CERTAIN Sermons, or Homilies, appointed by the kings Majesty, to be declared and red, by all persons, Vicars, or Curates, every sunday in their churches, where they have Cure.  
Anno. 1547.   

❧ A TABLE of the Sermons or Homilies, contained in this present Volume.  

j A Fruitful exhortation, to the reading of holy scripture.  
ij. Of the misery of all mankind.  
iij. Of the salvation of all mankind.  
iiij. Of the true and lively faith.  
v. Of good works.  
vj. Of Christian love and Charity.  
seven. Against swearing and perjury.  
viii. Of the declining from God.  
ix. An exhortation against the fear of death.  
x. An exhortation to obedience.  
xj. Against whoredom, and adultery.  
xii. Against strife and contention.   
FINIS.   

THE PREFACE.  
THE Kings most excellent Majesty, by the prudent advise of his most dear beloved Uncle, Edward duke of Somersett, Governor of his majesties person, and Protector of all his highness Realms, Dominions and Subjects, with the rest of his most honourable Counsel, most graciously considering the manifold enormities, which heretofore have crept into his grace's Realm, through the false usurped power of the Bishop of Rome, and the ungodly doctrine of his adherentes, not only unto the great decay of Christian religion, but also (if God's mercy were not) unto the utter destruction of innumerable souls, which, through hypocrisy and pernicious doctrine were seduced, and brought from honouring of the alone, true, living, and eternal God, unto the worshipping of creatures, yea, of stocks and stones, from doing the commandments of God, unto voluntary works and fantasies invented of men, from true religion, unto Popish Superstition: considering also, the earnest and fervent desire, of his dearly beloved Subjects, to be delivered from all errors and superstitions, and to be truly and faithfully instructed in the very word of God, that lively food of man's soul, whereby they may learn unfeignedly, and according to the mind of the holy Ghost, expressed in the scriptures, to honour God, and to serve their King, with all humility and subjection, and Godly and honestly, to behave theim selfes toward all men: Again calling to remembrance, that the next and most ready way, to expel and avoid, aswell all corrupt, vicious and ungodly living, as also erroneous doctrine, tending to Superstition, and Idolatry, & clearly to put away all contention, which hath heretofore risen, through diversity of preaching, is the true setting forth, and pure declaring of God's word, which is the principal guide and leader unto all Godliness and virtue: Finally, that all Curates, of what learning soever they be, may have some Godly and fruitful lessons in a readiness, to read and declare unto their parishioners, for their edifying, instruction, and comfort: hath caused a book of Homilies, to be made and set forth, wherein is contained certain wholesome and Godly exhortations, to move the people to honour and worship almighty God, and diligently to serve him, every one according to their degree, state, and vocation: the which Homilies, his Majesty commandeth and streightely chargeth, all persons, Uicares, Curates, and all other, having spiritual cure, every sunday in the year, at high Mass, when the people be most gathered together to read and declare to their parishioners, plainly, and distinctly, in such order, as they stand in the book, (except any Sermon be preached) and then for that cause only, and for none other, the reading of the said Homely, to be differed unto the next sunday following. And when the foresaid book of Homilies is red over, the Kings majesties pleasure is, that the same be repeated, & red again, in such like sort, as was before prescribed, unto such time, as his grace's pleasure shall further be known in this behalf.  
Also, his majesty commandeth, that the said Ecclesiastical persons, upon the first holy day, falling in the Week time of every quarter of the year, shall read his Injunctions openly and distinctly to the people, in manner and form in the same expressed: And upon every other holy and Fevall day through the year, likewise falling in the week time, they shall recite the Pater noster, the Articles of our faith, and the ten commandments in English, openly before all the people, as in the said Injunctions is specified: that all degrees and all ages, may learn to know God, and to serve him, according to his holy word. AMEN.   

¶ A fruitful exhortation, to the reading and knowledge of holy scripture.  

The praise of holy scripture.  Unto a Christian man, there can be nothing, either more necessary, or profitable, than the knowledge of holy scripture: forasmuch, as in it, is contained Gods true word, settyngefurth his glory, and also man's duty. And there is no truth, 
The perfection of holy scripture.  nor doctrine, necessary for our justification, and everlasting salvation, but that is, (or may be) drawn out of that fountain, and well of truth. 
The knowledge of holy Scripture is necessary.  Therefore, as many as be desirous, to enter into the right and perfect way unto God, must apply their minds, to know holy scripture, without the which, they can neither sufficiently know God and his will, 
To whom the knowledge of holy scripture is sweet & pleasant.  neither their office and duty. And as drink is pleasant to them, that be dry, and meat to them that be hungry: so is the reading, hearing, searching▪ and studying of holy scripture, to them that be desirous to know God, or themselves, and to do his will. 
Who be enemies to holy scripture.  And their stomachs only, do loath and abhor the heavenly knowledge, and food of God's word, that be so drowned in worldly vanities that they neither savour God, nor any Godliness: For that is the cause why they desire such vanities, rather than the true knowledge of God. 
An apt similitude, declaring of whom the scripture is abhorred  As they that are sick of an ague, whatsoever they eat or drink (though it be never so pleasant) yet it is as bitter to them, as wormwood, not for the bitterness of the meat, but for the corrupt and bitter humour, that is in their own tongue and mouth: even so is the sweetness of God's word, bitter, not of itself, but only unto them that have their minds corrupted with long custom of sin, and love of this world. Therefore, 

An exhortation unto the diligent reading, hearing, & searching of the holy scriptures.  
Matth. iiii.   forsaking the corrupt judgement of carnal men, which care not, but for their carcase, let us reverently hear & read holy scriptures, which is the food of the soul. Let us diligently search for the well of life, in the books of the new and old Testament, and not run to the stinking podelles of men's traditions, devised by man's imagination, for our justification and salvation. 

The holy scripture is a sufficient doctrine for our salvation.  
What things we may learn in the holy scripture   For in holy scripture, is fully contained, what we ought to do, and what to eschew, what to believe, what to love, and what to look for at God's hands at length. In those books we shall find the father, from whom, the son, by whom, & the holy Ghost, in whom, all things have their being and conservation, and these three persons, to be but one God, and one substance. In these books, we may learn to know ourselves, how vile and miserable we be, & also to know God, how good he is of himself; and how he communicateth his goodness unto us, and to all creatures. We may learn also in these books, to know Gods will and pleasure, asmuch as (for this present time) is convenient for us to know. And (as the great clerk, and godly preacher saint John Chrisostome saith) whatsoeur is required to salvation of man, is fully contained in the scripture of God. He that is ignorant, may there learn and have knowledge: he that is hard hearted▪ and an obstinate sinner, shall there find eternal torments, (prepared of God's justice) to make him afraid, & to mollify him. He that is oppressed with misery in this world shall there find relief in the promises of eternal life, to his great consolation & comfort. He that is wounded (by the devil) unto death, shall find there, medicine, whereby he may be restored again unto health. If it shall require to teach any truth, or reprove false doctrine, to rebuke any vice, to commend any virtue, to give good counsel, to comfort, or to exhort, or to do any other thing, requisite for our salvation, all those things (saith s. Chrisostome.) we may learn plentifully of the scripture. There is, (saith Fulgentius) abundantly enough, 
Holy scripture ministereth sufficient doctrine, for all degrees and ages.  both for men to eat, and children to suck, There is, whatsoever is convenient for all ages, and for all degrees, & sorts of men. These books therefore, aught to be much in our hands, in our eyes, in our ears, in our mouths, but most of all, in our hearts. For the scripture of God is the heavenvly meat of our souls, 
Matth. iiii. Luke. xi. Ihon. xvii. Psalm. nineteen.  the hearing and keeping of it, maketh us blessed, sanctifieth us, and maketh us holy: it converteth our souls: it is a light lantern to our feet: 
What commodities and profits, the knowledge of holy scripture bringeth.  it is a sure, a constant, & a perpetual instrument of salvation: it giveth wisdom to the humble & lowly hearts: it comforteth, maketh glad, cheereth and cherisheth our consciences: it is a more excellent jewel or treasure, than any gold or precious stone: it is more sweeter than honey, or honey comb: 
Luke. x.  it is called the best part, which Marie did chose, 
Ihon. vi.  for it hath in it, everlasting comfort. The words of holy scripture, be called words of everlasting life: 
Collos. i.  for they be God's instrument, ordained for the same purpose. They have power to convert through God's promise, & they be effectual, through God's assistance: and, 
Hebre. iiii.  (being received in a faithful heart) they have ever an heavenly spirituall-woorking in them, they are lively, quick and mighty in operation, and sharper than any two edged sword, and entereth through, even unto the dividing asunder of the soul, and the spirit, of the joints, and the marry. Christ calleth him a wise builder, 
Matth. seven. Ihon. xii.  that buildeth upon his word, upon his sure and substantial foundation. By this word of God, 
Ihon. xiiii.  we shallbe judged: for the word that I speak, (saith Christ) is it, that shall judge in the last day. He that keepeth the word of Christ, is promised the love and favour of God, and that he shallbe the mansion place or temple of the blessed Trinity. This word, whosoever is diligent to read, and in his heart to print that he readeth, the great affection to the transitory things of this world, shallbe minished in him, and the great desire of heavenly things, (that be therein promised of God) shall increase in him. And there is nothing, that so much establisheth our faith, and trust in God, that so much conserveth innocency, and pureness of the heart, and also of outward Godly life and conversation, as continual reading and meditation of God's word. For that thing, which (by perpetual use of reading of holy scripture, and diligent searching of the same) is deeply printed, and graven in the heart, at length turneth almost into nature. And moreover, the effect and virtue of God's word, is to illuminate the ignorant, and to give more light unto them, that faithfully and diligently read it, to comfort their hearts, and to encourage them to perform that, which of God is commanded. It teacheth patience in all adversity, in prosperity, humbleness: what honour is due unto God, what mercy and charity to our neighbour. 
i. Regum. xiiii two. Para xx. i Corin. xv. i Ihon. v. Who profit most in reading Gods word.  It giveth good counsel in all doubtful things. It showeth, of whom we shall look for aid and help in all perils, and that God is the only giver of victory, in all battles, and temptations of our enemies, bodily and ghostly. And in reading of God's word, he most profiteth not always, that that is most ready in turning of the book, or in saying of it without the book, but he that is most turned into it, that is most inspired with the holy ghost most in his heart and life, altered and transformed into that thing, which he readeth: he that is daily less and less proud, less ireful, less covetous, and less desirous of worldly and vain pleasures: he that daily (forsaking his old vicious life) increaseth in virtue, more and more. And to be short, there is nothing, that more maintaineth Godliness of the mind, and expelleth ungodliness, then doth the continual reading, or hearing of God's word, if it be joined with a Godly mind, and a good affection, to know and follow Gods wil For without a single eye, pure intent and good mind, nothing is allowed for good before God. 
isaiah. v. Matth. xxii. i Corin. xiiii. What incommodities, the ignorance of God's word. bringeth.  And on the otherside, nothing more obscureth Chrste, & the glory of God nor induceth more blindness, and all kinds of vices, then doth the ignorance of God's word. If we profess Christ, why be we not ashamed to be ignorant in his doctrine? Seeing that every man is ashamed to be ignorant in that learning, which he professeth. That man is ashamed, to be called a Philosophier, which readeth not the books of Philosophy, and to be called a lawyer, and Astronomier, or a physician, that is ignorant in the books of law, Astronomy, and Physic. How can any man than say, that he professeth Christ, and his religion, if he will not apply himself, (as farfurthe as he can or may conveniently) to read and hear, & so to know the books of Christ's Gospel & doctrine. 
God's word excelleth all sciences.  Although other sciences be good, and to be learned, yet no man can deny, but this is the chief, and passeth all other incomparably. What excuse shall we therefore make, (at the last day before Christ) that delight to read, or hear men's fantasies and inventions, more than his most holy Gospel, and will find no time to do that, which chief (above all things) we should do, and will rather read other things, then that, for the which, we ought rather to leave reading of all other things. Let us therefore apply ourselves, as farfuth as we can have time and leisure, to know God's word, by diligent hearing and reading thereof, as many as profess God, and have faith and trust in him. But they that have no good affection to God's word, 
Uain excuses dysswading from the knowledge of god's word. The first.  (to colour this their fault) allege commonly, two vain and feigned excuses. Some go about to excuse them, by their own frailness, and fearfulness, saying: that they dare not read holy scripture, least, through their ignorance, they should fall into any error. Other pretend, 
The second●.  that the difficulty to understand it, and the hardness thereof is so great, that it is meet to be read, only of clerk and learned men. As touching the first: ignorance of God's word, is the cause of all error, as Christ himself affirmed to the Sadduces, saying: that they erred, 
Matth. xxii.  because they knew not the scripture. How should they then eschew error, that will be still ignorant? And how should they come out of ignorance, that will not read nor hear that thing, which should give them knowledge? He that now hath most knowledge, was at the first ignorant, yet he forbore not to read, for fear he should fall into error: but he diligently red, lest he▪ should remain in ignorance, and through ignorance, in error.  
AND if you will not know the truth of God, (a thing most necessary for you) lest you fall into error: by the same reason you may then lie still, and never go, least (if you go) you fall in the mire, nor eat any good meat, lest you take a surfeit, nor sow your Corn, nor labour in your occupation, nor use your merchandise, for fear you lose your seed, your labour, your stock, and so by that reason, it should be best for you to live idly, and never to take in hand, to do any manner of good thing, lest peradventure some evil thing may chance thereof. And if you be afraid to fall into error, by reading of holy scripture: 
How most commodiously and without all peril, the holy scripture is to be red.  I shall show you, how you may read it, without danger of error. Read it humbly, with a meek and a lowly heart, to th'intent, you may glorify God, and not yourself, with the knowledge of it: and read it not without daily praying to God, that he would direct your reading to good effect, and take upon you, to expound it no further, than you can plainly understand it. For (as saint Augustine saith) the knowledge of holy scripture is a great, large, and a high palace, but the door is very low: so that the high and arrogant man, cannot run in, but he must stoop low, and humble himself, that shall enter into it. Presumption and arrogancy, is the mother of all error, and humility, needeth to fear no error. For humility will only search, to know the truth, it will search, and will confer one place with another: and where it cannot find the sense, it will pray, it will inquire of other that know, and will not presumptuously and rashly define any thing, which it knoweth not. Therefore, the humble man may search any truth boldly in the scripture, without any danger of error. And if he be ignorant, he ought the more to read and to search holy scripture, to bring him out of ignorance. I say not nay, but a man may prosper, with only hearing, but he may much more prosper, with both hearing and reading. This have I said, as touching the fear to read, through ignorance of the person. 
Scripture in some places is easy, and in some places hard to be understand.  And concerning the difficulty of scripture, he that is so weak, that he is not able to brook strong meat: yet he may suck the sweet and tender milk, and differre the rest, until he wax stronger, and come to more knowledge. For God receiveth the learned and unlearned, and casteth away none, but is indifferent unto al. And the scripture is full, aswell of low valleys, plain ways, and easy for every man to use, and to walk in: as also of high hills and mountains, which few men can ascend unto. 
God leaveth no man untaught, that hath a good will to know his word.  And whosoever giveth his mind to holy scriptures, with diligent study and fervent desire, it cannot be, (saith saint John Chrisostom) that he should be destitute of help. For either God almighty will send him some Godly doctor, to instruct him, as he did to instruct Ennuchus, a noble man of Ethiope, and treasurer unto Queen Candace, who having a great affection to read the scripture (although he understood it not) yet for the desire, that he had unto God's word, God sent his Apostle Philip, to declare unto him the true sense of the scripture, that he red: or else, if we lack a learned man, to instruct and teach us, yet God himself from above, will give light unto our minds, and teach us those things which are necessary for us, and wherein we be ignorant. 
How the knowledge of scripture may be attained unto.  And in another place, Chrisostom saith: that man's human and worldly wisdom, or science, needeth not to the understanding of Scripture, but the revelation of the holy ghost, who inspireth the true sense unto them, that with humility and diligence do search therefore. He that asketh, 
Matth. seven.  shall have, and he that seeketh, shall find, and he that knocketh, shall have the door open. If we read once, twice, or thrice, and understand not, let us not cease so, but still continue reading, praying, asking of other, and so by still knocking (at the last) the door shallbe opened (as saint Augustyne saith). 
A good rule for the understanding of the scripture.  Although many things in the scripture, be spoken in obscure mysteries, yet there is no thing spoken under dark mysteries, in one place, but the self same thing in other places, is spoken more familiarly and plainly, 
No man is excepted from the knowledge of Gods will.  to the capacity, both of learned and unlearned. And those things in the scripture that be plain to understand, and necessary for salvation, every man's duty is to learn them, to print them in memory, and effectually to exercise them. And as for the obscure mysteries, to be contented to be ignorant in them, until such time as it shall please God, to open those things unto him. In the mean season, if he lack either aptness or opportunity, God will not impute it to his folly: but yet it behoveth not, that such as be apt, should set aside reading, because some other be unapt to read: nevertheless, for the difficulty of such places, the reading of the whole, ought not to be set a part. And briefly to conclude, 
What persons would have ignorance to continue.  (as saint Augustine saith) by the scripture, all men be amended: weak men be strengthened, and strong men be comforted. So that surely, none be enemies to the reading of God's word, but such, as either be so ignorant, that they know not how wholesome a thing it is, or else be so sick, that they hate the most comfortable medicine, that should heal them: or so ungodly, that they would wish the people, still to continue in blindness, and ignorance of God.  
THUS we have briefly touched some part of the commodities of Gods holy word, 
The holy scripture is one of gods chief benefits.  which is one of God's chief and principal benefits, given and declared to mankind, here in earth. Let us thank God heartily, for this his great and special gift, beneficial favour, and fatherly providence. Let us be glad to revive this precious gift, of our heavenly father. Let us hear, read, and know, 
The ryght● reading, use, and fruitful studying in holy scripture▪ Psalm. l.  these holy rules, injunctions, and statutes of our christian religion, & upon that we have made profession to God at our baptism. Let us with fear, and reverence lay up (in the chest of our hearts) these necessary and fruitful lessons. Let us night and day muse, and have meditation, and contemplation in them. Let us ruminate, and (as it were) chew the cud, that we may have the sweet ieuse, spiritual effect, marry, honey, kernel, taste, comfort, and consolation of them. Let us stay, quiet, and certify our consciences, with the most infallible certainty, truth, and perpetual assurance of them. Let us pray to God, (the only author of these heavenly meditations) that we may speak, think, believe, live, and departed hence, according to the wholesome doctrine, and verities of them. And by that means, in this world we shall have God's protection, favour, and grace, with the unspeakable solace of peace, and quietness of conscience: and after this miserable life, we shall enjoy the endless bliss, and glory of heaven, which, he grant us all, that died for us all, jesus Christ: to whom, with the father, & holy ghost be all honour and glory, both now & everlastingly. AMEN.   

¶ An Homely of the misery of all mankind, and of his condemnation to death everlasting, by his own sin.  
THe holy Ghost, in writing the holy scripture, is in nothing more diligent, then to pull down man's vainglory, and pride, which, of all vices, is most universally grafted in all mankind, even from the first infection of our first father Adam. And therefore, we read in many places of scripture, many notable lessons against this old rooted vice, to teach us the most commendable virtue of humility, how to know ourselves, and to remember, what we be of ourselves. In the book of Genesis, 
Gene. iii.  almighty God giveth us all, a title & name in our great grand father Adam, which ought to admonish us all, to consider what we be, whereof we be, from whence we came, & whether we shall, saying thus: in the sweat of thy face, shalt thou eat thy bread, till thou be turned again into the ground: for out of it wast thou taken, in asmuch as thou art dust, & into dust shalt thou be turned again. Here (as it were in a glass) we may learn to know ourselves, to be but ground, earth, & ashes, & that to earth and ashes, we shall return.  
Also, the holy patriarch Abraham, did well remember this name and title, dust, earth, and ashes, appointed and assigned by God, to all mankind: and therefore he calleth himself by that name, when he maketh his earnest prayer for Sodom and Gomore. And we read, that judith, Hester, 
judith. iiii. and ix job xlii. Hier. vi. &▪ xxv  job▪ Hieremie, with other holy men and women, in the old Testament, did use sack cloth, and to cast dust and ashes, upon their heads, when they bewailed their sinful living. They called & cried to God for help and mercy, with such a ceremony of sack cloth, dust and ashes, that thereby they might declare to the whole world, what an humble and lowly estimation they had of themselves, & how well they remembered their name & title aforesaid, their vile, corrupt frail nature, dust, earth, and ashes. The book of wisdom also, 
●ap●en. vi●.  willing to pull down our proud stomachs, moveth us diligently to remember our mortal and earthly generation, which we have all of him, that was first made: and that all men, aswell kings as subjects, come into this world, and go out of the same in like sort, that is, as of ourselves full miserable, as we may daily see. And almighty God commanded his prophet isaiah, to make a proclamation, 
Esai. ●●  and cry to the whole world: and isaiah asking, what shall I cry? The Lord answered, cry, that all flesh is grass, and that all the glory of man thereof, is but as the flower of the field: when the grass is withered, the flower falleth away, when the wind of the Lord bloweth upon it. The people surely is grass, the which drieth up, and the flower fadeth away. And the holy prophet job, having in himself great experience of the miserable and sinful estate of man, doth open the same to the world, in these words. Man (saith he) that is borne of a woman, living but a short time, 
job. xiiii.  is full of manifold miseries: he springeth up like a flower, & fadeth again, vanishing away, as it were a shadow▪ and never continueth in one state. And dost thou judge it meet, (o Lord) to open thine eyes upon such a one, and to bring him to judgement with thee? Who can make him clean, that is conceived of an unclean seed? And all men of their evilness and natural proneness, were so universally given to sin, that (as the scripture saith) God repented that ever he made man. 
Goe v. ●. vi.  And by sin, his indignation was so much provoked against the world, that he drowned all the world with noah's flood (except Noah himself, and his little household.) It is not without great cause, that the scripture of God, doth so many times call all men here in this world, by this word: earth. O thou earth, earth, earth, saith jeremy: 
Heir. xxi●●.  hear the word of the Lord. This our right name, vocation, & title, earth, earth, earth, pronounced by the Prophet, showeth what we be in deed, by whatsoever other style, title, or dignity, men do call us. Thus he plainly named us, who knoweth best, both what we be and what we ought of right to be called. And thus he describeth us, speaking by his faithful Apostle S. Paul: all men, jews, and Gentiles, 
Roma. iii.  are under sin: there is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God, they are all gone out of the way, they are all unprofitable: there is none that doth good, no, not one: their throat is an open sepulchre, with their tongues they have used craft & deceit, the poison of serpents is under their lips, their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness, their feet are swift to shed blood destruction and wretchedness are in their ways, and the way of peace, have they not known: there is no fear of God before their eyes. 
Roma. xi.  And in another place S. Paul writeth thus: 
Galat. iii.  God hath wrapped all nations in unbelief, that he might have mercy on all. The scripture concludeth all under sin, 
Ephe two.  that the promise by the faith of jesus Christ, should be given unto them that believe. S. Paul in many places, painteth us out in our colours, calling us the children of the wrath of God, when we be borne: saying also, that we cannot think a good thought of ourselves, much less we can say well, or do well of our selves. And the wiseman saith in the book of proverbs: 
Pro. xxiiii.  the just man falleth seven times a day. The most tried & approved man job, feared all his works. S. John the Baptist, 
Luke. i  being sanctified in his mother's womb, and praised before he was borne, called an Angel, & great before the lord, replenished even from his birth with the holy Ghost, the preparer of the way for our saviour Christ, and commended of our saviour Christ, to be more than a prophet, & the greatest that ever was borne of a woman: yet he plainly granteth, that he had need to be washed of Christ: he worthily extolleth and glorifieth his Lord and master Christ, 
Matth. iii.  and humbleth himself, as unworthy to unbuckle his shows, and giveth all honour and glory to God. So doth s. Paul, both oft and evidently confess himself, what he was of himself, ever giving (as a most faithful servant) all praise to his master and saviour. So doth blessed s. John the Evangelist, 
i. Ihon. ●. &. ●●.  in the name of himself, and of all other holy men (be they never so just) make this open confession: if we say, we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us: if we knowledge our sins, God is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness: if we say, we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. Wherefore the Wiseman in the book called Ecclesiastes, 
Eccle. seven.  maketh this true & general confession: there is not one just man upon the earth, that doth good, and sinneth not. And s. David is ashamed of his sin, but not to confess his sin. How oft, how earnestly, 
Psalm li.  & lamentably doth he desire gods great mercy, for his great offences, & that God should not enter into judgement with him. 
Psal. xxlii.  And again, how well weigheth this holy man his sins, when he confesseth, that they be so many in numbered, and so hid, and hard to understand, that it is in manner unpossible, to know, utter, 
Psal. nineteen.  or numbered them. Wherefore, he having, a true, earnest, and deep contemplation and consideration of his sins, and yet not coming to the bottom of them, he maketh supplication to God, to forgive him, his privy, secret his sins: to the knowledge of the which, he can not attain unto. He weigheth rightly his sins, from the original root, & spring head, perceiving inclinations provocations, stirrynges, stingynges, buds, branches, dregs, infections, tastes, feelings, and sentes of them, to continue in him still. Wherefore he saith: mark & behold, I was conceived in sins: 
Psalm. li.  he saith not, sin, but in the plural numbered, sins, forasmuch as out of one (as fountain) springeth all the rest.  
And our saviour Christ saith: 
Mark. x. Luke. xviii Ihon. xv. Luke. xvi●.  there is none good but God: and that we can do nothing that is good, without him: nor no man can come to the father, but by him. He commandeth us all to say, that we be unprofitable servants, when we have done all that we can do. 
Luke. xviii.  He preferreth the penitent Publican, before the proud, 
Matth. ix.  holy, & glorious Pharisey. He calleth himself a physician, but not to them that be whole, but to them that be sick, and have need of his salve for their sore. He teacheth us in our prayers, to reknowledge ourselves sinners, & to ask forgiveness and deliverance from all evils, at our heavenly father's hand. He declareth that the sins of our own hearts, 
Matth. xii.  do defile our own selves. He teacheth that an evil word or thought, deserveth condemnation, 
Matth. xv.  affirming, that we shall give an account, for every idle word. He saith, he came not to save, but the sheep that were utterly lost, and cast away. Therefore few of the proud, just, learned, wise, perfect, and holy Phariseis, were saved by him, because they justified themselves, by their sergeant holiness before men. Wherefore (good people) let us beware of such hypocrisy, vainglory, and justifying of ourself. Let us look upon our feet, and then, down peacocks feathers, down proud heart, down vile clay frail and brittle vessels. Of ourselves, we be crab trees, that can bring forth no apples. We be of ourselves, of such earth, as can bring forth but weeds, nettles, brambles, briars, cockle and darnel. Our fruits be declared in the▪ v. Chap. to the Gala. 
Galat. v.  We have neither faith, charity, hope, patience, chastity, nor any thing else that good is, but of God: & therefore, these virtues be called there, the fruits of the holy Ghost, and not the fruits of man. Let us therefore, acknowledge ourselves before God, (as we be in deed) miserable and wretched sinners. And let us earnestly repent, and humble ourselves heartily, and cry to God for mercy. Let us all confess with mouth and heart, that we be full of imperfections. Let us know our awn works, of what imperfection they be, & then we shall not stand foolishly, and arrogantly, in our own conceits, nor challenge any part of justification, by our merits or works. For truly, there be imperfections in our best works: we do not love God so much as we are bound to do, with all our heart, mind, and power: we do not fear God, so much as we ought to do: we do not pray to God, but with great and many imperfections: we give, forgive, believe, live, and hope unperfectly: we speak, think, & do unperfectly: we fight against the devil, the world, and the flesh, unperfectly. Let us therefore, not be ashamed to confess plainly, our state of imperfection: yea, let us not be ashamed to confess imperfection, even in all our own best works. Let none of us be ashamed, to say with holy s. Peter. I am a sinful man. 
Luke. v. Psalm. ●vi.  Let us all say with the holy prophet David: we have sinned with our fathers, we have done amiss, & dealt wickedly. Let us all make open confession, with the prodigal son to our father, and say with him: we have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 
Luke. xv.  (O father) we are not worthy to be called thy sons. Let us all say, 
Baruch. ●i.  with holy Baruch: O Lord our God, to us is worthily ascribed shame and confusion, & to thee, righteousness: We have sinned, we have done wickedly, we have behaved ourselves ungodly, in all thy righteousness. 
Daniel. ●i.  Let us all say with the holy prophet Daniel: O Lord, righteousness belongeth to the, unto us belongeth confusion. We have sinned, we have been naughty, we have offended, we have fled from thee, we have gone back from all thy precepts, and judgements. So we learn of all good men in holy scripture, to humble ourselves: and to exalt, extol praise, magnify, and glorify God.  
Thus we have heard, how evil we be of ourselves: how, of ourselves, and by ourselves, we have no goodness, help, nor salvation: but contrariwise, sin, damnation, and death everlasting: which, if we deeply weigh & consider, we shall the better understand the great mercy of God, and how our salvation cometh only by Christ. 
●●. Cor. iii.  For in ourselves (as of ourselves) we find nothing, whereby we may be delivered from this miserable captivity, into the which we were cast, through the envy of the devil, by transgressing of God's commandment, in our first parent Adam. 
Psal ●.  We are all become unclean, but we all are not able to cleanse ourselves, nor to make one another of us clean. 
Ephe. two.  We are by nature, the children of God's wrath, but we are not able to make ourselves the children, and inheritors of God's glory. We are sheep that run astray, but we cannot of our awn power, 
●. Pet. two.  come again to the sheepfold, so great is our imperfection & weakness. In ourselves therefore may not we glory, which (of ourselves) are nothing but sinful: Neither we may rejoice, in any works that we do, which all be so unperfect & unpure, that they are not able to stand, before the righteous throne of God, as the holy Prophet David saith: 
Psal. ●xliii.  entre not into judgement with thy servant, O Lord, for no man that liveth shallbe found righteous in thy sight. To God therefore, must we flee, or else shall we never find peace, rest and quietness of conscience in our hearts. 
two. Corin. i.  For he is the father of mercies, and God of all consolation. He is the Lord, with whom is plenteous redemption. He is that God which of his own mercy saveth us, 
Psalm. cxxx.  and setteth out his charity, and exceeding love towards us, in that of his own voluntary goodness, when we were perished, he saved us, and provided an everlasting kingdom for us. And all these heavenly treasures, are given us, not for our own deserts, merits, or good deeds (which, of ourselves we have none) but of his mere mercy, freely. And for whose sake? Truly, for jesus Christ's sake, that pure and undefiled lamb of GOD. He is that dearly beloved son, for whose sake, god is fully pacified, satisfied and set at one with man. He is the lamb of God, 
Ihon. i.  which taketh away the sins of the world: of whom only, it may be truly spoken, 
i. Peter. two.  that he did all things well, & in his mouth was found no craft nor subtility. None but he alone, may say, 
Ihon. xiiii  the Prince of the world came: and in me he hath nothing. And he alone may say also: 
Ihon. viii.  which of you shall reprove me of any fault? 
Hebre. seven.  He is that high and everlasting priest, which hath offered himself once for all, upon the altar of the Cross, and with that one oblation, hath made perfect for evermore, them that are sanctified. He is the alone mediator, 
i. Ihon. two.  between God and man, which paid our ransom to God, with his own blood, and with that hath he cleansed us all from sin. He is the Physician, which healeth all our diseases. He is that saviour, 
Matthew i.  which saveth his people from all their sins. To be short, he is that flowing, 
John ●.  & most plenteous fountain, of whose fullness▪ all we have received. For in him alone, are all the treasures of the wisdom, and knowledge of God hidden. And in him, and by him, have we from God the father, all good things, pertaining either to the body, or to the soul. O how much are we bound, to this our heavenly father, for his great mercies, which he hath so plenteously declared unto us, in Christ jesus our Lord and saviour? What thanks worthy and sufficient can we give to him? Let us all with one accord, burst out with joyful voices, ever praising and magnifying this Lord of mercy, for his tender kindness showed to us in his dearly beloved son, jesus Christ our lord.  
Hitherto have we heard, what we are of ourselves: verily, sinful, wretched, and damnable: again we have heard, how that of ourselves, and by ourselves, we are not able, either to think a good thought▪ or work a good deed, so that we can find in ourselves, no hope of salvation, but rather whatsoever maketh unto our destruction. Again we have heard, the tender kindness and great mercy of God the father towards us, and how beneficial he is to us, for Christ's sake, without our merits or deserts, even o● his own mere mercy and tender goodness. Now, how these exceeding great mercies of God, set abroad in Christ jesus for us, be obtained: and how we be delivered, from the captivity of sin, death, and hell, it shall more at large (with God's help) be declared in the next Homely. In the mean season, yea, and at all times, let us learn to know ourselves, our frailty and weakness, without any ostentation, or boasting of our own good deeds and merits: let us also knowledge. The exceeding mercy of God towards us, and confess, that as of ourselves, cometh all evil and damnation, so likewise of him, cometh all goodness and salvation, as God himself saith, by the prophet Oze: O Israel, thy destruction cometh of thyself, 
Oze. xiii.  but in me only, is thy help and comfort. If we thus humbly submit ourselves in the sight of God, we may be sure, that in the time of his visitation, he will lift us up unto the Kingdom of his dearly beloved son Christ jesus our Lord: to whom with the father and the holy Ghost, be all honour, and glory for ever. AMEN.   

¶ An Homely of the salvation of mankind, by only Christ our saviour, from sin and death everlasting.  
BEcause all men be sinners, and offenders against GOD, and breakers of his law and commandments, therefore can no man by his own acts, works, and deeds, (seem they never so good) be justified, and made righteous before God: but every man of necessity, is constrained to seek for another righteousness, or justification, to be received at Gods own hands, that is to say, the remission, pardon, and forgiveness of his sins and trespasses, in such things as he hath offended. And this justification or righteousness, which we so receive by God's mercy, & Christ's merits, embraced by faith, is taken, accepted, and allowed of God, for our perfect and full justification. For the more full understanding hereof, it is our parts and duty, ever to remember the great mercy of God, how that (all the world being wrapped in sin, by breaking of the law) God sent his only son, our saviour Chrste into this world, to fulfil the law for us: and by shedding of his most precious blood, to make a sacrifice and satisfaction or (as it may be called) amends, to his father for our sins: to assuage his wrath and indignation conceived against us, 
The efficacy of 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉.  for the same. In so much that infants, being baptized, and dying in their infancy▪ are by this sacrifice, washed from their sins, brought to God's favour, and made his children, and inheritors of his kingdom of heaven. And they which actually do sin after their baptism, when they convert and turn again to God unfeignedly, they are likewise washed by this sacrifice from their sins, in such sort, that there remaineth not any spot of sin, that shallbe imputed to their damnation. This is that justification, or righteousness, which saint Paul speaketh of, when he saith: 
Roma▪ iii.  no man is justified, by the works of the law, but freely by faith in jesus Christ. And again he saith: we believe in Christ jesus, that we be justified freely, 
Roma. viii.  by the faith of Christ, & not by the works of the law, because that no man shallbe justified by the works of the law. And although this justification, be free unto us, yet it cometh not so freely unto us, that there is no ransom paid therefore at all. 
Objection.  But here may man's reason be astonished, reasoning after this fashion: if a ransom be paid for our redemption, then is it not given us freely: For a prisoner that payeth his ransom, is not let go freely, for if he go freely, than he goeth without ransom: for what is it else to go freely, then to be set at liberty, without payment of ransom.  
This reason is satisfied by the great wisdom of God, in this mystery of our redemption, 
An answer.  who hath so tempered his justice and mercy together, that he would neither, by his justice condemn us, unto the perpetual captivity of the devil, and his prison of hell, remediless for ever, without mercy: nor by his mercy, deliver us clearly, without justice, or payment of a just ransom: but with his endless mercy, he joined his most upright and equal justice. His great mercy he showed unto us, in delivering us from our former captivity, without requiring of any ransom to be paid, or amends to be made, upon our parts: which thing, by us had been impossible to be doen. And where as it lay not in us, that to do, he provided a ransom for us, that was the most precious body & blood of his own most dear and best beloved son jesus Christ: who besides his ransom, fulfilled the law for us perfectly. And so the justice of God, & his mercy did embrace together, and fulfilled the mystery of our redemption. And of this justice and mercy of God knit together, speaketh saint Paul, in the iii Chapter to the Romans: 
〈◊〉 iii.  all have offended, and have need of the glory of God, justified freely by his grace, by redemption, which is in jesus Christ, whom God hath set forth to us, for a reconciler, & peace maker, through faith in his blood, to show his righteousness. And in the ten Chapter: 
〈◊〉  Christ is the end of the law, unto righteousness, to every man that believeth. And in the viii Chapi: 
〈◊〉. viii.  that which was impossible by the law, in asmuch as it was weak by the flesh, God sending his own son, in the similitude of sinful flesh, by sin dampened sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law, might be fulfilled in us, which walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.  

Three things must go together in our ●●stificacion.  In these foresaid places, the Apostle toucheth specially three things, which must concur and go together, in our justification. Upon God's part, his great mercy and grace: upon Christ's part, justice, that is, the satisfaction of god's justice, or the price of our redemption, by the offering of his body and shedding of his blood, with fulfilling of the law, perfectly & thoroughly: and upon our part, true and lively faith in the merits of jesus Christ, which yet is not ours, but by God's working in us. So that in our justification, is not only God's mercy and grace, but also his justice, which the Apostle calleth the justice of God, and it consists in paying our ransom, and fulfilling of the law: and so the grace of God, doth not exclude the justice of God, in our justification, but only excludeth the justice of man, that is to say, the justice of our works, as to be merits of deserving our justification. And therefore saint Paul declareth here nothing, upon the behalf of man, concerning his justification, but only a true and lively faith, which nevertheless is the gift of God, and not man's only work without God. And yet that faith, 
How it is to be understand that faith justifieth, without works  doth not exclude repentance, hope, love, dread, and the fear of God, to be joined with faith, in every man that is justified: but it excludeth them from the office of justifying. So that although they be all present together in him that is justified, yet they justify not all together. Nor that faith also, doth not exclude the justice of our good works, necessarily to be done afterward of duty, towards God (for we are most bounden to serve God, in doing good deeds, commanded by him in his holy scripture, all the days of our life): But it excludeth them, so that we may not do them, to this intent, to be made good by doing of them. For all the good works that we can do, be unperfect, and therefore not able to deserve our justification: but our justification doth come freely, by the mere mer●ie of GOD, and of so great and free mercy, that whereas all the world was not able of theirselves, to pay any part towards their ransom, it pleased our heavenly father, of his infinite mercy, without any our desert, or deserving, to prepare for us the most precious jewels of Christ's body and blood, whereby our ransom might be fully paid, the law fulfilled, and his justice fully satisfied. So that Christ is now the righteousness of all them, that truly do believe in him. He for them paid their ransom, by his death. He for them, fulfilled the law in his life. So that now, in him, and by him, every true Christian man may be called a fulfiller of the law, forasmuch as that, which their infirmity lacketh, Christ's justice hath supplied,  
Before was declared at large, that no man can be justified by his own good works, because that no man fulfilleth the law, according to the full request of the law. And saint Paul, in his Epistle to the Galathians, 
Galath. ●ii.  proveth the same, saying thus If there had been any law given, which could have justified, verily, righteousness should have been by the law. And again he saith: if righteousness be by the law, than Christ died in vain. And again he saith: you that are justified by the law, are fallen away from grace. And furthermore, he writeth to the Ephesians, 
Ephes' two.  on this wise: by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: for it is the gift of God, and not of works, lest any man should glory. And to be short, the sum of all Paul's disputation, is this: that if justice come of works, than it cometh not of grace: And if it come of grace, than it cometh not of works. And to this end, 
Acts. x.  tendeth all the Prophets as saint Peter saith, in the tenth of the Acts: Of Christ, all the Prophets (saith saint Peter) do witness, that through his name, all they that believe in him, shall receive the remission of sins. 
Faith only justifieth, is the doctrine of old doctors.  And after this wise to be justified, only by this true and lively faith in Christ, speaketh all the old and ancient authors, both Greeks & Latyns. Of whom I will specially rehearse three: hilary, basil, & Ambrose. Saint hilary sayeth these words plainly, in the ninth Canon, upon Matthew: Faith only justfieth. And saint basil, a Greek author writeth thus: This is a perfect and a whole rejoicing in God, when a man avaunteth not himself, for his own righteousness, but knowledgeth himself, to lack true justice and righteousness, and to be justified by the only faith in Christ: And Paul (saith he) doth glory in the contempt of his own righteousness, 
Philip. iii.  and that he looketh for his righteousness of God, by faith.  
These be the very words of saint basil. And saint Ambrose, a Latyn author, sayeth these words: This is the ordinance of God, that he, which believeth in Christ, should be saved, without works, by faith only, freely receiving remission of his sins. Consider diligently these words: without works, by faith only, freely, we receive remission of our sins. What can be spoken more plainly, then to say: that freely, without works, by faith only, we obtain remission of our sins? These and other like sentences, that we be justified by faith only, freely, and without works, we do read oft-times in the most best and ancient writers. As beside Hillarye, basil, & saint Ambrose, before rehearsed: we read the same in Origene, saint Chrisostome, saint Cyprian, saint Augustine, Prosper, Oecomenius, Phocius, Bernardus, Anselme, and many other authors, Greek and Latin. Nevertheless, this sentence: that we be justified by faith only: is not so meant of them, that the said justifying faith is alone in man, without true repentance, hope, charity, dread and fear of God, at any time or season. Nor when they say: that we be justified freely: 
Faith alone 〈◊〉 it is to 〈◊〉 understand.  they mean not, that we should or might afterward be idle, & that nothing should be required on our parts afterward. Neither they mean not so to be justified without our good works, that we should do no good works at all, like as shallbe more expressed at large hereafter. But this proposition, that we be justified, by faith only, freely, and without works: is spoken, for to take away clearly all merit of our works, as being insufficient, to deserve our justification at God's hands, and thereby most plainly to express the weakness of man, and the goodness of God, the great infirmity of ourselves, and the might and power of God, the imperfectness of our own works, and the most abundant grace of our saviour Christ. And thereby whoey to ascribe the merit and deserving of our justification, unto Christ only, and his most precious bludsheding. This faith the holy scripture teacheth: this is the strong rock & foundation of Christian religion: this doctrine all old and ancient authors of Christ's church do approve: this doctrine, 
The profit of the doctrine of faith only justifieth. What they be that impugn the doctrine of faith only justifieth.  advanceth & setteth forth the true glory of Christ, and suppresseth the vain glory of man: This, whosoever denieth, is not to be reputed for a true christian man, not for a setter forth of Christ's glory, but for an adversary of Christ and his Gospel, & for a setter forth of men's vainglory. And although this doctrine be never so true, (as it is most true in deed) that we be justified freely, 
A declaration of this doctrine: faith without works justifieth  without all merit of our own good works (as S. Paul doth express it) and freely, by this lively and perfect faith in Christ only, as the ancient authors use to speak it: yet this true doctrine must be also truly understand, and most plainly declared, lest carnal men should take unjustly occasion thereby, to live carnally after the appetite and will of the world, the flesh, and the devil. And because no man should err, by mistaking of this doctrine, I shall plainly & shortly so declare the right understanding of the same, that no man shall justly think, that he may thereby take any occasion of carnal liberty, to follow the desires of the flesh, or that thereby, any kind of sin shallbe committed, or any ungodly living the more used.  
First, you shall understand, that in our justification by Christ, it is not all one thing, the office of God unto man, and the office of man unto God. justification is not the office of man, but of God: For man cannot justify himself by his own works, neither in part nor in the whole, for that were the greatest arrogancy & presumption of man, that Antichrist could erect against God, to affirm, that a man might, by his own works, take away and purge his own sins, and so justify himself. But justification, 
justification is the office of G●d only.  is the office of God only, and is not a thing, which we render unto him, but which we receive of him, not which we give to him, but which we take of him, by his free mercy, & by the only merits, of his most dearly beloved son, our only redeemer, saviour, and justifier, jesus Christ. So that the true understanding of this doctrine: We be justified freely by faith, without works: or that we be justified by faith in Christ only, is not, that this our own act to believe in Christ, or this our faith in Christ, which is within us, doth justify us, and merit our justification unto us (for that were to count ourselves, to be justified by some act or virtue, that is within ourselves): But the true understanding and meaning thereof is, that although we hear God's word, and believe it: although we have faith, hope, charity, repentance, dread, and fear of God within us, and do never so many good works thereunto: yet we must renounce the mertte of all our said virtues, of faith, hope, charity, and all our other virtues, and good deeds, which we either have done, shall do, or can do, as things that be far to weak, and insufficient and unperfect, to deserve remission of our sins, and our justification, and therefore we must trust, only in God's mercy, and in that sacrifice, which our high priest, and saviour Christ jesus, the son of God, once offered for us upon the cross, to obtain thereby God's grace, and remission, aswell of our original sin in baptism, as of all actual sin, committed by us after our baptism, if we truly repent and convert unfeignedly to him again. So that as saint John baptist, although he were never so virtuous and Godly a man, yet in this matter of forgiving of sin, he did put the people from him, and appointed them unto Christ, saying thus unto them: Behold, yonder is the lamb of GOD, 
Ihon. i.  which taketh away the sins of the world: Even so, as great and as Godly a virtue as the lively faith is, yet it putteth us from itself, & remitteth or appointeth us unto Christ, for to have only by him remission of our sins, or justification. So that our faith in Christ (as it were) saith unto us thus: It is not I, that take away your sins, but it is Christ only, and to him only, I send your for that purpose, renouncing therein all your good virtues, words, thoughts, and works, and only putting your trust in Christ.  
Thus you do see, that the very true sense of this proposition: We be justified by faith in Christ only: (according to the meaning of the old ancient authors) is this: we put our faith in Christ, that we be justified by him only, that we be justified by God's free mercy, and the merits of our saviour Christ only, and by no virtue or good work of our own, that is in us, or that we can be able to have or to do, for to deserve the same, Christ himself only, being the cause meritorious thereof.  
Here you perceive many words to be used, to avoid contention in words with them, that delight to brawl about words, and also to show the true meaning, to avoid evil talking & misunderstanding: And yet peradventure all will not serve with them, that be contentious: but contenders will ever forge matter of contention, even when they have none occasion thereto. notwithstanding, such be the less to be passed upon, so that the rest may profit, which will be more desirous to know the truth, than (when it is plain enough) to contend about it, and with contentious, and capacious cavillations, to obscure and darken it. Truth it is, that out own works, do not justify us, to speak properly of our justification (that is to say) our works do not merit or deserve remission of our sins, and make us of unjust, just before God: But God of his mere mercy, through the only merits and deservings of his son jesus Christ, doth justify us. Nevertheless, because faith doth directly send us to Christ for remission of our sins, & that by faith given us of God, we embrace the promise of God's mercy, and of the remission of our sins, (which thing, none other of our virtues or works properly doth) therefore scripture useth to say, that faith without works doth justify. And for asmuch, that it is all one sentence in effect to say: Faith without works, & only faith doth justify us, therefore the old ancient fathers of the Church, from time to time, have uttered our justification with this speech: Only faith justifieth us: meaning none other thing, than saint Paul meant, when he said: faith without works justifieth us. And because, all this is brought to pass, through the only merits and deservings of our saviour christ, & not through our merits, or through the merit of any virtue, that we have within us, or of any work that cometh from us: therefore, in that respect of merit & deserving, we renounce (as it were) altogether again, faith, works, and all other virtues. For our own imperfection, is so great through the corruption of original sin, that all is imperfect, that is within us: faith, charity, hope, dread, thoughts, words & works, and therefore, not apt to merit and deserve, any part of our justification for us: And this form of speaking we use, in the humbling of ourselves to God, and to give all the glory to our saviour Christ, which is best worthy to have it.  
Here you have heard the office of God in our justification, and how we receive it of him, freely, by his mercy, without our deserts, through true and lively faith. Now you shall hear the office and duty of a christian man unto God, what we ought on our part, to render unto God again, for his great mercy and goodness. Our office is, 
They that preach, faith only iustyfieth, do not teach carnal liberty, or that we should do no good works.  not to pass the time of his present life unfruictfully and idly, after that we are baptized or justified, not caring how few good works we do, to the glory of God, and profit of our neighbours: much less it is our office, after that we be once made Christ's members, to live contrary to the same, making ourselves membres of the devil, walking after his enticements, and after the suggestions of the world and the flesh, whereby we know, that we do serve the world, and the devil, and not God. For that faith, which bringeth forth, (without repentance) either evil works, or no good works, is not a right, pure, and lively faith, but a dead, devilish, counterfeit, and feigned faith, as saint Paul, & saint james call it. For even the devils know and believe, 
The devils have faith, but not the true faith.  that Christ was borne of a virgin, that he fasted forty days, & forty nights, without meat and drink, that he wrought all kind of miracles, declaring himself very God: They believe also, that Christ for our sakes, suffered most painful death, to redeem us from eternal death, & that he rose again from death the third day: They believe, that he ascended into heaven, and that he sitteth on the right hand of the father, and at the last end of this world, shall come again, and judge both the quick and the dead. These articles of our faith, the devils believe, and so they believe all things that be written, in the new and old Testament to be true, & yet for all this faith, they be but devils, remaining still in their damnable estate, lacking the very true christian faith. For the right and true christian faith is, 
 not only to believe that holy scripture, & all the foresaid articles of our faith are true, but also to have a sure trust & confidence in Gods merciful promises, to be saved from everlasting damnation by Christ: 
〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 have not true faith  whereof doth follow a loving heart, to obey his commandments. And this true Christian faith, neither any devil hath, nor yet any man, which, in the outward profession of his mouth, and in his outward receiving of the Sacraments, in coming to the church, and in all other outward appearances, seemeth to be a Christian man, & yet in his living and deeds, showeth the contrary. For how can a man have this true faith, this sure trust and confidence in God: That by the merits of Christ, his sins be remitted, and he reconciled to the favour of God, and to be partaker of the kingdom of heaven by Christ when he liveth ungodly, and denieth Christ in his deeds. Surely, no such ungodly man, can have this faith & trust in God. For as they know Christ to be the only saviour of the world, so they know also, that wicked men, shall not possess the kingdom of God. They know, 
Psalm v.  that God hateth unrighteousness that he will destroy all those, that speak untruly, that those that have done good works (which can not be done without a lively faith in Christ) shall come forth into the resurrection of life, & those that have done evil, shall come unto resurrection of judgement: and very well they know also, that to them that be contentious, & to them that will not be obedient unto the truth, but will obey unrighteousness, shall come indignation, wrath, and affliction. etc. Therefore, to conclude, considering the infinite benefits of God, showed and exhibited unto us, mercifully without our deserts, who hath not only created us of nothing, & from a piece of vile clay, of his infinite goodness hath exalted us (as touching our soul) unto his own similitude and likeness: but also, whereas we were condemned to hell, & death eternal, hath given his own natural son, being God eternal, immortal, and equal unto himself, in power & glory, to be incarnated, and to take our mortal nature upon oim, with the infirmities of the same: and in the same nature▪ to suffer most shameful and painful death, for our offences, to th'intent to justify us, & to restore us to life everlasting, so making us also his dear beloved children, brethren unto his only son, our saviour Christ, & inheritors for ever with him, of his eternal kingdom of heaven.  
These great and merciful benefits of God (if they be well considered) do neither minister unto us occasion to be idle, & to live without doing any good works, neither yet stirreth us▪ by any means to do evil things▪ but contrariwise, if we be not desperate persons, and our hearts harder than stones, they move us to render ourselves unto God wholly, with all our will▪ hearts▪ might and power, to serve him in all good deeds, obeying his commandments, during our lives: to seek in all things, his glory and honour, not our sensual pleasures & vainglory, evermore dreading, willingly to offend such a merciful God & loving redeemer, in word, thought, or deed. And the said benefits of God deeply considered, do move us, for his sake also, to be ever ready to give ourselves to our neighbours, and asmuch as lieth in us▪ to study with all our endeavour, to do good to every man. These be the fruits of the true faith, to do good (asmuch as lieth in us) to every man. And above all things, and in all things, to advance the glory of God; of whom only we have our sanctification, justification, salvation, and redemption▪ To whom be ever glory, praise, and honour▪ world without end. AMEN.   

¶ A short declaration of the true lively, and Christian Faith.  
THE first entry unto God, 
Faith.  (good christian people) is through faith: whereby, (as it is declared in the last Sermon) we be justified before God. And lest any man should be deceived, for lack of right understanding thereof, it is diligently to be noted, that faith is taken in the scripture, two manes of ways. There is one faith, 
A deed faith.  which in scripture is called a dead faith, which bringeth forth no good works, but is idle, barren, and unfruitful. And this faith, by the holy Apostle saint james, is compared to the faith of devils, 
james. two.  which believe, God to be true, and just, and tremble for fear, yet they do nothing well, but all evil. And such a manner of faith, have the wicked and naughty thristian people, which confess God (as saint Paul sayeth) in their mouth, 
Tit●.  but deny him in their deeds, being abominable, and without the right faith, and to all good works reprovable. And this faith is a persuasion and belief in man's heart, whereby he knoweth that there is a God, and assenteth unto all truth of Gods most holy word, contained in holy scripture. So that it consisteth only, in believing of the word of God, that it is true. And this is not properly called faith: But as he, that readeth Caesar's Commentaries, believing the same to be true, hath thereby a knowledge of Caesar's life, and noble acts, because he believeth the history of Cesar: yet it is not properly said, that he believeth in Cesar, of whom he looketh for no help, nor benefit: Even so, he that believeth, that all that is spoken of God in the Bible, is true, and yet liveth so ungodly, that he cannot look to enjoy the promises and benefits of God: although it may be said, that such a man hath a faith & belief to the words of God, yet it is not properly said, that he believeth in God, or hath such a faith & trust in God, whereby he may surely look for grace, mercy, & eternal life at God's hand, but rather for indignation & punishment, according to the merits of his wicked life. For as it is written in a book, entitled to be of Didimus Alexandrinus: forasmuch as faith without works is dead, it is not now faith: as a dead man, is not a man. This dead faith therefore, is not that sure and substantial faith, which saveth sinners.  

A lively faith.  Another faith there is in scripture, which is not (as the foresaid faith) idle, unfruitful, and dead, but worketh by charity (as S. Paul declareth.) Gal. v. 
Galat v.  Which, as the other vain faith, is called a dead faith, so may this be called a quick or lively faith. And this is not only the common belief of the Articles of our faith, but it is also a sure trust and confidence of the mercy of God, through our lord jesus Christ, and a steadfast hope of all good things to be received at God's hand: & that although we, through infirmity, or temptation of our ghostly enemy, do fall from him by sin, yet if we return again unto him, by true repentance, that he will forgive & forget our offences, for his sons sake our saviour jesus Christ, & will make us inheritors with him, of his everlasting kingdom, and that in the mean time, until that kingdom come, he will ●e our protector and defender in all perils & dangers, whatsoever do chance: and that, though sometime he doth send us sharp adversity, yet that evermore he willbe a loving father unto us, correcting us for our sin, but not withdrawing his mercy finally from us, if we trust in him, and commit ourselves wholly unto him, hang only upon him, and call upon him, ready to obey and serve him. This is the true, lively, and unfeigned christian faith, and is not in the mouth and outward profession only: but it liveth, and stirreth inwardly in the heart. And this faith, is not without hope and trust in God, nor without the love of God and of our neighbours nor without the fear of God, nor without the desire to hear God's word, and to follow the same, in eschewing evil, and doing gladly all good works.  
This faith, 
Hebre. xi.  (as saint Paul describeth it) is the sure ground and foundation of the benefits, which we ought to look for, and trust to receive of God: a certificate & sure expectation of them, although they yet sensibly appear not unto us. And after he saith: he that cometh to God, must believe, both that he is, & that he is a merciful rewarder of well doers. And nothing commendeth good men unto God so much as this assured faith, & trust in him. Of this faith, iij. things are specially to be noted. First, 
Three things are to be noted of faith  that this faith, doth not lie dead in the heart, but is lively and fruitful in bringing forth good works. Second, that without it, can no good works be done, that shallbe acceptable, & pleasant to God. third, what manner of good works they be, that this faith doth bring forth.  

Faith is full of good works.  For the first, as the light cannot be hid, but will show forth itself, at one place or other: So a true faith cannot be kept secret, but when occasion is offered, it will break out, & show itself by good works. And as the living body of a man ever exerciseth such things, as belongeth to a natural & living body, for nourishment & preservation of the same, as it hath need, opportunity and occasion: even so the soul, that hath a lively faith in it, will be doing alway some good work, which shall declare that it is living, and will not be unoccupied. Therefore, when men hear in the scriptures, so high commendations of faith, that it maketh us to please God, to live with God, and to be the children of God: if then they fantasy▪ that they be set at liberty, from doing all good works, and may live as they list, they trifle with God, & deceive themselves. And it is a manifest token that they be far from having the true and lively faith, & also far from knowledge, what true faith meaneth. For the very sure & lively christian faith is, not only to believe all things of God, which are contained in holy scripture: but also, is an earnest trust, and confidence in God, that he doth regard us, and hath cure of us, as the father of the child, whom he doth love, and that he will be merciful unto us, for his only sons sake: and that we have our saviour Christ, our perpetual advocate & priest, in whose only merits, oblation, & suffering we do trust, that our offences be continually washed and purged, whensoever we, (repenting truly) do return to him, with our whole heart, steadfastly determining with ourselves, through his grace, to obey and serve him, in keeping his commandments, and never to turn back again to sin. Such is the true faith, that the scripture doth somuch commend, the which, when it seeth and considereth, what God hath done for us, is also moved through continual assistance of the spirit of God, to serve & please him, to keep his favour, to fear his displeasure, to continue his obedient children, showing thankfulness again, by observing his commandments, and that freely, for true love chief, and not for dread of punishment, or love of temporal reward: considering how clearly, without our deservings, we have received his mercy and pardon freely.  
This true faith will show forth itself, 
Abac. two.  and cannot long be idle. For as it is written: The just man doth live by his faith. He neither sleepeth, nor is idle, when he should wake and be well occupied. And God by his prophet Hieremie sayeth: 
Heir. xvii.  that he is a happy and blessed man, which hath faith and confidence in God. For he is like a tree, set by the water side, that spreedeth his roots abroad toward the moisture, and feareth not heat when it cometh: his leaf will be green, and will not cease, to bring forth his fruit: Even so faithful men, (putting away all fear of adversity) will show forth the fruit of their good works, as occasion is offered to do them.  
The Wiseman saith: he that believeth in God, 
Eccl. xxxii.  will hearken unto his commandments. For if we do not show ourselves faithful in our conversation, the faith which we pretend to have, is but a feigned faith: because the true Christian faith, is manifestly showed by good living, and not by words only as saint Augustine saith, 
Lib●o, de fide et operibus. Capit. two. Sermo. de lege et fide.  good living cannot be separated from true faith: which worketh by love. And S. Chrisostome saith, faith of itself, is full of good works, as soon as a man doth believe, he shallbe garnished with them. How plentiful this faith is of good works, and how it maketh the work of one man, more acceptable to God then of another, S. Paul teacheth at large in the xj chap. to the Hebr. saying: 
Hebre xi  that faith made the oblation of Abel better, than the oblation of Cain. 
Gene. iiii. Gene. vi. Eccle. xliii. Gene. xi.  This made Noah to build the ark. This made Abraham to forsake his country, and all his friends, and to go unto a far country, there to dwell among strangers. So did also Isaac and jacob, depending only of the help and trust, that they had in God. And when they came to the country, which God promised them, they would build no cities, towns, nor houses, but lived like strangers in tents, that might every day be removed. Their trust was so much in God, that they set but little by any worldly thing, for that god had prepared for them, better dwelling places in heaven, of his own foundation and building. This faith made Abraham ready at God's commandment, 
Gene. xii. Eccle. xiiii.  to offer his own son and heir Isaac, whom he loved so well, & by whom he was promised to have innumerable issue, among the which, one should be borne, in whom all nations should be blessed: trusting so much in God, that though he were slain, yet the God was able by his omnipotent power, to raise him from death, & perform his promise. He mistrusted not the promise of god, although unto his reason every thing seemed contrary. He believed verily, that God would not forsake him in dearth, and famine, that was in the country. And in all other dangers that he was brought unto, he trusted ever that God would be his God, and his protector, whatsoever he saw to the contrary. 
Exod. two.  This faith wrought so in the heart of Moses, that he refused to be taken for King Pharaoh his daughter's son, and to have great inheritance in Egypt, thinking it better with the people of God, to have affliction, and sorrow, then with naughty men, in sin to live pleasantly for a time. By faith, he cared not for the threatening of king Pharaoh: for his trust was so in God, that he passed not of the felicity of this world, but looked for the reward, to come in heaven, setting his heart upon the invisible God, as if he had seen him ever present before his eyes. 
Exod. xiiii. joshua. vi.  By faith the children of Israel passed through the red sea. By faith, the walls of Hiericho, fell down without stroke, and many other wonderful miracles have been wrought. In all good men, that heretofore have been, faith hath brought forth their good works, and obtained the promises of God.  
Faith, hath stopped the Lion's mouths: 
Daniel. vi. Daniel. iii.  faith hath quenched the force of fire: faith hath escaped the sword edges: faith hath given weak men strength, victory in battle, overthrown the armies of infidels, raised the dead to life: faith hath made good men to take adversity, in good part: some have been mocked and whipped, bound and cast in prison: some have lost all their goods and lived in great poverty: some have wandered in mountains, hills and wilderness: some have been racked, some slain, some stoned, some sawen, some rent in pieces, some headed, some brent without mercy, and would not be delivered, because they looked to rise again, to a better state.  
All these fathers, martyrs, and other holy men, (whom saint Paul spoke of) had their faith surely fired in God, when all the world was against them. They did not only know God to be the Lord, maker and governor of all men in the world: but also they had a special confidence and trust, that he was, and would be their God, their comfortor, aider, helper, maintainer, and defender. This is the Christian faith, which these holy men had, and we also ought to have. And although they were not named christian men, yet was it a christian faith that they had, for they looked for all benefits of God the father, through the merits of his son jesus Christ, as we now do. This difference is between them and us, for they looked, when Christ should come, and we be in the time: when he is come. Therefore saith saint Augustyne: 
In Iho. ●ra. fly. two. Cor. iiii.  the time is altered, but not the faith. For we have both one faith in one Christ. Thesame holy Ghost also, that we have, had they, saith saint Paul. For as the holy Ghost doth teach us to trust in God, and to call upon him as our father: so did he teach them to say, 
isaiah. xliii.  (as it is written): Thou Lord; art our father and redeemer, and thy name is without beginning and everlasting. God gave them then grace to be his children, as he doth us now. But now by the coming of our saviour Christ, we have received more abundantly the spirit of god in our hearts, whereby we may conceive a greater faith, & a surer trust, than many of them had. But in effect they & we be all one: we have the same faith, that they had in God, & they the same, that we have. And. s. Paul so much extolleth their faith, because we should no less, but rather more, give ourselves wholly unto Christ, both in profession & living now, when Christ is come, then the old fathers did before his coming. And by all the declaration of. s. Paul, it is evident, that the true, lively, and christian faith, is no dead, vain, or unfruitful thing, but a thing of perfect virtue, of wonderful operation and strength, bringing forth all good motions & good works.  
All holy scripture agreeably beareth witness, that a true lively faith in Christ, doth bring forth good works, and therefore every man must examine himself diligently, to know, whether he have the same true lively faith in his heart unfeignedly or not, which he shall know by the fruits thereof. Many that professed the faith of Christ, were in this error, that they thought they knew God and believed in him, when in their life they declared the contrary: which error, 
i. Ihon. two.  saint John in his first Epistle confuting, writeth in this wise: Hereby we are certified, that we know god, if we observe his commandments: he that saith, he knoweth god, & observeth not his commandments, is a liar, & the truth is not in him. And again he saith, whosoever sinneth, 
i. Ihon. iii.  doth not see God, nor know him: let no man deceive you well-beloved children. And moreover he saith: 
i. Ihon. iii.  hereby we know that we be of the truth, & so we shall persuade our hearts before him: For if our own hearts reprove us, 
i. Ihon. iii.  God is above our hearts, and knoweth all things. Well-beloved, if our hearts reprove us not, the● have we confidence in God, and shall have of him whatsoever we ask, because we keep his commandments, and do those things, that please him. 
i. Ihon. v  And yet further he saith: every man that believeth that jesus is Christ, is borne of God: & we know, that whosoever is borne of God, doth not sin: but the generation of God, purgeth him, and the devil doth not touch him. And finally he concludeth: & showing the cause, why he wrote this epistle saith: 
i. Ihon. v.  For this cause have I thus written unto you, that you may know, that you have everlasting life, which do believe in the son of God. And in his third Epistle, 
●ii Ihon. i.  he confirmeth the whole matter of faith and works, in few words, saying: he that doth well, is of God, and he that doth evil, knoweth not God. And as s. John saith: that as the lively knowledge, and faith of God, bringeth forth good works: so saith he likewise of hope & Charity, 
i. Ihon. iii.  that they cannot stand with evil living. Of hope, he writeth thus: we know that when God shall appear, we shallbe like unto him, for we shall see him, even as he is. And who soever hath this hope in him, doth purify himself, like as God is pure. And of charity he saith these words: He that doth keep God's word, or commandment, in him is truly the perfect love of God, 
i. Ihon. two.  And again he saith: 
i. Ihon. v.  this is the love of God, that we should keep his commandments. And s. John wrote not this, as a subtle proposition, devised of his own fantasy, but as a most certain & necessary truth, taught unto him by Christ himself, the eternal & in fallible verity, who in many places doth most clearly affirm, that faith, hope, & charity, cannot consist without good & godly works. Of faith, he saith He that believeth in the son, hath everlasting life, 
John iii. i John v.  but he that believeth not in the son, shall not see that life, but the wrath of God remaineth upon him. And the same he confirmeth with a double oath, saying: 
Ihon. vi.  Forsooth & forsooth, I say unto you, he that believeth in me, hath everlasting life▪ Now, for asmuch as he that believeth in Christ, hath everlasting life, it must needs consequently follow, that he that hath this faith, must have also good works, & be studious to observe God's commaundemetes obediently. For to them that have evil works, & lead their life in disobedience, & transgression of God's commandments, without repentance, pertaineth not everlasting life, but everlasting death, as Christ himself saith: 
Matth. xv.  they that do well, shall go into life eternal, but they that do evil, shall go into the eternal fire. And again he saith, I am the first letter & the last, 
Apoc. xxi.  the beginning & the ending: to him that is a thirst, I will give of the well of the water of life freely: He that hath the victory, shall have all things, & I will be his God, and he shallbe my son: But they that be fearful, mistrusting God, & lacking faith, they that be cursed people & murderers, & fornicators, & sorcerer's, & Idolaters, 
Charity bringeth forth good works. Ihon. xiiii.  & all liars, shall have their portion in the lake, that burneth with fire & brimstone, which is the second death. And as Christ undoubtedly affirmeth, that true faith bringeth forth good works: so doth he say likewise of charity. 
Ihon. xiiii.  Whosoever hath my commandments & keepeth them, that is he, that loveth me. And after he saith: he that loveth me, will keep my word, & he that loveth me not, keepeth not my words. And as the love of God is tried by good works, so is the fear of God also, as the Wiseman saith: the dread of God putteth away sin. And also he saith: he that feareth god will do good works. 
Eccle. i. Ecc●e. xv.  A man may soon deceive himself, & think in his own fantasy, that he by faith knoweth God, loveth him, feareth him, & belongeth to him, when in very deed he doth nothing less. For the trial of all these things, is a very godly & christian life. He that feeleth his heart set to seek God's honour & studieth to know the will & commandments of God, & to conform himself thereunto, & leadeth not his life after the desire of his own flesh, to serve the devil by sin, but setteth his mind to serve God, for gods awn sake, & for his sake also to love all his neighbours, whether they be friends or adversaries, doing good to every man (as opportunity serveth) & willingly hurting no man: Such a man may well rejoice in God, perceiving by the trade of his life, that he unfamedly hath the right knowledge of God, a lively faith, a constant hope, a true, & unfeigned love & fear of god▪ But he that casteth away the yoke of gods commandments from his neck, & giveth himself to live without true repentance, after his own sensual mind & pleasure, not regarding to know God's word, & much less to live according thereunto: such a man clearly deceiveth himself, & seeth not his awn heart, if he thinketh, that he either knoweth god, loveth him, feareth him, or trusteth in him. Some peradventure fantasy in themselves, that they belong to God, although they live in sin, & so they come to the Church & show themselves as God's dear children. 
i. Ihon. i.  But. s. John saith plainly: if we say, that we have any company with God, and walk in darkness, we do lie. Other do vainly think, that they know & love God, although they pass not of his commandments. 
i. Ihon. two.  But s. John saith clearly: he that saith I know God, & keepeth not his commandments, he is a liar. Some falsely persuade themselves, that they love God, when they hate their neighbours. But s. John saith manifestly: if any man say, I love god, & yet hateth his brother, he is a liar. 
i. Ihon. iiii. i. Ihon. two.  He that saith, that he is in the light, & hateth his brother, he is still in darkness. He that loveth his brother, dwelleth in the light, but he that hateth his brother, is in darkness, & walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whether he goeth: for darkness hath blinded his eyes. And moreover he saith: hereby we manifestly know the children of God, 
i. Ihon. iii.  from the children of the devil: He that doth not righteously, is not the child of God, nor he that hateth his brother.  
Deceive not yourselves therefore, thinking that you have faith in God, or that you love God, or do trust in him, or do fear him, when you live in sin: for then your ungodly & sinful life, declareth the contrary, whatsoever ye say or think. It pertaineth to a christian man, to have this true christian faith, and to try himself, whether he hath it or no, & to know what belongeth to it, & how it doth work in him. It is not the world, that we can trust to▪ the world, and all that is therein, is but vanity. It is God that must be our defence and protection, against all temptation of wickedness, & sin, errors, superstition, idolatry, & all evil. If all the world were on our side, & God against us, what could the world avail us? Therefore let us set our whole faith, and trust in God, & neither the world, the devil, nor all the power of them, shall prevail against us. Let us therefore, (good christian people) try & examine our faith what it is: let us not flatter ourselves, but look upon our works, and so judge of our faith, what it is. Christ himself speaketh of this matter, & saith: The tree is known by the fruit. 
〈◊〉.  Therefore let us do good works, & thereby declare our faith, to be the lively christian faith. Let us by such virtues as aught to spring out of faith, show our election to be sure & stable, 
i P●●er. ●.  as s. Peter teacheth. Endeavour yourselves to make your calling & election certain by good works. And also he saith: minister or declare in your faith, virtue, in virtue, knowledge, in knowledge, temperance, in temperance, patience, again in patience, Godliness, in Godliness, brotherly charity, in brotherly charity, love. So shall we show in deed, that we have the very lively christian faith: & may so both certify our conscience the better, that we be in the right faith, & also by these means confirm other men. If these fruits do not follow, we do but mock with God, deceive ourselves, & also other men. Well may we bear the name of Christian men, but we do lack the true faith, that doth belong thereunto. For true faith doth ever bring forth good works, as s. james saith: 
james. two.  show me thy faith by thy deeds. Thy deeds & works, must be an open testimonial of thy faith: otherwise, thy faith being without good works, is but the devils faith, the faith of the wicked, a fantasy of faith, & not a true christian faith. And like as the devils & evil people, be nothing the better for their counterfeit faith, but it is unto them the more cause of damnation: so they that be christened, and have received knowledge of God, & of Christ's merits, and yet of a set purpose do live idly, without good works, thinking the name of a naked faith, to be either sufficient for them, or else setting their minds upon vain pleasures of this world, do live in sin without repentance, not uttering the fruits, that do belong to such an high profession, upon such presumptuous people, & wilful sinners, must needs remain the great vengeance of God, & eternal punishment in hell prepared for the devil & wicked livers. Therefore, as you profess the name of Christ, (good christian people) let no such fantasy and imagination of faith, at any time beguile you, but be sure of your faith, try it by your living, look upon the fruits that cometh of it, mark the increase of love & charity by it, towades God and your neighbour, & so shall you perceive it to be a true lively faith. If you feel & perceive such a faith in you, rejoice in it, & be diligent to maintain it, and keep it still in you: let it be daily increasing, and more & more, by well working, & so shall ye be sure, that you shall please god by this faith: & at the length (as other faithful men have done before) so shall you (when his will is) come to him, & receive th'end and final reward of your faith (as s. Peter nameth it) the salvation of your souls: the which, God grant us, 
i. Peter. i.  that hath promised the same unto his faithful. To whom, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.   

¶ An Homely, or sermon, of good works annexed unto faith.  
IN the last Sermon was declared unto you, what the lively and true faith of a christian man is: that it causeth not a man to be idle, but to be occupied in bringing forth good works, as occasion serveth.  

No good work can be done without faith.  Now by God's grace shallbe declared the second thing, that before was noted of faith, that without it can no good work be done, acceptable and pleasant unto God. For as a branch cannot bear fruit of itself (saith our saviour Christ) except it abide in the vine, so cannot you, except you abide in me: I am the vine, 
Ihon. xv.  and you be the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, he bringeth forth much fruit: for without me, you can do nothing. And S. Paul proveth, that Enoche had faith, because he pleased God. 
Hebre. xi.  For without faith (saith he) it is not possible to please God. 
Roma xiiii.  And again to the Romay. he saith: whatsoever work is done without faith, it is sin. Faith giveth life to the soul, and they be asmuch dead to God that lack faith, as they be to the world, whose bodies lack souls. Without faith all that is done of us, is but did before God, although the work seem never so gay and glorious before man. Even as the picture graven or painted, is but a dead representation of the thing itself, and is with out life, or any manner of moving: so be the works of all unfaithful persons before God. They do appear to be lively works, & in deed they be but did▪ not availing to the eternal life. They be but shadows and shows of lively and good things, and not good and lively things in deed. For true faith doth give life to the works, and out of such faith come good works, that be very good works in deed, and without it, no work is good before God: as saith saint Augustine: 
In prefati. Psalm. xxxi.  we must set not good works before faith, nor think that before faith, a man may do any good work: for such works, although they seem unto men, to be praise worthy, yet in deed they be but vain, and not allowed before God. They be as the course of a horse, that runneth out of the way, which taketh great labour, but to no purpose. Let no man therefore (saith he) reckon upon his good works before his faith. Whereas faith was not, good works were not: the intent (saith he) maketh the good works, but faith must guide and order th'intent of man. And Christ saith: 
Matth. vi.  if thine eye be nought, thy whole body is full of darkness. The eye doth signify the intent (saith saint Augustine) wherewith a man doth a thing. 
In prefati. Psalm. xxxi.  So that he, which doth not his good works with a Godly intent and a true faith, that worketh by love, the whole body beside, (that is to say) all the whole numbered of his works) is dark, and there is no light in it. For good deeds be not measured by the facts theimselfes, and so dissevered from vices, but by the ends and intentes, for the which they be doen. If a Heathen man cloth the naked, feed the hungry, and do such other like works: yet because he doth them not in faith, for the honour and love of God, they ●e but did, vain and fruitless works to him.  
Faith is it, that doth commend the work to god: (for as s. Augustine saith) whether thou wilt or no, that work that cometh not of faith, is nought: where the faith of Christ is not the foundation, there is no good work, what building soever we make. There is one work, in that which be all good works, that is, faith, which worketh by charity: If thou have it, thou hast the ground of all good works. For the virtues of strength, wisdom, temperance, & justice, be all referred unto this same faith. Without this faith, we have not them, but only the names and shadows of them, (as s. Augustine saith.) All the life of them that lack the true faith, is sin: and nothing is good without him, that is the author of goodness: where he is not, there is but feigned virtue, although it be in the best works. And s. Augu. declaring this verse of the psalm: the Turtle hath found a nest where she may keep her young birds: saith, that jews, heretics, and pagans, do good works: they cloth the naked, feed the poor, and do other works of mercy, but because they be not done in the true faith, therefore the birds be lost. But if they remain in faith, than faith is the nest and safeguard of their birds, that is to say, safeguard of their good works, that the reward of them be not utterly lost. 
De vocati Gentium. Lib. i capi. iii.  And this matter (which s. Augustin at large in many books disputeth) s. Ambrose concludeth in few words, saying: he that by nature would withstand vice, either by natural will or reason, he doth in vain garnish the time of this life, and attaineth not the very true virtues: for without the worshipping of the true God, that which seemeth to be virtue, is vice. And yet most plainly to this purpose, writeth s. John Chriso. in this wise: you shall find many, which have not the true faith, 
In sermons de fide, lege & spiritu scton.  and be not of the flock of Christ, and yet (as it appeareth) they flourish in good works of mercy. You shall find them full of pity, compassion, and given to justice, and yet for all that, they have no fruit of their works, because the chief work lacketh. For when the jews asked of Christ, 
Ihon. vi.  what they should do to work good works, he answered: this is the work of God, to believe in him whom he sent. So that he called faith the work of god. And assoon as a man hath faith, anon he shall flourish in good works: for faith of itself is full of good works, and nothing is good without faith. And for a similitude, he saith, that they which glister and shine in good works, without faith in God, be like dead men, which have goodly & precious tombs, and yet it availeth them nothing. Faith may not be naked without good works: for than it is no true faith: and when it is adjoined to works yet is it above the works. For as men that be very men in deed, first have life, and after be nourished: so must our faith in Christ go before, & after be nourished with good works. And life may be without nourishment, but nourishment cannot be without life. A man must needs be nourished by good works, but first he must have faith: he that doth good deeds, yet without faith, he hath no life. I can show a man that by faith without works lived, & came to heaven but without faith, never man had life. The thief that was hanged when Christ suffered, did believe only, and the most merciful God did justify him. And because no man shall object, that he lacked time to do good works, for else he would have done them: truth it is, and I will not contend therein: but this I will surely affirm, that faith only saved him. If he had lived, and not regarded faith, and the works thereof, he should have lost his salvation again. But this the effect that I say, that faith by itself saved him, but works by them selves never justified any man. Here ye have heard the mind of saint Chrisostome, whereby you may perceive, that neither faith is without works (having opportunity thereto) nor works can avail to eternal life without faith.  

What works they are that spring of faith.  Now to proceed to the third part (which in the former Sermon was noted of faith) that is to say, what manner of works they be, which spring out of true faith, and lead faithful men unto eternal life: this cannot be known so well, as by our saviour Christ himself, 
Matthe nineteen.  who was asked of a certain great man the same question. What works shall I do (said a Prince) to come to everlasting life? To whom jesus answered: 
Matth. nineteen.  If thou wilt come to the eternal life, keep the commandments. But the Prince not satisfied herewith, asked farther, which commandments? The Scribes and Phariseis had made so many of their own laws and traditions, to bring men to heaven, besides God's commandments, that this man was in doubt, whether he should come to heaven by those laws & traditions or by the laws of God: & therefore he asked Christ, which commandments he meant? Whereunto Christ made him a plain answer, rehearsing the commandments of GOD, saying: 
Matth. nineteen.  Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, honour thy father and mother, 
The works that lead to heaven, be the works of God's commandments.  and love thy neighbour as thyself. By which words, Christ declared, that the laws of GOD, be the very way that do lead to eternal life, and not the traditions, and laws of men. 
Man from his first falling from Gods commandments, hath ever been ready to do the like, and to devise works of his own fantasy to please God withal.  So that this is to be taked for a most true lesson taught by Christ's own mouth, that the works of the moral commandments of God, be the very true works of faith, which lead to the blessed life to come. But the blindness and malice of man, even from the beginning, hath ever been ready to fall from God's commandments. As Adam the first man, having but one commandment, that he should not eat of the fruit forbidden, notwithstanding God's commandment, he gave credit unto the woman, seduced by the subtle persuasion of the Serpent, and so followed his own will, and left God's commandment. And ever since that time, all his succession hath been so blinded through original sin, that they have been ever ready to decline from God and his law, and to invent a new way unto salvation, by works of their own devise: so much, that almost all the world forsaking the true honour of the only eternal, living God, wandered about their own fantasies, worshipping some the Sun, the Moon, the stars: some jupiter, juno, Diana, Saturnus, Apollo, 
The devices & idolatry of the Gentiles.  Neptunus Ceres, Bacchus, and other dead men and women: Some therewith not satisfied, worshipped diverse kinds of beasts, birds, fish, foul, and serpents every Region, town, and house, in manner being divided, and setting up Images of such things as they liked, and worshipping the same. Such was the rudeness of the people, after they fell to their own fantasies, and left the eternal living GOD and his commandments, that they devised innumerable Images, & Gods. In which error and blindness they did reamain, until such time as almighty GOD, pitying the blindness of man, sent his true prophet Moses into the world, to reprehend this extreme madness, and to teach the people to know the only living God, and his true honour and worship. But the corrupt inclination of man, was so much given to follow his own fantasies, and (as you would say) to favour his own bird, that he brought up himself, that all the admonitions, exhortations, benefits, and threatenings of God, could not keep him from such his inventions. For notwithstanding all the benefits of God, 
The devices & idolatry of the Gentiles.  showed unto the people of Israel, yet when Moses went up into the mountain, to speak with almighty God: he had tarried there but a few days, when the people began to invent new gods. And as it came in their heads, they made a calf of gold, 
Exod xxxii.  and kneeled down & worshipped it. And after that, they followed the Moabites, & worshipped Beelphegor the Moabites God. Read the book of judges, the books of the Kings and the Prophets, and there shall you find, how inconstant the people were, how full of inventions, and more ready to run after their own fantasies, than Gods most holy commandments. There shall you read of Baal, Moloche, Chamos, Mechom, Baalpeor, Astaroth, Beel the dragon, Priapus, the brazen serpent, the twelve signs, and many other: unto whose images, the people with great devotion, invented Pilgrimages, preciously decking and censing them, kneeling down and offering to them, thinking that, an high merit before God, and to be esteemed above the precepts and commandments of god. And where at that time, god commanded no sacrifice to be made, but in jerusalem only, they did clean contrary, making altars and sacrifices every where, in hills, in woods, and in houses, not regarding God's commandments, but esteeming their own fantasies and devotion, to be better than them. And the error hereof was so spread abroad, that not only the unlearned people, but also the priests & teachers of the people, partly by glory and avarice were corrupted, and partly by ignorance blindly seduced with the same abominations: So much, that King Achab, having but only Helyas a true teacher & minister of god, there were eight hundred and fifty priests, that persuaded him to honour Baal, and to do sacrifice in the woods or groves. And so continued that horrible error, until the three noble Kings, as josaphat, Ezechias & josias, God's elect ministers, destroyed the same clearly, and reduced the people from such their feigned inventions, unto the very commandments of GOD: for the which thing, their immortal reward and glory, doth and shall remain with GOD for ever.  
And beside the foresaid inventions, 
Religions and sects among the jews.  the inclination of man to have his own holy devotions, devised new sects and religions, called Phariseis, Sadduces, and Scribes, with many holy & godly traditions and ordinances (as it feigned, by the outward appearance and goodly glistering of the works,) but in very deed, all tending to idolatry, Superstition and hypocrisy: their hearts within, being full of malice, pride, covetousness, and all iniquity. Against which sects, and their pretenced holiness, Christ cried out more vehemently, than he did against any other persons, saying and often repeating these words: 
Matth. xxiii.  Woe be to you Scribes and Phariseis, ye Hypocrites, for you make clean the vessel without, but within you be full of ravin and filthiness: thou blind Pharisei, & Hypocrite, first make the inward part clean. For notwithstanding all the goodly traditions, and outward shows of good works, devised of their own imagination, whereby they appeared to the world, most religious and holy of all men: yet Christ, (who saw their hearts) knew that they were inwardly in the sight of GOD, most unholy, most abominable, and farthest from God of all men. Therefore said he unto them: 
Matth xv. Esai. xxix.  Hypocrites, the Prophet isaiah spoke full truly of you, when he said: This people honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me: they worship me in vain, that teach doctrines and commandments of men: For you leave the commandments of God, to keep your own traditions.  

Man's laws must be observed and kept, but not as God's laws.  And though Christ said, they worshipped GOD in vain, that teach doctrines and commandments of men: yet he meant not thereby to overthrow all men's commandments, for he himself was ever obedient to the Princes and their laws, made for good order and governance of the people: but he reproved the laws and traditions, made by the Scribes and Phariseis, which were not made only for good order of the people (as the Civil laws were) but they were so highly extolled, that they were made to be a right and sincere worshipping of God, as they had been equal with God's laws or above them: for many of God's laws could not be kept, but were fain to give place unto them. This arrogancy God detested, that man should so advance his laws, to make them equal with God's laws, wherein the true honouring and right worshipping of God standeth, and to make his laws for them to be omitted. God hath appointed his laws, whereby his pleasure is to be honoured. His pleasure is also, that all man's laws, being not contrary to his laws, shallbe obeyed, and kept, as good as necessary for every common weal, but not as things, wherein principally his honour resteth. And all Civil and man's laws, either be, or should be made, to induce men the better to observe God's laws, that consequently, God should be the better honoured by them. Howbeit, the Scribes and Phariseis were not content, that their laws should be no higher esteemed, than other positive & civil laws, nor would not have them called by the name of other temporal laws, but called them holy & godly traditions, 
Holy traditions were esteemed as God's laws.  and would have them esteemed, not only for a right and true worshipping of God (as Gods laws be in deed) but also to be the most high honouring of God, to the which, the commandments of God should give place. 

Luke xvi ●oly traditions 〈…〉.  
〈…〉 of 〈…〉 is commonly occasion that GOD 〈◊〉 offended.   And for this cause, did Christ so vehemently speak against them, saying: your traditions, which men esteem so high, be abomination before God. For commonly, of such traditions followeth the transgression of God's commandments, and a more devotion in the observing of such things, and a greater conscience in breaking of them, then of the commandments of God. As the Scribes and Phariseis so superstitiously, and scrupulously kept the Sabbath, that they were offended with Christ, because he healed sick men: 
Matth xii.  and with his Apostles, because they being sore hungry, gathered the ears of corn to eat, upon that day. And because his disciples washed not their hands so often as the traditions required, the Scribes and Phariseis quereled with Christ, 
Matth. xv.  saying: why do thy disciples break the traditions of the seniors? But Christ objected against them, that they for to observe their own traditions, did teach men to break the very commandments of God. For they taught the people such a devotion, that they offered their goods into the treasure house of the temple, under the pretence of God's honour, leaving their fathers and mothers (to whom they were chief bound) unholpen: and so they broke the commandments of GOD, to keep their own traditions. They esteemed more an oath, made by the gold or oblation in the temple, than an oath made in the name of God himself, or of the temple. They were more studious to pay their tithes of small things, then to do the greater things commanded of God, as works of mercy, or to do justice, or to deal sincerely, uprightly, and faithfully, with God and man (these saith Christ ought to be done, 
Math. xxiii.  and the other not omitted). And to be short, they were of so blind judgement, that they stumbled at a straw and leaped over a block. They would, (as it were) nicely take a fly out of their cup, & drink down a whole Camel. And therefore Christ called them blind guides, warning his disciples from time to time, to eschew their doctrine. For although they seemed to the world, to be most perfect men, both in living and teaching: yet was their life but Hypocrisy, and their doctrine but ●ower leaven, mixed with superstition, Idolatry, and preposterous judgement: setting up the traditions & ordinances of man, in the stead of God's commandments.  
Thus have you heard, how much the world from the beginning until Christ's time, was ever ready to fall from the commandments of God, and to seek other means to honour and serve him, after a devotion imagined of their own heads: and how they extolled their own traditions, as high or above God's commandments, which hath happened also in our times (the more it is to be lamented) no less than it did among the jews, and that by the corruption, or at the least, by the negligence of them, that chief ought to have preferred Gods commandments, & to have preserved the sincere and heavenly doctrine left by Christ. What man having any judgement or learning, joined with a true zeal unto GOD, doth not see, and lament, to have entered into Christ's religion, such false doctrine, Superstition, Idolatry, Hypocrisy, and other enormities and abuses, so as by little and little through the ●ower leaven thereof, the sweet bread of God's holy word hath been much hindered and laid apart. Never had the jews in their most blindness, so many Pilgrimages unto Images, nor used so much kneeling, kissing, and censing of them, as hath been used in our time.  

Sects & Religions among christian men  Sects & feigned religions were neither the forty part so many among the jews, nor more superstitiously and ungodly abused, then of late days they have been among us. Which sects and religions, had so many Hypocritical works in their state of religion (as they arrogantly named it) that their lamps (as they said) ran always over, able to satisfy, not only for their own sins, but also for all other their benefactors, brothers, & sisters of their religion, as most ungodly and craftily they had persuaded the multitude of ignorant people: keeping in diverse places (as it were) martes or markets of merits, being full of their holy relics, Images, shrines, and works of supererogation, ready to be sold. And all things which they had, were called holy, holy Coules, holy Girdles, holy Pardoned Beads, holy Shoes, holy Rules, and all full of holiness. And what thing can be more foolish, more Superstitious, or ungodly, than that men, women and children, should wear a friars coote, to deliver them from agues or pestilence, or when they die, or when they be buried, cause it to be cast upon them in hope thereby to be saved. Which superstition, although (thanks be to God) it hath been little used in this realm: yet in diverse other realms, it hath been, and yet is used, both among many, both learned and unlearned. But to pass over the innumerable supersticiousnesse, that hath been in strange apparel, in silence, in dormitory, in cloister, in chapter, in choice of meats & in drinks, and in such like things: let us consider, what enormities and abuses have been, in the three chief principal points, which they called the three essencialles of religion, that is to say, obedience, chastity, and wilful poverty.  
first, 
The iii chief vows of religion.  under pretence of obedience to their father in religion (which obedience they made them selves) they were exempted by their rules and canons, from the obedience of their natural father and mother, and from the obedience of Emperor and King, and all temporal power, whom of very duty by Gods laws, they were bound to obey. And so the profession of their obedience not due, was a renunciation of their due obedience. And how their profession of chastity was observed, it is more honesty to pass over in silence, & let the world judge of that, which is well known, then with unchaste words, by expressing of their unchaste life, to offend chaste and Godly ears. And as for their wilful poverty, it was such, then when in possessions, jewels, plate and riches, they were equal, or above merchants, Gentlemen, Barons, Earls, & Dukes: yet by this subtle sophistical term, Proprium in communi, they deluded the world, persuading, that notwithstanding all their possessions & riches, yet they observed their vow, & were in wilful poverty. But for all their riches, they might neither help father nor mother, nor other that were in deed very needy and poor, without the licence of their father Abbot, Prior, or warden. And yet they might take of every man, but they might not give aught to any man, no, not to them, whom the laws of God bound them to help. And so through their traditions and rules, the laws of God could bear no rule with them. And therefore of them might be most truly said that, which Christ spoke unto the Pharisees: you break the commandments of God by your traditions: 
Matth. xv.  you honour God with your lips, but you hearts be far from him. And the longer prayers they used by day & by night, under pretence of such holiness, to get the favour of Widows & other simple folks, that they might sing Trentals and service for their husbands and friends, & admit them into their suffrages, the more truly is verified of them the saying of Christ: woe be to you Scribes and Phariseis, 
〈◊〉  Hypocrites, for you devour Widows houses, under colour of long prayers: therefore your damnation shallbe the greater. Woe be to you Scribes & Phariseis, Hypocrites, for you go about by sea and by land, to make more Novices and new brethren, and when they be admitted of your sect, you make them the children of hell, worse than yourselves be. Honour be to God, who did put light in the heart of his faithful & true minister of most famous memory, King Henry the eight and gave him the knowledge of his word, and an earnest affection to seek his glory, and to put away all such Superstitious and Pharisaical sects by Antichrist invented, and set up against the true word of God, and glory of his most blessed name, as he gave the like spirit unto the most noble and famous Princes, josaphat, josias, and Ezechyas. God grant all us, the Kings highness faithful & true subjects, to feed of the sweet and savoury bread of Gods own word, and (as Christ commanded) to eschew all our Pharisaical and Papistical leaven of man's feigned religion. Which, although it were before God, most abominable and contrary to God's commandments, and Christ's pure religion, yet it was extolled, to be a most Godly life, & highest state of perfection. As though a man might be more Godly and more perfect by keeping the rules, traditions and professions of men, then by keeping the holy commandments of God. And briefly to pass over the ungodly & counterfeit religions: let us rehearse some other kinds of Papistical superstitions and abuses, as of Beads, of Lady Psalters & Rosaries, of xu Oos, 
Other devised and superstitions.  of saint Bernardes' Verses, of saint Agathes letters, of Purgatory, of Masses satisfactory, of Stations and jubilees, of feigned Relics, of hallowed Beads, Bells, Bread, Water, palms, candles, Fire and such other: of Superstitious fastings, of Fraternities, of Pardons, with such like merchandise: which were so esteemed and abused to the great prejudice of God's glory and commandments, that they were made most high and most holy things, whereby to attain to the eternal life, or remission of sin. Yea also, vain inventions, unfruitful Ceremonies and ungodly Laws. 
Decrees and decretals  Decrees and Counsels of Rome, were in such wise advanced, that nothing was thought comparable in authority, wisdom, learning, and Godliness, unto them. So that the laws of Rome, (as they said) were to be received of all men, as the four evangelists: to the which all laws of Princes must give place. And the laws of God also p●rily were omitted and less esteemed, that the said laws, decrees and Counsels, with their traditions and Ceremonies, might be more duly observed & had in greater reverence. Thus was the people, through ignorance so blinded, with the goodly show and appearance of those things, that they thought the observing of them to be a more holiness, a more perfect service and honouring of God, and more pleasing to God, than the keeping of God's commandments. Such hath been the corrupt inclination of man, ever superstitiously given to make new honouring of God, of his awn head, and then to have more affection and devotion to observe that, then to search out God's holy commandments and to keep them. And furthermore, to take God's commandments, for men's commandments, and men's commandments for God's commandments, yea, and for the highest, and most perfect and holy of all God's commandments. And so was all confused, that scant well learned men, and but a small numbered of them, knew, or at the least would know, and durst affirm the truth, to separate God's commandments from the commandments of men: whereupon did grow much error, Superstition, Idolatry, vain religion, preposterous judgement, great contention, with all ungodly living.  
Wherefore, 
An exhortation to the keeping of God's commandments.  as you have any zeal to the right and pure honouring of God: as you have any regard to your awn souls, & to the life that is to come, which is both without pain, and without end, apply yourselves chief above all thing, to read and to hear God's word: mark diligently therein, what his will is you shall do, and with all your endeavour, apply yourselves to follow the same. 
A brief rehearsal of Gods commandments.  First you must have an assured faith in God, & give yourselves wholly unto him, love him in prosperity & adversity, and dread to offend him evermore. Then, for his sake, love all men, friends and foes, because they be his creation and Image, & redeemed by Christ, as ye are. Cast in your minds, how you may do good unto all men, unto your powers, & hurt no man. Obey all your superiors and governors, serve your masters faithfully and diligently, aswell in their absence, as in their presence, not for dread of punishment only, but for conscience sake, knowing that you are bound so to do by God's commandments. Disobey not your fathers & mothers, but honour them, help them, & please them to your power. Oppress not, kill not, beat not, neither slander nor hate any man: But love all men, speak well of all men, help & succour every man, as you may, yea, even your enemies that hate you, that speak evil of you, and that do hurt you. Take no man's goods, nor covet your neighbours goods wrongfully, but content yourselves with that, which ye get truly, & also bestow your own goods charitably, as need & case requireth. Flee all idolatry, Withcraft, & perjury: commit no manner of adultery, fornication, nor other unchasteness, in will nor in deed, with any other man's wife, widow, maid, or other wise. And travailing continually, during your life, thus in the observing the commandments of God, (wherein consisteth the pure principal, and direct honour of God, and which, wrought in faith, God hath ordained to be the right trade and path way unto heaven:) you shall not fail, as Christ hath promised, to come to that blessed and eternal life, where you shall live in glory and joy with GOD for ever. To whom be laud, honour, and empery, for ever & ever. AMEN.   

¶ An Homely of Christian Love and Charity.  
OF all things that be good to be taught unto christian people, there is nothing more necessary to be spoken of, and daily called upon, than charity: aswell, for that all manner of works of righteousness be contained in it, as also, that the decay thereof, is the ruin of the world, the banishment of virtue, and the cause of all vice. And for so much as almost every man, maketh and frameth to himself charity after his own appetite, & how detestable soever his life be, both unto God & man, yet he persuadeth himself still that he hath charity: therefore you shall hear now a true & plain description of Charity, not of men's imagination, but of the very words and example of our saviour jesus Christ. In which description, every man, (as it were in a glass) may consider himself & see plainly without error, whether he be in the true Charity or not. 
What Charity is.   
Charity is to love God with all our heart, all our life, and all our powers and strength: With all our heart, that is to say, that our hearts, 
The love of GOD.  mind and study, be set to believe his word, to trust in him, and to love him above all other things that we love best, in heaven or in earth: With all your life, that is to say, that our chief joy & delight be set upon him, & his honour, & our whole life given unto the service of him above all things, with him to live & die, and to forsake all other things, rather than him. For he that loveth his father or mother, son or daughter, 
Math. x.  house or land, more than me (sayeth Christ) is not worthy to have me: With all our powers, that is to say, that with our hands & feet, with our eyes and ears, our mouths & tongues, and with all other parts & powers, both of body & soul, we should be given to the keeping & fulfilling of his commandments. This is the first & principal part of charity, 
The love of thy neighbour.  but it is not the whole: for charity is also, to love every man, good & evil, friend & foo, and whatsoever cause be given to the contrary, yet nevertheless to bear good will and heart unto every man, to use ourselves well unto them, aswell in words & countenance, as in all our outward acts and deeds: For so Christ himself taught, & so also he performed in deed. Of the love of God, he taught in this wise, unto a doctor of the law, that asked him, which was the great and chief commandment in the law? love thy Lord God (said Christ) with all thy heart, 
Matt. xxii.  with all thy life, and with all thy mind. And of the love that we ought to have among ourselves each to other, he teacheth us thus: you have heard it taught in times passed, thou shalt love thy friend, and hate thy foe, 
Math. v.  but I tell you, love your enemies, speak well of them that diffame you, & speak evil of you, do well to them that hate you, pray for them that vex and persetute you, that you may be the children of your father that is in heaven. For he maketh his sun to rise both upon the evil and good, and sendeth rain to just and unjust. 
Math. v  For if you love them that love you, what reward shall you have? Do not the Publicans likewise? And if you speak well only of them, that be your brethren and dear-beloved friends, what great matter is that? Do not the Heathen the same also? These be the very words of our saviour Christ himself, touching the love of our neighbour. And for asmuch as the Phariseis (with their most pestilent traditions, false interpretations & gloss) had corrupted, and almost clearly stopped up, this pure well of God's lively word, teaching, that this love and charity pertained only to a man's friends, & that it was sufficient for a man to love them, which do love him, & to hate his foes: therefore Christ opened this well again, purged it, & scoured it, by giving unto his Godly law of charity, a true & clear interpretation, which is this: that we ought to love every man, both friend and foe, adding thereto, what commodity we shall have thereby, and what incommodity by doing the contrary. What thing can we wish so good for us, as the eternal heavenly father to repute & take us for his children? And this shall we be sure of (sayeth Christ) if we love every man without exception. And if we do otherwise (saith he) we be no better than the Phariseis, Publicans, & Heathen, and shall have our reward with them, that is, to be excluded from the number of Gods elect children, and from his everlasting inheritance in heaven.  
Thus of true Charity, Christ taught, that every man is bound to love God above all things, and to love every man, friend & foe. And thus likewise he did use himself, exhorting his adversaries, rebuking the faults of his adversaries, and when he could not amend them, yet he prayed for them. first he loved God his father abovee all things: so much that he sought not his own glory & will, but the glory and will of his father. 
Ihon. v.  I seek not (said he) mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. Nor he refused not to die, to satisfy his father's will saying: 
Mat. xxvi.  if it may be, let this cup of death go from me, if not, thy will be done, and not mine. He loved not only his friends, but also his enemies, which (in their hearts) bore exceeding great hatred against him, & in their tongues spoke all evil of him, and in their acts and deeds pursued him, with all their might and power, even unto death. Yet all this notwithstanding, he withdrew not his favour from them, but still loved them, preached unto them, of love, rebuked their false doctrine, their wicked living, and did good unto them, patiently accepting whatsoever they spoke, or did against him. When they gave him evil words, he gave none evil again: when they did strike him, he did not smite again: & when he suffered death, he did not slay them, nor threaten them, but prayed for them, and referred all things to his father's will. And as a sheep that is led unto the shambles to be slain, 
Esai. iiii. Acted. viii  and as a lamb that is shorn of his fleece, make no noise nor resistance: even so went he unto his death, without any repugnance, or opening of his mouth, to say any evil.  
Thus have I described unto you, what charity is, aswell by the doctrine, as by the example of Christ himself. Whereby also every man may, without error, know himself, what state and condition he standeth in, whether he be in Charity, (& so the child of the father in heaven) or not. For, although almost every man persuadeth himself to be in charity, yet let him examine none other man, but his own heart his life & conversation, and he shall not be deceived, but truly decern & judge, whether he be in perfect charity or not. For he that followeth not his own appetite & will, but giveth himself earnestly to God to do all his will & commandments, he may be sure that he loveth God above all things, & else surely he loveth him not, whatsoever he pretend: as Christ said, if ye love me, keep my commandments. For he that knoweth my commandments, 
Ihon. xliii.  & keepeth them he it is (said Christ) that loveth me. And again he saith, he that loveth me, will keep my word, & my father will love him, & we will both come to him, and dwell with him. And he that loveth me not, will not keep my words. And likewise, he that beareth good heart and mind, & useth well his tongue & deeds unto every man, friend & foo, he may know thereby, that he hath charity. And then he is sure also, that almighty God taketh him for his dear beloved son, as s. John saith: 
i. Ihon. iiii.  hereby manifestly are known the children of God, from the children of the devil: for whosoever doth not love his brother, belongeth not unto god.  
But the perverse nature of man, corrupt with sin, and destitute of God's word & grace, 
Against carnal men, that will not forg●ue their enemies.  thinketh it against all reason, that a man should love his enemy, and hath many persuasions, which induce him to the contrary. Against all which reasons, we ought aswell to set the teaching, as the living of our saviour Christ, who loving us (when we were his enemies) doth teach us to love our enemies. He did patiently take for us, many reproaches, suffered beating, and most cruel death. Therefore we be no membres of him, if we will not follow him. Christ (sayeth s. Peter) suffered for us, 
●. Pet. two.  leaving an example, that we should follow him.  
Furthermore, we must consider, that to love our friends, is no more but that, which thieves, adulterers, homicides, & all wicked persons do: in so much that jews, Turks, Infidels, & all brute beasts, do love them that be their friends, of whom they have their living, or any other benefits. But to love enemies, is the proper condition only of them, that be the children of God, the disciples and followers of Christ. notwithstanding, man's froward & corrupt nature, weigheth over deeply many times, the offence and displeasure done unto him by enemies, and thinketh it a burden intolerable, to be bound to love them, that hate him. But the burden should be easy enough, if (on the otherside) every man would consider, what displeasure he hath done to his enemy again, & what pleasure he hath received of his enemy. And if we find no equal recompense, neither in receiving pleasures of our enemy, nor in rendering displeasures unto him again: then let us pondre the displeasures, which we have done against almighty God, how often, and how grievously we have offended him. Whereof, if we will have of God forgiveness, there is none other remedy, but to forgive the offences done unto us, which be very small in comparison of our offences done against God.  
And if we considre, that he, which hath offended us, deserveth not to be forgiven of us, let us consider again, that we much less deserve to be forgiven of God. And although our enemy deserve not to be forgiven for his own sake, yet we ought to forgive him for God's love, considering how great & many benefits we have received of him, without our deserts, & that Christ hath deserved of us▪ that for his sake we should forgive them their trespasses committed against us. 
A question.  But here may rise a necessary question to be dissolved: if charity require to think, speak, & do well unto every man, both good and evil: how can magistrates execute justice upon malefactors with charity? How can they cast evil men in prison, take away their goods, and sometime their lives, according to laws, if charity will not suffer them so to do.  
Hereunto is a plain & a brief answer: 
An answer  that plagues and punishments be not evil of themselves, if they be well taken of innocentes. And to an evil man they are both good & necessary, & may be executed, according to charity, 
Charity hath two offices.  & with charity should be executed. For declaration whereof, you shall understand, the charity hath ii offices: th'one contrary to the other, & yet both necessary to be used upon men of contrary sort, & disposition. The one office of charity is, to cherish good & innocent men, not to oppress them with false accusations, but to encourage them with rewards to do well and to persever in well doing, defending them with the swourd from their adversaries. And the office of Bishops & Pastors, is to praise good men for well doing, that they may persever therein, and to rebuke and correct by the word of God, the offences and crimes of all evil disposed persons. For the other office of charity is, to rebuke, correct, & punish vice, without acceptation of persons, and this to be used against them only, that be evil men and malefactors. And that it is aswell the office of charity, to rebuke, punish, and correct them that be evil, as it is, to cherish and reward them that be good and innocent: S. Paul declareth, (writing to the Ro.) saying: 
Roma. xiii.  that the high powers are ordained of God, not to be dreadful to them that do well, but unto malefactors, to draw the swourd, to take vengeance of him that committeth the sin. And S. Paul biddeth Timothe, 
●▪ Timo. v.  constantly and vehemently, to rebuke sin, by the word of God. So that both offices should be diligently executed, to impugn the kingdom of the devil: the preacher with the word, and the governor with the swourde: Else they love neither God, nor them whom they govern, if (for lack of correction) they wilfully suffer God to be offended, and then whom they govern, to perish. For as every loving father correcteth his natural son, when he doth amiss, or else he loveth him not: so all governors of realms, countries, towns, & houses, should lovingly correct them, which be offenders under their governance, & cherish them, which live innocently, if they have any respect, either unto God and their office, or love unto them, of whom they have governance. And such rebukes & punishments of them that offend, must be done in due time, lest by delay, the offenders fall hedlynges into all manner of mischief, and not only be evil themselves, but also do hurt unto many men, drawing other by their evil example, to sin & outrage after them. As one thief may both rob many men, & also make many thieves, & one seditious person may allure many, & noye a whole town or country. And such evil persons that be so great offenders of God, & the common weal charity requireth to be cut of from the body of the common weal, lest they corrupt other good & honest people: like as a good surgeon cutteth away a putrefied, and festered member, for love he hath to the whole body, lest it infect other membres adjoining to it. Thus it is declared unto you, what true charity or christian love is, so plainly that no man need to be deceived. Which love, whosoever keepeth, not only towards God (whom he is bound to love above all things) but also towards his neighbour, aswell friend as foe, it shall surely keep him from all offence of God, & just offence of man. Therefore bear well away this one short lesson, that by true christian charity, God ought to be loved above all things, & all men ought to be loved, good & evil, friend and foo, & to all such, we ought (as we may) to do good: those that be good, of love to encourage and cherish, because they be good, and those that be evil, of love, to procure their correction and due punishment, that they may thereby, either be brought to goodness, or at the least, that God and the common wealth may be the less hurt and offended. And if we thus direct our life, by christian love and charity, than Christ doth promise, & assure us, that he loveth us, that we be the children of our heavenly father, reconciled to his favour, very membres of Christ, and that after this short time of this present and mortal life, we shall have with him eternal life in his everlasting kingdom of heaven: therefore to him with the father and the holy ghost, be all honour and glory, now and ever. Amen.   

¶ Against swearing and perjury.  
Almighty God to the intent his most holy name should be had in honour, & evermore be magnified of the people, commandeth that no man should take his name vainly in his mouth, threatening punishment unto him that unreverently abuseth it, by swearing, forswearing, and blasphemy. To the intent therefore, that this commandment may be the better known and kept: it shallbe declared unto you, both how it is lawful for christian people to swear, and also what peril and danger it is, vainly to swear, or to be forsworn. first, when judges require oaths of the people, 
How and in what causes it is lawful▪ to swear  for declaration of the truth, or for execution of justice, this manner of swearing is lawful. Also when men make faithful promises with attestation of the name of God, to observe covenants, honest promises, statutes, laws, and good customs: as Christian princes do in their conclusions of peace, for conservation of common wealths: & private persons, promise their fidelity in Matrimony, or one to another in honest and true friendship: and all men, when they do swear to keep common laws, or local statutes and good customs, for due order to be had and continued among men: when subjects do swear to be true and faithful to their King and sovereign Lord: and when judges, Magistrates, and officers swear, truly to execute their offices: and when a man would affirm the truth, to the setting forth of God's glory (for the salvation of the people) in open preaching of the Gospel, or in giving of good counsel, privately for their soul's health. All these manner of swearynges, for causes necessary and honest, be lawful. But when men do swear of custom, in reasoning, biing, and selling, or other daily communication (as many be common and great swearers) such kind of swearing is ungodly, unlawful, and prohibited by the commandment of God. For such swearing is nothing else, but taking of God's holy name in vain. And here is to be noted, that lawful swearing is not forbidden, but commanded of almighty God. For we have examples of Christ, and Godly men in holy scripture, that did swear themselves, and required oaths of other likewise. And God's commandment is: 
Deuter. vi.  Thou shalt dread thy Lord God, and shalt swear by his name. 
Psal. lxii.  And almighty God by his prophet David sayeth: all men shallbe praised, that swear by him.  
Thus did our saviour Christ swear diverse times, saying: verily verily. 
Ihon. iii. two. Cor. i Gene. xxiii●.  And S. Paul sweareth thus: I call God to witness. And Abraham (waxing old) required an oath of his servant, that he should procure a wife for his son Isaac, which should come of his own kindred: and the servant did swear that he would perform his Masters will. Abraham also being required, 
Gene. xxi.  did swear unto Abimelech, the king of Geraris, that he should not hurt him, nor his posterity. And so likewise did Abimelech swear unto Abraham. And David did swear, to be, and continue a faithful friend to jonathas: and jonathas did swear to become a faithful friend unto David.  
Also, God once commanded, that if a thing were laid to pledge to any man, or left with him to keep, if the same thing were stolen, or lost, that the keeper thereof, should be sworn before judges, that he did not convey it away, nor used any deceit, in causing the same to be conveyed away, by his consent or knowledge. 
Hebre. vi.  And s. Paul saith: that in all matters of controversy between two persons, whereas one saith yea, and the other nay, so as no due proof can be had of the truth, the end of every such controversy must be an oath ministered by a judge. And moreover, 
Hier. iiii.  God by the prophet jeremy saith: thou shalt swear the Lord liveth, in truth, in judgement, in righteousness. So that whosoever sweareth when he is required of a judge, let him be sure in his conscience, that his oath have these three conditions, & he shall never need to be afraid of perjury.  


What conditions a lawful oath ought to have.  
The ●irste.   First he that sweareth, must swear truly, that is, he must (secluding all favour and affection to the parties) have the truth only before his eyes, and for love thereof, say and speak that, which he knoweth to be truth, 
The second  and no further. The second is: he that taketh an oath, must do it with judgement, not rashly and unadvisedly, but soberly, considering what an oath is, 
The third  The third is: he that sweareth, must swear in righteousness, that is, for the very zeal and love, which he beareth to the defence of innocency, to the maintenance of the truth, and to the righteousness of the matter or cause: all profit, disprofit, all love and favour unto the person, for friendship or kindred, laid a part. Thus an oath (if it have with it these three conditions) is a part of God's glory, 
Why we be willed in scripture to swear by the name of God.  which we are bound by his commandment, to give unto him. For he willeth that we shall swear only by his name: not that he hath pleasure in our oaths, but like as he commanded the jews to offer sacrifices unto him, not for any delight that he had in them, but to keep the jews from committing of Idolatry: so he commanding us to swear by his holy name, doth not teach us, that he delighteth in swearing, but he thereby forbiddeth all men to give his glory to any creature in heaven, earth, or water. Hitherto you see, 
isaiah. xlii. Psalm. ●l.  that oaths lawful, are commanded of God, used of patriarchs and Prophets, of Christ himself, and of his Apostle Paul. 
Commodities had by lawful oaths made & observed.  Therefore Christian people must think lawful oaths, both godly and necessary. For lawful promises and covenants confirmed by by oaths, Princes and their countries are confirmed in common tranquillity and peace. By holy promises, with attestation of God's name, we be made lively members of Christ, when we profess his Religion, receiving the sacrament of baptism. By like holy promise, the sacrament of matrimony, knitteth man and wife, in perpetual love, that they desire not to be separated, for any displeasure or adversity, that shall after happen.  
By lawful oaths, which Kings, Princes, judges, and Magistrates do swear, common laws are kept inviolate, justice is indifferently ministered, innocent persons, orphans, widows, and poor men, are defended, from murderers, oppressors, and thieves, that they suffer no wrong, nor take any harm. By lawful oaths, mutual society, amity, and good order, is kept continually in all commonalties, as boroughs, cities, towns, and villages. And by lawful oaths, malefactors are searched out, wrong doers are punished, and they which sustain wrong, are restored to their right. Therefore, lawful swearing cannot be evil, which bringeth unto us, so many Godly, good, and necessary commodities. 
Uain swearing is forbidden.  Wherefore, when Christ so earnestly forbade swearing, it may not so be understanded, as though he did forbid all manner of oaths: but he forbiddeth all vain swearing, and forswearing, both by god, and by his creatures, as the common use of swearing, in buying, selling, and in our daily communication, to the intent every Christian man's word, should be aswell regarded in such matters, as if he should confirm his communication with an oath. For every Christian man's word (saith saint Hierome) should be so true, that it should be regarded as an oath. And Chrisostome witnessing the same, saith: It is not convenient to swear, for what needeth us to swear, when it is not lawful for one of us, 
An objection.  to make a lie unto another. Peradventure some will say: I am compelled to swear, for else men that do common with me, or do buy and sell with me, 
An answer.  will not believe me. To this answereth. S Chrisostome, that he that thus saith, showeth himself to be an unjust, and a deceitful person: for if he were a trusty man, and his deeds taken to agree with his words, he should not need to swear at al. For he that useth truth and plainness in his bargaining and communication, he shall have no need by such vain swearing, to bring himself in credence with his neighbours, nor his neighbours will not mistrust his sayings. And if his credence be so much lost in deed, that he thinketh no man will believe him, without he swear, than he may well think, his credence is clean gone, For truth it is (as Theophilactus writeth) that no man is less trusted, than he, that useth much to swear. And almighty God, by the wiseman saith: 
Eccle. xxxiii.  that man which sweareth much, shallbe full of sin, and the scourge of God, shall not departed from his house.  
But here some men will say, 
Another objection.  for excusing of their many oaths in their daily talk, why should I not swear, when I swear truly▪ 
An answer  To such men it may be said: that though they swear truly, yet in swearing often, unadvisedly, for trifles, without necessity, and when they should not swear, they be not without fault, but do take Gods most holy name in vain. Much more ungodly and unwise men, are they, that abuse Gods most holy name, not only in buying and selling of small things daily in all places, but also eating, drinking, playing, commoning, and reasoning. As if none of these things might be done, except in doing of them, the most holy name of God be commonly used, and abused vainly, and unreverentely talked of, sworn by and forsworn, to the breaking of God's commandment and procurement of his indignation. And aswell they use the name of GOD in vain, that by an oath make lawful promises of good and honest things, and perform them not, as they, which do promise evil and unlawful things, and do perform the same. Of such men that regard not their godly promises confirmed by an oath, 
Lawful oaths and promises would be better regarded. joshua. ix.  but wittingly and wilfully breaketh them, we do read in holy scripture two notable punishments. first, joshua and the people of Israel made a league, and faithful promise of perpetual amity and friendship with the Gabaonites: notwithstanding, afterward in the days of wicked Saul, many of these Gabaonites were murdered, contrary to the said faithful promise made. Wherewith, almighty God was so sore displeased, that he sent an universal famine, upon the whole country, which continued by the space of three years. And GOD would not withdraw his punishment, until thesay offence was revenged, by the death of seven. sons, or next kinsmen, of king Saul. 
●. Regum. xi.  Also, whereas Sedechias, king of jerusalem, had promised fidelity, to the king of Chaldea: afterward, when Sedechias, contrary to his oath and allegiance, did rebel against king Nabugodonosor: this Heathen King, by God's permission, invading the land of jewry, and besieging the city of jerusalem, compelled thesay king Sedechias to flee, and in fleeing, took him prisoner, slew his sons before his face, and put out both his eyes, and binding him with chains, led him prisoner miserably into Babylon.  
Thus doth GOD show plainly, how much he abhorreth breakers of honest promises, 
Unlawful oaths and promises are not to be kept.  confirmed by an oath made in his name. And of them that make wicked promises by an oath, and will perform the same: we have example in the scripture, chief of Herode, of the wicked jews, and of jephthah. Herode promised by an oath unto the dam●sel, 
Matth. xiiii.  which danced before him, to give unto her, whatsoever she should ask, when she was instucted before, of her wicked mother, to ask the head of saint John Baptist. Herod, as he took a wicked oath, so he more wickedly performed the same, and cruelly slew the most holy Prophet. Likewise did the malicious jews make an oath, cursing themselves, if they did either eat or drink, until they had slain. s. Paul. 
Acts. xxiii. judicum. xi.  And jephthah, when God had given to him victory, of the children of Ammon, promised of a foolish devotion unto GOD, to offer for a sacrifice unto him, that person, which of his own house should first meet with him, after his return home. By force of which fond and unadvised oath, he did slay his own and only daughter, which came out of his house, with mirth & joy, to welcome him home. Thus the promise, which he made most foolishly to God, against God's eternal will, and the law of nature, most cruelly he performed, so committing against God, double offence. Therefore, whosoever maketh any promise, binding himself thereunto by an oath, let him foresee, that the thing which he promiseth, be good, honest, and not against the commandment of GOD, and that it be in his own power, to perform it justly. And such good promises must all men keep, evermore assuredly. But if a man at any time shall, either of ignorance, or of malice, promise and swear, to do any thing, which is either against the law of almighty God, or not in his power to perform: let him take it, for an unlawful and ungodly oath.  
Now some thing to speak of perjury, 
Against perjury.  to the intent into the house of the false man, and into the house of the perjured man, and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and consume him, the timber, and stones of his house. Thus you see, how much God doth hate perjury, and what punishment God hath prepared for false swearers, and perjured persons.  
Thus you have heard, how, and in what causes, it is lawful for a Christian man to swear: ye have heard, what properties, and conditions, a lawful oath must have, and also how such lawful oaths are both Godly, and necessary to be observed: ye have heard, that it is not lawful to swear vainly, (that is) other ways, then in such causes, and after such sort, as is declared: and finally, ye have heard how damnable a thing it is, either to forswear ourselves, or to keep an unlawful & an unadvised oath. Wherefore, let us earnestly call for grace, that all vain swearing and perjury set apart, we may only use such oaths, as be lawful and godly, and that we may truly, without all fraud, observe the same, according to Gods will and pleasure. To whom with the son and holy Ghost, be all honour and glory. AMEN.   

¶ A Sermon, how dangerous a thing it is, to decline from God.  
OF our going from God, the wiseman sayeth, 
Eccle. x.  that pride was the first beginning: for by it man's heart was turned from god his maker. For pride (saith he) is the fountain of all sin, he that hath it, shallbe full of cursings, & at the end, it shall overthrow him. And, as by Pride & sin, we go from God, so shall God & all goodness with him, go from us. And the prophet Ozee doth plainly affirm: 
Ozee. v  that they which go away still from God, by vicious living, & yet would go about to pacify him otherwise, by sacrifice, & entertain him thereby, they labour in vain. For, notwithstanding all their sacrifice, yet he goeth still away from them. For so much (saith the Prophet) as they do no apply their minds, to return to god, although they go about with whole flocks and herds, to seek the Lord: yet they shall not find him, for he is gone away from them. But as touching our turning to god, or from god: you shall understand, that it may be done diverse ways. Some times directly by idolatry, as Israel and juda then did: some times men go from God, by lack of faith, & mistrusting of God, whereof isaiah speaketh in this wise: Woe to them that go down into Egypt, to seek for help, 
isaiah. xxxi.  trusting in horses, and having confidence in the numbered of chariots, and puissance of horsemen. They have no confidence in the holy God of Israel, nor seek for the Lord: But what followeth? The Lord shall let his hand fall upon them, and down shall come, both the helper, and he that is helped. They shallbe destroyed altogether.  
Some time men go from God, by the neglecting of his commandments, concerning their neighbours, which commandeth them to express hearty love towards every man, 
Zacha. seven.  as Zachary said unto the people in gods behalf: give true judgement, show mercy and compassion every one to his brother: Ymagen to deceit towards widows, or children fatherless & motherless, towards stranger or the poor: let no man forge evil in his heart, against his brother. But these things they passed not of, they turned their backs, and went their way, they stopped their ears, that they might not hear, they hardened their hearts, as an Adamant stone, that they might not listen, to the law and the words, that the Lord had sent through his holy spirit, by his ancient Prophets. Wherefore the Lord showed his great indignation upon them: It came to pass (sayeth the Prophet) even as I told them: 
Hier. seven.  as they would not hear, so when they cried, they were not heard, but were dispersed into all kingdoms, which they never knew: & their land was made desolate. And to be short, all they, that may not abide the word of God, but following the persuasions, and stubbornness of their own hats, go backward, & not forward (as it is said in jeremy) they go & turn away from God. 
Heir. seven. Orige. super Exodi. homi. xii.  In so much that Origene saith: He that with mind, with study, with deeds, with thought & care, applieth himself to God's word, and thinketh upon his laws, day & night, giveth himself wholly to God, and in his precepts and commandments is exercised: this is he, that is turned to God. And on the other part (he saith): Whosoever is occupied with fables & tales, when the word of god is rehearsed: he is turned from God. Whosoever in time of reading God's word, is careful in his mind, of worldly business, of money, or of lucre: he is turned from God. Whosoever is entangled with the cares of possessions, filled with covetousness of riches: whosoever studieth, for the glory & honour of this world, he is turned from God. So that after his mind, whosoever hath not a special mind to that thing that is commanded, or taught of God: he that doth not listen unto it, embrace & print it in his heart, to the intent, that he may duly fashion his life thereafter, he is plainly turned from god, although he do other things of his own devotion and mind, which to him seem better, & more to god's honour. Which thing to be true, we be taught and admonished in the holy scripture, by the example of King Saul, who being commanded of god by Samuel, 
i. Regum. xv.  that he should kill all the Amalechites, and destroy them clearly with their goods, & cattles: Yet, he being moved, partly with pity, and partly (as be thought) with devotion unto god, saved Agag their King, & all the chief of their cattle, therewith to make sacrifice unto god. wherewithal god being displeased highly, said unto the prophet Samuel: I repent, that ever I made Saul a king, for he hath forsaken me, and not followed my words: and so he commanded Samuel to show him. And when Samuel asked, wherefore (contrary to God's word) he had saved the cattle: he excused the matter, partly by fear, saying he durst do none other, for that the people would have it so: partly, for that they were goodly beasts, he thought God would be content, saying it was done of a good intent and devotion, to honour God, with the sacrifice of them.  
But Samuel, reproving all such intentes and devotions (seem they never so much to God's honour, if they stand not with his word, whereby we may be assured of his pleasure) said in this wise: Would God have sacrifices and offerings? or rather that his word should be obeyed? To obey him, is better than offerings, & to listen to him, is better than to offer the fat of Rams: Yea, to repine against his voice, is as evil as the sin of divination, and not to agree to it, is like abominable idolatry. And now, forasmuch as thou hast cast away the word of the Lord, he hath cast away thee, that thou shouldest not be King.  
By all these examples of holy scripture, we may know, that as we forsake God: so shall he ever forsake us. 
The turning of God from man.  And what miserable state doth consequently and necessarily follow thereupon, a man may easily consider, by the terrible threatenings of God. And although, he considre not all the said misery, to the uttermost, being so great, that it passeth any man's capacity, in this life sufficiently to consider the same: yet he shall soon perceive somuch thereof, that if his heart be not more than stony, or harder than the Adamant, he shall fear, tremble and quake, to call the same to his remembrance.  
first the displeasure of God towards us, is commonly expressed in the scripture, by these two things: by showing his fearful countenance upon us, and by turning his face, or hiding it from us. By showing his dreadful countenance, is signified his great wrath, but by turning his face or hiding thereof, is many times more signified, that is to say: that he clearly forsaketh us, & giveth us over. The which significations be taken of the properties of men's manners: For men towards them, whom they favour, commonly bear, a good, a cheerful, and a loving countenance: so that by the face or countenance of a man, it doth commonly appear, what will or mind he beareth towards other. So, when God doth show his dreadful countenance towards us; that is to say, doth send dreadful plagues, of sword, famine, or pestilence upon us, it appeareth; that he is greatly wroth with us. But when he withdraweth from us his word, the right doctrine of Christ, his gracious assistance and aid, (which is ever joined to his word) and leaveth us to our own wit, our own will and strength: he declareth then, that he beginneth to forsake us. For where as God hath showed to all them, that truly believe his Gospel, his face of mercy in jesus christ, which doth so lighten their hearts, that they (if they behold it, as they ought to do) be transformed to his Image, be made partakers of the heavenly light, and of his holy spirit, and be fashioned to him, in all goodness, requisite to the children of God: so, if they after do neglect the same, if they be unthankful unto him, if they order not their lives, according to his example and doctrine, and to the setting forth of his glory, he will take away from them his kingdom, his holy word, whereby he should reign in them, because they bring not forth the fruit thereof, that he looketh for. Nevertheless, he is so merciful, & of so long sufferance, that he doth not show upon us, that great wrath suddenly. But when we begin to shrink from his word, not believing it, or not expressing it in our livings: first he doth send his messengers, the true preachers of his word, to admonish us of our duty, that as he for his part for the great love he bore unto us, delivered his awn son to suffer death, that we, by his death, might be delivered from death, & be restored to the life eternal, evermore to dwell with him, & to be partakers, and inheritors with him, of his everlasting glory, and kingdom of heaven: so again, that we for our parts, should walk in a godly life, as becometh his children to do. And if this will not serve, but still we remain disobedient to his word and will, not knowing him, not loving him, not fearing him, not putting our whole trust & confidence in him: and on the otherside, to our neighbours behaving us uncharitably, by disdain, envy, malice, or by committing murder, robbery, adultery, gluttony, deceit, lying, swearing, or other like detestable works, & ungodly behaviour: then he threateneth us by terrible comminations, 
Hebre iiii. Psal. xcv.  swearing in great angry, that whosoever doth these works, shall never enter into his rest, which is the kingdom of heaven.  
Now, if this gentle monition and commination together, do not serve, than god will show his terrible countenance upon us, he will power intolerable plagues upon our heads, & after, he will take away from us, all his aid & assistance, wherewith before he did defend us, from all such manner of calamity. As the evangelical prophet Isaiah, 
isaiah. v.  agreeing with Christ's parable, doth teach us, saying: 
Matth. xxi.  That God had made a goodly vinyeard, for his beloved children: he hedged it, he walled it round about, he planted it with chosen wines, & made a Turret in the mids thereof, & therein also a wine press. And when he looked, that it should bring him forth good grapes, it brought forth wild grapes: and after it followeth: Now shall I show you, (saith God) what I will do with my vineyard. I will pluck down the hedges, that it may perish: I will break down the walls, that it may be trodden under foot: I will let it lie waist, it shall not be cut, it shall not be didged, but briars and thorns shall overgrow it, & I shall command the clouds, that they shall no more rain upon it.  
By these threatenings we are monished, that if we, which are the chosen vineyard of God, bring not forth good grapes, that is to say, good works, that may be delectable, & pleasant in his sight, when he looketh for them, when he sendeth his messengers, to call upon us for them, but rather bring forth wild grapes, that is to say, sour works, unsweet, unsavoury & unfruitful: them will he pluck away all defence, & suffer grievous plagues of famine, & battle, dearth & death, to light upon us. Finally, if these do not yet serve, he will let us lie waist, he will give us over, he will turn away from us, he will dig & delve no more about us, he will let us alone, & suffer us to bring forth, even such fruit as we will, to bring forth, brambles, briars, and thorns, all naughtiness, all vice, & that so abundantly, that they shall clean overgrow us, suffocate, strangle, & utterly destroy us. But they, that in this world, live not after god (but after their own carnal liberty) perceive not this great wrath of god towards them, that he will not dig, nor delve any more about them, that he doth let them alone even to themselves. But they take this for a great benefit of god, to have all their own liberty: & so they live, as carnal liberty were the true liberty of the Gospel. But god forbid (good people) that ever we should desire such liberty. For although, god suffer sometimes the wicked, to have their pleasure in this world: yet the end of ungodly living, is at length eternal destruction.  

Nun. x●.  The murmuring Israelites, had that they longed for: they had quails enough, yea, till they were weary of them. But what was the end thereof: their sweet meat had sour sauce: even whiles the meat was in their mouths, the plague of God lighted upon them, & suddenly they died. So, if we live ungodly, & God suffereth us to follow our own wills, to have our own delights & pleasures, & correcteth us not with some plague, it is no doubt, but he is almost utterly displeased with us. And although it be long or he strike, yet many times, when he striketh such persons, he striketh them at once, for ever. So, that when he doth not strike us, when he ceaseth to afflict us, to punish or beat us, & suffereth us to run hedlinges into all ungodliness, & pleasures of this world, that we delight in without punishment & adversity, it is a dreadful token loveth us no longer, that he careth no longer for us, but hath given us over, to our own selves.  
As long as a man doth prune his vines, doth dig at the roots, and doeh lay fresh earth to them, he hath a mind to them, he perceiveth some token of fruitfulness that may be recovered in them: but when he will bestow no more such cost and labour about them, than it is a sign that he thinketh, they will never be good. And the father, as long as he loveth his child, he looketh angrily, he correcteth him when he doth amiss: but when that serveth not, and upon that he ceaseth from correction of him and suffereth him to do what he list himself, it is a sign, that he intendeth to disinherit him, & to cast him away for ever. So surely, nothing should pierce our heart so sore, & put us in such horrible fear, as when we know in our conscience, that we have grievously offended God, and do so continue, & that yet he striketh not, but quietly suffereth us in the naughtiness that we have delight in. Then specially it is time to cry, and to cry again, as David did: Cast me not away from thy face, and take not away thy holy spirit from me. 
Psal. i. Psal. xxvi.  Lord turn not away thy face from me, cast not thy servant away in displeasure. Hid not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them, that go down to hell. 
Psal. cxlii.  The which lamentable prayers of him, as they do certify us, what horrible danger they be in, from whom God turneth his face, (for that time, & as long as he so doth) so should they move us, to cry upon God, with all our heart, that we may not be brought into that state, which doubtless, is so sorrowful, so miserable, & so dreadful as no tongue can sufficiently express or any heart can think.  
For what deadly grief may a man suppose it is, to be under the wrath of God, to be forsaken of him, to have his holy spirit, the author of all goodness, to be taken from him, to be brought to so vile a condition, that he shallbe left meet for no better purpose, then to be for ever, condemned to hell. For not only such places of David do show, that upon the turning of God's face from any persons, they shallbe left bare from all goodness, & far from hope of remedy: but also the place, recited last before of isaiah, doth mean the same, which showeth, that God at length doth so forsake his unfruitful vineyard, that he will not only suffer it, to bring forth weeds, breirs, and thorns, but also, further to punish the unfruitfulness of it, he saith: he will not cut it, he will not delve it, and he will command the clouds, that they shall not rain upon it, whereby is signified, the teaching of his holy word: which saint Paul, after a like manner, expresseth by planting and watering, meaning, that he will take that away from them. So that they shallbe no longer of his kingdom, they shallbe no longer governed by his holy spirit: they shallbe frustrated of the grace & benefits, that they had, and ever might have enjoyed through Christ. They shallbe deprived of the heavenly light, and life, which they had in Christ, whiles they abode in him. They shallbe, 
i Reg. xv.  (as they were once) as men without God in this world, or rather in worse taking. And to be short, they shallbe given into the power of the devil, which beareth the rule in all them, that be cast away from God, as he did in Saul and judas, and generally, in all such, as work after their own wills, the children of diffidence and infidelity.  
Let us beware therefore (good christian people) lest that we, rejecting God's word, (by the which we obtain and retin, true faith in GOD) be not at length cast of so far, that we become as the children of infidelity, which be of two sorts, far diverse, yea, almost clean contrary, and yet both be very far, from returning to God. The one sort, only weighing their sinful, & detestable living, with the right judgement and straightness of God's righteousness, be so destitute of counsel, and be so comfortless, (as all they must needs be, from whom the spirit of counsel and comfort is gone) that they will not be persuaded in their hearts, but that either God cannot, or else that he will not take them again to his favour and mercy. The other, hearing the loving & large promises of God's mercy, and so not conceiving a right faith thereof, make those promises larger, than ever God did: trusting, that although they continue in their sinful and detestable living never so long, yet that God at the end of their life, will show his mercy upon them, and that then, they will return. And both these two sorts of men, be in a damnable state: & yet nevertheless, God, 
Eze. xviii. And xxxiii  (who willeth not the death of the wicked) hath showed means, whereby both the same (if they take heed in season) may escape. The first, 
Against desperation.  as they do dread gods rightful justice in punishing sinners, (whereby they should be dismayed and should despair in deed, as touching any hope that may be in themselves) so if they would constantly believe, that God's mercy is the remedy appointed against such despair & distrust, not only for them, but generally for all that be sorry and truly repentant, and will therewithal stick to God's mercy, they may be sure they shall obtain mercy, and enter into the port or haven of safeguard, into the which, whosoever doth come, be they before time never so wicked, they shallbe out of danger of everlasting damnation, 
Eze. xxxiii.  as God by Ezechiel saith: what time soever the wicked doth return, & take earnest and true repentance, I will forget all his wickedness.  

Against presumption.  The other, as they be ready to believe God's promises, so they should be as ready to believe the threatenings of god: aswell they should believe the law as the Gospel: aswell that there is an hell and everlasting fire, as that there is an heaven, and everlasting joy: aswell they should believe damnation, to be threatened to the wicked and evil doers, as salvation to be promised to the faithful in word and works: aswell they should believe, God to be true, in the one, as in the other. And the sinners, that continued in their wicked ●iuyng, aught to think, that the promises of God's mercy and the Gospel, pertain not unto them, being in that state, but only the law, and those scriptures, which contain the wrath, and indignation of God, and his threatenings, which should certify them, that as they do over boldly presume of god's mercy, and live dissolutely, so doth God still more and more withdraw his mercy from them, and he is so provoked thereby to wrath at length, that he destroyeth such presumers many times suddenly. For of such, saint Paul said thus: when they shall say, it is peace, 
i. Thessa. v.  there is no danger, then shall sudden destruction come upon them. Let us beware therefore, of such naughty boldness to sin: for God, which hath promised his mercy to them, that be truly repentant, (although it be at the latter end) hath not promised to the presumptuous sinner, either that he shall have long life, or that he shall have true repentance at the last end. But for that purpose, hath he made every man's death uncertain, that he should not put his hope in th'end, and in the mean season (to Gods high displeasure) live ungodly. Wherefore, let us follow the counsel of the Wiseman: let us make no tarrying, to turn unto the lord: let us not put of, from day to day, for suddenly shall his wrath come, and in time of vengeance, he shall destroy the wicked. Let us therefore turn betimes, and when we turn, let us pray to GOD, as Ozee teacheth, saying: forgive us all our sins, 
Ozee. xiiii.  receive us graciously. And if we turn to him, with an humble and a very penitent heart, he will receive us to his favour and grace, for his holy names sake, for his promise sake, for his truth and mercy's sake, promised to all faithful believers in jesus Christ, his only natural son. To whom the only saviour of the world, with the father and the holy ghost, be all honour, glory, and power, world without end. Amen.   

¶ An exhortation against the fear of Death.  
IT is not to be marveled, that worldly men do fear to die: For death depriveth them of all worldly honours, riches, and possessions: in the fruition whereof, the worldly man counteth himself happy, so long as he may enjoy them at his own pleasure: and other wise, if he be dispossessed of the same, without hope of recovery, than he can none other think of himself, but that he is unhappy, because he hath lost his worldly joy and pleasure. Alas thinketh this carnal man, shall I now departed for ever, from all my honours, all my treasures, from my country, friends, riches, possessions, and worldly pleasures, which are my joy and hearts delight? Alas that ever that day shall come, when all these I must bid farewell at once, and never to enjoy any of them after. Wherefore, it is not without great cause spoken of the wiseman: 
Eccle.▪ xli.  O death, how bitter and sour is the remembrance of thee, to a man that liveth in peace, and prosperity in his substance, to a man living at ease, leading his life after his own mind, without trouble, & is therewithal well pampered and fed? There be other men, whom this world doth not so greatly laugh upon, but rather vex and oppress with poverty, sickness, or some other adversity: Yet they do fear death, partly because the flesh abhorreth naturally his own sorrowful dissolution, which death doth threaten unto them, and partly, by reason of sicknesses, and painful diseases, which be most strong pangs and agonies in the flesh, and use commonly to come to sick men, before death, or at the least, accompany death, whensoever it cometh.  
Although these two causes s●me great & weighty to a worldly man, whereupon he is moved to fear death, yet there is another cause much greater than any of these afore rehearsed, for which in deed, he hath just cause to fear death: and that is, the state and condition, whereunto at the last end, death bringeth all them that have their hearts fixed upon this world, without repentance and amendment. This state & condition, is called the second death, which, unto all such, shall ensue after this bodily death. And this is that death, which in deed ought to be dread & feared: for it is an everlasting loss without remedy, of the grace & favour of God, and of everlasting joy, pleasure, and felicity. And it is not only the loss for ever of all these eternal pleasures, but also it is the condemnation, both of body & soul, (without either appellation, or hope of redemption) unto everlasting pains in hell. Unto this state death sent the unmerciful and ungodly richman, 
Luke. xvi,  (that Luke speaketh of, in his Gospel) who living in all wealth and pleasure in this world, and cherishing himself daily with dainty fare, and gorgeous apparel, despised poor Lazarus, that lay pitifully at his gate, miserably plagued, and full of sores, and also grievously pined with hunger.  
Both these two, were arrested of death, which sent Lazarus the poor miserable man by angels anon unto Abraham's bosom: a place of rest, pleasure and consolation. But the unmerciful richman, descended down into hell, and being in torments, he cried for comfort, complaining of the intolerable pain that he suffered in that flame of fire, but it was to late. So unto this place, bodily death sendeth all them, that in this world, have their joy and felicity: all them, that in this world, be unfaithful unto God, and uncharitable unto their neighbours, so dying without repentance, & hope of God's mercy. Wherefore it is no marvel, that the worldly man feareth death, for he hath much more cause so to do, than he himself doth consider.  

The first.  Thus we see three causes, why worldly men fear death. One, because they shall lose thereby, their worldly honours, riches, possessions, and all their hearts desires: 
The second  Another, because of the painful diseases, & bitter pangs, which commonly men suffer, either before, or at the time of death: but the chief cause, above all other, 
The third  is the dread of the miserable state, of eternal damnation both of body and soul, which they fear, shall follow, after their departing out of the worldly pleasures of this present life.  
For these causes, be all mortal men, (which be given to the love of this world) both in fear, & state of death, 
Hebre. two.  through sin (as the holy apostle saith) so long as they live here in this world. But (everlasting thanks be to almighty God for ever) there is never one of all these causes, no, nor yet they altogether, that can make a true Christian man afraid to die, (which is the very member of Christ, 
i Corin. iii.  the temple of the holy Ghost, the son of God▪ and the very inheritor of the everlasting kingdom of heaven) but plainly contrary, he conceiveth great and many causes, undoubtedly grounded upon the infallible and everlasting truth of the word of God, which move him, not only to put away the fear of bodiely death, but also for the manifold benefits and singular commodities, which ensue unto every faithful person, by reason of the same, to wish, desire, & long heartily for it. For death shall be to him no death at all, but a very deliverance from death, from all pains, cares, and sorrows, miseries, and wretchedness of this world, and the very entry into rest, and a beginning of everlasting joy, a tasting of heavenly pleasures, so great, that neither tongue is able to express, neither eye to see, nor ear to hear them, no, nor for any earthly man's heart to conceive them. So exceeding great benefits they be, which God our heavenly father by his mere mercy, and for the love of his son jesus Christ, hath laid up in store, and prepared for them, that humbly submit themselves to Gods will, and evermore unfeignedly, love him, from the bottom of their hearts. And we ought to believe, that death being slain by Christ, cannot keep any man, that steadfastly trusteth in Christ, under his perpetual tyranny and subjection, but that he shall rise from death again unto glory, at the last day, appointed by almighty God, like as Christ our head, did rise again, according to God's appointment, the third day. For saint Augustine saith: The head going before, the members trust to follow, & come after. And saint Paul saith: if Christ be risen from the dead, we shall rise also from the same. And to comfort all Christian persons herein, holy scripture calleth this bodiely death a sleep, wherein man's senses be (as it were) taken, from him, for a season, and yet when he awaketh, he is more freash, than he was when he went to bed. So, although we have our souls separated from our bodies for a season, yet at the general resurrection, we shallbe more freash, beautiful and perfit, than we be now. For now we be mortal, than we shall be immortal, now infect with divers infirmities, then clearly void of all mortal infirmities: now we be subject to all carnal desires, than we shallbe all spiritual, desiring nothing but God's glory, & things eternal. Thus is this bodiely death, a door, or entering unto life, and therefore not so much dreadful, (if it be rightly considered) as it is comfortable, not a mischief, but a remedy of all mischief, no enemy, but a friend, not a cruel tyrant, but a gentle guide, leading us, not to mortality, but to immortality, not to sorrow and pain, but to joy and pleasure, and that to endure for ever, if it be thankfully taken and accepted, as God's messenger, and patiently borne of us, for Christ's love, that suffered most painful death, for our love, to redeem us from death eternal. 
Roma. viii.  According hereunto, saint Paul saith: our life is hid with Christ in God, but when our life shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in glory. Why then shall we fear to die? considering the manifold, and comfortable promises of the Gospel, and of holy scriptures? God the father hath given us everlasting life, (saith S. John) & this life in is his son: 
Ihon. v●.  he that hath the son, hath life, & he that hath not the son, hath not life. 
Ihon. vi.  And this I wrote (saith S. John) to you, that believe in the name of the son of God, that you may know, that you have everlasting life, and that you do believe upon the name of the son of God. And our saviour Christ sayeth: 
Ihon. vi.  he that believeth in me, hath life everlasting, and I will raise him from death to life, at the last day. 
i Corin. ●.  Saint Paul also sayeth: that Christ is ordained and made of God, our righteousness, our holiness and redemption, to the intent that he, which will glory, should glory in the Lord. Saint Paul did contemn, and set little by all other things, esteeming them as dung, which before he had in very great price, that he might be found in Christ, to have everlasting life, true holiness, righteousness and redemption. Finally, 
Collos. iii.  S. Paul maketh a plain argument in this wise: If our heavenly father would not spare his own natural son, but did give him to death for us, how can it be, that with him he should not give us all things? Therefore, if we have Christ, then have we with him, and by him, all good things, whatsoever we can in our hearts wish or desire: as victory over death, sin and hell: we have the favour of God, peace with him, holiness, wisdom, justice, power, life, and redemption: we have by him, perpetual health, wealth, joy, and bliss everlasting.  
All those therefore, have great cause to be full of joy, that be joined to Christ with true faith, steadfast hope, and perfit charity, and not to fear death nor everlasting damnation. For death cannot deprive them of jesus Christ, nor any sin can condemn them, that are graffed surely in him, which is their only joy, treasure, and life. Let us repent our sins, amend our lives, trust in his mercy and satisfaction, and death can neither take him from us, nor us from him. For then, (as s. Paul saith) whether we live or die, 
Roma. xiiii.  we be the Lords own. And again he sayeth: Christ did die, and rose again, because he should be Lord, both of the dead & quick. Then if we be the Lords own, when we be dead, it must needs follow, that such temporal death, not only cannot harm us, but also, that it shall much be to our profit, and join us unto God, more perfectly: And thereof the christian heart may surely be certified by the infallible truth of holy scripture. It is God (sayeth saint Paul) which hath prepared us unto immortality, and the same is he, which hath given us an earnest of the spirit. Therefore let us be always of good comfort, for we know, that so long as we be in the body, we be (as it were) far from God in a strange country, subject to many perils, walking without perfit sight, and knowledge of almighty God, only saying him by faith, in holy scriptures. But we have a courage & desire, rather to be at home with God and our saviour Christ, far from the body, where we may behold his Godhead, as he is, face to face, to our everlasting comfort. These be saint Paul's words in effect, whereby we may perceive, that the life in this world, is resembled to a pilgrimage, in a strange country far from God: 
Hebre. xiii.  and that death, delivering us from our bodies, doth send us strait home, into our own country, and maketh us to dwell presently with God for ever, in perpetual rest and quietness. So that to die is no loss, but profit and winning to all true christian people.  
What lost the thief, that hanged on the cross with Christ by his bodiely death? Yea, how much did he gain by it? 
Luke. xxiii.  Did not our saviour say unto him, this day thou shalt be with me in Paradyse? And Lazarus, that pitiful person, 
Luke. xvi.  that lay before the richemans gate, pained with sores, and pined with hunger, did not death highly profit and promote him? Which by the ministry of Angels, sent him unto Abraham's bosom, a place of rest, joy and heavenly consolation? Let us think none other, (good christian people) but Christ hath prepared the same joy, and felicity for us, that he prepared for Lazarus & the thief. Wherefore, let us stick unto his salvation, and gracious redemption: and believe his word, serve him from our hearts, love & obey him, and whatsoever we have done heretofore contrary to his most holy will, now let us repent in time, and hereafter study to correct our life, & doubt not, but we shall find him as merciful unto us, as he was either to Lazarus, or to the thief: whose examples are written in holy scripture, for the comfort of them, that be sinners, and subject to sorrows, miseries, & calamities in this world, that they should not despair in God's mercy, but ever trust, thereby to have forgiveness of their sins, & life everlasting, as Lazarus and the thief had. Thus I trust every christian man, perceiveth by the infallible word of God, that bodiely death cannot harm nor hinder them, that truly believe in Christ, but contrary shall profit & promote the christian souls, which being truly penitent for their offences, depart hence in perfect charity, and in sure trust, that God is merciful to them, forgivinge their sins, for the merits of jesus Christ, his only natural son.  

The second cause, why some do fear death.  The second cause, why some do fear death, is sore sickness, and grievous pains, which partly, come before death, and partly, accompayneth death, whensoever it cometh. This fear, is the fear of the frail flesh, and a natural passion, belonging unto the nature of a mortal man. But true faith, in God's promises, and regard of the pains and pangs, which Christ upon the cross suffered for us miserable sinners, with consideration of the joy, and everlasting life to come in heaven, will mitigate those pains, and moderate this fear, that it shall never be able to overthrow the hearty desire, and gladness, that the christian soul hath to be separated from this corrupt body, that it may come to the gracious presence, of our saviour jesus Christ. If we believe steadfastly the word of god, we shall perceive, that such bodiely sickness, pangs of death, or whatsoever dolorous pains we suffer, either before or with death, be nothing else in Christian men, but the rod of our heavenly and loving father, wherewith he mercifully correcteth us, either to try and declare the faith of his patient children, that they may be found laudable, glorious, and honourable in his sight, when jesus Christ shallbe openly showed, to be the judge of all the world: or else to chastise, and amend in them, whatsoever offendeth his fatherly and gracious goodness, lest they should perish everlastingly. And this his correcting rod, is common to all them, that be truly his. Therefore let us cast away the burden of sin, that lieth so heavy in our necks, and return unto God, by true penance, and amendment of our lives. Let us with patience run this course that is appointed, suffering (for his sake that died for our salvation) all sorrows and pangs of death, and death itself joyfully, when God sendeth it to us, having our eyes fixed ever upon the head, and capitain of our faith, jesus Christ: Who (considering the joy, that he should come unto) cared neither for the shame, nor pain of death, but willingly, conforming his will to his father's will, most patiently suffered the most shameful and painful death of the cross, being innocent. 
Philip. two.  And now therefore, he is exalted in heaven, and everlastingly sitteth on the rigtht hand of the throne of God the father. Let us call to our remembrance therefore, the life and joys of heaven, that are kept for all them, that patiently do suffer here with Christ: and consider, that Christ suffered all his painful passion, by sinners, and for sinners, and then we shall with patience, and the more easily, suffer such sorrows and pains, when they come. Let us not set at light, the chastising of the Lord, nor grudge at him, nor fall from him, when of him we be corrected: for the Lord loveth them, whom he doth correct, and beateth every one, whom he taketh to be his child. What child is that, (saith saint Paul) whom the father loveth, 
Hebre. xii.  and doth not chastise? If ye be without God's correction (which all his well-beloved and true children have) then be you but bastards, finally regarded of God, & not his true children.  
Therefore, saying that when we have in earth our carnal fathers to be our correctors, we do fear them, and reverently take their correction, shall we not much more be in subjection to God our spiritual father, by whom we shall have eternal life? And our carnal fathers some time correct us, even as pleaseth them, without cause: but this father, justly correcteth us, either for our sin, to the intent we should amend, or for our commodity & wealth, to make us thereby partakers of his holiness. Furthermore, all correction, which God sendeth us in this present time, seemeth to have no joy and comfort, but sorrow and pain: Yet it bringeth with it a taste of God's mercy and goodness towards them, that be so corrected, & a sure hope of Gods everlasting consolation in heaven. If then these sorrows, diseases, and sicknesses, and also death itself, be nothing else, but our heavenly father's rod, whereby he certifieth us of his love & gracious favour, whereby he trieth and purifieth us, whereby he giveth unto us holiness, & certifieth us, that we be his children, and he our merciful father: shall not we then, with all humility, as obedient & loving children, joyfully kiss our heavenly father's rod, and ever say in our heart, with our saviour jesus Christ: Father, if this anguish and sorrow which I feel, and death, 
Mat. xxvi.  which I see approach, may not pass, but that thy will is, that I must suffer them, thy will be done.  
Now the third and special cause, 
The third cause why death is to be feared.  why death in deed is too be feared, is the miserable state of the worldly and ungodly people, after their death: But this is no cause at all, why the godly and faithful people should fear death, but rather contrariwise, their godly conversation in this life, and belief in Christ, cleaving continually to his merits, should make them to long sore after that life, that remaineth for them undoubtedly after this bodily death. Of this immortal state, after this transitory life, where we shall live evermore, in the presence of god, in joy and rest, after victory over all sickness, sorrows, sin, and death: there be many, both plain places of holy scripture, which confirm the weak conscience against the fear of all such dolours, sicknesses, sin and death corporal, to assuage such trembling and ungodly fear, and to encourage us with comfort and hope, of a blessed state after this life. Saint Paul wisheth unto the Ephesians, 
Ephe. i.  that God the father of glory, would give unto them, the spirit of wisdom and revelation, that the eyes of their hearts might have light to know him, and to perceive, how great things he had called them unto, and how rich inheritance, he hath prepared after this life, for them that pertain unto him. 
Phil. i.  And saint Paul himself, declareth the desire of his heart, which was to be dissolved and loosed from his body, and to be with Christ, which (as he said) was much better for him, although to them, it was more necessary, that he should live, which he refused not, for their sakes. Even like as saint Martin said: good Lord, if I be necessary for thy people to do good unto them I will refuse no labour, but else for mine own self, I beseech the to take my soul.  
Now, the holy fathers of the old law, and all faithful and righteous men, which departed before our saviour Christ's ascension into heaven, did by death, depart from troubles unto rest, from the hands of their enemies into the hands of God, from sorrows & sicknesses unto joyful refreashing into Abraham's bosom, a place of all comfort & consolation, as scriptures do plainly by manifest words testify. The book of Wisdom saith: 
Sapien. iii.  that the righteous men's souls be in the hand of God, & no torment shall touch them. They seemed to the eyes of foolish men to die, and their death was counted miserable, and their departing out of this world, wretched, but they be in rest. And another place saith: that the righteous shall live for ever, and their reward is with the Lord, & their minds be with God, who is above al. Therefore they shall receive a glorious kingdom, and a beautiful crown, at the lords hand. And in another place, 
Sapien. iiii.  the same book saith: the righteous, though he be prevented with sudden death, nevertheless he shallbe there, where he shallbe refreshed. Of Abraham's bosom, Christ's words be so plain, that a christian man needeth no more proof of it. Now then, if this were the state of the holy fathers & righteous men, before the coming of our saviour, and before he was glorified, how much more then, ought all we to have a steadfast faith, & a sure hope of this blessed state & condition, after our death? saying that our saviour, now hath performed the whole work of our redemption, and is gloriously ascended into heaven, to prepare our dwelling places with him, & said unto his father: Father, I will that where I am, 
Ihon. xvii.  my servants shallbe with me. And we know, that whatsoever Christ will, his father will the same: wherefore it cannot be, but if we be his faithful servants, our souls shallbe with him, after our departing out of this present life. Saint Stephin, 
Acts. seven.  when he was stoned to death, even in the midst of his torments, what was his mind most upon? When he was full of the holy Ghost, (sayeth holy scripture) having his eyes lifted up into heaven, he saw the glory of God, and jesus standing on the right hand of God. The which truth, after he had confessed boldly before the enemies of Christ, they drew him out of the city, and there they stoned him, who cried unto God saying: Lord jesus Christ, take my spirit. And doth not our saviour say plainly in saint Ihons' Gospel? verily, 
John▪ v.  verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word & believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and cometh not into judgement, but shall pass from death to life. Shall we not then think that death to be precious, by the which we pass unto life? Therefore it is a true saying of the Prophet: 
Psalm. ●xvi.  the death of the holy and righteous men, is precious in the lords sight. Holy Simeon, after that he had his hearts desire, in saying our saviour that he ever longed for all his life, he embraced him in his arms, and said: Now Lord, let me depart in peace, 
Luke. two.  for mine eyes have beholden that saviour, which thou hast prepared for all nations.  
It is truth therefore, that the death of the righteous, is called peace, and the benefit of the Lord, as the Church saith in the name of the righteousness departed out of this world: 
Psalm. cxiiii.  My soul turn the to thy rest, for the Lord hath been good to thee, and rewarded the. And we see by holy scripture, and other ancient Histories of Martyrs, that the holy faithful, and righteous, ever sins Christ's ascension, in their death did not doubt, but that they went to be with Christ in spirit, which is our life, health, wealth and salvation. 
Apoc. xiiii.  John in his holy Revelation, saw a. C.xl and four M. virgins and innocentes, of whom he said: These follow the Lamb jesus Christ wheresoever he goeth. And shortly after, in the same place he saith: I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me: Writ, happy and blessed are the dead, which die in the Lord: from hencefurthe (surely saith the syirite) they shall rest from their pains and labours, for their works do follow them. So that then they shall reap with joy and comfort that, which they sowed with labours and pains. They that sow in the spirit, of the spirit shall reap everlasting life. Let us therefore never be weary of well doing, for when the time of reaping, or reward cometh, we shall reap without any weariness, everlasting joy. Therefore, while we have time (as saint Paul exhorteth us) let us do good to all men, 
Galat vi. Matth. vi.  & not lay up our treasurers in earth, where rust and moths corrupt it, which rust (as saint james saith) shall bear witness against us, 
james. v.  at the great day, condemn us, and shall (like most brenning fire) torment our flesh. Let us beware therefore, (as we tender our own wealth) that we be not in the numbered of those miserable covetous men, which, saint james biddeth mourn and lament, for their greedy gathering, and ungodly keeping of goods. Let us be wise in time, and learn to follow the wise example of the wicked steward. Let us so prudently dispose our goods and possessions, committed unto us here by God for a season, that we may truly hear and obey this commandment of our saviour Christ's: I say unto you, (sayeth he) make you friends of the wicked Mammon, that they may receive you, into everlasting tabernacles. riches, he calleth wicked, 
Luke. xvi.  because the world abuseth them unto all wickedness, which are otherwise the good gift of God, and the instruments, whereby Gods servants do truly serve him, in using of the same. He commanded them not, to make them rich friends, to get high dignities, and worldly possessions, to give great gifts to rich men, that have no need thereof, but to make them friends of poor and miserable men: unto whom, whatsoever they give, Christ accepteth it, as given to himself. And to these friends, Christ in the Gospel giveth so great honour and pre-eminence, that he sayeth: they shall receive their benefactors, into everlasting houses: Not that men shallbe our rewarders, for our well doing, but that Christ will reward us, and take it to be done unto himself, whatsoever is done to such friends.  
Thus making poor wretches our friends, we make our saviour Christ our friend, whose membres they are, whose misery, as he taketh for his own misery, so their relief, succour and help, he taketh for his succour, relief, and help, and will asmuch thank us and reward us for our goodness showed to them, as if he himself had received like benefit at our hands, as he witnesseth in the Gospel, saying: Whatsoever ye have done to any of these simple persons, 
Matth. xxv.  which do believe in me, that have ye done to myself. Therefore let us diligently forese, that our faith and hope, which we have conceived in almighty God, and in our saviour Christ, wax not faint, nor that the love which we pretend to bear to him, wax not could: but let us study daily and diligently to show ourselves to be the true honourers and lovers of God, by keeping of his commandments, by doing of good deeds unto our needy neighbours, relieving by all means that we can, their poverty with our abundance, their ignorance with our wisdom and learning, and comfort their weakness, with our strength and authority: calling all men back from evil doing, by Godly counsel and good example, persevering still in well doing so long as we live. So shall we not need to fear death, for any of those three causes afore mentioned, nor yet for any other cause that can be imagined. But contrary, considering the manifold sicknesses, troubles & sorrows of this present life, the dangers of this perilous pilgrimage, and the great encumbrance, which our spirit hath by this sinful flesh and frail body subject to death: considering also the manifold sorrows and dangerous deceipts of this world on every side, the intolerable pride, covetousness, and lechery in time of prosperity, the impatient murmuring of them that be worldly in time of adversity, which cease not to withdraw and pluck us from God our saviour Christ, from our life, wealth, or eternal joy and salvation: considering also the innumerable assaults, of our Ghostly enemy the devil, with all his fiery darts of ambition, pride, lechery, vainglory, envy, malice, detraction, with other his innumerable deceipts, engines and snares, whereby he goeth busily about to catch all men under his dominion, ever like a roreing Lion, 
i Pet. v.  by all means searching whom he may devour: the faithful Christian man, which considereth all these miseries, perils and incommodities, (whereunto he is subject, so long as he here liveth upon earth) and on the other part, considereth that blessed and comfortable state of the heavenvly life to come, and the sweet condition of them, that depart in the Lord, how they are delivered from the continual encombraunces of their mortal and sinful body, from all the malice, crafts and deceipts of this world, from all the assaults of their ghostly enemy the devil, to live in peace, rest and perpetual quietness, to live in the fellowship of innumerable Angels, and with the congregation of perfect just men, as patriarchs, Prophets, Martyrs and Confessors: and finally, unto the presence of almighty God, and our saviour jesus Christ. He that doth consider all these things, and believeth them assuredly, as they are to be believed, even from the bottom of his heart, being established in God, in this true faith, having a quiet conscience in Christ, a firm hope, and assured trust in God's mercy, through the merits of jesus Christ, to obtain this quietness, rest and eternal joy: shall not only be without fear of bodiely death, when it cometh, but certainly (as saint Paul did) so shall he gladly (according to Gods will, 
Phil. i.  and when it pleaseth God to call him out of this life) greatly desire in his heart, that he may be rid from all these occasions of evil, and live ever to God's pleasure, in perfect obedience of his will, with our saviour jesus Christ: to whose gracious presence, the Lord of his infinity mercy and grace, bring us to reign with him, in life everlasting. To whom, with our heavenly father, and the holy Ghost, be glory in worlds without end. AMEN.   

¶ An exhortation, concerning good order and obedience, to rulers and magistrates.  
Almighty God hath created & appointed all things, in heaven, earth, and waters, in a most excellent and perfect order. In heaven, he hath appointed distinct orders and states of archangels and Angels. In earth he hath assigned kings, princes, with other governors under them, all in good & necessary order. The water above is kept and raineth down in due time and season. The sun, moan, stars, rainbow, thunder, lightning, clouds, and all birds of the air, do keep their order. The earth, trees, seeds, plants, herbs, corn, grass, and all manner of beasts, keep them in their order. All the parts of the whole year, as winter, summer, months, nights & days, continue in their order. All kinds of fishes in the sea, rivers and waters, with all fountains, springs, yea, the seas themselves, keep their comely course and order. And man himself also, hath all his parts, both within & without: as soul, heart, mind, memory, understanding, reason, speech, withal and singular corporal members of his body, in a profitable, necessary and pleasant order. Every degree of people, in their vocation, calling, & office, hath appointed to them, their duty & order. Some are in high degree, some in low, some kings & princes, some inferiors and subjects, priests, and laymen, masters & servants, fathers & children husbands and wives, rich and poor, and every one have need of other: so that in all thinged, is to be laudes & praised the goodly order of God, without the which, no house, no city, no common wealth, can continue & endure. For where there is no right order, there reigneth all abuse, carnal liberty, enormity, sin, & Babylonical confusion. Take away kings, princes, rulers, magistrates, judges, and such states of Gods order, no man shall ride or go by the high way unrobbed, no man shall sleep in his own house or bed unkilled, no man shall keep his wife, children, & possessions in quietne: shall things shall be common, and there must needs follow all mischief and utter destruction, both of souls, bodies, goods and common wealths. But blessed be God, that we in this realm of England feel not the horrible calamities, miseries & wretchedness, which all they undoubtedly feel & suffer, that lack this godly order. And praised be God, that we know the great excellent benefit of god, showed towards us in this behalf. God hath sent us his high gift, our most dear sovereign lord king Edward the sixth, with godly wise, and honourable counsel, with other superiors and inferiors in a beautiful order. Wherefore, let us subjects do our bounden duties, giving hearty thanks to God, and praying for the preservation of this Godly order. Let us all obey even from the bottom of our hearts, all their Godly proceedings, laws, statutes, proclamations, and injunctions, with all other Godly orders. Let us consider the scriptures of the holy ghost, which persuade & command us all obediently to be subject: First & chief, to the kings majesty, supreme had over all, & next, to his honourable counsel, and to all other noble men, magistrates and officers, which by God's goodness be placed and ordered: for almighty God, is the only author and provider of this forenamed state and order, as it is written of God, in the book of the proverbs: through me, kings do reign: 
Prover. viii.  through me counsellors make just laws, through me, do princes bear rule, and all judges of the earth execute judgement: I am loving to them, that love me.  
Here let us mark well, & remember, that the high power & authority of kings, with their making of laws, judgements, & officers, are the ordinances, not of man, but of God: & therefore is this word (through me) so many times repeated. Here is also well to be considered and remembered, that this good order is appointed of God's wisdom, favour, & love, specially for them that love god, & therefore he saith: I love them, that love me. Also, 
Sapien. vi.  in the book of wisdom we may evidently learn, that a kings power, authority, & strength, is a great benefit of God, given of his great mercy, to the comfort of our great misery. For thus we read there spoken to kings. 
Sapien. vi.  Hear o ye kings & understand: learn ye that be judges of th'ends of the earth: give ear ye, that rule the multitudes: for the power is given you of the lord, and the strength from the highest. Let us learn also here by the infallible word of God, that kings and other supreme & higher officers, are ordained of god who is most highest, & therefore they are here diligently taught, to apply themselves, to knowledge & wisdom, necessary for the ordering of God's people, to their governance committed. And they be here also taught by almighty God, that they should reknowledge themselves, to have all their power & strength, not from Rome, but immediately of god most highest.  

Deu. xxxii.  We read in the book of Deuteronomy, that all punishment pertaineth to God, by this sentence: vengeance is mine, and I will reward. But this sentence we must understand, to pertain also unto the magistrates, which do exercise God's room in judgement & punishing, by good & godly laws, here in earth. And the places of scripture which seem to remove from among all christian men, judgement, punishment, or killing, aught to be understand, that no man (of his own private authority) may be judge over other may punish, or may kill. But we must refer all judgement to god, to kings & rulers, & judges under them, which be gods officers, to execute justice, & by plain words of scripture, have their authority & use of the swourd, granted from god, as we are taught by S. Paul the dear & elect Apostle of our saviour Christ, whom we ought diligently to obey, even as we would obey our saviour Christ, if he were present. Thus. S. Paul writeth to the Roma. 
Roma. xiii.  Let every soul submit himself, unto the authority of the higher powers, for there is no power, but of God, the powers that be, be ordained of God, whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God, but they that resist, shall receive to themselves damnation: for rulers are not fearful to them that do good, but to them that do evil. Wilt thou be without fear of the power? Do well then, & so shalt thou be praised of the same: for he is the minister of God, for thy wealth. But & if thou do that, which is evil, then fear, for he beareth not the swourde for nought, for he is the minister of God, to make vengeance on him, that doth evil. Wherefore ye must needs obey, not only for fear of vengeance, but also, because of conscience, and even for this cause pay ye tribute, for they are Gods ministers, serving for the same purpose.  
Here let us all learn of S. Paul, the elect vessel of God, that all persons having souls, (he excepteth none, nor exempteth none, neither priest, apostle, nor prophet, saith. s. Chriso.) do owe of bound duty, and even in conscience, obedience, submission & subjection, to the high powers, which be constituted in authority by god, forasmuch as they be gods lieutenants, Gods presidents, Gods officers, Gods commissioners, Gods judges, ordained of God himself, of whom only they have all their power, and all their authority. And the same. s. Paul threateneth no less pain, then everlasting damnation to all disobedient persons, to all resisters, against this general and common authority, forasmuch as they resist not man, but God, not man's devise and invention, but God's wisdom, Gods order, power, and authority. And here (good people) let us all mark diligently, that it is not lawful for inferiors and subjects, in any case to resist the superior powers: for. s. Paul's words be plain, that whosoever resisteth, shall get to themselves damnation: for whosoever resisteth, resisteth the ordinance of God. Our saviour Christ himself & his apostles, received many & diverse injuries of the unfaithful & wicked men in authority: yet we never read, that they, or any of them, caused any sedition or rebellion against authority. We read oft, that they patiently suffered all troubles, vexations, slanders, pangs, & pains, and death itself obediently, without tumult or resistance. They committed their cause to him, that judgeth righteously, and prayed for their enemies heartily & earnestly. They knew that the authority of the powers, was God's ordinance, & therefore both in their words & deeds, they taught ever obedience to it, and never taught, nor did the contrary. The wicked judge Pilate said to Christ: 
John▪ nineteen.  knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power also to lose thee? jesus answered: Thou couldst have no power at all against me, except it were given the from above. Whereby Christ taught us plainly, that even the wicked rulers have their power and authority from God. And therefore it is not lawful for their subjects, by force to resist them, although they abuse their power; much less than it is lawful for subjects to resist their godly & christian princes, which do not abuse their authority, but use the same to God's glory, & to the profit and commodity of God's people. The holy apostle S. Peter commandeth servants to be obedient to their masters, 
i. Peter. two.  not only, if they be good and gentle, but also, if they be evil and froward: affirming, that the vocation & calling of God's people, is to be patient, and of the suffering side. And there he bringeth in, the patience of our saviour Christ to persuade obedience to governors, yea, although they be wicked and wrong doers. But let us now hear S. Peter himself speak, for his awn words certify best our conscience. 
i. Peter. two.  Thus he uttereth them in his first Epistle: Servants obey your Masters with fear, not only, if they be good and gentle, but also, if they be froward: For it is thank worthy, if a man for conscience toward God, suffereth grief, and suffereth wrong undeserved: for what praise is it, when ye be beaten for your faults, if ye take it patiently, but when ye do well, if you then suffer wrong, & take it patiently, then is there cause to have thank of God: for hereunto verily were ye called. For so did Christ suffer for us, 
i. Peter. two.  leaving us an example, that we should follow his steps. All these be the very words of . s. Peter . s. David also teacheth us a good lesson in this behalf, 
i Reg. xiii. nineteen. and .xx.  who was many times most cruelly & wrongfully persecuted of king Saul, and many times also put in jeopardy and danger of his life, by king Saul & his people: yet he never resisted, neither used any force or violence against king Saul, his mortal enemy, but did ever to his liege Lord & master king Saul, most true, most diligent, and most faithful service. In so much, that when the lord God had given king Saul into david's hands in his awn cave, he would not hurt him, when he might without all bodily peril, easily have slain him: no, he would not suffer any of his servants, once to lay their hands upon king Saul, but prayed to god in this wise: lord, keep me from doing that thing unto my master, the lords anointed: keep me that I lay not my hand upon him, seeing, he is the anointed of the lord: for as truly as the lord liveth, (except the lord smite him, or except his day come, or that he go down to war, & in battle perish) the Lord be merciful unto me, that I lay not my hand upon the lords anointed. And that David might have killed his enemy king Saul, it is evidently proved, in the first book of the kings, 
i Reg. xxiiii.  both by the cutting of the lap of Saules garment, & also by the plain confession of king Saul. Also another time (as it is mentioned in the same book) when the most unmerciful, & most unkind king Saul did persecute poor David, God did again give king Saul into david's hands, by casting of king Saul & his whole army, into a dead sleep: so that David and one Abisai with him, came in the night into Saules host, where Saul lay sleeping, and his spear stack in the ground at his head. Then said Abisai unto David: God hath delivered thine enemy into thy hands, at this time, now therefore let me smite him once with my spear to the earth, and I will not smite him again the second time: meaning thereby to have killed him with one stroke, & to have made him sure for ever. And David answered, & said to Abisai, destroy him not: for who can lay his hands on the lords anointed & be guiltless? And David said furthermore: as sure as the lord liveth, the lord shall smite him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall descend into battle, & there perish. The lord keep me from laying my hands upon the lords anointed. But take thou now the spear that is at his head, & the cruse of water, & let us go: and so he did.  
Here is evidently proved, that we may not resist, nor in any ways hurt, an anointed king, which is God's lieutenant, vecegerent, and highest minister in that country, 
Objection.  where he is king. But peradventure, some here would say, that David in his own defence, might have killed king Saul lawfully, & with a safe conscience. 
Answer.  But holy David did know, that he might in no wise resist, hurt, or kill, his sovereign lord & king: he did know, that he was but king Saules subject, though he were in great favour with God, & his enemy king Saul out of god's favour. Therefore, though he were never so much provoked, yet he refused utterly to hurt the lords anointed. He durst not, for offending God, & his own conscience, (although he had occasion & opportunity) once lay his hands upon Gods high officer the king, whom he did know to be a person reserved (for his office sake) only to God's punishment and judgement. Therefore he prayeth so oft, & so earnestly, that he lay not his hands upon the lords anointed. And by these ii examples s. David (being named in scripture a man after Gods own heart) giveth a general rule and lesson, to all subjects in the world, 
Psalm. lxxx. and viii  not to resist their liege lord & king, not to take a sword by their private authority, against their king, gods anointed, who only beareth the sword, by god's authority, for the maintenance of the good, & for the punishment of the evil: who only by God's law, hath the use of the sword at his commandment, & also hath all power, jurisdiction, regiment, & coercion, as supreme governor of all his realms & dominions, and that, even by the authority of god, & by gods ordinances. Yet another notable story & doctrine, is in the second book of the kings, that maketh also for this purpose. When an Amalechite, by king Saules awn consent & commandment, had killed king Saul, 
two. Reg. i.  he went to David, supposing to have had great thank for his message, that he had killed David's mortal enemy, and therefore he made great haste, to tell to David the chance: bringing with him king Saules crown, that was upon his head and his bracelet that was upon his arm, to persuade his tidings to be true. But godly David was so far from rejoicing at these news, that immediately he rend his clothes of his back, he mourned & wept, and said to the messenger: how is it, that thou wast not afraid, to lay thy hands on the lords anointed, to destroy him? And by & by, David made one of his servants to kill the messenger, saying: thy blood be on thine own head, for thy awn mouth hath testified against thee, granting that thou hast slain the lords anointed. These examples being so manifest & evident, it is an intolerable ignorance, madness, and wickedness for subjects, to make any murmuring, rebellion, resistance, commotion or insurrection, against their most dear & most dread sovereign lord and king, ordained and appointed of God's goodness, for their commodity, peace, and quietness. Yet let us believe undoubtedly, (good christian people) that we may not obey Kings, Magistrates, or any other, (though they be our own fathers) if they would command us to do any thing, contrary to God's commandments. In such a case, we ought to say with the Apostles: 
〈◊〉. v.  we must rather obey God, then man. But nevertheless in the case, we may not in any wise resist violently, or rebel against rulers, or make any insurrection, sedition, or tumults, either by force of arms, (or otherways) against the anointed of the Lord, or any of his appointed officers. But we must in such case, patiently suffer all wrongs and injuries, referring the judgement of our cause only to God. Let us fear the terrible punishment of almighty God, against traitors, or rebellious persons, by the example of Chore, Dathan, and Abiron, which repined and grudged against God's Magistrates, and officers, and therefore the earth opened, & swallowed them up alive. Other for their wicked murmuring, & rebellion, 
Nun. xi.  were by a sudden fire sent of God utterly consumed. Other for their froward behaviour to their rulers, & governors, Gods ministers, were suddenly stricken, with a foul leprosy. 
Nun. xii.  Other were stinged to death, 
Nun. xxi.  with wonderful strange fiery serpents. Other were sore plagued, so that there was killed in one day, 
Nun xvi.  the numbered of fourteen thousand and seven hundred, for rebellion against them, whom God had appointed to be in authority. 
two. Re. xv●ii  Absalon also, rebelling against his father king David, was punished with a strange and notable death.  
And let no man think, that he can escape unpunished, that committeth treason, conspiracy, or rebellion, against his sovereign Lord the King, though he commit the same never so secretly, either in thought, word, or deed: never so privily, in his privy chamber, by himself, or openly communicating, and consulting with other: For treason will not be hid: treason will out at the length. God will have that most detestable vice, both opened and punished, for that it is so directly against his ordinance, and against his high principal judge, and anointed in earth. The violence and injury, that is committed against authority, is committed against God, the common weal, and the whole realm, which God will have known, and condignly punished, one way or other. For it is notably written of the Wiseman in Scripture, in the book called Ecclesiastes: 
Eccle. x.  wish the King no evil, in thy thought, or speak no hurt of him in thy privy chamber: for a bird of the air shall betray thy voice, and with her feathers, shall she bewray thy words. These lessons & examples are written for our learning.  
Let us all therefore fear the most detestable vice of rebellion, ever knowing and remembering, that he that resisteth common authority, resisteth God and his ordinance, as it may be proved by many other more places of holy Scripture. And here let us take heed, that we understand not these, or such other like places (which so straightly command obedience to superiors, and so straightly punisheth rebellion, and disobedience to the same) to be meant in any condition of the pretenced power of the bishop of Rome. For truly the scripture of God alloweth no such usurped power, full of enormities, abusions & blasphemies. But the true meaning of these, and such places, be to extol and set forth, God's true ordinance, and the authority of God's anointed kings, and of their officers appointed under them.  
And concerning the usurped power of the bishop of Rome, which he most wrongfully challengeth, as the successor of Christ, & Peter: we may easily perceive, how false, feigned, and forged it is, not only in that, it hath no sufficient ground in holy scripture, out also by the fruits and doctrine thereof. For our saviour Christ, & s. Peter teacheth most earnestly and agreeably obedience to kings, as to the chief, & supreme rulers in this world, next under God: but the bishop of Rome teacheth immunities, privileges, exemptions, and disobedience, most clearly against Christ's doctrine and s. Peter's, He ought therefore rather to be called Antichrist, & the succcssor of the Scribes & Phariseis, than Christ's vicar, or s. Peter's successor: seeing, that not only in this point, but also in other weighty matters of Christian religion, in matters of remission of sins, & of salvation, he teacheth so directly against, both s. Peter & against our saviour Christ: Who not only taught obedience to kings, but also practised obedience, in their conversation & living. For we read, that they both paid tribute to the king. And also we read, 
Matth. xvii.  that the holy virgin Mary, mother to our saviour Christ, 
Luke. two.  and joseph, who was taken for his father, at the emperor's commandment, went to the city of David, named Bethleem, to be taxed among other, & to declare their obedience, to the magistrates, for God's ordinances sake. And here let us not forget the blessed virgin Mary's obedience: for although, she was highly in God's favour, and Christ's natural mother, & was also great with child that same time, & so nigh her travail, that she was delivered in her journey: yet, she gladly without any excuse or grudging (for conscience sake) did take that cold & foul winter journey, being in the mean season so poor, that she lay in the stable, and there she was delivered of Christ. And according to the same, lo, how s. Peter agreeth, writing by express words, in his first Epistle: 
i Pet. two.  submit yourselves, (saith he) unto kings, as unto the chief heads, or unto rulers, as unto them, that are sent of him, for the punishment of evil doers, & for laud of them that do well, for so is the will of God. I ●ede not to expound these words, they be so plain of themselves. S. Peter doth not say: submit yourselves unto me, as supreme head of the Church, neither he saith, submit yourselves from time to time, to my successors in Rome: but he saith, submit your sells unto your king, your supreme head, and unto those, that he appointeth in authority under him. For that ye shall so show your obedience, it is the will of God. God will that you be in subjection to your head and king. That is God's ordinance, God's commandment, & Gods holy will, that the whole body of every realm, and all the membres & parts of the same, shallbe subject to their head, their king, and that (as S. Peter writeth) for the lords sake: and (as S. Paul writeth) for conscience sake, 
i Pet. two. Roma. xiii.  and not for fear only. Thus we learn by the word of God, to yield to our king, that is dew to our king, that is, honour, obedience, payments of dew taxes, customs, tributes, subsidies, love and fear. Thus we know partly our bounden duties to common authority: 
Matth. xxii. Roma. xiii.  now let us learn to accomplish the same. And let us most instantly and heartily pray to God, the only author of all authority, for all them that be in authority, according as S. Paul willeth, writing thus to Timothe, 
i Timo. two.  in his first Epistle: I exhort therefore, that above all things, prayers, supplications, intercessions, and giving of thanks be done for all men, for kings, and for all that be in authority, that we may live a quiet and a peaceable life, with all godliness and honesty: for that is good, and accepted in the sight of God our saviour. Here s. Paul maketh an earnest and an especial exhortation, concerning giving of thanks, and prayer for kings and rulers, saying: above all things, as he might say, in any wise principally & chief, let prayer be made for kings. Let us heartily thank God for his great and excellent benefit and providence, concerning the state of kings. Let us pray for them, that they may have God's favour, and God's protection. Let us pray, that they may ever in all things have God before their eyes. Let us pray, that they may have wisdom, strength, justice, clemency, zeal to God's glory, to God's verity, to christian souls, and to the common wealth. Let us pray, that they may rightly use their swourde and authority, for the maintenance & defence of the catholic faith, contained in holy scripture, and of their good and honest subjects, and for the fear and punishment of the evil, and vicious people. Let us pray, that they may faithfully follow the most faithful kings and captains in the Bible, David, Ezechias, josias, & Moses, with such other. 
judith. v.  And let us pray for ourselves, that we may live Godly, in holy and christian conversation: so we shall have God of our side. And then let us not fear, what man can do against us: so we shall live in true obedience, both to our most merciful king in heaven, and to our most Christian king in earth: so shall we please God, and have the exceeding benefit, peace of conscience, rest and quietness here in this word, & after this life, we shall enjoy a better life, rest, peace, and the eternal bliss of heaven: which he grant us all, that was obedient for us all, even to the death of the cross jesus Christ: to whom with the father, and the holy ghost, be all honour & glory, both now & ever. Amen.   

¶ An Homely of whoredom and uncleanness.  
ALthough, there want not (good christian people) great swarms of vices, worthy to be rebuked, (unto such decai is true godliness & virtuous living now come) yet above other vices the outrageous seas of adultery, whoredom, fornication, and uncleanness, have not only burst in, but also overflowed, almost the whole world, unto the great dishonour of God, the exceeding infamy of the name of Christ, the notable decay of true religion and the utter destruction of the public wealth: and that so abundantly, that through the customable use thereof, this vice is grown into such an height, that in a manner among many, it is counted no sin at all, but rather a pastime, a dalliance, and but a touch of youth, not rebuked but winked at, not punished, but laughed at: wherefore it is necessary at this present, to entreat of the sin of whoredom, and fornication, declaring unto you, the greatness of this sin, and how odious, hateful, and abominable it is, and hath alway been reputed, before God and all good men, and how grievously it hath been punished, both by the law of God, and the laws of diverse princes. Again, to show you certain remedies, whereby ye may, (through the grace of God) eschew this most detestable sin of whoredom and fornication, and lead your lives, in all honesty and cleanness. And that ye may perceive, that fornication, and whoredom are (in the sight of God) most abominable sins, ye shall call to remembrance this commandment of GOD: thou shalt not commit adultery: by the which word adultery, 
Exode. xx.  although it be properly understand, of the unlawful commixtion of a married man with any woman beside his wife, or of a wife, with any man beside her husband: yet thereby is signified also, all unlawful use of those parts, which be ordained for generation. And this one commandment (forbidding adultery) doth sufficiently paint, and set out before our eyes, the greatness of this sin of whoredom, and manifestly declareth, how greatly it ought to be abhorred of all honest and faithful persons. And that none of us all, shall think himself excepted from this commandment, whether we be old, or young, married, or unmarried, man, or woman, hear what God the father saith, by his most excellent Prophet Moses: there shallbe no whore, among the daughters of Israel, nor no whoremongers, 
duty. xxiii.  among the sons of Israel.  
Here is whoredom, fornication, and all uncleanness forbidden, to all kinds of people, all degrees, and all ages, without exception. And that we shall not doubt, but that this precept pertaineth to us in deed: hear what Christ (the perfect teacher of all truth) saith in the new Testament: 
Matth. v.  ye have heard (saith Christ) that it was said to them of the old time: thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, whosoever seeth a woman to have his lust of her, hath committed adultery with her all ready in his heart. Here our saviour Christ, doth not only confirm and stablish the law against adultery, given in the old Testament of God the father, by his servant Moses, and make it of full strength, continually to remain among the professors of his name in the new law: But he also (condemning the gross interpretation of the Scribes and Phariseis, which taught, that the aforesaid commandment only required to abstain from the outward adultery, and not from the filthy desires and unpure lusts) teacheth us an exact and full perfection of purity and cleanness of life, both to keep our bodies undefiled, and our hearts pure and free, from all evil thoughts, carnal desires, and fleshly consents. How can we then be free from this commandment, where so great charge is laid upon us? May a servant do what he will in any thing, having a commandment of his master to the contrary? Is not Christ our Master? Are not we his servants? How then may we neglect our Masters will, and pleasure, and follow our own will and fantasy? 
Ihon. xv.  Ye are my friends (saith Christ) if you keep those things, that I command you. Now hath Christ our Master commanded us, that we should forsake all uncleanness, and lechery, both in body and spirit: this therefore must we do, if we look to please GOD. In the Gospel of saint Matthew, we read that the Scribes and Phariseis, 
Matth. xv.  were grievously offended with Christ, because his disciples did not keep the traditions of the fore fathers: for they washed not their hands, when they went to dinner or supper, 
Matth. xv.  and among other things, Christ answered, and said: hear and understand: not that thing, 
Matthe. xv.  which entereth into the mouth defileth the man, but that, which cometh out of the mouth, defileth the man. For those things, which proceed out of the mouth, come forth from the heart and they defile the man. For out of the heart, proceed evil thoughts, murders, breaking of wedlock, whoredom, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: these are the things, which defile a man. Here may we see, that not only murder, theft, false witness, & blasphemy, defile men: but also evil thoughts, breaking of wedlock, fornication, and whoredom.  
Who is now of so little wit, 
Ihon. xiiii. Titus. i.  that he will esteem whoredom, and fornication, to be things of small importance, and of no weight before God? Christ (which is the truth and cannot lie) saith, that evil thoughts, breaking of wedlock, whoredom, and fornication, defile a man, that is to say, corrupt both the body and soul of man, and make them, of the Temples of the holy Ghost, the filthy dunghill, or dungeon of all unclean spirits, of the Mansion of GOD, the dwelling place of Satan. Again, in the Gospel of saint John, 
Ihon. viii.  when the woman taken in adultery, was brought unto Christ, said not he unto her: Go thy way and sin no more? Doth not he here call whoredom sin? And what is the reward of sin, but everlasting death? If whoredom be sin, 
Roma. vi.  then is it not lawful for us to commit it. For. S. John saith: 
i. Ihon. iii.  he that committeth sin, is of the devil. 
Ihon. viii Roma. vi.  And our saviour saith, every one that committeth sin, is the servant of sin. If whoredom had not been sin, surely S. John Baptist, would never have rebuked king Herode, for taking his brother's wife: but he told him plainly, that it was not lawful for him, to take his brother's wife. He winked not at the whoredom of Herode, although he were a king of great power but boldly reproved him, for his wicked and abominable living, although for the same he lost his head. But he would rather suffer death (than see GOD so dishonoured, by the breaking of his holy precept) then to suffer whoredom to be unrebuked, even in a King. If whoredom had been but a pastime, a dalliance, and a thing not to be passed of (as many count it now a days) truly, John had been more than twice mad, if he would have had the displeasure of a king, if he would have been cast into prison, and lost his head for a trifle. But John knew right well, how filthy, stinking, and abominable, the sin of whoredom is, in the sight of GOD, therefore would not he leave it unrebuked, no, not in a king. If whoredom be not lawful in a king, neither is it lawful in a subject. If whoredom be not lawful in a public officer, neither is it lawful in a private person. If it be not lawful, neither in king, nor subject, neither in common officer, nor private person, truly, then is it lawful in no man, nor woman, of whatsoever degree, or age they be. 
Acts. xv.  Furthermore, in the Acts of the Apostles, we read, that when the Apostles and Elders, with the whole congregation, were gathered together to pacify the hearts of the faithful dwelling at Antioch, (which were disquieted through the false doctrine, of certain Jewish preachers) they sent word to the brethren, that it seemed good to the holy ghost, and to them, to charge them with no more, then with necessary things: among other, they willed them to abstain from Idolatry, and fornication, from which (said they) if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well  
Note here, how these holy and blessed fathers of Christ's Church, would charge the congregation with no more things, than were necessary. Mark also, how among those things, from the which they commanded the brethren of Antioch to abstain, fornication and whoredom is numbered. It is therefore necessary, by the determination and consent of the holy ghost, and the apostles and elders, with the whole congregation, that, as from Idolatry and superstition: so likewise we must abstain from fornication and whoredom. Is it necessary unto salvation to abstain from Idolatry? So is it, to abstain from whoredom. Is there any nigher way, to lead unto damnation, then to be an Idolater? No, even so, neither is there a nearer way to damnation, then to be a fornicator, and an whoremonger.  
Now, where are those people, which so lightly esteem breaking of wedlock, whoredom, fornication and adultery? It is necessary, saith the holy ghost, the blessed Apostles, the elders, with the whole congregation of Christ: it is necessary to salvation (sayeth) to abstain from whoredom. If it be necessary unto salvation, than woe be to them, which neglecting their salvation, give their minds to so filthy, and stinking sin, to so wicked vice, to such detestable abomination. But let us hear, what the blessed Apostle saint Paul saith to this matter. Writing to the Romans, he hath these words: 
Rom●▪ xii.  Let us cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armours of light. 
Roma. xiii.  Let us walk honestly as it were in the day time, not in eating and drinking, neither in chambrynges and wantonness, neither in strife and envying, but put ye on the Lord jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts of it. Here the holy Apostle exhorteth us to cast away the works of darkness, which (among other) he calleth gluttonous eating, drinking, chambering and wantonness, which all are ministries unto that vice, and preparations to induce & bring in, the filthy sin of the flesh. He calleth them the deeds and works of darkness, not only because they are customably done in darkness, or in the night time, 
Ihon. iii.  (for every one that doth evil, hateth the light, neither cometh he to the light, lest his works should be reproved) but that they lead the right way unto that utter darkness, 
Matth. xiii.  where weeping and gnashing of teeth shallbe. And he saith in another place of the same Epistle: They that are in the flesh, cannot please GOD. We are debtors to the flesh, not that we should live after the flesh, for if ye live after the flesh, 
Roma. viii.  ye shall die. Again he saith, fly from whoredom, for every sin that a man committeth, is without his body, but whosoever committeth whoredom, sinneth against his own body. 
i Corin. vi.  Do ye not know, that your membres are the Temple of the holy Ghost, which is in you, whom also ye have of GOD, and ye are not your own? For ye are dearly bought: glorify GOD in your bodies. etc. And a little before, he saith: Do ye not know, that your bodies are the membres of Christ? Shall I then take the membres of Christ, and make them the membres of an whore? God forbidden. Do ye not know that he, which cleaveth to an whore, is made one body with her? There shallbe two in one flesh (saith he): but he that cleaveth to the lord, is one spirit. What Godly reasons doth the blessed apostle s. Paul bring forth here, to dissuade us from whoredom, and all uncleanness? Your members (saith he) are the Temple of the holy Ghost: which, whosoever doth defile, God will destroy him as (saith s. Paul. If we be the Temple of the holy Ghost, how unfitting then is it, to drive that holy spirit from us, through whoredom, and in his place to set the wicked spirits of uncleanness and fornication, and to be joined, and do service to them? Ye are dearly bought (saith he) therefore glorify God in your bodies. Christ that innocent lamb of God, 
i Corin. vi.  
i. Peter. i.  hath bought us, from the servitude of the devil, not with corruptible gold and silver, but with his most precious and dear heart blood. To what intent? That we should fall again unto our old uncleanness, and abominable living? Nay verily: 
Luke. i. Esay. xxxviii.  But that we should serve him, all the days of our life, in holiness, and righteousness: that we should glorify him in our bodies, by purity and cleanness of life. He declareth also, that our bodies are the members of Christ. How unseemly a thing is it then, to cease to be incorporate and one with Christ, and through whoredom to be joined, and made all one with an whore? What greater dishonour, or injury can we do to Christ, then to take away from him, the members of his body, and to join them to whores, devils, and wicked spirits? And what more dishonour can we do to ourselves, then through uncleanness, to lose so excellent a dignity and freedom, and to become bond slaves, and miserable captives, to the spirits of darkness? Let us therefore consider, first the glory of Christ, and then our state, our dignity and freedom, wherein God hath set us, by giving us his holy spirit, and let us valiantly defend the same, against Satan, and all his crafty assaults, that Christ may be honoured, and that we lose not our liberty, but still remain in one spirit with him.  

Ephe. v.  Moreover, in his Epistle to the Ephesians, the blessed Apostle willeth us, to be so pure, and free, from adultery, fornication, and all uncleanness, that we not once name them among us (as it becometh saints) nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not commely, but rather giving of thanks. 
Galath. v. i. Corin. vi.  For this ye know (saith he) that no whoremonger, either unclean person, or covetous person, (which is an Idolater) hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ, and God. And that we should remember to be holy, pure, and free from all uncleanness: the holy Apostle calleth us saints, because we are sanctified, and made holy in the blood of Christ, through the holy ghost.  
Now, if we be saints, what have we to do with the manners of the Heathen? 
i. Peter. i.  Saint Peter saith: as he, which called you, is holy, even so, be ye holy also, in all your conversation, because it is written: Be ye holy, 
Levi. xi. ● nineteen.  for I am holy. Hitherto have we heard how grievous a sin, fornication, and whoredom is, and how greatly God doth abhor it, throughout the whole scripture. How can it any otherwise be, than a sin of most abomination, seeing it once may not be named among the christians, much less, it may in any point be committed. And surely, if we would weigh the greatness of this sin, and consider it in the right kind, we should find the sin of whoredom, to be that most filthy lake, foul puddle, and stinking sink, wherinto all kinds of sins, and evils flow, where also, they have their resting place, and abiding.  
For hath not the adulterer a pride in his whoredom? as the Wiseman sayeth: They are glad when they have done evil, and rejoice in things that are stark nought. Is not the adulterer also idle, and delighteth in no godly exercise, but only in that his most filthy, and beastly pleasure? Is not his mind abstract, and utterly drawn away, from all virtuous studies, and fruicteful labours, and only given to carnal imaginations? Doth not the whoremonger give his mind to gluttony, that he may be the more apt, to serve his lusts, & carnal pleasures? Doth not the adulterer give his mind to covetousness, and to polling and pilling of other, that he may be the moreable to maintain his harlots and whores, and to continue in his filthy, and unlawful love? Swelleth he not also with envy, against other, fearing that his prey should be alured, and taken away from him? Again, is he not ireful, and replenished with wrath and displeasure, even against his best beloved, if at any time, his beastly and devilish request be letted▪ what sin or kind of sin is it, that is not joined with fornication and whoredom? Is it a monster of many heads: It receiveth all kinds of vices, and refuseth all kinds of virtues. If one several sin bringeth damnation, what is to be thought of that sin, which is accompanied with all evils, and hath waiting on it, whatsoever is hateful to God, damnable to man, and pleasunt to Satan?  
Great is the damnation, that hangeth over the heads of fornicators, and adulterers. What shall I speak of other incommodities, which issue, and flow out of this stinking puddle of whoredom? Is not that treasure, which before all other, is most regarded of honest persons, the good fame and name of man and woman, lost through whoredom? What patrimony, what substance, what goods, what riches, doth whoredom shortly consume and bring to naught? What valiauntes and strength, is many times made weak, and destroyed with whoredom? What wit is so fine, that is not doted and defaced through whoredom? What beauty (although it were never so excellent) is not obscured through whoredom?  
Is not whoredom an enemy to the pleasant flower of youth? and bringeth it not grey hears and old age, before the time? What gift of nature (although it were never so precious) is not corrupted with whoredom? Come not the French pocks, with other diverse diseases of whoredom? From whence come so many bastards and misbegotten children, to the high displeasure of God, and dishonour of holy wedlock, but of whoredom? How many consume all their substance and goods, and at the last fall into such extreme poverty, that afterward they steal, and so are hanged through whoredom? What contention and manslaughter cometh of whoredom? How many maidens be deflowered, how many wives corrupted, how many widows defiled, through whoredom? How much is the public weal impoverished, and troubled through whoredom? How much is God's word contemned and depraved by whoredom & whoremongers? Of this vice, cometh a great part of the divorces, which (now a days) be so commonly accustomed and used, by men's private authority, to the great displeasure of God, and the breach of the most holy knot and bond of matrimony. For when this most detestable sin is once crept into the breast of the adulterer, so that he is entangled with unlawful, and unchaste love, straightways, his true and lawful wife is despyced, her presence is abhorred, her company stinketh, and is loathsome, whatsoever she doth, is de●prap●ed, there is no quietness in the house, so long as she is in sight: Therefore to make short tale, must she away, for her husband can brook her no longer. Thus through whoredom, is the honest and innocent wife put away, and an harlot received in her stead: and in like sort, it happeneth many times in the wife, towards her husband. O abomination? Christ our saviour, very God and man, coming to restore the law of his heavenly father, unto the right sense, understanding, & meaning, (among other things) reformed the abuse of this law of God. 
Math. nineteen.  For where as the jews used, of a long sufferance, by custom, to put away their wives at their pleasure, for every cause: Christ correcting that evil custom, did teach that if any man put away his wife, & marrieth an other, for any cause, except only for adultery, (which then was death by the law) he was an adulterer, and forced also his wife so divorced, to commit adultery, if she were joined to any other man: & the man also, so joined with her, to commit adultery.  
In what case then are those adulterers, which for the love of an whore, put away their true and lawful wife, against all law, right, reason, and conscience? O, damnable is the state wherein they stand. Swift destruction shall fall on them, if they repent not, and amend not: for God will not ever suffer holy wedlock, thus to be dishonoured, hated and despyced. He will once punish this carnal and licentious manner of living, and cause, that his holy ordinance shallbe had in reverence, and honour. For surely, 
Hebre. iii.  wedlock (as the Apostle saith) is honourable among all men, and the bed undefiled: But whoremongers and fornicators, 
Hebre. iii.  God will judge, 〈◊〉 is to say, punish and condemn. But to what purpose is this labour taken, to describe, and set forth the greatness of the sin of whoredom, and the incommodities that issue and flow out of it, saying that breath and tongue shall sooner fail any man, than he shall, or may be able to set it out, according to the abomination and heinousness thereof? notwithstanding this is spoken to the intent, that all men should flee whoredom, and live in the fear of God. God grant, that it may not be spoken in vain. Now will I declare unto you in order, with what grievous punishments, God in times pass, plagued adultery: and how certain worldly Princes also, did punish it, that ye may perceive, that whoredom and fornication be sins, no less detestable in the sight of God, & of all good men, than I have hitherto uttered. 
Gene. vi.  In the first book of Moses we read, that when mankind began to be multiplied upon the earth, the men and women gave their minds so greatly to carnal delectation, and filthy pleasure, that they lived without all fear of God. God saying this their beastly and abominable living, and perceiving that they amended not, but rather increased daily more and more, in their sinful and unclean manners, repent that he ever had made man: and to show how greatly he abhorred adultery, whoredom, fornication, and all uncleanness, he made all the fountains of the deep earth, to burst out, and the ●●uces of heaven to be opened, so that the rain came down upon the earth, by the space of forty days, and forty nights, and by this means, destroyed the whole world, and all mankind, eight persons only excepted, that is to say, No, the preacher of righteousness (as Saint Peter calleth him) and his wife, his three sons, and their wife's. O what a grievous plague, did God cast here upon all living creatures, for the sin of whoredom? For the which, God took vengeance, not only of man, but also of beasts, fowls, and all living creatures. Manslaughter was committed before, 
Gene. iiii.  yet was not the world destroyed for that, but for whoredom, all the world (few only except) was overflowed with waters, and so perished: An example worthy to be remembered, that ye may learn to fear GOD.  

Gene. nineteen.  We read again, that for the filthy sin of uncleanness, Sodom and Gomorre, and the other cities nigh unto them, were destroyed, with fire and brimstone from heaven, so that there was neither man, woman, child, nor beast, nor yet any thing that grew upon the earth, there left undestroyed. Whose heart trembleth not at the hearing of this history? Who is so drowned in whoredom and uncleanness, that will not now for ever after, leave this abominable living, saying that God so grievously punisheth uncleanness, to rain fire and brimstone from heaven, to destroy whole cities, to kill man, woman, and child, and all other living creatures there abiding, to consume with fire, all that ever grew? what can be more manifest tokens of God's wrath and vengeance against uncleanness, and impurity of life? Mark this history, (good people) and fear the vengeance of God. 
Gene. xiii.  Do we not read also, that GOD did smite Pharaoh, and his house, with great plagues, because that he ungodly desired Sara, the wife of Abraham? 
Gene. xx.  Likewise read we of Abimelech, King of Gerar, although he touched her not by carnal knowledge. These plagues and punishments, did God cast upon filthy and unclean persons, before the law was given, (the law of nature only reigning in the hearts of men) to declare, how great love he had to matrimony: and again, how much he abhorred adultery, fornication, and all uncleanness. And when the law that forbade whoredom, was given by Moses to the jews, did not God command, that the transgressors thereof, should be put to death? The words of the law be these: 
Levit. xx.  Who so committeth adultery with any man's wife, shall die the death, both the man and the woman, because he hath broken wedlock with his neighbour's wife. In the law also it was commanded, that a damosel and a man taken together in whoredom, should be both stooned to death. In an other place we also read, that God commanded Moses, to take all the head rulers, 
Num. xxv.  and princes of the people, & to to hang them upon gybbets openly, that every man might see them, because they either committed, or did not punish whoredom. Again, did not God send such a plague among the people, for fornication and uncleanness, that they died in one day, three and twenty thousand? I pass over for lack of time, many other histories of the holy Bible, which declare the grievous vengeance, and heavy displeasure of God, against whoremongers, and adulterers. Certes, this extreme punishment appointed of God, showeth evidently, how greatly God hateth whoredom. And let us not doubt, but that God at this present, abhorreth all manner of uncleanness, no less than he did in the old law: and will undoubtedly punish it, both in this world, and in the world to come. For he is a God, 
Psalm. v.  that can abide no wickedness: therefore ought it to be eschewed of all, that tender the glory of God, and the salvation of their own souls.  

i Corin. x.  Saint Paul saith: all these things are written for our example, and to teach us the fear of God, and the obedience to his holy law. For if God spared not the natural branches, neither will he spare us, that be but grafts, if we commit like offence. If God destroyed many thousands of people, many cities, yea the whole world, for whoredom, let us not flatter ourselves, and think we shall eschape free, and without punishment. For he hath promised in his holy law, to send most grievous plagues upon them, that transgress his holy commandments. Thus have we heard, how God punisheth the sin of adultery: let us now hear certain laws, which the civil Magistrates devised, in divers countrays, for the punishment thereof: that we may learn, how uncleanness hath ever been detested in all well ordered cities and common wealths, 
L●wes devised for punishment of whoredom.  and among all honest persons. The law among the Lepre●ans was this, that when any were taken in adultery, they were bound and carried three days through the city, and afterward, as long as they lived, were they despiced, and with shame and confusion reputed, as persons desolate of all honesty. among the Locreusyans, the adulterers had both their eyes thrust out. The romans in times passed, punished whoredom, sometime by fire, sometime by swourde. If a man among the Egyptians had been taken in adultery, the law was, that he should openly in the presence of all the people, be scourged naked with whips, unto the numbered of a thousand stripes. The woman that was taken with him, had her nose cut of, whereby she was known even after, to be an whore, and therefore to be abhorred of all men. Among the Arabians, they that were taken in adultery, had their heads stricken from their bodies. The Athenians punished whoredom by death in like manner. So likewise did the Barbarous Cartarians. Among the turks even at this day, they that be taken in adultery, both man & woman, are stoned streightewayes to death, without mercy. Thus see we, what godly acts were devised in times passed of the high powers, for the putting away of whoredom, & for the maintaining of holy matrimony, & pure conversation. And the authors of these acts, were no christians, but Heathen: Yet were they so inflamed with the love of honesty, and pureness of life, that for the maintenance & conservation of that, they made godly statutes. suffering neither fornication, nor adultery, to reign in their realms, unpunished. Christ said to the people: The ninivites shall rise at the judgement, with this nation, 
Luke. xi  (meaning the unfaithful jews) and shall condemn them. For they repented at the preaching of jonas, but behold (sayeth he) a greater than jonas is here, (meaning himself), & yet they repent not. Shall not (think you) likewise the Locreusians, Arabians, Athenians, with such other, rise up at the judgement, and condemn us, for asmuch as they ceased from whoredom, at the commandment of man, and we have the law and manifest precepts of God, and yet forsake we not our filthy conversation? Truly, truly, it shallbe easier at the day of judgement, to these Heathen, then to us, except we repent and amend. For although death of body, seemeth to us a grievous punishment in this world for whoredom: yet is that pain nothing, in comparison of the grievous torments, which adulterers, fornicators, and all unclean persons, shall suffer after this life. For all such shallbe excluded, & shut out of the kingdom of heaven, as s. Paul saith: Be not deceived, for neither whoremongers, 
i Coun. vi. Galath. v Ephe. v  nor worshippers of Images, nor adultrers', nor softelinges, nor Sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous persons, nor drunkards, nor cursed speakers, nor pillars, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 
Apo. xxi.  And S. John in his revelation saith: that whoremongers shall have their part, with murderers, sorcerers, enchanters, liars, idolaters, & such other, in the lake which burneth with fire & brimstone, which is the second death. The punishment of the body, although it be death, hath an end, but the punishment of the soul, which s. John calleth the second death, is everlasting: there shallbe fire & brimstone: 
Math. xiii.  there shall be weeping and gnashing of tethe: the worm, that shall there gnaw the conscience of the dampened, 
Luce iii.  shall neeur die. O whose heart distilleth not even drops of blood, to hear, and consider these things? If we tremble and shake at thee, hearing and naming of these pains, oh, what shall they do, that shall feel them, that shall suffer them yea, and ever shall suffer, worlds without end: god have mercy upon us. Who is now so drowned in sin & past all godliness, that he will set more by a filthy and stinking pleasure, (which soon passeth away) then by the loss of everlasting glory. Again who will so give himself to the lusts of the flesh, that he feareth nothing at all the pains of hell fire? But let us hear how we may eschew the sin of whoredom and adultery, that we may walk in the fear of God, and be free from those most grievous, and intolerable torments, 
Remedies whereby to avoid fornication & adultery.  which abide all unclean persons. To avoid fornication, adultery, and all uncleanness, let us provide, that above all things, we may keep our hearts pure and clean, from all evil thoughts, and carnal lusts. For if that be once infected and corrupt, we fall headlong into all kind of ungodliness. This shall we easily do, if, when we feel inwardly, that Satan our old enemy tempteth us unto whoredom, we, by no means consent to his crafty suggestions, but valiantly resist, and withstand him, by strong faith in the word of God, objecting against him always in our heart, this commandment of God: Scriptum est, non moechaberis. It is written, thou shalt not commit whoredom. It shall be good also for us, ever to live in the fear of God, and to set before our eyes, the grievous threatenings of God, against all ungodly sinners, and to consider in our mind, how filthy, beastly, and short, that pleasure is, whereunto Satan moveth us: And again, how the pain appointed for that sin, is intolerable, and everlasting. Moreover, to use a temperance & sobriety in eating & drinking, to eschew unclean communication, to avoid all filthy company, to flee idleness, to delight in reading holy scripture, to watch in godly prayers, & virtuous meditations: and at all times, to exercise some godly travails, shall help greatly unto the eschewing of whoredom.  
And here are all degrees to be monished, whether they be married, or unmarried, to love chastity, and cleanness of life. For the married are bound by the law of God, so purely to love one an other, that neither of them seek any strange love. The man must only cleave to his wife, and the wife again only to her husband: they must so delight one in an others company, that none of them covet any other. And as they are bound, thus to live together in all godliness and honesty, so likewise is their duty, virtuously to bring up their children: and to provide, that they fall not into Satan's snare, nor into any uncleanness, but that they come pure and honest unto holy wedlock, when time requireth. So likewise ought all masters and rulers to provide, that no whoredom, nor any point of uncleanness, be used among their servants. And again, they that are single, and feel in theim selfes, that they cannot live without the company of a woman, let them get wives of their own, and so live Godly together. For it is better to marry, then to burn. And to avoid fornication, saith the Apostle, let every man have his own wife, 
i Corin. seven,  and every woman her own husband. Finally, all such as feel in themselves, a sufficiency and ability (through the operation of God's spirit) to lead a sole and continent life, let them praise God for his gift, and seek all means possible, to maintain the same: As by reading of holy scriptures, by godly meditations, by continual prayers, and such other virtuous exercises. If we all on this wise will endeavour ourselves, to eschew fornication, adultery, and all uncleanness, and lead our lives in all Godliness, and honesty, serving God with a pure and clean heart, and glorifying him in our bodies, by leading an innocent life, we may be sure, to be in the numbered of those, of whom our saviour Christ speaketh in the Gospel, on this manner: Blessed are the pure in heart, 
Math. v  for they shall see God: to whom alone, be all glory, honour, rule, and power, worlds without end. AMEN.   

¶ An Homely against contention and brawling.  
This day (good christian people) shallbe declared unto you, the unprofitableness, and shameful unhonesty of contention, strife and debate: to the intent, that when you shall see (as it were in a table painted before your eyes) the evilfavorednes, and deformity of this most detestable vice, your stomachs may be moved, to rise against it, and to detest & abhor that sin, which is so much to be hated, and so pernicious and hurtful to all men. But among all kinds of contention, none is more hurtful, then is contention in matters of religion. Eschew (saith saint Paul) foolish and unlearned questions, 
i Timo. i i. Timo. two  knowing, that they breed strife. It becometh not the servant of God, to fight or strive, but to be meek toward all men. This contention & strife was in saint Paul's time, among the Corinthians, and is at this time, among us English men. For to many there be, which upon the Alebenches or other places, delight to propound certain questions, not so much pertaining to edification, as to vainglory and ostentation: and so unsoberly to reason and dispute, that when neither party will give place to other, they fall to chiding and contention, and sometime from hot words, to further inconvenience. Saint Paul could not abide to hear among the Corinthians, these words of discord or dissension: I hold of Paul, I of Cephas, and I of Apollo. 
i Corin. iii.  What would he then say, if he heard these words of contention: (which be now almost in every man's mouth) he is a Pharisei, he is a gospeler, he is of the new sort, he is of the old faith, he is a new broached brother, he is a good catholic father he is a papist, he is an heretic. Oh how the church is divided. Oh how the cities be cut & mangled. Oh how the coote of Christ, that was without seam, is all to rent & torn. Oh body mystical of Christ: where is that holy & happy unity, out of the which, whosoever is, he is not in Christ? If one member be pulled from another, where is the body? If the body be drawn from the head, where is the life of the body? We cannot be jointed to Christ our head, except we be glued with concord & charity, one to another. For he that is not in this unity, is not of the church of Christ, which is a congregation or unity together, & not a division. Saint Paul saith: 
i. Cor iii.  that as long as emulation, contention, and factions, be among us, we be carnal, and walk according to the fleshly man. And saint james saith: 
james. iii  If you have bitter emulation & contention in your hearts, glory not of it: for where as contention is, there is inconstancy, & all evil deeds. And why do we not hear. s. Paul, which prayeth us, where as he might command us, saying: I beseech you, in the name of our Lord jesus Christ, that you will speak all one thing, 
i Cor. i  & that there be no dissension among you, but that you will be one whole body, of one mind, & of one opinion in the truth. If his desire be reasonable & honest, why do we not grant it? if his request be for our profit, why do we refuse it? And if we list not to hear his petition of prayer, yet let us hear his exhortation, where he saith▪ I exhort you, that you walk, as it becometh the vocation, 
Ephe. iiii.  in the which you be called, with all submission and meekness, with lenity and softness of mind, bearing one another by charity, studying to keep the unity of the spirit, by the bond of peace: For there is one body, one spirit, one faith, one baptism. There is (he saith) but one body, of the which he can be no lively member, that is at variance with the other membres. There is one spirit, which joineth and knitteth all things in one. And how can this one spirit reign in us, when we among ourselves be divided? There is but one faith, and how can we then say, he is of the old faith, and he is of the new faith? There is but one baptism, and then shall not all they, which be baptized, be one? Contention causeth division, wherefore it ought not to be among christians, whom one faith and baptism, joineth in an unity. But if we contemn saint Paul's request and exhortation, yet at the least, let us regard his obtestation, in the whithe he doth very earnestly charge us, and (as I may so speak) conjure us in this form and manner: If there be any consolation in Christ, 
Philip. two.  if there be any comfort of love, if you have any communion of the spirit, if you have any bowels of pity and compassion, fulfil my joy, being all like affected, having one charity, being of one mind, of one opinion, that nothing be done by contention, or vainglory. Who is he, that hath any bowels of pity, that will not be moved with these words so pithy? whose heart is so stony, but that the sword of these words (which be more sharp than any two edged sword) may not cut and break a sondre? Wherefore, let us endeavour ourselves to fulfil s. Paul's joy, here in this place, which shallbe at length to our great joy in another place. Let us so read the scripture, that by reading thereof, we may be made the better livers, 
How we should read the scripture.  rather than the more contentious disputers. If any thing is necessary to be taught, reasoned, or disputed, let us do it with all meekness, softness, & lenity. If any thing shall chance to be spoken uncomely, let one bear another's frailty. He that is faulty, let him rather amend, then defend that, which he hath spoken amiss, lest he fall by contention, from a foolish error, into an obstinate heresy: for it is better, to give place meekly, then to win the victory, with the breach of charity: which chanceth, where every man will defend his opinion obstinately If we be christian men, why do we not follow Christ, which saith: learn of me, 
Matth. xi.  for I am meek and lowly in heart. A disciple must learn the lesson of his schoolmaster, and a servant must obey the commandment of his master. He that is wise & learned (saith s. james) let him show his goodness by his good conversation, and soberness of his wisdom. 
james. iii.  For where there is envy and contention, that wisdom cometh not from God, but is worldly wisdom, man's wisdom, and devilish wisdom. For the wisdom that cometh from above, from the spirit of God, is chaste and pure, corrupted with no evil affections, it is quiet, meek and peaceable, abhorring all desire of contention: it is tractable, obedient, not grudging to learn, and to give place to them, that teach better for their reformation. For there shall never be an end of striving and contention, if we contend, who in contention shallbe master, & have the overhand: if we shall heap error upon error, if we continue to defend that obstinately, which was spoken unadvisedly. For truth it is, that stiffness in maintaining an opinion, breedeth contention, brawling and chiding, which is a vice among all other, most pernicious and pestilent to common peace and quietness. And as it standeth betwixt two persons & parties, (for no man commonly doth chide with himself) so it comprehendeth two most detestable vices: the one is picking of querelles, with sharp and contentious words: the other standeth in froward answering, and mutliplying evil words again. The first is so abominable, that saint Paul saith: if any that is called a brother, 
i Cor. v.  be a worshipper of idols, a brawler, or piker of quarrels, a thief or an extortioner, with him that is such a man, see that ye eat not. Now here consider that saint Paul numbereth a scolder, 
Against quarrel picking.  a brawler, or a picker of quarrels, among thieves and idolaters: and many times cometh less hurt of a thief, then of a railing tongue: for the one taketh away a man's good name, the other taketh but his richesses, which is of mun less value & estimation, then is his good name. And a thief hurteth but him, from whom he stealeth: but he that hath an evil tongue, troubleth all the town where he dwelleth, & sometime the whole country. And a railing tongue is a pestilence so full of contagion, that saint Paul willeth christian men to forbear the company of such, 
i Cor. vi  and neither to eat nor drink with them. And where as he will not, that a Christian woman should forsake her husband, although he be an infidel, nor that a christian servant should depart, from his master, which is an infidel and Heathen, and so suffer a christian man to keep company with an infidel: yet he forbiddeth us to eat or drink with a scolder, or a querel picker. 
i Cor. vi.  And also in the vi chapi. to the Cor. he saith thus: Be not deceived, for neither fornicators, neither worshippers of idols, neither thieves nor drunkards, neither cursed speakers shall dwell in the kingdom of heaven. It must needs be a great fault, that doeeh move & cause the father, to disherit his natural son. And how can it otherwise be, but that this cursed speaking, must needs be a most damnable sin, the which doth cause God, our most merciful & loving father, to deprive us of his most blessed kingdom of heaven. 
Against froward answering. Matth. v.  Against the other sin, that standeth in requiting taunt for taunt, speaketh Christ himself: I say unto you (saith our saviour Christ) resist not evil, but love your enemies, and say well by them, that say evil by you, do well unto them, that do evil to you, and pray for them, that do hurt and pursue you, that you may be the children of your father, which is in heaven, who suffereth his sun to rise, both upon good and evil, and sendeth his rain both to the just and unjust. To this doctrine of Christ, agreeth very well the teaching of saint Paul, that elect vessel of God, 
Roma. xii.  who ceaseth not to exhort and call upon us, saying: bless them that curse you, bless (I say) and curse not, recompense to no man evil for evil, if it be possible (asmuch as lieth in you) live peaceably with all men.  
dearly beloved avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath, for it is written: vengeance is mine, 
Deu. xxxii.  I will revenge saith the Lord. Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him, if he thirst, give him drink, be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with goodness. All these be the words of s. Paul. 
An objection.  But they that be so full of stomach, and set so much by themselves, that they may not abide so much as one evil word to be spoken of them, peradventure will say: if I be evil reviled, shall I stand still like a goose, or a fool, with my finger in my mouth? Shall I be such an ydiot & diserde, to suffer every man to speak upon me, what they list, to rail what they list, to spew out all their venom against me, at their pleasures? Is it not convenient, that he that speaketh evil, should be answered accordingly? If I shall use this lenity and softness, I shall both increase mine enemy's frowardness, and provoke other to do like. Such reasons make they, 
An answer  that can suffer nothing, for the defence of their impatience. And yet, if by froward answering to a froward person, there were hope to remedy his frowardness, he should less offend, that should so answer, doing the same not of ire, or malice, but only of that intent, that he that is so froward or malicious, may be reformed. But he that can not amend another man's fault, or cannot amend it without his awn fault, better it were the one should perish, than two. Then if he cannot quiet him with gentle words, at the least let him not follow him, in wicked & uncharitable words. If he can pacify him with suffering, let him suffer: & if not, it is better to suffer evil, then to do evil, to say well, then to say evil: For to speak well against evil, cometh of the spirit of God, but to render evil for evil, cometh of the contrary spirit. And he that cannot temper ne rule his awn ire, is but weak and feeble, and rather more like a woman or a child, than a strong man. For the true strength and manliness, is to overcome wrath, and to despice injury, and other men's foolishness. And besides this, he that shall despice the wrong done unto him by his enemy, every man shall perceive, that it was spoken or done without cause, where as contrary, he that doth fume & chafe at it, shall help the cause of his adversary, giving suspicion that the thing is true. And so in going about to revenge evil, we show ourselves to be evil, and while we will punish and revenge another man's folly, we double and augment our own folly. But many pretences find they, that be wilful, to colour their impatience. Mine enemy (say they) is not worthy to have gentle words or deeds, being so full of malice, or frowardness. The less he is worthy, the more art thou allowed of God, the more art thou commended of Christ, for whose sake thou should render good for evil, because he hath commanded thee, & also deserved that thou shouldest so do. Thine neighbour hath peradventure with a word offended thee: call thou to thy remembrance, with how many words & deeds, how grievously thou hast offended thy lord God. What was man, when Christ died for him? Was he not his enemy, and unworthy to have his favour and mercy? Even so, with what gentleness & patience doth he forbear, & tolerate thee, although he is daily offended by thee? forgive therefore a light tresspace to thy neighbour, that Christ may forgive thee, many thousands of trespasses, which art every day an offendor. For if thou forgive thy brother, being to the a trespasser, than hast thou a sure sign and token, that God will forgive thee, to whom all men be debtors or trespassers. How wouldst thou have God merciful to thee, if thou wilt be cruel unto thy brother? Canst thou not find in thine heart to do that towards an other, that is thy fellow, which God hath done to thee, that art but his servant? Ought not one sinner to forgive another, seeing that Christ which was no sinner, did pray to his father for them, that without mercy and dispitfully put him to death? Who, when he was reviled, 
i. Peter. two.  did not use reviling words again, and when he suffered wrongfully, he did not threaten, but gave all vengeance, to the judgement of his father, which judgeth rightefully. And what crakest thou of thy head? If thou labour not to be in the body, thou canst be no member of Christ: if thou follow not the steps of Christ, 
Esai. iiii.  who (as the Prophet saith) was led to death like a lamb, not opening his mouth to reviling, but opening his mouth to praying for them that crucified him, saying: Father, 
Luke. xxiii.  forgive them, for they cannot tell what they do. The which example, anon after Christ, saint Stephin did follow, 
Acts. seven. i Cor. iiii.  and after saint Paul: We be evil spoken of (saith he) and speak well, we suffer persecution & take it patiently: Men curse us, & we gently entreat. Thus s. Paul taught that he did, & he did that he taught: Bless you (sayeth he) them that persecute you, bless you, & curse not. Is it a great thing to speak well to of & thine adversary, to whom Christ doth command the to do well? David when Semei did call him all to nought, did not chide again, but said patiently: suffer him to speak evil, it perchance the Lord will have mercy on me. Histories be full of examples of Heathen men, that took very meekly, both opprobrious words, & injurious deeds. And shall those Heathen men, excel in patience, us that profess Christ, the teacher & example of all patience? Lisander when one did rage against him, in reviling of him, he was nothing moved, but said: go to, go to, speak against me asmuch, & as oft as thou wilt, and leave out nothing, if perchance by this means thou mayest discharge the of those naughty things, with the which it seemeth, that thou art full laden. Many men speak evil of all men, because they can speak well of no man. After this sort, this wise man avoided from him, the injurious words spoken unto him: imputing and laying them to the natural sickness of his adversary.  
Perycles, when a certain scolder, or a railing fellow did revile him, he answered not a word again, but went into a gallery, and after toward night, when he went home, this scolder followed him, raging still more and more, because he saw the other to set nothing by him. And after that he came to his gate, (being dark night) Perycles commanded one of his servants to light a torch, & to bring the scolder home to his awn house. He did not only with quietness suffer this brawler patiently, but also recompensed an evil turn with a good turn, & that to his enemy. Is it not a shame for us that profess Christ, to be worse than Heathen people, in a thing chief pertaining to Christ's religion? Shall Philosophy persuade them more, than God's word shall persuade us? Shall natural reason prevail more with them, than religion shall do with us? Shall man's wisdom lead them to that thing, whereunto the heavenly doctrine cannot lead us? What blindness, wilfulness, or rather madness is this? Perycles being provoked to anger with many contumelious words, answered not a word. But we stirred but with one little word, what tragedies do we move? How do we fume, rage, stamp, and stare like mad men? Many men of every trifle, will make a great matter, and of the spark of a little word, will kindle a great fire, taking all things in the worst part. But how much 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 ourselves after this sort. He spoke these words, but it was in a sudden heat, or the drink spoke them, & not he, or he spoke them at the motion of some other, or he spoke them, being ignorant of the truth: 
Reasons to move men from querel picking  he spoke them not against me, but against him whom he thought me to be. But as touching evil speaking, he that is ready to speak evil against other men: first let him examine himself, whether he be faultless and clear of the fault, which he findeth in an other. For it is a shame, when he that blameth an other for any fault, is guilty himself either in the same fault, either in a greater. It is a shame for him that is blind, to call an other man man blind: and it is more shame for him that is whole blind, to call him blinkerd, that is but poor blind. For this is to see a straw in another man's eye, when a man hath a block in his own eye. Then let him considre, that he that useth to speak evil, shall commonly be evil spoken of again. And he that speaketh what he will for his pleasure, shallbe compelled to hear that he would not, to his displeasure. Moreover, let him remember that saying, that we shall give an account for every idle word. 
Matth. xii.  How much more than shall we make a reckoning for our sharp, bitter, brawling, & chiding words, which provoke our brother to be angry, & so to the breach of his charity. And as touching evil answering, although we be never so much provoked by other men's evil speaking, yet we shall not follow their frowardness by evil answering, if we consider, that anger is a kind of madness, and that he which is angry, is (as it were for the time) in a phenesy. 
Reasons to move men from froward answering.  Wherefore, let him beware, least in his fury he speak any thing▪ whereof afterward he may have just cause to be sorry. And he that will defend, that anger is no fury, but that he hath reason, even when he is most angry, then let him reason thus with himself, when he is angry. Now I am so moved and chafed, that within a little while after, I shallbe otherways minded: wherefore then should I now speak any thing in mine anger, which hereafter, when I would feignest, cannot be changed? Wherefore shall I do any thing now, being (as it were) out of my wit, for the which, when I shall come to myself again, I shallbe very sad? Why doth not reason? Why doth not godliness? Yea, why doth not Christ obtain the thing now of me, which hereafter, time shall obtain of me? If a man be called an adulterer, usurer, drunkard, or by any other contumelious name, let him consider earnestly, whether he be so called truly or falsely: if truly, let him amend his fault, that his adversary may not after, worthily charge him with such offences: if these things be laid against him falsely, yet let him consider, whether he hath given any occasion, to be suspected of such things, & so he may both cut of that suspicion, whereof this slander did arise, and in other things shall live more warily. And thus using ourselves, we may take no hurt, but rather much good, by the rebukes & slanders of our enemy. For the reproach of an enemy, may be to many men a quicker spur to the amendment of their life, than the gentle monition of a friend. philippus the King of Macedony, when he was evil spoken of by the chief rulers of the city of Athens, he did thank them heartily, because by them, he was made better, both in his words and deeds: for I studs (said he) both by my sayings and doings to prove them liars. This is the best way, to refel a man's adversary, so to live, that all, which shall know his honesty, may bear witness, that he is slandered unworthily. If the fault whereof he is slandered, be such, that for the defence of his honesty, he must needs make answer, yet let him answer quietly and softly, on this fashion, that those faults be laid against him falsely. For it is truth that the wiseman saith: 
Proverb. xv.  a soft answer assuageth anger, and a hard and sharp answer doth stir up rage & fury. The sharp answer of Nabal, 
i. Regum. x●v  did provoke David to cruel vengeance, but the gentle words of abigail, quenched the fire again, that was all in a flame. And a special remedy, against malicious tongues, is to arm ourselves with patience, meekness, and silence, least with multipliing words with the enemy, we be made as evil as he. 
An objection.  But they that cannot bear one evil word, peradventure for their own excusation, will allege that, which is written: he that despiseth his good, name is cruel. Also we read: answer a fool, according to his foolishness. 
Prover xxvi. Ihon. nineteen.  And our Lord jesus did hold his peace, at certain evil sayings, but to some, he answered diligently. He heard men call him a Samaritain, a carpenters son, a wine drinkar, and he held his peace: But when he heard them say, thou haste a devil within thee, he answered to that earnestly. 
An aunswer●  Truth it is in deed, that there is a time, when it is convenient to answer a fool according to his foolishness, lest he should seem in his own conceit to be wise. And sometime it is not profitable to answer a fool, according to his foolishness, lest the wise man be made like to the fool. When our infamy is joined with the peril of many, then is it necessary, in answering, to be quick and ready. For we read that many holy men of good zeals, have sharply and fiercely, both spoken and answered tyrants and evil men: which sharp words, proceeded not of anger, rancour, or malice, or appetite of vengeance, but of a fervent desire to bring them to the true knowledge of GOD, and from ungodly living, by an earnest and sharp obiurgation and chiding. In this zeal saint John baptist called the Phariseis, 
Matth. iii.  Adders brood, 
Galathi. iii.  and s. Paul called the Galathians fools, and the men of Crete, 
Titus. i Philip. iii.  he called liars, evil beasts, & sloggishe bellies, & the false Apostles, he called dogs and crafty workmen. And this zeal is godly, and to be allowed, as it is plainly proved by the example of Christ, who although he were the fountain and spring of all meekness, gentleness and softness: ye he calleth the obstinate Scribes and Phariseis, 
Matth. xxiii.  blind guides, fools, painted graves, Hypocrites, serpents, adders broad, a corrupt and wicked generation. 
Matth. xvi.  Also he rebuketh Peter eagerly, saying: go behind me sathan. Likewise S. Paul reproveth Elimas, 
Acts. xiii.  saying: O thou full of all craft, and guile, enemy to all justice, thou ceasest not to destroy the right ways of God: and now lo, the hand of the lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, and not see for a time. 
Acts. v.  And s. Peter reprehendeth Ananias very sharply, saying: Ananias, how is it that sathan hath filled thy heart, that thou shouldest lie unto the holy ghost? This zeal hath been so fervent in many good men, that it hath stirred them not only to speak bitter and eager words: but also to do things, which might seem to some, to be cruel, but in deed, they be very just, charitable, and Godly, because they were not done of ire, malice or contentious mind, but of a fervent mind to the glory of God, and the correction of sin, executed by men, called to that office. For in this zeal, 
Ihon. two.  our Lord jesus Christ did drive with a whip, the biars and sellers out of the temple. 
Exod. xxxii.  In this zeal, Moses broke the two tables, which he had received at God's hand, when he saw the Israelites dancing about a calf, and caused to be killed xxiii M. of his own people. 
Nun. xxv.  In this zeal Phinees the son of Eleasar, did thrust through with his sword, zambry and Cozby, 
But these examples are not to be followed of every body but as men be called to office and set in authority. james. iiii.  whom he found together joined in the act of lechery. Wherefore now to return again to contentious words, and specially in matters of religion, and God's word (which would be used with all modesty, soberness and charity) the words of s. james ought to be well marked, and borne in memory, where he saith: that of contention riseth all evil. 
Prover. xx.  And the wise king Solomon saith: honour is due to a man that keepeth himself from contention, and all that mingle themselves therewith, be fools. And because this vice is so much hurtful to the society of a common wealth, in all well ordered cities, these common brawlers and skolders, be punished with a notable kind of pain: as to be set on the cokyngstole, pillery, or such like. And they be unworthy to live in a common wealth, the which do asmuch as lieth in them, with brawling and scolding, to disturb the quietness & peace of the same. And whereof cometh this contention, strife, and variance, but of pride & vain glory? Let us therefore humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, 
i. Peter. v. Luke. i.  which hath promised to rest upon them, that be humble and low in spirit. If we be good and quiet Christian men, let it appear in our speech and tongues. If we have forsaken the devil let us use no more devilish tongues. He that hath been a railing skolder, now let him be a sober counsailoure. He that hath been a malicious slaunderor, now let him be a loving comforter. He that hath been a vain railer, now let him be a ghostly teacher. He that hath abused his tongue in cursing, now let him use it in blessing. He that hath abused his tongue in evil speaking, now let him use it in speaking well. All bitterness, anger, railing, & blasphemy, let it be avoided from you. If you may, & it be possible, in nowise be angry. But if you may not be clean void of this passion, than yet so temper and bridle it, that it stir you to contention and brawling. If you be provoked with evil speaking, arm yourself with patience, lenity, and silence, either speaking nothing, or else being very soft, meek and gentle in answering. Overcome thine adversaries with benefits and gentleness. And above all things, keep peace and unity, be no peace breakers, but peace makers. And then there is no doubt, but that God, the author of comfort and peace, will grant us peace of conscience, and such concord and agreement, that with one mouth and mind, we may glorify God, the father of our Lord jesus Christ: to whom be all glory now and ever. Amen.  
HEreafter shall follow Homilies, of fasting Praying, Almose deeds: of the Nativity, Passion, Resurrection, & Ascension of our saviour Christ: of the due receiving of his blessed body and blood, under the form of bread & wine: against Idleness, against Gluttony and drunkenness, against covetousness, against Envy, Ire and malice▪ with many other matters, aswell fruitful as necessary, to the edifying of Christian people, and the increase of Godly living. Amen.  
GOD SAVE THE KING.   

¶ IMPRINTED AT LONDON, THE last DAY OF JULII, IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THE REIGN OF OUR SOVEREIGN LORD KING EDWARD THE. VI BY RICHARD GRAFTON PRINTER TO HIS MOST ROYAL MAJESTY.  
ANNO. 1547.  
Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum.   


SUSCIPITE ●●CITVM VERBUM ●ACO ·1