes also the great abuses of the same crept into the Churche at those dayes through the negligence of them whiche shoulde haue taught the people the right vse thereof and by vaine gloses deuised of men To refourme the sayde abuses and to restore this so good and godly a worke to the true vse therof decreed in that counsell that euery person aswell in his priuate as publique fast shoulde continue all the day without meate and drinke till after the Euenyng prayer And whosoeuer did eate or drinke before the Euening prayer was ended shoulde be accompted and reputed not to consyder the puritie of his fast This cannon teacheth so euidently howe fastyng was vsed in the primatiue Churche as by wordes it can not be more plainely expressed Fasting then by the decree of those sixe hundreth and thirtie fathers groundyng their determination in this matter vppon the sacred scriptures and long continued vsage or practise both of the prophetes and other godly persons before the comming of Christe and also of the apostles and other deuoute men in the newe Testament is a with holdyng of meate drinke and all naturall fodde from the body for the determined time of fastyng Thus muche is spoken hytherto to make playne vnto you what fastyng is Nowe hereafter shal be shewed the true and ryght vse of fastyng Good workes are not all of one sorte For some are of them selues and of their owne proper nature alwayes good as to loue God aboue all thinges to loue my neighbour as my selfe to honour father and mother to honour the higher powers to geue to euery man that which is his due and suche like Other workes there be whiche consydered in themselues without further respect are of their owne nature mere indifferent that is neither good nor euill but take their denomination of the vse or ende whereunto they serue Whiche workes hauing a good ende are called good workes and are so in deede but yet that commeth not of them selues but of the good ende wherevnto they are referred On the other side if the ende that they serue vnto be euill it can not then otherwyse be but that they must needes be euill also Of this sort of workes is fasting which of it selfe is a thing meerely indifferent But is made better or worse by the ende that it serueth vnto For when it respecteth a good ende it is a good worke but the ende beyng euill the worke it selfe is also euill To fast then with this perswasion of minde that our fasting and our good workes can make vs perfect and iust men and finally bring vs to heauen this is a deuelish perswasion and that fast so farre of from pleasing god that it refuseth his mercie and is altogether derogatorie to the merites of Christes death and his pretious blood shedding This doth the parable of the Pharisee and the Publicane teache Two men sayth Christe went vp together into the Temple to pray the one a Pharisee the other a Publicane The Pharisee stoode prayed thus within hym selfe I thanke thee O God that I am not as other men are extortioners vniust adulterers as this Publicane is I fast twise in the weeke I geue tithes of all that I possesse The Publicane stoode a farre of and woulde not lift vp his eyes to heauen but smote his brest and sayde God be mercifull to me a sinner In the person of this Pharisee our Sauiour Christ setteth out to the eye and to the iudgement of the worlde a perfect iust and righteous man suche one as is not spotted with those vices that men commonlye are infected with extortion briberie polling and pilling their neighbour robbers and spoylers of common weales craftie and subtile in chopping chaunging vsing false waightes and detestable periurie in their buying and selling fornicatours adulterers vicious liuers The Pharisee was no such man neyther faultie in any suche like notorious crime But where other transgressed by leauing thinges vndone whiche yet the lawe required this man dyd more then was requisite by lawe For he fasted twyse in the weeke and gaue tythes of all that he had What could the worlde then iustly blame in this man yea what outwarde thing more could be desired to be in him to make him a more perfect and a more iust man Truelye nothyng by mans iudgement And yet our Sauiour Christe preferreth the poore Puplicane without fasting before him with his fast The cause why he doth so is manifest For that Publicane hauing no good works at al to trust vnto yelded vp him selfe vnto God confessing his sinnes and hoped certainely to be saued by Gods free mercie only The Pharisee gloried trusted so much to his workes that he thought him selfe sure enough without mercie and that he should come to heauen by his fasting and other deedes To this ende serueth that parable For it is spoken to them that trusted in them selues that they were ryghteous and despised other Nowe because the Pharisee directed his worke to an euill ende seeking by them iustification whiche in deede is the proper worke of God without our merites his fasting twise in the weeke and all his other workes though they were neuer so many and seemed to the worlde neuer so good and holy yet in very deede before god they are altogether euil and abominable The marke also that the Hypocrites shoote at with their fast is to appeare holy in the eye of the worlde and so to winne commendation and prayse of men But our
Sauiour Christe sayth of them they haue theyr rewarde that is they haue prayse and commendation of men but of God they haue none at all For whatsoeuer tendeth to an euill ende is it selfe by that euyll ende made euill also Agayne so long as we kepe vngodlinesse in our heartes suffer wicked thoughtes to tary there though we fast as oft as dyd eyther saint Paul or John Baptist and kepe it as strayghtly as dâ—d the Niniuites yet shall it be not onlye vnprofitable to vs but also a thing that greatlye displeaseth almightie god For he sayth that his soule abhorreth hateth such fastings yea they are a burthen vnto him he is weary of bearyng them And therefore he inuayeth moste sharply against them saying by the mouth of the prophete Esai Beholde when you fast your lust remaineth stil for ye do no lesse violence to your debters Lo ye fast to strife and debate and to smite with the fiste of wickednes Nowe ye shall not fast thus that you maye make your voyce to be hearde aboue Thinke ye this fast pleaseth me that a man should chasten him selfe for a day should that be called a fasting or a day that pleaseth the Lorde Nowe dearely beloued seeyng that almightie God aloweth not our fast for the workes sake but chiefely respecteth our heart howe it is affected and then esteemeth our fast eyther good or euill by th end that it serueth for it is our part to rente our heartes and not our garmentes as we are aduertised by the prophete Joel that is our sorowe and mournyng must be inwarde in heart and not in outward shewe onlye yea it is requisite that first before all thinges we cleanse our hearts from sinne and then to direct our fast to such an ende as God wyll alowe to be good There be three endes whereunto if your fast be directed it is then a worke profitable to vs and accepted of God. The first is to chastise the fleshe that it be not to wanton but tamed and brought in subiection to the spirite This respecte had Saint Paul in his fast when he said I chastice my body and bring it into subiection least by anye meanes it commeth to passe that when I haue preached to other I my selfe be founde a castaway The seconde that the spirite may be more feruent and earnest to prayer To this ende fasted the prophetes and teachers that were at Antioche before they sent foorth Paul and Barnabas to preache the Gospell The same two Apostles fasted for the like purpose when they commended to God by their earnest prayers the congregations that were at Antioch Pisidia Iconium and Listris as we reade in the Actes of the Apostles The thirde that our fast be a testimonie and witnesse with vs before God of our humble submission to his high maiestie when we confesse and acknowledge our sinnes vnto him are inwardly touched with sorowfulnesse of heart bewayling the same in the affliction of our bodies These are the three endes or ryght vses of fasting The first belongeth most properlie to priuate fast The other two are common aswell to p 〈…〉 que fast as to priuate And thus muche for the vse of fasting Lorde haue mercie vppon vs and geue vs grace that whyle we liue in this miserable worlde we maye through thy helpe bring foorth this suche other fruites of the spirite commended coÌ„maunded in thy holy word to the glory of thy name and to our comfortes that after the race of this wretched lyfe we may liue euerlastingly with thee in thy heauenlye kyngdome not for the merites and worthynesse of our workes but for thy mercie sake and the merites of thy deare sonne Jesus Christe to whom with thee and the holy ghost be all laude honour and glory for euer and euer Amen The seconde part of the Homilee of fasting IN the former Homilee beloued was shewed that among the people of the Jewes fasting as it was coÌ„maunded them from god by Moyses was to abstaine the whole day froÌ„ morrowe til night from meate drinke al maner of foode that nourisheth the body that who so tasted ought before the Euening on the day appointed to fasting was accompted among them a breaker of his fast Whiche order though it seemeth strange to some in these our dayes because it hath not ben so vsed generally in this Realme of many yeres past yet that it was so amoÌ„g gods people I meane the Jewes whom before the comming of our sauiour Christ god did vouchsafe to chose vnto him selfe a peculier people aboue all other nations of the earth and that our sauiour Christ so vnderstood it the apostles after Christes ascention did so vse it was there sufficiently proued by the testimonies examples of the holy scriptures aswel of the new Testament as of the olde The true vse of fasting was there also shewed In this seconde part of this Homilee shall be shewed that no constitution or lawe made by man for thinges whiche of their owne proper nature be meere indifferent can bynde the conscience of Christen men to a perpetuall obseruation and keping therof but that the higher powers hath full libertie to alter and chaunge euery such lawe and ordinaunce eyther ecclesiasticall or politicall when time and place shall require But first an aunswere shal be made to a question that some may make demaunding what iudgement we ought to haue of suche abstinences as are appoynted by publique order lawes made by princes and by the aucthoritie of the Magistrates vpon policie not respecting any religion at all in the same As when any Realme in consyderation of the mainteyning of fissher townes borderyng vpon the seas and for the encrease of fisshermen of whom do spring Mariners to go vpon the sea to the furnishing of the nauie of the Realme whereby not onlye the commodities of other countreys maye be transported but also may be a necessarie defence to resist the inuasion of the aduersarie For the better vnderstanding of this question it is necessarie that we make a differeÌ„ce betwene the pollicies of princes made for the orderyng of their common weales in prouision of thinges seruing to the more sure defence of their subiects and countreyes and betweene ecclesiasticall pollicies in prescribing such workes by whiche as by secondary meanes Gods wrath may be pacified and his mercie purchased Positiue lawes made by princes for conseruation of theyr pollicie not repugnaunt vnto Gods lawe ought of all Christian subiectes with reuerence of the magistrate to be obaied not only for feare of punishment but also as the apostle sayth for conscyence sake Conscience I say not of the thing which of the owne nature is indifferent but of our obedience which by the law of God we owe vnto the Magistrate as vnto Gods minister By whiche positiue lawes though we subiectes for certaine times dayes appoynted be restrained from some kindes of meates and drinke whiche God by
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
necessities sake but also for an honest comelinesse Euen as in hearbes trees and sundrye fruites we haue not only diuers necessary vses but also the pleasaunt syght and sweete smell to delyght vs withall wherein we may behold the singuler loue of God towardes mankynde in that he hath prouided both to relieue our necessities also to refreshe our senses with an honest moderate recreation Therefore Dauid in the Ciiii. Psalme confessing Gods carefull prouidence sheweth that God not onelye prouideth thinges necessary for men as hearbes and other meates but also suche thinges as maye reioyce and comfort as wyne to make glad the heart oyles and oyntmentes to make the face to shine So that they are altogether past the limittes of humanitie which yelding onely to necessitie forbid the lawfull fruition of Gods benefites With whose traditions we may not be led if we geue eare to saint Paule who writing to the Collossians willeth them not to harken vnto such men as shall saye touche not taste not handle not superstitiouslye bereeuing them of the fruition of Gods creatures And no lesse truelye ought we to beware least vnder pretence of Christian libertie we take lycence to do what we liste aduauncing our selues in sumptuous apparell and despysing other preparing our selues in fyne brauerie to wanton lewde and vnchaste behauiour To the auoyding whereof it behoueth vs to be myndefull of foure lessons taught in holye scripture whereby we shall learne to temper our selues and to restraine our immoderate affections to that measure which God hath appoynted The first is that we make not prouision for the flesh to accomplish the lustes therof with costlye apparell as that harlot did of whom Salomon speaketh Prouerbes the ▪ vii which perfumed her bed and deckt it with costly ornamentes of Egipt to the fulfilling of her lewde lust but rather ought we by moderate temperaunce to cut of al occasions whereby the fleshe might get the victorie The second is written by saint Paul in the ▪ vii Chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthes where he teacheth vs to vse this worlde as though we vsed it not Whereby he cutteth away not only al ambition pryde and vayne pompe in apparel but also all inordinate care affection which withdraweth vs from the contemplation of heauenly thinges and consideration of our duetie towardes god They that are muche occupyed in caryng for thynges parteyning to the bodye are moste commonlye negligent and carelesse in matters concerning the soule Therefore our Sauiour Christe willeth vs not to take thought what we shall eate or what we shall drynke or wherewith we shall be clothed but rather to seeke the kingdome of God ▪ and the ryghteousnesse thereof Whereby we maye learne to beware least we vse those thynges to our hinderaunce whiche God hath ordayned for our comfort and furtheraunce toward his Kingdome The third is that we take in good part our estate and condition and content our selues with that whiche God sendeth whether it be muche or little He that is ashamed of base and simple attyre wil be proude of gorgeous apparell if he maye get it We must learne therefore of the Apostle S. Paul both to vse plentye and also to suffer penurye remembring that we must yeelde accomptes of those thinges whiche we haue receaued vnto him who abhorreth al excesse pride ostentation and vanitie who also vtterly condempneth and disaloweth whatsoeuer draweth vs from our dutie towardes God or diminishe our charitie towardes our neighbours and brethren whom we ought to loue as our selues The fourth and last rule is that euery man beholde and consider his owne vocation in as much as God hath appoynted euery man his degree and office within the limittes whereof it behoueth him to keepe him selfe Therefore all may not looke to weare lyke apparel but euery one according to his degree as God hath placed him Which if it were obserued manye one doutlesse shoulde be compelled to weare a russet coate which nowe ruffeleth in silkes and veluettes spending more by the yere in sumptuous apparel thē their fathers receaued for the whole reuenue of their landes But alas nowe a dayes how many maye we beholde occupyed wholly in pampering the fleshe taking no care at all but onely howe to decke them selues setting their affection altogether on worldly brauerye abusing Gods goodnesse when he sendeth plentie to satisfie their wanton lustes hauing no regarde to the degree wherin God hath placed them The Israelites were contented with such apparel as God gaue them although it were base and simple And God so blessed them that their shoes and clothes lasted them fourtie yeres yea and those clothes which their fathers had worne their children were cōtent to vse afterwarde But we are neuer contented and therfore we prosper not so that most commonly he that ruffleth in his Sables in his fine furred gowne corked slippers trimme buskins and warme mittons is more redy to chill for colde then the poore labouring man which can abyde in the fielde all the day long when the north wynde blowes with a fewe beggerlye cloutes about him We are loth to weare suche as our fathers haue left vs we thinke not that sufficient or good enough for vs We must haue one gowne for the day another for the night one long another short one for wynter another for sommer one through furred another but faced one for the workyng daye another for the holye day one of this colour another of that colour one of cloth another of sylke or Damaske We must haue chaunge of apparel one afore dinner another after one of the Spanishe fassion another Turkie and to be briefe neuer content with sufficient Our sauiour Christ bad his Disciples they should not haue two coates but the moste men farre vnlyke to his scollers haue their presses so full of apparell that manye knoweth not how many sortes they haue Whiche thyng caused Saint James to pronounce this terrible curse agaynst such welthy worldlynges Go to ye riche men weepe and houle in your wretchednesse that shall come vppon you your ryches are corrupt and your garmentes are moth eaten ye haue lyued in pleasure on the earth and in wantonnesse ye haue nourished your heartes as in the day of slaughter Marke I besech you saint James calleth them miserable notwithstanding their riches and plentie of apparell forasmuche as they pamper their bodies to their owne destruction What was the ryche glutton the better for his syne fare and costly apparell Did not he nourishe him selfe to be tormented in hell fyre Let vs learne therefore to content our selues hauing foode and raiment as saint Paul teacheth least desyring to be enryched with aboundaunce we fall into temptations snares and many noysome lustes whiche drowne men in perdition and destruction Certaynlye suche as delyght in gorgeous apparel are commonlye puffed vp with pryde and filled with dyuers vanities So were the daughters of Sion
she is the worse huswyfe the seldomer at home to see to her charge and so to neglect his thrift by geuing great prouocation to her housholde to waste and wantonnes whyle she must wander abroade to shew her owne vanitie and her husbandes foolishnesse By whiche her pryde she styrreth vp muche enuye of others whiche be so vaynly delighted as she is She doth but deserue mockes scornes to set out all her coÌ„mendation in Jewish Ethnick apparel and yet bragge of her Christianitie She doth but waste superfluouslye her husbandes stocke by suche sumptuousnesse and sometymes is the cause of muche bryberie extortion and deceipt in her husbands occupying that she may be the more gorgeouslye set out to the sight of the vaine worlde to please the deuils eyes not gods who geueth to euery creature sufficient moderate comlynes wherwith we should be contented if we were of god What other thing doest thou by those meanes but prouokest other to tempt thee to deceaue thy soule by the bayte of thy pompe and pryde What els doest thou but settest out thy pryde and makest of thy vndecente apparell of thy body the deuils net to catche the soules of them whiche beholde thee O thou woman not a Christian but worse then a Painim thou minister of the deuill Why pamperest thou that carren fleshe so hye whiche sometime doth stinke and rot on the earth as thou goest Howsoeuer thou perfumest thy selfe yet cannot thy beastlynesse be hidden or ouercome with thy smelles sauours whiche do rather defourme mishape thee then beawtifie thee What meant SalomoÌ„ to say of such trimming of vaine women when he sayd A fayre woman without good manners and conditions is lyke a Sowe whiche hath a ryng of golde vpon her snout but that the more thou garnishe thy selfe with these outwarde blasinges the lesse thou carest for the in warde garnishing of thy mynde and so doest but defoule thy selfe by such aray and not beawtify thy selfe Heare heare what Christes holye Apostles do write Let not the outward apparell of women sayth saint Peter be decked with the broiding of heere with wrapping on of golde or goodlye clothing but let the mynde and the conscience whiche is not seene with the eyes be pure and cleane that is sayth he an acceptable and an excellent thing before god For so the old auncient holy women attyred themselues and were obedient to their husbandes And saint Paule sayth that women shoulde apparell them selues with shameâ—astnesse sobernes and not with braydes of their heere or golde or pearle or precious clothes but as women shoulde do whiche will expresse godlinesse by their good outward workes Jf ye wyll not kepe the Apostles preceptes at the least let vs heare what pagans whiche were ignoraunt of Christe haue sayde in this matter Democrates sayth The ornament of a woman standeth in scarsitie of speache apparel Sophocles sayth of such apparel thus It is not an ornament O thou foole but a shame and a manyfest shewe of thy folly Socrates sayth that that is a garnishyng to a woman whiche declareth out her honestie The Grecians vse it in a prouerbe It is not golde or pearle whiche is a beautie to a woman but good conditions And Aristotle byddeth that a woman shoulde vse lesse apparell then the lawe doth suffer For it is not the goodlynesse of apparel nor the excellencie of beautie nor the aboundaunce of golde that maketh a woman to be esteemed but modestie and diligence to liue honestly in althynges This outragious vanitie is nowe growne so farre that there is no shame taken of it We reade in histories that when king Dionisius sent to the women of Lacedemon riche robes they aunswered saide that they shall do vs more shame then honour and therefore refused them The women in Rome in olde tyme abhorred that gaye apparell whiche kyng Pirrus sent to them and none were so greedy and vaine to accept them And a law was openly made of the senate and along time obserued that no womaÌ„ should weare ouer halfe anounce of golde nor should weare clothes of diuers colours But perchaunce some daintie dame wyll say and aunswere me that they muste do somthyng to shewe their byrth and blood to shewe their husbandes riches As though nobilitie were cheefely seene by these thynges whiche be common to those whiche be most vile as though thy husbandes riches were not better bestowed then in such superfluities as though when thou were christened thou diddest not renounce the pryde of this worlde and the pompe of the flesh I speake not agaynst conuenient apparel for euery state agreeable but against the superfluitie agaynst the vayne delyght to couet such vanities to deuise new fashions to feede thy pryde with to spende so muche vpon thy carkasse that thou and thy husbande are compelled to robbe the poore to mainteyne thy costlynesse Heare how that noble holy woman Queene Hester setteth out these goodly ornamentes as they be called when in respecte of sauing Gods people she was compelled to put on suche glorious apparell knowing that it was a fit stale to blind the eyes of carnal fooles Thus she prayed Thou knowest O Lorde the necessitie which I am driuen to to put on this apparell and that I abhorre this signe of pride and of this glory which I beare on my head that I defie it as a filthie cloth and that I weare it not when I am alone Agayne by what meanes was Holophernes deceaued but by the glitteryng shewe of apparell whiche that holy woman Iudith did put on her not as delighting in them nor seekyng vaine voluptuous pleasure by them but she ware it of pure necessitie by Gods dispensation vsyng this vanitie to ouercome the vayne eyes of Gods enemie Suche desyre was in those noble women beyng very loth and vnwylling otherwyse to weare suche sumptuous apparell by the whiche others shoulde be caused to forgette them selues These be commended in Scripture for abhorring suche vanities whiche by constraynt and great necessitie agaynst their heartes desyred were compelled to weare them for a tyme And shall suche women be worthy commendations whiche neyther be comparable with these women aforesayde in nobilitie nor comparable to them in their good zeales to God and his people whose daily delight and seeking is to florishe in suche gaye shiftes and chaunges neuer satisfied nor regardyng who smarteth for their apparel so they may come by it O vayne men whiche be subiectes to their wyues in these inordinate affections O vayne women to procure so muche hurt to them selues by the whiche they come the sooner to miserie in this worlde and in the meane tyme be abhorred of God hated and scorned of wyse men and in the ende lyke to be ioyned with suche who in hell to late repenting them selues shall openly complayne with these wordes What hath our pryde profited vs or what profite hath the pompe of ryches brought vs All those thynges are passed away lyke
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
errour of Purgatorie out of our heades neyther let vs dreame anye more that the soules of the dead are any thing at all holpen by our prayers But as the scripture teacheth vs let vs thinke that the soule of man passing out of the body goeth straightwayes eyther to heauen or els to hell whereof the one nedeth no prayer and the other is without redemption The onlye Purgatorie wherein we must trust to be saued is the death and blood of Christe which if we apprehend with a true and stedfast fayth it purgeth and clenseth vs from all our sinnes euen as well as if he were now hanging vpon the crosse The blood of Christe sayth saint John hath clensed vs from all sinne The blood of Christe sayth saint Paul hath purged our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing god Also in another place he sayth We be sanctified and made holy by the offering vp of the body of Jesus Christe done once for all Yea he addeth more saying With the one oblation of his blessed body pretious blood he hath made perfect for euer and euer all them that are sanctified This then is that Purgatorie wherein all Christian men must put their whole truste and confidence nothing doubting but yf they truely repent them of their sinnes and dye in perfecte fayth that then they shall foorth with passe from death to life If this kinde of purgation wyll not serue them let them neuer hope to be releassed by other mens prayers though they shoulde continue therein vnto the worldes ende He that can not be saued by fayth in Christes blood howe shall he loke to be deliuered by mans intercessions Hath God more respect to man on earth then he hath to Christe in heauen If any man sinne sayth saint John we haue an aduocate with the father euen Jesus Christe the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes But we must take heede that we call vpon this aduocate whyle we haue space geuen vs in this life lest when we are once dead there be no hope of saluation left vnto vs For as euery man sleepeth with his owne cause so euerye man shall ryse agayne with his owne cause And looke in what state he dyeth in the same state he shal be also iudged whether it be to saluation or dampnation Let vs not therfore dreame either of purgatorie or of prayer for the soules of them that be dead but let vs earnestly diligently praye for them whiche are expresly commaunded in holye scripture namely for kinges and rulers for ministers of Gods holy worde and sacramentes for the saintes of this worlde otherwyse called the faithfull to be short for all men liuing be they neuer so great enemies to god and his people as Jewes Turkes Pagans Infidels Heretikes c. Then shall we truely fulfill the commaundement of God in that behalfe plainely declare our selues to be the true children of our heauenly father which suffreth the sunne to shine vpon the good and the bad and the rayne to fall vpon the iust and the vniust For whiche and al other benefites moste aboundauntlye bestowed vppon mankynde from the beginning let vs geue him hearty thankes as we are most bound prayse his name for euer and euer Amen ⧠An Homilee of the place and tyme of prayer GOD through his almighty power wisedome and goodnes created in the beginning heauen earth the Sunne the Moone the starres the fowles of the ayre the beastes of the earth the fishes in the sea and all other creatures for the vse commoditie of man whom also he had created to his owne image and likenesse and geuen him the vse gouernement ouer them al to the end he shoulde vse them in suche sort as he had geuen him in charge commaundement also that he should declare him selfe thankful and kynde for al those benefites so liberally so graciously bestowed vpon him vtterly without anye deseruing on his behalf And although we ought at al times in al places to haue in remēbrance to be thankful to our gracious Lord according as it is written I wil magnifie the lord at al times And agayne Wheresoeuer the lord beareth rule O my soule prayse the Lord Yet it appeareth to be Gods good wil and pleasure that we shoulde at special times and in special places gather our selues together to the intent his name might be renowmed and his glory set forth in the congregation and assembly of his saintes As concerning the tyme whiche almightie God hath appoynted his people to assemble together solemly it doth appeare by the fourth commaundement of God Remember saith God that thou kepe holye the Sabbath day Upon the which day as is playne in the actes of the Apostles the people accustomablye resorted together hearde diligently the lawe and the prophetes read among them And albeit this commaundement of God doeth not bynde christian people so straytlye to obserue and keepe the vtter ceremonies of the Sabbath day as it was geuen vnto the Jewes as touching the forbearing of worke and labour in tyme of great necessitie and as touching the precise keeping of the seuenth day after the manner of the Jewes For we keepe now the first day which is our sunday and make that our sabbath that is our day of rest in the honor of our sauiour christ who as vpon that daye rose from death conquering the same most triumphantly Yet notwithstanding whatsoeuer is found in the commaundement apparteyning to the lawe of nature as a thyng most godlye moste iuste and needeful for the setting forth of Gods glorie it ought to be retayned and kept of all good Christian people And therfore by this commaundemēt we ought to haue a tyme as one day in a weeke wherein we ought to rest yea from our lawfull and nedefull workes For like as it appeareth by this commaundement that no man in the syxe dayes ought to be slouthfull or ydle but diligentlye to labour in that state wherein God hath set him Euen so God hath geuen expresse charge to all men that vpon the sabbath day which is now our sunday they should ceasse from all weaklye and workeday labour to the entent that lyke as God him selfe wrought sixe dayes and rested the seuenth and blessed and sanctified it and consecrated it to quyetnes and rest from labour euen so Gods obedient people shoulde vse the sundaye holyly and rest from their comon and daily businesse and also geue them selues whollye to heauenly exercises of Gods true religion and seruice So that God doth not onely commaunde the obseruation of this holy day but also by his owne example doth stirre and prouoke vs to the diligent keeping of the same Good natural children wil not onelye become obedient to the commaundemēt of their parents but also haue a diligent eye to their doings and gladly folow the same So if we wil be the children of our heauenly father we
that were in deede to deface Christ and to defraud him of his glorie But they meane this and this is the vnderstandyng of those and suche lyke sayinges That God of his mercie and especial fauour towards them whom he hath appoynted to euerlastyng saluation hath so offred his grace especially and they haue so receaued it fruitfully that although by reason of their sinfull lyuyng outwardly they seemed before to haue ben the children of wrath and perdition yet nowe the spirite of God mightily workyng in them vnto obedience to Gods wyll and commaundementes they declare by their outward deedes and lyfe in the shewyng of mercie and charitie which can not come but of the spirite of God and his especiall grace that they are the vndoubted chyldren of God appoynted to euerlastyng lyfe And so as by their wyckednesse and vngodly lyuyng they shewed them selues accordyng to the iudgement of men which folowe the outward appearaunce to be reprobates and castawayes So nowe by their obedience vnto Gods holy wyll and by their mercyfulnesse and tender pitie wherin they shew them selues to be lyke vnto God who is the fou 〈…〉 yne and spryng of all mercye they declare openly and manyfestly vnto the sight of men that they are the sonnes of God and elect of hym vnto saluation For as the good fruite is not the cause that the tree is good but the tree must firste be good before it can bryng foorth good fruite so the good deedes of man are not the cause that maketh man good but he is firste made good by the spirite and grace of God that effectually worketh in hym and afterwarde he bryngeth foorth good fruites And then as the good fruite doth argue the goodnesse of the tree so doth the good and mercyfull deede of the man argue and certainely proue the goodnesse of hym that doth it accordyng to Christes sayinges Ye shall knowe them by their fruites And if any man wyl obiect that euil and naughty men do sometymes by their deedes appeare to be very godly and vertuous I wyll aunswere so doth the crab and choke peare seeme outwardly to haue sometyme as fayre a redde and as melow a colour as the fruite whiche is good in deede But he that wyl byte and take a taste shall easily iudge betwixt the sower bytternesse of the one and the sweete sauorines of the other And as the true christian man in thankfulnesse of his heart for the redemption of his soule purchased by Christes death sheweth kyndly by the fruite of his fayth his obedience to God so the other as a marchaunt with God doth all for his owne gayne thynking to win heauen by the merite of his workes and so defaceth and obscureth the pryce of Christes blood who only wrought our purgation The meanyng then of these sayinges in the scriptures and other holy wrytinges Almes deedes do washe away our sinnes and mercie to the poore doth blot out our offences is that we doing these thynges accordyng to Gods wyl our duetie haue our sinnes in deede washed away and our offences blotted out not for the worthinesse of them but by the grace of God which worketh al in al and that for the promise that God hath made to them that are obedient vnto his commaundement that he which is the trueth might be iustified in perfourming the trueth due to his true promise Almes deedes do wash away our sinnes because god doth vouchsafe then to repute vs as cleane and pure when we do them for his sake and not because they deserue or merite our purgyng or for that they haue anye suche strength and vertue in them selues I know that some men to much addict to the aduauncing of their good workes will not be contented with this aunswere no maruaile for suche men can no aunswere content nor suffice Wherfore leauing them to their owne wylful sense we wyll rather haue regarde to the reasonable and godly who as they most certaynly know and perswade them selues that al goodnes al bountie al mercy al benefites al forgeuenes of sinnes whatsoeuer can be named good and profitable either for the body or for the soule do come only of Gods mercie and mere fauour not of them selues So though they do neuer so many so excellent good deedes yet are they neuer pufte vp with the vayne confidence of them And though they heare and reade in gods word and other where in godly mens workes that almes deedes mercy and charitablenes doth wash away sinne and blot out iniquitie yet do they not arrogantly and proudly sticke and trust vnto them or bragge them selues of them as the proud Pharisee did lest with the Pharisee they shoulde be condemned but rather with the humble and poore Publicane confesse them selues sinfull wretches vnworthye to looke vp to heauen callyng and crauyng for mercie that with the Publicane they may be pronounced of Christ to be iustified The godly do learne that when the scriptures saye that by good and mercifull workes we are reconciled to Gods fauour we are taught then to knowe what Christe by his intercession and mediation obteyneth for vs of his father when we be obedient to his wyl yea they learne in such maners of speakyng a comfortable argument of Gods singuler fauour and loue that attributeth that vnto vs and to our doynges that he by his spirite worketh in vs and through his grace procureth for vs And yet this notwithstandyng they crye out with saint Paule Oh wretches that we are acknowledge as Christe teacheth that when they haue all done they are but vnprofitable seruauntes with the blessed kyng Dauid in respect of the iust iudgementes of God they do tremble and say Who shal be able to abide it Lorde if thou wylt geue sentence accordyng to our desertes Thus they humble them selues and are exalted of God they count them selues vyle and of God are counted pure and cleane they condemne them selues and are iustified of God they thinke them selues vnworthy of the earth and of God are thought worthy of heauen Thus of Gods worde are they truely taught how to thynke ryghtly of mercyfull dealyng of almes and of Gods especial mercie and goodnesse are made partakers of those fruites that his word hath promised Let vs then folowe their examples and both shew obediently in our lyfe those workes of mercie that we are commaunded and haue that ryght opinion iudgement of them that we are taught and we shal in lyke maner as they be made partakers and feele the fruites and rewardes that folowe such godly lyuyng so shall we knowe by proofe what profite and commoditie doth come of geuyng of almes and succouring of the poore The thirde parte of the Homilee of almes deedes YE haue alredye hearde two partes of this treatise of almes deedes The fyrste howe pleasaunt and acceptable before God the doyng of them is the second how muche it behoueth vs and how profitable it is to apply our selues vnto them Nowe in the
the expresse and liuelye image of God he woulde notwithstanding humble him selfe and take vppon him the fourme of a seruant and that onely to saue and redeeme vs O how much are we bounde to the goodnesse of God in this behalfe Howe manye thankes and prayses do we owe vnto him for this our saluatiō wrought by his deare and onely sonne Christe who became a pilgrime in earth to make vs citizens in heauen who became the sonne of man to make vs the sonnes of God who became obedient to the lawe to deliuer vs from the cursse of the lawe who became poore to make vs rich vyle to make vs precious subiect to death to make vs liue for euer What greater loue coulde we seelye creatures desire or wishe to haue at Gods handes Therefore dearelye beloued let vs not forget this exceeding loue of our Lorde and sauiour let vs not shew our selues vnmyndful or vnthankefull towardes him but let vs loue him feare him obey him and serue him Let vs confesse him with our mouthes praise him with our tongues beleue on him with our heartes and glorifie him with our good workes Christe is the light let vs receaue the light Christe is the trueth let vs beleue the trueth Christ is the way let vs folowe the way And because he is our onely maister our onely teacher our onely shepheard and cheefe captayne therfore let vs become his seruantes his schollers his sheepe and his souldiers As for sinne the flesh the worlde and the deuill whose seruantes and bondslaues we were before Christes comming let vs vtterly cast them of and defie them as the cheefe onely enemies of our soule And seing we are once deliuered from their cruel tyrannie by Christ let vs neuer fal into their hands againe lest we chance to be in a worse case then euer we were before Happy are they saith the scripture that continue to the ende Be faythful sayth God vntil death and I wil geue thee a crowne of lyfe Agayne he sayth in another place He that putteth his hand vnto the plough and looketh backe is not meete for the kyngdome of god Therefore let vs be strong stedfast and vnmoueable abounding alwayes in the workes of the lord Let vs receaue Christ not for a tyme but for euer let vs beleue his worde not for a tyme but for euer let vs become his seruaunts not for a tyme but for euer in consyderation that he hath redeemed saued vs not for a time but for euer and will receaue vs into his heauenly kingdome there to raygne with him not for a tyme but foreuer To him therfore with the father and the holy ghost be all honour prayse glory foreuer and euer Amen ¶ An homilee for good Friday concerning the death and passion of our sauiour Iesu Christ. IT shuld not become vs welbeloued in christ being that people whiche he redeemed frō the deuil from sinne and death and from euerlasting damnation by Christ to suffer this time to passe foorth without any meditation and remembraunce of that excellent worke of our redemption wrought as about this time through the great mercy and charitie of our sauiour Jesus Christ for vs wretched sinners and his mortall enemies For if a mortal mans deede done to the behofe of the common wealth be had in remembrance of vs with thankes for the benefite and profite whiche we receaue thereby How much more redily shoulde we haue in memorie this excellent act and benefite of Christes death whereby he hath purchased for vs the vndoubted pardon and forgeuenes of our sinnes whereby he made at one the father of heauen with vs in suche wyse that he taketh vs now for his louing children and for the true inheritours with Christe his naturall sonne of the kyngdome of heauen And verily so muche more doth Christes kindnes appeare vnto vs in that it pleased him to deliuer him selfe of all his godly honour which he was equally in with his father in heauen and to come downe into this vale of miserye to be made mortall man and to be in the state of a most lowe seruaunt seruing vs for our wealth and profite vs I saye whiche were his sworne enemies whiche had renounced his holy law and commaundements and folowed the lustes and sinfull pleasures of our corrupt nature And yet I say did Christe put him selfe betwene Gods deserued wrath our sinne and rente that obligation wherein we were in daunger to God and payde our dette Our dette was a great deale to great for vs to haue payde And without payment God the father coulde neuer be at one with vs Neyther was it possible to be losed from this dette by our owne habilitie It pleased him therefore to be the payer thereof and to discharge vs quite Who can now consyder the greuous det of sinne whiche coulde none otherwyse be payde but by the death of an innocent and will not hate sinne in his heart If God hateth sinne so much that he would allowe neither man nor Angell for the redemption thereof but onely the death of his onelye and welbeloued sonne who will not stande in feare thereof If we my freendes consyder this that for our sinnes this most innocent lambe was driuen to death we shall haue much more cause to bewayle our selues that we were the cause of his death then to crye out of the mallice and crueltie of the Jewes whiche pursued him to his death We did the deedes wherefore he was thus stricken and wounded they were onely the ministers of our wickednes It is meete then we shoulde step lowe downe into our heartes and bewayle our owne wretchednes and sinful liuing Let vs know for a certainetie that if the most dearly beloued sonne of God was thus punished and stricken for the sinne which he had not done him self how muche more ought we sore to be stricken for our dayly and manifolde sinnes whiche we commit agaynst God if we earnestlye repent vs not and be not sorye for them No man can loue sinne which God hateth so much and be in his fauour No man can saye that he loueth Christe truely and haue his great enemie sinne I meane the aucthour of his death familiar and in frendship with him So much do we loue God and Christe as we hate sinne We ought therefore to take great heede that we be not fauourers thereof least we be founde ennemies to God and traytours to Christe For not onelye they whiche nayled Christe vppon the crosse are his tormentours and crucifiers but all they sayth saint Paule crucifie agayne the sonne of God as muche as is in them whiche do commit vice and sinne which brought him to his death If the wages of sinne be death and death euerlasting Surely it is no small daunger to be in seruice thereof If we liue after the fleshe and after the sinfull lustes thereof saint Paule threatneth yea almightie God in saint Paule threatneth that we shal surely dye
if we suffer to be euill spoken of for the loue of Christe this is thankfull afore God for so did Christ suffer He neuer did sinne neyther was there any guyle found in his mouth Yea when he was reuyled with tauntes he reuyled not agayne When he was wrongfullye dealt with he threatned not againe nor reuenged his quarrel but deliuered his cause to him that iudgeth rightlye Perfect pacience careth not what nor howe much it suffereth nor of whom it suffereth whether offrende or foe but studyeth to suffer innocently and without deseruing Yea he in whom perfect charitie is careth so litle to reuenge that he rather studieth to do good for euill to blesse say well of them that curse him to pray for them that pursue him according to the example of our sauiour Christe who is the most perfect example paterne of all meekenes sufferaunce whiche hanging vpoÌ„ his crosse in most seruent anguish bleeding in euery part of his blessed body being set in the middes of his enemies crucifiers hee notwithstanding the intollerable paynes which they saw in him being of them mocked scorned despitefully without all fauour and compassion had yet towardes them such compassion in heart that he prayed to his father of heauen for them said O father forgeue them for they wote not what they doe What pacience was it also which he shewed when one of his own apostles seruaunts which was put in trust of him came to betray him vnto his enemies to the death He said nothing worse to him but Frend wherfore art thou come Thus good people shoulde we call to minde the great examples of charitie which Christe shewed in his passion if we will fruitfully remember his passion Suche charitie and loue shoulde we beare one to another if we will be the true seruauntes of Christe For if we loue but them which loue say wel by vs what great thing is it that we do saith Christ Do not the Panims open sinners so We must be more perfect in our charitie then thus euen as our father in heauen is perfect whiche maketh the light of his sunne to rise vpon the good the bad and sendeth his rayne vpon the kind vnkind After this maner should we shewe our charitie indiffereÌ„tly as wel to one as to another as wel to frende as foe lyke obedient children after the example of our good father in heauen For if Christe was obedient to his father euen to the death and that the most shameful death as the Jewes esteemed it the death of the crosse Why should we not be obedient to God in lower pointes of charitie and patience Let vs forgeue then our neighbours their small faultes as God for Christes sake hath forgeuen vs our great It is not meete that we should craue forgeuenes of our great offences at Gods handes and yet will not forgeue the small trespasses of our neighbours agaynst vs We do call for mercy in vayne if we will not shew mercy to our neighbours For if we will not put wrath and displeasure forth of our hearts to our christian brother no more wil God forgeue the displeasure and wrath that our sinnes haue deserued afore him For vnder this condition doth God forgeue vs if we forgeue other It becommeth not Christian men to be harde one to another nor yet to thinke their neighbour vnworthye to be forgeuen For howsoeuer vnworthy he is yet is Christ worthy to haue thee do thus much for his sake he hath deserued it of thee that thou shouldest forgeue thy neighbour And God is also to be obeyed which commaundeth vs to forgeue if we will haue any part of the pardon which our sauiour Christ purchased once of God the father by shedding of his precious blood Nothing becommeth Christes seruantes so much as mercy and compassion Let vs then be fauourable one to another and praye we one for another that we maye be healed from all frailties of our lyfe the lesse to offende one the other and that we maye be of one mynde and one spirite agreeing together in brotherly loue and concord euen like the deare children of god By these meanes shal we moue God to be mercifull to our sinnes yea and we shall be hereby the more redy to receaue our sauiour and maker in his blessed sacrament to our euerlasting comfort and health of soule Christ delighteth to enter and dwell in that soule where loue and charitie ruleth and where peace concord is seene For thus wryteth saint John God is charitie he that abydeth in charitie abydeth in God and God in him And by this sayth he we shall know that we be of God if we loue our brethren Yea and by this shall we knowe that we be shifted from death to lyfe if we loue one another But he whiche hateth his brother sayth the same Apostle abydeth in death euen in the daunger of euerlasting death is moreouer the childe of damnation of the deuil cursed of God and hated so long as he so remayneth of God and all his heauenly company For as peace and charitie make vs the blessed children of almightie God so doth hatred and enuie make vs the cursed children of the deuill God geue vs all grace to folow Christes example in peace and in charitie in pacience sufferaunce that we now may haue him our ghest to enter and dwel within vs so as we may be in ful suretie hauing such a pledge of our saluation If we haue him and his fauour we may be sure that we haue the fauour of God by his meanes For he sitteth on the right hand of his father as our proctour atturney pleading and suing for vs in all our needes and necessities Wherfore if we want anye gyft of godlye wisdome we maye aske it of God for Christes sake we shall haue it Let vs consyder and examine our selfe in what want we be concerning this vertue of charitie and patience If we see that our hearts be nothing inclined thervnto in forgeuing them that haue offended against vs then let vs knowledge our want and wishe to God to haue it But if we want it and see in our selfe no desyre thereunto veryly we be in a daungerous case before God and haue nede to make muche earnest prayer to God that we may haue such an heart changed to the graâ—â—ing in of a newe For vnlesse we forgeue other we shall neuer be forgeuen of god No not all the praiers and merites of other can pacifie God vnto vs vnlesse we be at peace and at one with our neighbour Nor all our deedes and good workes can moue God to forgeue vs our dettes to him except we forgeue to other He setteth more by mercy then by sacrifice Mercye moued our sauiour Christ to suffer for his enemies it becommeth vs then to follow his example For it shall litle
kepe our feaste the whole tearme of our lyfe with eatyng the bread of purenes of godly life and trueth of Christes doctrine Thus shal we declare that Christes giftes and graces haue their effect in vs and that we haue the ryght beleefe and knowledge of his holy resurrection where truely if we apply our fayth to the vertue thereof and in our lyfe confourme vs to the example signification meant thereby we shal be sure to ryse hereafter to euerlastyng glory by the goodnesse and mercie of our Lord Jesus Christ to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all glory thankes geuyng and prayse in infinita seculorum secula Amen ¶ An homilee of the worthy receauyng and reuerent esteeming of the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christe THE great loue of our Sauiour Christ towardes mankynd good Christian people doth not onlye appeare in that deare bought benefite of our redemption saluation by his death passiō but also in that he so kindlye prouided that the same most mercyful worke myght be had in continual remembraunce to take some place in vs and not be frustrate of his ende and purpose For as tender parentes are not content to procure for their chyldren costly possessions and liuelode but take order that the same may be conserued and come to their vse So our Lorde and sauiour thought it not sufficient to purchase for vs his fathers fauour agayne whiche is that deepe fountayne of all goodnesse and eternall lyfe but also inuented the wayes most wysely whereby they myght redound to our commoditie profite Amongst the which meanes is the publique celebration of the memorie of his pretious death at the Lordes table Whiche although it seeme of small vertue to some yet beyng ryghtly done by the faythfull it doth not onlye helpe their weaknesse who be by their poysoned nature redyer to remember iniuries then benefites but strengthneth comforteth their in ward man with peace gladnesse and maketh them thankfull to their redeemer with diligent care and godly conuersation And as of olde tyme God decreed his wonderous benefites of the delyueraunce of his people to be kepte in memorie by the eatyng of the passeouer with his rites and ceremonies So our louyng Sauiour hath ordeyned and establyshed the remembraunce of his great mercie expressed in his passion in the institution of his heauenly supper where euery one of vs must be ghestes and not gasers eaters and not lookers seedyng our selues and not hiryng other to feede for vs that we may lyue by our owne meate and not perishe for hunger whiles other deuour all To this his commaundement forceth vs saying Do ye thus drinke ye all of this To this his promise enticeth This is my body whiche is geuen for you this is my blood whiche is shed for you So then as of necessitie we muste be our selues partakers of this table and not beholders of other So we must addresse our selues to frequent the same in reuerent and due maner least as phisike prouided for the body beyng misused more hurteth then profiteth so this comfortable medicine of the soule vndecently receaued tendeth to our greater harme and sorow And saint Paul sayth He that eateth and drynketh vnworthyly eateth and drynketh his owne dampnation Wherefore that it be not saide to vs as it was to the ghest of that great supper Freende howe camest thou in not hauing the mariage garment And that we maye fruitfully vse Saint Paules counsell Let a man proue hym selfe and so eate of that bread and drynke of that cuppe We muste certaynelye knowe that three thynges be requisite in hym which woulde seemely as becommeth suche hygh mysteries resorte to the Lordes table That is Fyrste a ryght and a worthye estimation and vnderstandyng of this mysterie Secondely to come in a sure fayth And thirdely to haue newenesse or purenesse of lyfe to succeede the receauing the same But before all other thynges this we must be sure of especially that this Supper be in suche wyse done and ministred as our Lorde and sauiour did and commaunded to be done as his holy Apostles vsed it and the good fathers in the primatiue Churche frequented it For as that worthy man saint Ambrose sayth he is vnworthy of the Lord that otherwise doth celebrate that mysterie then it was delyuered by him Neither can he be deuout that other waies doth presume thē it was geuen by the aucthor We must then take heede leaste of the memorie it be made a sacrifice least of a cōmunion it be made a priuate eatyng least of two partes we haue but one least applying it for the dead we lose the fruit that be aliue Let vs rather in these matters folowe the aduice of Ciprian in the lyke cases that is cleaue fast to the firste beginnyng holde fast the Lordes tradition do that in the Lordes cōmemoration which he him selfe did he him selfe commaunded his apostles confirmed This caution or foresight yf we vse then may we see to those thynges that be requisit in the worthy receauer wherof this was the fyrste that we haue a ryght vnderstandyng of the thyng it selfe As concerning which thing this we maye assuredlye perswade our selues that the ignoraunt man can neyther worthyly esteeme nor effectually vse those marueilous graces and benefites offered and exhibited in that Supper but eyther wyll lightly regarde them to no small offence or vtterly condempne them to his vtter destruction So that by his negligence he deserueth the plagues of God to fall vppon hym and by contempt he deserueth euerlastyng perdition To auoyde then these harmes vse the aduice of the wyse man who wylleth thee when thou sittest at an earthlye kynges table to take diligent heede what thinges are set before thee So nowe much more at the kyng of kynges table thou must carefully searche and knowe what dainties are prouided for thy soule whyther thou art come not to feede thy senses and belly to corruption but thy in warde man to immortalitie and lyfe nor to consyder the earthlye creatures whiche thou seest but the heauenlye graces which thy fayth beholdeth For this table is not sayth Chrisostome for chattering Jayes but for Egles who flee thither where the dead bodye lyeth And yf this aduertisement of man can not perswade vs to resorte to the lordes table with vnderstandyng see the counsell of GOD in the lyke matter who charged his people to teache their posteritie not onlye the rites and ceremonies of the Passouer but the cause and ende thereof Whence we may learne that both more perfect knowledge is required at this tyme at our handes and that the ignoraunt can not with fruite and profite exercise hym selfe in the Lordes Sacramentes But to come nygher to the matter Saint Paul blaming the Corinthians for the prophaning of the Lordes supper concludeth that ignoraunce both of the thing it selfe and the signification thereof was the cause of their abuse for they came thither
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
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
turne agayne vnfaignedly vnto god The inconueniences and mischeefes that come of idlenes aswel to mans body as to his soule are more then can in short time be well rehearsed Some we shall declare and open vnto you that by consyderyng them ye may the better with your selues gather the rest An idle hande sayth Salomon maketh poore but a quicke labouring hand maketh rich Agayne he that tillleth his lande shall haue plenteousnesse of bread but he that floweth in idlenesse is a very foole and shall haue pouertie enough Agayne a slouthfull body wyl not go to plowe for colde of the winter therefore shal he go a beggyng in sommer and haue nothyng But what shall we nede to stand much about the prouing of this that pouertie foloweth idlenesse We haue to much experience therof the thing is the more to be lamented in this Realme For a great part of the beggery that is amōg the poore can be imputed to nothyng so muche as to idlenesse and to the negligence of parents which do not bryng vp their chyldren eyther in good learnyng honest labour or some commendable occupation or trade wherby when they come to age they myght get their liuing Dayly experience also teacheth that nothyng is more enemie or pernicious to the health of mans bodye then is idlenesse to much ease and sleepe and want of exercise But these and suche lyke incommodities albeit they be great noysome yet because they concerne chiefely the body and externall goodes they are not to be compared with the mischeefes inconueniences which through idlenesse happen to the soule whereof we wyll recite some Idlenes is neuer alone but hath alwaies a long tayle of other vices hanging on whiche corrupt and infect the whole man after such sort that he is made at length nothyng els but a lumpe of sinne Idlenesse sayth Jesus Syrach bringeth much euill and mischeefe Saint Barnarde calleth it the mother of al euyls and stepdame of all vertues addyng moreouer that it doth prepare and as it were treade the way to hell fyre Where idlenesse is once receaued there the deuill is alwaies redy to set in his foote and to plant al kind of wickednesse and sinne to the euerlasting destruction of mans soule Whiche thing to be most true we are plainely taught in the. xiii of Matthewe where it is sayde That the enemie came while men were a sleepe sowed naughtie tares among the good wheate In verye deede the best tyme that the deuyll can haue to worke his feate is when men be a sleepe that is to say idle Then is he moste busie in his worke then doth he soonest catch men in the snare of perdition then doth he fill them with all iniquitie to bryng them without Gods speciall fauour vnto vtter destruction Hereof we haue two notable examples most liuely set before our eyes The one in kyng Dauid who tarying at home idelly as the scripture sayth at suche tymes as other kynges go foorth to battaile was quicklye seduced of Satan to forsake the Lord his God and to commit two greeuous abominable sinnes in his sight adultrie and murther The plagues that ensued these offences were horrible and greeuous as it may easyly appeare to them that wyl reade the story Another example of Sampson who so long as be warred with the Philistines enemies to the people of God could neuer be taken or ouercome But after that he gaue him selfe to ease and idlenesse he not onlye committed fornication with the strumpet Dalila but also was taken of his enemies and had his eyes miserablie put out was put in prison and compelled to grinde in a myl and at length was made the laughing stock of his enemies If these two who were so excellēt men so welbeloued of God so endued with singuler and deuine giftes the one namelye of prophesie and the other of strength and such men as neuer coulde by vexation labour or trouble be ouercome were ouerthrowen and fell into greeuous sinnes by geuing them selues for a short time to ease and idlenesse and so consequently incurred miserable plagues at the handes of God What sinne what mischeefe what inconuenience and plague is not to be feared of them whiche all theyr lyfe long geue them selues wholye to idlenesse and ease Let vs not deceaue our selues thynkyng litle hurte to come of doyng nothyng For it is a true saying When one doth nothing he learneth to do euyll Let vs therefore alwayes be doyng of some honest worke that the deuill maye finde vs occupied He hym selfe is euer occupied neuer idle but walketh continually seekyng to deuoure vs Let vs resist hym with our diligent watching in labour and in well doyng For he that diligently exerciseth hym selfe in honest businesse is not easily catched in the deuils snare When man through idlenesse or for default of some honest occupation or trade to liue vpon is brought to pouertie and want of thinges necessarie we see howe easyly suche a man is induced for his gaine to lye to practise howe he maye deceaue his neyghbour to foresweare him selfe to beare false witnesse and oftentimes to steale and murther or to vse some other vngodly meane to liue withall Whereby not onlye his good name honest reputation and a good conscience yea his life is vtterly loste but also the great displeasure and wrath of God with diuers and sundry greuous plagues are procured Lo here the ende of the idle and sluggishe bodyes whose handes can not away with honest labour losse of name fame reputation life here in this worlde and without the great mercie of god the purchasyng of euerlasting destruction in the worlde to come Haue not al men then good cause to beware and take heede of idlenesse seeyng they that embrace and folowe it haue commonly of their pleasant idlenesse sharpe and sowre displeasures Doubtlesse good and godly men waying the great and manifold harme that come by idlenesse to a common weale haue from tyme to tyme prouided with all diligence that sharpe and seuere lawes myght be made for the correction and amendement of this euill The Egyptians had a lawe that euery man should weekely bryng his name to the chiefe rulers of the prouince there withall declare what trade of life he occupied to thintent that idlenesse myght be worthyly punished and diligent labour duely rewarded The Athenians dyd chastice sluggishe and slouthful people no lesse then they dyd heynous greeuous offenders consydering as the trueth is that idlenesse causeth much mischeefe The Arreopagites called euery man to a strayght accompt howe he lyued And yf they founde anye loyterers that dyd not profite the common weale by one meanes or other they were driuen out and banished as vnprofitable members that dyd onlye hurt and corrupt the body And in this Realme of Englande good and godlye lawes haue ben diuers times made that no idle vagaboundes and loytring runnagates should be suffered to go from towne
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
These words are sufficient to proue that Peter was alredye iustifyed through this his lyuelye fayth in the onely begotten sonne of god wherof he made so notable and so solemyne a confession But did not he afterwardes moste cowardlye denye his maister although he had heard of hym Whosoeuer denyeth me before men I wyll denye hym before my father Neuerthelesse assone as with weeping eyes with a sobbyng heart he did acknowledge his offence and with earnest repentance did flee vnto the mercy of God taking sure holde thereupon through faith in him whom he had so shamefullye denyed his sinne was forgeuen him for a certificate and assurance therof the roome of his Apostleship was not denyed vnto him But now marke what doth followe After the same holy Apostle had on Whitsondaye with the reste of the Disciples receaued the gyft of the holy ghost most aboundauntly he committed no smal offence in Antiochia by brynging the consciences of the faythfull into doubt by his example so that Paule was faine to rebuke him to his face because that he walked not vprightlye or went not the ryght way in the Gospell Shall we now say that after this greeuous offence he was vtterly excluded and shut out from the grace and mercy of God that this his trespasse wherby he was a stumbling blocke vnto manye was vnpardonable God defende we shoulde saye so But as these examples are not brought in to the ende that we shoulde thereby take a boldnesse to sinne presuming on the mercye and goodnesse of God but to the ende that if through the fraylenesse of our owne fleshe and the temptation of the Deuill we fall into the lyke sinnes we shoulde in no wyse dispayre of the mercy and goodnes of God Euen so muste we beware and take heede that we do in no wise thinke in our heartes imagine or beleue that we are able to repent aright or to tourne effectuallye vnto the Lorde by our owne myght and strength For this must be verifyed in all men Without me ye can do nothing Agayne Of our selues we are not able as much as to thynke a good thought And in another place It is God that worketh in vs both the wyl and the deede For this cause although Hieremie had sayde before If thou returne O Israel returne vnto me sayeth the Lorde Yet afterwardes he sayeth Turne thou me O Lorde and I shall be turned for thou art the Lorde my god And therefore that holye wryter and auncient father Ambrose doth playnely affirme that the turnyng of the heart vnto God is of God as the Lorde hym selfe doth testifie by his prophete saying And I will geue thee an heart to knowe me that I am the Lorde and they shall be my people and I will be their God for they shal returne vnto me with their whole heart These thinges beyng consydered let vs earnestlye pray vnto the liuyng God our heauenlye father that he wyll vouchsafe by his holye spirite to worke a true and vnfained repentance in vs that after the paynefull labours and trauayles of this lyfe we may liue eternally with his sonne Jesus Christe to whom be all prayse and glorye for euer and euer Amen ¶ The seconde parte of the Homilee of Repentaunce HJtherto haue ye heard wel beloued how needeful necessary the doctrine of repentaunce is how earnestly it is throughout all the scriptures of God vrged and set foorth both by the auncient prophetes by our Sauiour Jesu Christ his Apostles and that forasmuche as it is the conuertion or turning agayne of the whole man vnto God from whom we go away by sinne these four pointes ought to be obserued That is from whence or from what thinges we muste returne vnto whom this our returnyng muste be made by whose meanes it ought to be done that it may be effectual and last of all after what sort we ought to behaue our selues in the same that it may be profitable vnto vs and attayne vnto the thing that we do seeke by it Ye haue also learned that as the opinion of them that denie the benefite of repentaunce vnto those that after they be come to God and graffed in our sauiour Jesu Christe do through the fraylenesse of theyr fleshe and the temptation of the deuill fall into some greeuous and detestable sinne is most pestilent and pernitious So we muste beware that we do in no wyse thynke that we are able of our owne selues and of our own strength to retourne vnto the Lorde our God from whom we are gone awaye by our wyckednesse and sinne Nowe it shall be declared vnto you what be the true partes of repentaunce what thinges ought to moue vs to repent and to returne vnto the Lorde our God with all speede Repentaunce as it is sayde before is a true returning vnto God whereby men forsakyng vtterlye their idolatrie and wickednes do with a lyuelye fayth embrace loue and worship the true lyuyng God onelye and geue them selues to all maner of good workes whiche by Gods worde they knowe to be acceptable vnto him Nowe there be foure partes of repentaunce which beyng set together maye be lykened to an easie and short ladder whereby we may clymbe from the bottomles pit of perdition that we caste our selues into by our daylye offences and greeuous sinnes vp into the castle or to wre of eternal and endelesse saluation The fyrst is the contrition of the heart For we must be earnestly sorye for our sinnes and vnfaynedlye lament be wayle that we haue by them so greuously offended our most bounteous and mercifull God who so tenderlye loued vs that he gaue his onely begotten sonne to dye a most bitter death to shed his deare hart blood for our redemption and deliueraunce And veryly this inward sorowe and greefe being conceaued in the heart for the haynousnesse of sinne if it be earnest and vnfayned is as a sacrifice to God as the holy prophete Dauid doth testifye saying A sacrifyce to God is a troubled spyrite a contrite and broken heart O Lord thou wylt not dispyse But that this may take place in vs we must be diligent to reade and heare the scriptures and worde of God whiche most lyuely do paynt out before your eyes our naturall vncleanlynesse and the enormitie of our sinfull lyfe For vnlesse we haue a through feeling of our sinnes how can it be that we shoulde earnestlie be sorye for them Afore Dauid did heare the worde of the Lorde by the mouth of the prophet Nathan what heauinesse I praye you was in hym for the adultrie and murther that he had committed So that it myght be sayd right wel that he slept in his owne sinne We reade in the Actes of the Apostles that when the people had hearde the Sermon of Peter they were compunct and pricked in theyr heartes Whiche thing woulde neuer haue ben if they had not heard that holsome Sermon of
token of his due and bounden obedience with denuntiation of death if he dyd transgresse breake the said lawe commaundement And as God would haue man to be his obedient subiect so did he make al earthly creatures subiect vnto man who kept their due obedience vnto man so long as man remayned in his obedience vnto god in the which obedience if man had continued stil there had ben no pouertie no diseases no sicknesse no death nor other miseries wherewith mankynde is nowe infinitely and most miserably afflicted and oppressed So here appeareth the originall kyngdome of God ouer angels and man and vniuersally ouer all thinges and of man ouer earthly creatures whiche God had made subiect vnto him and withall the felicitie and blessed state whiche angels man and all creatures had remayned in had they continued in due obedience vnto GOD theyr kyng For as long as in this fyrst kyngdome the subiectes continued in due obedience to God theyr kyng so long dyd God embrace all his subiectes with his loue fauour and grace whiche to enioy is perfect felicitie whereby it is euident that obedience is the principall vertue of all vertues and in deede the verye roote of all vertues and the cause of all felicitie But as all felicitie and blessednesse shoulde haue continued with the continuaunce of obedience so with the breache of obedience and breaking in of rebellion all vices and miseries dyd withall breake in and ouerwhelme the worlde The first aucthour of which rebellion the roote of all vices and mother of all mischeefes was Lucifer fyrst Gods most excellent creature and moste bounden subiect who by rebelling agaynst the maiestie of God of the bryghtest and most glorious angell is become the blackest and moste foulest feende deuill and from the heyght of heauen is fallen into the pit and bottome of hell Here you may see the first aucthour and founder of rebellion and the rewarde thereof here you maye see the graunde captayne and father of all rebels who perswadyng the folowyng of his rebellion agaynst GOD their creator and Lorde vnto our fyrst parentes Adam and Eue brought them in high displeasure with GOD wrought their exile and vanishment out of paradise a place of all pleasure and goodnesse into this wretched earth and vale of all miserie procured vnto them sorowes of their mindes mischeefes sicknesse diseases death of theyr bodies and whiche is farre more horrible then all worldly and bodyly mischeefes he had wrought thereby theyr eternall and euerlastyng death and dampnation had not GOD by the obedience of his sonne Jesus Christe repayred that whiche man by disobedience and rebellion had destroyed and so of his mercie had pardoned and forgeuen hym of whiche all and singuler the premises the holye scriptures do beare recorde in sundrye places Thus you do see that neither heauen nor paradise coulde suffer anye rebellion in them neyther be places for any rebels to remayne in Thus became rebellion as you see both the first and greatest and the verye roote of all other sinnes and the first and principall cause both of all worldlye and bodyly miseries sorowes diseases sicknesses and deathes and whiche is infinitely worse then all these as is sayde the very cause of death and dampnation eternall also After this breache of obedience to God and rebellion agaynst his maiestie all mischeefes and miseries breaking in therewith and ouerflowyng the worlde lest all thinges shoulde come vnto confusion and vtter ruine GOD foorthwith by lawes geuen vnto mankynde repayred agayne the rule and order of obedience thus by rebellion ouerthrowen and besides the obedience due vnto his maiestie he not onlye ordayned that in families and housholdes the wyfe shoulde be obedient vnto her husbande the chyldren vnto their parentes the seruauntes vnto their maisters but also when mankynde increased and spread it selfe more largely ouer the worlde he by his holye worde dyd constitute and ordayne in Cities and Countreys seuerall and speciall gouernours and rulers vnto whom the residue of his people shoulde be obedient As in readyng of the holye scriptures we shall finde in very many and almoste infinite places aswell of the olde Testament as of the newe that kynges and princes aswell the euill as the good do raigne by Gods ordinaunce and that subiectes are bounden to obey them that God doth geue princes wysdome great power and aucthoritie that God defendeth them agaynst their enemies and destroyeth their enemies horribly that the anger and displeasure of the prince is as the roaring of a Lion and the very messenger of death and that the subiect that prouoketh hym to displeasure sinneth agaynst his owne soule With many other thinges concernyng both the aucihoritie of princes and the duetie of subiectes But here let vs rehearse two speciall places out of the new Testament which may stand in steade of all other The first out of saint Paules Epistle to the Romanes and the. 1◠Chapter where he wryteth thus vnto all subiectes Let euery soule be subiect vnto the hygher powers for there is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordeyned of god Whosoeuer therfore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinaunce of God and they that resist shall receaue to them selues dampnation For princes are not to be feared for good workes but for euil Wylt thou then be without feare of the power Do well so shalt thou haue prayse of the same For he is the minister of GOD for thy wealth but yf thou do euill feare for he beareth not the sworde for naught for he is the minister of God to take vengeaunce vppon hym that doth euyll Wherefore ye muste be subiect not because of wrath only but also for conscience sake for for this cause ye pay also tribute for they are Gods ministers seruyng for the same purpose Geue to euery man therefore his duetie tribute to whom tribute belongeth custome to whom custome is due feare to whom feare belongeth honour to whom ye owe honour Thus farre are saint Paules wordes The seconde place is in saint Peters first Epistle and the second chapter whose wordes are these Submit yoūr selues vnto all maner ordinaunce of man for the lordes sake whether it be vnto the kyng as vnto the cheefe head eyther vnto rulers as vnto them that are sent of hym for the punishment of euyll doers but for the cheryshing of them that do well For so is the wyll of GOD that with well doyng ye may stoppe the mouthes of ignoraunt and foolishe men as free and not as hauing the libertie for a cloke of malitiousnesse but euen as the seruauntes of god Honour all men loue brotherly felowship feare GOD honour the kyng Seruauntes obey your maisters with feare not onlye yf they be good and curteous but also though they be frowarde Thus farre out of Saint Peter By these two places of the holy scriptures it is moste euident that Kinges Queenes and other Princes for he speaketh of