¶ A funeral sermon that was prepared to have b●ne preached, by Robert king doctor in divinity for a certain honourable Lady then almost dead●, but afterward recovered, to whom in writing this Sermon was given, that she being al●ue, might● read● what should have b●n● preached at her death: howbeit now● God hath done his will upon her and hath called her (I doubt not) to himself. But now it is here set f●rth● as it was delivered to her then be●nge al●ue. 1552.   

The preface or Epistle to this Sermon.  
AS I looked among papers of mine old studied notes and sermons (most gentle Lady) by chance I found a draft of a sermon that was prepared, to have been preached at your burial. This was when your Ladyship was so deadly sick at Chelsie. Then was I warned of one of your chief officers to prepare a sermon for your burial, which was thought to come shortly, which thing made a great many of us your servants full heavy. But in such a case no thought will help. And I knowing that such a thing would be looked for at my hand, with an heavy heart I prepared this present sermon (although it be now a little more dilated) to be in a readiness, for the instruction of all them, that should have been present at your burying, to learn them how they should preare themselves to die. And now (thanks be unto god,) which doth order all things to the best, so that, that sermon which was prepared for to have edified & been profitable to other then, may be profitable to teach your good Ladyship now, in reading of the same, both to live and to die. It shall not be only profitable to you, but also to as many as shall either read it or hear it. I pray you good madame remember this one thing well, although death did but dalye with you then, to put you in remembrance that ye be mortal, surely he will come again another time, and execute his office upon you even in earnest. And when this shallbe, ye cannot tell, therefore be always in a readiness, for as our Saviour Christ saith: Ye know neither the day nor yet the hour. etc. watch therefore and be all times in a readiness. Hear I must desire you to note & bear in mind, that the exhortation that I purposed to have spoken to them that should have been hearers alive at your buring: Now hear I speak the same (by my pen) to you, ye thanks be unto god being alive, and may by reading of the same know what should have been spoken unto other. And though it may be somewhat marveled at, why that I name you so often in this my preface, as though all the whole exhortation were made only unto you. The cause why I name you so often is this. In your name or your person, I admonish as many as shall either hear or read this poor exhortation. Remember good Lady, remember, yea even in your most prosperity, what ye shallbe in adversity Remember in your pleasant life, what ye shallbe after your dolorous death. It is not for nought, that the wise man saith, Memorare novissima tua, & in eternum non peccabis, Remember (saith he) thy last end, (earnestly and often, & I warrant thee) thou shalt never sin, willingly. And so consequently, thou shall never be damned. A worthy bill of remembrance, often to be looked upon: Yet moreover I trust (good Lady) that these doctrines, which are necessary for all manner of persons, shallbe also your instruction, for there is no person so perfect, no nor yet so well learned, but he or she, may be better, both in learning and living. There is no person so witty or wise, but by hearing of godly doctrine, he or she may be made wiser: according to the saying of Solomon in the first chapter of his proverbs. Audience sapiens, sapientior eris: The wise hearing, shallbe wiser. Moreover, that that I writ to your good Ladyship now, for your good instruction, both to live and to die by, I doubt not but that ye will impart and communicate the same, with your most dearly beloved husband, my esspecyall good Lord and master▪ which I am sure willbe as glad to hear it, as your Ladyship will be to read it, for he that so often vouchedsaulf to hear me preach, will now I doubt not hear that that I have written▪ for I have even now with as good an heart written unto you, as I was wont to preach before you. And am now as ready as ever I was to do you service if time and place would suffer. But by the grace of god, that which will not be now brought to pass, another time God willing shall well come to pass.  
¶ I would wish now that this poor exhortation ware even as a glass afore your eyes, and as a bill of remembrance afore your minds, both to think how that ye do live, and also how that ye should live, and consider earnestly, what ye do, & what ye be commanded of God to do, Let the holy scripture in all these things, be your rule. Also consider, what ye be now by the goodness of god, and what ye shallbe hereafter by the course of nature. What ye have received at god's hands, & how that ye use such things so received, ye must remember also, that he that doth receive much at his lords hands, must give a count of much. And he that maketh a good account of many things well bestowed according to his masters mind, shall have great thanks, and be set over much more after than he was before Matthew xxv I trust that both my good lord and you also, willbe content with my writing now unto you, both boldly, plainly and truly, as well as ye have been content in times past to hear me preach before you both boldly, truly and plainly. And not only contented to hear me so preach, but also, to defend me so preaching. Yet moreover I trust, that your wisdom, knowing my rudeness, rusticalnes and plains, will rather consider the things that be here written, with the meaning of the writer, then to look for such things as ye know, by your old experience not to be in him▪ that is▪ Colours of rhetoric, Eloquence of speech, Crafty conveyance of matter, Fine terms, pure English, and ortographically written, & such like, where as the proverb saith, where nothing is, the king loseth his right. So your good Ladyship must be fain to be contented with such as hear is, seeing that he that sent your Ladyship this, would with all his heart, have sent you a better made thing, if there had been any better in his store house, Therefore I beseech you my good Lady, take it in good worth now, and when god giveth better, ye shall have better, Last of all I would be glad, that you of your accustomed goodness, would vouchesaulfe to take the pain to look over this poor sermon, earnestly & often. Yet because it is somewhat long: I have divided it in to v. parts, that ye may read over one part at once, and so at length all. I would desire you at the lest wise to look over, the first and the sconde parts, and that as I have said, both earnestly and often. For although it be, very good & expedient to know diverse plasters and medicines for divers sores and sicknesses, yet we must use those most, that we know will help over sores and diseases best.  
¶ Now when I had made an end of this poor exhortation, it came into my mind, that a new year was at hand, a time wherein, both men & women, be wont to gratify there friends with such gifts, as are both pleasant and profitable in this life. But I intend to gratify you my especial good Lady, and masters, with such a juwel or gift, out of the treasure house of god, that if ye keep it well and use it well, it shallbe unto you, both pleasant, profitable & permanent, not only for this present life, but also for the life that is to come, & shall dure for ever. Other imagine in this merry time of Christmas, to make their friends merry & glad in body. But I go about to make my friends (among whom my Lord and you be the chief and all) merry and glad in conscience, that is, when ye so live as though ye ware ever ready to die, and glad to be in heaven, with your Lord Christ, who ever preserve my good Lord and master, your good Ladyship and all yours both in honour hear, and in glory ther. Amen.  
By your servant Roberte k●ng after h●s vncha●ngeable pla●… fashion.   

A preface into the Sermon.  
I Am comen hither this day (christian audience) to preach at the burial of this honoralbe Lady, my good Lady and Maistres. That that shallbe preached hear at this time, shall be to her nothing profitable: for learning time, with her is past, but this sermon may be unto you all, that shallbe the hearers of the same, if ye imprint it well in your mind, and bear it well away profitable. It may be (I say) profitable to you all, of whatsoever state, condition or degree, ye be of.  
¶ I have chosen he parable, that our Saviour Christ speaketh of in the xuj. chapter of saint Luke, to treat of this day: out of the which parable, every man may learn, that marketh it well, both how he doth and also how he should live. And how that if he live hear well, he shall ever after live well in joy and pleasure. The contrary, if that he live not hear well, he shall no live hereafter, that is, he shall be damned and suffer perpetual pain in hell. That we all may hear the doctrine of this parable preached so, that it may be to the advancement of god's glory and to the profit and utility of his people, I shall desire you for to pray. etc.   

A Sermon.  

THere was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine white, and fared delyciously every day etc. Our Lord jesus Christ (honourable audience) in the beginning of this xuj chapter of the holy evangelist saint Luke, proponed & setforth a parable of a certain wicked and crafty Steward, whom he lauded, because he ordered the matter so with his masters farmers and tenants, that he should never want whiles they had. This man's wisdom, was lauded of our saviour Christ, not because it was wicked, but because he made provision, that is to say friends, here in this present world, for the time that was to come. And so in this parable of this wicked Stuard he teacheth us all to make us friends whiles that we be here in this present world, that we lack not in the world that is to come. These be our saviour Christ's words, and the hole pitthe opening of this afore named parable. And I say (saith he) make you friends of the unrighteous and wicked Mammon, that when ye shall have need, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. There shall a great change come at that day, where the patient and the thankful poor beggars, shallbe very rich. And the unmerciful and unthankful rich shallbe very beggars and poor. This is the riches that the patient & thankful poor beggars shall receive: everlasting, (that is to say) felicity and glory with god in heaven. And this is the poverty and beggary that the unmerciful and unthankful rich men shall receive with the devil in hell, that is to say everlasting pain and misery. This doctrine is both lively and truly set furth in this parable of Dives and Lazarus, that is to say in the parable of the richman & of the poor beggar Lazarus. allthing hear in this parable, is set furth so lively & plainly, that a man marking it thoroughly and deeply, with all the circumstances of the same, shall rather think, that he seeth all things done before his eyes, as it ware played in a play, and every person seen, then to have red it or to have hard it preached. Now whether this parable of this richman & of this beggar, ware a thing that was done in deed, or rather a thing invented by our saviour Christ to teach with all such things as be hear taught: it maketh no matter for us to know. Let us consider, us (I say) which either be, or ought to be very Christians, let us mark well, and deeply consider, what things be taught in this parable for our instructions and learnings, and let us believe the doctrines of the same to be most true. And that the self-same things here taught in the parable, shall chance unto us, if we do as they did. Let us therefore have continually before our eyes, the eyes I say of our consciences: these two persons in this parable or example: set furth (and by our saviour Christ to learn us by. This parable is very necessary and also profitable & worthy to be had in memory of all men, whether they be rich or poor, for there is no person of what soever degree or state, he or she be, but may learn by this parable. The rich may learn & beware by it. The poor man may learn and take great comfort of it. I would wish this story or parable to be painted or graven in every man's house; but rather imprinted in every man's conscience & memory.  
Now let us come unto the parable, & therein mark, both notable words and sentences. There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine white, and fared deliciously every day. The holy scripture teacheth two manner or sorts of rich men. The one sort are such as are rich in God. The other sort that are rich to themselves. They are rich in God, that know that all riches are given and come of god, and must be spent according to the will and pleasure of God. They know what David in his twenty-three. Psalm doth confess and say, not only with mouth but also with heart: in these words. Domini est terra, & plenitudo eius: The earth is the Lords and all the plenteousness that is in it Ergo such goods as we have and possess, be not ours, but the lords. We have but the use of them, and shall make a straight count for them how that we use them either to our own, or to the lords use, to our own profit and pleasure, or to the lords profit or pleasure. If that we earnestly, would weigh these words and earnestly believe them to be true (as they be most earnestly to be weighed, and also most earnestly to be believed,) I suppose we should not be so unthankful in receiving, so unwares either in keeping or spending, contrary to the will and pleasure of the owner of them as we now are. Then should we receive of the hands of our Lord a great sum or portion of his goods, look to make of the same Lord, a great and a perfect count for those goods received. I pray you, do no great rich men of the world, look for a count of them to whom they commit their substance or goods. Is it not right and reason that the tenants, know their land lords, and ones in the year to pay their rents, and knowledge their duties. Seeing that all men that have aught, do look to have their duties paid and done unto them according to covenants, why should not all men both high and low noble and unnoble, look to do their duties to their lord god? Let them consider they have received that that they have they be none owners, they be but servants and disposers of their lords goods. God give grace to all such servants, to receive such things, as they receive truly, and to spend and bestow their goods truly, that in time to come, they may make such a count, as shallbe thankfully received, and they to be rewarded abundantly. Of such a servant David writeth in the. Cxij. Psalm thus saying: Opes & divitiae in domo eius & justicia eius manet ineternum. Abundance and great riches are in his house, and his righteousness and upright dealing remaineth for ever. He saith not, robberies, evil gotten goods and usury are in his house: for then David would have said that his unrighteousness and subtle dealing had remained in his house for ever. Here let us weigh and deeply consider, the great gift of god whereby these two things may be joined together in one house, that is to say, rghtuousnes and Riches. When the good man of the house is both rich and righteous, how much is that man bound to God. For seldom be these two gists lodged in one house. And yet it is not unpossible to God although it be unpossible to man. We read in holy scripture of many (by the goodness of god) that ware both rich and righteous. As Abraham, Isaac, jacob, joseph, Samuel, job; David, etc. These men ware more than men, for they were good men, that both feared god & loved god, & that by his grace and goodness: which was not received of them in vain, they used all their goods to gods will & pleasure. And so do all good men that are rich in god. Richesses and poverty of themselves, be things indifferent neither good nor bad, but the use of them maketh all. God is not pleased by and by, because that a man is poor, for there be many poor that be also wicked, and none more wicked than they. Nether is god displeased, because a man is rich, for there have been, and I doubt not but there be, many rich men both rich & good also, that pleasen god right well. For riches be means and instruments, whereby God may be pleased, if they that possess them, be both rich and righteous. Then do they use there richesses to god's pleasure and poor men's profits. And they being such rich men, there springeth out of them as it ware two founteynes, one is: they will do good, And another that they are able to do that good that they wil Hear ye see, that the rich man may do one thing, that the poor cannot do, That is, he hath wherewith to do that that he will do, & so hath not the poor man, yet for all that the poor man is never the more unrighteous because he hath not to do with all, but it is sufficient for him to whom god giveth no more, to have a good will and a merciful heart towards all them that have need. And let him deal his almose with his tongue, in comforting, counseiling and exhorting other to patience and to all other goodness. But although the rich man be bound to do all these, yet he must help the needy to, with his substance according to his ability and their necessity, or else he is not that man, that is afore spoken of, that is both rich and righteous. I pray god make all them that have riches of god given unto them, or rather lent unto them, to be of this sort, that is both rich and righteous, and to consider deeply the will of god, and to remember charitably, the need of their poor neighbours. It followeth also in the afore rehearsed text & justicia eius manet ineternum. His righteousness doth remain for ever. Abundance and richesse remaineth not for ever, but the right using of them and the upright dealing with them remaineth for ever. Some men perchance will say, sir ye say well, that I must help and relieve my neighbours needs and necessities. But I pray you tell me? benot my goods mine own goods, and may not I bestow them according to mine own mind? This objection is answered to partly before, but hereafter it shallbe answered fully, that neither the goods that thou haste in thy possession, are thy goods, but god's goods, and are not given the to be bestowed at thy pleasure, but at god's pleasure. Hear and mark it well in this matter, what the holy man David in the ciiij psalm saith. Impleta est terra facultatibus, tuis. The earth O lord (saith he) is replenished with thy goods and substance. Then if we believe the saying of this holy man David, as we must needs and are bound to do, because it is authentic scripture. We shall perceive that all the goods and substance that is on the earth, is the Lords and not ours, and that we be but balliefes and stewards of the same, to bestow them after his will and not after our own will, & that on pain of damnation. Wilt thou know what is thine own proper good, among all the goods of the earth, consider well what thou broughtest in with the in to this world, that is to say, nothing, them that nothing mayst thou bestow according to thine own will, for all other things are to be bestowed according to the Lords will, that is the owner of them. Perchance a man will say, although I brought nothing into this world with me, yet there be many things, that I myself with my wit and wisdom, with my diligence and poll●cye have gotten, may I not bestow those goods at mine own will and pleasure? I pray the tell me, who gave the that wit and wisdom, that with thy diligence & policy, thou haste gotten these (as thou accountest them) thine own goods? Did not god give the all that thou haste, wit, reason, understanding, knowledge, and whatsoever thou haste else, to serve him with all. Art not thou his bound servant with all that thou haste, and art bound to serve him to the uttermost of thy power? May a servant that is sure bound to his master, make himself free, and to do what him list, when he will? Standeth he not bound to his master to do him service, to the uttermost of his power, with all his wit, with all his reason, with all his understanding and knowledge, & with all that is possible for him to do, and thus must he continue until the time his covenant be out? Are not all manner of persons with all there qualities, both inward and outward, both great and small, high & low, men & women, from the highest sort to the lowest, bound to serve God with all there goods and substance, and with all that they have or be beside. Who hath made any man free from this service? Not god: for he saith in the twelve chapter of Exodus Ego sum dominus deus tuus I am (saith he) the Lord thy God. This saying is spoken to every man and woman of whatsoever state they be, here is none excepted. If god be the Lord of us all: be not we then all his servants, with all our qualities. Who hath made us free? Not god, for he will never make us free from his service, so long as we be in this body, Can we make ourselves free? That cannot a servant do during his covenant. Our covenant is made, it cannot be broken during this life. Therefore we with all that we have be gods bound servants, and are bound to serve him faithfully and truly, and that to our end even on panye of Damnation. Now therefore, ye that willbe rich and righteous, see that ye get your goods according to the will of God godly, keep them godly & spend them godly, be merciful to the poor and needy, be not high minded and haughty over other that be poor, Trust not in uncertain riches, but in the living God, be rich in good works: for all these lessons doth the holy Apostle Paul teach us, in his first Epistle to Timothe uj Such another good lesson doth David teach us in the lxxxj. Psalm saying: Si divitiae affluunt, nolite cor apponere. If riches (saith he) flow or be abundante, set not your heart on them, Make not your good, your God. Serve you your God, and let your good serve you.  
Now hear ye have heard the properties of those rich men that are both Rich and righteous, and they that are such are also Rich in God. I beseech God of his infinite goodness, to give us all grace to learn to be rich in this wise, that is in God, & to practise the same in our living, which shallbe if that we be rich and righteous, but all are not rich & righteous, it is good enough if we be righteous whether we be rich or poor. Whatsoever be away, righteousness may not be away.  
¶ Here endeth the first part of this sermon.   

¶ The second part.  
furthermore according to my promise, I will speak of another sort of men, that are rich in themselves and not in god. Of this sort of rich men was this rich man of whom Christ made this parable. Of such sort of rich men the holy scripture is plentiful, and the whole world is not empty. Of that sort of men Saint paul admonisheth Timotheus his disciple i Timothy uj Charge them (saith he) which are rich in this world, that they benot high minded, nor to trust in uncertain riches: and in the same chapter he speaketh also, of such rich men. They (saith he) that willbe rich, (that is to say to themselves & not to God) fall into temptation and snares of the Devil, and to many foolish and noisome lusts, which draw men into perdition and destruction etc. Here ye see partly in what case they are that are rich in themselves and not in god. Paul calleth them the rich of this world, because they look for none other riches of the other world. They may well be called the rich of this world, for they shallbe poor beggars in the other world, for they make no preparation here, that they may be rich there. A lively example of such a rich man is set furth by our saviour Christ himself in the xii. of Saint Luke & that by a parable. The ground (saith Christ) of a certain rich man brought forth plentiful fruits, and he thought within himself saying, what shall I do? because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, thus will I do I will destroy my barns and build greater and therein will I gather all my goods that are grown unto me and I will say unto my soul: Soul thou haste much goods laid up in store for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, be merry. But God said unto him: Thou fool, this night they shall fetch away thy soul again from the than whose shall those things be, which thou haste provided?  
Here is many wondrous things in this parable to be considered, if men of this world ware so wise to consider them in time, no doubt of this matter, they shall consider it & that deeply and earnestly, but all to late, all to late I say. It ware very expedient for all men, and namely for such as be laden with worldly, goods, riches, Dignities & promotions, & that now in time, while time is, for that time will away shortly ere a man be ware. It ware good to beware in time I say, for after that time, it is to late to be beware, It is to late to be wise, for all thy wareness and wisdom will not help then. Let them be ware now ere it be over late. Remember the old proverb: happy is he that can be ware by another man's hurt, he is wise, that can learn wisdom by another manes foolishness. He is happy that can learn to be ware in time. All men, that have godly wit and understanding, may be ware how they use their goods and their lives, by these two men set furth in these two parables, to all men to learn by, how to have hear in this world there goods, and how to spend them. Of the one mention is made in Luke twelve Chapter, And of the other in the xuj Chapter of the same evangelist. I will begin now with the first.  
¶ I have rehearsed unto you, already the text, which beginneth thus. The ground of a certain Rich man brought forth plentiful fruits. etc. Here is to be marked, the great and infinite goodness of god that gave such abundance of all earthly things, to this unthankful man, that doth not once consider the abundant goodness of God towards him, nor yet is he merciful towards his neighbours, but forgot his bound duty, both towards god and his neighbours, and remembered only himself. Mark the words of the history or parable, mark what this man said, and mark also what he did, Mark I say, for all men ought to beware, either of such sayings or doings, for the proverb is true: so do: so have. Say and do as this man did, and it shallbe said and done to you, as it was said and done unto him. Mark this man well, with his sayings and doings, for even so, it shallbe said and done unto you as was said and done unto him. first what said he? what did he? He said, what shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits. And he said: thus will I do: I will destroy my barns, and build greater, and therein will I gather all my goods that are grown to me. etc. Here ye hear part of this man's sayings, and see his doings, not without his thinkinges. He said, what shall I do? Was this evil said? It had not been evil said, if the meaning of his saying had been good. Every man ought to examine his own conscience: saying to himself, what shall I do? This man's saying may be borne with in part, but consider the whole, with the meaning, all is nought. He saith: what shall I do. His meaning was nought, his own words declare no less. He meaneth not, when he saith, what shall I do, according to God's will, and to the comfort of my neighbour. His meaning was altogether to get, to keep, and to spend, all for his own pleasure, all for his own profit. He regarded neither his duty towards God, nor yet towards his neighbour. He made no reckoning, whence his abundance of his goods came, who gave that plenty, whose goods they were, and how they ought to be bestowed. His mind was set another way, how he should keep these his goods, where he should bestow them, his mind was occupied in pulling down those things, that were to little for his purpose, & to build greater, & to lack no room, where to lay all such goods, as were grown unto him as God had sent, given, or lent him. Was this an evil thing, either to speak or to do? to build greater houses, and to make greater rooms, where god sendeth such great plenty? Nay truly. Herein was his fault, that all that he either thought, said or did, was thought, said and done, to none other end, but all for himself. He neither regarded his duty towards God, nor yet towards his neighbour. We hear nothing of his thoughts, sayings & doings, that his goods came-from god and aught to have been received with thanksgiving, and also to have been bestowed, according to God the givers wil We hear tell of none of all these things, neither by his thoughts, words nor deeds, but he thought said and did, all things, according to his own will, to his own pleasure, & for his own profit. He counted all his goods and substance his own, grown unto himself only, and only (as he took it) to use them to his own pleasure and profit. This I will do, this I will say, saith he to himself. He remembered not, what the will of god was what he should say, & what he should do; but he said: thus will I do, & thus will I say. Be there not many now a days, that both do and say: even as this man did and said. If a man would consider the doings & the sayings, of many men now a days, should we not think ye, find them as mad & as marvelous, as this man's doings & sayings were? Should we not perceive by such sayings and doings their imaginations and thoughts to be as vain, as mad and as ungodly, as this man's were. Should not a man marking these things, perceive that men now a days, be as unthankful to God, as this man was? Should not a man find such now a days, as hath received such abundance of goods, of substance, of honours and promotions at God's hand, and regard their duties in these things, towards God and their neighbour, as little as this man did. But what needeth me to go forth and dilate this matter at length. Look upon men's manners, and ye shall see, that they now a days, pass this man, both in their doings & sayings, and also by their imaginations, which be seen unto us by their sayings and doings, to be nothing behind him. Think ye not that those men, being either equal with this man, or passing him, in their imaginations, sayings and doings, shall not all these hear also by the mouth of God, said unto them, as this man did, said unto him? Yes, truly shall they. Now what the mouth of God spoke to this man then, and no less to our men of like conditions now ye shall hear hereafter. Butere I pass, I must rehearse unto you, one saying of this man's more, and then I will come to Gods saying, for, when we have all said, we must be content to give God licence also, to say his mind, for surely so will he do, will we: nil we. And we will not hear him here, we must and shall hear him there, with a worse will and less profit. I will return again, to that one saying of this man that is behind, and then will I tell you what God saith. This man said thus, saith the text: And I will say unto my soul (saith he) soul, thou haste much goods laid up in store for many years. Take thine ease, eat, drink, be merry. First and foremost ye must mark, who it is, that speaketh on this fashion, it is the rich man, that hear afore is described he that had such abundance of goods, that he witted not where to lay them, he that had no Godly regard to bestow them, but all his mind was, in getting, in gathering, in hoarding, and laying up in store, for long time to come. Such men thus full, having all thing after their own mind, than they begin to say to themselves, in their own conceits: soul thou hast much goods laid up in store for many years. Mark here the imagination of such rich men, they ween, through the multitude of their substance, to live many years and days. This man was of that opinion, because he had such abundance of goods, he promised himself many years, to make merry in, and to lead a gentlemanly life, both a pleasant and a long. But he made his reckoning (as the Proverb is) without his host: and so he is fain to reckon again. His many years were soon run over. He was not suffered to live, the space of an whole day. He promised himself, many other things more: which came to as good effect and pass, as this thing did. He said also: take thine ease, eat drink and be merry. Where is that long ease that was promised, with that delicacy in eating and that pleasantness in drinking. Where is become, the careless life, wherein there should be nothing, but mirth and joy, and making merry: setting the Cock upon hoop, and all should be well. All together is turned: arsie, versie. There came one suddenly, unlooked for, and also unwelcome, that marred all the play. Who was that? Truly GOD. Why, is it come to his course, to speak now? Yea surely. When men have showed their vanity, then will God show his verity. Men do take their pleasure, when they be here having all thing after their awn lusts, but when the time cometh, that God doth appoint, he will take then his lust and pleasure, and will bring them: coram nobis in a wild wanion, and he will tell them a new tale then, far unlike to their tale, wherein they promised themselves long life and well to far. But when God beginneth to speak, than they begin to hold their peace. Why will God begin once to speak? Yea, that he will truly. A practice of Gods speaking, we learn here, in this present place of Scripture. When this rich man had talked full his belly, after his awn fancy, thinking all thing should come to pass, even as he had imagined it. Even when he had went he had been most sure, he was soonest deceived. I told you, he made his reckoning without his host. His host (which is God, to whom all reckonings must be made truly) called him to a new reckoning, he made him make a new count. It followeth in the text. But God said unto him: thou fool, this night they shall fetch away thy soul again from thee, than whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? It is the fashion of GOD, to call such men to a rear count. Is God so sharp in his words, that he will call as many as he findeth in this case, fools? Yea truly, this is his fashion, and thus will he do. I fear me then, that a great many of our wise men, at whose wisdom the world wondereth now, will be called fools then. I fear me, that a great number of noble men, whose nobility the world worshippeth, will be proved fools then. I fear me, that a great number of our judges and justices, whose authority is not small in the world, will be proved fools then. I fear me, that a great many of our learned clergy, whose learning is in no small reputation: will be found fools then. What shall I need to run over, all the states and sorts of men: seeing that all men, of whatsoever state or condition they be, if they do, as this foolish rich man did, no doubt the mouth of God, here in this place of Scripture, calleth all the many of them fools. All such men that thus liveth, and so dieth, be created fools by Gods own mouth, which calleth them fools, because they use themselves, here in this life, so like fools. They live fools, they shall die fools (except they repent) and shall arise again fools: and shall go to their judgement fools, and after that, they shall go to the devil, like fools as they be. Men count now a days, none fools but such as we are fools coats, cocks combs, ears & bells. But I fear me, that this man that our saviour Christ speaketh of in this Parable, with all those that are like unto him in conditions, be more fools than they, for all their cocks combs, ears, babbles and bel●es. What if a man should ask but a question in a similitude: whether he were worthy to be called a fool that had in his own possession of his own patrimony, a. M. pound land, and if that man having this thousand pound land, would change his thousand pound of patrimony, for an hundred shillings of copy hold land, only to have it ad voluntatem domini? Were not this man worthy to be called of all men a fool, and worthy to wear a cocks comb and a bell. etc. were he never so wise counted. Such fools almost are all the whole world. Doth not all the world (for the most part) change heavenvly things for earthly things, perpetual things, for transitory things, the life everlasting, for this present life. Is not this fool as wise as they? What will ye make of a fool, or how will ye discern or know a fool, but by that he doth like a fool, and as no wise man would do, he will not give his babble for a Kings raund some, he knoweth not what is good & what is evil. He will leave the best and chose the worst. He knoweth not (as the Proverb saith) cheese from chalk, and therefore he is judged a fool, and is a fool in deed, and if he never ware wiser, he shall die a fool in very deed. Now I pray you, do not they, that receive goods, richesses, honours, offices, and promocious of this world, & either abuse them, or be unthankful to god for them and so for these uncertain & unstable goods, riches, honours, offices and promotions of this false flattering world, do for lack of godly wisdom and taking heed here in time, lose everlasting, sure and permanent, goods, richesses, honours, offices and promotions. Be not these think ye, those that the mouth of God, doth openly, plainly, & sharply here in this place call fools? yes truly, & shallbe served like fools, as the conclusion, & knitting up of this aforesaid parable of our saviour Christ doth plainly & undoubtedly pronounce and declare to all manner of persons, none excepted: saying. So it is with him, that gathereth riches to himself, and is not rich towards god. Hear the mouth of truth, yea, the truth itself pronounceth, what shall come of all such as abuse, and be unthankful to God for such things, and uncharitable to their neighbours, with their goods, richesses, honours, offices, and promotions of this world, and regard not such things, as be prepared for good and godly men, in the world that is to come. I would fain if it were possible, set forth some thing, before these worldly wise men's eyes, that they might clearly see their own state, that they be here in, in this present world. I cannot imagine how better to show them their state, (if it be not rather worthy to be called a fall) then to compare their whole life, to men that dream, pleasant and profitable dreams, and do think themselves, for the time so well, as they can imagine themselves, that they cannot be better, and so long as that sweet sleep doth continue, so long are they (as they imagine) most happy. But when they awake out of that dream, and perceive all the matter, to be turned to a dreaming matter, all that their felicity, is turned to misery, all their joy, is turned to sorrow, and so to conclude, all thing is turned topsy turvy. Truly, truly, if the worldly minded man, whose heart, mind and all, is set upon worldly things, his state, the end considered is even like the state of a dreamer, or a dreaming man, that is in the mids of his pleasant & profitable dreams. He thinketh all is well, and he hath all things after his own hearts lust, and supposeth all things so to continue. But alack alack, he is far deceived, even as a dreaming man is. For when God shall take such men, from this vain and dreaming life, then shall they, truly see and perceive, with their own great hurt, because they will not consider it in time, that all was as vain, as vain dreams, that they took for both stable and profitable, which doth but make fools fain for a time. Therefore I would advise, all such worldly men to be wise in time, and to consider what Ecclesiastes teacheth them in the twelve Chapter of his book, saying: Vanitas vanitatum (dixit Ecclesiastes) & oinavanitas. Ecclesiastes saith, he can see nothing here in this world, but all was vanity, vanity, vanity, fondness, fondness, foolishness, foolishness. Now what is all your great richesses, high honours offices and promotions? Are not all vanities. When your dreaming time is out, ye shall then truly perceive them to be very vanities. Yea, and worse than vanities, if either ye abuse them, or be unthankful to God for them, and help not your neighbours with them, they shallbe unto you damnable vanities. Now I beseech god for his great mercy's sake, to give unto all men grace, to use well their riches, high honours, offices and promotions, and to be thankful to god for them, and charitable to their neighbours with them. And so to use these things (which of themselves if they be abused) be but vanities, to use them (I say) as instruments, whereby they may please god, & profit their neighbours, and make them here friends by the right using of these worldly vanities, which may receive them into everlasting habitations. Now here I have showed you of such rich men, as are rich to themselves, & not to God, Better it were for them to be warned here in time, then to tarry to long, until they for lack of warning come to hell, where warning will not serve. As it chanced unto this rich man, of whom ye now shall hear, in this Parable following, which is now for lack of taking heed in time: dampened in hell, & fain would have remedy, but because he seeketh it to late, none willbe found.  
& Here endeth the second part of this Sermon.   

Now to the Parable. There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in Purple & fine white, & fared deliciously every day, & there was a beggar named Lazarus, which lay at his gate full of sores, desiring to be refreshed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's board, & no man gave unto him. The Dogs came also, & licked his sores. Here, in the beginning of this parable, Christ did set forth to the jews, to whom he preached then, and no less to us, to whom this his doctrine is preached now two men, of the which, one was a rich man, and the other a poor beggar, by the which two, he setteth forth by antithesin, the felicity of this world in th'one, and the misery of this world in the other. That is, in this rich man is set forth, the life that is counted only happy in this world. In the poor man, is set forth the life, that is counted most unhappy, and miserable in this world. First, let us consider earnestly, the state of these two men, being both here in this world: and also their states in the world to come. These things are to be considered earnestly of us, even now while time is, lest perchance we defer it, till it be to late, as this rich man did, as ye may well consider in this Parable. Here we may learn also to consider not things that be only present, but rather th'ends of all things. The life of the rich man was counted best, and the poor man's life worst, but the end showeth far otherwise. Let us not follow the fashion and manner of men of this world, which care little for the end, so that they now may have the pleasant life, that this rich man had, nothing at all considering the end, what chanced unto him after this life was passed. This aforesaid man, is named here rich, & was rich in deed, and was counted happy and fortunate, for he lacked nothing, which belonged to lead a pleasant life withal. He was clothed in Purple, and fine white, and fared deliciously every day. In these two things, that is, in costly and precious raiment, and delicate fare, is comprehended all things, that are to this present life, either pleasant or delectable. Under these two kinds, that is, purple & white, is comprehended, all manner of costly and sumptuous apparel, whether it be linen, or . And by these words he fared deliciously every day, is understand, that he had abundance of all costly and delicate meats and drinks We read not here, that this rich man was condemned in hell, for his costly raiment, and his delicate fare, but that he having such abundance of them both, could not find in his heart, that poor Lazarus should have any part with him. All they that are costly arrayed, and far delicately, are not condemned, so that they keep them within their limits and bounds, and forget not them that lack, even their castraiment, and their scraps also of their table. Here are condemned only they, that are to themselves to liberal, yea, to prodigal, both in raiment and fare, regarding not, what they spend upon themselves, painpering up their own bodies, & in the mean season, are altogether unliberall, and stark nigardes to the poor and needy and can find in their hearts, to see them die at their gates, both for hunger and also for cold. Thus did this rich man, to the poor beggar Lazarus: therefore he is in hell for his labour. And what learn we by this rich man's doing, but to beware, lest we doing like, shall have like, even as he hath. For, therefore is this rich man set here to teach us to be ware by his example. Here I say, every man must keep himself, within his limits and bounds, and so there shallbe no man dampened, either for raiment, or for costly fare, so that men be beneficial to the poor. But bounds be broken, limits be over trodden, there is almost no person that keepeth himself within his limits or bounds: there is almost no man, that can be content with his own state, neither in raiment, nor yet in fare. The yeoman will approach to the gentleman's state, the gentleman to the knights state, the knight to the lords state, and so forth on: and not only in raiment, but also in fare. And that see the servants, and they pass their degree also: and so every man is out of order. O that men would be content, to far and go, every man after his degree, and beware of climbing. And also if every man would beware of excess in all things, the poverties needs might be relieved in all things. For there is more spent in superfluous raiment, and superfluous fare (I hold my peace from superfluous gaming, and superfluous gifts giving) in England, then would serve to the necessities, of the very needy of all England. Now yet a little to the text. There is a certain rich man. etc. We read not that this rich man, got his goods evil, but he both kept them evil, and spent them not well. I read not, that he was a bribe taker, nor an extortioner, nor a rend raiser, nor a fine taker, nor a leasemonger, nor an usurer, nor a pillar, or poller of the poor, nor a false purchaser. In summa, I read not that he got his goods evil, but that he spent them all upon his own person, and after his own pleasure, and not upon the poor, after the pleasure of God. The text saith, this man was rich, but it was to himself, and to the world, and altogether after the worldly estimation, and alone afore the world and worldly men, but he was a very miser and poor beggar, before God and all godly men. Here ye have heard of this rich man, in what felicity and pleasure, he led his life, how that he was counted happy and fortunate, among all other here, and as he lived honourably, so he died to the world honourably, and was buried honourably. All his life was honourable, even unto the very grave, but to what honour he came afterward being dead ye shall hear hereafter. First, ye shall hear of the poor beggar Lazarus life how miserably he lived, in a worldly respect: as it followeth in the text. And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, which lay at his gate full of sores, desiring to be refreshed with the crumbs, which fell from the rich man's board, and no man gave unto him, the dogs came also and licked his sores. Now hearken here of this poor beggars life. There was a certain beggar named Lazarus, a man as far drowned in misery, as the rich man was in felicity: this man was not only poor and a beggar, but also a miserable beggar, as far out of monnes reputation, as the rich man was in estimation. This man was as poor in lacking, as the other was rich in having. This man lacked, even very necessaries, where as the other abunded in superfluousness. This miser (as the world taketh misers) had neither house nor home, neither coat nor gown, he lacked neither sores nor hunger, who would not say, that he was most unhappy of all other, that ever lived in the world? Who would say that doth consider, both these men's lives, that is to say, this rich man's life, & the poor beggars life, but that the rich man was even a very pattern, full of felicity, and the beggar a pattern of very misery. Thone was rich, the other a beggar and poor, the one had abundance of all things and the other the lack of all things. The one had to many houses, & the other never a one. Thone had to much meat and drink, and the other never a whit. The one was sound and merry and the other sick and sorry. The one was all to well clothed: and the other all together naked. Here a man may see a lively example of worldly felicity & of worldly misery. What man seeing & considering, both these men's lives, but would say, th'one were altogether happy, & tother altogether unhappy The state of this rich man is highly esteemed, with all that be but men, and a lonely worldly men, and yet it is nothing less, than so esteemed of God, & godly men. As our saviour Christ saith in Luke xvi chap. That that is highly esteemed emongmen: is abominable in the sight of god. He saith not only it is little or lightly set by, in the sight of God, but it is abominable in the sight of god. Mark here, that all honours, all dignities, all promotions, all offices, & all riches, which, although they be never so highly esteemed in the world of worldly men: if they be not rightly used, unto the honour of God, and charitably ordered, to the commodity and wealth of God's people, the state of them that possess them: although it be in the sight of men, highly esteemed and honourable, in the sight of GOD and Godly men, is both horrible & abominable. What shall we then say? Shall things of this present world, continue still in their estimation, in another world also, as men esteem them here, whether they be good or bad? This matter is clearly set forth, to all men's eyes that will see, in this present Parable, of this rich man, and poor Lazarus. Consider the end of those two persons, and then ye shall see, and that evidently, that the matter is far otherwise. Suddenly, death coming, turneth the matter upside down. Death coming to the rich man, maketh an end of all his felicity & pleasure, wherein he was thought to be so happy. Death on the other side, coming to this poor man, is the end of all sorrows and miseries. O that the world, which is so blinded in worldly vanities: would consider this thing both heartily and earnesty. Then men should not be so forgetful, and so little remember the state, that is to come in another world. It is not for nought, that that good man, jesus the son of Siracke in his book, which is called Ecclesiasticus, in the vij Chapit. doth warn every man of this thing, saying: Son, remember thy last end, and thou shalt never do amiss. The lack of this remembrance in time, is the cause, that so many men go to the devil. If that we would, earnestly and often remember, what is to come in another world, after this present life, we should never so forget, (as we now do) neither our duty to God, nor yet to our neighbour. We should not set so much by worldly vanities as we do: we should not so lightly regard heavenly and eternal things, and so highly esteem worldly things as we do. Remember therefore thy last end, and what thy state shallbe after this present life. Remember (I say, yea, both earnestly and often, and that remembrance shall cause thee to eschew vice, and to follow and embrace virtue. Beware by th'example of this rich man, which delighted and had so much pleasure, that he thought not once of death, and of his state after death. And therefore is he now, (although to late) taught with his own damnation, to teach other in time, by his example, the way to salvation. He was so full of richesse, that he had no regard to poverty. He had somuch wealth, that he regarded nothing at all poor men's misery. Poor Lazarus desired no dainties, but only to relieve his hunger, with the crumbs or scraps, that were left at this rich manne's table, but no man gave unto him. By like there was an uncharitable house, that neither one nor other, could find in his heart, to give this beggar some almose. I doubt not, but every man within the doors had to much, even dogs and all. But there was nothing without the doors, for the poor needy and hungry, but hunger and small ease. Yea, the very dogs were more merciful, then either their master, or masters, or household for they dealt their almose upon him. The dogs (saith the text) came and licked his sores. Such master, such servants, is commonly seen. This man was altogether liberal, yea, prodigal upon himself and his, after his own lust and pleasure: but concerning the poor needy, and God's lust and pleasure, he was even a very stark niggard. Well, this man lived here all in his felicity, and so did poor Lazarus, even in his misery. But now cometh death (as I have said) and turneth all topsy turvy. It followeth in the text. And it fortuned, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. It chanced (saith the text) that the beggar died. That beggar (I say) that no man regarded whiles he lived, but god showed how much he regarded him, in that that his angels brought him in to Abraham's bosom. The rich man would not once vouchsafe, to take him into his house, to relieve him, but god doth vouchsafe to take him, to such a place, where is everlasting felicity & glory. Let us consider, what manner of departing had Lazarus from this world Death to this good and godly beggar yea, to all godly men, is a great benefit. For it delivereth all such, from innumerable evils, even as it were men that had been long in a sharp prison, from great affliction, to great refreshing. Therefore it is no pain nor misery, for a good and godly man to die. For to him death is the very way and passage, to everlasting joy and high felicity. This poor man is dead (saith the text). He is dead I grant, but not so dead, or with such a death, as the wicked men use to die, but after another fashion, of the which the holy man job, the. Lxvi Chap. speaketh on saying: The death of his saints (saith he) is very precious in the lords sight This poor Lazarus soul was carried, not of one Angel, but of many saith the text. Whether did they carry it? Into Abraham's bosom, that is, in to everlasting joy & rest in the lord. Which place, some men call Paradise, after Christ's saying to the thief hanging on his right hand, which desired him, to have him in his remembrance, when he should come into his kingdom, Luke xxiij where Christ saith unto him: this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. Some call this place the hand of the Lord, as it is written in the three Chap. of the book of Sapience. The souls of the righteous are in the hand of the Lord. Mark here, that although mention is made, that the souls of good, godly, & righteous persons, be safe enough, either in Abraham's bosom, in Paradise, in the hand of the Lord, or in heaven. And I doubt not but that they have, such glory and felicity: as. S. Paul to the Cori. speaketh of in the i Epistle the two Chap. saying, that man's eye hath not seen, and there hath not heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But to tell you what glory they have what they do, and where they be: I can no more tell, than the scripture telleth. I let God alone with all such secrets, as Christ, his Apostles, and the prophets, hath not revealed and made manifest to us in holy scripture. Now I doubt not but Abrahames bosom, is the place wherein all the elected and chosen of God, which do truly follow Abraham's faith, do rest in. But now where that place is, I know not, and therefore I will not go about to determine a thing that I know not. Let us not be much careful, where that place is, but rather let us be careful, how we shall come thither. There was never time, but that God had appointed a place for his elected to rest in. Afore Christ's coming, that place was called, the bosom of Abraham: but now it is called heaven, the house of the eternal father, as. S. Paul witnesseth in his ij Epistle, the .v. Chap to the Cori. For we know (saith he) that if our yearthy mansion of this dwelling were destroyed, we have a building of God, an habitation, not made with hands but eternal in heaven. Also Christ in John xiiij speaking of the same thing, saith: In my father's house there be many dwelling places. And the same Christ safeth also in Ihou xii Where I am (saith he) there shall my minister be also. Paul also in his Epistle to the Philippians the i Cham Desireth to be loosed, and to be with Christ. Now here ye have hard th'end of this poor beggar, being righteous before God, what came to him after his death and departing from his body. Although he were of no reputation before the world, yet he was highly regarded before God. In this good poor man, being in the sight of God righteous: all good, godly, and righteous poor beggars, and men of small reputation, make great comfort, unto whom the joy & felicity of the life to come, shall recompense the sorrow and misery, that is in this life all comen and past. Here ye heard of Lazarus death, and what chanced unto him after his death. Now shall ye hear of the rich man's death. Why? do such men die, as well as poor men do? So well? No God knoweth, they die all doubtless, but how well they die, and how well cometh to them after their death, mark well this parable, and ye shall know. It followeth in the parable. The rich man also died and was buried. Is he did in deed? How chanced he died? It was not (I trust) for lack of clothes? For he had to many. It was not for lack of meat and drink, for he had to much. Why? will not gay and costly clothes & delicate meats, keep men from death? No, rather I fear me they help men to death. Then I see that neither costly array, nor delicate fare, nor abundance of goods, nor excellency of dignities, nor greatness in office, nor yet nobleness of birth: will keep any man from death. For as soon dieth the rich man with his riches, and his costly raiment, and with his delicate fare, as the poor man with his poverty, course raiment, and homely fare. Assoon die they in dignities and great Offices, as other that have none of them both. Assoon dieth the noble, as the base borne. Assoon dieth the Prelate, as the Pulter, as soon dieth the priest as the clerk. etc. For as Paul saith to the hebrews, ix. Chapter. It is appointed unto all men, that they shall once die. And the old saying is true: There is nothing more certain than death, but there is nothing more uncertain, then thoure of death. Now to the text again. The rich also died. etc. Why? Is he dead that promised himself so long time to live? He is dead. But is he dead in deed? Yea truly. What shall we then say? what? Marry if he were, as many of our rich men be now a days, I know what men be wont to say, I would not that they should so say. What (I pray thee) be they wont to say, when such rich covetous men die? What? Even thus plump out. The devil in hell be with them. Let them guess again, if they had said so when this rich man died, and had laid any wager on it, it may fortune they should have won. But what shall we say? God have mercy on his soul that were but lost labour. For God will have no mercy upon them that be in hell. For scripture saith: in hell is no redemption. What shall I say, God have mercy on poor Lazarus soul? That also is lost labour, for God hath mercy on him all ready. It is now past God have mercy of all christian soul's matter, when men the departed all ready. Pray hear, and that in time, for to pray when men be dead, it is to late. It followeth in the text. And was buried. What matter was this, that he was buried. It is a matter, for we read nothing of Lazarus burying, and yet I doubt not but that he was buried. Here is mention made of this rich man's burying: by that is signified, that his burial was like, as all his like was counted, that is most honourable and I doubt not, but so was his burial also. Moreover, I doubt not but this rich man, had Diriges, Masses, Trintals, and priests enough to say Masses for him. He neither lacked singing nor ringing, chiming nor tolling, if such things were used in those days. I doubt not but there were at his burial, all the four orders of Friars, with all the religious men and women, that could be gotten for money. There were also many mourners with hoods & black gowns, with many a dri●…ye more, and so he was brought into the earth most honourrably. But poor Lazarus lacked us more but all this pomp● and glory▪ 〈◊〉 he lacked not everlasting glory▪ 〈◊〉 had not this rich man with all his trinkettes, wrought and done so honourably, everlasting felicity? Nor, ware that, for that is gotten with 〈◊〉 such trompery▪ But where is he then? Where? Marry even where he should be, & where he sought in all his whole life for to be: Where is that? Ever in hell: for so saith the text. What man, is all that ringing and singing, all that Massing & diriging, with crouching and kneeling, with that bitter weaping and wailing, with the Church hanging and great offering, all together lost? Yea truly; all was lost to him. For whosoever found aught; he found nought. Perchance ye will say there were no such things at that time, as is now used. I answer, although there were no such things, at that time used, yet I doubt not but there was then, as pratie devices devised by the Clergy, and received of the laity, as we have seen in times past, and yet may see, so that we will see it. See ye not what pratie tricks be in our this most knowing time conveyed into the blessed Communion for to get money withal? Now let us return again to this rich man, thus honourably buried, and so seemeth unto unknowing people of the world, to be in no worse state in another world, than he was in this world. But it will be found far otherwise, when the truth is known.  
¶ Here endeth the third part of this Sermon.   

IT followeth in the text: And being in hell in torments, he lift up his eyes, and saw Abraham a far of, and Lazarus in his bosom, and he cried and said: father Abraham have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said: son remember that thou in thy life time, receivest thy pleasure, and contrariwise Lazarus received pain, but now he is comforted, and thou art punished. Ye have heard here afore, how honourably this rich man (to the world) led his life, died and was also honourably buried. Now his honour is turned to horror, his prosperous state, to an unlucky state. He lived here in all delicacy and pleasures, but he leadeth his life now in all miseries and pains. Let us consider out of the text here, in what miserable case this rich man is comen into now, after all his felicity, and pleasure taken in this world. First, he is cast into hell, which is a place for the that are perpetually dampened, in which place, there is no hope of any delivery or salvation. Furthermore, in that hell he is tormenred with fiery flames. We read no less written by Esate the Prophet, in his lxvi chap. Their worms (saith he) shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and all flesh shall abhor them. Christ saith also in Matthew xiij Chapi. They shall cast them into a furnes of fire, there shallbe wailing, & gnashing of tethe. Yet more, this rich man seeth set before his eyes, poor Lazarus, whom in times passed, he did nothing regard, in great and perpetual felicity. This is no little pain to them that be dampened, to see them that were nothing, in comparison to them, now so to be in perpetual pleasure, and themselves in perpetual pain, & all through their own folly. Furthermore, this rich man is driven to that need, through his exceeding pain, to beg of him, to whom in his life, he would not once vouchsafe to give the crumbs of his table. He saith; send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame. This is the very judgement of God: whereby the pride and stoutness of such men, are wont to be punished withal. For they which were in plenty, and felicity: contemned poor s●ly souls in their misery and beggary, not having pity upon them to help them, but they despised them and judged them not worthy to their company. These men thus doing, doth find no less at God's hand, and that by the right judgement of God, be brought to such extreme necessity and high misery, that they would thank God with all their hearts, that those men, whom they contemned and set so little by, would now vouchsafe once to give them one familiar countenance, or speak unto the one familiar word. It is (I say) the very ordinance of God, that they shallbe measured with the same measure, that they measured other withal for so saith Christ in Matthewes Gospel. vil. Chapi. with what measure ye meet, with the same shall other men measure to you? There is a meruerlous equality in god, for this rich man (not withstanding his bitter prayer) obtained not so much at God's hand, as a drop of water, because he had defiled afore a crome of bread. We have here a lively example, what they shall find hereafter, that now in this life doth not prepare for themselves friends of the wicked Mammon, that when they shallbe taken from their goods which they count their friends, and be very beggars in deed, & have great need, they shall find as this man found, everlasting lacking, & evermore begging. There is no beggar in worse case, and a more miser, than he that ever beggeth, and never obtaineth. Such shallbe all that doth as this man did. Therefore here in time what remedy Christ hath found, for as many as doth believe him, and follow his counsel. Luke xvi I say unto you, (saith he) make you friends of the unrighteous Mammon, that when ye shall have need, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. Will ye follow Christ's counsel? while ye be here rich, and be able to make friends by your riches, make them I counsel you. give here, and it shallbe given unto you there, help the poor here, and they shall help you there. Receive them here, and they shall receive you there. Look what ye do unto them here. shallbe done unto you again there, be it good or evil: for Christ counteth altogether, that is done to one of his, being never so poor, to be done unto himself. And where it is promised that they (to whom ye are beneficial here) shall receive you into everlasting habitations: By that we gather, that Christ of his goodness, hath given the both goods and authority, to do you good again, that have done them good here. Here ye see, how to be received of God, and how to be abjected. Be good therefore unto the poor, and do to them, as ye would that they here after, shall do unto you. And so ye doing good unto them, shall do yourself great good, and lay up treasure for yourselves, that never shall fail you. And so doing here, ye shall not lack ther. And to the text again. And being in hell in torments, he lift up his eyes, & saw Abraham a far of, etc. Here are in this parable that Christ propouneth, many strange things, to them that knoweth not the nature of a Parable. In a Parable, there be many things feigned to be, that were never done: & yet may there be much and Godly doctrine taught by them. This one thing among many, is to be marked in every Parable: the scopt, the meaning and th'end, wherefore the parable is spoken, & all things in parables, must be directed to that purpose. Now in this Parable ye must mark well, although here in the Parable, it seemeth that they that be in heaven, or in a place of salvation, should both see and talk with them, that be in the place of dampitation, yet there is no such things in deed, but we must mark to what end christ spoke this parable. He spoke it to the jews & in them to all us, teaching both them and us, how to live in this world, that we may live in the world that is to come also. Here is in this Parable taught, how that we may not judge, after the judgement of the world, but after the judgement of God: which is known only in holy scriptures, neither of things present in this world, neither of things in the world to come. Now once again to the text: and being in hell in torments, he lift up his eyes, and saw Abraham etc. Here must ye note (as I have partly told you before) that although that Christ setteth forth in this parable, as though souls departed out of this world, some to the place of glory, and some to the place of misery: should speak or talk one with another, yet there is no such thing, nor Christ meaneth no such thing. But Christ's meaning is, to teach us that be his, and here a live, to be ware of such imaginacious or sayings, as this man being in hell, doth say here. For even as Christ feigneth this man, to speak in hell: even so doth devilish men imagine and speak in earth supposing such things to be true, as this man in hell doth speak, or is rather by Christ feigned to speak. And ye must note also, that like as in this man's speaking is signified all evil mestnes imaginations and sayings: so here is also to be marked in Abraham's sayings, Gods will and pleasure known in scriptures, for Abraham doth speak here in the person of god, and there is here nothing spoken of him, but that is true, and doth confute all this wicked man's assertions & sayings. Now let us example the text, which saith: he being in hell in torments, lift up his eyes, and saw Abraham a far of, and Lazarus in his bosom, and he cried and said, father Abraham have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame. Now here is showed the imaginations of them, that be in hell in pain. They do consider the state that they be in, in hell, that is in pain and misery. They do also consider the state of them that be in glory and felicity, and that doth augment their pain and misery. They being thus altogether wrapped in sorrow on every side, show their affection, & desiring relief of the same, cry to Abraham (that representeth God) for mercy, but altogether is in vain, because they do it all out of due time. But Abraham said: son, remember that thou in thy life time, receive dost thy pleasure, and contrariwise, Lazarus received pain, but now is he comforted, and thou art punished. Here speaketh almighty God in Abraham's person, not only to this man but rather to all men, that doth as this man did. He asketh mercy, but out of time. He would have help of Lazarus, whom when he might have holpen, he would not help. Therefore he heareth Abraham speaking the sentence of god to him, saying: son, remember that thou in thy life. etc. God doth call men to a rear count, because they do follow their own sensuality, taking in all things their own pleasure, they regard nothing at all what is god's pleasure. They care not what God would have them do, but they regard and only care for their own pleasures, and such things as they will, and have pleasure to do. Consider also, that he calleth Abraham father, & also Abraham calleth him son. But likewise as this man here being alive and in prosperity, regarded not Abraham, that is to say god, any thing at all, & he took him not once for his father (except it were with the mouth only.) He looked for no help at his hand, he trusted not in him, nor was for things received, thankful unto him 〈◊〉 so doth Abraham, that is to say god, calleth him son after the same fashion, as he called him father, nothing meanyg to show his fatherly pity, & compassion upon him, neither doth he make him once partaker of any part of his euheritaunce; but saith: Son, remember that thou in thy life time, receivedst thy pleasure, & contrariwise Lazarus received pain. As though he might say, like as thou in the world, being in high prosperity, forgottest me, regardedst me not, hadst no trust in me to do thee good in time to come, but followedst thine own pleasure; & not mine, thine own will, and not mine, and was also in all things unthankful. Remember now how thou hast done them, and therefore now thou must be consent to receive there after Thou regardedst not, neither my will nor pleasure then, but thine own: therefore now thou hast, according to thine own deservings. But contrary wise Lazarus being in adversity, forgot me not, all times he regarded my ways. He put his whole trust in me, to do him good, in time to come. He followed not his own pleasure, but mine, he did not his own will, but mine. He was patient in his adversity, and gave thanks in all his misery. Therefore, now is he comforted, and thou art now punished. This doctrine is not set forth here, neither for this rich man, nor yet for this poor man, for they can neither take good nor harm by it. But it is set forth (as all other scripture is) for us to do us good, to teach us, to monish us, whether we be rich or poor, to have before our ties, here in this world, whether we be in prosperity, or adversity, all times the state of the world that is to come. If that we would earnesty and often do this, we (I say) of what state soever we be, truly, truly, it would make us, that be rich to consider, from whence our goods come, to what purpose. God either did lend them us, or put them into our hands, it would make us to remember what good, we being here rich, may do unto ourselves in another world, (hoarding up our Treasure there) in ministering the same goods, gladly, liberally, and with a loving heart, to our poor brethren and sistern, according to their necessity, and our ability. It would also make us thankful to GOD, which hath given us the same goods, and hath made us to be in a more blessed state, which is in the state of giving, according to the saying of our Lord Christ, in the Acts of the Apostles the twenty Chapter, which saith: It is more blessed to give, then to receive. This doctrine also would make them that be poor and in misery, to be patient, and thankful to GOD their father, knowing that there is nothing that can come or chance to them, no, not one here of their head shall perish, without either their father's will or permission. Now therefore both rich & poor take heed to this doctrine, consider what is setforth in the same, either to eschew of follow. If ye take heed in time and follow this poor man's doing, that is, the will & pleasure of god, walking truly in your vocation, truly serving your calling, doing in all points to your power your duty & office, both towards God & your neighbours, ye shall have as this poor man (your pattern and exemplar, doing his office and serving his vocation) had, that is even heaven for his labour. If ye regard not this doctrine setforth here in this parable of this rich man, but be negligent and careless in doing your office, and serving your vocation, giving yourselves to your own lusts & pleasures, as th●… rich man did, that that is written here in the parable to come to him, doubtless shall come to you, that is to be perpetually damned in hell. It followeth furthermore in the text: Beyond all this, between us & you, there is a great space set, so that they which would go from hennce to you cannot, neither may come from thence to us. Here is another doctrine of the heavenly father taught here by our saviour Christ, in the person of Abraham. By this doctrine of Christ here set forth, is signified unto all men, that in another world, there is no change of things, but all things be there firm, stable, sure and perpetual. Therefore they that be ones made happy in that world (as all those shallbe that doth depart in faith) shall for ever & perpetually, remain happy and never be changed, as john saith in the apocalypse the xiiii Blessed are all they that die in the lord, that is in the faith of jesus Christ. Even so they, that are once unhappy, shall ever & perpetually be unhappy, & there is no place left of repenting amending & obtaining of salvation. Mark what is written in Ecclesiastes the two chapter. If the tree fall, either to the sowth or to the north, in whatsoever place it falleth, there it lieth. This doctrine is not meant of falling of trees, but of the death of men. By the South is understand faith, by the North infidelity. Like as the tree lieth still where it falleth: So doth the man signified there by, abide still for ever in one state & never changeth. If he die in faith he is saved, if in infidelity, he is damned. So that he that is ones damned shall never be saved, Even so no more shall he that is ones saved, ever after be dampened. Where is then become purgatory, that hath put so many both great & small in a wan hope, to be saved by other men's merits after their death? I trust it be run home again to his first inventor & founder the pope. I would wish that all purgatory maintainers were with him also until I would wish them here again. Seeing that every man at his death is either saved or dampened, wherefore is all that money bestowed for the dead. If they be in heaven, there can no money increase their joy ther. If they be in hell, there can no money minish their pains there. Therefore the money that is bestowed for the dead with that opinion, either to increase the joy of the one, or to release the pain of the other, is evil spent. For the dead be never the better, and the living bestowers be much the worse. Why sir may not a man give his goods to be bestowed among the poor when he is dead? I say not nay. For there is little enough given unto the poor by men's lives. Therefore I think it meet to give at the leastwise at their deaths. But I will counsel noman to tarry and differ is almose until he die: for than I doubt whether it be his almost or not. Or whether other men will give for him that he could not find in his own heart to give for himself. We be bound to give that that we be able to spare to them that hath present need and necessity, and not to tarry until we die, for than we give, because we can no longer keep it, and I am a frayed that god shall thank us thereafter, that is to say, nothing at all. For he never gave us his goods nor yet lent them us to keep them till we die, but in all our life time to bestow them upon the needy: & not to keep them that other men may bestow them for us, or rather strive for them after our death. Here we may learn of this doctrine, that although this rich man begged a pace, (being in hell in torments), to have been released of some of his pain: yet he found no relief at gods hands at all, for he asked it to late. no more shall we find at gods hands, if we come to late as he did, which died in infidelity. And as many as dieth in infidelity, shall never obtain mercy, pray they never so much for themselves, as this man is made mention to do. And moreover and if all the whole world together would pray for one of them: yet should he never obtain any relief of his pain. Now by the sentence of god, there is nothing behind then but this, that both this rich man and his like companions must content themselves with their state & pain that they be in, & never to look for better. Now here we may see & learn by this doctrine of this place, that there be no more but ij. places prepared for than that be departed out of this world, One for them that are blessed, that is a place of refreshing Another for them that are dampened, that is a place of tormenting. We find not one word in scriptures of that forged purgatory, wherein souls be not purged, but fools purses be emptied.  
Here endeth the fourth part of this Sermon.   

BUt when this afore named rich man saw that he could not prevail any thing at all for himself, than he began to make his petition for other saying: I pray the therefore father send him to my father's house, for I have five brethren, for to warn them, lest they also come to this place of torments. Here is also to be marked, in this part of the parable, another damnable opinion spoken by this man being in hell, to teach them that are yet here in the earth, to be ware of it and such like. This man's opinion was, as Christ teacheth here in the parable, that men would give more credence to Spirits that come from another world, than to the holy scriptures being taught them here in this world. This opinion is confuted here by the heavenly Father's doctrine taught by Christ in the person of Abraham, as ye shall hear hereafter This opinion is confuted here of Christ, not for this rich man's sake, nor for to teach him and to convert him, but it is set here to teach us, to convert us, which be yet here, where we may be taught, where we may be converted. Why? be there any now a live think ye, that be of that opinion that this rich dampened man was of? Ye truly, I fear me to many. There be that be not ashamed to utter there damnable opinion, with these and such like words: We know (say they) what we have here, but we know not what we shall have ther. Who doth know, whether there be any other life after this life? Who will change (that wise is) the certainty of things that we be sure of here in this world, for the uncertainty of things that be to come, in another (to us unknown) world. There is none (say they) that will do thus except a few of momishe mopers which can do none other thing else, but mope upon their books, to make us afraid of shadows and buggeberes. Therefore (say these wicked men) we will abide in this our opinion, until we have some messenger sent from heaven or hell, to show us what news be there, and take our pleasure here in the mean season, let them teach what they will. Of this opinion the parable teacheth us that this rich man was, and he doth here represent all those that be now of that opinion, and that answer that was made unto him than, is to warn them that be of such opinion now. That the parable doth teach, this man to be careful for his brethren, that were yet of the opinion that he was of: is not set here to teach that the souls in hell doth care for them that are in earth, but it is set here to teach us to be careful for our own selves and for our friends also here, while care will help. For like as this man's care (that the parable speaketh of) prevailed not, no more shall no man's care prevail, neither for himself, nor yet for other, that is not taken in time. What was this man's care in hell? that his brethren all together untawght of the will of god, that is, that they that live here in this world godly, following the will and the pleasure of god, should have with god everlasting glory, as he saw Lazarus had. And the contrary wise, as many as took there own pleasure, regarding not the will of god, should be in pain everlasting, as he himself was. This was his care, but to late. He said,  testificetur illis, for to warn them (quoth he) lest they also come in to this place of torment. This man's opinion thus far was good, that he would have his brethren warned, to be ware here in this present life forth But in this his opinion was nought, that he would have one to come own of another world to teach them, for that is a false opinion confuted here by our saviour Christ, let us be warned here in time, while life is in us. But let us look neither for Angel, soul, nor devil to teach us, but only Scripture, as ye be here taught by Abraham speaking in gods person to this rich man, and not only to him, but rather unto us, that we hearing this his doctrine, believing & working after the same, may be safe: where doing the contrary we should be damned. For to warn them, saith the text: To warn them of that (as though he might say) that I now find by experience, that is, that virtue shallbe of god rewarded & vice punished. Of this let them be warned, lest perchance, they differre (the amendment of their lives,) till they be dead, as I did, and then it willbe to late for them to be warned, as it is now to late for me.  testificetur illis, for to warn them, etc. By these words here he bewrayeth his own wicked opinion, that he had here when he lived. May not a man gather out of these his words, this to be his opinion? I (as though he might say) when I was yet a live. I judged all things to be put vain, whatsoever was spoken of the fire of hell, and of the punishments of malefactors in another world. I supposed such things, to have been but preachers dreams to terrify the simple people and silly souls, to keep them in awe. Therefore I pray the good father Abraham to send Lazarus to warn my five brethren and to testify unto them, surely not only those things to be most true, which holy scripture doth teach of the everlasting damnation, which neither they nor I did believe once to be true, or any such thing to be in deed. Which things now, I am not only compelled to believe, but with mine own hurt I feel them to be to true, and to be such pains as noman's tongue can express. Therefore now they that will not believe such things as the scriptures teacheth to be, with there own mischief and everlasting destruction shall learn by overmuch experience (as this rich man did) such things to be. Here ye have hard this wicked man's petition for his brethren, with his wicked opinion, that one out of another world should be sent to teach them, but his petition was not hard because his opinion was wicked, and also he prayed out of time. To this wicked opinion, whether it be of this wicked man in hell (as the parable teacheth) or of such like wicked men in earth, our saviour Christ with the doctrine of his father spoken by Abraham, do make answer in this wise saying: They have moses and the prophets, let them hear them. What is understand by Moses and the prophets? By Moses is understand Moses doctrine, and by the prophets is understand the prophets doctrine, & both those doctrines taught that Christ should come, promised of god to do all things that belong to our whole salvation, justification, & redemption. And that we by him only should have remission of our sins and life everlasting. All these things we may and ought to learn by Moses and the prophets, that is the holy scriptures. Is there nothing else to be learned but holy scriptures? No truly, Nothing that shall make any thing for our salvation, justification, redemption, remission of sins and obtaining of everlasting life. Therefore we be taught here with these words: They have Moses and the prophets: let them hear them that is, let them give ear to them, let them regard them, hearken to them. He saith not they have with them, reason, wit and worldly prudence: let them heart and hearken to them, let them follow them. He saith not here, they have Scribes and Pharisees, Fathers Customs, long usages, Many hundred years, Man's traditions, decrees and inventions, men's good intentes and meanings, Multitudes of people, Abundance of Doctors & Councils and such like, hear them: but he saith, that they have Moses and the prophets (that is holy scriptures) let them hear them. For all these afore named things with such like, put on one heap without scriptures be of none authority, but holy Scripture without all these, is of full and perfect authority. Therefore if we will be saved, let us hear Moses and the prophets, that is holy Scriptures. Our saviour Christ said unto the jews, in john's gospel the .v. chapter Search scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me. Also in Mathews gospel the xxij chapter our saviour said unto the Saduceis: Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures. Here ye see all knowledge cometh by the knowing of the scriptures, & all ignorance also cometh for lack of knowing the scriptures. For they that know not the Scriptures that they are the word of God, care for no godly thing, they take their pleasure in all thing. Now the lord that would have all thing done after a right order, that is by his own rule, which is the holy scripture, sendeth these men & also us unto the same scriptures: saying. They have Moses & the prophets, let them hear them, obey them, keep and observe them. How shall we understand this saying of this place. They have Moses & the prophets: meaning this rich man's five brethren which know nothing less than the scriptures. By this is signified nothing else, but that there is none other learning to be saved by, than by the scriptures. Therefore let every man learn, that intendeth to be saved by this doctrine of Christ to know the scriptures, to teach the scriptures, to credit the scriptures, & to lead a life according to the same. And if this rich man had done this, he had not been now in hell, but because he would neither hear it, nor have it, neither read it, nor yet regard it, neither credit it, nor yet lead his life after it, to conclude, he sought nothing, but refused all things that made for his saltration, therefore must he needs be dampened, & so shall all that so doth. Now after that this dampened rich man had hard the sentence of god (spoken by Abraham) infallibly true & to be received of all men: They have Moses & the prophets: Yet he was not contented with the answer, but he replied against this manifest and open true doctrine and said: Nay father Abraham, but if one come unto them from the dead, they will repent. He saith unto him, if they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe, though one rose from death again. Here ye may mark by this damned rich man's replication, the wicked opinion of them, that follow there own sensual judgements, and not god's judgement expressedly set forth by scriptures. For they say Nay, when God saith yea, God saith, they have Moses, and the prophets to teach them, and them only must they hear, obey and follow, for in them only is contained enough and abundantly, all manner of doctrine that can, or may help us unto salvation. Nay say they, as this dampened man said. Nay father Abraham (quoth he,) not so, but if any man come unto them of the dead they will repent. Meaning (as his damnable opinion was) that if such one as Lazarus was that should come out of an other world, raised up again from death to life, should have more credit given unto him, and men should sooner repent at his preaching, then of either reading, or preaching of the scripture. But unto that vain and wicked opinion, Abraham (in god's person) answereth saying: If they hear not Moses, and the prophets, neither will they believe though one rose from death again. As though Christ might say. If there be any man, that will not hear the doctrine of Moses & the prophets to repent and amend his life at them, surely that man will soon cavil and find a fault, if any man would say that he ware raised up from among the dead, to bring any other new rules & precepts out of another world to learn men to repent & amend by. Therefore let all men come only to the holy scripture. For there is more credicte to be given to that only scripture, then to all men's doctrines, to all men's rules, inventions, traditions customs, miracles & all other imaginations of men. This is a plain and infallible rule, that the holy scripture is the only rule to judge and live rightly by. Which doth comprehend all that belongeth to godliness and our Salvation. And is only of himself authentic & of authority, and so is nothing else in the whole world among men but it only. For to have blessed souls sent unto us from heaven to admonish and preach unto us, this ware but vain, and false. We be sent here of the lord to the Scriptures. They have (saith God,) Moses and the prophets. Let no man therefore (that is of God, and intendeth to be saved,) ones look for any appearing of either Prophet, or Apostle, They whilst they lived, (by thinstinct and inotion of the spirit of God, preached unto them that ware present, and wrote for them that ware absent, all things that are sufficient to instruct both them and us. Let us look upon their preachings, and writings, and content ourselves with the same. Let us not ask with this wicked & damned rich man, that either saints, or souls out of an other world, should come, or be sent messengers unto us. For there is no credit to be given unto spirits raised from the dead. That doth the history of Samuel raised (or rather supposed to be raised) again, which is written in the i Re. or. Sam. the xxviij cha. testify. Furthermore we have a plain commandment of the lord, that we shall not seek no truth at them that be dead, in the book of duty. the xviii cha. Let none be found in thee (saith the lord) that seeketh the truth of them that be dead. If we may not seek the truth at their doctrine, much less we may seek our salvation at their doctrine. Here ye may perceive how grievously they sin, that doth give credit and believe to the answers of conjured Spirits. It is possible by God's permission, to come to pass that spirits shall appear & give answer to certain interrogations. But to tell the truth what they be in died, these are even very mockings and deceipts of the devil. Although Satan sometime will tell truth, like as he did what should come to Saul, as it appeareth in the afore rehearsed history i Sam xviii Yet notwithstanding, he doth whatsoever he doth to beguile & deceive even so many as credit, and believe him. Seeing then that Satan is a liar, & also the very father & beginner of lying, there is no faith to be given unto him. Furthermore there is no revelation of Angels to be looked for, which should teach us the Gospel, for either those Angels should preach the same Gospel, that the Prophets and the Apostles hath preached, and so it ware in vain, or else they should preach contrary. Then mark what Paul saith to the galathians in the first Chapi. If we (saith he) or an Angel from heaven, should preach unto you an other gospel, besides, or contrary to that ye have received, cursed be he. Here it is manifest, that there be no dead men's souls to be heard. Angels be not to be looked for. Man's wisdom in this case, is not to be regarded, but only Moses and the prophets. For this doctrine of Moses and the prophets, did Christ teaache, even after his resurrection. For as Luke saith. Chapit xxiiij He did interpretate, or expound Moses and the Prophets. Wherefore here it is plain, that the authority of them is so by Christ confirmed, that we may hear, nor credit any other, either doctors, or preachers, for our salvation. Therefore the way of salvation is true, which Moses and the Prophets, and after them, the Apostles have taught, and besides that way, there is none other to be sought, neither if it ware sought, there is none other to be found. This is the way that they taught, that we knowledge our sins, and believe, that for Christ's sake, to have remission of our sins. And in this faith let us walk in gods vocation. All this shall come to pass if we believe Christ's saying to be true which is: They have Moses & the prophets, let them hear them. Now on the other side, they that contemn scriptures, or minish the authority of scriptures, make light of them, or dispraise them: of such men if they do not shortly repent, and return, there is no manner of hope, that by any other way, they may be brought to the way of their salvation according to the true saying of our lord, If they (saith he) hear not Moses and the Prophets, (that is holy scriptures, neither will, they believe though one rose from death again. Therefore of Angels, of dead men's souls, of all Spirits, whether they come from hell, or heaven, must be avoided, abhorred, and eschewed only the law and the prophets, received & heard. Yet if a man will consider the dispositions of the flesh, and of the spirit, and consider the judgements of both, it shall teach him to beware of th'one & to follow the other. The spirits judgement is, that the scriptures which are the word of God, that is Moses & the prohetes are sufficient for our salvation. The flesh on the other side seeketh for salvation not only at the Scriptures, but at many other strange things also. It seeketh the truth, at the dead, it giveth credit to spirits, to miracles & to all manner of things taught beside scriptures. But they that be taught of the holy Ghost, believeth, or giveth credit to miracles, and signs, for the words sake, and not to the word for the Signs and miracles sakes. But they that believe after the fleshes persuasions doth contrary. And therefore it cometh to pass often times even by the very judgement of God, that they that desire rather signs & miracles, than true doctrines of scriptures, to be deceived with false miracles, & lying signs, for noman ought to believe the truth for signs and miracles sake, before he believeth the word of truth. For the scriptures saith not, they have signs and miracles let the believe them. But it saith: They have Moses, and the Prophets, let them believe and credit them.  
By these things we may mark, that appearings of spirits which doth show, and also require many things) can not be of GOD, but doubtless they be wicked Spirits, which by the fearefulle and terrible judgement of God, (for men's unfaithfulness) doth deceive, and bring many to error. Here we may well perceive, that the will of God is, that we should not be taught, neither of one thing, nor of other (concerning our salvation) but only of holy Scripture, or else God would never have spoken thus by Abraham: They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them.  
Now I beseech the God of all verity and truth, to give us all Grace, only as we be commanded to hear to hearken to, to credit and obey the only word of God, that is Moses and he prophets, which are the only truth, and to fashion our whole lives after the same word to the glory of God, and to our own Souls salvation. Amen.   

A Short sum of such things as our saviour Christ doth teach and admonish us of, in this present Gospel.  
First is that we use well the present goods of this world. Here we be taught also to be merciful to the poor in distributing & ministering to them those god's goods lent us for the same purpose. Here we be taught moreover that if we be not thankful to God for things received at his hand, and be merciful to our poor neighbours with the same goods, that then we shallbe unmercifully handled with perpetual torments in hell. Also we be commanded to learn of the holy scripture, what pleasure we may look for at God's hand, if we here, and obey him according to his own will set forth in scripture and none other where. And contrary wise we may learn what pain we shallbe sure to have if we do otherwise. Yet more we may learn that it is vain, foolish, and ungodly to look to be taught rather of them of an other World, then of the holy Scripture, which is left to teach us in this world. Last of all, we be taught that all good, godly, and necessary things for our salvation, are taught and plainly set forth in holy scripture. And if there be any that doth otherwise believe, or of the same doth doubt, he, or she, (as yet) doth lack the spirit of God, which doth teach all truth, and such one abiding in that case shall never give credit to Christ himself, nor to Prophet, nor Apostle, nor yet to all the Angels in heaven, if they ware all scent to convert him, much less shall he, or she believe the dead, if they were sent to teach him. Here we may gather of what authority the holy scripture is. And that there is therein expressly set forth, all that is for our soul's health, and wealth necessary, and of done other thing to be known, but of it only, in so much that if we do not hear that scripture only, credit it only, obey it, and fashion our whole life after it only, we shall never find any other thing, being in heaven, earth, or hell, that we may be saved by  
Now the God of heaven, which is the maker & author of the holy scripture, give us all grace gladly to receiveit purely to understand it, faithfully to bear it away, and effectually to live aftre the same, to the glory of god and to all our Souls health. To the which God, with our saviour Christ, his dear son, and with the holy Ghost, be all honour, laud praise, and glory, for ever and ever, world with out end. Amen.    

Imprinted at London by R●chard● Grafton, Printer to the K●nges Majesty.  
Anno post Christum natum. 1552.  
Mense Maio.  
Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum.   depiction of the the seven liberal arts 
VERSUTUS CELAT SCIENTIAM PRO .12. 

LOG  
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ASTRO  
rhetor  
ARITHM  
GEOMET  
MUSIC     printer's device of Richard Grafton 
SUSCIPITE INSITUM VERBUM JACO. I.