in mind so did he chose pore hum ble men to be his disciples y t they might go b◅are abrod like faith ful ministers y e heauēly riches of his exceding mercy toward man Christ. Not wyth out a cause For the riche galaūte and pompous worldlynges are no fit vessels t◅ c◅rye the treasures of the kyngdome of heauen so vnequally matched are Christe and Mammon heauen earth Golde and gods worde light and darcknes They maye pretend and beare an outwarde fac◅ to the worlde as thoughe they were the Apostles and ministers of Christe as Iudas Simon Magus and suche other dyd but inwardelye and afore God th◅y are the Apostls and ministers of Satan and whan they seme moste of all to talke of Christe of Christes doctrine of hys glory than are thei most of all ennemies of the crosse of Christe seke the condemnacion both of his doctrine and glory and laboure to stablishe their owne drousy dreames lowe◅ye lawes croked cōstitutions diuel lishe decres Antichristian actes and al for their God y e belly So swete a thynge is it to these false ministers and craftie apostles of Satan to tomble and walow in all kyndes of carnall pleasures and worldly riches Christe therfore knowynge all suche Bellye goddes to be vnapte for the prea chynge of the Gospell as he was pore and humble him selfe so did he chose to be hys ministers and Apostles por◅ homble menne ◅i shars day labourers tolgatherers such other vyle personnes abiectes of y e worlde These appointed he vnto the office of prea chyng his heauenly fathers wil. These made he dispensatoures and Stuwardes of the misteries of god These commaunded he to goforth and preach the Gospell the ioyful and glad ◅idings the fauoure of God towarde manne Repentaunce fayeth fre remission of sinnes in his bloud peace tranquillite of conscience euerlastinge lyfe c. The. These your wordes doeth blessed Paul affirme sayeing the folishenes of God is wiser then mē y e weakenes of god is stronger then men Brethrē ye se your calling how y t not mani wise mē after the flesh not many mightie not manye of hie degre are called but god hath chosen the folishe thynges of the world to confound the wyse And god hath chosē the weake things of the world to cō◅oūd the things which are mightie And vile thin ges of the world thinges which are dispised hath god chosē yea thinges of no reputacion for to bring to noughte things of repu tatiō y t no flesh should reioyce in his presēce Phi. Againe to shewe his humilite lolines how was he cōtent at euery mans desire to ◅o whither thei wold haue him gladly to do what so euer they re quested him Did he not heale y e deseased Restore y e blind to their sight The deaffe to their hearig The dūbe to their speaking The dead to their life Yea y e very Lepers did he not disdaine to purge cl◅se of their leprosie to touch w t his own handes whō the fine Pharises y e lusty lawers y e solēne saduces y e sawsy scribes the brag ing byshopes y e pattering priests w t y e whole rable of y e hypocritish sort disdained once to loke vpon so far is it of y t these holy fathers sought any remedy at al to helpe y e pore disseased After many tra gedies had betwen Christe the spiritual sorcerers w t y e other pōpouse worldlings for his doctrin miracles whā the time came ap poynted of hys heauenly father frome euerlastinge that he for mans reconciliation and pacifiyng of the diuine wrath shoulde offer hymselfe ▪ a swete and euerlastynge Sacrifice to God hys father wherby he myght redeme man from the tiran◅y of Satan paye hys raūsome by the price of his dere herte bloude fatisfie for hys offēses set a perpetual peace betwene God the father and mā and by hys death and passion bringe an whole sea of heauenlie treasures to the faythful penitēt sinners wyth what alacritie and cherefulnes of mynd wyth what desire and redines went he to his glorious passion No kinde of payne Did he disdayne For to sustayne To do man pleasure Hys owne herte bloude To shed on the rode It dyd hym good To make man al pure Euse. O the vnoutspeak◅able fa uoure of God towarde man If he had sent downe faythful Abra ◅ā or any other of the old Patri arches or aunciente holye Prophetēs to haue suffered for mans saluatiō it had wythout al doubt bene a token of singulare great fauoure toward man but to send downe hys onely begotten and derely beloued sonne from hys glorious throne yea and that for his enemies for their health and saluacion it is loue passynge all loue it is charite farre exceading all charite it is fauoure rather to be depely maruelled at than a ble worthily to be expressed The sonne of god to be come man and suffer dath for our sake Oh how cā we otherwise thē ernestly and frō y e very hert reioyce in y e Lord oure God Christ. Truly to much iron herted are all thei which reioyce not in y e blessed incarnaciō glorious death of this most ble ssed sede Iesu christ our Lord by whom so many so excellēt treasures of heauēli goodes haue fre ly chaūced vnto vs. Al things euē vnto the very death did he for our health saluation yea y t so cōsūmat perfecte y t ther was no thing left behind vnaccōplished y t might turne vnto our wealth cō modite profit cōcerning our redēpciō Let the turckes bost their Mahumet and reioyce in hym so much as thei list let Papistes auaunce their pope triumphe in him so much as is possible let the rich worldlinges magnifie their wicked mamon reioyse in it ful their hertes let y e glistering hypo crites delight in their god the bel ly euē vnto the vttermost yet let vs let vs I say y t professe Christ aright only reioyse in Christe in Christes natiuite passiō bloud death as s. Paul saith god forbid y t I should reioyse in any thinge but in the death of our lord Iesu Christ. For so louinge gentle a Sauioure can no wher be found so fauourable liberal a Lord cā no where be sought out In this sauioure lord therfore let vs re ioyse in none other Theo. The papistes can not broke this doctrine y t Christ alone y e most highe euerlastinge priest hath by hys death passiō in offeryng vp his own blessed body a swet smelling sacrifice to God the father so plē tuously so omnisufficiently so at the ful made satisfacion for oure sinnes y t we nede none other sacrifice satisfactory to put awaye our wickednesses Phile. No mar uel for in defacing the glory honour
the most wicked kinge I passe ouer many other of the olde testamēt which were vnmercifully persecuted and slayne for gods trueth Some as the blessed Apostle say eth were tried wyth mockynges scourginges wyth bondes prisonment some were stoned some were hewen a sunder some were slayne with swerde al were troubled and vexed Theo. These are they of whom the wise man spea keth god proued thē and founde thē meete for him selfe yea as the golde in the fornace dyd he trye thē and receyued thē as a brunte offeringe c. Phi. As I may at y e last come to the newe testament to whō is it vnknowne that Iesus Christ our Lorde sauioure after mani blasphemies rebukes slaunders and bitter tormentes suffred the most spiteful death of y e crosse so entered in to glorye Holye Iohn Baptist that blessed priestes sonne for trueth tellynge to king herod for reprouing hym of his abhominable liuing was cast into prisonne and beheaded Iames the brother of Iohn had his head striken of for preaching Christ to be son of y e liuinge god The holy martirs Stephē was stoned vnto deth because he prea ched Christ affirmed that God dwelleth not in temples made w t mans hād What kindnes Peter and Paule w t the other apostles foūd at y e hādes of thē whose saluaciō they most diligētly sought the histories make menciō Neyther do I heare speake of those blissed martirs which syns their dayes haue died for the confessiō of gods trueth so that the Gospel of Christe is not without a cause called of sainct Paulle the word of the crosse For al that wyl lyue godlye in Christ Iesu sayeth he shal suffer persecution To consider these histories afore rehersed shall stablishe our fayeth greately and very much comforte vs in the tyme of oure tribulacion so that we shall not lyghtely slyde frome God and frome hys holye worde but reioyse in hym recoūtynge oure selues moste blessed fortunate and wealthy that god hath vouched safe not only that we shoulde beleue in him but also suffer for hym It shall be expediente for vs also to remember that Christe calleth them blessed which suffer persecution for righ tuousnes sake and sayeth that theirs is the kingdome of heauē Agayne that the seruaunt is not greater thā hys Lord but if they persecuted Christ our Lorde and maister thei wil also persecute vs his seruauntes Disciples If they haue called the father of the houshold Belzebub much more they wyl cal them so that are of hys housholde If we were of the worlde the worlde woulde loue vs but for asmuche as we are not of the worlde but Christ hath chosen vs out of the world therfore doth the world hate vs. And did not Christe tel vs afore that we should lament and wepe that is to saye be oppressed of tirauntes but the worlde shoulde reioyse and that in the world we should haue affliction and trouble Agayne are we not taughte y t by many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of God Chri. The fleshe abhorreth trouble persecution namely whan death is like to folow phile The spirite as Christ sayeth is redye and of a good courage to suffer al thinges for the glorie of God but the fleshe is weake The outward man is loeth to dye but the inward man wisheth to be losoned out of this corruptible body and to be wyth Christ. But if the good wil of our heauēly father so be y t we muste nedes suffer death for Christes sake let vs set thys saying of S. Paule before oure eies and stedfastli beleue it if we die with christ we shal liue with him If we suffer w t him we shall also reigne with him And our sa uioure Christ sayeth whosoeuer shall lose his life for my sake and for y e Gospel he shal kepe it Here to agreeth the saying of s. Peter detelye beloued maruaile not that ye are proued bi fire whiche thyng is to trie you as thoughe some straūg thing happened vnto you but reioyse in asmuch as ye are partakers of christes passion y t when his glory appereth ye may be mery glad If ye be railed vpō happie are ye For y e glory the spirite of god resteth vpō you Againe if any mā suffer as a Christen man let hym not be a shamed but let him glorifie God on this behaulfe And let thē y t are troubeled accordinge to y e will of God cōmit ther soules to him w t wel doing as vnto a faythful cre ature They y t suffer trouble for y e lordes sake for the gospell shal stande before the glorious seate of God and before the lambe Christe and they shall be clothed wyth longe whyte garmentes and palmes in their handes They shal euer be in the presence of the seat of God and serue him daye and nyghte in hys temple and he that sitteth in the seate shall dwell amonge them They shall honger no more neyther thyrste neyther shall the sunne lyghte on thē neyther any heate For the lambe whyche is in the middes of the seate shal fede thē and lede them vnto fountaynes of liuynge water and God shall wype awaye al teares from their eyes Furthermore it shall be greate comforte for vs also to remember wyth what wyllynge hertes Christ and al the blissed martires suffered death for the glorye of God Christe oure Lorde and sauioure whan the tyme of hys bytter passion beganne to drawe nyghe and perceyued that Iudas wente aboute to betraye hym to the Byshopes and priestes sayde that thou entendeste to do do it quickelye and out of hand And whan the Byshoppes seruauntes came to laye hande on hym where as he myght haue escaped their cruell handes he wyllyngely offered hym selfe vnto them whereby we maye se that he wente vnto hys death wyth a merye and ioyefull herte Christofor These hys wordes which long before his passion he spake to y e Iewes do also testify and wytnes his redy bente good wyll to suffer for the saluacion of mankynd Therfore doeth my father loue me because I gyue ouer my lyfe that I maye take it agayne No manne taketh it away frō me but I gyue it ouer euē of myne own good wil I haue power to gyue it ouer I haue power to take it againe Theo. Of the willinge oblacion of him selfe it was prophecied by the holy Prophetes The prophet Esai sayeth he was offered because it was his good pleasure Dauid also saith in the parson of Christ I wil offer sacrifice vnto the willingly He speketh of the sacrifice of his body Againe Christe hym selfe sayeth by the forsayde Prophet vnto his heauēlye father as for sacrifice and offerynge thou wouldest none therfore madeste thou me a bodie As for burnte offeringes for synne thou hast not alowed them Than sayed I
delyghte in gorgeous houses buylte them tentes and in those safely dwelte considerynge wyth them selues that they were but straungers and pilgrimes and therfore prepared them houses not for thys world but for the worlde to come by couchynge there treasures in the bosomes of poore menne Euse. To buylde necessarye and conueniente houses for oure vse is not vngodly as I iudge but to repose oure delyght in them or so to spend oure goodes on buildynge that the poore people are y e les regarded socoured releaued and holpen thys is wicked this is vngodly CHri Buildynge is the daughter of phansye and maye in a maner be compared to the webbe of Penelope For that one setteth vp ano ther after the disbursinge of many powndes destroyeth and buil deth it vp againe with double ex pences the thirde succedeth and his phātasy not fully satisfied he agayne altereth the buildynge and addeth threfolde charge so that to build I spake of to much gorgeous and not necessary houses is nothyng else than to dalie wyth the worlde and to be led with fansy Theo. What was in tyme paste more gorgeous than Rome whan she was called the Ladye and heade of the worlde What was more sumptuousiye buylt than the tēple of Solomō yea and that at gods commaun demente as I maye passe ouer many aunciente and famous cities what is become of them Howe are they decayde Manye are come to suche and so greate downe faule and to so extreme tuine so deformed so destroyed so cōsumed to death that ther remaineth not somuche as a steppe neyther is there lefte of them any mencion at all Well were it wythe Christen religion if christen men woulde remember this sentēce of blessed Paul We haue no dwellyng place in thys world but we lobe for another to come Thā should the hea uenly mansion be more desired soughte after But nowe manye builde and they knowe not who shal enherite in y e mios of these their gorgious buildinges y e pore people are not cōsidered nor prouided for Euse. Woulde God all such as so greatly delite in costu ous buildinges would somtime set this sentēce of the wyseinā before theyr eyes If y u kepeste not thy selfe sayeth he in the feare of the Lord continually thy housse shal sone be subuerted topled ouer brought to noughte Chri. Me thinke y t thys curious buyldyng whych al moste vniuersalli is vsed now a daies among vs is a great tokē of the daye of iud gemente beinge at hande For Christe in the Gospel amonge other tokens reciteth buildyng to be one of y e cheife wherbi we may learne y t the commyng of the son of man vnto the teribleiudgemēt is at hād as s. Iames sayth Behold y e iudge standeth before the dore Phile. I perceyue now right ryght wel ye are fully persuaded that no man ought to reioyce in gorgeous buildynges wherein many delighte nowe a dayes Theo. Yea verely The history of the riche man in the Gospell maketh vs afraid which was a buil der also and whē he had finished hys buildinge and couched hys goods in his faire large houses thinking y t he should haue lyued many yeres sodenly it was sayed vnto hym y u fole thys nyghte shal they take away y e life frō the and thā whose shal these thinges be that y u hast gathered togither Phile. To enioye greate possessions in thys worlde semeth not to a fewe a singulare commoditie high profite but with how many cares troubles are they accōpa ned With what great labour at thei gotē scraped vp together With what carfulnes disquiet of mynde are they kept the hordets vp of them being at al houres in more feare left they should be taken awaie from them either by robbynge pollynge pillinge burning or by some other chaūce Howe shortly are they consumed and broughte to naught whiche were not gathered together with out long time and great sweate So vaine and transitorye be the goodes of the world Againe are not the wordly possessions many tymes lefte to suche heytes as spende them no lesse prodigally than their auncitours got them hardely and kept them niggardly What iuste cause also hath a ny man to reioyce in temporall riches seing that at the dreadful day of iudgemēt they shal render a straight accōptes of euery farthing to the high euerlastinge Iudge Christ how they haue bestowed them For God hath not endeued the rich men wyth their possessions that they should spēd thē at their pleasure and phansy but accordinge to hys most godlye commaundemente wyll and pleasure Syluer is myne and golde is myne sayeth the Lorde of hostes Hereto agreeth the say inge of the Psalmographe the earth is the Lordes and all that is contayned in it The Lorde hath committed hys goodes to the ritche men and he wyll cale them to accomptes a gaine to se how they haue bestowed thē and what thei haue won and gottē by the exercise of thē for the Lordes auauntage as we maye se in the Gospell If ther be foūd vnprofitable seruauntes and haue not bestowed them in settingeforth the glorye of God and in the hel pynge of theyr christen brethren but haue hid thē vp in the groūd that is to saye kepte them nigardly to their owne vse or spent them aboute vayne and wycked thynges they maye be sure to be bound fete and handes to be cast into vtter darckenes where shal be weping and gnashing of teth Chri. O that th◅se thynges were wel cōsidered pondered weighed in the iuste balance of resonable discression than shoulde the ryche men of thys worlde haue litle occasiō to glorie in their terrestrial and worldly possessions but rather recounte them moste happie wealthie and fortunat to whom least is committed For euery man shall rendre accountes of the talentes receiued be they fewe or many Theo. Blessed is the ryche which is founde wyth out blemishe say eth the wyse man hath not gon after golde nor put hys truste in monye and treasures Where is there such a one and we shal cōmend hym and call hym blessed For greate thynges doeth he among hys people Who so is tried and founde perfecte in suche thynges shal be commended and praysed Yea hys good shall be stablished and the whole congregacion shall declare hys almes Make you frendes sayeth oure Sauiour Christ of the vnryghtous Mammō that whē ye shal haue nede they maye receiue you into euerlastynge habitacions Euse. To se the inordinate affecti on insatiable desier whych the more parte of men haue vnto the goodes of y e world it is a world Aunciente Authours complaine of the couetuousnes vsed in their tyme but if they were now a liue they woulde maruell and wyth hyghe indignacion wete they re penne and wright Satyres and Inuectiues agaynste oure couetous worldlyngs For theyr coue tous affectes knowe no
poore abiectes and vyllaynes of this worlde by the authoritie of Goddes worde It can not be it can not be For euery one that doeth euyll sayth Christ hateth the lyght neyther cometh he to the lyght least hys works should be reproued Now as cōcerninge the wicked worldlings thei cā fauour no more the truth of Gods word thē the bealied hipocrites For it condēneth their couetousnes theyr ambitio their vain glory their pride their whordome their pollynge their pillinge their falshode theyr oppression their vnmercifulnes theyr cruelty theyr tyrannye and what so euer ahomination they vse beside Howe can it otherwise come to passe but they whych rebuke these vices muste neades be hated persecuted enprisoned and slayne of the wycked worldlynges for tellynge thē the truth for rebukynge these theyr most abhominable and outragiousse synnes as the prophete sayeth They hate hym that reproueth them openlye and who so telleth them the playne trueth they abhorre hym Can lighte and darcknes agre Can Christ and Beliall be at vnitie No more canne the worckers of wyckednes and the rebukers of the same be ledde wyth one consente There muste nedes be dissētion betwen thē as was betwene Abell and Cayne Iacob and Esau Christ and the byshoppes the Apostles and the worldelye tyrantes And for as muche as the same impietie and vngodlynes the same wyckednes and abhomination reigneth nowe in the worlde that hathe bene vsed in tymes paste and it ought of veri duti to be rebuked at thys presente wyth no lesse libertye of speache then it hathe bene in tymes paste excepte wee wyll wyncke at so greate abhomination and wyth the wycked worldelynges and bealied hypo crites syncke downe to the deuyl for oure laboure it is not to be doubted but they that shall take vpon them that office shal proue fynd euen that same gentilnes at theyr handes that Moyses the Prophetes Christe and hys Apostles the holye martyrs and blessed sayntes receyued of their bluddy predecessours Therfore if the waues and surges of cruell persecution shal at any tyme rise againste vs the good wyl of our heauenlye father so prouidynge without whole sufferaunce al the hypocrites in the worlde can do nothynge agaynst vs let vs not despayre nor cast away our hope but styl go forth to reioyce in the Lorde oure God and manfullye abyde by the veritie of his word remēbring y t it is called the word of the crosse trouble persecutiō remembringe that no kynde of aduersitie chaunceth to vs but the same happened in times past to the Prophetes and Apostles yea to Christ hym selfe that pure Lambe of God remembrynge y t all whyche wyll lyue Godlye in Christe Iesus shall suffer persecution remembrynge that by the crosse awaye is prepared for vs vnto eternall lyfe And that we maye wyth the more free spirite and francke courage reioyce in the Lord when so euer the crosse or persecution is layed on oure backes for Goddes sake and for hys Gospell let vs enarme oure selues wyth the cōfortable textes of the holye scripture and call to remembraunce the hystories of the blessed menne of God whych also suffred like or greater pains for the glorye of the Lorde not forgettynge that euen frome the beginyng of the worlde the wicked begā to persecute the godly as we may see in Abel and suche other Euse. Unto this pacience and the folowing of the prophetes doeth blessed Iames exhorte vs saying Bepatient brethren to the cōming of the Lorde Behold the husband man waiteth for the precious fruite of the earth and hath long patiēce therupō vntyll he receiue y e yarelye later raine Be ye also patiente therfore and settle youre hertes for the commynge of the Lord draweth nye Grudge not one agaynste an other brethren leste ye be dampned Beholde the Iudge standeth before the dore Take my brethren the prophets for an exemple of sufferynge aduersitie of patience whyche spake in the name of the Lorde Beholde we counte them happye whyche endure Chri. Oure sauiour Christ sayeth also Blessed are ye when men reuile you persecute you and shall falselye saye all maner of euyll saying agaynste you for my sake Reioyce and be glade for great is your reward in heauen For so persecuted they the Prophetes whyche were before you Phile. What pleasures the holy prophetes of God found at the worldes hande it is not hard to expresse Esaie that moste excellente Prophet of God for hys libertie of speache in rebukynge the syn of the princes and of the people and for prophesyeng of the vengeaunce of god to fal vppō the cōtreie and people for not receiuing the word of god was cut in two partes a sūder wyth a sawe of wode Theo. O intollerable payne Phi. The prophet Ieremy was stoned vnto death of his people at Taphnes in Egipte because he rebuked them of their wicked liuynge and exhorted thē vnto repentaunce and amendemente of lyfe The Prophete Amos at the commaundemente of kynge Amasias for hys preachinge was cruelly beaten and greuously tormented and at the laste the Kynges sonne Ochosias caused hym to be thurste into the temples of the heade wyth a great naile oftrone so shortli af ter died The Prophet Micheas was cruelly beatē emprisoned fed w t breade water because he spake the trueth told the king what should chaunce vnto hym The Prophete Helias was greuously persecuted of quene Iesa ble kinge Achabes wife for speakinge agaynste Baall and hys chaplens The Prophet zacharie son of Barachias was stoned to death for telling the king truth The Prophete Daniell was cast into the denne of lions because that contrarye to kynge Darius commaundemente he prated vnto his Lord the God Israell Which of the prophetes escaped wythout persecution And as the wicked worldlynges and bellie◅ Hypocrites handled the prophetes of God for telling the trueth so handled they al other y t obeied not their wickedlawes and filthy requestes Were not Sidrach Misac Abednago caste into a firie fornace because they would not worship the golden Image that kinge Nabugodonoser had made but only y e God of Israel Was not Achimelech wyth certaine other holy mē of god slaine at kynge Saules commaundemente because he she wed kyndenes to Dauid the hertye beloued seruaunte of God Was not Io sephe caste into prisonne because he woulde not leane to the filthy requeste of hys Lordes wyfe Was not Susan that vertuous woman at the poynt to be stoned vnto death because she woulde not consente to the vnlaufull and fylthy requestes of the two Iudges Was not Eleazarus miserablye put to death because ◅e at the kinges comaundement would not eat swines fleshe contrarie to the lawe of God was not a certayne woman wyth her seuen sonnes most cruelly put to death because they would not obaye the wycked precepte of