Twelve Sermons of Saint Augustine, now lately Translated into English by Tho. Paynel. AT LONDON. Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum ¶ To the most virtuous Mighty and most gracious Queen mary, daughter unto the most victorious and most noble prince, king Henry the viii. king of England, France and Ireland Thomas Paynell wisheth most prosperous health and felicity. ALthough our saviour christ Jesus doth affirm that the yoke and cares of man & saints to be sweet, and easy to be observed and borne: yet how many (most excellent Lady) do at this present allow, or admit that saying? ye, how many do admit & affirm the contrary and yet say they not that it is for any man or woman impossible to live chaste? to love their enemies, to live soberly & christianly? O God, how is usury and Simony cloaked? how is intemperate living used and esteemed? How do men keep the chastity of matrimony? How do men pay unto God and his ministers their tithes? what charitable deeds, what doleful penance, yea, what murder, adultery, and fornication, what bybbing, and wandering, clean contrary to doing that commandments that were used: For now to Lynke sunder snoeven is a virtue, to keep a concubine, is not much blamed, to seek upon ●aulkers and diviners is commonly used, to be proud, is accepted for cleanliness, to be avaricious, for providence, to be crafty and deceitful, for policy, to spend and waste, for good fellowship, to scoff and jest, for a point of civility, to flatter, is taken for entire love and amity. O lord shall these men come to the everlasting beatitude? shall they see the king in his estate and majesty? no verily. Who then? He that liveth justly, and speaketh the truth: he isaiah. that abhorreth to do injuries covetously, and removeth away his hands from gifts, he that stoppeth his ears, lest he hear the deceitful oppression of the innocent blood, and that shutteth his eyes, lest he see evil: this man shall inhabit places, and see the king in his glorious estate. Why do not men follow the sayings and words of the prophet? Why do they not ensue the doctrine of famous doctors and preachers? There was never more sincere and true preaching, than is now of late, nor the word of God more spoken of, than is in these our days. But so much preaching, & so little following, so much exhortation to charity, and so feeble & weak love, so much persuasion to succour and aid the poor, and so great poverty, so much good counsel given to ensue virtue, and so little apprehended & used, was never seen. Why so? For every man (as now the world is fashioned) be he never so rude and unlearned, will be his own doctor, his own interpreter of scripture, and follow his own sense and opinion, his own manner of living and pleasure, clean contrary to all wisdom, reason, and good learning. The old ancient fathers, and true interpreters of Gods holy word, the masters of virtuous and godly conversation, are among many little or no thing regarded. What were they (say they) but men as we be? Truth it is: but yet far more excellent both in learning and virtuous operations than we be: blessed martyrs, holy confessors, the chosen servants and vessels of God, the ensuers of his steps and statutes, the reprovers of vice, men of most perfect life, & the sincere preachers and expounders of the word of God. For who is he living that (as for an ensample) in subtility of wit, in profound learning, in clear declaration of scripture, or in godly example, that may be compared unto S. Augustine? Whose works are incomparable, & singular in all kinds of good learning: and to reduce man from vice to virtue, from the active, to the contemplative life most excellent. Out of whose sermons, to admonish and revoke the people from their dissolute and vicious living, and to put them in remembrance of their duty, and unthankfulness towards god: I have selected and translated these twelve sermons, the which in mine opinion and mind, are most worthy, and most necessary to be known and had in memory, but to be followed, much more necessary. Desiring your highness thankfully to accept this my rude translation. Rude it is (I confess) and barbarous, because I would be plain unto the plain and simple people, the which thing (as I conjecture) is not far amiss, nor yet greatly to be blamed. ¶ Of a Christian name. And what he ought to do and observe Ser 215 that beareth a christian name. i Ser. I Pray you my most dearly and well-beloved brethren, that with all our study & diligence, we call to our remembrance, why and wherefore we be named and called Christians, and why we bear the cross of Christ in our foreheads. For truly we ought to know, that it is not sufficient to receive the name of Christian men, except we do the works of Christians. For what doth it avail (saith the lord) to call me lord, lord if ye fulfil not my commandments? if thou name thy Luke. 6. self a Christian souldear, and continually dost bless thyself with the cross of Christ, and after thine ability and substance, dost no alms deeds, nor regardest not charity, justice, nor chastity, thy christian name shall nothing avail the. The sign and cross of Christ, is a thing most excellent, and therefore with this most precious signacle and seal, that thing which is most precious, aught to be sealed. For what doth it avail or profit thee, to make a seal of a ring of gold, if thou close putrefied and rotten straw therein. Or what doth it advantage us to wear, or to have the cross of Christ in our foreheads and mouths, and inwardly in our souls to have and hide sin? he that thinketh evil, speaketh evil, and if he that blesseth himself, 〈…〉 amend, his sins 〈…〉 not, but rather augment and increase. There be that when they go about theft, or adustery, if they stumble never so little, they do bless themselves, but yet they stay not themselves from their evil works and purposes. Nor the wretches perceive not that in so doing, they do rather include the devil then that they exclude him. But he which through the aid of God doth reject and repel all vicious and sinful living: and striveth doth to think upon that is good, and to do good, he doth well and justly bless his mouth with the sign and token of the cross, & endeavoureth himself to do such works, as shall deserve and merit to have, and to receive the sign and token of the cross. For it is written. The kingdom 1. Cor. 4 of heaven is not in words, but in power, and good works. And again, faith with Jam, 2, out good works is dead in itself. Therefore least that peradventure we have not this Christian name to our aid and amendment, but to our utter damnation and destruction: let us (whiles that we have remedy, and help in our own hands) return unto good works. And to the intent ye may (through the help of God) accomplish and do those things, look that there be peace and concord among you: and that ye reduce and bring those that are at strife and debate, to peace and unity. Avoid and fly all leasings. Exchue perjury as perpetual & mortal death. And above all things look that after your ability (as is aforesaid) ye exhibit & give your charity to the poor and needy: and that ye offer up your oblations to be consecrated upon the altar. Look that ye can say your belief, and the lords prayer, and that ye teach your children the same. For I marvel very much, how they dare be so bold, as once to name themselves christians, that do dissemble to say a few verses only of their creed, or of the lords prayer. Likewise ye shall understand, that for those children the which ye do Christian, ye are as sureties unto God: and therefore be circumspect to correct and chasten aswell those which ye do Christian, as your own natural children, that they may live chastened, sobe rly, and justly. And be aware that your life be such that your children (if they will follow you) burn not in the eternal fire, but that they may approach and comewith you to the perpetual bliss of heaven. Take you heed that do here, & judge men's causes, that ye judge righteously, and that ye take no gifts of the poor. For gifts Psa. 14 Exod. 23 do blind wise men's hearts, and do change & alter Eccl. 20. the words of the prudent & wise, lest peradventure, whiles ye get and heap up money, ye lose your souls. For no man can get unlawful gain without lawful pain and damage, for where is lucre, there is loss, lucre in the chest, and damage in conscience. Let no man drink to be drunken, nor compel any other at his table to drink more than needeth, lest that through ebriette & drunkenness, he lose both his own soul, and theirs also. Look that ye come together to the church upon the sunday, for if the wretched Jews do keep and sanctify their sabbath day, with such devotion as on that day, they will do no earthly work at all: how much more should we christian men on the sunday, give & apply our minds to God's service, & to come to the church for the salute & salvation of our own souls. And when ye come together, pray for the remission of your sins. Make no strife there, nor no debate, for who so coming to the church, doth so, he thorough debate, doth wound & hurt himself there, where he might have healed, & helped himself by prayer. And being in the church, beware and look that ye brawl not, but that ye patiently do listen and take good heed to your divine service. For he that doth jangle or babble in the church, shall give an accounts and reckoning, aswell for other, as for himself, because he would neither hear God's word, nor yet suffer other men to here the same. Look that ye truly pay your tithes to the church. And let him that was proud, wax humble, that was lecherous, wax chaste, that was wont to steel, or to invade other men's goods, give his charity to the poor. Let him that hath been envious, be benevolent and gentle, & that hath done injury, be ready and quick to ask for gevenes: and that he to whom injury was done unto, be pressed and ready to forgive, As oft as any infirmity or sickness doth chance among you, let him that is diseased receive the holy communion of the very body and blood of Christ, and afterwards be aneled, that scripture may be fulfilled in in him, saying: if any man be sick, let the priest be sent Jam. 5. for to anoint him, & to pray over him, and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and God shall raise him up, and if he be in sin, they shall be forgiven him. Take heed, and mark now good brethren, that he, the which in his sickness will resort unto the church, may obtain bodily health, and receive the forgiveness of sins. saying then that double goodness and benefit may be found and obtained in the church, why do these wretch's labour Deu. 18, by enchanters, by fountains, by trees, by devilish philaters, be characters, by dyviners, and soothsayers, to induce much mischief among the people? But as I have said unto you before, look that ye do admonish & warn your children, and all your household to live chastened, and righteously, provoking & stirring them to good works, not only by words, but by your godly and good example. But principally wheresoever ye be, whether ye be at home, or in your journey, or at the table, or among company, take heed ye speak no filthy, no luxurious, nor no light words: but that ye admonish your neighbours, and kinsfolk, continually to end ever themselves to speak the thing that is good and honest, lest that through detraction, or dancing upon the holy days, or by babbling and reciting of luxurious & filthy communication, they with their tongues (wherewith they should laud and honour God) do wound and hurt themselves. For if these wretched and miserable persons, which are not ashamed to dance before the churches of holy saints, come thither good christians, they depart from thence as infideles, for this use and custom of dancing doth yet remain of the observances, and infide litie of the gentiles. And ponder with yourselves what manner a Christian that he is, the which coming to the church to pray, and forgetting the same, is not ashamed to speak the sacrilegius words of pagans. Consider my dearly beloved brethren, whether it be seeming or convenient, that such luxurious and light words, the very poison of the devil, should proceed or come forth of christian men's mouths, into the which the sacrament of the very body and blood of christ doth enter and is received. And above all things, take Tobi. 4. heed that ye do unto other, as ye would be done unto: and math. 7. that ye would other men should not do unto you, that ye do it not unto them, the which thing if ye would truly & faithfully observe and fulfil: ye should easily deliver your souls from all sin: for he that hath no learning at all, and hath these two sentences in mind and memory, may by God's help and grace, in deed fulfil them. And notwithstanding, I do believe that the aforesaid evil and naughty custom, proceeding of the observances of pagans, be through my words, & gods inspiration, clean avoided: yet if ye know any that observe and keep that most abominable filthiness of the fawn, and the heart, look that ye so chasten, and so correct them, that they may repent them that ever they committed such a sacrilegius, and so abominable a deed. And if ye know any such as do cry out, if the moon at any season, through any eclipse doth wax obscure and dark: warn them thereof, and show them, that they sin and offend grievously, if they do trust, that through their clamours & sacrilegius boldness, they may defend themselves from the Moon (the which by God's commandment and ordinance at certain and appointed times doth wax dark) or fromany other sorcery or witchcraft. And if ye see or perceive any that offer up their vows unto trees, or unto any fountains, or that hang about them or any of theirs any diabolical philaters, or characters, herbs or the joys of any herb, or that (as I have said) do seek upon soothsayers, diviners: or enchanters: correct them sharply, and say unto them that all that so do, do lose the sacrament of baptism. And inasmuch as we have hard say, that Satan hath so deceived both men and women, that they will not work upon the thursday: I protest both before God, and his holy angels, that except they which observe those things amend and redeem such sacrilege with long and sharp penance, that they shall be dampened for ever. Nor I doubt not but that such wretches, the which as in the honour of Jupiter, will not work upon the thursdays, will not be ashamed at all, nor yet fear to work and labour upon the sunday. And therefore take heed, that ye earnestly do chasten as many as ye know that do so. And if they will not amend, suffer them neither to speak, nor to eat, nor yet once to drink in your company. And if they be belonging unto you, or of your family, skorge them that they at the least, which remember not their soul's health, may fear the punishment of their bodies. I (my dear brethren) remembering your manifold perils and dangers, do thus tenderly warn and admonish you, if ye then willingly do hearken unto me, ye shall come to perpetual joy and life ever lasting, the which he vouchsafe to grant you, that with the father and the holy ghost doth live eternally. Sobeit. ¶ Of a Christian name, and Ser ●1● that a Christian should often times think, why he is named a Christian man, and why he beareth the cross of Christ in his forehead. Ser. two. I Do rejoice mi most dearly beloved brethren, and do thank God, that I have deserved to find you in good health. And truly my brethren, a father doth righteously, & not without a great cause rejoice, as oft as he doth find his children healthful in body, and devout in the fear of God. And inasmuch as the goodness of God hath granted me double gladness, aswell of yours, as of mine own health: I must now open and declare unto you the thing which pertaineth, and is for the utility & health of your souls. It is very necessary dear brethren, that with all our intention and mind, we should study to inquire and understand, why and wherefore we be Christians, and why we bear the cross of christ in our foreheaddes. Ye must understand and perceive good brethren, that we are not made Christians to be careful for this life. For (as saith the apostle) 1. cor. 15 if we in this life only do believe and trust in god, then are we of all other the most wretched and miserable. For he that doth think only upon this life, is compared and likened unto a beast. For what other thing do beasts care for, but only to eat, to drink, to sleep, and to live voluptuously? And even such are all they that think moor upon their bodies, then upon their souls: that love glottovye and lechery, more than justice or chastity. Therefore my dearly beloved, ye must understand, and know that we are made christians, to think continually upon the eternal world, & reward that is to come: and to labour more for the soul, then for the body. Our flesh shall continue but for a few years in this world: but our souls (if we live and do well) shall inherit heaven without end. But if we do evil works, (that God forbid) and labour more for bodily pleasure, then for the health or salvation of our souls, I fear me that when good men shall be received with the angels unto eternal life, that we (that god forbid) shallbe cast headling into helfyer. Good brethren, it is not enough that we have received a christian name, except that therewith, we do good christemmens works. To him it is right profitable to be called a Christian, that loveth chastity, that exchueth ebriete, that abhorreth pride, and that as very poison doth reject enui. He is a right good Christian man, that stealeth not, that beareth no false witness, that lieth not, that useth no perjury, that committeth no adultery, that doth frequent the church, that doth not taste of his fruits, until he first have offered part of them unto God, that doth pay his tithes yearly, to be distributed among the needy, that doth love his curate, and honoureth priests, that loveth every man as himself, and hateth no man. verily he is not only a christian man that doth fear and eschew as the sword of Satan deceit full weights & double measures, but christ himself doth also dwell in him. He is a good Christian, that coming to the church, doth exhibit and offereth up his offering and that after his possibility and substance, doth give a penny, or a morsel of bread to some poor man: that receiveth the poor into his house: that washeth the poor men's feet: that doth not only make no debate, but reduceth such as are at discord and strife, to unity and concord: that doth show reverence, and the love of unfeigned charity unto his friends & elders: that doth live chaste, and admoninisheth his children, and his neighbours with word and deed, in sobriety and chastity. He is a good Christian man, that as oft as the holy and solemn feasts draw near, doth certain days before, abstain and keep chastity with his wife, that the more conveniently, & with a more sincere and sure conscience, a chaste body, and a clean heart, he may come unto the lords board and table. And he likewise that can the lords prayer, and his creed by rote, & that faithfully doth teach his children the same. Now good brethren ye have herd who be good christians, and therefore let us with God's aid and help, do the best we can or may, that this christian name be not wrongfully and vainly in us, and that Christ's sacraments suffer no injury in us: but in heart let us continually think upon good Christian works, and in deed fulfil them. For I pray you, what manner a Christian call ye him, that scarcely cometh once to the church, and yet when he cometh, doth not stand up to pray for his sins and misdeeds, but to prate & babble, to cause strife and debate, or else to drink (if he may find a convenient place) till he vomit again? & after that he hath well drunken, riseth up like a mad man, to leap and dance, and to sing luxurious and filthy songs of love. Such a one doth not fear neither to steal, nor yet to commit adultery, to give false witness, to curse, nor yet to commit perjury. But whether they be men or women that exercise and do such ungodly works, they neither receive the name of a Christian, nor yet the sacrament of baptism, to their aid and consolation, but to their judgement and damnation. And without they repent them and do penance, they shall perish for ever. Now good brethren I have opened unto you, who be good, and who be evil Christians. And therefore follow those that ye see and perceive to be good: & chasten, chide, and correct those ye know to be nought, that through your own utility, and their amendment, ye may have and obtain double reward. For they that are good, chaste, sober, humble, and gentle, will by the grace of God, continue in their good and godly works: and the myslyvers, quickelye or ever they depart from hence, amend themselves: for if they die without repentance, they shall not come to joy, but to perpetual and everlasting death, from the which God vouchsafe to deliver us. So be it. ¶ Of the mystery, fruit, and manner of fasting in Ser. 46. Lent. iii. Ser. WE ought to esteem & suppose the whole time of our life, to be a place to exercise virtue in, and with all virtue to strive to come to the celestial reward. But that must and ought most specially to be done and fulfilled in this holy time and days of Lent, the which days being hallowed with abstinence and fasting, do add so much to the virtue of the soul, how much they diminish of the voluptuous pleasure of the body. This is alawfull number of fasting days, the which are celebrated in holy examples. Moses when he should receive the law of God did fast forty days and forty nights without other meat or drink: by such abstinence and fasting, he was prepared and ordained to receive the will and the commandments of God. Helias after he had fasted forty days, was translated and carried out of the world in a chariot of fire to the highest place of heaven. Our lord and saviour through fasting of. xl. days did triumph, and overcame the temptations of the devil and as victorious came to the predication and declaration of the gospel. And we in like manner ought to fast, and to obsrrue these days▪ the which we do read to be consecrated and hallowed by such examples. Let us therefore consecrate and honour these days with all alacrite & joyfulness of heart and mind, & prefer them above all worldly banquets, and bodily debate. For in these days we are most kindled and inflamed to fulfil the will and the command dements of god, for through abstinence the pleasure of the body is much suaged and debated. Truly the pure mind doth then make most haste to God, and to do and fulfil his commandments, when it is not mistempered with surfeiting, nor with the satiety of meats and drinks. Where of our saviour in his Gospel doth say. Take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be overcome with surfeits, with drunkenness, and with wordly cares and cogitations: Luk. 21. lest that sudden day come on you unwares: for it shall come as a snare upon the universal world, and no man shall scape it. Also this great utility and profit is in these hungry and fasting days, for through such abstinence, and abstaining from lawful things, we are monished & much exhorted to abstain from that, which is unlawful. We abstain from flesh, the which upon other days we may use lawfully. We abstain from wine, the which we may use moderately. Let us therefore which do eschew and avoid the thing that is lawful, fly and above all things avoid sin, that can never be well and lawfully used. And if we intend & purpose to fast from meat, let us above all things fast and abstain from sin. For what doth it avail us to abstain, or to void the body of meat, if we replenish the soul with vice and sin? What doth it profit the to be pale and wan with fasting, if thou be blown and puffed up with hatred and envy? What doth it avail us to abstain from wine, if we be drunken and full of the poison of anger? What advantageth it the to abstain from flesh ordained to be eaten, if thou backbite and speak maliciously of thy neighbour? What doth it avail us to abstain from those things which are at sometimes lawful, if we do those things, which are never lawful? Therefore let us (as I have said) fast and abstain from meat, but much more from vice, that we may be replenished with the abundance of good & holy conversation, and in time to come deserve & merit through god's grace and favour, to be satisfied with the reward of good works. For they (as we do read in the gospel) are blessed that hunger and thirst justice, for they shallbe satisfied. In truth we ought to choose this compensation, that is to give & to distribute such meats as we do abstain fro, to the poor & needy. For it is written: Blessed be they that are content to suffer, that in another place they may be refreshed. For that gift is acceptable unto God, when the needy is fed and refreshed, when the bare is clothed, when anger is not performed nor finished, when the time of anger is not kept, and when evil is not done for evil. Our fastings are then thankful and acceptable unto God, when we do refresh and comfort those that fast for very need & necessity: for than we shall hear this sentence: verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the lest of these, ye have done it to me. O the great be nignitie and goodness of god, the which to repress and assuage the covetousness of man, saith, that whatsoever is given to the least poor man that is, is given unto himself. The goodness of God grant you my brethren, that ye may so serve & please him with your abstinence, alms deeds, & good works, that he, the which doth live eternally, may bring you to the eternal and true life. So be it. ¶ Of fasting in Lent, and alms deeds. Ser. 62. iiii. Ser. I Pray you, & in like manner I admonish you my dearly beloved brethren, the none of you do presume to dine in this lawful and most holy time of Lent, except it be upon the sunday, or that peradventure ye be in such care and weakness, that your infirmity and sickness doth not suffer you to fast. For why, to fast upon other days, is other a remedy, or else a reward: but not to abstain in dent, is sin. He that at any other time doth fast, shall have pardon and remission, but he that doth not fast and abstain in Lente, shall feel pain. And yet let him, that through feebleness cannot fast prepare somewhat as secretly as may be, for himself and other (if there be any modiseased than himself) that they may eat it together. But he shall invite nor call none such to his repast & dinner, that may fast: For if he do both god and man shall easily perceive, that his infirmity is not the cause that he fasteth not, but that through gluttony he will not fast. Let him that can not fast, be content, & eat his meat with sorowfulness, that he when other men do abstain and fast, abstaineth not. Let him cause the thing that shallbe necessary for the sick, to be secretly prepared for himself and some other. For it beseemeth him not to call any whole man unto his table, lest that he, through otherinens gluttony, increase and augment his own sin. And yet for asmuch as he fasteth not, his charity and almose ought to be the more larger to the poor, so to redeem those sins by almose deeds, the which he could not cure nor heal, by abstinence and fasting. It is my good brethren a very good and a profitable thing to fast, but yet much better to give almose. If a man may or can do both, they are two good things: but if he can not, better it is to give almose. If thou be not able to fast, almose deeds without fasting shallbe sufficient: but to fast without doing of charitable and almose deeds, is not sufficient. Therefore if a man can not fast, almose without fasting is good: but if a man may fast, and also do his almose, they are two good things, but to fast without doing of alms, is neither good, nor profitable, except a man be so very needy and poor, that he have nothing at all to give, and then the good will of him that hath nothing to give, is sufficient. For it is written, Glory to God an high, and peace be on the Luke. 2. earth to those that be well willing. But who can excuse him, when the lord hath promised to give us a reward Mat. 10 for a cup of cold water? And why doth he say of cold water? least peradventure some poor man would excuse himself by penury and lack of wood, and say that he hath neither pot nor pan to warm any water withal. Finally my dearly beloved brethren, the lord doth so exhort, and so admonish us by the holy prophet to do alms deeds, that there is in a manner no man so poor and needy, that can excuse himself. He saith thus, This is the fast (saith the Lord) that I have Esay. 58 chosen, break thy bread to him that is an hungered. He saith not, give him a whole loaf, for perchance the poor man hath it not to give, but he saith, break it, that is to say, if thou be so needy and poor, that thou hast but one loaf of bread, yet break of a piece thereof, & give it to the poor. Also he saith, lead the poor man that is without lodging, Esay. 58 home to thy house. Now if a man be so poor and needy, that he have not where with all to feed the poor, yet at lest wise, let him prepare him a bed in some corner of his house. O my dear brethren, what shall we say to these things, or what excuse shall we make, that have great & wide houses? and yet scarcely vouchsafe at any time to receive the poor pilgrim, being ignorant, yea not believing that christ (as he doth say) is received in his pilgrims, I was astraunger, and ye received me, and inasmuch as math. 25, ye have done it unto one of the lest of these, ye have done it unto me. It is tedious and laborious unto us, to receive Christ in poor and needy men, into our country, but I fear me he will requite us, & not receive us into his heavenly kingdom. We despise him here in this world, I fear me he will despise us in heaven. As he high self doth say, I was a hungered, and ye gave me no meat, I Esay. 58 was a stranger, and ye did not receive me. inasmuch then as ye did it not to one of Ezec. 18 the lest of these, ye did it not to me. But I beseech GOD mi good brethren, that he may remove from us, the thing that doth ensue and follow: for afterwards he sayeth: Get ye from me ye wicked & damned persons into the eternal matth, 25 & everlasting fire, the which is prepared for satan & his angels. Therefore my brethren let us not hear these things slightly, or with our bodily ears only, but faithfully hearing it let us so teach it with word & deed, that other men may understand it, & accomplish the same. Our Lord Christ Jesus granting it, the which liveth and reigneth with the father and the holy ghost. So be it. ¶ Of confession and penance. v. Ser. Ser. 66. HOly scripture doth often times exhort us to fly to the remedy, and medicine of confession: not that because that God hath any need of our confession, unto whom all that we think, speak, or do, is clear and at hand: but because we can not be otherwise saved, except that we being penitent, do penitently confess, that we negligently have committed. Satan shall not accuse him again at domes day, that doth hear of his sinful deeds, and ungodly life, accuse himself: so that he be confessed, and penitently doth leave and forsake them, & reneweth them not again. Confess your sins (sayeth S. James) one to another, Jacob. 5 and pray one for another, that ye may be saved. And the Apostle Rom. 10 Paul sayeth, Confession with the mouth is to our salvation. And Solomon sayeth thus of the confession of sins: he that doth hide and cloak his sins shall sorrow: but he that doth confess Prou. ●● his faults, and forsaketh them, shall obtain mercy. It is a right good medicine of salvation, not to renew our old misdeeds, nor to refresh the scars of our old wounds. For S. John sayeth: if we confess our sins, God ●, Jo. 1, is faithful and just to forgive us, and to cleanse us from all iniquity. David sayeth likewise, I said that I would confess mine iniquity and unrightewesnesse Psal, 31 against myself, and thou didst remit the wickedness of my sin. Let the sinner confess his sins whilst he liveth, for hereafter is no fruitful confession, Eccle. 17 nor no penance that shall profit to salvation. See now is the time of health, now is the acceptable time, ●, cor. 6, now is the time of remission, for those that are penitent. For why? after death shall be the time of punishment for those that were negligent to confess them of their iniquities. All wicked and sinful persons have bitter penance in pain and torment: but yet it doth profit them nothing unto remission, for their conscience doth wring them to the increase and augmentation of the pain that they do suffer. They might by confession have escaped the bitterness of their torments and pain, but they did not regard it. And therefore as they are outwardly troubled with fire, so they are inwardly vexed with the remorse of conscience. How can surgeon heal the wound, the which the patient is ashamed to show? God doth desire our confession, that there by he might have a full and a perfect knowledge of our misdeeds. He that is ashamed to disclose and to confess his sins, shall have God both his judge, and his punisher. A man shall do best to judge himself in this world, lest that God here after judge him to 1. cor. 11 perpetual pain and torment. Every sinful man ought to have double sorrow in penance: first, that through his negligence he did no good, and again, that through a certain boldness he committed the thing which was evil. That he should not have done he did, & that he should have done he did not. Confession doth justice, confession doth give Confession. remission of sin. All hope of forgiveness doth rest in confession, confession is a work of mercy, the very health of those that be sick, and with penance our only help and comfort, whose laud & praise the Lord doth declare in the matt. 4. gospel, saying: Do penance, for why? the kingdom of god doth draw nigh. And S. matth. 3. John the baptist doth say: Do ye worthy works of penance. Worthy works of penance are, to bewail the sins that are past, and to renew them no more. As it is Eccle. 5. written, look thou add, nor heap not sin to sin. And our Lord by the Prophet Esaias doth say: Wash ye Esay. 1. and be clean. He is washed & clean, that doth bewail that is past, & approacheth no more unto them. He is washed & not clean, that doth lament his misdeeds, and afterward reneweth that he lamented. Of these men S. Peter doth speak most terribly saying: ●, Pet, 2, A dog returning to his vomit. O my child (saith holy Eccl. 21, scripture) hast thou committed sin? do no more so, but pray that the old may be forgiven thee. True penance is not judged by the number of years, but by the bitterness and heaviness of the mind. S. Peter matth. 26 by and by obtained of God the forgiveness of his sins, because he lamented most bitterly that he had thrice denied him. And notwithstanding a man's penance be but short, yet if it be done with the inward bitterness of the mind, God the righteous judge, considering the secretness of man's heart, will not despise it. For god doth not somuch require the continuance of time, as he doth ponder the will and the sincere mind of him that repenteth & doth penance. For he that with all his heart & mind doth trust in Christ, although he depart and die with much sin yet his faith shall live for ever, as GOD in his holy Gospel doth say, I am the resurrection Joau, 11 and life, whosoever believeth on me, though he were dead, yet shall he ●yue, and whosoever liveth and believeth on me, shall never die. He doth speak of the death of the soul, the which shall happen and chance unto man, through the infirmities and frailness of sin. God of his nature is merciful, and ready to save all those by mercy, the which he can not find to save by justice. He would that every man 1. Ti. 2. should be saved, and that no man should perish, saying by the Prophet that whensoever a sinner doth convert himself, that he shall live, & Ezec. 33 not die. And not withstanding we are all wicked sinners, yet if we turn to penance, let us not doubt, but that through the mercy of God, we shall obtain the remission of all our iniquities & sins, The mercy of God doth help and secure those that in this world be penitent & do penance. For penance in the world that is to come, (where every man shall give an accounts of his own works) doth not prevail. Penance must be done in this world, for after our death is none amendment. ¶ Of auricular confession. sir, 3● vi. Ser. MEn are wont to say most dearly beloved brethren, that God knoweth all things, and that with god there is neither time passed, nor time Heb 13. to come, for he saith all thin● and pondereth all thing, a●● Heb. 4, things are bare & open unto god: why will God the● (say they) that we should confess our sins to man? we●● it not better not to manifest and disclose such evil deeds then to open them abroad▪ for who is he that would gladly say, I have trespassed above all other▪ And if I shul● show all thing unto man I should be esteemed the wors● of all other, & many through● mine example would do much evil. Why should a man the● confess himself to any other? O thou man, dost thou no● know that we are all sinners? for if we say, that we be with out sin, we deceive our● 1. Joa. 1, selves, and the truth is not in us. We do all sin, we are all borne in sin, we are all drowned in sin, yea & the child to, which is but one Job, 15 day old. Wherefore then do we fear to be confessed? And yet we must needs be confessed unto God, for he is good Psal, 99, and gracious, and his mercy endureth for ever. God would that we should be confessed, nor that neither, because he knoweth not our miseddes and faults, but because the devil should hear and know, that we are confessed, and sorry for our iniquities. For after that we have once wept, and be truly confessed: he hath not where withal, he may any more accuse us. Mark and see then good brethren, Satan would that we should keep silence and hold our peace. And God would we should be confessed, unto whom should we soneste obey? verily unto God, the which doth evermore command that good is. Nor it is not sufficient, the we abstain from evil, except we do sorrowfully confess the evil that we have done. Nor it is not enough to be confessed to God only, but in like manner we must confess our sins and trespasses to man, Therefore thou shalt not linger to confess thyself, and return unto GOD. Nor thou shalt not differ it from time to time. For why? the anger of God shall come suddenly and destroy thee. O my brethren that have slept hither to, awake and return unto your Lord GOD with all Ecele, 5. your hearts, with fasting, weeping, and wailing. And inasmuch as he saith within all your hearts, the Prophet doth teach us, that the fountain Johel, 2, of penance is in the heart, and that weeping is referde unto the eye, sobbing unto the mouth, and fasting unto the whole body. O man linger not to return again unto the Lord thy God, examen thy conscience. Look upon the secrets of thy heart, and consider or ever thou go to confession, that thy heart hath sinned, desiring and coveting the thing that was noughts, thy eyes in beholding of vanities, thy mouth by speaking the thing that was false, thy ears through hearing of lies, thy hands with smiting and committing of murder, if not in very deed yet peradventure in will. Who can excuse himself? our feet also are very quick & speedy to evil. Therefore as ye have given your members servants to uncleanness and iniquity, from iniquity to iniquity, even so now give your members Roma. 6 servants unto right wesnes, that ye may be sanctified. And first let the heart be penitent and sorrowful for all such ungodly things, as it hath at any time thought upon or desired, let the eye weep, let the mouth pray continuailye, let the ear hear the word of God, let the hands give and be doing of charitable and almose deeds, receive the poor pilgrim, feed the sick and hungry, and clothe the naked, let your feet be going to the church, & your knees labour to bow down unto God, for as there was no member, but that through sin hath displeased God, so let there be no member without sufferance of semblable and like pain, for God hath given us our members to serve him withal and not to serve the world. But alas my brethren, the citizens of heaven, and Gods familiar friends, are made the servants of the world, embracing & leaning a great deal more to earthly things then to eternal, to their own substance, then to themselves. But good brethren, ye should not do so, for why? the time is at hand, and it doth threaten us. Rise ye up therefore that do eat the bread of psal, 126 heaviness. Let us haste us to the church, and with sorrowful tears confess our sins. But first this order must be taken and kept. We (or ever we go to confession) must think upon our sins and trespasses, and in opening of them, so confess to god and to his minister the priest the manner & circumstances of them, that we may depart from their feet not burdened, but exone rated & lightened. And good brethren, look ye prolong not the time, to confess your sins, for he that doth prolong or procrastinate the time unto the last day of lent, or of his life to confess his misdeeds, he giveth good evidence, that he doth it not willingly, nor graciously, nor with a pure heart, but against his will. Mark and consider how such constrained and unwilling service doth please either god or man. And therefore let us not delay from day to day to confess and to open the secrets of our hearts: for God hath promised forgiveness to those that are penitent, and not to those that delay their confession or penance until to morrow: therefore let us not prolong nor delay our confession. But yet when thou man or woman goest to confession, look thou laugh not, nor that thou be gorgeously nor well appareled, nor that thou begin not to utter and show fables, but that with all humility and tokens of repentance, ye do confess Jaco. 5. your sins one to another. And I pray thee not to fear to be confessed. But how shall I confess this and that? O thou man, as oft as thou dost feel and perceive that, doubt not but that it is the very temptation of the devil, the which desireth so to inwrappe & entangle thee, that thou, being already in sin, might do without any great temptation, that should please him. And therefore my brethren, fear ye not to confess your sins, for I know that thing less, the which I know by confession, then that, which I know not. Why do ye then fear to confess your sins? he is a wretched sinner as ye are, and perchance a more wretched sinner than ye are, that doth hear your confession. He is a man, he differeth nothing from you, he is but as ye are. Why dost thou then thou sinful man fear thee to confess to a sinner? Choose what ye will, but if ye lurk unconfessed, ye shallbe condemned without confession. GOD doth require confession too acquit and deliver him that is humble, and to condemn him eternally, that is proud. Be confeste my brethren and delay it not, haste you to come to the holy harvest of confession, for confession is the health of the soul, the destroyer Confession. of vice, the restorer of virtue, the victor and overcomer of friends, the fear of hell, the obstacke of satan, the cote and garment of angels, the hope of the church, the health, the guide, the light, the esperance and hope of all faithful people. O wonderful and holy confession, thou dost close up the mouth of hell, and openest heaven gates. O confession, without thee, the just man is esteemed unthankful, and the sinner shallbe reputed as dead. O the life of all just men, the glory of all sinners. Thou art only necessary for sinners, and yet he that willbe esteemed just, must oftentimes visit the. Finally there shall nothing remain in judgement that was avoided & disclosed by confession. Clean and pure confession is so pondered and weighed, and God doth set so much and such store there by, that the thieves confession hanging upon the cross, was aswell accepted, as though he had died for god's cause: behold how much the sinners short confession did advantage him? But we priests (would to god we were good priest▪ should so diligently, and with such moderation watch to fasten the word of fear, & of contrition in the hearts of sinners, that we fear them not from confession, and so to open their hearts, that they neither shut up, nor close their mouths from the same. Nor we should not absolve the penitent except we saw and perceived that he were confeste. For the belief of the heart justifieth & the confession of the mouth Rom. 10 maketh a man safe. And therefore he that hath the word of confession in his mouth, and not in his heart is other crafty, or else false. And he that hath it in his heart, and not in his mouth is other proud or fearful. Therefore it behoveth priests to be such as do know what manner of medicine and how much thereof they should minister to every sick man. The Lord which liveth and reigneth for ever, being his aid and comfort. Amen. ¶ Of Penance. Ser. 57 Ser. seven. I Pray you my dearly beloved brethren, that if any of you after the course and frailness of man, be overthrown through the subtle craftiness of satan, or enwrapped in deadly sin, and hath (as sayeth the Apostle) destroyed in himself the temple of god. I pray him that he despere not of the 2. cor. 3. mercy of God, but that he arise up quickly from his iniquity and sin, lest that by the continuance & custom thereof, he drown himself in his own ruin, for he shall not be odious nor abominable unto god, that hath done & committed sin, but he that doth rest and continue in sin. And because no man should mistrust the mercy of god, the Lord by his prophet doth comfort us saying: I desire not the death of any sinner, but that he should return from sin and live. And again: Ezec, 33 Whensoever the wicked sinner, shall return from his wickedness, it shall not hinder Ezec, 18, nor hurt him. But this his great mercy doth then profit us, when we slack not to return unto him, nor join nor accumulate sin upon sin. Furthermore we may know the wounds and fractures of the body, by the wounds and fractures of the soul For if a man's leg, or hand be once broken, it is wont to be hardly brought and restored to his old use again: but yet if they break twice or thrice: or oftener in one place, your charity may easily understand and perceive, with what dolour and pain such wounds and fractures are healed again: and yet after long pain & torment, scarcely they can be restored and brought to their former and old estate. And like reason is thought to be in the fractures and wounds of the soul: for if a man do commit sin once or twice, and without any dissimulation doth fly unto the remedy of penance, he shall without any let, and peraduentur without any shame recover his health again. But if sin begin to be joined to sin, and that the wounds of the soul, through the cloaking and defending of iniquity do rather putrefy, than by confession and penance do heal and amend, it is to be feared, lest the saying of the Apostle be verified in him. Dost thou not know, that the kindness of God doth lead the Rom. 2, to repentance: but thou after thine hard heart that can not repent, dost heap together the treasure of wrath against the day of vengeance and revelation of the true judgement of GOD. But perchance some one man may think, that he hath so grievously offended, that now he can not merit to have and to obtain the mercy of God. But God forbidden that any sinner should think so. O thou man that dost consider and way the multitude of thy sins, why in like manner dost thou not consider the great power of the celestial physician? And considering that God of his mere goodness will have mercy upon us, and that by his mighty power, he may be merciful unto us. He doth close up the gate of his divine mercy against himself, that doth believe that GOD will not, or that he can not be merciful unto him, or that mistrusteth him to be good & am nipotent. And therefore let no man neither after a hundred, yet a thousand sins and crimes committed, despere of God's mercy, but make all the haste he can, that God without any stop or let may be merciful unto him, lest that he perchance do so accustom himself to sin, that though he would, he can not be delivered from the snares & crafty deceits of the devil David (the which was both by the aid and gift of God) a 2. Regum, 11. 12. king and a Prophet was so prevented, that he committed not only adultery, but also murder, and yet he reserved not himself, nor protracted nor tarried not to do penance in his old age, but by and by, lying in a shirt of hear, and oversprinckled with ashes, did sorrowful & great penance, and fulfilled that he said in his Psalms: I Psalms, 6 will wash and water my couch every night with my tears. And again: I did Psa, 101 eat ashes as bread, and watered my drink with tears. And because that with mortiferous uncarefulness, he did not delay to do fruitful penance, he immediately so stirred up and revoked the mercy of God, that alonely he lost not his kingdom, but also deserved to receive and to have the gift of the holy comforter. But peradventure there be yet that will say, I am occupied in warfare, or I have a wife, how can I then do penance? As though that I (when I counsel you to do penance) would say, that ye should rather go about to pluck out the hears of your heads, then that ye should leave your sins & wretchedness: or unthrede your gowns, then to refuse your evil conversation & manners. But let him which goeth about by such dissimulation more to deceive, then to excuse himself, take heed, & mark, that neither the honour of his kingdom, nor yet the dignity of his apparel, could refrain or let king David from doing of penance. Also the sacrilegius king Achab (of whom Scripture 3. reg, 21 sayeth, that there was never none such sold to do evil against God) after the Jezabel his wife ha● depraved him, & had made him abominable in the sight of God: Naboth being stoned to death, because he would not yield up his vine yard, yet after that the Prophet Heli had spoken unto him, he put on a shirt of hear, and bowed down his head unto god, & did penance. Whereupon God said unto Heli, hast thou not seen, how that Achab hath humiliated himself unto me? Forasmuch as he (saith the lord) hath buxomed and bowed himself unto me for my sake, I will not (as long as he shall live) punish nor trouble the people. Now consider good brethren, that although this Achab was sacrilegius & noughts, yet he prolonged not the time to do penance, but incontinently offered unto GOD the sacrifice of an humble and of a contrite heart. And if afterwards he had continued in his humylitye, the mercy of GOD had never forsaken him. Also king Manasses was so wicked. 4. re. 21. (as it is written of him) that he replenished the whole city of Jerusalem with all iniquity. yet after that he was taken & put in prison, he through great penance and much humility, did so obtain the grace and favour of god, that he merited to be numbered & accepted among the friends & good lovers of god. And after that the sinful Magdalene (the which washed Christ's Luc. 7. feet with her tears, & wiped them with her hear) knew that the heavenly Physician was come, she went into Symons house undesired: & she that before was bold, prompt & shameless unto all unthriftiness, was now more bold to be saved, and therefore she deserved to hear, that all her sins were forgiven her. Nor this woman prolonged not to do penance, but whilst she might sin, she did so leave of to sin, that no necessity, but her own voluntary will withdrew her from her misliving. We might find many more in holy scripture, the which through doing of penance after their infinite & innumerable crimes provoked and caused god to be merciful and gracious Lord unto them, the which did not only return to their first estate and condition, but to a much better. But forasmuch as it were a very long thing to speak of all, these four which we have recited and spoken of, are sufficient to know, that the lord (the which forgave David after so great a sin, and the sacrilegius king Achab, and that after so innumerable iniquities reputed penitent Manasses to be his friend, and forgave the sinful Magdalene (which did wash his feet with her tears, and did wipe them with her hear) all her sins) is ready not only to forgive us our misdeeds and trespasses, if we return unto him, but also to give us eternal beatitude, & rest everlasting. Therefore my good brethren, let us (thinking upon those things) labour with God's help as much as we may possible, that no deadly sin creep in among us, but if so be there be any, that through the deceitfulness of the devil are overthrown or cast into this evil, let him or ever any such crimes by a continual custom, do increase, seek for remedy, and labour with great sorowefulnes of heart, to be reconciled, and to win the favour of almighty God again. Nor let him not be ashamed to do penance, that was not ashamed to sin, but strive incontinently through godly operation to amend himself, that he may be known, and accepted of the father among his children, lest that he exclude him from the eternal bless and eject him from the heavenly banquet, and bound both hand and foot, cast him into the exterioure darkness, where is wailing and gnashing of teeth: and that he revoked, math, 22, and through the medicines of penance, humility, and compunction, restored to his old estate and health again, and adorned with the perils of good works, may merit to hear these words. O my good and faithful servant, enter and come into the joy of thy lord Amen. ¶ Of almose deeds, Ser. viii. Ser 127 I My most dearly beloved brethren have monished you and presumed too give you counfell to do and to give almose. And although my admoniti on hath (God willing) profited many a one, yet I fear me, lest there be, that do less than they may, or else nothing at all. But some will say unto me, I am a poor man, and not able to do any almose deeds. But because that no poor man should excuse himself from doing of almose deeds, our Saviour hath promised to reward us for a cup of matt. 10, could water. sayst thou then, that thou art poor? If thou have in substance no more than will reasonably find thee, than thy only good will is sufficient. But I pray the exactly to examine thy conscience, whether that at times peradventure thou haste not lost through super fluous drin king, that thou mightest have given in almose, or lest that in earth thou haste consumed through gluttony, that thou shouldest with almose and charitable deeds have laid and treasured up in heaven: or lest by preparing of delicate welfare, and buying of superfluous array and apparel, thou hast not now the thing that thou shouldest have to give unto the poor for the salvation and redemption of thy soul. And notwithstanding our galant and precious array is wont to be consumed and moth eaten, yet the needy can not obtain nor get the thing that is most vilest. If all these impediments them, do not aggravate nor burden our souls, or if we have the thing, which only sufficeth us and ours, we shall not then appear to be in fault and guilty, although we give nothing to the poor, but if luxuriousness and super fluitye (as I have said) do devour and consume, that charity and mercy might have treasured up in heaven, let us then while time is, amend ourselves, and study to recompense, and with all our might to fulfil that we have not done, or perchance that we have done, but far other wise and less than we should have done. And therefore help thyself (O thou christian man) that dost read and hear these things, with daniel's Dani. 4. most holy counsel. Accept my counsel (saith he) and redeem thy soul with almose and charitable deeds. The which counsel, if thou wilt not listen to and hear, thou shalt call upon God, but in vain. O thou soul that dost inhabit and dwell within these carnal & frail walls, watch matth. 7. pray, ask, seek, and knock. I say watch asking, pray sekynge, and knock working. The Lord shall answer thee, that dost watch and ask, saying, behold here I am. If thou wilt pierce and go thorough the fire, thy Lord Esay. 43 God is with thee, & the flame shall not burn the. For why? as water doth quench fire, even so doth almose deed quench sin. Therefore if thou wilt open thy hand to the poor, Christ shall open his gates unto thee, that as a possessioner of heaven thou mayst enter & come in. And if thou think that the end of the world be long a coming, look only upon thine own end, and behold how the world by a little and a little doth consume and vanish. All things which were good, are gone and taken away, & such evil as never was, doth approach. The thing that the word of God did prognosticate, is daily accomplished & fulfilled, and yet that notwithstandynge, man doth neither change nor amend. Therefore take counsel whilst that thou hast thy redemption in thine own hand, give and distribute unto thyself that is thine, whilst it is thine. For the thing that thou dost possess and hold is but frail and brittle, and other men's that thou dost look for. Consider what manner of price the Lord paid for thee, he shed his precious blood for thee, he loved thee entirely, that so dearly bought thee. O good brother avoid and fly the example of the rich man, whose dogs the poor man Lazarus Luc. 19 did feed and nourish with his wounds, and yet they gave him not so much, as the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: but this thing not long after was clean altered for the poor bought his salvation with poverty, & the rich man his pain and torment with the abundance of riches. The poor man was exalted up with angels into Abraham's bosom, and the rich man thrust down into the profound deepness of hell, from whence he saw the poor man, yea the poor man the rich man, he that denied a crome of bread, desired a drop of water. Let them therefore that be rich and abundant (the which will not help nor redeem themselves with their own goods and substance) think upon these things, lest they suffer and come to like punishment. He was rich that we do speak of, & likewise there be rich men here, unto whom we do speak, they are all after a name, but let them beware, that they be not of one condition, but these things were changed between the rich man, clothed in purple, and the poor man full of biles and botches. For the rich man lost that he had, & poor Lazarus began to be that he was not. That rich man left in this world his warehouses and shops full of goods and great substance, and in hell, he desired but a drop of water, and could not obtain it. Take heed good brethren, the whole body of the rich man is troubled with the flames and fire of hell, & yet his tongue, (because with proud words he despised the poor man) is most vehemently tormented. The tongue which would not counsel him to give the poor man his almose, is most grievously burnt and punished with the fire and flames of hell. He cried out and said: Father Abraham, send Lazarus that he may dip his finger in water, and coal my tongue. O thou rich man, with what audacity & boldness darest thou require a drop of water, that wouldest proffer a crome of bread? Thou shouldest now even of right have demanded and asked it, if thou hadst given it. O these worldly goods, the which in hell are grievous & evil. To this rich man's service came fire and torment. He doth suffer the cruel and hard torments of hell. He is wrong, and crieth out, and saith: O most pure and righteous judge, other let my pains be recompensed, according to mine iniquities, or else let me receive condign punishment and pain for the time, that I was in wealth, or double pain, or four times more pain. Why dost thou command me to be kept these many. M. years in this flaming fire? I am so bound with the bounds of my sins, that I can not escape. I am every moment of an hour, painfully tormented and punished. The fire doth cruelly vex me, nor it doth not spare me, it both tormenteth me, and reserveth me. To these lamentable and dolorous complaints, he might thus without boubt have answered him: What shall I do unto thee? Thou didst no almose deeds, the which might have quinched the torments Eccle, 3. & pains, that thou dost now abide and suffer for thy sins and iniquities. Scripture did call upon thee, but thou wouldst not hear. The prophets hold not their peace. The apostles preached The gospel gave out his sound The torments and pains prepared for the sinful were declared unto thee. And the reward of the righteous was promised thee, but thou trusting and having affiance in these world lie goods and possessions, didst reject and contemn God's precepts and statutes as trifling and vain fables. Let the poor pray for thee, and whatsoever thou dost ask, I do grant it thee. But yet I do handle & use thee but justly: for there shallbe judgement merciless Jaco. 2. to him, that showeth no mercy. My justice can give thee nothing else, but that thy works do deserve and merit. And therefore thou, being now dead, and in another man's power and dominion, dost call upon me but in vain. For when thou mightest and didst see me in the poor, than thou wast blind and wouldst not see me. O my brethren made by the hand of God, & bought as I was full dearly, hearken unto the lords counsel. Obey and fulfil the desire of your bishop, that with him ye may take and receive your inheritance in your father's kingdom, Of a bond man thou art made a friend. Despise that thou art borne, and do unto Christ, as he doth unto thee. Why should he not take part of thy substance that hath prepared for thee rewards everlasting? Why should he not have the tenth of thy goods, that hath given the all? for this earthly patrimony, God doth offer us heaven, he sayeth thus: Come ye blessed children, and inherit the kingdom, for I matt. 25, was an hungered, and ye gave me meat. Then may ye say luckily, (if so be ye were large and faithful in doing of your almose) when saw we the an hungered, and did feed thee? what a thing is this my brethren. The true and faithful debtor confesseth his debt, and the creditors excuse it. Then shall your sather, your LORD, and your friend, with whom ye have made a celestial convention and bargene, answer you thus. In asmuch as ye have done it unto one of these least of my brethren, ye have done it to me. I shall therefore give you celestial and eternal rewards and a kingdom upon my right hand. Nor that, because ye have not trespassed, but because ye have redeemed and ransomed your sins, with almose and charitable deeds. I pray you good brethren to remember these things, and that it may so profit the poor and needy, that I for my gentle admonition may obtain forgiveness before the seat of the eternal judge: and ye for your liberal contribulation and almose de des, eternal glory, our Savi our Jesus Christ, granting the same, to whom with the father and the holy ghost be honour for ever and ever. Amen. ¶ Of the chastity that Ser 243 ought and should be between man and wife. Ser. ix. WHEN soever my well-beloved brethren we do commend chastity as it ought and is expedient it should be commended: young men and such as are in the flower of their age do say thus. We are young men, we can not live chaste. To whom we may and aught to give this answer, that they can not live chaste and undefiled, be cause they eat more than is expedient, and drink more wine than needeth, nor will not fly nor eschew the familiarity of women, nor yet fear, nor be ashamed to hont and to have their suspect company: but let all such listen to the Apostle, saying: fly fornication. And this: be not 1. cor. 9, drunken with wine, wherein Ephe. 5, is excess. And Solomon sayeth: wine and women do reprove and cause wise men to do amiss. Let those that say that they can not keep chastity, answer me, whether they have wives or no: if they have wives, why do they not take heed to Gods saying in his Gospel, What matth. 7. soever ye will that men do unto you, do likewise unto them. And why do they not keep their fidelity and promise made unto their wives, the which they would, yea and desire that their wives should keep with them? And seeing that a man called vir, doth take his name of this word, virtus: and a woman called muliser, of this word mollities, that is, of softness and frailty, why would man, that his wife should overcome this most cruel letcherye, when that he himself at the first stroke & motion thereof doth yield and fall. But here perchance all such as be unmarried shall say unto me, that they may be well excused, because they have no wines to keep promise withal, and therefore they can not live pure and chaste. To these that pretend this false and wretched excuse, a man may and aught to make this just answer: No man ought more to avoid unlawful things, than they that do reject the things, which are lawful. Considering then, that it is lawful for man to take and to mary a wife, and that it is against the authority of all scripture, nor never lawful to commit adultery: why dost thou not then with God's favour marry a wife, the which is lawful, but dost presume with God's displeasure to do the thing, that is not lawful. Yet I would fain know, whether that they, the which have no wives, nor were not ashamed, nor in fear to commit adultery, or ever they were married, that they● spouses should be defiled or corrupted, or they were married unto them? but seeing that there is no man y● with patience could abide or suffer that, why do not they then keep the self promise with their wives, the which they do desir that their wives should keep them? And why doth he desire to be married unto a virgin that is none himself? Why doth he desire to be coupled with her that is alive, when that he himself, through adultery is dead in soul, for it is written, The soul that doth sin, shall die. And the Apostle Ezec. 18 sayeth full terribly. God will judge adulterers. Heb. 13, And again: Adulterers shall not possess the kingdom of 1, cor, 6, heaven. But peradventure there are that think it lawful for men or ever they be married to commit fornication, but not for women. Many there are, the which not fearing God, do commit these crimes, most grievous and most worthy to be punished, because they are common, and eustomablye used, and so little esteemed, that men now a days do not reckon them to be enorm and wicked trespasses. But yet in the catholic faith, whatsoever is unlawful for women, is utterly unlawful for men. For why? both men and women are redeemed with one price, that is, with the precious blood of Christ. They are called to one faith, & are gathered together in one mystical body of the church, they receive the sacrament of baptism together, they come together unto the altar to receive the holy communion of the body and blood of Christ, and the commandments are given equally unto them both. saying then that it is so, with what boldness, or con science do men believe, that they only may do that thing unpunished, the which is neither lawful for man to do, nor yet for woman. But I would that all such as presume to do such detestable things, should well and perfectly know, that if they do not forthwith amend themselves, and do the fruitful works of penance, but die suddenly, that without doubt or remedy, they shall be troubled with perpetual fire. But what a thing is this, for many there be, which are not ashamed, or ever they be married too keep concubines, the which they forsake within few years after, and be married. first they do muse and cast with themselves, how that through deceitfulness and theft, they may come to riches and unlawful gain, & afterwards against all reason, they do mary women of more nobility and substance, than they themselves be. Mark with now many evils they that not only unluckedlye do desire to do service unto letcherye, but also to covetousness do entangle themselves withal. Therefore I do contest & de here before God and his angels, that he hath always forbode these crimes, and that they never pleased him. For sense the time of Christ's law, it was never lawful for man to keep a concubine, nor never shallbe. But yet there be that do it by the law of man, but not by God's law, nor yet by justice commanding, but by the only pleasure of the body ruling them. When the Apostle sayeth to those that be married, that the time which remaineth is but short and that they which have 1, cor, 7, wives, should be asthoughe they had none. And again, withdraw yourselves for a while, that ye may give yourselves to prayer. How doth he suffer men to have concubines that doth command them to keep chastity that are married? And therefore I again and again do say unto you, that he, the which before he be lawfully married doth presume to keep a concubine, doth greatly sin and trespass, and more greater sin than he, which committeth adultery, for the adulterer doth it secretly, and feareth, and is ashamed to do it openly: but he that keepeth a concubine openly, doth think that without shame he may do in the presence of all the world, such an execrable thing most lawfully. But they peradventure which are not defiled nor bespotted with this sin, do say, why be not they that commit and do such enormities removed then from God's board: Priests verily punish not such enorm and great crimes, because that many men do use them: but if a few in number would presume to do such evil, they might and ought not only to be removed from God's board, but also from the speech and familiarity of all christian people, as sayeth the Apostle: With such a man thou shalt 1, cor, 5, neither eat nor drink. But yet (as I have said) the multitude of misdoers doth let the priest to punish them: although good priests do what they may or can, & with continual and perfect charity do both sigh and pray, that at the left ways, they might by their admonitions and prayers provoke and induce them to penance, the which (because of the infinite multitude of them) they could neither correct nor punish. And therefore I pray you again and again, yea and likewise I desire you, that as he which would be married, doth covet and desire to find his spouse a virgin, so in like manner, let him (until he be married) keep his virginity, for if he do not, he shall not accept nor receive the benediction with his spouse. And so the scripture shallbe fulfilled in him, which Psa, 107 sayeth, he would have no benediction, & it shallbe far from him. Now than if penance do not help, what shall become of this man? Or what shallbe his judgement in time to come, that in this world was not worthy to receive the benediction, and to be blessed with his spouse? And note this my brethren, if they which have no wives, through keeping of concubines, or meddling with other men's wives be in so great danger, what shall they most unfortunates think of themselves, that perchance have wives, and yet commit adultery, and through a certain madness do despere of the judgement of GOD, nor fear not the pains of hell, nor desire not the eternal reward. verily if they were in true and perfect faith, they would believe in God, and fear the judgement that is to come. And this may well be proved, that all such do believe and trust more in man, than they do in God: for where they do see & perceive that men be, there they do fear to commit adultery, but to do it secretly (where God doth see it) they fear not. But if they had never so little a spark of true faith, as they suffer not their servants to trespass in their own sight and presence: so would they not presume to do and commit adultery in the presence and sight of the Lord their God. But of these speaketh the holy ghost by the Prophet, The unwise man said in his heart and psal, 13, &, 52, mind, there is no God. For this is without peradventure, that he believeth not, the there is a God, which secret lie doth those things in gods sight and presence, the which he feareth to do in the presence and sight of man. But the wretch knoweth not that the face and anger of God is upon all those that do Psal, 33, evil, to destroy them for evermore. But perchance some do say thus, how can I, that through my great business, or by the kings commandment am absent from my wife so many months or years keep chastity? Unto this I may give this answer, that he return home unto his wife. But when I answer the merchant so, he sayeth, that if he leave of the feat of merchandise, he shall not be able to live. The man of war doth say, if I depart from the host, the kings majesty will be discontent with me. But unto these a man may say, that if he fear the king and upon that occasion returneth not home to his own wife, he ought so to fear God, that he teach nor company with none other man's: for as the king may put him to death that returneth home from the host to his wife, without licence, so may God punish him perpetually, that being far from his wife, committeth adultery. I pray you good brethren, if so be that any of you through your necessary business, or by the kings commandment be at some times far from your wives, why should ye not live so long in chastity for the love of God, and the wealth and salvation of your souls. Do thy business, and the Kings commandment, enforce the for so many days not once to touch thy wife, and the love and precept of God shall not persuade thee to touch none other man's? but I would that all they, y● which for lucre sake only and riches, and at the kings commandment do observe and keep these things and dissemble to keep them for God's sake, should know, that if penance do not aid and help them, that, they (when they shall stand in judgement before GOD) can not escape from hearing of heavy & dolorous words, for these words shallbe said unto them: Get you hence from me ye wicked and cursed people matt. 25, into eternal fire. And what a thing is this, that a bold champion going to battle shall at some times peraduen true slay no less than ten of his enemies, and commit ting of adultery with some maid taken in warfare, doth murder his own soul with the sword of sin? Consider how great an evil it is that man should be more cruel to himself, murdering his own soul through letcherye, then to the bodies of his enemies by victory. Forsooth, it is a dolorous and alamentable thing, that he (as I have said) who hath victoriously overthrown ten of his enemies, should be overcome by a woman, or that he, which hath overthrown so many of his enemy's bodies, should in heart and soul be overcome by a woman. surely it is to grievous a thing, that he which can not be overcome with no weapon, should be subdued through bodily lust and pleasure, or that sweet and pleasant words should overturn him, whom no hardness could overturn, or that he which disdained to be the bondman of man, should me rite to be the bondemanne of sin, when that it is a more unworthy thing, to serve in mind, then in body, as it is written. For of whomsoever a man be overcome, unto 2, Pet, 1, the same is he in bondage. Good brethren, if I should not show you these things I should answer for your souls at the day of judgement. But whosoever he be, that is more desirous to be grieved or angry with me then to amend himself, he can not now through ignorance excuse him, saying: that he was not monished of these things, nor forbidden to do evil, nor provoked by oft castigation and admonition unto all such things as should please God. But I believe, that the mercy of god shall so inspire every negligent person, that they shall be much more wroth and angry with themselves, then with the priests good medicines and admonitions And as the sick and weak persons do require bodily health of the carnal physician, so shall they require and demand soul health of the spiritual and ghostly Physician. But I do hope and trust that through the mercy of God, they shall so study to comfort & cheer us by their good amendment, that they shall come most prospe rouslye, God willing, to the eternal reward, and life everlasting. Amen. ¶ Of the true payment of Ser 219 tithes. Ser. x. GOd my dearly beloved brethren, being merciful unto us, the time approacheth & draweth on together in our harvest. And therefore with thanks unto God that hath given us all, let us think upon our offerings, and true payment of our tithes. For ca decimae. 16. quest. 2. God which hath vouchsafed to give us all, doth also vouchsafe to reap, and to ask us tithes, nor that for his own gain and use, but for our gain and profit. For he doth promise us by the Prophet, saying: Bring in (saith Mala, 3 he) all your tithes into my barns, that there may be meat in my house, and prove me (sayeth the Lord) in these things, whether I shall not open unto you, the caractes and the clouds of the sky, & give you fruit abundantly. See now, I have proved how that tithes do profit us more, than they do profit the Lord. O ye imprudente and unwise people, what evil thing doth God command, that he should not be worthy to be heard? he sayeth thus: Thou shalt not delay to offer up unto me the tithes of Exo, 22, ca deci. 16. que. 1 thy barn, and of thy winepress. Y fit be sin to be tardius and slow in offering up, and paying thy tithes, how great a trespass is it, to offer none at all? He saith again, Honour and worship thy lord God, with the fruit & gain of thy true and just labour. Do sacrifice and offer unto him of the first and chiefest of all thine increase, that thy barns may be replenished with corn, and that thy winepresses may redound and flow over with wine. Thou dost not give that thing freely, nor yet without gain, that soon after thou shalt receive again with great lucre. Per adventure thou dost demand to whom shall that thing be profitable, that God doth receive to restore again? And again thou dost ask me, to whose profit it redoundeth, that is given unto the poor. If thou believe well, it is thine own utility and profit, but if thou waver & be in doubt, thou hast lost it. Tithes good brethren are the tribute of the judgement and poor people: ca decim. 16. que, 1. therefore give the poor their tribute, and the priests their offerings. And if perchance thou have no tithe corn, as hath the husbandman, than thy wit and thy handy craft wherewith thou dost sustain thyself, is Gods, and of that thing thou dost gain & get thy living withal, he doth ask & require tithes. give him the tithes of thy wages, and lucre, which thou dost gain in warfare, the tithes of thy merchandise, and of thy handy craft. For why? it is a diverse thing that we give and pay for the earth, then that we give for the use of our life. Therefore o thou man, give it, because thou dost possess it, give it, because thou hast deserved to be borne, for the Lord saith thus: Every man shall redeem his soul, & there shall be no sickness, nor no misadventure among them. Thus thou hast in holy scripture, Gods own writing, wherewith he doth promise thee, that if thou pay thy thites, thou shalt not only have abundance of fruit & corn, but also the health of body. Thy barns (sayeth he) shallbe full of corn, & thy Pro, 33 winepresses shall redound with wine, and there shallbe no sickness among you. seeing then, that by the true paying of tithes thou mayst merit both the earthly and the heavenly reward: why dost thou through covetousness defraud thyself of such double benediction? hearken therefore unto me thou undevout man. Thou knowest well, that all that thou dost receive, is Gods, and wilt thou then not lend the maker and giver of all things part of his own? The Lord hath no need, he doth ask no reward, but honour unlye, nor he doth not require, that thou ●eue him any thing, that is thine. He vouchsafe to ask the tithes of all things, and dost thou o thou covetous man, say him nay? What wouldest thou do, if he had kept nine parts unto himself, and had left the only the tenth part? the which thing verily is so chanced now, when that thy corn for lack of rain is thin, & noughts, thy vines, beaten with hail, & destroyed with frost and cold. O thou covetous man, what dost thou reckon upon? nine parts are taken from thee, because thou wouldest not pay the tenth. It is clear that thou never payest it, and yet God doth demand it and require it. This is gods most righteous custom and use, that if thou do not pay him his tenth, thou shalt be revoked and reduced to the tenth. For it is written: The Lord saith, I ca deci. 16. que, ● saweit, and ye thought to beguile me, but your treasure & your houses shallbe spoiled, thou shalt give the wicked soldier, that thou wouldst not give the priest. Return unto me (saith the Lord am nipotente, that I may open the clouds for you, & spread my benediction upon you, I will mala. 3, not destroy the fruits of your possessions, nor your wines shall not widder, nor consume away, & all nations shall say, that ye are blessed. God is always ready to do well, but the maliciousness of man will not suffer him. For man taketh, that god should give him all thing, and yet he offereth not those things unto him, the which he seemeth to possess. But what & God should say, man whom I created and made, is mine, the earth that thou dost inhabit, is mine, the seed that thou dost sow is mine, the beasts which thou dost weary, are mine, the dews, & the rain are mine, and the heat of the same is mine. Considering then that all the elements, whereby man doth live, are mine, thou that dost only bestow thy labour dost deserve the tenth only. But inasmuch as the lord omnipotent doth meekly nourish us and feed us, he hath given a right great reward to the labourer. For he, reserving only unto himself the tenth, hath given us the rest. O thou unkind deceiver, & unfaithful man, I speak unto the with the words of god. Behold & see, the year is gone & passed, give the lord, that doth send rain, his reward. O man redeem thyself whilst thou hast thy redemption in thy hand whilst thou art alive, & whilst thou mayst. Redeem thy self, the covetous death do not so prevent thee, that thou leave doth life and reward. Thou dost commit that thing unto thy wife but in vain, that which perchance will have another husband. Nor thou woman dost leave it but in vain unto thy husband, for he coveteth to have another wife. Nor thou dost commit the care of thy soul but in vain unto thy kinsfolk, for there shall no man faithfully redeem nor aid thee, after thou be departed, because that thou being in prosperity, wouldest not redeem nor help thyself. Cast now o thou covetous man this burden of avaritiousnes from thy shoulders, despise this most cruel mistress, that doth thus hardly yoke thee, nor will not suffer thee to accept and take the yoke of Christ upon thee. For as the yoke of avarice is wont to thrust and to lead men to the pains of hell: so the yoke of Christ is wont to lift men up, & to bring them to the joys of heaven. Tithes are required of duty, & he that denieth to pay them, doth invade & occupy other men's goods. And look how many poor men die and perish there for hunger, where he that will not pay his tithes doth dwell, he before the seat of the eternal judge, shall appear guilty of all their deaths, for asmuch as he kept that to his own use & store, which God had prepared for the poor. Therefore who so coveceth to obtain a re or the forgiveness of his sins, let him pay his tithes, & give of the other nine parts his charity to the poor: & beware, that whatsoever remaineth above a mean & a reasonable living be not hurded up to luxurious & volup tuous uses, but that it by doing of good & charitable deeds, be laid up in the celestial treasure. For whatsoever God doth give us more than needeth, he giveth it not specially unto us, but willeth us to distribute & to give the same unto other: for if we give it not, we invade & occupy other men's goods. ¶ Of sorcery & witchcraft Ser. xi. Ser 231 IT is not unknown unto you good brethren, that I have oftentimes prayed you, and with all fatherly solicitude admonished you, that in no manner of wise ye should observe & keep these sacrilegius customer of pagans. But yet as farforth as I do hear, my admonition hath profited some of you but very slenderly & little. But yet if I should not show you these things, at the day of judgement I should give but a slender & an heavy reckoning, both for myself & you. But I excuse & clear myself before God, when that oftentimes I do admonish & warn you, that ye should not seek upon these diviners & calkers, nor questen with them of any cause, or of any disease. Ye shall meddle with no enchanters, Deut. 18 for whosoever doth that evil, loseth his christianity, & becometh a pagan, and without he succur & aid himself with almose deeds, and with hard & long penance, he shallbe lost for ever. In like manner, look that ye take no heed to witch craft, And when ye be in your journey, regard not the singing and chattering of birds, nor presume not upon their songs, to denunce or show any devilish enchantment or sorcery. Ye shall not observe nor mark upon what day ye go for the of your house, nor when ye shall return home again. For (as scripture doth say) God made all the days. The first day is made, & the second and the third, likewise the fourth, the fift, the sixth, & the Sabbath. And god made all things very good. Take Gene. 1. heed also, that ye observe not those sacrilegius & foolish nesinges. But as oft as ye must needs go any where, bless yourself in the name of Christ Jesus, & saying your creed, or else the lords prayer with good belief take your journey, being well assured, that god shall help & prosper you. And when that ye shall begin (god willing) to contemn & despise all these foresaid sorceries and sacrilegius 2, Pr, 2● fashions, with such other wicked things, as Satan hath deceived you withal. then shall he take it grievously perceiving that ye depart from his familiarytye and feloushyppe, and shall work you some displeasure. For other he shall vex you with infirmities & sickness, or else cause you by some diseases, or through wandering & straying abroad, to lose part of your goods & cattle. And god to prove you & to know, whether ye come faithfully unto him or no, or whether that ye with all your hearts do despise the craftiness of the devil, or set more by his love, or by the loss of your cattle, doth suffer all this to chance & happen. But if ye would with heart & perfect faith, once or twice despise such wickedness & misfortunes as satan doth trouble you withal: god would vouchsafe so to repel & withdraw him from troubling & vexing of you, that he with all his craft and subtlety, should never deceive you, if negligent and light persons of weak desires, & of slothful & cold faith begin perchance to do well, they do not yet long continued therein. For after that they have abstained from the fore said enchantments, & witchcrafts, by & by they repent themselves, the ever they returned to god, & that they at any time forsook the crafty suttelnes of the devil: & so return again to their sorceress and witchcrafts, as a dog unto his vomit. But despise 2, Pe, 2● you, unto whom god hath given wisdom & faith, all his deceitfulness, & return faith fully again unto the Lord your god, & whatsoever satan doth send you, bear it patiently & strongly, that ye may say with the blessed man Job: god gave it, & took it, as it pleased the Joh. 1. lord, so it is. And that in like manner ye may say with a farm & a whole heart with the Apostle: Who shall separate or divide us from the charity & love of god? shall tribulation or anguish, or persecution, or hunger, Rom. 1. other nakedness, or peril, or sword? Good christian men can not be separated by no torment from god. But such as be negligent, are now & then thorough idle fables & words only separated & divided from god. And if they only suffer never so little damage or loss, incontinent they are slandered, & presume to murmur against god, returning again to their wicked & detestable witchcraft. But perchance some of you will say, what shall we do, considering that such calkers through their knowledge, do oftentimes tell & show us the truth? Of this thing Deut 13 script ur doth monish & warn us saying: Yea notwithstanding that they do show you the truth, yet believe them not. For the Lord doth prove you, whether ye fear him or no. But a gain thou dost say: If there were not enchanters, nor no south sayers many a man, that is bitten with serpents, or troubled with some other sore disease, should otherwiles die and perish. Truth it is dear brethren, for god (as I have said before) doth suffer the devil to do such things, to prove good christian men withal, that if at any time or season they do by such sorcery and witchcraft amend of their infyrmityes & diseases, or come to the know of any truth, they may thereby the sooner give credence, & believe the devil. But he that doth desire to observe & keep Christ's religion, must needs with his whole heart & mind depise all those things, fearing the saying of the Apostle chiding us: ye observe (saith he) Gala, 4 the days, months, times, & years. I fear me, lest I have bestowed on you labour in vain. See now, the Apostle saith, that who so hath used witchcraft, shall receive his doctrine in vain. And therefore fly & avoid asmuch as ye can or may, the circumuentions & the deceitfulness of the devil. And a 'bove all things I would ye should know, that Satan can neither hurt you, none of yours, your cattle, nor yet the least part of your substance, but as farforth as he hath power & licence of God. Nor he durst not destroy Jobs substance, nor yet once Job. 1. touch it, but that God did licence & suffer him. And we read, that when the evil spirits & devils were expulste math, 8. and cast out of men, that they besought christ that he would suffer them to enter into the heard of swine, if the company of devils durst not enter into the swine without the leave and sufferance of God, who will be so unfaithful to believe that they can or may hurt good Christians, with out his dispensation and sufferance. God both suffer it for two divers causes, other to prove whether we be good, or else to amend us, if we be sinful. But he that will patiently suffer gods dispensation, and say when he hath lost any thing (as I have told you) God gave it, and god hath taken it, as it hath pleased him, so it is, blessed be Job. 1, the name of God. He for this his patience most pleasant and acceptable unto the lord, shall receive (if he be a good man) the crown of glory, or if he be sinful indulgence & pardon of his sins. Take heed of this good brethren, that when Satan had destroted all Jobs substance, he said not God gave it, and the devil hath taken it. For the blessed man would not ascribe ne give no such glory nor power to Satan, that he could take any thing from man, that God suffered him not to take. Considering than that Satan could not hurt Jobs children, his camels nor yet his asses, until it pleased god to suffer him: why do we christians believe that he may do any more unto us, than that the divine power by his godly & secret judgement doth suffer him to do? And therefore let us surly believe, that we can lose no more than God doth suffer to be taken from us. Let us with all our hearts therefore go unto his mercy, and forsaking these sacrilegius observations, let us trust continually upon his aid and comfort, for he that believeth in these foresaid evils, that is, in divinations, sorsaries, philaters, or in any other manner of witchcraft, notwithstanding he fast, pray go continually to the church, give large almose, & punish his body with all affliction & pain, yet so long as he leaveth not these sorceries, it shall nothing avail him, for such wicked and sacrile gius observations, do overturn and destroy all these good & virtuous operations. Nor it can not avail them, that with these evils, do that good is. For it is true that the Apostle sayeth: a little leaven 1. cor. 5, soureth the whole lump of dough. And this: ye can not drink of the cup of God, 1, cor, 10, and of the cup of the devils, ye can not be partakers of God's table, and of the table of devils. And he saith. No man can serve two masters. math, 6, Therefore if christian men do look thorough the grace of God to be saved, they must make no vows to no trees, nor pray to no fountains, if any man therefore have in his fields, in his house, or nigh unto his house, trees, altars, or any other vain thing, where the poor, wretched, & simple people are wont to make their vows, and doth not hew them down, and destroy them, he is and shall be partaker of all such witchcrafts and sorcery as is and shallbe committed there. And what a thing is this, that when any such tree, unto the which they were wont and accustomed to do sacrifice, do fall, that no man dare gather it, to make them fire withal. I pray you to behold & mark the wretchedness, and the foolishness of man, the which doing honour to deed trees, despise gods commandments. They dare not burn the branches of trees, & yet through enchantments they cast themselves headlong into hell fire. And therefore let him which hitherto hath not done this evil, rejoice, be glad, thank god therefore, & strive to continu faithfully in good works. But let him that hitherto hath delivered himself up to be entangled and taken with such devilish & enorm fashions, let him (I say) do penance, fly, & withal fear despise those foresaid witchcrafts, that god may forgive him, and for the glory of his name, cause him to come to the everlasting bless of heaven. And forasmuch as it is come to my knowledge, that as yet there are some, the which through simplicity and ignorance, or else thorough gluttony (the which thing is most to be believed) fear not, nor are not ashamed to eat of such sacrilegius meats as are yet after the use & custom of Pagans offered up & bewitched: I denunce and straightly command you before god & his angels, that ye haunt nor come no more to no such diabolical dinners made in any temple, or at any fountain, or tree. And likewise if any thing be sent you from thence, fear it, and as though you saw the devil, refuse it, and so refuse it, that ye suffer no manner of part of such sacrilegius bankers to be exhibited or brought into your houses, & that because of this saying of the Apostle: ye cannot (saith he) drink of the cup of God, and of the cup of devils: ye 1, cor, 10, can not be partakers of gods table, and of the table of devils. And because some are way, or ever I eat thereof, I do bless me. Let no man presume to do so, for how doth he that eateth of such sacrilegius and wicked meats bless his mouth, that putteth a sword to his own heart? For as the body is slain with the sword, so is the soul slain with such devilish and wicked meats. But we trust in the mercy and goodness of God, that he will vouchsafe so to inspire and inflame you to goodness, that the wickedness of the devil, neither in other things, nor yet in these sacrilegius observations and sorceries shall not come among you, but that ye shall fasten and fet all your hope in God, nor never return again to their wicked abominations, our lord Jesus Christ, whose empire and honour is infinite, granting the same. So be it. ¶ Of eschewing and avoiding of ebriety and drunkenness. ●●● 23●, Ser. xii. Although dear brethren, I do believe the through the mercy of God, ye do fear the vice of drunkenness, even as ye do fear the deep pit of hell: and that ye yourselves will not drink intemperately nor over much: nor compel no nother man to drink more than needeth: yet it can not be but that there be some negligent persons, which will not be sober. But yet I pray you that do live soberly not to be miscontent, nor yet to blame us, for needs we must blame and accuse all such drunkards. For notwithstanding my well beloved brethren that drunkenness be a grievous vice, and much odious before God, yet among many it is throughout all the world so customably and commonly used, that they which will not know gods commandments, think and believe it to be no sin. insomuch that at all their banquets, they do laugh them to scorn, that cannot drink and quaffed all out. And thorough an envious love and amity, they are not ashamed to adjure & enforce men to drink more than sufficeth. truly it were a less fault for him that maketh a man drunken, to wound him, and to cut his flesh with a sword, than to kill and murder his soul with superfluity of drink. And forasmuch as our bodies are made of earth, and that the earth, by long and to much continuance of rain, is made moist, and so resolved into mire and dirt, that it can not be tylde nor sown: so in likewise, when our flesh is to much moisted with drink, it cannot receive spiritual culture nor tillage, nor bring forth the necessary fruits of the soul. And therefore as all men do desire sufficient rain for their fields, to exercise tillage withal, and to rejoice in the abundance of fruit and corn, so in the field of the body, men ought to drink that behoveth only, lest that by the superfluity and abundance of drink, the earth of the body being reduced & brought as into a plash of mire, be more apt to bring forth the worms and serpents of vice, than the fruits of good works. All drunkards are likened unto fens and plasshes, for your charity doth know, that all such things as grow in maras grounds, do bring forth no fruit, nor nothing else but serpents, toads, and other divers kinds of worms, more apt to fear man withal, than to bring forth anyething that should profit him or his living. For all such herbs and trees as do grow in fens and plashes, or about the banks of such places, seem to have no manner of utility or profit in them, insomuch that every year once men do burn them. Take good heed, for the thing which cometh of drunkenness is prepared for the fire. And even such (as I have said) be all drunkards, whose divers endure and continue all the day long, and their suppers until the morning. The which when they seem to be most sober, can scarcely stand, whose senses are slow, ponderous, dull, and in a manner buried. Finally in their usual and customable drunkenness, they neither know themselves, nor yet no nother man, they can neither walk nor stand nor hear, nor say any thing that doth pertain or stand with reason Nor they are not ashamed to drink, & to fill themselves till they vomit again, and to drink by measure, without measure. They provide for great goddards, & strive, as by a certain law, how they should drink, and he that can out drink, or overcome his fellow, shallbe for his evil doing greatly exalted & praised. Of this thing doth grow and ensue strife and debate, and divers horrible lepes, whereby the body is much troubled. Of this doth chance and follow adultery and sometimes murder. And as oft as they do take excess of drink, their stinking and filthy bodies (as though they were smitten with the paiseye, having not the use of their feet) are fain to be borne, and carried to bed, with other men's hands, their sight waxeth dim, they are pained with the swimming of the head, and with the head ache, their countenance is drowsy, their members quake & tremble, they are astonied and duly, both in soul and body. In these men is fulfilled that is written. Where is woe? where is strife and debate? where ●ro, 31, are snares and deceitfulness? Where are wounds without cause? where be these bloody eyes? Are not these among those that be cuppy, & that study to drink all out? But yet they that will be such, go about to excuse themselves full wretchedly, saying: Ilove not my friend (saith he) if I as oft as I do call him to dinner, do not give him as much as he lusteth to drink. Let him not be thy friend, that will make the gods enemy, for he is an enemy to thee, and also unto himself if thou make thyself and thy friend drunken, he shallbe thy friend, and God thine enemy. Therefore take good head whether it be well done or no, to leave God, and to apply, & join thyself to a drunkard. But yet cause him not to ●weare, nor compel him not, but leave it to his own free will, to drink asmuch as it shall please him, and if he will over drink himself, that he perish alone, rather than ye should perish together. O the infelicity of mankind, how many are there found that in force these drunkards, and luxurious persons to drink more than ●e adeth? and yet before their doors they do dissemble to give the poor man any thing at all, ask him only a cup of cold water. Nor they take no heed that Christ should have that for the needy and poor, that they give to the luxurious, saying: That ye have done math. 25 to the least of mine, ye have done it unto me. But all such when they drown other men with drink, do say to the poor man ask his alms, go hence go, god shall send you. And truly, as long as men walk. God will send them. Then what other thing is it, that he saith, get you hence, god shall send you, but go to him that hath God, for God will give him. And so he confesseth with his own mouth, that God is not with him, by whose inspiration he should give somewhat to the poor and needy. I pray you dearly beloved brethren, diligently to take heed & mark, that after that the brute beasts, being led and brought to the water, have once satisfied and quenched their thirst, stand they never so long in the water, yet theiwil drink no more, no nor they can drink no more. Let now these drunkards consider, weather they be not to be judged worse than beasts? The beast will drink no more than needeth, but these bibbers take double & triple more than ever shall do them good. And the thing which might have served them well, three or four days, for very envy, or else for very drunkenness they with great sin go about rather to lose and consume it all upon one day, then liberally and virtuously to spend it. And would to god that they lost their drink only, so that they lost not themselves withal. O what evil is in ebriete and drunkenness? King Pharaoh other upon envy, or else thorough Gen, 40, ebriety, caused his master baker to be trust up, and hanged. The Jews (of whom it is written) sat down to eat and to drink, and stood up again to play: after they had drunken more than needed they caused idols to be made, and in the worship of them, Exd. 32, they danced, and like mad men troubled themselves with divers sorts of gambolds. And Herode after that he was welheted with wine, for the pleasant dancing of a maid, commanded John baptist math, 14 to be siayne. What other vicious things do rise & spring of drunkenness, the holy ghost doth witness by Solomon, saying: Wine and women Eccl, 19 reprove wise men, and cause them to leave, and to forsake God. And again: Behold not wine when it sparckleth Pro, 23, and shineth thorough the glass, for it goeth down very gently, but at the last it shall bite the like a serpent, and sting that like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold other men's wives, and thy heart shall think wickedly. And the Apostle s. Paul doth likewise monish and warn us of the evil of drunkenness, saying: Be not drunken with wine, wherein Ephe. 5. is excess. We do show you even evidently by scripture, that love to be drunken, what evil is comprised therein. Who so delighteth in wine and fat Prou. 21 morsels, shall not be rich. And again. Neither give thou to much wine to kings, for there is no secretness Prou. 31 where drunkenness doth reygn, lest that they through drunkenness forget judgement, executing the law unjustly upon the poor. Also he saith. That a drunken workman shall never be rich. And again: Eccle. 19 if the drink wine measurably, thou shalt be sober. Item, wine at the beginning was created in joyfulness, & not in drunkenness. Wine so verly received and taken, is the pleasure both of body & Eecl. 31. foul, but wine unmeasurably used and taken, is the setting forth of drunkenness, the offention and hurt of wise men, and the feeble shing of man's force & strength. But when we motion and make mention of these things, these bybbers & drunkards peradventure are angry withal, and do murmur against us. But although there be which are moved, and angry withal, yet good willing, there be that hear and receive this good counsel, & that shall through god's mercy, be delivered from this horrible & wicked sin of ebriety. Yet such as be moved with us, speaking against their familiar friend drunkenness, shall hear this one thing of us, that whosoever he be that penitently doth not bewail his ebriety, but continueth therein until he die, without doubt he shallbe lost for ever. For the holy ghost seeing this by the holy Apostle, cannot lie. Nether drunkards shall inherit the kingdom 1, Cor, 6, of god. And therefore it were better for them to be angry and woved with themselves, then with us, and so be ing, they shall through the grace of God, soon deliver themselves from the filthy and dirty cannell of drunkenness. And therefore whiles they have time, let them thorough the help and aid of God, arise with all haste, and beseeching God with their hole hearts, say thus with the Prophet: Pluck me out Psal, 6● of this dirt, that I stick not fast in it. And thus: And that the tempest of the water do not drown me, nor the deepness swallow me. For whosoever that drunkenness, the very pit of hell, doth once receive and embrace, doth so challenge them, that without penance and good amendment do ensue and follow, it shall never suffer them to return from the obscurity and darkness thereof, unto the light of charity & soberness. But above all other things we must understand & know that it is not one day alone that maketh drunkards, but the daily renewing and multipliing of cups, our most enemies, rather than our friends, adjuring & compelling us unto the same, but after they have once put it in use & custom, the heat of drunkenness doth so kidle, and invade them that it inforsythe them to be always thristye. But he that doth desire to be delivered from this vice, even as he approached & came to the darkness, and vice thereof through the encrecement of drink: so by the diminition of the same, he may by little & little return to the light, and virtue of soberness. For if he should with draw at once his excess of drinking he evenwith heaviness when he is most fervently athriste, would cry out & say, that he had rather be dead, than to forsake his customable drinking, and drunkenness, no thing considering, that it were far more tolerable, that the body should die, than that the soul through ebriete, and excess of drink should perish for ever. And therefore to avoid the sufferance & pain of such heat, and to be delivered from such torments, as he suffereth: let him (as I have said) daily diminish somewhat of that excess, & superfluity, until he become to a reasonable ways and custom of drinking. For he that will (as I have said) diminyshe and debate this thing, shallbe delivered of his darkness, nor shall no more suffer such intolerable pain. Now good brethren I declaring and she wing you these things, do quite & unburden myself before God. And whosoever he be, that is inclined to the excess of drink, & despiseth to hear me, or that his table will adjure & compel men to drink, he shall at the day of judgement give a reckoning both for himself and them. And because there be certain priests (the which should prohibit and forbid such things) that enforce and compel men to drink more than needeth, let them from henseforth begin to correct and to amend themselves, and so to chasten other, that they when they shall appear before god, suffer not for their own drunkenness, and other men's too: but that through their own amendment, and the correction of other, they may merit to come to the eternal & ever lasting reward. And of this I do desire you above all things, yea & adjure you by the fearful day of judgement, that ye, (as oft as ye do bankette one another) avoid and fly as poison, that heinous and filthy custom, by the which ye other willingly, or against your wills, are wont to drink by great measure with out measure. For this unhappy custom doth yet continue and remain of the custom & usage of Pagans. And who soever he be that consenteth that this custom of drinking & quafcing, other at his own table, or at any other man's, be used, let him not doubt but that he doth sacrifice to the devil. By the which bibbing and quafting, the soul of man doth not only perish, but also the body is greatly and much fe blished with al. But I hope that God of his tender mercy, shall vouchsafe so to inspire you with grace, that this most shameful and lamentable vice shall so abhor you that you shall never suffer it to be used more: but that all such things as should be spent in such drunken superfluite, shallbe spent and go to the relief and refreshing of the poor, our Lord Christ Jesus grauntingthe same, the which doth live and reign with the father and the holy ghost for evermore. Amen. ¶ Imprinted at London in Paul's church yard at the sign of the holy ghost by John Cawood, printer to the queens Majesty. Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum.