¶ The seconde par [...] of the [...] of the holy Scripture.

IN the firste part of this Sermon, which exhorteth to the knowledge of holy scriptur, was declared wherfore the knoweledge of the same is necessary and profitable to al men. And that by the true knowledge & vnderstanding of scripture, the moste necessarye poyntes of our duetie towardes God & our neigh­bours, are also knowen. Nowe as concerning the same matter, you shall heare what foloweth. It we professe Christe: why be we not ashamed to be ignorant in his doctrine? Seing that euery man is ash [...]med to be ignorant in that lerning, which he professeth. That man is ashamed to be called a Philosopher, which readeth not the bokes of Philosophie: & to be called a lawyer, and Astronomer, or a phisitiō, that is ignorant in the bokes of law. Astronomie and Phisicke. How can any man thē say that he professeth Christ and his religion, The wyl not applye him selfe (as far forth as he can or may conueniently) to reade & heare, & so to know the bokes of Christes gospel & doctrine. Although other sciences be good, & to be learned,gods [...] excelleth [...] sciences. yet no man can deny, but this is the chiefe, & passeth all other incōparably. What excuse shall we therfore make (at the last day before Christ) that delight to reade or heare mens phantasies and inuen [...]ions, more then his moste holy ghospell: & wyl fynde no time to do that, which chiefely (aboue all [...]ges) we shoulde do, & wyl rather reade other [...] their that, for the which we ought rather [...] [...] ­ding [Page]of all other thinges. Let vs therefore applye our selues, as farre fourth as we can haue time & leisure, to knowe Gods word, [...]aine ex­enses dis­s [...]abynge [...]rom the knowledge of goddes word [...]. The first. by diligent hearing and readyng therof, as many as professe God and haue faith & trust in him. But they that haue no good affection to Gods worde (to colour this there fault) alleage cōmonly, two vayne & sayned excu­ses. Some go about to excuse them by their owne frailenes & fearefulnes, saying that they dare not reade holy scripture▪ leaft through their ignorasice they should fal into any error.The soe [...] Other pretend that the difficultie to vnderstand it, & the hardnes ther­of is so great, that it is meete to be read onely of clerkes & learned men. As touching the first: igno­raunce of Gods word, is the cause of all error; as Christ him selfe affirmed to the Saduceis, saying that they erred, because they knewe not the scrip­ture. [...] xxii. How should they then eschue error that wil be styl ignoraunt? And how should they come out of ignoraunce, that wyll not reade nor heare that thyng, which should geue thē knowledge? He that now hath most knowledge, was at the first igno­raūt, yet he forbare not to reade, for feare he shuld sal into error: but he diligently read, least he shuld remaine in ignoraunce, & through ignoraunce, in error. And if you wil not know the trueth of God (a thing most necessary for you) least you fall into error: by the same reason you may then lye styll, & neuer goe, least (if you go) you fall in the mire: nor eate any good meate, least you take a surfeit, nor sowe your come, nor labour in your occupacion, nor vse your merchaūdize, for feare you lose your sede, your labour, your sto [...]ke, & so by that reason, [Page]it shoulde be best for you to lyue [...]oe [...]y, & neuer to take in hand to do any maner of good thing, least ꝑeraduenture some euyl thing may chaunce ther­of. And yt you be afrayde to fal into error, by rea­dyng of holy scripture: [...] c [...] [...]usty [...] without [...] peryll, the holy scripe­ture is [...] be read▪ I shall she we you how you may reade it without daunger of error. Reade it humbly with a meke & a lowly heart, to thintent you may gloryfye God, & not your selfe, with the knowledge of it: & reade it not without daily praging to God, that he would direct your readyng to good effect: & take vpon you to expounde it no further, then you can plainely vnderstand it. For (as S. Augustine saith) the knowledge of holy scrip­ture, is a great, large & a high palace, but the dore is very low: so that the high & arrogant man, can not run in but he must stowpe lowe, and humble him selfe, that shall enter into it. Presumption & arrogancy, is the mother of all error: & humilitie nedeth to feare no error. For humilitie wyl onely search to know the truth, it wyl search, and wyll bryng together one place with an other: & where it cā not find out the meaning, it wyl pray, it wil aske of other that know, & wyl not prestriupteous­ly & rashely define any thing, whiche it knoweth not. Therefore the humble man may searche any trueth boldly in the scripture, without any daun­ger of error. And if he be ignoraunt, he ought the more to reade & to search holy scripture, to bryng hym out of ignoraunce. I say not nay, but a man may prosper with only hearing, but he mai [...] more prosper, with both hearing, & reading. This haue I saide, as touching the feare to [...]ade, th [...] ­ [...]ough ignoraunce of the person. And [...]onu [...] [Page]the hardenesse of Scripture, [...]r [...]yture in some [...]laces is [...]asy, and [...] some [...]laces [...] to be [...]der [...]ād he that is so weake that he is not able to broke stronge meate: yet he may sucke the swete and tender mil [...]e, and di [...]erre the rest, vntyl he waxe stronger, and come to more knowledge. For god receaueth the learned and vnlearned, and casteth away none, but is indifferent vnto all. And the scripture is full, aswell of lowe valleyes, plaine wayes, and easy for euery man to vse, & to walke in: as also of high hylles & moun­taynes,god leueth no mā vn­taught y^t hath a good wyll to kno [...]e his worde. which fewe men can clymbe vnto. And whosoeuer geueth his mynde to holy scriptures, with diligent studye & burnynge desire, it can not be (saith S. Iohn Chrisostom) that he shoulde be left without helpe. For eyther God almighty wyl sende him some godly doctor, to teache him, as he dyd to instructe Eunuchus, a noble man of Eth [...] ­ope, and treasorer vnto Quene Candace, who ha­uinge a greate affection to reade the scripture (al­though he vnderstode it not) yet for the desire that he had vnto Gods word, God sent his Apostle Philip to declare vnto him the true sence of the scrip­ture, that he read: or els, it we lacke a learned mā to instruct & teache vs, yet God him selfe from a­boue, wyl giue light vnto our wyndes, & teach vs those thinges which are necessary for vs, & wher­in we be ignoraunt. [...]ow [...] the knowledge of scriptur may be at­ [...]ed vn­ [...]. And in an other place, Chri­sostome saith, that mans humaine & worldly wis­dome, or science, nedeth not to the vnderstandyng of scripture, but the reuelacion of the holy ghost, who inspireth the true meaning vnto them, that with humilitie & diligence do searche therfore. He that asketh shal haue,Math. vii. & he that seketh shan fynd, & he that knocketh, shall haue the doore open. If [Page]we reade once, twise, or thrise, & vnderstande not, let vs not sease so, but styll continue readynge, praying, askyng of other, & so by styl knockyng (at the last) the doore shalbe opened (as S. Augustine sayth.a good rule for y^e vnderst [...] ­dyng of scripture▪) Although many thynges in the scripture be spokē in obscure misteries, yet there is nothing spoken vnder dark misteries in one place, but the selfe same thyng in other places, is spoken more familiarely and playnely, to the capacitie both of learned and vnl [...]ned. And those thynges in the scripture that be playne to vnderstande,No [...] excepted from the knowledge of godd [...] w [...]ll. and ne­cessary for saluaciō, euery mans duerie is to learn them, to prynt them in memory, and effectuallye to exercise them. And as for the darke misteries, to be contented to be ignoraunt in them, vntyll such tyme as it shall please God to open those thynges vnto hym. In the meane season, yf he lacke ey­ther aptnes or oportunitie. God wyll not impute it to his folly: but yet it behoueth not, that such as be apt, shoulde set asyde readyng, because some other be vnapt to reade: neuerthelesse▪ for the hardenes of such places,What persons wold haue ignorance to continue. the reading of the whole ought not to be set aparte. And briefely to con­clude, (as S. Augustine saith) by the scripture, all men be amended, weake men be strengthened, and stronge men be comforted. So that surelye, none be enemies to the readynge of Gods worde, but such as either be so ignoraūt, that they know not how wholsome a thing it is: or els be so sicke.The holye Scripture is one of [...]od [...] chief benefit [...]. that they hate the most cōfortable medicine, that should heale them: or so vngodly, that they would wishe the people, styll to continue in blyndenesse and ignoraunce of God.

Thus we [...]aue briefly [...]ded s [...]me part of the commoditie [...] of Gods ho [...]y worde, w [...]ch is one of Gods chiefe, and principall benefites, [...]euen [...] declared to mankind, here in earth. Let vs th [...]n [...]e God heartely, for this his great and speciall [...], beneficiall [...]auour, and fatherly prouidence. Let vs be glad to reuiue this precious gyft of our hea­uenly father. Let vs heare, reade, and know, these holy rules,The right re [...]dynge, vse, & fruit full studi­ [...]ng in ho­lye scryp­ture. Psal. 1. iniunctions, and st [...]utes of our Chri­sten religion, & vpon that we haue made professi­on to God at our baptisme. Let vs with feare & reuerence lay vp (in the chest of our heartes) these necessary and fruitfull l [...]ssons. Let vs night & day muse, & haue meditacion, and contemplacion in them. Let vs ruminate, and (as it were) chew the [...]udde, that we may haue the [...]wete [...]e [...]se, spiritu­all effect, mary, hony, kyrnell, taste, comfort, & con­solation of them. Let vs stay, quiete, and certifie our consciences, with the most infallyble certain­tie, trueth, and perpetual assuraunce of them. Let vs pray to God (the only a [...]cthour of these heauē ­ly studies) that we may speake, thinke, beleue, liue and depart hence, according to the wholsome doc­trine, & verities of them. And by that meanes, in this worlde we shall haue Gods defence, fauour, & grace, with the vnspeakeable solace of peace, and [...]u [...]etnes of conscience▪ & after this miserable lif [...] we shall enioye the endles blisse, and glory of he [...] ­uen▪ which he graunt vs all, that dyed for, vs all Iesus Christ▪ to whom with the father, and the holy ghost be all honour and glory, [...]th nowe and euerlastyngly. Ame [...].

¶ The seconde part of the Sermon of the miserie of man.

FOr asmuch as the true knowledge of our selues, is verye necessarye to come to the right knowledge of God, ye haue hearde in the laste readynge, howe humbly all godly mē, alwayes haue thought of them selues: and so to thynke and iudge of them selues, are taught of God theyr creator, by his holy worde. For of oure selues, we be crabtrees, that can brynge forth no apples. We be of our selues of suche earth, as can bryng forth but weedes, nettles, brambles, bry­ers, cockle and darnell. Our fruites be declared in the .v. Chapter to the Galathians. We haue ney­ther faith, [...] v. charitie, hope, pacience, chastitie, nor [Page]any thyng els that good is, but of [...]. & th [...] [...] these vertues be called there, the scuites of the h [...] ­ly ghost, & not the fruites of man. Let vs therefore acknowledge our selues before God (as we be in dede) miserable and wretched sinners. And let vs ernestly repent, and humble our selues heartely, & crye to God for mercie. Lette vs all confesse with mouth and hearte, that we be full of imperfecti­ons. Let vs knowe oure owne woorkes, of what imperfection they be, and then we shall not stand foolyshely, and arrogantly in our owne conceites, nor chalenge any part of Iustification, by our me­rites or woorkes. For truely, there be imperfecti­ons in our best woorkes: we doe not loue God so much as we are bounde to do, with all our heart, mynde, and power: we do not feare God so much as we ought to do: we do not pray to Godde, but with greate and manye imperfections: we geue, forgeue, beleue, liue, and hope vnperfectlye: we speake, thynke, and do vnperfectlye: we fyght a­gaynst the deuyll, the worlde, and the fleshe, vnper­fectly. Let vs therfore not be ashamed to confesse plainly, our state of imperfectiō: yea, let vs not be ashamed to confesse imperfection, euen in all oure owne best woorkes. Let none of vs be ashamed to say with holy S. Peter: I am a sinful mā.Luke. v [...]. Psal. [...]v [...] Let vs al say with the holy Prophet Dauid: we haue sin­ned with oure fathers, we haue done anrisse▪ and dealt wickedly. Let vs al make opē confessiō with the prodigall sonne, to our father. & say with him, we haue sinned against▪ [...]auen & before the (O fa­ther) we are not worthy to de called this [...]s. Let vs al say, with holy Baru [...] O lord [...] to vs [...] [Page]is worth [...]y [...] confusyon, and to thee, righteousnes: We haue sinned, we haue doe [...] wickedly, we haue behaued our selfes vngodly, in al thy righteousnes. Let vs all saye with the holy Prophet Danyel:Daniel. is O lord, righteousnes belongeth to thee, vnto vs belongeth confusion. We haue sin­ned, we haue bene naughtie, we haue offended, we haue fled from thee, we haue gone backe from all thy preceptes and iudgmentes. So we learne of al good men in holy scripture, to humble our selues: and to exalte, extol, praise, magnify, & glorify God.

Thus we haue heard, howe euyll we be of our selues: howe, of oure selfes, and by our selfes, we haue no goodnes, helpe nor saluacion: but contra­ry wise, sinne, dampnacion, & death euerlastynge: whiche, yf wee depely weigh and considre, we s [...]al the better vnderstand the great mercy of God, and howe our saluacion commeth onely by Christ. For in our selues (as of our selues) we fynde nothing, [...] Cor. iii wherby we may be deliuered from this miserable captiuitie, into the which we were caste, through the enuy of the deuyll, by breakinge of gods com­maundement, [...]salu [...]. i. in our first parente Adam. We are all become vncleane, but we all are not able to clense our selues, nor to make one another of vs but we are not able to make our selues the childrē cleane. [...]phe. ii. We are by nature, the childrē of gods wrath and inherytours of gods glory. We are shepe that runne astraye, [...]. Pet. ii. but we cannot of oure owne pow­er, come againe to the shepfold, so great is our im­perfection and weakene [...]. In our selues therfore maye not we glorye, whiche (of our selues) are no­thing but sinfull Neither we maye reioyce in any [Page]workes that we do, which all be so vnperfect and vnpure, that they are not able to stand before the righteous iudgement seate of God, as the holy prophet Dauid saith:Psa .cxi [...]. Entre not into iudgemet with thy seruaūt (O lord) for no man that liueth shalbe founde righteous in thy syght.ii. Cor. i. To God therefore must we flee, or els shall we neuer fynd peace, rest, & quietnes of conscience in our heartes. For he is the father of mercies, and God of all consolation. He is the lord with whō is plenteous redemption. He is the God which of his own mercy saueth vs,Psal. cxxi and setteth out his charitie and exceading loue to­wardes vs, in that of his owne voluntarye good­nes, when we were perished, he saued vs, & prouy­ded an euerlastyng kyngdome for vs. And all these heauenly treasures, are geuen vs, not for our own deserts, merites or good dedes (which of our selues we haue none) but of his mere mercy freely. And for whose sake: Truly for Iesus Christes sake, that pure & vndefyled lambe of God, He is that dearely beloued sōne, for whose sake god is fully pacified, satisfied,Iohn .i. 1. Pet. ii. & set at one with man He is the lambe of God, which taketh away the sinnes of the world: of whom onely it may be truly spoken, that he did all thinges well, & in his mouth was founde no craft nor subtiltie.Iohn .i. None but he alone may say the Prince of the worlde came, and in me he hath no­thing. And he alone may saye also:Iohn. viii Hebr .viii. whiche of you shal reproue me of any fault? He is that hygh and euerlasting priest, which hath offred him selfe an [...] for all, vpon the aulter of the crosse, and with that one oblacion, hath made perfect for euermore: th [...] that are sanctified.Iohn. [...]. He is the alone medi [...] [...] [Page]twene God and man, which payed our raunsome to God, with his owne bloud, and with that hath he clensed vs all from sinne. He is the Phisition which healeth all our diseases.Math. i. He is that saui­our. which saueth his people frō all theyr sinnes. To be short, he is that flowyng, and moste plente­ous fountayne, of whose fulnesse all we haue re­ceiued. For in him alone, are all the treasures of the wisedome and knowledge of God hydden. And in hym, and by hym, haue we from God the father all good thynges perteynyng eyther to the body or to the soule. O howe much are we bounde to this our heauenly father, for his great mercies, which he hath so plenteously declared vnto vs, in Chryst Iesu our Lorde and sauiour? What thankes wor­thy and sufficient can we geue to hym? Let vs all with one accorde, burste our with ioyfull voyces. euer praysyng & magnifying this lorde of mercye, for his tender kindnesse she wed to vs in his deare­ly beloued sonne, Iesus Christ our Lorde.

Hytherto haue we hearde what we are of oure selues verely sinfull, [...]. wretched and damnable: a­gayne we haue hearde, howe that of oure selues, & by our selues, we are not able, eyther to thinke a good thought, or worke a good dede, so that we can fynde in our selues no hope of saluacion, but rather whatsoeuer maketh vnto our destruction. Agayne we haue hearde the tender kindenesse and great mercy of God the father towardes vs, [...]. and howe beneficial he is to vs, for Christes sake, without our merites or desertes, euen of his own mere mercyr and tender goodnesse. Nowe, howe there exceadyng great mercies of God, [...]. set abroade [Page]in Chryste Iesu for vs, be obteyned: and howe we be deliuered from the captiuitie of synne, death, and hell, it shall more at large (with Gods helpe) be declared in the next Sermon. In the meane season, yea and at al tymes, let vs learne to know our selues, our frailtie and weakenesse, without any crakyng or bostyng of our owne good deedes and merites. Let vs also knowledge the exceading mercy of God towardes vs, and confesse, that as of our selues commeth all euyll and damnacione so lykewyse of hym, commeth all goodnesse and saluacion, as God hym selfe saith, by the Prophet Oze: O Israell,Oze. xii [...] thy destruction commeth of thy selfe, but in me onely is thy helpe and comfort. If we thus humbly submit our selues in the sight of Go [...] we may be sure, that in the tyme of hi [...] disitacion, he wyll lyfte vs vp vnto the kyngdome of his dearely beloued sonne Christ Iesu our Lord: to whom with the fa­ther and the holy ghost, be all honor and glory for euer. AMEN.

¶ The seconde part of the Sermon of Saluacion.

YE haue hearde of whom all men ought to seke their iustification and ryghteous­nesse, and howe also this righteousnesse commeth vnto men by Christes death and merites, ye hearde also howe that thre thyn­ges are required to the obtaynyng of our ryghte­ousnesse: that is, Gods mercie, Christes Iustyce, and a true and a lyuely fayth, out of the whiche fayth spryngeth good woorkes. Also before was declared at large, that no man can be iustyfyed by his owne good woorkes, that no man fulfylleth the lawe, accordyng to the full request of the law. And sainct Paule in his Epistle to the Galathi­ans proueth the same,Galat. iii. saying thus: If there had ben any lawe geuen, which coulde haue iustifyed, verely, ryghteousnesse shoulde haue been by the lawe. And agayne he sayth: yf ryghteousnesse be by the lawe, then Chryste dyed in vayne. And a­gaine he saith: you that are iustified by the lawe, [Page]are fallen awase from grace. And furthermore, he writeth to the Ephesias, on this wise: by grace are ye saued through faithe,Ephe. ii. and that not of your sel­ues: for it is the gift of God, and not of workes, lest any man should glory. And to bee short, the summe of all Paules disputacion, is this: that if iustice come of workes, then it commeth not of grace: And if it come of grace, then it commeth not of workes. And to this ende, tendeth all the Prophetes, as S. Peter saieth, in the tenth of the Actes:Actes. v. of Christ all the Prophetes (saieth sainct Peter) doe witnesse, that through his name, al thei that beleue in him, shall receiue the remission of sinnes. And after this wise,Faithe onely iustifieth, [...] the doctrine of old docto [...] to bee iustified onely by this true and liuely faith in Christ, speaketh all the olde and aunciente aucthours, bothe Grekes, and Latins. Of whom I will specially reherse three: Hillarie, Basill, and Ambrose. S. Hillarie saieth these woordes plainly in the .ix. Canon, vpon Mathew: Faith onely iusti­fieth. And sainct Basil, a Greke aucthour, writeth thus: This is a perfecte and a whole reioysyng in God, when a man auaunceth not hymself for his owne righteousnesse, but knowledgeth hymself, to lacke true iustice and righteousnesse, and to bee in­stified by the onely faithe in Christe. And P [...]ule (saith he) doeth glory in the contempt of his owne righteousnesse,Phil [...]. iii. and that he looketh for the righte­ousnesse of God, by faith.

These be the very woordes of sainct Basill. And Sainct Ambrose, a Latine aucthour, saieth these woordes: This is the ordinaunce of GOD [...] whiche beleue in Christ, should bee [...]aued without woorkes, by faith onely, frely receiuyng re [...]n [Page]of his synnes. Consider diligently these woordes: without workes, by faith onely, freely, we receiue remission of oure sinnes. What can bee spoken more plainlye, then to saie: that freely, withoute woorkes, by fayth onelye, we obtayne remission of oure sinnes: These and other lyke sentences, that wee be iustified by fayth onelye, freely, and with­oute woorkes, we dooe reade of times in the moste beste and auncient writers. As beside Hillary, Basil, and sainct Ambroise, before rehearsed: wee reade the same in Origene, sainct Chrisostome, sainct Cypriane, sainct Augustine, Prosper, Deco­menius, Phocius, Bernardus, Ansehne, & manye other auctours: Greke and Latin. Neuerthelesse, this sentence: that we be iustified by fayth onelye: is not so meante of them, that the saied iustifiynge faith is alone in man, without true repentaunce, hope, charitie, dreade and the feare of God, at any time and season.Faith alone howe it is to be vnder­stande. Nor whē they say: that we be iu­stified frely: they meane not, that we shoulde or might afterward be idle, and that nothyng should be required on our partes afterward. Neither thei meane not so to bee iustified withoute oure good workes, that we should doe no good workes at all, lyke as shalbe more expressed at large, hereafter. But this saiyng, that we he iustified by faithonly, frely, and without workes: is spoken for to take awaie clerely all merite of our woorkes, as beyng vnable to deserue our iustification at Gods han­des, and thereby moste plainly to expresse the wea­kenes of man, and the goodnes of God: the greate infirmitie of our selues, and the might and power [Page]of God: the imperfectnes of our owne workes, and the most aboundaunt grace of our sauiour Christ. And therfore wholly to ascribe the merite and de­seruing of our iustification, vnto Christ onely, and his [...] precious bloud shedyng. This faithe the holy [...]ure teacheth: this is the stronge rocke & foundation of Christian religion: this doctrine all olde and auncient auctours of Christes churche do approue:The profit [...] the doctrin [...] of faith on [...] iustifieth. this doctrine, auaunceth & setteth furthe the true glory of Christe, and beateth downe the vayne glory of manne: this, whosoeuer denieth, is not to be coumpted for a Christian manne: not for a setter furthe of Christes glorie,What thei [...] that impug [...] the doctrin [...] of faith ou [...] iustifieth. but for an aduer­sary to Christe & his Gospel, and for a setter furthe of mennes vayne glorye. And althoughe this do­ctrine bee neuer so true, (as it is most true in dede) that we be iustified frely,A declarati [...] of this do­ctrine: faith without wor­kes iustifieth. without al merite of our owne good workes (as sainct Paule doeth expresse it) and freely, by this lyuely and perfecte faithe in Christe onely (as thaunciēt aucthors vse to speake it:) yet this true doctrine muste be also truely vn­derstande, & most plainly declared, lest carnal men shoulde take vniustly occasion therby, to lyue car­nally after the appetite and will of the worlde, the fleshe, and the deuil. And because no man shoulde erre: by mistakyng of this doctrine, I shal plainlye and shortely so declare the right vnderstandyng of the same, that no man shall iustly thinke, that he may therby take any occasion of carnal libertie, to folow the desyres of the flesh, or that therby, anye kynde of synne shalbe committed, or any ungodly lyuing the more vsed.

Firste, you shal vnderstande, that in oure iustifi­cation [Page]by Christe, it is not all one thyng, the office of God vnto man, and the office of man vnto God. Iustificacion is not the office of man, but of God: for man can not, makyng himself righteous by his owne woorkes, neither in parte, nor in the whole, for that were the greatest arrogancie a [...] presump­cion of manne, that Antichrist could set vp against God: to affirme, that a manne might by his owne workes, take awaie and pourge his owne synnes, and so iustifie hymself.Iustificaci­on is the of­fice of God onely. But in iustificacion is the office of God onely, and is not a thyng, whiche we render vnto hym, but whiche we receiue of hym: not whiche we giue to hym, but whiche we take of hym, by his free mercie, and by the onely merites of his moste derely beloued sonne, our onely redemer, Sauiour and iustifier, Iesus Christe. So that the true vnderstādyng of this doctrine: we be iustified frely by faithe, without woorkes: or that we be iu­stified by faith in Christ onely: is not, that this our owne acte, to beleue in Christ, or this our faithe in Christe, whiche is within vs, doeth iustifie vs, and deserue our iustificacion vnto vs (for that were to coumpte our selues, to bee iustified by some acte or vertue, that is within our selues:) but the true vn­derstanding and meaning therof, is, that although we heare Gods woorde, and beleue it, although we haue faith, hope, charitee, repentaunce, dread; and feare of GOD within vs, and doe neuer so many good workes thereunto: yet we must renounce the merite of all our saied vertues, of faith, hope, cha­ritie, and all our other vertues, and good deedes: whiche we either haue doen, shall doe, or can doe, as thinges that be farre to weake, and insufficient [Page]and vnperfecte, to deserite remission of our synnes, and our iustificacion, and therefore we muste trust onely in Gods mercie, and that sacrifice which our high prieste, and sauiour Christ Iesus the sonne of God, ones offered for vs vpon the crosse, to obtaine therby Gods grace, and remission, aswell of our o­riginall sinne, in Baptisme, as of all actuall sinne cōmitted by vs after our Baptisme, if we truely re­pent and tourne vnfainedly to hym againe. So that as sainct Ihon Baptist, although he were ne­uer so vertuous and Godly a man, yet in this mat­ter of forgiuyng of synne, he did put the people frō hym, and appoincted theim vnto Christe, saiyng thus vnto theim: Beholde,Ihon. i. yonder is the Lambe of God, which taketh awaie the sinnes of the world: euen so, as great and as godly a vertue as the liue­ly faith is, yet it putteth vs from it self, and remit­teth or appoincteth vs vnto Christ, for to haue one­ly by hym remission of our synnes, or iustifi­cacion. So that our faith in Christ (as it were) saieth vnto vs thus: it is not I▪ that take a waie your syn­nes, but it is Christ one­ly, and to him one­ly▪ I send you for that purpose, forsa­king therin al your good vertues, woordes, thoughtes, and workes, and onely puttyng your trust in Christ.

[...] Sa [...]uation.

IT hath bene manifestly declared vnto you▪ that no man can fulfyl the lawe of God, and therfore by the la [...] [...]enne are condemned: wherupon it folowed necessarylye, that some other thynge should be re­quired for our saluacion, than the lawe: and tha [...] is a true and a lyuely faith in Christe, bringynge foorth good workes, and a lyfe accordyng to Gods commaundementes. And also you hearde the aun­cient aucthours mindes of this sayinge, faith in Christ only iustifieth mā, so plainly declared: that you s [...] that the very true meaning of this propost­ciō or sa [...]yng: We be iustified by faith in Christ one­ly: (accordyng to the meanyng of the olde auncient auctours) is this: we putte oure faith in Christe, that we be iustified by hym onely, that we be iusti­fied by Gods free mercy, and the merites of our sa­uiour Christe onely, & by no vertue or good worke of our owne, that is in vs, or that we [...] be able to haue, or to do, for to deserue the same: Christe himselfe only, being the cause meritorious therof.

Here you perceaue many wordes to bee vsed, to auoyde contention in wordes with them that de­lyght to braule about woordes▪ and also to shewe the true meanyng to auoide euil takyng and mis­vnderstandinge: and yet peraduenture al will not serue with them, that the contencious: but conten­ [...]s will euer for [...]e ma [...]er [...]f con [...]ention, euen when they haue no [...]e [...] therto. Not with­standing [Page]forty nyghtes, without me [...]t and drinke, that he wrought al kynde of miracles, declaryng himselfe very god: They beleue also, that Christ for our sa­kes suffered moste painefull death, to redene vs from euerlastynge death, and that he rose againe from death the third day: they beleue that he ascen­ [...]d into heauen, and that he sitteth on the righte hande of the father, & at the last end of this world, shal come again and iudge both the quicke and the dead. These articles of oure fayth, the deiuils be­leue, and so they beleue all thinges that bee writ­ten in the new and olde Testament to be true: and yet for all this faith, they be but deuils, remaining styll in theyr damnable estate, Iackynge [...]e very true Christian faith.What is the tru [...]e [...]us [...] [...] syu [...]g fayth. For the right and true Chri­stiā faith is: not only to beleue that holy scripture, and all the foresaide articles of our faith are true, but also to haue a sure trust and cōfidence in gods mercifull promises, to be saued from euerlastynge damnatiō by Christ: whereof doeth folow a louing hert, to obey his commaundemētes. And this true Christian faith neyther anye deuill hath, [...] nor yet any man which, in the outwarde profession of his mouth, and in his outward receiuing of the sacra­mentes▪ in cumming to the church, and in al othe [...] outward appearaunces, semeth to be a Christ [...] manne, & yet in his liuinge and dedes, sheweth [...] contrarye. For howe can a manne haue this [...] fayth, this sure trust and con [...]idence [...] by the merit [...]s of Christe his sinnes be [...] [...] and he reco [...]d to the f [...]uo [...] [...] pa [...]ak [...] of the kingdom of [...] he lyueth vngodlye, and denieth [...] [Page]dedes? Surely, no suche vngodly maune, can haue this saith & trust in god. For as they know Christe to be the onely sauiour of the world: so they know also, that wicked men, shal not enioye the kyngdō of god. They know, that god hateth vnrighteous­nes,Psalm .v. that he will destroy all those that speake v [...] ­truelye, that those that haue done good woorke [...] (whiche can not be done without a liuely fayth in Christe) shall come furth into the resurrection of life, and those that haue doen euil, shal come vnto resurrection of iudgement: very well they knowe also, that to them that be cōtencious, and to them that wil not be obedient vnto the trueth, but will obeye vnrighteousnes, shall come indignation, wrath, and affliction. &c. Therfore, to conclude, cō ­sidering the infinite benefites of God, shewed and geuen vnto vs, mercifullye without our desertes, who hath not onely created vs of nothing, and frō a piece of vyle clay, of his infinite goodnes, hathe exalted vs (as touchinge our soule) vnto his owne similitude and lykenesse: but also, wheras we wer condemned to hel, and death euerlastyng, hath ge­uen his owne naturall sonne, being god eternall, immortal, and equal vnto hymselfe in power and glory, to be incarnated, and to take our mortal na­ture vpon hym, with the infirmities of the same: and in the same nature, to suffre most shamful and painful death for our offences, to thintent to iusti­fye vs, and to restore vs to life euerlastynge: so ma­kynge vs also his dere beloued children, brethren vnto his only sonne our sauiour Christ, and inhe­ritors for euer with him, of his eternal kyngdome of heauen.

These greate and mercifull benefites of God) yf they be well considered) do neyther minister vnto vs occasion to be ydle, and to lyue without doynge any good woorkes, neyther yet [...]yrreth vs, by any meanes, to doe euill thinges: but contrary wyse, it we be not desperate persons, and our heartes har­ [...]er then stones, they moue vs to render our selues vnto god wholy with all oure will, heartes, might and power, to serue him in all good dedes, obeying hys commaundementes, duryng our lyues, to seke in al thinges his glorie and honoure, not our sen­suall pleasures and vainglory, euermore dreadyng willyngly to offend suche a mercifull God a [...] lo­uyng redemer, in word, thought or dede. And [...] said benefites of God depely considered, moue vs▪ for hys sake also, to be euer ready to geue oure sel­ues to our neyghbours, and asmuche as lyeth in vs▪ to studie with all our endeuour, to do good to euery man. These be the fruites of the true saythe, to dooe good (asmuche as lyeth in vs) to euerye man. And aboue al thinges, and in all thinges to auaunce the glory of God, of whom one­lye we haue oure sanctification, iusti­fication, saluacion, and redempci­on. To whome be euer glorie, praise, and ho­nour, worlde with­oute ende. Amen.

¶ The seconde [...] of Fayth.

YE haue hearde in the fyrst part of this sermō, that there be two kindes of faithe: a dead and an vnfruitful faith, and a faith liuely that worketh by charitie. The first to be vnprofitable, the second necessary for the ob­tayning of oure saluacion: the whiche fayth hath charitie alwayes ioyned vnto it, and is fruitefull, bringyng forth all good workes. Nowe as concer­ninge the same matter, you shall heare what folo­weth. The wise man sayeth: he that beleueth in God, wil hearken vnto his cōmaundementes. For if we do not shewe our selues faithfull in our con­uersation,Eccle. xxxi [...] the faith whiche we pretende to haue, is but a fained faith: because the true Christian faith, is manifestly shewed by good liuing,Libro de fi [...] ­et operibu [...] Cap. ii. and not by wordes onely, as sainct Augustine saith: good liuing cannot be separated from true faith, which worketh by loue. And Sainct Chrisostome sayth:Sermo delege et fide, faith of it selfe is ful of good workes, as sone as a man doth beleue, he shalbe garnished with them. Howe plentyful this faith is of good workes, and how it maketh the woorke of one man more accep­table to god then of another: S. Paule teacheth at large in the .xi. chap. to the Hebr.Hebre. xi. Gene. iiii. Gene. vi. Eccle. xliiii. Gene. xi. saying that faith made the oblacion of Abel better, then the oblaci­on of Cain. This made Noe to builde the arcke. This made Abraham to forsake his countrey, and al his frendes, and to go into a far countrey, there to dwel among straungers. So did also Isaac and Iacob: depending or hanging only of the helpe and trust, that they had in God. And whē they came to [Page]the countrey, which god promised thē, they would builde no cities, townes, nor houses, but liued like straungers in Tentes, that might euery daye be re­moued. Their trust was so much in god, that they set but litle by any worldly thing, for that god had prepared for thē, better dwelling places in heauen, of his own foundaciō & building. [...]ene. xii. [...]ccle. xiiii. This faith made Abraham ready at gods commaundemente: to of­fre his owne sonne & heire Isaac: whome he loued so wel, and by whom he was promised to haue in­numerable issue: emong the which, one shoulde be borne, in whome all nacions should be blessed: tru­sting so much in god, that though he were slaine, yet that god was able by his omnipotent power, to raise him frō death, and perfourme his promise. He mistrusted not the promise of god, although vn­to his reason,Exod. ii. euery thing semed cōtrary. He bele­ued verely, y^t god would not forsake him in dearth, & famine, that was in the coūtrey. And in al other daungers that he was brought vnto, he trusted e­uer y^t god would be his god, & his protectour, & de­fendour, whatsoeuer he sawe to the cōtrary. This faith wrought so in the heart of Moses, that he refused to be taken for kinge Pharao his daughters sonne, & to haue great inheritaūce in Egipt: thin­king it better with the people of god, to haue affli­ction & sorow, then with naughtie mē, in sinne to liue pleasauntly for a time. By faith, he cared not for y^e threatning of king Pharao, for his truste was so in God, that he passed not of the felicitie of this worlde, but loked for the reward to come, in heauē, settinge his heart vpon the inuisible god, as if he had seene him euer present before his eies. By faith [Page]the childrē of Israel passed through the red sea.Exod. xi [...]. Iosu [...]. vi. By saythe, the walles of Hierito, seldoune withoute stroke, and many other wonderful miracles haue ben wrought. In all good men, that heretofore haue beene, fayth hath brought furth theyr good workes, and obteyned the promises of God.

Faith hath stopped the Liōs mouthes:Daniel .vi. Daniel .iii. faith hath quenched the force of fyre: faith hath escaped the swordes edges: Faith hathe gyuen weake mē strength: victory in battail, ouerthrowen the ar­mies of infideles, raysed the dead to lyfe: faith hath made good men to take aduersitie in good part: some haue ben mocked and whipped, bounde and cast in prison: some haue lost all theyr goodes and liued in great pou [...]rtie: Some haue wandered in mountaines, hilles, and wildernes: some haue ben racked, some slaine, some stoned, some sawen, some rente in pieces, some headed, some brente without mercy, and would not be deliuered, because they loked to rise again to a better state.

All these fathers, martyrs, and other holy men, (whom. S. Paule spake of) had their faith surely sixed [...] God. whē al the world was against them. They did not onely knowe god to be the Lord, ma­ker and gouernour of al men in the world: but also they had a special cōfidence and trust, that he was & would be their God, their cōforter, [...]ider, helper, mainteiner, and defendour. This is [...] [...]ristian faith, whiche these holy men had, & also ought to haue. And altough they were [...] named Chri­stiā men yet was it a Christiā [...]aten [...] they had, for they loked for all benefytes of [...] father, through the merites of his sōne [...] we [Page]now doe. This difference is betwene them and vs, for they loked when Christ should come, and w [...] in the time when he is come. [...] Iohn [...]. xiv. Therfore saith. s. Au­gustin: the time is altered & chaunged, but not the faith. For we haue both one faith in one Christe. The same holy goste also that we haue, had they, sayth. S. Paule. [...]. Cor. iiii. For as the holy Gost dooeth teach vs to trust in God, and to call vpon him as our fa­ther: so did he teache them to say, (as it is written:) Thou lord, art our father and redemer, [...]say. xiiii. & thy name [...] without begynning, and euerlasting. God gaue them then grace to be his children, as he doth vs [...]we. But now by the comming of oure sauiour Christe, we haue receiued more aboundantly the spirite of god in our heartes, wherby we may con­ceiue a greater faith and a surer truste, then many of them had. But in effecte they & we be al one: we haue the same faith, that they had in god, and they the same, that we haue. And S. Paule so much ex­tolleth their faith, because we shold no lesse, but ra­ther more, geue our selfes wholy vnto Christ, doth in profession & liuinge: now when Christ is come, then the old fathers did before his cōmyng: And by al the declaratiō of S. Paul, it is euident: that the true, liuely, & christiā faith, is no dead, vaine, or vn­fruitfull thinge, but a thinge of perfecte vertue, of wonderful operacion or working & strength, brin­gyng furth all good mocions and good woorkes.

Al holy scripture agreably beareth witnes, that a true liuely faith in Christ, doth bring furth good workes, & therfore euery man must examine & try [...] himselfe diligently, to know, whether he haue the same true liuely faithe in his heart vnfainedly, or [Page]not, whiche he shall knowe by the fruites therof. [...]nt that professed the faith of christ: wer in this error: that they thought they knew god & beloued in him, when in their life they declared the contra­ry: which error, sainct Iohn in his first Epistle cō ­futing,i. Iohn .ii. writeth in this wise: herby we are certified that we know God, if we obserue his cōmaūdemē ­tes: He that saith he knoweth God, and obserueth not his commaundementes, is a liar, & the truth is not in him. And again he saith:i. Iohn .iii. whosoeuer sin­neth, doth not see god, nor knowe him: not no man deceiue you, wel beloued childrē. And moreouer he saith: hereby we know that we be of the trueth,i. Iohn .iii. & so we shal perswade our heartes before him: For if our owne heartes reproue vs, God is aboue oure heartes, & knoweth al thinges. Wel beloued: if our heartes reproue vs not, then haue we cōfidence in god: and shal haue of him whatsoeuer we aske, be­cause we kepe his cōmaunde mendes and do those thinges that please him. And yet further he fayth:i. Iohn .v. Euery man that beleueth that Iesus is Christe, is borne of god: & we know that whatsoeuer is borne of god, doth not sinne: but the generation of God, purgeth him, and the deuill doeth not touche him. And finally he concludeth: and shewing the cause:i. Iohn .v. why he wrote this Epistle, saith: for this cause haue I thus writte vnto you, that you may know, that ye haue euerlastinge life, whiche do beleue in the sonne of God. And in his third Epistle,iii. Iohn .i. he con­firmeth the whole matter of faith and workes, in fewe wordes, saying: the that doth wel, is of god: & he that doth euill, knoweth not god. And [...] [...]ainct Iohn saith: that as the liuely knowlege, [...] [Page]of god, brīgeth furth good worke [...] saith he like­wise of hope and charitie, that the [...] cannot stande with euill liuing.i. Iohn iii. Of hope he w [...]teth thus: we know that when god shal appeare [...]e shalbe lyke vnto him, for we shal see him, euen as he is. And whosoeuer hathe this hope in hym, doth purifie himselfe,i. Iohn .ii. lyke as God is pure. And of charitie he saieth these wordes: he that doth kepe gods worde, or cōmaūdement, in him is truely the perfect loue of god.i. Iohn .v. And again he saith, this is the loue of god, that we should kepe his commaūdementes. And. s. Iohn wrote not this, as a subtile sayinge deuised of his owne phantasye: but as a most certaine and necessary trueth, taught vnto him by Christ him­self: the eternal & infallible veritie, who in many places doeth most clerely affirme, that faith, hope, & charitie, cannot consyst or stande without good and godly workes.Iohn .iii. i. Iohn .v. Of saith, he saith: He that bele­ueth in the sonne hath euerlasting life: but he that beleueth not in the sonne: shal not se that life, but the wrath of god remaineth vpon him.Iohn .vi. And y^e same he confirmeth with a double othe saying: forsothe & forsorth, I say vnto you he y^t beliueth in me, hath euerlasting life. Now, forasmuch as he y^t beleueth in Christ, hath euerlasting life, it must nedes cōse­quētly folow, y^t he that hath this faith, must haue also good workes, and be studious to obserue Gods commandementes obediently. For to them that haue euil workes, [...] & leade their life in disobedience & transgression or breakyng of Gods commaunds mentes, without repētaunce perteineth not euen lastyng life, but euerlasting death as Christe hym selfe saith▪ Matt. xxv. They that doe wel, shal go into life eter­nal, [Page]but they that do euil, shal go into the euerla­styng fyre. And again he saith:Apoca. xxi. I am the first letter & the last, the beginning & the endinge, to hym that is a thirst, I wil geue of the wel of the water of life frely: he that hath the victory, shal haue al thinges, & I will be his God, & he shalbe my sonne, but they that be fearefull, mistrusting god, & lackyng faith, they that be cursed people and murderers: and for­nicatours, and forcerers, and Idolaters, and all liers, shal haue their porcion in the lake, that bur­neth with fyre and brimstone, which is the second death. And as Christ vndoubtedly affirmeth,Charit [...] bringeth furth good woorkes. Iohn .xiiii. that true faith bringeth furth good workes▪ so doth he saye likewyse of charitie. Whosoeuer hath my com­maundementes and kepeth them, that is he that loueth me: And after he saith: he that loueth me wil kepe my worde, and he that loueth me not,Iohn .xiiii. kepeth not my wordes. And as the loue of God is tryed by good workes, so is the feare of god also, as the wise manne saith: the dreade of god putteth away synne. And also he sayeth:Eccle. i. Eccle. xv. he that feareth god will do good workes.

¶ The thyrde parte of the Sermon of Fayth.

YOu haue heard in the second part of this sermon, that no man should thinke y^t he hath that liuely saith which scripture cō ­maundeth, when he liueth not obediētly to goddes lawes. For al good woorkes fyringe out of that faith. And also it hath been declared vnto you by examples, that faith mak [...] [...] [Page]quiet, & patient in al affliction. Now as cōcerning the sain [...] matter, you shal heare what foloweth. A man may soone deceiue himselfe; and thinke in his owne phantasie, that he by faith knoweth god, lo­ueth him, feareth him, & belongeth to him, when in very dede he doth nothing lesse. For the trial of al these thinges is a very godly & christian life. He that feleth his hearte set to seke gods honor, and studieth to know the wyl and commaundementes of God, and to frame himselfe therunto, & leadeth not his life after the desyre of his owne fleshe to serue y^e deuil by sin, but setteth his minde to serue god, for gods owne sake, & for his sake also to loue al his neyghbours, whether they be frendes or ad­uersaries, doing good to euery man (as oportuni­tie serueth) & wyllingly hurting no man: suche a man maye well reioyce in God, perceiuinge by the trade of his life, that he vnfainedly hath the right knowledge of god, a liuely faith, a stedfaste hope, a true and vnfained loue & feare of god. But he that casteth a way the yoke of gods commaundementes from his necke, & geueth himself to liue withoute true repentaūce, after his own sensual minde and pleasure, not regarding to know gods worde, and much lesse to liue according therunto: such a man clerely deceiueth himself, & seeth not his own hert, if he thinketh that he either knoweth god, loueth him, feareth him or trusteth in him. Some perad­uēture phātasy in them selfes, that they belong to god, although thei liue in sin, & so they come to the churche and shew themselfes as gods dere childrē. But. s. Iohn saith plainly:1. Iohn. 1. if we say y^t we haue any company with god, and walke in darkenes, we doe [Page]lye. Other doe vainelye thinke that they knowe and loue god, although they passe not of the commaundements. But S. Iohn saith clearely:1. Ioh. 1. he that sayth I know God, & kepeth not his commaundemēts, he is a lyer. Some falselye perswade themselues, y^t they loue God, whē they hate their neighbors. But S. Iohn saith manifestly: if any mā sai, I loue god,1 Ioh. 4. 1. Iho, 2. & yet hateth his brother, he is a lier. He that saith y^t he is in the light, & hateth his brother, he is stil in darkenes. He that loueth his brother, dwelleth in the light, but he that hateth his brother, is in darknes, & walketh in darkenes, & knoweth not whether he goeth:1. Iho, 3. For darknes hath blinded his eies. And moreouer he saieth: hereby we manifestly know y^e children of GOD, from y^e children of the deuil: he y^t doth not righteous­ly, is not y^e child of GOD, nor he y^t hateth his brother.

Deceiue not your selfes therefore, thinkyng that you haue faith in GOD or that you loue GOD, or dooe trust in him, or do feare him, when you liue in sinne: for then your vngodly and sinfull lyfe. declareth the contrary, whatsoeuer ye say or think. It perteineth to a christen man, to haue this true christen faith, & to trie himselfe, whether he hath it or no, & to know what belongeth to it, & howe it doth worke in him. It is not the world that we can trust to: the worlde and al that is therein is but vanitie. It is GOD that must be our defence and proteccion agaynst al temptation of wickednes and sinne errours, superstycy­on. Idolatry, and al euill. If all the worlde were on our side, and GOD against vs, what could the would auayle vs. Therefore let vs set our whole fayth [...] trust in GOD, & neither the world, the deuil, nor al [...] [Page]power of thē, shall preuaile agaynst vs. Let vs ther­fore (good christian people) trie & examine our fayth what it is: let vs not flatter our selfes, but loke vpō our workes, and so iudge of our faithe, what it is.

CHRIST him selfe speaketh of this matter and saith:Mat. 24 the tre is knowē by y^e fruite. Therfore let vs do good workes, and therby declare our faith, to be the lyuely christian faith. Lette vs by such vertues as oughte to spring out of faith, shewe our eleccion to be sure & stable, as S. Peter teacheth. Endeuor your selfes to make your calling & chosyng certaine by good wor­kes.1 Pet. 3 And also he sayth: mynyster or declare in youre fayth, vertue, in vertue, knowledge, in knowledge, tēperaunce, in tēperaūce, pacience, againe in paciēce godlinesse, in godlinesse, brotherlye charitye, in bro­therly charitie, loue. So shal we shewe in dede, that we haue y^e very lyuely christen faith: & maye so both certify our conscience the better, y^t we be in the right faith, & also by these meanes confirme other men. If these fruites do not folowe, we do but morke with GOD, deceiue our selues & also other men. Well may we beate the name of christen mē but we doo lacke the true faith, that doth belonge thervnto. For true faith doth euer bring furth good workes;I [...]mes. 2 as Saint Iames saith: shew me thy fayth by thy dedes. Thy bedes and workes must be an open testymony all of thy fayth: otherwyse, thy faith, being without good workes, is but the deuils faith, y^e faith of the wicked a phantasy of fayth, & not a true christen fayth. And lyke as the deuils & euyll people be nothing the bet­ter; or theyr counterfeit faithe, but it is vnto thē the more cause of damnacyon: so they y^t be christened, & [Page]haue receyued knowledge of GOD and of CHRISTES merites, & yet of a set purpose do lyue idlelye, with­out good works, thinking the name of a naked faith, to be either sufficient for them, or els settynge theyr mindes vpon vaine pleasures of thys worlde, dooe lyue in synne without repentaunce, not vtterynge the fruytes that do belong to such an hygh professy­on: vpon such presumpteous persones and wylfull sinners, must nedes remaine the great vengeaunce of GOD, and eternall punyshment in hell prepared for the deuil & wicked liuers. Therfore, as you professe the name of CHRIST, (good christyan people) let no such phantasy & imagination of faithe, at anye tyme begyle you: but be sure of your faith, trie it by youre liuinge, looke vpon the fruites that commeth of it, marke the increase of loue & charitie by it towardes GOD & your neighbor, and so shal you perceiue it to be a true liuely fayth. If you fele and perceiue such a fayth in you, reioyce in it, and be diligēt to maintain it and kepe it still in you: let it be dayly increasyng, & more & more, by well working, & so shal you be sure, that you shal please GOD by thys fayth: and at the length (as other faithful men haue done before) soo shall you (when his wil is) come to hym, and receiue thend & fynal reward of your faith (as S. Peter nameth it) y^e saluation of your soules:1 Peter. 1 the whych GOD graunt vs, that hath promysed the same vnto hys faythfull. To whome, be all honoure and glorye, world with­out ende. AMEN.

The second part of the Sermon of good workes.

OF three thinges which were in y^e former sermō specially noted of liuely faith, two be declared vnto you: the first was, that faith is neuer idle without good works when occasion serueth. The second, that good wor­kes acceptable to GOD cānot be done without faith. Nowe to go forth to the third part,What workes they are that sprīg of fayth. that is what maner of workes they be, which spring out of true faith and leade faithful men vnto euerlasting life: Thys can not be knowē so wel, as by our sayuoure CHRIST him selfe, who was asked of a certaine gret man the same question:Mat. 19. What woorkes shall I dooe (sayde a Prince) to come to euerlastinge lyfe? To whom Ie­sus aunswered:Mat, 19. If thou wilt come to y^e euerlastinge lyfe, kepe the commaundementes. But the Prynce not satisfyed here with, asked farther: whiche com­maundementes. The Scrybes and Pharise is had made [...] many of theyr owne lawes and tradicions to bring men to heauen besides GODS commaunde­mentes, [Page]that this man was in doubt, whether he should come to heauen by those [...]wes & traditions, or by the lawes of God: and therfore he asked Christ which commaundementes he meante. Wherevnto Christ made him a plain answere,Mat. 19 [...]hersing the com­maundementes of God saying: Thou shalt not kyll, thou shalt not commit adulterr, thou shalt not steale, thou shalt not beare false witnesse, honor thy father and mother and loue thy neighbour as thy selfe:The workes that lead to heuen, be y^e works of gods cō ­maunde­mentes. By which wordes. Christ declared that y^e lawes of God be the very way that doth leade to euerlasting life, & not the traditions, and lawes of men. So that this is to be taken for a most true lesson taughte by Chri­stes owne mouth, y^t the workes of the moral comaū ­dementes of God, be the very true workes of fayth, which lead to the blessed life to come.Man frō his fyrste fallinge frō gods cōmaun­dements, hath euer ben redye to do the like, and to deuise works of his a [...] phan [...]sy to please GOD withall. But the blind­nes & malice of man, euen from the beginninge, hath euer been ready [...]o fal from Gods cōmaundemētes. As Adam the fyrst man, hauing but one commaun­dement that he should not eate of the fruit forbiddē, notwithstandinge gods commaundement, he gaue credite vnto the woman, seduced by the subtyle per­swasion of y^e serpent, and so folowed his owne wyll, and left gods commaundement. And euer since that time, al that cain of him hath ben so blinded through original sinne y^t they haue been euer readye to fal frō GOD and his law, & to inuent a new way vnto saluation, by woorkes of their own deuise: so much that a [...] most al the worlde forsaking y^e true honor of the oue­ly eternal liuing GOD wandered about they [...]wne phantasies, worshipping some y^e S [...]ne, the [...]oone y^e Sterres: some Iupiter, Iuno, Dia [...], S [...] [...] [Page]Apollo,The deuises and I dolatry of the genti­les. Neptumus, Ceres, Bacchus, & other deade men and women. Some therwith not satisfied, worshipped diuers kindes of be ast [...]s, birdes, fishe, foule, & serpentes, euery coūtrey, towne, & house, in maner being deuided, and setting vp Images of such thin­ges as they lyked, and worshyppinge the same.

Suche was the rudenes of the people, after they fell to theyr owne phantasies, & lefte the eternall ly­uing God and his commaundementes, that thei de­uised innumerable Images, & gods. In whiche er­ror and blindnes they did remaine, vntyl suche time as almightie God pitiyng the blindnes of man, sent his true prophet Moses into the world, to reproue & rebuke this extreme madnesse, and to teach the peo­ple to know the only liuing God, and his true honor and worship. But the corrupt inclination of mā, was so muche geuen to folowe his owne phantasies (and as you would say) to fauour his owne byrde that he brought vp him selfe, that al the admonitions, exhortations, benefites, and threatninges of God, coulde not kepe hym from such his inuentions. For notwithstandinge all the benefites of God,The deutses and I dolatry of the Isra­elites. shewed vnto the people of Israell, yet when Moses went vp into the mountayne, to speake with almightye God: he had taried there but a few daies, when the people began to inuent new Gods. And as it came in their heades they made a calfe of golde, & kneled downe and worshipped it.Exod. 22 And after that, thei folowed y^e Moabites, and worshipped Beelphegor the Moabytes GOD. Reade the boke of Iudges, the bokes of the kynges, and the Prophetes, and there shal you find, how vn­stedfast the people were, how ful of inuentions, and [Page]more ready to runne after theyr own phantasies thē Gods most holy cōmaundementes. There shall you reade of Baal, Moloch, Chamos, Mechom, Baal­pe or, Astaroth, Beel the Dragon, Priapus, the bra­sen serpent, the twelue signes, and many other, vnto whose ymages the people with greate deuotion in­uented Pilgrimages, pretiously decking and cēsing them, kneling doune and offering to them, thinking that an high merite before god, & to be estemed aboue the preceptes and commaundementes of God. And where at that tyme God commaunded no sacryfyce to be made but in Ierusalem onelye, they did cleane contrary, making alters and sacrifices euery where in hylles, in woodes, and in houses, not regardynge Gods commaundementes, but esteming theyr own phantasies and deuotion, to be better then thei. And the error hereof was so spred abrode, that not onelye the vnlearned people, but also the Priestes and tea­chers of the people partely by glorye and coueteous­nes were corrupted, and partly by ignoraunce blindly deceaued with the same abhominatiōs: So much that kynge Achad, hauinge but onely Helias a true teacher and minister of God, there were eyght hun­dred and fyftye priestes, that perswaded him to ho­nor Baal, and to do sacrifice in the wodes or groues. And so continued that horrible error, vntyll the thre noble kynges, as Iosaphat, Ezechias, and Iosias, gods chosen ministers, destroyed the same clearelye, and brought agayne the people from suche there fay­ned inuentions, vnto the very commaundements of God: for the which thinge, their immortall rewarde and glory doth and shal remayne with God for euer.

[...]e [...]gi­ [...]ns and sectes a­mong the Iewes.And besyde the foresayd inuentions, the inclinati­on of man to haue his owne holye deuotions, deuy­sed new sectes▪ & religiōs, called Phariseis, Saddu­ceis and Scribes, with many holy & godly traditi­ons, and ordinaunces (as it semed by the outwarde apparaunce & goodly glisteryng of the workes,) but in very dede all tending to Idolatrye, Superstition and Hipocrisie: theyr heartes within, beynge full of malice, pride, couetousnes, & al wickednes. Against [...] which sectes, and their pretensed holines, Christ cry­ed out more vehemently, then he did against anye o­ther persons, saying & often rehersyng these wordes: Woe be to you Scribes & Phariseis▪ ye Hipocrites, for you make cleane the vessell withoute,Mat. 23. but within you be full of rauine & fylthines: thou blynd Phary­see, & Hipocrite, fyrst make the inwarde par [...] cleane. For notwithstandinge al the goodly traditions, and out warde shewes of good workes▪ deuysed of theyr owne imagination, whereby they appeared to the world, most religious and holy of all men: yet Christ, (who sawe theyr heartes) knowe that they were in­wardly in the syghte of God, most vnholy, moste ab­hominable, and farthest from GOD of almen. Ther­fore sayde he vnto them: Hypocrites, the Prophete Esay spake full truely of you, when he sayde: Thys people honor me with theyr lyppe [...],Mat. 15. Esai. 19, but theyr hearte is farre from me: they worshyppe me in vayne, that teache doctrines and commaundementes of menne: For you leaue the commaundementes of GOD, to kepe your owne traditions.

And though Christ sayde, they worshipped God in vayne that teache doctryne [...] and commaunde­mentes [Page]of men [...] yet he mean [...] no [...] thereby to o [...]r­throw al mens cōmaundemētes,Man [...] lawes must [...] [...]e obs [...]r [...] and kept, but n [...]' [...] [...] [...]s [...]w [...]. for he himself was euer obediente to the Princes & theyr lawes, made for good ordre & gouernaunce of the people but he reproued the lawes and traditions, made by the Scribes & Pharise is, which wer not made onely for good ordre of the people (as the Ciuil lawes were) but they were set vp so hygh, that they were made to be a ryght and pure worshipping of God, as thei had [...]eue equall with gods lawes▪ or aboue them: for many of gods lawes coulde not be kept. but were fayne togeue place vnto them. This arrogancie God de­tested, that man shoulde so aduaunce his lawes, to make them equal with gods lawes▪ wherin the true hon [...]ryng and right worshyppyng of God standeth. and to make his lawes for theym to be lefte of. God hath appoynted his lawes, whereby his pleasure is to be honoured. His pleasure is also, that all mennes lawes beyng not contrary to his lawes, shalbe obey­ed & kepte, as good and necessary for euery common weale, but not as thinges wherein pryncipallye hys honor resteth. And al Ciuil and mans lawes, eyther be, or should be, made to bring in men y^e better to kepe gods lawes: that consequently, or folowingly God should be the better honored by them. Howebeit the Scribes and Pharise is were not content▪ that their lawes shuld be no hygher estemed, thē other positiu [...] and ciuiss lawes. nor would not haue them [...]lled by the name of other temporall lawes, but called [...] not onely for a ryght and true worshippinge [...] God (as Gods lawes be in dede:) but also to [...] the [Page]mo [...]e high honoring of God,H [...]ly tra­ [...]itions [...] [...]e med, [...] G [...]ddes law [...]s. to the whiche, the com­maundementes of God shoulde geue place. And for this cause did Christ so vehemently speake agaynste them, sayinge: your traditions, which men esteme so hygh, [...]linesse of mānes deuise, is commōly occasion that God [...]s offēded be abhomination before God. For commonlye of such traditions foloweth the [...]ansgression or breaking of Gods commaundementes, and a more deuo­tion in the kepynge of suche thinges & a greater con­science in breaking of theim, then of the commaunde­mentes of God.Math 12 As the Scribes and Phariseis so supersticiously, and scrupulo [...]slye kepte the Sabboth, that they were offended with Christ, because he hea­led sicke men: and with his Apostles, because they being sore hungrye, gathered the eates of corne to eate vpon that daye. And because his disciples was [...]hed not their handes so often as the traditions required, the Scribes and Phariseis quereled with Christ, saiyng:Mat. 15. why do thy disciples break the traditions of the seniours? But Christ layde to their charge, that thei for to kepe theyr owne traditions. did teache men to breake the berye commaundementes of GOD. For they taughte the people suche a deuotion, that they offered their goodes into the treasure house of the temple, vnder the pretence of Gods honour, leauing theyr fathees and mothers (to whom they wer chiefly bounde) vnholpen: and so they brake the commaudemetes of GOD, to kepe their owne traditions. They estemed more an othe made by the golde or ob­lation in the temple, then an othe made in the name of God himself or the temple. They were more studious to pay their fithes of small thinges, then to do [...]he greater things commaunded of God, as workes [Page]of mercy, or to do iustice, or to deale syncerely, vprightly, and faythfullye beith God and man:Mat. 23, (these sayeth Christe ought to be done, and the other not l [...]fte vn­done) And to be shorte, they were of so blinde iudge­ment, that they stombled at a straw▪ and leaped ouer a block. They woulde (as it were) nicely take [...]ily [...] out of theyr cuppe, and drinke down a whole C [...]nnel. And therfore Christ called them blinde guides, war­ninge his disciples from time to time, to eschew their doctrine. For althoughe they semed to the worlde to be moost perfecte men, both in lyuyng and teachinge yet was their lyfe but Hypocrisie, and theyr doctrine but so wre leauen, myngled with superstition, Idola­trye, and ouertwart iudgemente: settyng vp the tra­ditions and ordinaunces of manne, in the steade of Goddes commaundementes.

The thyrde parte of the Sermon of good workes.

THat all men myghte ryghtely iudge of good woorkes, it hath bene declared in the seconde parte of this sermon, what kinde of good workes they be, that god woulde haue his people to walke in, namelye suche as he hath commaunded in his holye scripture, and not such workes as men haue studied out of theyr owne braine, of a blinde zeale and deu [...] tion, withoute the worde of God And by mista [...]ing the nature of good workes, man hath moste hyghi [...] [Page]displeased GOD, and hathe goen frome his wyll and commaundemente. So that thus you haue hearde▪ howe mache the worlde, from the beginning vntyll Christe s [...]ime, was euer readye to fall from the com­maundemētes of GOD, and to seke other meanes to honor and serue him, after a deuotion founde oute of theyr owne heades: & how they did set vp theyr own traditions, as high or aboue Goddes commaunde­mentes, whiche hath happened also in our times (the more it is to be lamented) no lesse then it did among the Iewes: and that by the corruption, or at the least by the negligence of thē, that chiefely ought to haue preferred gods commaundemētes, and to haue pre­serued the pure and heauenly doctrine left by Christ. What man hauing any iudgement or learninge, ioy­ned with a true zeale vnto GOD, both not se, and la­mente, to haue entered into Christes relygion, suche false doctryne, Superstition, Idolatrye, Hipocrisye, and other enormities and abuses, so as by lytle and litle, through the soure leauen therof, the swete bread of Gods holy worde hath bene muche hyndered and layed a parte. Neuer had the Iewes in theyr mooste blyndnesse, so manye Pilgrimages vnto Images, nor vsed so muche knelyng kissinge, and censynge of them, as hath ben vsed in our tyme.

Sectes & religion amonges Christiā [...]en.Sectes & feined religions were neither the forty parte so manye amonge the Iewes, nor more super­sticiouslye and vngodlye abused, then of late dayes they haue bene amonge vs. Whiche sectes and rely­gions, had so many Hipocritical or feined workes in their state of religion (as thei arrogantly named it) [...] their lampes (as they said) rāne alwayes ouer, able [Page]to fatissye, not only for theyr owne sinnes, but also for all other theyr benefacto [...]s, brothers and sisters of religion, as mooste vngodly and craftely they had per­swaded the multitude of ignoraunt people: kepynge in diuers places (as it were) martes or markettes of merites, beynge full of theyr holye reliques, ymages, shrynes, and workes of ouerflowing abundance, ready to be sold. And all thinges which they had were called holy: holy Coules, holy gyrdelles, holye Par­dons. Beades, holy Shooes, holy Rules, and al ful of holines. And what thinge canne be more foolyshe, more superstitious, or vngodlye, then that men, wo­men and children, shoulde weare a Friers coate, to delyuer them from agues or pestilence or when they dye, or when they be buried, cause it to be caste vpon them in hope thereby to be saued? Whiche superstition, although (thankes bee to God) it hath bene lytle vsed in this Realme yet in diuer [...]e other realmes, it hath bene, and yet is vsed, both amonge many, both learned and vnlearned. But to passe ouer the innu­merable supersticionsenes that hath ben in straunge apparel, in scilence, in dor [...]itory, in cloyster, in chap­ter, in choyse of meates and in drinkes, and in suche lyke thynges, let vs consider, what enormities and abuses haue bene, in the three chiefe pryncipal poin­tes, whiche they called the three essencialles, or three chief foundations of religion, that is to saye, obedi­ence, chastitie, and wilful pouerty.

The th [...] chiefe b [...] wes of religio [...].Fyrst vnder pretence or color of obedience to theyr father in religion (which obedience they made them selues) they were made free by theyr rules & cano [...]s from the obedience of their naturall father and [...] ­ther [Page]and from the obedience of Emperour & kinge, & al temporal power, whom of very duety by gods la­wes. they were bound to obey. And so the profession of their obedience not due, was a forsaking of theyr due obedience. And how theyr profession of chastitie was kept, it is more honesty to passe ouer in scilence, and let the world iudge of that, which is wel knowē then with vnchast wordes, by expressing of their vn­chast life, to offend chaste and godlye eares. And as for their wilfull pouertie, it was suche, that when in possessions, iewels, plate and riches, thei were equal or aboue marchauntes, gentlemen, Barons, Erles, & Dukes: yet by this subtile sophistical terme Propriū in communi, that is to say: proper in common, they moc­ked the world, perswading, that notwithstandinge all their possessions & riches, yet they kept their vow and were in wylfull pouertie. But for all theyr ry­ches, they might nether helpe father nor mother, nor other that were in dede very nedie & poore, without the licence of their father Abbot. Prior, or Warden. And yet they mighte take of euerye man, but they might not geue ought to anye man, no, not to theim whom the lawes of God boūd them to help. And so through their traditions & rules, the lawes of God could beare no rule with them. And therefore of thē myght be moost truely sayd,Mat. 15 that which Christ spake vnto the Phariseis: you breake the commaunde­mentes of God by your traditions: you honor God with your lippes, but your harts be farre from him. And the longer prayer they vsed by day & by night vnder pretence or colour of suche holines, to get the fauour of widowes & other simple folkes, that they [Page]might singe Trentals and seruice for theyr husban­des and frendes, and admit or receiue thē into their prayers: the more truely is verified of them the say­ing of Christ: Woe be to you scribes and Phariseis, Hipocrites, for you deuour Widowes houses, vnder color of long prayers: therfore your damnation shal­be the greater. Wo be to you Scribes & Phariseis,Mat. 25, Hipocrites, for you go about by sea and by lande▪ to make moe Nouices and newe brethren, and when they be let in or receaued of your secte, you make thē the children of hell, woorse then your selues be. Ho­nour be to God, who did put light in the heart of his faithful and true minister of most famous memorye, King Henry the .viij. and gaue him the knowlege of his word, and an earnest affection to seke his glory, and to put away al such superstitions and Pharisai­call sectes by Antichrist inuented, and set vp against the true worde of God, and glory of his most blessed name: as he gaue the like spyryte vnto the most no­ble and famous princes, Iosaphat, Iosias, and Eze­chias. God graunte all vs the kinges highnes faith­full and true subiectes, to fede of the swete and sauory breade of Gods owne word, and (as Christ com­maunded) to eschewe all our pharisaicall and papy­sticall leauen of mans feyned religion. Whiche, al­though it were before God moste abhominable and contrary to Gods commaundements, and Christes pure religion, yet it was praised to be a moste godlye life, and highest state of perfectiō. As though a man myght be more godly and more perfecte by kepynge the rules, traditions and professions of men, then by kepinge the holye commaundementes of God. And [Page]briefly to passe ouer the vngodly & counterfeite reli­gions, let vs rehearse some other kindes of papisti­call superstitions and abuses, as of Beades, of Lady psalters and Rosaries,Other deui [...]es and supersti­tions. of .xv. Dos, of i. Bernardes vearses, of S. Agathes letters, of Purgatorye, of Masses satisfactorye, of Stacions and Iubilies, of feined Reliques, of halowed Beades. Belles, Bred, Water, Palm [...]s, Candels, Fyre, and suche other, of Superstitious fastinges, of fraternities or brother heades, of Pardons, with such lyke marchaundyse: whiche were so estemed and abused to the great preiudice of gods glorye and commaundementes, that they were made most high and moost holye thinges, wherby to attaine to the euerlasting lyfe, or remissiō of sinne. Yea also, vaine inuentions, vnfruitfull ceremonies, and vngodli lawes, decrees and counsels of Rome,Decrees, & Decre­talies. were in such wise aduaunced, that nothynge was thought comparable in auctoritie, wisdom, ler­ninge & godlines vnto them. So that the lawes of Rome (as they said) were to be receiued of all men, as the four Euāgelistes: to y^e which al lawes of prin­ces must geue place. And the lawes of God also partly were left of and lesse estemed, that the sayd lawes decrees and counsels, with theyr traditions and ce­remonies, might be more duelye kepte and hadde in greater reuerence. Thus was the people, throughe ignorance so blinded, with the goodly shewe and ap­paraunce of those thinges, that they thought the ke­pynge of them to be a more holynes, a more perfecte seruice & honoring of God, & more pleasinge to God, then the keping of gods commaundementes. Such hath bene the corrupte inclination of man, euer su­perstitiously [Page]geuen to make new honorynge of God of his own head, and then to haue more affectiō and deuotion to keepe that, then to searche out Goddes holye commaundementes and to keepe theim. And furthermore, to take Gods commaundementes for mens commaundementes, and mens commaunde­mentes for Gods commaundementes, yea, & for the highest, and most perfect and holy of all Gods com­maundemētes. And so was all confused, that scante wel learned men, and but a small number of them, knew, or at the least would knowe, & durste affyrme the trueth, to separate or seuere Gods commaunde­mentes from the commaundementes of men: wher­vpon did grow much error, Superstition, ydolatry vayne religion, ouertwart iudgement, great contention, with all vngodly liuing.

An exhortation to the [...] of Gods cōman̄dementes.Wherfore, as you haue any zeale to the ryghte and pure honoring of God: as you haue any regarde to your owne soules, and to the life y^t is to come, which is both without pain, and without end: apply youre selues chieflye aboue all thing, to reade and to heare Gods word: marke diligently therin, what his wyll is you shal doe, and with all your endeuoure applye your selues to folow the same. Firste you must haue an assured faith in god,A briefe rehersall of Gods cōman̄dementes. and geue your selues wholly vnto him, loue him in prosperitie and aduersitie, and dreade to offende him euermore. Then, for his sake loue all men frendes and foes, because they be hys creation and ymage, & redemed by Christ, as ye are. Cast in your mindes how you may do good vnto al men, vnto your powers, and hurte no man. Obey al your superiours & gouernours, serue your masters [Page]faythfully and diligentlye, aswell in theyr absence as in their presence, not for dreade of punishment onely, but for conscience sake, knowing that you are boūde [...]o to do by Gods commaundementes. Disobey not your fathers and mothers, but honor them, help thē and please theim to youre power. Oppresse not, kyll not, beat not, neither slaūdre nor hate any man: But loue al men, speake well of al men, help and succoure euery man, as you maye, yea euē your enemies that hate you, that speake euill of you, and that do hurte you. Take no mans goodes, nor couet youre neygh­bours goodes wrongfully, but content your selues with that which ye get truly, and also bestow youre own goodes charitably, as nede and case requireth. Flee all ydolatry, witchcraft, and periury: committe no maner of adultery▪ fornication, nor other vnchastnes, in wilnor in dede, with any other mans wy [...]e, widowe, mayde, or other wyse. And trauailing con­tinually during your life, thus in the keping the commaundementes of God (wherein standeth the pure principal, and right honor of God, & which wrought in fayth. God hath ordeyned to be the righte trade and path way vnto heauen:) you shall not fayle, as Christ hath promised, to come to that blessed and euerlastinge life, where you shal lyue in glorye and ioye with God for euer. To whom be prayse, honour and impery, for euer and euer. Amen.

¶ The second part of the Sermon of Charytie.

YOu haue heard a playne & a fruitfull setting forth of Charitie, and how profitable and necessary a thing charitie is. Howe charitie stretcheth it selfe, both to GOD and man, frend and foe, and that by the doctryne and exam­ple of CHRIST. And also who may certifye himselfe whether he be in perfect charitie or not: nowe as cō ­cernyng the same matter it foloweth. The peruerse nature of man corrupte with synne and destitute of GODS word and grace, thinketh it against al reason; that a man should loue his enemie, and hath manye perswasions,Agaynste carnal mē that wyll not for­geue ther enemies. which bring him to the contrarye. A­gaynst al which reasons, we ought aswel to set the teachyng, as the lyuynge of our Sauyoure Chryste, who louyng vs (when we were his enemyes) dothe teach vs to loue our enemies. He did paciently take for vs, many reproches, suffered beatyng, and moste cruell death. Therfore we be no membres of him, yf we will not folowe hym. Chryste (sayth. S. Peter) suffered for vs, leauyng an example that we shoulde folowe hym.1. Pet. 2.

Furthermore, we must consydre, that to loue our frendes, is no more but that, which thieues, adulte­rers, homicides, and al wicked persōs do: in somuch that Iewes, Turkes, Infideles, & all brute beastes, doe loue them that be theyr frendes, of whome they haue their liuing, or any other benesites. But to loue enemies, is the proper condicion onely of them, that be the children of GOD, the disciples and folowers of [Page]Christ. Notwithstandyng, mans frowarde and cor­rupt nature weigheth ouer depely many tymes, the offence and displeasure doen vnto him by enemyes, and thinketh it a burden intollerable to be bounde to loue them, that hate him. But the burden shoulde be easy enough, if (on y^e other side) euery man would consider, what displeasure he hath doen to hys ene­mye againe, & what pleasure he hath receiued of his enemie. And if we find no equal or euen recompense neither in receiuing pleasures of our enemye, nor in requytting displeasures vnto him again: then let vs pondre the displesures which we haue doen against almyghty GOD: how often, and howe greuously we haue offended him. Wherof, if we will haue of GOD forgeuenes, there is none other remedye, but to for­geue the offences doen vnto vs, which be very small in comparyson of our offences doen agaynst GOD.

And it we consydre that he, whiche hath offended vs deserueth not to be forgeuen of vs, let vs consy­der agayne that we much lesse deserue to be forgeuē of GOD. And although our enemy deserue not to be forgeuen for his owne sake, yet we ought to forgeue him for GOD'S loue, considering howe great & many benefytes we haue receiued of him, without out de­sertes, & that Christ hath deserued of vs, that for his sake we shoulde forgeue thē theyr trespasses cōmit­ted agaynst vs.A Que­styon. But here may rise a necessary questi­on to be dissolued: if charitie requyre to think, speke & do wel vnto euery man, both good & euil: how ran magistrates execute iustice vpō malefactors or euil doers with charitie? Howe can they cast euil [...] in prison, take away theyr goodes, and sometime their [Page]lifes, according to lawes, if charitie wil not suffer thē so to do?An An­swere. Herevnto is a playne & a breif answere: that plagues and punishmētes be not euil of themselues, if they be wel taken of y^e harmelesse. And to an euyll man they are both good & necessary, & may be executed, according to charitie,Charitie hath two offyces. & with charitie shuld be executed. For declaratiō wherof, you shal vnderstand, y^t charitie hath .ii. offices: thone contrary to y^e other, & yet both necessary to be vsed vpon men of contrary sort, & disposition. The one office of charitie is, to cherishe good & harmelesse men, not to oppresse them w^t false accusatiōs, but to encourage thē with rewards to do wel & to continue in wel doing, defēding them with y^e sweord, frō their aduersaries. And the office of Bishopes & pastores is, to prayse good mē for wel doing, that they may continue therin, and to rebuke and correct by the worde of GOD, the offences and crimes of all euill dysposed personnes. For the other office of charitie is, to rebuke, correcte, and punyshe vice, withoute regarde of personnes, and this to be vsed agaynst them onely, that be euyl men and ma­lefactors or euyl doers. And that it is aswell the of­fice of charitie, to rebuke, punysh, and correcte them y^t be euil, as it is to cherish, & reward thē that be good & harmlesse. S. Paule declareth, (writing to y^e Ro.) saying,Rom. 13 that the high powers are ordayned of GOD, not to be dreadful to them that do wel, but vnto malefactours: to draw the sword, to take vēgeaunce of him that committeth the synne. And S. Paule biddeth Timothie, stoutelye and earnestlye to rebuke synne,1, Tim, 1 by the woorde of God. So that both offyces should be dilygently executed, to fight againste the [Page]kingdome of y^e deuil the preacher with the worde, [...] the gouernour with y^e sweord: Els they loue neither GOD, nor them whom they gouerne, yf (for lacke of correction) they wilfully suffer GOD to be offēded, & thē whom they gouerne, to perishe. For as euery lo­uing father correcteth his naturall sonne, when he doth amysse, or els he loueth hym not: so all gouer­nours of realmes, countryes, townes, and houses, should louingly correct them, which be offendours vnder their gouernaunce, & cherish them which liue innocently, if they haue any respect, either vnto god and theyr office, or loue vnto thē, of whom they haue gouernaunce. And such rebukes and punishmentes of them that offend, must be doen in due tyme, leste by delay, y^e offendours fal hedlonges into all maner of mischeife, and not onely be euil thē selues, but also do hurt vnto many mē, drawing other by their euill example, to sinne & outrage after thē. As one thefe may both robbe many men and also make mani the­ues: and one sedicious persō may alure many, & noy a whole towne or countrye. And such euyl persones that be so great offendors of God, and the common weale, charitie requyreth to be cut of from the body of the common weale, lest they corrupt other good & honest persons lyke as a good surgion cutteth awai a rotten and festred membre, for loue he hath to the whole body, lest it infect other mēbres adioyning to it. Thus it is declared vnto you, what true chary­tie or christian loue is, so playnlye that no man nede to be deceiued. Whiche loue, whosoeuer kepeth not only towardes God (whō he is bound to loue aboue althinges) but also towardes hys neighbor, aswell [Page]frende as fo [...], it shal surely kepe him from all offence of GOD, and iust offence of man. Therfore beare well away this one short lesson, that by true christiā cha­ritie. GOD ought to be loued aboue all thinges, & all men ought to be loued, good and euil, frend and foe, and to al suche, we oughte (as we maye) to do good: those that be good, of loue to encourage and cherish, because they be good: and those that be euyll, of loue to procure & seke their correctiō and due punishmēt, that they may therby, either be brought to goodnes or at the leaste, that GOD and the common wealth may be the lesse hurt and offended. And yf we thus direct our lyfe, by christyan loue and Charytye, then Christ doth promise and assure vs that he loueth vs, that we be the children of oure heauenlye fa­ther, reconciled to hys fauoure, verye membres of Christ: and that after this shorte tyme of this present and mortal lyfe. we shall haue with hym euerlastynge lyfe, in hys euerlastyng kyngdome of heauen: Therefore to hym with the father and the holy Gost be all honoure and glorye, now and euer. A­MEN.

The second part of the Sermon. of swearyng.

YOu haue bene taught in the first part of this sermon agaynst swering & periury what gret daunger it is to vse the name of GOD in vaine. And that al kinde of swearinge is not vnlawefull, neyther agaynst GODS commaundement, and that there be thre thinges required in a lawful oth. Fyrste, that it be made for the maintenaunce of the truth. Second that it be made with iudgemente, not rashlye & vn­aduisedly. Thirdly, for the zeale and loue of iustyce. Ye heard also what commodities cōmeth of lawfull othes: And what daunger cōmeth of rashe & vnlawful othes. Nowe as concerning the rest of the same matter, ye shal vnderstand y^t as wel thei vse y^e name of god in vaine, that by an oth make laweful promi­ses of good and honest thinges,Lawfull othes and promyses would be better re­garded. and performe them not: as they, which do promise euil and vnlawefull thinges, and doe perfourme the same. Of such men that regard not their godly promyses bounde by an othe, but wittinglye and wilfully breaketh them, we doe reade in holye scrypture two notable punysh­me [...]s. Fyrst,Iosue 9, Iosue and the people of Israel made a league and faythful promise of perpetual amytye and frendship with the Gabaonites: notwithstan­ding, afterward in the dayes of wicked Saule, ma­ny of these Gabaonites were murdered, contrary to y^t said faithful promise made. Wherwith almyghtye GOD was so sore dyspleased, that he sent an vniuer­sall hunger, vpon the whole countrye, whiche con­tynued [Page]by the space of three yeres. And god woulde not with draw his punyshment, vntill the sayde of­fence was reuenged by the deathe of .vii. sonnes, or next kinsmen of Kyng Saule.2. Re. xi Also, wher as Sede­chias, kynge of Ierusalem, had promysed fidelytye, to the kynge of Chaldea: afterwarde, when Sede­chias, contrary to hys othe and allegeaunce, dyd re­bel agaynst kinge Nabugodonozor: this Heathen king, by GODS permission and suffraunce inuadinge the land of Iewry, and besieging the cytye of Ieru­salem, compelled the sayd king Sebechias to flee, & in fleeing tooke him priesoner, slewe hys sonnes bee fore hys face, and put out bothe hys eyes, and byn­ding hym with chaynes, led him priesoner miserably into Babylon.

Vnlawful oths and promyses are not to be kepte.Thus doeth GOD shewe playnly, howe much he abhorreth breakers of honeste promises, bounde by an othe made in hys name. And of them that make wicked promises by an othe, and wil perfourme the same: we haue exaumple in the scrypture, chyetly of Herode,Ma. 14 of y^e wicked Iewes, and of Iephthath. He­rode promysed by an othe vnto the damosel whyche daunsed beefore hym, to geue vnto her whatsoeuer she shoulde aske: when she was instructed beefore of her wicked mother, to aske the hoade of saynt Iohn Baptyste. Herode as he tooke a wycked othe so he more wyckedly performe the same, & cruellye slewe the most holy Prophete. Lykwise dyd y^e malytious Iewes make an othe,Act, 23. cursyng thēselues yf they did eyther eat or drink, vntil they had slaine S. Paule. And Iephthath,Iudie [...] 11. when GOD had geuen to him victo­rye of the chyldrn of Ammon promysed of a foolyshe [Page]deuotion vnto God, to offre for a sacrifice vnto him. that persone, which of his owne house shoulde fyrste meete with him, after his returne home. By force of whiche fonde and vnaduised othe, he did slea hys owne and onely doughter, whiche came oute of hys house, with myrth and ioye, to welcome him home. Thus the promise whiche he made moste foolyshlye to God, against Gods euerlasting will, and the law of nature, most cruelly he performed, so committing agaynst GOD double offence. Therfore, whosoeuer maketh any promise, bynding him selfe thervnto by an othe, let him foresee, that the thing which he pro­miseth bee good, honeste, and not agaynste the com­maundement of GOD, and that it be in his owne power to perfour me it instely. And suche good promy­ses, must all men kepe, euermore assuredly. But yf a man at anye tyme shall, eyther of ignoraunce, or of malyce, promise and sweare to do any thing, whiche is eyther against the lawe of almighty GOD, or not in his power to performe: let hym take it for an vn­lawfull and vngodly othe.

Against & periurye.Nowe something to speake of periury, to the in­tent you should knowe, howe great and greuous an offence againste God this wilfull periury is? I wil shewe you, what it is to take an oth before a Iudge vpon a boke. Fyrst,An othe before & iudge. when they layinge theyr handes vpon the gospel booke, do sweare truelye to inquyre and to make a true presentment of thinges, where­with they be charged, and not to lette from sayinge the trueth, and doyng truely, for fauor, loue, breade, or malyce of any person, as GOD maye helpe theym, and the holy contentes of that booke: They muste [Page]considre, that in that booke is conteyned, Gods euer lasting trueth, his mooste holy and eternall worde, whereby we haue forgeuenesse of our sinnes, and be made inheritoures of Hea [...]en, to lyue for ener, with goddes Angelies and his sainctes, in ioye and glad­nesse. In the gospell booke is conteined also. Gods terrible threates to obstinate synners, that wyll not amende theyr liues, nor beleue the trueth of God his holy worde: and the euerlasting payne prepared in helle, for Idolaters, Hypoerites, for false and vaine swearers, for periured men, for false witnes bearers for false condemners of innocent and gylteles men, and for them, whiche for fauoure hide the crymes of euyll doers, that they shoulde not be punyshed. So that whosoeuer wilfully forsweareth himselfe vpon Christes holy Euangely, they vtterly forsake Gods mercye, goodnesse and trueth, the merites of our sauiour Christes natiuitie, life, passion, death, resurrec­tion, and assention. They refuse the forgeuenesse of synnes, promised to all penitente synners, the ioyes of heauen, the company with Angelles and sainctes for euer. All whiche benefites and comfortes, are promised vnto true christian persons in the gospell.

And they, so being for sworne vpon the gospel, do be take them selfes to the deuilles seruice, the master of all lyes, falshod, deceite, and periurye, prouokynge the great indignation, and curse of God, against thē in this lyfe, and the terrible wrath and iudgemente of our sauior Christ, at y^e great day of the last iudge­ment, when he shal iustly iudge both the quicke and the dead, accordynge to theyr woorkes. For whoso­euer forsaketh the trueth, for loue or displeasure of [Page]any man, or for lucre and profite to hym selfe, doeth forsake Christ, and with Iudas betrayeth hym.

Though pe [...]iury [...] do escape here vnespied and vnpuni­shed, it shall not do so euer.And although such periured mennes falshod bee now kept secrete, yet it shalbe opened at the last day when the secretes of all mennes heartes, shalbe ma­nifest to all the worlde. And then the trueth shall ap­peare, and accuse them: and theyr owne conscience, with all the blessed companye of heauen, shall beare witnes truely against them. And Christ the righte­ous iudge, shall then iustly condemne them to euer­lastyng shame and death. This sinne of periurye, al­mightie God by the prophete Malachy, doth threa­ten to punyshe sore, saying vnto the Iewes:Malac. [...] I wyll come to you in iudgement, and I wil be a swift witnes, and a sharpe iudge, vpon sorcerers, adulterers, and periured persons. Which thing to the Prophete Zachary God declareth in a vision,zachar. [...]. wherin the prophete saw a booke fliyng, which was twentye cubi­tes long, and tenne cubites broade, God saying then vnto hym: this is the curse, that shall goe furthe vp­pon the face of the yearth, for falshoode, false swea­rynge, and periurye. And this curse shall entre into the house of the false man, and into the house of the periured man, and it shall remaine in the middeste of his house, and consume hym, the tymbre and sto­nes of his house. Thus you see, how much God doth hate periurye, and what punishment God hath pre­pared for false swearers, and periured persones.

Thus you haue heard, how, and in what causes it is lawfull for a Christian man to sweare: ye haue heard, what properties, and conditions, a lawefull othe must haue, and also howe suche lawefull othes [Page]are bothe godlye, and necessarye to be obserued: ye haue heard, that it is not lawfull to sweare vaynly, (that is) other wayes then in suche causes, and after suche sort, as is declared: and fynally, ye haue heard how damnable a thing it is, eyther to forsweare our selues, or to keepe an vnlawfull and an vnaduised othe. Wherfore let vs earnestly call for grace, that al vayne swearing and periury set a part, we may onely vse suche othes, as bee lawful and god­ly, and that we maye truelye, withoute all fraude, keepe the same, accordinge to Gods will and pleasure. To whom with the sonne and holye ghost, bee all honour and glo­ry.

AMEN.

The second part of the Sermon of fallynge from GOD.

IN the former parte of this sermon, ye haue learned how many mau [...] of wayes men [...] from GOD so [...]s by Idola [...]y, so [...] lacke of faith some by the negl [...]ynge of their neyghbors, some by n [...] heatynge of Gods word, some by the [...] they take in the vanities of wordly things. M [...]h [...]e also lea [...]tied in what mise [...]peth at man is, whiche [...] gone from God. And how that God yet of his infy­nite goodnes to call agayn man from that his my­sery vseth fyrst tentle admonitions by hys pr [...]chor [...]) after he layeth on terrible th [...]eat [...]ynges [...] owe yf thys gentle menye you and commynation to gether do not secu [...], than GOD wyll shewe his [...] [...] ̄ ­tenannce vppon vs, he wyll powre in [...]ollerable plagues vpon oure heades, and after he wyll take awaye from vs, all hys ayde and [...]ssyste [...], where­wyth before he dyd defen [...] vs, from all se [...] he ma­ner of [...]alamitie: As the Euan gelycal Prophete E­say,Esay. 5. agreing with CHRISTES pata [...], doth teathe vs, saying:Mat. 21. That GOD had made a goodly viney ar [...] for his belourd children: he hedged it, he w [...]lse [...] i [...] found about, he planted it with chosen vynes, and made a turret in the middes therof, & therein [...] wyne presse. And when he [...]o [...]ied that i [...] [...]ould [...] hym furth good grapes it brought furth w [...]l [...] [...] [...] ­pes and after it foloweth: Nowe shall I she [...] (saith GOD) what I wyl do with my vine [...] shil p [...]nck down y^e hedges, that it tha [...] yet [...] [Page]breake downe the walles, that it may be troden vn­der foote: I wyll let it lye wast, it shal not be cutte, it shall not [...]igged, put briers and thornes shall o­ [...]gue we it, and I shall commaunde the cloudes that they shall [...] mayne vpon it.

My these that arminges ho [...] are monyshed, that if we which are thechosen vineyarde of GOD, brynge not furth good grapes; that is to say, good workes that may be de [...]ot [...]bl [...] and pleas [...]unt in his sight, whē he [...]heath for the [...] when he sendeth his [...]essengers to c [...]l vpon vs for them but rather bring forth wylde grapes, that is to saye, sower workes, vnswete, vn­sauery, and vns [...] ful [...]thē wil he pluck away al de­fence, [...]suffre greuous plages of famine & bartayll, dearth & death, to light vpō vs Finally, if these doo not yet serue, he wil let vs lie wast, he wyll geue vs ouer, he wil turne away from vs, he wil dig & delue no more about vs, he will let vs alone, & suffer vs to bring furth, euen such fruit as we wil: to bring forth brābles, h [...]ers & thornes, al naughtynes, al vyce, & that so aboūdantly, that they shal cleane ouer growe vs suffocate, strangle, & vtterly destroy vs. But they that in this w [...]ld, liue not after GOD (but after the [...] own carnal liberty) perceiue not this great wrathe of God to wards them, y^t he wil not digge, nor delue any more about them, y^t he doth let them alone euē to themselues. But they take this for a great bene­f [...] [...] GOD to haue al their owne, libertie & so they like as carnal libertie were the true libertie of y^e gos­pel. But GOD forbidde (good people) that euer we shulddesyre such libertie. For although GOD suffer so [...] [...] the wicked to haue their pleasure in this [Page]world: yet the ende of vngodly liuing is at lengthe eternal destructiō.Mu. 11. The murmuring Israelites had that they longed for, they had quayles enough, yea, tyl they were wery of them. But what was the end thereof. Their swete meate had soure sauce: euen whyles the meate was in their mouthes, the plage of GOD lighted vpon them, and sodainly they dyed. So, if we liue vngodly, & GOD suffereth vs to folow oure owne willes, to haue our owne delightes and pleasures, and correcteth vs not with some plage: it is no doubt, but he is almost vtterlye dyspleased with vs. And although it bee long or he stryke, yet manye tymes, when he stryketh suche personnes, he striketh them at once, for euer. So y^t when he doth not strike vs, when he ceaseth to afflict vs to punish or beat [...] vs, & suffereth vs to runne headlonges into all vngodlines, and pleasures of thys worlde that we delite in, w^out punishmente & aduersitie, it is a dredful token y^t he loueth vs no lēger, that he careth no lēger for vs, but hath geuē vs ouer, to our owne selues. As long as a mā doth proyne his vines, doth digge at the rootes, and doeth lay freshe yearth to them, he hath a mynde to them, he percepueth some token of fruitfulnes that may be recouered in thē: but when he wil bestow no more suche cost and la­bor about them, then it is a signe that he thynketh they wil neuer be good. And the father, as long as be loueth his child, he loketh angerly, he correcteth him when he doeth amysse: but when that serueth not, & vpon that he ceaseth from correccion of hym, and suffereth him to do what he list himselfe, it is a signe that he intendeth to disinherite hym, & to cast [Page]him a way for euer. So surely, nothing should perce our heart so sore, and put vs in suche horrible feare, as when we knowe in our conscience, that we haue grieuously offended GOD, and do so continue, & that yet he striketh not, but quietlye suffereth vs in the naughtines that we haue delight in. Then specyal­ly it is time to crye, & to cry againe, as Dauid dyd: Cast me not away from thi face,Psal. 51 Psal. 29 and take not a way thy holy spirit frō me. LORDE turne not awaye thy face fcomme, cast not thy seruaunt away in displea­sure. Hide not thy face from me,Psal. 1.42. least I be like vnto thē that go down to hel. The which lamētable prai­ers of him, as they do certify vs, what hor [...]ible daū ­ger they be in, frō whom GOD turneth his face (for y^e time, & as long as he so doth:) so shoulde they moue vs to crye vpon GOD with al our heart, that we m [...] not bee brought into that state, which doubtles is so sorowful, so miserable, & so dreadful, as noo tounge can sufficiently expresse, or any heart can thynke.

For what deadly greif may a man suppose it is to be vnder the wrath of GOD to be forsaken of hym to haue his holy spirite the authoure of all goodnes, to be taken from him, to be brought to so vile a condy­tion, that he shalbe lefte mete for no better purpose, then to be for euer condemned to hell. For not onely suche places of Dauid do shewe, that vpon the tur­nyng of GODS face from anyr persons, they shalbe left bare from al goodnes; & farre from hope of re­medy: but also the place recited last before of Esay, doeth meane the same, which she weth, y^t GOD at len­gth doth so forsake his vnfruitful vineyard, y^t he wyl not onely suffre it to bryng furth wedes, briers, and [Page]thornes, but also, further to punyshe the vnfruitful­nes of it, he faith he wil not cut it, he wil not delue it, and he wil commaund the cloudes, that they shall not raine vpon it, wherby is signified, the teachinge of his holy word: which S. Paule, after a lyke ma­ner, expresseth by planting and watering, meaning that he wylcake that away from thē. So that they shalbe no lenger of his kingdome, they shalbe no lei­ger gouerned by his holy spirites they shalbe frustrated of the grace and benefites that they hadde, and tuer mighte haue enioyed throughe Christe. They shalbe depriued of the heauenly light, and life which they had in Chryst, whiles they abode in him. They shalbe, (as they were once) as men without GOD in this world, or rather in woorse takynge. And to be short, they shalbe geuen into the power of the deuyl, which beareth the rule in al thē, that be cast awaye from GOD, as be dyd in Saul, & Iudas, and gene­rally in al suche, as worke after their owne wylles,1. Re 25. the children of diffidence and infidelitie.

Let vs beware therefore (good christyan people) lest that we, reiecting GODS woord, (by the whyche we obteine and reteine true faith in GOD) be not at length cast of so farre, that we become as y^e chyldren of infidelitie, which be of two sortes, farre dyuerse, yea almost cleane contrary, and yet both bee verye farre from returning to GOD. The one forte, onelye waying their sinful & detestable liuing, with y^e right iudgment & straightnes of GODS righteousenes, be so destitute of counsail, and be so comfortles, (as all they must nedes be, from whom the spirite of coun­sayl and comfort is gone) that they will not be per­swaded [Page]in their hertes, but that either GOD cannot or els that he wil not take them agayne to his fauor and mercye. The other. hearyng the louing & large promises of GODS mercye, and so not concei [...]nge a right faith therof, make those promises larger, then euer GOD did: trusting that although they cōtinue in their sinful and detestable liuinge neuer so longe, yet that GOD at the ende of their lyte, wil shewe hys mercy vpon them, and that then, they wil returne. And doth these two fortes of men,Eze. 18. and. 33. de in a dawnable state: and yet neuer thelesse, GOD (who willeth not the deth of the wicked) hath shewed meanes, wher­by both the same (if they take hede in season may es­cape.A gaynst desperation. The fyrst, as they doe dread GODS rightefull iustice in punishing sinners: (wherby they shuld be dismaid and shuld despayre indeoe, as touching any hope that may be in themselues) soo if they woulde constantly beleue, that GODS mercy is the remedye appoynted agaynst such despayre and distrust, not onely for them but generally for al that be forye and truely repentant, & wil therwithall sticke to GODS mercy, they may be sure they shal obtein mercy, and enter into the porte or hauen of sauegarde, into the which whosoeuer doth come, be they defore time neuer so wicked, they shalbe oute of daunger of euer­lasting damnation,Eze. 33. as GOD by Ezechiel saith: what time soeuer the wicked doth returne, & take earnest and true repentaūce. I wil forget al his wickednes.

Agaynste presump­tyon.The other, as they be ready to beleue GODS pro­mises so they shuld be as ready to beleue the threat­ninges of GOD: aswel they should beleue the lawe as the gospell: aswell that there is an bel and euer­lasting [Page]fyre, as that there is an heauen, and euerla­stynge ioye, aswel they should beleue damnation to be threatened to the wicked and euill doers, as sal­uation to be promysed to the faythful in worde and workes: aswell they should beleue God to be true, in the one, as in the other. And the sinners that con­tinue in theyr wicked lyuyng, ought to thynke▪ that the promises of Goddes mercy and the Gospel, per­teyne not vnto them, beynge in that state: but onely the lawe, and those scriptures, whiche conteine the wrathe, and indignation of GOD, and his threate­ninges, whiche should certifie them, that as they do ouer boldely presume of GODS mercye, & liue disso­lutely: so doth GOD [...]tyl more and more withdrawe his mercy from them, and he is so prouoked therby to wrathe at lengthe, that he destroieth suche presu­mers many tymes soday [...]lye. For of suche Saynct Paule sayde thus: when they shall saye it is peace,1. Cess. 5 there is no daunger▪ then shall sodaine destruction come vpon them. Let vs beware therefore, of suche naughtye boldenesse to synne: for GOD, which hath promysed his mercy to them that bee truely repen­taunte, (althoughe it be at the latter ende) hath not promised to the presumtuous sinner, eyther that he shal haue longe lyfe, or that he shal haue true repen­taunce at the laste ende. But for that purpose hath he made euerye mannes death vncertaine, that he should not put his hope in thende, and in the meane season (to GODS hyghe displeasure) lyue vngodlye. Wherfore, let vs folowe the counsayle of the Wyse­man: let vs make no tarying to turne vnto the lord: let vs not put of, from day to daye, for so daynly shall [Page]hys wrath come▪ and in tyme of veng [...]nce he wyll destroy the wicked. Let vs therfore turne betymes: and whē we turne, [...]se. 14, let vs praye to GOD, as Dze [...] teacheth, saying: Forgeue vs al our sines▪ receiue vs graciouslye. And if we turne to him, with an hum­ble & a very penitent heart, he wyl receiue vs to hys fauour and grace, for hys holye names sake, for hys promyse sake, for his trueth and mercyes sake, pro­mised to all faythful beleuers in Iesus Christe, his onely naturall sonne. To whom the on­ly sauiour of the worlde, with the fa­ther and the holy ghoste, bee all honour, glory, and power, worlde without ende. Amen.

¶ The seconde part of the [...] of the feare of death.

IT hath ben heretofore she wed you, that there be three causes wherfore men do cōmonly feare death. Fyrst, the sorowful departing from worldly goods & pleasure. The second, the feare of the panges & paynes that come with death. Last and principall cause is, the horrible feare of extreme miserie, & perpetual damnacion in time to come. And yet none of these thre causes troubleth good men, because they staye thē selues by true fayth, perfit charitie, & sure hope of the endelesse ioy and blisse euerlastyng.

Al those therfore, haue gret cause to be ful of ioy that be ioyned to Christe with true faith, stedfaste hope, & perfect charitie, & not to fere death nor euer lasting dānation. For death cannot depriue thē of Iesu Christ, nor any sinne can condemne thē that are graffed surely in him, which is their only ioy, treasure, & lyfe. Let vs repent our sinnes, amende our liues, trust in his mercy & satisfactiō, & death can neither take hym from vs, nor vs from hym. For thē (as s. Paule saith) whether we liue or dye, we be the lordes owne. And again he saith:Rom. xiiii Christ did die & rose againe, because he shuld be lord, both of the dead & quicke. Thē if we be the lordes owne when we be dead, it must nedes folow that such tē porall death, not only cannot harme vs, but also, y^t it shal much be to our profite, & ioyne vs vnto god more perfectly. And therof the Christiā heart may surely be certified by the infallible or vnde [...] ­ble trueth of holy scripture. It is God [...] Paul) which hath prepared vs vnto [...] [Page]& the same is he which hath geuen vs an earnesse of the spirite. Therfore let vs be alwayes of good comfort, for we know: that so long as we be in the body, we be (as it were) farre frō god in a strange countrey, subiect to many perilles, walking with out perfect syght, & knowledge of almighty God, onely seing him by faith in holy scriptures. But we haue a courage & desire rather to bee at home with God & our sauiour Christ, farre from the bo­dy, where we may beholde his God head, as he is, face to face, to our euerlastyng comforte. These be S. Paules wordes in effect,Pebre. xiii wherby we may per­ceiue, that the life in this world, is resēbled & lyke­ned to a pilgrimage, in a straunge countrey, farre from god: & that death deliuering vs from our bo­dyes, doth sende vs straight home into our owne countrey, & maketh vs to dwel presently with god for euer, in euerlasting rest & quietnes. So that to dye is no losse, but profite & winninge to all true christen people. What loste the thiefe y^t hanged on y^e crosse with Christ, by his bodely death? yea, how much dyd he gayne by it?Luk. xxiii Did not our sauiour say vnto him: this day thou shalt be with me in Para dise? And Lazarus that pitifull person, that laye before the riche mans gate,Luke .xvi. payned with sores, & pyned with hunger? dyd not death hyghly prosite and promote hym? Which by the ministery of An­gels, sent hym vnto Abrahams bosome, a place of rest, ioy and heauenly consolation. Let vs thinke none other (good Christen people) but Christ hath prepared and made ready before the same ioy and felicitie for vs, that he prepared for Lazarus & the thiefe. Wherfore, let vs sticke vnto his saluation [Page]and gracious redemptiō: & beleue his word, serue him from our heartes, loue & obey him, & whatso­euer we haue done heretofore cōtrary to his moste holy Wyl, now let vs repent in tyme, & heareafter study to correct our lyfe: & doubt not, but we shall fynd him as merciful vnto vs, as he was eyther to Lazarus, or to the thiefe whose examples ar writtē in holy seripture, for the comfort of thē that be sinners, & subiect to sorowes, miseries, & calami­ties in this world, that they shuld not dispayre in gods mercy, but euer trust therby to haue forgeuenes of their sinnes & life euerl [...]sting, as Lazarus & the thiefe hadde. Thus I trust euery christen mā perceiueth by the infaflible or vndeceauable word of God, y^t bodely death cannot harme nor hynder thē that truly beleue in Christ, but contrary shall profite & promote the christen soules, which being truely penitent for their offences, depart hence in perfect charitie, & in sure trust, that God is merci­full to thē, forgeuing theyr sinnes, for the merites of Iesus Christ his onely naturall sonne.

The seconde cause why some do feare death,The secōd cause why some do fere death is fore sickenes, and greuous paynes, which partely come before death, & partly accōpanieth or cometh with death whensoeuer it commeth. This feare, is the feare of the frayle fleshe, and a naturall pas­sion, belongyng vnto the nature of a mortal man. But true faith in Gods promises, and regarde of the paynes & panges, which Christ vpon the crosse suffered for vs miserable sinners, with considera­cion of the ioye & euerlastynge lyfe to come in hea­uē, wil mitigate & asswage lesse those paines, & moderate or bryng into a meane this feare, y^t it shall [Page]neuer be able to ouerthrowe the heartye desyre, & gladnes, y^e the Christian soule hath to be seperated frō this corrupt body, that it may come to the gra­cious presence of our sauiour Iesus Christ. If we beleue stedfastly the word of god, we shal perceyue that such bodely sicknes, panges of death, or what soeuer dolorous paynes we suffer, eyther before or with death, be nothing els in christen men but the rodde of our heauenly & louyng father, wherwith he mercifully correcteth vs, eyther to trye and de­clare the faith of his pacient children, y^t they may be found laudable, glorious, and honorable in his sight, when Iesus Christ shalbe openly shewed, to be the iudge of all the world: or els to chastice and amende in thē, whatsoeuer offendeth his fatherly & gracious goodnes, least they should perishe euer­lastingly. And this his correcting rod, is common to all them that be truely his. Therfore let vs caste away the burden of sinne, y^t lyeth to heauy in our neckes, and returne vnto God by true penaunce, & amendement of our liues. Lette vs with pacience runne this course that is appoynted, suffering (for his sake that dyed for our saluacion) all sorowes & panges of death, and death it selfe ioyfully, when God sendeth it to vs, hauyng our eyes fyred & set fast euer vpon the head & captaine of our faith, Iesus Christ: Who (considering the ioy that he shulde come vnto) cared neither for the shame, nor payne of death, but wyllyngly conforming and framyng his wyll to his fathers wyll, most paciently suffe­red the most shamefull and paynefull death of the crosse,Phil. ii. beinge innocent and harmelesse. And nowe therfore he is exalted in heauen, & euerlastynglye [Page]sitteth on the right hand of the throne of God the father. Lette vs call to our remembraunce there­fore, the lyfe and ioyes of heauen, that are kept for all them that paciently do suffer here with Christ: and consydre that Christ suffered all his paynefull passion by sinners, and for synners: and then we shall with pacience, and the more easelye, suffer such sorowes and paynes, when they come. Let vs not set at lyght the chastysynge of the Lorde, nor grudge at hym, nor fall from hym, when of hym we be corrected: for the Lorde loueth them whom he doeth correcte, and beateth euery one whom he taketh to be his childe. What chylde is that (sayth Saint Paule) whom the father loueth,Hebr [...]. xii. and doeth not chastice? If ye be without Goddes correction, (which al his welbeloued and true children haue) then be you but bastardes smally regarged of god, and not his true chyldren.

Therfore, seing that when we haue in earth our carnall fathers to be our correctours, we do feare them, and reuerentlye take theyr correction, shall we not muche more be in subiection to God oure spirituall father, by whom we shall haue euerla­styng lyfe? And our carnal fathers sometyme cor­rect vs, euen as pleaseth them without cause: but this father iustelye correcteth vs, either for oure sinne, to the intent we shoulde amende, or for our commoditie and wealth, to make vs therby part­takers of his holynesse. Furthermore, all correctiō which God sendeth vs in this presēt tyme, semeth to haue no ioy and comfort, but sorowe & payne: yet it bryngeth with it a taste of Gods mercy and goodnesse towardes them that be so corrected, and [Page]a sure hope of gods euerlastyng consolatiō in hea­uen. If then these sorowes, diseases & sickenesses, and also death it selfe, be nothing els but our hea­uenlye fathers rod, wherby he certitieth vs of his loue & gracious fauour, wherby he trieth and pu­rifieth vs, wherby he geueth vnto vs holynes, and certifieth vs that we be his children, & he our mercifull father: shall not we then, withall humilitie, as obedient & louyng children, ioyfully kysse oure heauenly fathers rod, and euer say in our hearte, with our sauiour Iesus Christ? Father, if this an­guishe and sorowe which I fele, & death which I se approche,Mat. xxvi maye not passe, but that thy wyll is that I must suffer them, thy wyll be done.

¶ The thyrde part of the Sermon of the feare of death.

IN this Sermon agaynste the feare of death, twoo causes were decla­red, which commonly moue world­ly men to be in much feare to dye, & yet the same do nothynge trouble the faithfull and good lyuers, when death commeth, but rather geueth them occasion greatly to reioyce, considering that they shalbe de­lyuered from the sorow and miserie of this world, and be brought to the great ioy and felicitie of the lyfe to come.The third cause why death is to be fea­red. Nowe the thyrde and speciall cause, why death in dede is to be feared, is the miserable state of the worldly & vngodly people, after theyr death. But this is no cause at all, why the God­ly and faythfull people should feare death: but ra­ther contrarywyse, theyr Godly conuersation in [Page]this lyfe & beliefe in Christ, cleauyng continually to his merites, should make thē to long sore after that lyfe, that remaineth for them vndoubtedly after this bodely death. Of this immortall state, af­ter this transitory lyfe where we shall lyue euer­more, in the presens of God, in ioy and reste, after victory ouer all sickenesse, sorowes, sinne, & death: there be many, both playne places of holye scrip­ture, which confirme the weake cōscience againste the feare of al such dolours, sickenesses, sinne, and bodely death, to asswage such tremblyng and vn­godly feare, and to encorage vs with comfort and hope of a blessed [...]ate after this lyfe.Ephe. i. Saint Paule wisheth vnto the Ephesians, that God the father of glory woulde geue vnto them the spirite of wis­dome & reuelation, that the eyes of theyr heartes myght geue lyght to knowe hym, and to perceiue howe great thynges he had called them vnto, and howe riche inheritaunce he hath prepared after this lyfe, for them that perteyne vnto hym.Philip. i. And Saint Paule hym selfe declareth the defyre of his heart, which was to be dissolued and loosed from his body, and to be with Christ: which (as he said) was muche better for hym, although to them it was more necessary, that he shoulde lyue, whiche he refused not, for theyr sakes. Euen lyke as saint Martin sayde: Good Lorde, yf I be necessary for thy people to do good vnto them, I wyll refuse no labour: but els for mine owne selfe, I besech thee to take my soule.

Now, the holy fathers of the olde lawe, and all faithfull & righteous men, which departed before our sauiour Christes ascention into heauē, dyd by [Page]death depart from troubles vnto rest, frō the han­des of their enemies into the handes of God, from sorowes and sickenesses vnto ioyful refreshing in­to Abrahams bosome, a place of all comforte and consolation,Sapi. iii. as scriptures do plainely by manifest wordes testifie. The boke of wisedome saith: that the righteous mens soules be in the hand of god, and no torment shal touche them. They seemed to the eyes of folishe men to dye, and theyr death was counted miserable, and theyr departynge out of this worlde wretched, but they be in reste. And an other place saith: that the righteous shall lyue for euer, & theyr rewarde is with the lorde, & theyr myndes be with god who is aboue all. Therefore they shall receiue a glorious kyngdome, & a beaw­tiful crowne,Sapi. iiii. at the Lordes hand. And in an other place the same boke saith: the righteous, thought he be preuented with sodaine death, neuerthelesse he shalbe there, where he shalbe refreshed. Of A­brahams bosome, Chrystes wordes be so playne, that a christian man nedeth no more profe of it. Nowe then, if this were the state of the holye fa­thers and righteous men, before the commyng of our sauiour, & before he was glorified: how much more then ought all we to haue a stedfast faith, & a sure hope of this blessed state and condicion, af­ter our death? Seing that our sauiour nowe hath perfourmed the whole worke of our redemption, and is gloriouslye ascended into heauen, to pre­pare our dwellyng places with hym,Ioh. xvii. and sayd vn­to his father: Father, I wyll that where I am, my seruauntes shalbe with me. And we knowe that whatsoeuer Christ wyll, his father wyll the same [Page]wherefore it cannot be, but if we be his faithful ser­nauntes, oure soules shalbe with him, after our de­parting out of this present life. Sainct Stephin, when he was stoned to death, euen in the middest of his tormentes, what was his minde moste vpon? When he was ful of the holy gost,Ac [...]. v [...] (saieth holy scrip­ture) hauing his eies lifted vp into heauen, he sawe the glory of god, and Iesus standinge on the righte hande of god. The whiche trueth, after he had con­fessed boldly before the enemies of Christ, they drew him out of the citie, and there they stoned him, who cried vnto God, sayinge: Lorde Iesu Christe, take my spirite. And doeth not our sauiour say playnly in S. Iohns gospel? Verely, verely, I say vnto you, he that heareth my worde and beleueth on him that sēt me, hath euerlasting life, & cummeth not into iudge­ment,Iohn .v. but shal passe from death to life. Shal we not then thinke that death to be precious, by the whiche we passe vnto life?

Therefore it is a true saying of the Prophete: the death of the holy and righteous men, [...] cxvi is precious in the lordes sight. Holy Simeon, after that he had his heartes desier in seing our sauiour that he euer lon­ged for al his life, he embraced or toke him in his ar­mes, and said: Now lord let me departe in peace,Luke. [...]. for mine eies haue beholden that sauiour, whiche thou hast prepared for al nacions.

It is trueth therfore, that the death of the righte­ous is called peace, and the benefite of the Lord,Psal. cxiiii. as the churche saieth in the name of the righteous de­parted out of this world: my soule turne thee to chy­reste, for the Lorde hath bene good to thee, and re­warded [Page]thee. And we see by holye scripture, & other auncient Histories of Martirs, that the holy, faith­ful, and righteous, euer sins Christes ascencion, or going vp in their death did not doubt, but that they went to be with Christ in spirite, whiche is our lyfe, health, wealth, & saluacion. Iohn in his holy reuela­cion, saw an. C. xl. and .iiii. M. virgins & innocentes of whom he sayd:Epo. xiiii these folowe the lābe Iesu Christe, whersoeuer he goeth. And shortely after in the same place he saieth: I heard a voice from heauen, saying vnto me: write happy and blessed ar the dead, which die in the lord: from henceforth (surely saieth the spi­rite) thei shal rest from their paines and labours, for their workes doe folowe them. So that then they shal reape with ioy and comfort, that which they so­wed with labors and paynes.

They that sow in the spirite, of y^e spirite shal reape euerlasting life. Let vs therfore neuer be werye of well doing, for when the time of reaping, or reward commeth, we shal reape without any werines euer­lastinge ioye. [...]ola. vi. Math. vi. Therefore while we haue time (as S. Paule, exhorteth vs) let vs doe good to all men, and nor laye vp our treasures in earth, where ruste and mothes corrupt it,Iames .v. which rust (as S. Iames sayeth) shall beare witnesse agaynst vs at the great day, cō ­demie vs, and shall (like moste brenninge fier) tor­mente our fleshe. Let vs beware therfore (as we tē ­der our owne wealth) that we be not in the number of those miserable couetousse and wretched menne, whiche S. Iames byddeth mourne and lament, for theyr gredye gatherynge and vngodlye kepynge of goodes. Lette vs be wyfe in tyme, and learne to [Page]folowe the wyse example of the wicked stewach. Let vs so wisely order our goodes and possessions, com­mitted vnto vs here by god for a season, that we may truely heare and obeye thys commaundemente of our sauioure Chryste: I saye vnto you, (sayeth he) make you frendes of the wicked Mammon,Luke. xvi that they may receiue you into euerlastinge tabernacles, or dwellynges. Richesse he calleth wicked, beecause the world abuseth them vnto al wickednes, which at otherwise the good gifte of God, & the instrumentes wherby goddes seruauantes doe truely serue hym, in vsing of the same. He commaunded thē not, to make them riche frendes, to gette highe dignities, and worldly promotions, to geue greate giftes to ryche men that haue no nede therof, but to make them frē ­des of poore and miserable men: vnto whom, what­soeuer they geue, Chryst taketh it, as geuen to him­selfe. And to these frēdes Christ in the gospel geueth so great honor and preeminence, that he sayeth: they shall receyue them that doe good vnto them, into e­uerlasting houses: not that mē shalbe ourrewarders for our wel doyng, but that Chryst wil rewarde vs, and take it to be doen vnto himselfe, whatsoeuer is doen to suche frendes.

Thus makyng poore wretches our frendes, we make oure sauioure Chryste oure frende, whose mē ­bers they are, whose miserye, as he taketh for hys owne myserye: so theyr relyefe, succoure and helpe, he taketh for hys succoure, relyefe, and helpe, and wyll asmuche thanke vs and rewarde vs for oure goodnes shewed to them, as if he himselfe had recei­ued lyke benefyte at oure handes, as be wyt­nesseth [Page]in the gospel, [...] xxv saying: whatsoeuerye haue doē to any of these simple persons, whiche dooe beleue in me, that haue ye doen to my self. Therfore let vs di­ligently foresee, that oure faith and hope, whiche we haue conceiued in almightie god, and in our sauiour Christ, waxe not fainte, nor that the loue whiche we beare in hande to beare to him, waxe not colde: but let vs study daily and diligently to shew oure selues to be the true honourers & louers of god, by kepinge of his commaundementes, by doing of good dedes vnto our nedy neighbours releuing by all meanes that we can, their pouertie with oure aboundaunce, and plenty, their ignoraunce with our wisedom and learning, and comforte their v eakenes, wyth oure strength & aucthoritie: calling all men backe frō euill doing by godlye counsaile and good exāple, perseue­ring still in well doing so long as we lyue. So shall we not nede to feare death, for any of those thre cau­ses, afore mēcioned, nor yet for any other cause that can be imagined. But contrary, considering the ma­nifold sickenesses, troubles and sorowes of this pre­sent life, the daungers of this perilous pilgrimage, and the great encombraunce, which our spirite hath by this sinful fleshe and fraile body subiect to death: considering also the manifold sorowes and daunge­rous deceites of this world on euery side, y^e intolle­rable pride, couetousnes and lechery, in time of pros­peritie: the impaciente murmuring of them that bee worldlye, in time of aduersitie, whiche cease not to withdrawe and plucke vs from God, oure sauioure Christe, from oure life, wealth, or euerlastynge ioye and saluacion: considering also the innumerable as­soultes, [Page]of oure gostly enemie the deuil with al hys fierie dartes of ambicion, pride, lechecie, vaine glory enuie, malice, detraccion or backebiting, with other his innumerable deceites, engynes and snares, whereby he goeth busely aboute to catche all menne vnder his dominion, euer like a roringe Lyon, by all meanes searchynge whom he maye deuoure:1. Pete. v. the faythfull Christian manne, whiche considereth all these miseries, perilles, and incommodities, (where­unto he is subiecie so longe as he here lyueth vpon earth and on the other parte, consydereth that bles­sed and comfortable state of the heauenlye life to cōe, and the swete condicion of them that departe in the Lorde, howe they are deliuered from the continuall encoumbraunces of their mortal and sinnefull body from all the malyce, craftes and deceytes of thys worlde, from all the assaultes of theyr ghostelye ene­mye the deuill, to lyue in peace, reste and endelesse quietnesse, to liue in the felowshyppe of innumera­ble Aungels, and with the congregacion of perfecte iuste menne, as Patriarches, Prophetes, Martires and confessors: and finallye, vnto presence of al­mightie GOD, and oure sauioure Iesus Chryste. He that doeth consider all these thynges and beele­ueth them assuredly as they are to be beleued, euen from the bottome of his hearte, beeynge established in GOD, in this true fayth, hauinge a quiete cons­cience in Chryste, a syrme hope, and assured truste in Goddes mercye, throughe the merites of Iesu Chryste to obtayne thys quietnesse, rest, and euerla­sting ioye: shal not only be withoute feare of bodelye death, when it commeth, but certainely (as Saincte [Page]Paule did) so shal he gladly (according to gods will, [...] sp. i. and when it pleaseth god to call hym out of this life) greatly desier in his heart, that he may be rid fromal these occasiōs of euil, and liue euer to gods pleasure, in perfecte obedience of his wyll, wyth oure saui­oure Iesus Chryste: to whose gracious presence the Lorde of hys infinite mercye and grace, bryng vs to reigne wyth hym, in life euer­lastyng. To whom, with oure heauen­lye father, and the holye ghoste, bee glorye in worldes wythoute ende. Amen.

¶ The second parte of the Sermon of Obedience.

FOrasmuche as god hath created and dis­posed all thinges in a comelie ordre, we haue bene taught in the first part of this sermon, cōcerning good ordre & obediēce, y^t we also ought in all common welthes, to obserue [Page]and kepe a dewe ordre, and to be obedient to the po­wers, their ordinaunces and lawes, and that all ru­lers are appointed of god, for a godly ordre to bee kept in the worlde. And also howe the Magistrates oughte to learne howe to rule and gouerne accor­ding to gods lawes. And that al subiectes are boun­den to obey them as gods ministers: yea although they be euil, not only for feare, but also for consciēce sake. And here (good people) let al marke diligently, that it is not lawful for inferiours & subiectes, ī any case to resist or stāde against y^e superior powers: for .s. Paules wordes be plain, y^t whosoeuer withstādeth, shal get to thēselfes dānaciō: for whosoeuer withstā ­deth w^tstādeth y^e ordināce of god. Our sauiour Christ himselfe & his Apostles, receiued many and diuerse iniuries of the vnfaithefull and wicked menne in aucthoritie: yet we neuer reade, that they, [...]ranye of them, caused any sedicion or rebellion against au­thoritie. We reade oft, that they paciently suffered all troubles, veracions, slaūders, pangues and pai­nes, and death it selfe obedientlye, without tumulte or resistence. They committed their cause to him that iudgeth righteouslye, and praied for their ene­mies heartely and earnestly. They knewe that the auctoritie of the powers, was gods ordinaunce, and therfore both ī their wordes and dedes, they taught euer obedience to it, and neuer taught nor did the contrary.Iohn .xix. The wicked iudge Pilate saide to Christe: knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie the, and haue power also to loce the? Iesus aunswered: Thou couldest haue no power at all against me, ex­cept it wer geuen the from aboue. Wherby Christe [Page]taught vs plainly, that euen the wicked rulers haue their power and authoritie from god.

And therfore it is not lawfull for their subiectes, by force to w^tstāde thē, although they abuse their power much lesse then, it is lawful for subiectes to w^tstande their godly & christian princes, whiche do not abuse their aucthoritie, but vse the same to gods glory, and to the profite and commoditie of Gods people.i. Peter .ii. The holy Apostle .s. Peter, cōmaundeth seruauntes to be obedient to their maisters, not only if they be good and gentle, but also if they be euil and frowarde: af­firming that the vocacion and callinge of gods peo­ple, is to be pacient, and of the suffering side. And there he bringeth in the paciēce of our sauior Christ, to perswade obedience to gouernors, yea although they be wicked and wrong doers.i. Peter .ii. But let vs nowe heare .s. Peter himselfe speake, for his owne wordes certifie best our conscience. Thus he vttereth them in his firste Epistle: Seruauntes obey your Mais­tres with feare, not onely if they be good and ientle, but also if they be frowarde: For it is thankewoor­thy, if a manne for conscience toward god, suffereth griefe, and suffereth wrong vndeserued:i. Peter .ii. for what praise is it, when ye be beaten for your faultes, if ye take it paciētly▪ but when ye do well, if you then suf­fer wrong & take it paciently,i. Re .xvi [...]. xix. and .xx. then is there cause to haue thanke of god, for herunto verely were ye cal­led: For so did Christ suffer for vs, leauing vs an ex­ample, that we should folow his steppes. Al these bee the very wordes of .s. Peter. S. Dauid also teacheth vs a good lesson I this behalf, who was many times most cruelly and wrong fullye persecuted of Kynge [Page]Saule, and manye times also put in ieoperdie and daunger of his life by kinge Saule & his people: yet he neuer withstode, neither vsed any force or violēce against king Saule his mortal or deadly enemy, but did euer to his liege lorde and master kinge Saule, most true, most diligent, and most faithful seruice.

In so much, that whē the lord god had geuen kinge Saule into Dauids handes in his owne caue, he would not hurte him, when he might without al bo­dely peril easely haue slain hī: no, he would not suffer any of his seruauntes, once to lay their handes vpō king Saul, but praied to god in this wise: lord kepe me from doing that thing vnto my maister, the lor­des anointed: keepe me that I laie not my hande v­pō him, seing he is the anoīted of y^e lord: for as true­ly as the lorde liueth, (except the lorde smite him, or except his day come, or that he go down to warre & in battaile perishe) the lorde be mercifull vnto me, that I lay not my hande vpon the lordes anointed. And that Dauid might haue killed his enemy king Saule, it is euidētly proued, in the firste boke of the kinges, both by the cutting of the lappe of Saules garment, and also by the playne confession of kinge Saule. Also an other time (as it is mēcioned in the same booke) when the most vnmercifull, and moste vnkind king Saule did persecute poore Dauid, god didde againe geue king Saule into Dauides han­des, by castinge of kinge Saule and his whole ar­mye, into a deade sleepe: so that Dauid and one Abi­sai with him, came in the nighte into Saules hoste, where Saule laye sleepinge, and his speare stacke in the ground at his head. Then sa [...]de Abisai vnto [Page]Dauid: god hath deliuered thine enemye into thy handes at this time, now therfore let me smite him once with my speare to the earth, & I will not smite him again the second time: meaning therby to haue killed him w^t one stroke, and to haue made him sure foreuer. And Dauid aunswered and said to Abisai: destroy him not, for who can laye his handes on the lordes anointed and be giltles? And Dauid said fur­thermore: as sure as the lorde liueth, the lorde shall smite him, or his daye shall come to dy, or he shal de­scende or go doune into bataill, & there perishe. The lord kepe me frō laying my hādes vpon the Lordes anointed. But take thou nowe the speare that is at his head, & the cruse of water, & let vs go: & so he did.

Here is euidently proued, that we may not w^tstand nor in any wayes hurt an anoynted king, which is gods liuetenaunt, vice gerent, and highest minister in that countrey where he is kinge. Obieccion But per aduen­ture, some here would say, that Dauid in his owne defence, might haue killed king Saule lawfullie, & with a safe conscience. Aunswere. But holy Dauid did knowe that he might in no wise w^tstande, hurt, or kil his so­uereigne lord & king: he did knowe, that he was but king Saules subiecth, though he wer ī great fauor with god, & his enemy kinge Saule out of gods fa­uor. Therfore, though he wer neuer so much prouo­ked, yet he refused vtterly to hurt the lordes anoyn­ted. He durste not for offending god & his own cons­cience, (although he had occasion and oportunitie) once lay his handes vpon gods high officer y^e king, whō he did know to be a person reserued & kept (for his office sake) only to gods punishmēt & iudgemēt. [Page]Therfore he praieth so oft, & so eanestlye, that he lay not his handes vpon the lordes annointed. [...]sal .lxxx. [...]d . [...]. And by these .ii. exāples .s. Dauid (being named in scripture a man after gods own heart) geueth a generall rule & lesson to al subiectes in the world, not to withstand their liege lord & king, not to take a sweord by their priuate authoritie against their king, gods anoyn­ted, who only beareth the sworde by gods auctoritie for the maintenance of the good, and for the punish­ment of the euill: who onely by gods lawe, hath the vse of the sweord at his commaūdement, & also hath al power, iurisdicciō, regimēt coerciō & punishemēt, as supreme gouernour of all his realmes & dominiōs, & that euen by the auc [...]oritie of God, and by gods ordi­naunces. Yet an other notable story & doctrine is in the secund boke of the kinges, that maketh also for this purpose. Whē an Amalēchite, by kinge Saules own consent & cōmaūdemēt, had killed kinge Saul, he went to Dauid, supposing to haue hadde great thāke for his message, [...]. y^t he had killed Dauids deadli enemye, and therefore he made great haste to tell to Dauid the chaūce: bringing with him kinge Saules Croun that was vpon his head, and his bracelet that was vpon his arme, to perswade his tidinges to be true. But godly Dauid was so far frō reioising at these newes, that immediatly & forthw^t he rēt his clothes of his backe, he mourned & wept, & said to the messenger: how is it that thou wast not afraid, to lay thy handes on the lordes anointed to destroy him? And by & by Dauid made one of his seruaūtes to kil y^e messēger, saying: thy bloude be on thine own head, for thy own mouth hath testified & wittenessed agaīst [Page]the, graūting that thou hast slaine the lordes anoin­ted. These examples being so manyfest and euident, it is an intolerable ignoraunce, madnes, & wicked­nes, for subiectes to make any murmuring, rebelli­on, resistence or w^tstāding, cōmociō, or insurrectiō a­gainste their moste dere and most dreade souereinge Lorde & king, ordeyned and appoynted of Goddes goodnes, for their commoditie, peace and quietnes. Yet let vs beleue vndoubtedli, (good christiā people) that we maye not obey Kinges, Magistrates, or a­ny other, (though they be our owne fathers) if they woulde commaunde vs to do any thing, contrary to gods cōmaundemētes. In such a case, we oughte to say with y^e Apostles:Actes. we must rather obey God then man. But neuertheles in y^t case, wee may not in any wise withstande violētly, or rebel against rulers, or make any insurrecciō, sediciō, or tumultes, either by force of armes, (or other waies) against the annoin­ted of the lord, or any of his appointed officers. But we muste in such case, paciently suffer al wronges & iniuries, referring the iudgemēt of oure cause onely to god: Let vs feare y^e terrible punishmēt of almigh­tie God, against traitors, or rebellious persons, by y^e exāple of Chore, Dathan, & Abiron, which repugned & grudged against gods Magistrates, and officers, and therfore the earthe opened, and swallowed thē vp alyue. Other for their wicked murmuring and rebellion, were by a sodaine fire sente of god, vtterly consumed. Other for their frowarde behauioure to their rulers and gouerners, Gods ministers, were sodainely strycken, with a foule leprosy. Other were stinged to death with wonderfull strange firie [Page]serpentes. Other were sore plagued, so that there was killed in one day, the numbre of fourtene thou­sand and seuen hundred, for rebellion against them; whom god had appointed to be in authoritie. Absa­lon also, [...]e. [...]ii. rebelling againste his father Kinge Dauid was punished with a straunge and notable death.

The thyrde parte of the Sermon of Obedience.

YE haue heard before in this sermō of good ordre & obedience, manifestly proued bothe by scriptures & examples, that al subiectes are boundē to obey their magistrates, and for no cause to resiste or withstand, rebel, or make a­ny sedicion againste them, yea although thei be wic­ked men. And let no man thinke y^t he can escape vn­punished, y^t cōmitteth treasō, conspiracie, or rebelliō, against his souereigne Lord the King, though he cō ­mit y^e same neuer so secretly; either in thought, word or dede: neuer so preuelye, in his prieuye chambre, by himselfe, or openly communicating, and consultyng w^t other. For treason wil not be hid: treason wil oute at the length. God will haue y^e most detestable vyce, bothe opened & punished, for that it is so directly a­gainst his ordeynaunce, and against his high prin­cipal iudge, & anointed in earth. The violence & imu­ry, y^t is committed against authoritie, is commited a­gainste God, the cōmon weale, & thee whole realme, whiche god wil haue knowen, & condingly or woor­thelye punished, one waye or other. For it is nota­bly written of the Wise mā in Scripture, in y^e booke called Ecclesiastes:Eccle. x. wishe the Kinge no euyll in thy [Page]thought, nor speake no hurt of him in thy priuy chā ­bre: for a byrde of the ayre shal betraye thy voice, and with her fethers, shall bewraye thy woordes. These lessons and exaumples are written for our learning. Therfore let vs al feare the moste detestable vice of rebellion, euer knowing and remembring, that he y^t resisteth or w^t standeth cōmon authoritie, resisteth or w^t stādeth god & his ordinaunce, as it may be proued by many other mo places of holye Scripture. And here let vs take here y^t we vnderstād not these or such other like places (which so streightly cōmaūde Obe­dience to superiours, and so streightly punisheth re­bellion, and disobedience to y^e same) to be meant in a­ny cōditiō of y^e pretensed or coloured power of y^e Bi­shop of Rome. For truly y^e scripture of god alloweth no such vsurped power, ful of enormitties, abusiōs & blasphemies. But y^e true meaning of these, and suche places, be to extoll and sette forth goddes true ordi­naūce, & y^e authoritie of gods annointed kinges, & of their officers appointed vnder thē. And concerning y^e vsurped power of the Bishop of Rome, whiche he most wrongfully challēgeth, as y^e successor of Christ & Peter: we may cafily perceiue how fals, semed, & forged it is, not onely in y^t it hath no sufficiēt groūd in holy scripture, but also by y^e fruites & doctrine there­of. For our sauior Christ, & S. Peter, teacheth moste earnestly & agreably obedinece to kinges, as to the chiefe, & supreme rulers in this worlde, nexte vnder god: but y^e bishop of R [...]me teacheth y^t thei y^t are vnder him, [...]r fre frō al burdēs & charges of y^e cōmō wealth & obediēce towardes their prince, most clearly against Christes doctrine an d. s. Peters. He ought there fore [Page]rather to be called Antichrist, & the successour of the Scribes & Pharysies, then Christes vicar, or s. Pe­ters successour: seing, y^t not only in this poynte, but also in other weighty matters of Christiā religiō, in matters of remissiō & forgeuenes of sinnes, & of saluation, he teacheth so directli against, both s. Peter & against our sauiour Christ: who not onely taught obedience to kinges, but also practised obedience in theyr cōuersaciō & liuing. [...]ath. [...]i. For we reade, y^t they both paied tribute to y^e king. And also we read, y^t the holy virgin Mary, mother to our sauiour Christe, & Io­seph, who was taken for his father, at y^e Emperours cōmaundement, went to the citie of Dauid, named Bethleem, [...]e. ii. to be taxed emōg other, & to declare their obedience to the magistrates, for gods ordinaunces sake. And here let vs not forgette the blessed virgin Maries obedience: for although she was highlye in gods fauour, and Christes naturall mother, & was also great with childe that same time, & so nighe her trauaile, that she was deliuered in her iourneye: yet she gladly without any excuse or grudging (for con­science sake) did take that cold & foule winter iour­ney, being in y^e meane seasō so pore, y^t she lay in y^e sta­ble, & there she was deliuered of Christe. And accor­ding to y^e same,Peter. [...] lo, how s. Peter agreeth, writig by expresse words, in his first Epistle: submit your selues or be subiect (saieth he) vnto kinges, as vnto y^e chiefe heades, or vnto rulers, as vnto them that are sente of him, for the punishmente of euill doers, and for the praise of them y^t do well, for so is the wil of God. I nede not to expoūd these wordes, they be so plaine of them selfes. S. Peter doth not say: submit your selfes [Page]vnto me, as supreme head of the Church: neither he saieth, submit your selues frō time to time, to my successors in Rome: but he saieth, submit your selfes vnto your kinge, your supreme head, & vnto those that he appoynteth in authoritte vnder him. For that ye shall so shewe your obedience, it is the wyll of God. God will that you be in subiection to your head and king. That is gods ordinaunce, gods commaunde­ment, & gods holy wil, that the whole body of euery realme, and al the membres and partes of the same, shalbe subiect to their heade, their king, and that (as S. Peter writeth) for y^e lordes sake:i. Peter [...] ii. Rom. xi [...] and (as S. Paule writeth) for conscience sake, and not for feare onely. Thus we learne by the worde of god, to yelde to oure kyng, that is dewe to our king, that is ho­nor, obedience, paimentes of dewe taxes, customes, tributes, subsidies, loue and feare.Ma. xxi [...] Rom. xii Thus we knowe partly our bounden dueties to commen authoritie, nowe let vs learne to accomplishe the same. And let vs most instauntly and heartilye praye to God, the onely authour of all authoritie, for all them that be in authoritie, according as S. Paule willeth, wri­ting thus to Timothie, in his first epistle: I exhorte therfore, that aboue all thinges, prayers,i. Timo. ii. supplica­cions, intercessions, and geuing of thankes be done for all men: for kinges, and for al that he in authori­tie, that we maye liue a quiete and a peaceable life, w^t all godlines & honestie: for y^t is good, & accepted or alowable in the sight of god our sauioure. Here S. Paule maketh an earnest, and an especiall exhorta­cion, concerning geuyng of thankes, and prayer for kinges and rulers, saying: aboue all thinges, as hee [Page]might say, in any wise principally & chiefely, let prai­er bee made for kynges. Let vs heartely thanke god for his great and excellent benefite and prouidence, concerning the state of kinges. Let vs praye for thē, that thei maye haue gods fauoure, and gods protec­tion. Let vs pray, that they maye euer in all thinges haue God before their eies. Let vs praye, that they may haue wisedom, strength, iustice, clemencie, zeale to gods glory, to gods verytie, to Christian soules, and to the common wealth. Let vs praye, that they maye rightly vse theyr sweorde and authoritie, for the maintenaunce & defence of the catholique fayth couteyned in holye Scripture, and of their good and honest subiectes, and for the feare and punishmente of the euyll, and vitions people. Let vs praye, that they maye faithfully folowe the most faithful kings and Capitaynes in the Bible, Dauid, Ezechias, Io­sias, and Moses,Iudith. v with suche other. And let vs praye for our selues, y^t we maye liue godly, in holy & chris­tian conuersation: so we shall haue God of our syde: And then let vs not feare what man can doo against vs. So we shal liue in true obedience, bothe to oure moste mercifull kynge in heauen, and to oure moste Christian Quene in earth: so shall wee please God, and haue the exceding benefite, peace of conscience, reste and quietnes here in the worlde, and after this life, we shall enioye a better life, rest, peace, and the euerlasting blesse of heauē, which he graunt vs all, y^t was obedient for vs al, euē to the death of the crosse, Iesus Christ: to whome with the father, and the ho­ly ghost, be all honour & glory, bothe nowe and euer. Amen.

¶ The second parte of the Sermon against Adultery.

YOu haue bene taught in the fyrste parte of this sermon agaynst adultery, how that vice at this day reigneth most aboue all o­ther vyces. And what is mēt by this worde (adultery) & how holy scripture disswadeth or discoū ­seyled from doing y^t filthy sinne: & finally what cor­ruptiō cūmeth to mans soule through y^e sinne of ad­ultery. Now to procede further, let vs heare what y^e blessed apostle S. Paule saith to this matter. Wry­ting to y^e Romaines, he hath these woordes:Rom. iiii. Let vs cast away y^e workes of darknes, & put on y^e armours of light. Let vs walke honestly, as it were in y^e daye time, not in eating and drynking, neither in chaum­bringes and wantonnes, neyther in strife & enuying, but put ye on y^e lord Iesu Christe, and make not pro­uision for the fleshe to fulfill the lustes of it. Here the holy apostle exhorteth vs to cast away the wor­kes of darkenesse, whiche (emonge other) he calleth gluttonous eatynge, drynking, chaumberinge and wantonnesse, whiche are all ministers vnto that vyce and preparacyons to induce and bringe in the fylthye synne of the fleshe. Hee calleth them the dedes and workes of darkenesse, not onely because they are customablye doone in darkenesse,Ihon. iii. or in the night time, (for euery one that doth euyl hateth the light, neither cummeth he to the light, leste his wor­kes should be reproued) but that they leade y^e righte way vnto that vtter darkenes,Mathe. xiii. where wepynge and [Page]gnashinge of teeth shalbe. And he saieth in an other place of the same Epistle: They that are in the fleshe, can not please god. We are detters not to the fleshe, that we shoulde liue after the fleshe, for if ye lyue af­ter the fleshe, [...]o. viii. ye shal dye. Agayne he sayeth, flye from whoredome, for euery synne that a manne commit­teth, is without his body: but whosoeuer cōmitteth whoredome, sinneth agaynst his own bodye. Doe ye not knowe, that youre membres are the temple of the holy ghoste whiche is in you, whome also ye haue of god,Cor. vi. and ye are not youre owne? For ye are dere­ly boughte: glorifie GOD in your bodyes. &c. And a little before he saieth: Doe ye not knowe that your bodyes are the membres of Christe? Shall I then take the membres of Christe, & make them the mem­bres of an whore? God forbid. Do ye not know that he whiche cleueth to an whore, is made one bodye with her? There shalbe two in one fleshe (saieth hee) but he y^t cleueth to y^e lord, is one spirite. What godlie reasōns doth y^e blessed Apostle S. Paule bring forth here, to disswade or discounseylle vs frō whoredome and all vnclennes? youre membres (sayeth hee) are the temple of the holye ghoste: whiche, whosoeuer doth defile, god wil destroy him, as sayethe Saincte Paule. If we be the temple of the holye goste, howe vnsitting then is it, to dryue that holy spirite frō vs, throughe whoredome, & in his place to sette the wic­ked spirites of vncleannes & fornication, & to be ioy­ned, and doe seruice to them?1. Cor. vi. 1. Peter. i Ye are derelye boughte (saieth he) therefore gloryfye God in youre bodyes. Christe that innocent [...]ain [...]e of god, hath bought vs from the seruitude of the deuill, not with corruptible [Page]gold & siluer, but w^t his most precious & deare heart bloud. To what intent? That we should fall agayne vnto our old vnclennes, & abhominable liuyng? Nay verely: But that we should serue him, all y^e dayes of our life, in holynesse and righteousenesse:Es [...] xxxv [...] Luk [...] y^t we shuld glorifie him in oure bodyes, by puritie and clennesse of life. He declareth also y^t our bodies are the mēbers of Christ. How vnsemely a thing is it then, to cease to be incorporate or imbodyed & one with Christe, & through whoredom to be ioyned, and made al one w^t an whore? What greater dishonour or iniury can we doe to Christ, then to take away from him, the mem­bres of his body, & to ioyne thē two whores, deuils, & wicked spirites? And what more dyshonour can wee do to oure selues, thē through vncleannes, to loose so excellent a dignitie and fredome, & to become bonde flanes, & miserable captiues, to the spirites of darke­nesse? Lette vs therefore consider, fyrst the glorye of Christe, and then oure state, our dignitie and fredom wherin god hath set vs, by geuinge vs his holy spy­rite: and let vs valeantly defende the same agaynste Sathan, and all his craftie assaultes: that Christe maye be honored, and that we loose not our libertie or freedome, but stil remayne in one spirite with him.

Moreouer, in hys Epistle to the Ephesians, the blessed Apostle willeth vs, to be so pure,Ephe. v [...] & free from adulterye, fornication, and all vncleannesse, that we not once name them emonge vs (as it becommeth sainctes) nor filthinesse, nor foolyshe talkynge, nor iesting, which are not comely, but rather geuynge of [Page]thankes. For this ye know (saieth he) that no whore­monger, either vncleane person, [...]t. v. [...] vi or couetous person, (which is an ydolater) hathe any inheritaunce in the kyngdome of Christe and god. And that we shoulde remembre to be holy, pure, and free from al vnclean­nesse: The holy Apostle calleth vs Sainctes, because we are sanctifyed and made holye in the bloude of Christ throughe the holye Ghoste.

Now if we be sainctes, what haue we to do wyth the maners of the Heathen? Saincte Peter sayeth: As he whiche called you is holy, [...]eter euen so bee ye holye also, in all your conuersacion, because it is wrytten: Be ye holye, for I am holy. Hitherto haue we heard how grieuous a synne fornication and whoredome is, [...]eui. xi [...]d. xix. and howe greatly god doth abhore it. throughout the whole scripture. How cane it any otherwise be, then a synne of most abhominacion, seing it once maye not bee named emong the Christians, muche lesse it may in any poynte be committed. And surely, if we woulde weigh the greatnes of thys synne, and consider it in the right kynde, we shoulde fynde the sinne of whoredome, to be that most filthy lake, foule puddle, and stinking sinke, whereinto all kindes of sinnes and euils flowe: where also, they haue theyr resting place and abyding.

For hath not the aduiterer a pryde in his whroe­dome? as the Wiseman sayeth: They are glad when they haue done euil, and reioyce in thinges that are starke naughte. Is not the adulterer also ydle, and delighteth in no godly exercise, but only in that hys moste filthy and beastly pleasure? Is not his mynde pluckte, and vtterlye drawen awaye, from all ver­tuous [Page]studies, and fruiteful labours, and only geuē to carnall & fleshly imaginaciōs? Doth not y^e whore­monger gene his minde to gluttonie, that he maye be the more apt to serue his lustes, and carnal plea­sures? Doeth not the adulterer gene his minde to couetousnes, & to polling and pillinge of other, that he may be the more able to mainteine his harlottes and whores, & to continue in his filthy, and vnlaw­ful loue? Swelleth he not also with enuye, againste other, fearing that his pray should bee allured & ta­ken awaye from him? Againe, is he not yrefull & re­plenished with wrath & displeasure, euen against his best beloued, if at any time, his beastly and diuelishe request bee letted. What sinne, or kind of sinne is it, that is not ioined with fornication and whoredome It is a monster of manye heades: It receiueth all kindes of vices, and refuseth all kindes of vertues. If one seuerall sinne bringeth dānacion, what is to be thought of that sinne, which is accompanied with al euils, & hath waiting on it, whatsoeuer is hateful to god, damnable to man, and pleasaunt to Sathā?

Greate is the damnacion, that hangeth ouer the heades of fornicatours, and adulterers. What shall I speake of other incommodities, whiche issue, and flowe out of this stinkynge puddell of whoredome? Is not that treasure, which before al other is moste regarded of honeste persons, the good fame & name of man and woman, lost through whoredom? what patrimonie or liuelehode, what substāce, what goo­des, what riches, doth whoredome shortly consume & brīg to naught? What valiaūtnes & strēgth is ma­ny times made weake, & destroied with whoredome? [Page]What wit is so fine, y^t is not doted & defa [...]ed through whoredome? What beautie (although it were neuer so excellent) is not diffigured through whoredome?

Is not whoredome an enemie to the pleasaunte floure of youthe & bringeth it not gray heares, & olde age, before y^e time? What gifte of nature (although it were neuer so precious) is not corrupted with wor­dome? Come not y^e french pockes, with other diuerse diseases, of whoredom? From whence come so many bastardes and misbegotten children, to the high dis­pleasure of god, & dishonour of holy we blocke, but of whoredome? How many cōfirme all their substaūce and goodes, & at y^e last fal into such extreme pouer­tie, y^t afterward thei steale, & so are hanged, through whoredome What comencion & manslaughter com­meth of whordome. Now many maidens be deflou­red, howe many wiues corrupted, howe many wy­dowes defiled, through whoredom? How much is y^e publique & cōmune v [...]eale impouerished, & troubled through whoredom? How much is gods worde cōtē ­ned & depraued by whoredom & whoremongers? Of this vice cōmeth a great parte of the diuorces▪ which (nowe a daies) be so commōly accustomed and vsed, by mēs priuate auethoritie, to the greate displeasure of God, and the breache of the most holy knotte and bonde of matrimonie. For when this moste detesta­ble sinne is once crept into the breast of the adulte­rer. so that he is entangled with vnlawfull and vn­chaste loue. straighte waies, his true and lawefull wife is despised, her presence is abhorred, her com­panie stinketh, and is lothesome, what soeuer she doth, is dispraised, there is no quietnes in the house. [Page]so long as the is in sight: Therefore to make shorte tale, must she away, for her housbande can broke her no longer. Thus through whoredome, is the honest and harmelesse wife put away, & an harlot receiued in her stede: & in like sorte, it happeneth many times in the wife, towardes her housbande O abhomina­cion: Christ our sauiour, very god & man, comming to restore the lawe of his heauenly father vnto the right sence, vnderstāding, and meaning, (Among o­ther thinges) refourmed y^e abuse of this law of god: For where as y^e Iewes vsed of a longe sufferaunce,Mat. xix. by custome, to put awaie their wiues at their plea­sure, for euery cause: Christ correcting that euill cus­tome, did teach, y^t if any mā put away his wife, & ma­rieth an other for any cause, except only for adulte­ry, (whiche then was death by the lawe) he was an adulterer, & forced also his wife so diuorced, to com­mit adultery, if the were ioined to any other man: & the mā also, so ioyned with her, to commit adultery.

In what case then are those adulterers, which for the loue of an whore, put awaye their true and law­full wife, againste all lawe, righte, reason, and con­science▪ O damnable is the state wherin they stand. Swiste destruccion shal fall on them, if they repēte not and amende not: for GOD will not euer suffre holy wedlocke thus to be dishonoured, hated, and despised, He will once punishe this fleshly and licen­tious maner of liuing, and cause that his holy ordi­naunce, shalbe had in reuerence, and honoure.

For surely, wedloke (as the Apostle saieth) is hono­rable emonge al menne, [...]chic. iii and the bed vndefiled: But whoremongers and fornicatours, God will iudge: [Page]that is to saye, punish & condemne. But to what pur­pose is this labour taken, to describe, and set forthe the greatnes of the sinne of whoredom, & the incom­modities that issue & flow out of it, seing that breath and tongue shal sooner faile any mā, then he shal, or may be hable to set it out, accordinge to the abhomi­nacion and hainousnes thereof? Notwithstandinge this is spoken to the entent, that al men shoulde flee whordome, and liue in the feare of god: God graunt that it may not be spoken in vaine.

The thirde part of the sermon against Adulterye.

IN the second parte of this sermon against adulteri, that was last read, you haue lear­ned how earnestly y^e scripture warneth vs to auoide the sinne of adultery, and to em­brace clennes of life: & that through adultery we fall into al kindes of sinnes, & are made bonde slaues to the deuil. Thorow cleannes of life we are made mē ­bres of Christ. And finally how farre adultery brīg­eth a man from al goodnes, & driueth him headlong into al vices, mischiefe, & misery. Now wil I declare vnto you in ordre, with what greuous punishmētes god in times past, plagued adultery: & how certaine worldly Princes also, did punish it: that ye may per­ceiue, that whoredome and fornicacion be sinnes, no lesse detestable in the sight of god, and of all good menne, then I haue hitherto vttered. In the firste booke of Moses wee re [...]de, that when mankinde beegan to be multiplied vpon the earth, [...]e [...]. vi. the menne and w [...]omenne gaue their mindes so greatelie to [Page]fleshely delight, and filthy pleasure, that [...] withoute all feare of god. God seeīg this the [...] [...]st­ly and abhominable liuinge, and per [...]uin [...]e that they amended not, but rather encreased dayly more and more, in their sinnefull and vncleane maners, repented that he euer hadde made manne: and too shew how greatly be abhorced adultery, whoredom, fornicacion, and all vncleanesse, he made al the foū ­taines of the deepe earth, to burste oute, and the slu­ces of heauen to be opened, so that the raine came doune vpon the earth, by the space of fourtie daies, and fourtie nightes, and by this meanes, destroied the whole worlde, and all mankinde, eight persons onely excepted: that is to saye, Noe: the preacher of righteousnesse (as Saincte Peter calleth him) and his wife, his three sonnes, and their wiues.

O what a grieuous plague dyd God cast here vpon all liuinge creatures, for the sinne of whordome?

For the whiche God toke vengeaunce, not onely of man, but also of beastes, foules, and all liuing crea­tures. Manslaughter was committed beefore,Ge [...]e. iiii. yet was not y^e worlde destroied for that: but for whore­dome, all y^e world (few only except) was ouer flowe [...] with waters, & so perished: An example worthy to be remembred, that ye maye learne to feare god.

Wee reade againe, that for the filthy sinne of vncleannesse, Sodome and Gomor. and the other cities nighe vnto them,Gene. [...]ix. were destroied with fire and brimstone from heauen: so that there was nei­ther manne, woman, childe, nor beaste, nor yet anye thinge that grewe vpon the earthe, there lefte vn­destroied. Whose hearte tremb [...]eth not [...] the he [...] ­ting [Page]of this history? Who is so drouned in whordom and vncleanes, y^t will not now for euer after, leaue this abhominable liuing, seing that god so grieuous­ly punisheth vncleanesse to raine fire & brymstone from heauen, to destroie whole cities, to kill manne, woman and childe, and all other liuinge creatures there abiding, to cōsume with fire, all y^t euer grewe? what can be more manifest tokens of gods wrath & vengeaunce against vncleannes, & impuritie of lif? Marke this historie, (good people) and feare y^e ven­geaunce of god. Doe we not reade also, that god did smite Pharao,Gene. xiii. & his house, with greate plagues, be­cause that he vngodly desired Sara, the wife of A­braham? Likewise reade we of Abimelech Kynge of Gerat, althoughe he touched her not by carnall knowledge.Gene. xx. These plages & punishementes did god cast vpon filthie and vncleane persons, beefore the law was geuen, (the law of nature onely reigninge in the heartes of men) to declare howe great loue he had to Matrimonie or wedlocke: & again, how much he abhorred adultery, fornicacion, and all vnclean­nesse. And when the lawe that for badde whoredom, was geuen by Moses to the Iewes did not GOD commaunde,Leut. xx. that the breakers thereof, shoulde be put to death? The wordes of the lawe be these: Who­so committed adulterye with any mans wife, shall dye the death, both the manne and the womanne, beecause he hath broken wedlocke with his neigh­bours wife. In the lawe also it was commaunded, that a damosel and a man taken together in whore­dome, shoulde be both stoned to death. In an other place wee also reade, that God commaunded Moses [Page]to take al the heade rulers, [...]u [...]. xx and Princes of the peo­ple, and to hange them vpon gibbetes openlye, that euery manne might see them, because they either cō ­mitted, or did not punishe whoredome. Againe, did not god sende suche a plague amonge the people, for fornicacion and vncleanesse that they dyed in one daye, three and twentye thousande? I passe ouer for lacke of t [...]ue, manye other histories of the holye Bi­ble, whiche declare the grieuous vengeauncee, and heauie disp [...]easure of GOD, againste whoremon­gers, and adulterers. Certes, this extreme punishe­ment appointed of god, shiweth euidentelye, howe greatly god hateth whoredō: And let vs not double. but that god at this presente, abhorreth all maner of vncleannesse, no lesse then he did in the olde lawe: and will vndoubtedly punishe it, both in this world, and in the worlde to come. [...]ful. v. For he is a God, that can abide none wickednesse? therefore oughte it to bee eschewed of all that tendre the glory of God, and the saluacion of their owne soules.

Saincte Paule saieth:i Cor. x. al these thinges are wri [...] ­ten for oure example, and to teache vs the feare of god, and the obedience to his holy lawe. For if god spared not the naturall branches, neither will he spare vs, that be but graftes, if wee commit like of­fence. If god destroied many thousandes of peop [...], many cities, yea the whole world, for whoredom, let vs not flatter our selues, and thinke we shall escape fre, and without punishement. For he hathe promi­sed in his holy lawe, to sende most grieuous plagues vpon them that transgresse or breake his holy com­maundementes. Thus haue we hearde, howe God [Page] [...]unisheth the sinne of adultery: let vs nowe heare [...]ertaine l [...]es, whiche the ciuil Magistrates deui­sed in diuerse coūtreyes, for the punishment therof, that we may learne, how vnclennes hath euer bene detested in all well ordred cities and commen weal­thes, and emonge all honeste persons. The lawe e­mong the Lepreians was this, that whē any were taken in adultery,Lawes de­ [...]sed for [...]unishment [...]f whordō. they were bound and caried thre daies through the citie, and afterwarde, as longe as they liued, were they despised, and with shame and confusion coumpted as persones voide of all hones­tye. Emonge the Locrensians, the adulteres haue bothe their eyes thruste oute. The Romanes in times paste, punished whoredome, sometime by fire, sometime by sweorde. If a manne emonge the E­gipcians hadde been taken in adulterie, the lawe was that he shoulde openly in the presence of al the people be scourged naked with whippes, vnto the numbre of a thousande stripes. The woman that was taken with him, had hert nose cutt of, whereby she was knowen euer after, to bee an whore, and therfore to be abhorred of all men. Emong the Ara­bians, they that wer taken in adultery, hadde their heades striken from their bodies. The Atheniās pu­nished whoredome by death in like maner. So like­wise did the Barbarous Tartarians. Emonge the Turkes euen at this day, they that be taken in adul­tery, both man and womā, are stoned streightwaies to death, without mercy. Thus see we, what godlye actes wer deuised in times past, of the high powers, for the putting away of whoredome, & for the main­taining of holi matrimony or wedlock, & pure cōuer­sacion. [Page]And the auctors of these actes, were no Chri­stians. but heathen: yet were they so enflamed wyth the loue of honestye and purenes of life, that for the maintenaunce and conseruaciō or keping vp of that they made godly statutes, suffering nether fornicaci­on, nor adultery, to reigne in their realmes vnpuni­shed. Christ said to the people: the Niniuites shal rise at y^e iudgement,Luke. xi. with thys nacion, (meaning the vn­faithful Iewes) & shal condemne thē. For they repē ­ted at y^e preachyng of Ionas, but behold (saith he) a greater than Ionas is here, (meaning himself,) and yet they repent not. Shal not (thinke you) likewise the Locrensians, Arabians, Athenians, with suche other, rise vp at the iudgemente, and condemne vs, forasmuch as they seaced from whoredom, at the cō ­maundement of man, and we haue the lawe and ma­nifest preceptes and commaundementes of god, and yet forsake we not our filthy conuersacion? Truelye, truely, it shalbe easier at y^e day of iudgement to these heathen, thē to vs, except we repent and amend. For although death of body, semeth to vs a grieuous pu­nishment in this world for whoredome: yet is that payne nothing, in cōparisō of the grieuous tormētes which adulters, fornicatours, and al vncleane persones shall suffer after thys lyfe. For al suche shalbe excluded, and shut out of the kingdome of heauen, as Saincte Paule sayeth: be not deceiued,1. Cor. vi. Gol [...]. v. Ephe. v. for neyther whoremōgers, nor worshippers of Images, nor ad­ulterers, nor softlynges, nor sodomites, nor threues, nor couetousse persons, nor dronkardes, nor cursed speakers, nor pyllers, shall inherite the kingdome of God. And S. Iohn in his reuelacion sayeth:Epo. xxi. that [Page]whoremongers shall haue their parte, with murde­rers, sorcerers, enchaunters, liars, idolaters, & suche other, in the lake whiche burneth with fier & brym­stone, which is the seconde death. The punishmente of the bodye althoughe it be death, hath an ende, but the punishment of the soule, which. S. Iohn calleth the seconde death, is euerlasting: there shalbe fier & brimstone:Mat xui. Luke .iii. there shalbe weping & gnashing of teeth: the worme that shal there gnaw the conscience of the damned, shall neuer dye. O whose heart distylleth not euen droppes of bloud, to heare and consider these thynges? If we tremble and shake at the hea­ring and naming of these paynes, oh, what shal thei doe that shall fele them, that shall suffre them: yea & euer shall suffer, worldes withoute ende: God haue mercy vpō vs. Who is now so drowned in sinne and paste all Godlynesse, that he wyl set more by a filthy and stynkyng pleasure, (whych soone passeth away) then by the losse of euerlastyng glorye: Agayne, who wyll so geue hymselfe to the lustes of the fleshe, that he feareth nothyng at al the paynes of hell fier? But let vs heare how we may eschewe the sinne of whor­dome and adulcery, that we maye walke in the feare of god, and be free from those most grieuous, and in tollerable tormentes, whyche abide al vncleane per­sons. To auoyde fornicacion, adulterye, and all vn­clennes, let vs prouide,Remeci­es where­by to a­uoyde for­nicacion & adulterye. that aboue all thynges, we maye kepe our heartes pure and cleane, from al euil thoughtes, and carnal lustes. For if that be once in­fected and corrupte, we fall headlong into al kynde of vngodlynesse. Thys shall we easelye doe, if when we fele inwardlye, that Sathan oure olde enemye [Page]tempteth vs vnto whoredome, we by no meanes cō ­sente to hys craftye suggestions, but valyauntly re­syste and withstande hym, by stronge faythe in the worde of God, aleadgynge a gaynste hym alwayes in oure hearte, thys commaundement of god: Scriptum est, non mae chaberis. It is written, thou shalt not commit whoredome. It shalbe good also for vs, euer to lyue in the feare of god, and to sette before oure eyes: the grieuous threatnynges of god, agaynste all vngod­ly synners, and to consyder in our mynde, how filthy beastely, and shorte that pleasure is, whereunto Sa­than moueth vs.

And againe, howe the payne appoynted for that synne, is intollerable and euerlastyng. Moreouer, to vse a temperaunce and sobrietie in eatynge and drynkyng, to eschewe vncleane communicacion, to a noyde all filthy company, to flee idlenes, to delighte in readyng holy scripture, to watch in godly praiers and vertuouse meditacions: and at al tymes, to exer­cyse some godly trauayles, shall helpe greatlye vnto the esche wing of whoredome.

And here are all degrees to be monished, whether they be married or vnmarried, to loue chastitie and clennes of lyfe. For the married are bounde by the lawe of God so purely to loue one an other, that ne­ther of them seeke any straunge loue. The man must onely cleaue to hys wyfe, and the wyfe agayne only to her husband: they must so delight one in an others companye, that none of them couete any other. And as they are bounde, thus to liue together in all god­lynesse and honeslye, so lykewyse is their duetie, vertuouslye to brynge vp their children, and to [Page]prouide that they fall not into Sathans snare, nor into any vnclēnes, but that they come pure and ho­nest vnto holy wedlocke, when tyme requireth. So likewise oughte all maisters and rulers to prouide, that no whoredome, nor any point of vnclennes, bee vsed among theyr seruauntes. And again, they y^t are single, and fele in themselues, that they cannot lyue without the company of a woman, let them get wy­ues of their own, and so liue godli together. For it is better to marry, then to burne.

And to auoide fornicacion,i. Cor. vii. saith the Apostle, let eue­ry man haue his own wife, and euerye woman her own husbande. Finally, al such as fele in thēselues, a sufficiencye and habilitie (throughe the workynge of gods spirite) to leade a sole and continent lyfe, let thē praise god for his gift, and seke al meanes possible to maintaine thesame: as by reading of holy scriptures by godly meditacions, by continual praiers, & suche other vertuous exercises. If we all on thys wyse wil endeuoure our selues to eschewe fornicacion, adulte­ry, and all vnclennes, and leade our liues in all god­lynes and honestye, seruinge God with a pure and cleane hearte, and glorifying him in our bodyes, by leadyng an innocente and harmelesse lyfe, we maye be sure to be in the number of those, of whom our sa­uioure Chryste speaketh in the gospell on thys ma­ner:A [...]th. v. blessed are the pure in hearte, for they shall see God: to whom alone, bee all glorye, ho­noure, rule, and power, worldes with­oure ende. Amen.

[...] against contencion.

IT hath ben declared vnto you in this ser­mon againste strife and braulinge, what greate inconuenience commeth thereby, specially of suche contencion as groweth in matters of religion. And howe, when as no man will geue place to an other, there is none ende of contencion and discorde. And that vnitie, whiche God requireth of christians, is vtterly thereby ne­glected and broken. And that this contencion stan­deth chiefely in two pointes, as in picking of qua­relles, and makinge froward aunswers. Nowe ye shal heare Sainct Paules wordes, sayinge: Deare­ly beloued, auenge not your selues, but rather geue place vnto wrath, for it is written: vengeaunce is mine, I wil reuenge, saieth the lorde. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, fede him: if he thirst, geue him drinke: bee not ouercome with euill,Deu. xxxii. but ouercome euill with goodnes. All these be the wordes of sainct Paule. But they that be so ful of stomacke, and sette so muche by themselues, that they maye not abide so muche as one euill woorde to be spoken of them. [...]eraduenture will saye: if I bee euill reuiled, shall I stand still like a goose, or a foole, with my finger in my mouth? Shall I bee suche an ydiote & diserd, an obiecciō. to suffre euery manne to speake vpon me what they list, to rayle what they list, to spewe out all their ve­ [...]ume against me, at their pleasures. Is it not con­ueniente, that he that speaketh euill should bee aun­swered accordinglye: If I shall vse this lenitie and [Page]softnes. I shal both īcrease mine enemies froward­nesse, and prouoke other to doe like. Suche reasons make they that can suffre nothinge, An āswere for the defence of their impacience. And yet, if by frowarde answe­ring to a froward person, there were hope to reme­die his frowardnesse, he should lesse offend, y^t should so answere, doing the same not of yre, or malice, but onely of that intente, that he that is so frowarde or malicious, maye be refourmed. But he that cannot amende another mannes faulte, or cānot amend it without his owne fault, better it were y^t one shoulde perish, then two, Then if he cannot quiete him with gentle wordes, at the least lett him not folowe him, in wicked and vncharitable woordes. If he can pa­eifie him with sufferinge, lette him suffre: and if not, it is better to suffre euill, then to dooe euill: too saye well, then to saye euill. For to speake well againste euill, commeth of the spirite of GOD: but to rendre euill for euill, commeth of the contrarie spirite.

And he that cannot temper ne rule his owne anger is but weake and feble, and rather more like a wo­man or a childe, then a stronge manne. For the true strength and manlinesse, is to ouercome wrathe, and to despise iniurie, and other mennes foolisshe­nesse. And besides this, he that shall despise the wronge doen vnto him by his enemye, euery mane shall perceiue, that it was spoken or doen without cause: where as contrarye, he that doth fume & chafe at it, shall helpe the cause of his aduersarie, geuinge suspicion that the thinge is true. And so in going a­bout to reuenge eu [...]l we shewe our selues to be euil, and while wee will punishe, and reuenge an other [Page]mans foly, we double and augement our owne foly. But many pretenses finde they, that be wilful, to co­lour their impacience. Mine enemie (say they) is not worthy to haue gentle wordes or deedes, beinge so ful of malice, or frowardnes. The lesse he is worthy the more arte thou allowed of GOD: the more art thou cōmended of Christ, for whose sake thou shoul­dest rendre good for euill, because he hath commaū ­ded thee, & also deserued that thou shouldest so dooe. Thy neighbor hath peraduenture with a worde of­fended the: cal thou to thy remembraunce, with how many wordes & dedes, how grieuous [...]y thou hast of­fended thy lorde god. What was man, when Christe died for him? was he not his enemie, and vnworthy to haue his fauour and mercy? Euen so, with what gentlenes and pacience doeth he forbeare and tolle­rate & suffer thee, althoughe he is daiely offended by thee? Forgeue therfore a ligt [...]repasse to thy neigh­bour, that Christ maye forgeue thee, many thousan­des of trespasses, whiche art euerie day an offender. For if thou forgeue thy brother, being to thee a tres­passer, then hast thou a sure signe and tokē, that god wil forgeue thee, to whom al men be debters or tres­passers. How wouldest thou haue god merciful to y^e, if thou wilte be cruell vnto thy brother? Canst thou not finde in thine hearte to do y^t towardes an other, that is thy felow, whiche god hath doen to thee, that art but his seruaunte? Ought not one sinner to for­geue another, seing that Christ, whiche was no syn­ner, did praye to his father for them, that withoute mercy [...]nd dispitfully put him to death? Who, when he was reuiled,i. Pet. ii. did not vse reuiling wordes againe, [Page]& when he suffred wrongfully, he did not threaten, but gaue all vengeaunce to the iudgemente of his father, which iudgeth rightfully. And what crakest thou of thy heade, if thou laboure not to bee in the body? Thou canst be no membre of Christ, if thou fo­low not the steppes of Christ: who (as the Prophete saith) was led to death like a lambe, [...]soi. iiii. not openinge his mouth to reuiling, but opening his mouthe too praying for them that crucified him, saiyng: Father, forgeue them,Luke .xxiii. for they cannot tell what they doe.

The which example, a none after Christ, sainct Ste­phin did folowe,Acte. vii. and after sainct Paule: We be euill spoken of (saith he) and speake well, we suffre perse­cucion & take it paciently: [...] Cor. iiii. Men curse vs, & we gently entreate. Thus. s. Paule taught that he did, & he did that he taught: Blesse you (saieth he) thē that perse­cute you: blesse you, and curse not. Is it a great thīg to speake wel to thine aduersarie, to whome Christ doth commaund the to do well? Dauid whē Semei did call him all to nought, did not chide againe, but said paciently: suffre him to speake euil, if perchaunce y^e lord wil haue mercy on me. Histories be ful of exā ­ples of Heathē men, that toke very mekely, both op­probrious & reprocheful wordes & īiurious or wrōg­ful dedes. And shal those Heathē excel in paciēce, vs, y^t professe Christ, y^e teacher and exāple of all paciēce? Lisander, when one did rage against him, in reuilīg of him, he was nothinge moued, but said: goe to, go to, speake against me asmuch, & as oft as thou wilt, & leaue out nothinge, if perchaunce by this meanes thou maist discharge the of those naughtie thinges, with the whiche it semeth, that thou art full laden. [Page]Many men speake euil of al menne, because they cā speake well of no manne. After this sort, this wise man auoided from him, the reprocheful wordes spo­ken vnto him: imputing and laying them to the na­turall sicknes of his aduersarie.

Pericles, when a certaine scoulder, or a railing fe­low did reuile him, he answered not a worde again, but went into a galery: & after toward night, when he went home, this scoulder folowed him, rageing still more and more, because he sawe the other so sett nothing by him. And after that he came to his gate, (being darcke nighte) Pericles commaunded one of his seruauntes to light a torche, & to bringe the scol­der home to his owne house. He did not onely with quietnes suffre this brawler pacientely, but also re­compenced an euill turne with a good turne, & that to his enemie. Is it not a shame for vs that professe Christ, to be worse then Heathen people, in a thinge chiefly pertaining to Christes religion? shal philoso­phie perswade them more, then goddes woorde shall perswade vs? Shall naturall reason preuaile more with thē, then religion shal do with vs? Shal mans wisedome leade them to that thinge, wherunto the heauenly doctrine cannot leade vs? What blinde­nes, wilfulnes, or rather madnesse is this?

Pericles being prouoked to anger with many vilai­nous wordes, answered not a worde. But we stir­red but with one litle word, what foule worke do we make? How do we sinne, rage, stampe, and stare like madde men? Many men of euery trifle, will make a great matter, and of the sparke of a litle worde, will kindle a great fire, taking all thinges in the worste [Page]parte. But how muche better is it, and more like to the example and doctrine of Christ, to make rather of a great fault in our neighbour, a small fault, rea­soning with our selfes after this sort. He spake these wordes, but it was in a sodaine heate, or the drinke spake them, & not he, or he spake them at the mociō of some other, or he spake them, being ignoraunt of the truth: he spake them not against me, but against him whome he thought me to bee. But as touching euil speaking,Reasōs to [...]noue men [...]rom querel [...]ickinge. he that is ready to speake euil against other menne: first lette him examine himselfe, whe­ther he be faultlesse and cleare of the faulte, whiche he findeth in an nother. For it is a shame when he that blameth an other for any fault, is giltie himself either in the same faulte, either in a greater. It is a shame for him that is blinde, to call another manne blinde: and it is more shame for him that is whole blinde, to cal him blinkarde, that is but pore blinde. For this is to see a strawe in another mannes eye, when a man hath a blocke in his own eye. Then let him consider, that he that vseth to speake euill, shall commonly bee euill spoken of againe. And he that speaketh what he will for his pleasure, shalbe com­pelled to heare that he would not, to his displeasure. Moreouer lette him remembre that saying: that we shall geue an accoumpte for euery idle worde.Mat. xii. Howe muche more then shall we make a reconinge for our sharpe, bitter, brauling, and chiding wordes, whiche prouoke our brother to be angrie, & so to the breache of his charitie, And as touching euill answearinge, al though we [...]ee neuer somuche prouoked by other mennes euill speaking, yet we shall not folow their [Page]frowardnes by euil aunsweryng, if we cōsider, that anger is a kinde of madnes, and that he whyche is angry, is (as it wer for the time) in a phrensy.Reason [...] to moue men from frowarde [...] aunswe­rynge. Wher­fore let him beware, lest in his fury he speake any thing, wherof afterwarde he may haue iust cause to be sory. And he that wil defende that anger is no fu­ry, but that he hath reason, euē when he is most an­gry, then let him reason thus wyth himselfe, whē he is angrye. Nowe I am so moued and chafed, that within a litle while after, I shalbe otherwaies min­ded: wherfore then should I now speake any thynge in mine anger, which hereafter, when I would fay­nest, cannot be chaunged? Wherfore shal I doe any thing now, beeing (as it were) out of my wit, for the which, whē I shall come to my selfe againe, I shalbe verye sadde? Why dooeth not reason? Why doeth not godlines? Yea, why doeth not Chryst obtein y^e thyng now of me, which hereafter time shal obteine of me? If a man be called an adulterer, vsurer, drunkarde, or by any other shamefull name, let hym cōsider ear­nestly, whether he be so called truly or falsly: if true­ly, let him amende hys fault, that his aduersary may not after worthely charge him with such offences: if these thinges be layed against hym falsly, yet let him consider. whether he hath geuen any occasion to bee suspected of such thynges, and so he maye both cut of that suspicion wherof thys slaunder did arise, and in other thynges shall lyue more warelye. And thus v­sing oure selues, we maye take no hurte, but rather muche good, by the rebukes and slaunders of oure enemye. For the reproche of an enemye, maye be to many men a quicker spurre to the amendeme [...]te of [Page]their life, then the gentle monicion of a frende. Phillippus the king of Macedonye, when he was euil­spoken of by the chyefe rulers of the citie of Arthens he did thanke them hertely, because by them he was made better, both in his wordes and dedes: for I stu­dye (saied he) bothe by my sayinges and doynges, to proue them lyars.

¶ The thirde parte of the Sermon [...]gaynst contencion.

YE heard in the last lesson of the sermon a­gaynst [...]fe and braulynge, howe we may answere them whiche mainteine their fro­warde saying [...]s in cōtencion, & that wyl reuenge with wordes such euil as other men doe to them. And finally howe we may accordynge to gods wyl, order our selues: & what to consider towardes them, when we are prouoked to contenciō and strife wyth raylyng wordes. Now to procede in the same matter, you shall knowe the ryght waye how to dis­proue and ouercome your aduersary and enemye.

Thys is the best way to improue a mans aduersary so to lyue, that all whiche shall knowe his honestye, may beare wytnes, that he is slaundered vnworthe­ly. If the faulte whereof he is slaundered, bee suche, that for the defence of hys honeslye, he muste nedes make answere▪ yet let him answer quietly and softe­ly, on thys fashyon: that those faultes bee layed a­gaynste hym falslye. For it is trueth, that the wise mā sayeth:P [...] .xv. a softe aunswere asswageth anger, and a heard and sharpe aunswere doeth stirre vp rage and furye. The sharpe aunswere of Nabal, did prouoke [Page]Dauid to cruel vengeaunce:i. res. xx [...]. but the gentle wordes of Abigail, quenched the fier again, that was all in a flame. And a speciall remedy agaynste malycyous ionges, is to arme oure selues with pacience, meke­nes, & silence, lest w^t multiplying wordes w^c the ene­mie, we be made as euil as he.An obie [...] ­cyon. But they that cannot beare one euil worde, peraduenture for their owne excuse, wil allege that which is written: he that des­pyseth his good name is cruel. Also we reade: an­swere a foole accordyng to hys fooly s [...]es.Pro. xxvi And our lord Iesus did hold his peace at certain euil sayings but to some, he answered diligen [...] ▪ He heard men call him a Samaritaine, a carpent [...]s sonne, a wine drinker, and he helde hys pe [...]e: but when he heard them say, thou hast a Deuil within the,Iohn. xix he answered to that earnestly. Trueth it is in dede, that there is a tyme,An nu [...] ­swere: [...] when it is conuenient to answer a foole accor­dyng to his folishnes, lest he should seme in his own conceite to be wise. And sometyme it is not profita­ble to answere a fole, accordyng to hys folishnes, lest the wyse man be made lyke to the fole. When our in­famye or the reproche that is done vnto vs is ioyned with the perill of many, then is it necessarye in aun­swering to be quicke and ready. For we reade that many holy men of good zeales, haue sharpelye and fiercely, both spoken and answered tiraūtes and euil men: whiche sharpe wordes came not of anger, ran­cor or malice, or desyer of vengeaunce, but of a fer­uent desyer to bryng them to she true knowledge of God, and from vngodly liuinge, by an earneste and sharpe rebuke and chydyng.Mat. i [...]i. In thys zeale Saincte Iohn Baptist called the Phariseis, Adders broobe: [Page]and. [...] iii. S. Paule called the Galathyans soles: and the men of Crete, he called lyars, euill beastes, and slug­gishe bellies: [...]im [...]. i. [...]ba [...]li. iii. and the false Apostles, he called dogges and craftye workemen. And thys zele is godlye and to be allowed, as it is plainly proued by the example of Christ, who although he were the fountayne and spryng of all mekenes▪ genilenes and softnes: yet he calleth the obstinate Scribes and Phariseis, [...]. xxiii. blinde guides, fooles, paynted graues, Hipocrites, serpētes adders brode; a corrupt and wicked generacion. Al­so he rebuketh Peter egerly, [...]. xvi. saying: goe behynde me Sathan. Likewise. S. Paule reproueth Elimas, saying: [...]te. xiii O thou full of all crafte and guyle, enemy to all iustice, thou ceaseste not to destroye the ryghte waies of god: and now loe, the hand of the lord is v­pon thee, and thou shalt be blinde, and not see for a tyme. [...]. v. And. S. Peter reprehendeth Ananias verye sharpeli, saying: Ananias, how is it that Sathā hath filled thy heart, that thou shouldest lie vnto the holy gost? This zeale hath been so feruente in many good men, that it hath stirred thē, not only to speake bitter and eger wordes: but also to doe thynges, whyche might seme to some, to be cruell, but in dede the bee very iust, charitable and godly, beecause they were not doen of yre, malice, or contencyous mind, but of a feruent mind to the glory of god, and the correcci­on of sinne, executed by men, called to that office. For in thys zeale, our Lord Iesus Chryst dyd driue with a whippe,Iohn. ii. Exo. xxxii the biers and sellers out of the temple. In this zeale Moses brake the two tables, which he had receyued at gods hande, when he saw the Israelites [...]unsyng about a calse: and caused to be killed .xxiii. [Page]M. of his own people. [...]um. x [...] But the [...] example [...] are not [...] be fol [...] [...] ­wed of [...] very b [...] but as [...] be called to o [...]p [...] and set [...] aucthouty Iame. iiii. Pro. xx. In this zeale Phinees the sonne of Eleasar, did thrust through with his sword, zambry and Cosby, whom he founde together ioined in the acte of Lecherye. Wherfore, now to returne a­gaine to contencious wordes, and specially in mat­ters of religion, and gods worde, (whyche would be vsed with all modestie, sobernes and charitie) the wordes of. S. Iames ought to be wel marked, and borne in memorye▪ where he sayeth: that of contenci­on riseth all euyl. And the wyse kyng Salomon say­eth: honoure is due to a man that kepeth hymself frō contencion, and al that mingle themselues therwith be foles. And because this vice is so muche hurtefull to the societie of a common wealth, in all well orde­red cities, these common braulers and sholders, be punished with a notable kinde of payne: as to be set on the coking stole, pillery, or such lyke. And they bee vnworthy to liue in a common wealth, the which d [...] asmuch as lieth in them, with brauling and skolding to disturbe the quietnes and peace of the same. And wherof commeth thys contencion, stryfe, and vary­aunce, but of pryde and vayneglory? Let vs therfore humble our selues vnder the myghtie hande of god,i Pet. [...]. Luke. [...]. whyche hath promysed to reste vpon them, that bee humble and lowe in spirite. If we be good and quiet Christian men, let it appeare in our speach and ton­gues. If we haue forsaken the deuill, lette vs vse no more deuelyshe tonges. He that hath been a ras [...]ing sholder, nowe lette hym be a sober counsayloure. He that hath been a malicious siaund erer, now let hym be a louing comforter. He that hath been a▪ vain rai­ler, now let hym be a gostly teacher. He that hath a­bused [Page]his tong in cursing, now let him vse it in bles­syng. He that hath abused his tong in euil speakyng, now let hym vse it in speakyng wel. Al bitternes, an­ger, raylyng, and blasphemye, let it be auoyded frō you. If you may, and it pe possible, in no wyse be an­gry. But if you may not be cleane voide of this pas­sion, then yet so temper and bridle it, that it stirre you not to contencion and braulyng. If you be pro­uoked wyth euyll speakyng, arme youre selfe wyth pacience, lenitie and silence, ether speaking nothing, or els beeyng very soft, meke and gentle in answe­ryng. Ouercome thine aduersaryes with benefytes and gentlenes. And aboue all thynges, kepe peace & vnitie: be no peace breakers, but peace makers. And then there is no doubt, but that god, the aucthor of comforte and peace, wil graunt vs pence of consciēce and, suche concorde and agremente, that with one mouth and mynde, we may gloryfye god the father of our Lord Iesus Chryst: to whom be al glory now and euer. Amen.