Homilies, Sermon 1

Homilies · Sermon 1

Certain… … lies of. m. Io… … ne / conteining pro… … neceſſarie / admonitio for this time / with an Apologie of Robert Horn.

…rīted at Rome / before the caſtle of. ſ. Angel / at the ſigne of. ſ. Peter. Anno. M. D. Liii.

¶ Grace / peace / and mercye from God y^e father of our lord Ieſus Chriſte. Amen.

AFter that god had ſtriken our head ſhepherd vndre Chriſte / that worthye king and confeſſour Edward the ſixt / good Chriſtian brethren / which he threatened by his faithfull ſeruātes long before / yf we wolde not turne from oure ſinnes and wickednes j perceaued that it coulde not be auoyded god ſo diſpoſing the mater / for oure vuthākfulnes but that the kingdom of God / at the leaſte for a time / muſt be taken from vsus / and the Chriſtian flock diſperſed. The whiche thinge beganne to appeare to me more plainly / when j ſawe gods booke conteininge the worde of lyf taken forth of the churches in the byſhoprick of dureſme / ād a foul ſorte of jdoles called laye mennes bookes / brought in therfore: when y^e comon praier commaunded by publyke autoritie / ſet forth after. ſ. Paules rule to y^e edifiēge of Chriſtes congregation in the vulgare tōge / was againſt Gods lawe / and alſo againſt the lawes of the realme / banniſhede / and in the place therof a kīde of praier vſed far diſſonaun te from Gods lawe / and the example of the primitive churche / in a ſtrange tonge / farced ful of ſuperſtition / jdolatrye / and falſe fables / having nothing tolerable in it ſaving that y^e people coulde not vndreſtād it / and therfor were leſſe harmed ther by (although j ſuppoſe the popiſh prelates kepe it in a ſtrange language / leaſt that yf the commō ſorte of men ſhold here it in their owne tonge / thei wold perceav it to be vaine / falſe / lieng fables / and therfor credit their doinges moche worſe in all other thinges) but eſpecially when j ſaw the lordes table / wher on was miniſtred the holy ſupper of the lorde / according to his owne inſtitution and ordinaunce / was caried away / the cōmuniō abhorred as hereſye / and for thes / Baals altares reared vp / and his preſtes and mōkiſh hypocrites / returned to their abhominable / blaſphemouſe / & jdolatrous maſſe as dogges to their vomit. Wherfor j begāne to recorde with my ſelff / and call to my remēbraūce / not w^tout earneſt calling on gods name for the aſſiſtaunce of his ſpirit min owne ſtate / and cō dition / and to examine mor depelye / both the doctrin which j had taught / wherof j ꝑceaved that of neceſſitie j muſt rendre an accompt and that w^tin ſhort time / and alſo my dutie of allegeance vntounto y^e quenes highnes / wher in j foūd my ſelfe ſo cleare & blameles / that if the devel himſelff and all myne enemies ſhold doo their worſte / thei could not have accuſed me iuſtly / nother of worde nor dede perpetrated againſt her grace. And as cōcernīg the doctrine which j had taught / the more diligētly j did examine it / by the holye ſcriptures / and the teſtimonye of the aunciente fathers / the more ſyncere and pure it appeared / j was the more earneſtly ꝑſwaded / & ſettled in the truthe therof / my cō ſcience did more plainly laye to my charge / y^t j could not revoke / ſaye againſt / nor diſſemble it / w^tout blaſphemous contempt of god / & moſt horrible denial of his ſonne Ieſus Chriſt. So y^t j found no fault in my ſelff as towching my preaching / but that as an vnprofitable ſervaunt / j did not ſo moche as j ought to have done / although j had done moche more then ſome thought j ſhold have thankes for. But what ſo ever mēne thought or ſpake as towching thankful reward for my labour / j perſwaded my ſelff that j ſholde have all thinges waied after equitie / and therfor conſidering both mine owne integritie / that j had offēded no lawe of the Realme / but lived like an obedient ſubiecte / & alſo that the ſame men bare y^e chefe rule vndre the quenes hyghnes / & ſhold be my judges as did knowe that y^e ſwerd was delivered them for the defence of the good & obedient ſubiect / ſo ſone as j herd tell that j was exempted the quenes highnes pardon / j toke my journey towardes London with ſo much conveniēt ſpede as j might. Wher j foūd all thinges farre other waies then j wold have beleved yf j had not bene put in experience therof my ſelff. For j found in the place of equitie / preindice: for law / luſt: for reaſon / will: & ſoche as ſhold have geven ſentence accordinge as mater had bene obiected & juſtly proved / playe bothe the part of the accuſare / of the witneſſes and alſo of the judge: and gave this ſentence immediatly / that j ſholde other vndoo y^t j had doon / or ells: what that or ells ment j knew well jnough / for j had the expoſition therof by his owne holy ghoſt. Thē my good lord chanceloure / who is alwaies ſure at a nede / perceiving that j ſtode to this that j had offended no law / to help at a pinch / obiected yea thre or foure times for failing a mater no leſſ malitious thene falſe. And bycauſe nothīg ſhold be lefte out that myght help forward the mater this good olde father of Dureſme who had plaid thre partes befor right well / chargethe me with a mater not only malitious & falſſ but ſo foliſh / y^t j had moche to do to refraine my ſelf from laughter / j could not choſe but ſmile. At y^e laſt my l. chanceloure after certain talk had vntounto me and myn anſwer made / concludeth that it was not only preachīg wherw^t j muſt be charged / y^e whiche he ꝑceived j ſufficiently defended by the kinges law (in dede j had aſked counſall of them that wer wel learned in the lawes of the Realme) but alſo materes to wchīg y^e quenes highnes / which were the ſame wherw^t he and the buſhope of dureſme had charged me befor / as j lerned by thre or foure of the buſhopes owne ſervātes / who had made no falſſ reporte of their maſter before in my materes / but as they wrote home to dureſme to their companions what thinges j ſhold be charged w^tal & what ſhold be my judgement / ſo afterward j foūd it true. And therfor vponupon the monday at after nōne which was y^e thirtyth of octobre / after it was tolde me by a frende of myne dwelling in London / who is familiar in the buſhopes howſe / and at that time frequented it the more to here ſomwhat as towching me / that he had learned and was credibly informed / both that all my goodes at du…ſme was ſenſed in the quenes graces name and that j my ſelf ſhold on the morow be cōmitted to the tower / bothe bycauſe j had contēned the quenes hyghnes lettres / and alſo for that j was a Scot. I ſaye after j herd thes things / cō ſiderig how many godli lerned preachers were impriſoned and commaūded to their howſes for religion w^tout all doubte / and yet an other pretence made / perceiving that abiding could not profet my ſelf nor yet the cōgregation / my departure myght doo bothe / j committed my ſelf in to the guidīg of the lorde / and wēt my waies / not makig any mā privey to my departure. Meeveill not good brethrē though after that j was entered in to my journey / j were troubled with ſondry cares / but che…ly with this leſt y^t j ſhold now be apprehended by myn enemies / and ſo geve thē that they wold have bene glad of / ſom honeſt colour wherfor they might have ſemed juſtly to have wrought on me their wil. For they that were not a ſhamed to invēt falſe and feined accuſationes / how wold they have reioyſed / yea triumphed over me / when they might have laid to my charge flyēg the quenes realm / and y^t not only w^tout her graces licēce / but being convented befor her hyghnes honourable counſall / and commaunded to attend to they eſpied a time for me. You may be aſſured a laweres wit wanting nether cōning nor yet good will / and having full autoritie to ſaye and do what he luſt / could eaſely have āplified this crime / and hauehave formed of a ſmall gnat a myghty elephant. But after that the lord had delivered me / at y^e leaſt for this time / out of y^e mouth of the lyon / and ſaved me out of the handes of all myn enemies / which hated me / j begāne to ſtudye with my ſelf / and mor diligētly cōſidre / to what end God had wrought thus my deliveraūce / which was not that j ſholde now lyve as one that had no regard of gods glorye / nor of myn owne dutye. But that as j was appoynted to be a workmā in his vinyeard / & a watch man over the houſe of Iſrael / ſo j ſhold now moſt earneſtly hunte thes wild ſwyne that deſtroieth y^e lordes vinyeard / gather together / ſo moche as in me liethe the lordes ſhepe / y^t now are diſperſed thorow out montaynes / hilles / & groves / and to geve them warning of the fearfull ſwerd that hangeth over their heades.

Which thing j ſhall not ceaſe to do / by the ayd of Gods moſt holy ſpirit.

But for ſo moche as j know ryght wel y^e proūd papiſtes / whos mouthes ar full of bitternes ād curſed ſpeache wil not ceaſe yea out of their pulpetes /with boſting & gloriouſe wordes to carp & ſclandre me for my ſodeī deꝑture / as though ther by they had vanquiſhed & overcome gods truth whiche j had ſet forth: & my kinſfolkes & frendes will moche lament my ſtate / takīg this to vnkīdnes that j wold not make them privey of my purpoſe / thīkīge that thei ſhold have turned my mīde: and alſo whiche moveth me moſt of all / the weak flock of Chriſte whō j had fed with the true doctrin of the goſpel / may by the ſubtill perſwaſions of the crafty hypocrites / be brought ī doubt of the veritie therof as though j my ſelfſhold have forſaken jt & ther by be offended / and be brought from god: j ſay for thes cauſes / j thought it beſt to anſwer the malitious hypocrits whos mouthes although j could not ſtop / yet at the leaſt they ſhold not herafter ſaye but y^t thei were warned if y^t thei wold not ceaſe to ſpeak that thei ought not they ſhold here y^t they wold not / & here by to ſatiſfy my kiſfolk & frendes / who j know of frendſhip and loving kindnes look vponupon my mater w^t a wrong tie, and alſo to admoniſh the weak chriſtian brethren both to beware of the leven of the diſſembling hypocrites / whom although they be clothed in lames ſkīnes / yet by their fruites / they may know them to be ravening wolves / & alſo to cōfirme them ſelves in that doctrine which j have preached vntounto thē / whiche alſo they have receaved / & not to be eaſely caried away into any other contrarie / although an angel ſhold come from heven and preache it to them. Who ſo will adviſedly behold / the māners & cōditiones of the ſcribes ād phariſes whileſt Chriſt walked here vponupon earth / what ſhyftes & practiſes they vſed to maintain their cloked holines / their dirty traditiones / and vainglorious eſtimation / & therfor to deface Chriſte / & to ſuppreſſ his holy word / and alſo will w^t judgement cōpare our papiſh prelates w^t the whole rablemēt of their chikens vntounto them / ſhall plainly ſe ours ſo likeī cō ditiones & practices / and ſo lyvely repreſent as it were the phyſnamie of their old aūcetours y^e phariſes / that he wold ſaye & affirm that they were evē the ſelf ſame riſen from death to lyf againe. Yea yf buſhop Caiphas were here in his owne ꝑſon he wold for joye burſt out & ſaye as Demea ſaid by his ſōne Cteſipho: Oh oh lachrumo gaudio, laudo, patriſſat, ſaluos ſit: ſpero, eſt ſimilis maiorū ſuorū. For what was in y^e phariſes of old time / wherī ours now do not excell thē? What pri de / what vaīglorie / hypocriſy / truſt in their own righteouſnes / glorie in their workes of devotiō / covetouſnes / traditiones / miſcōſtruing of gods law / ſuꝑſtitiō / hatred of the true religion / ꝑſequutinge of the prophetes of Chriſte and of his apoſtles / ſclandering of Chriſte: to be ſhort / what wickednes ether in māners or in religiō can be foūd in thē but that the like and moche more doth plaīly appear in ours? yea ours have found out for vsus an infinite rablement of jdolatries which they never herd of and wold have abhorred / as maſſes invocation of ſainctes / worſhipping of images & ſoche like. But they coulde never away w^t Chriſte nor his apoſtles but alwaies ſpak evel of thē / & of the goſpel by cauſe it rebuked their vices: & what is the cauſe that our buſhopes & preſtes may not now abide the ſelf ſame doctrine nor the preachers therof but for y^t they diſcloſe their hypocriſie and proude diſſembling w^t god & the world? What will they now ſay by y^e doctrine and the preachers therof? What ſhall now be the talke in alhouſes / tabernes / & bank quetes / what ſhall now a ſort of lewd preſtes jāgle in their aſſembles at merketes when they have all their cuppes in / what ſhall now antichriſtes championes blouſter and blow out at Paules croſſ and els where / but that ſoche preachers as had vſed that place now of late years were carnall and fleſhly goſpellours / ſoche as wold not lyve chaſt / ſet naught by faſting and praier / and preached carnally carnall libertie / ſoche as ſpak to pleaſe men for profet & promotion ſake / laſt of all ſoche as were rāk ſeditious heretiks / their doctrine was new / againſt the teaching of the catholik church / and at the laſt they begāne to ſuſpect it themſelves / and therfor durſt not abide by it but ranne their waye out of the realme. Shall not this be the ſum of their brawlinge divinitie? But how moche ar we bound to our hevenly maſter Ieſus Chriſt that both gave vsus warning y^t they ſhold thꝰ en treat vsus / and alſo for our confort / that he ſhold taſt of this kindnes before vsus. Mat. x.Matt 10Ther is no diſciple better then his inſtructour / nor no ſervant above his maſter / it may ſuffice y^e ſcholer to be as his teacher and the ſervaunt as his maſter. Yf they have called y^e maſter of the houſhold be elzebul / how moche more his houſhold ſervaū tes. But fear them not ſaith Chriſt. But when thes ſpirituall preachers call vsus carnall goſpelours what meā thei ther by? Meane thei that we be ſinners / & that our fleſh is not ſo ſubdued / but that it will luſt againſt the ſpirit? Or mean they that we have pleaſure in ſinne and in ſinners? Or they call vsus ſinners becauſe we could not lyve chaſt / y^t is / godlily w^tout a wif? If they mean after the firſt ſorte / we confeſſ with the publican / that we be ſinners / and ſay with .ſ. Paul / that the fleſhe ſtriveth againſt y^e ſpirit / & y^t ſpirit agaīſt y^e fleſhe / in ſo moch y^t we do not thos thīges y^e which we wold faine do. If thei vndreſtand their carnall goſpellars after the ſecōd ſorte / we have to thank them; that thei will both ſhew plaīly whos childrē thei ar (for here in thei reſemble the old phariſes) & alſo that thei will ſerve vsus here in as the phariſes did Chriſt / for the ſelf ſame thinge was in this wiſe laied to his charge of thē / and hathe continued a commō practice ſence that time till now / and is not like to decaye in thes mennes handes / but if it be againſt ther will. After our ſaviour Chriſt had dimiſſed Ioannes diſciples and preached to y^e people / thei praiſed god / but the phariſes and the laweres diſpiſed gods coū ſall / and ſaid / tuſhe he is but a glotō / and a ſwil boull / a boulſterar of publicans and ſinners. This was a common obiection and ſclander y^t the phariſes vſed to deface Chriſtes preachīg / & diſſwade the people frō it / for he receiveth / ſaye thei / ſinners / and eateth with them.

What were thes complaints and ſclanderous accuſationes wherw^t thei went aboute to brīge Chriſte in hatred of the people / but the ſelf ſame that now is obiected againſt vsus? Wherfor / ſaye thei / do not thy diſciples faſt? Wherfor do thei y^e which is not leafull to do on the ſaboth? We and Ioans diſciples faſt. No no even as he is him ſelf / ſoche ar his diſciples. He is wholy geven to ſerve the bealy / he faſteth not / he neglecteth the ſaboth / he ſetteth naught by praier / he is a carnall man wholy geven to carnall libertie and to preache the ſame / & ſoche ar all his diſciples. But we faſt / we pray / we chaſtice our ſelves / we ar not like thes men / we faſt twiſe a weeke / we ar not ſo carnall as this mā / and his diſciples. Were not thes the goodly & holy perſwaſiones of the old Phariſes againſt Chriſt and his doctrine? Did thei not in defacing of Chriſt and his diſciples avaūce & ſet vp them ſelves? Did thei not by this colour of calling Chriſt ſoche a preacher of carnall libertie / crepe in to the conſciences of the ſimple / ther to place them ſelves ſurely / vndre the pretence of a more perfect holynes? And what meane our phariſaicall hypocrites by termīg y^e preachers of Chriſtes goſpel carnall preachers of libertie but the ſelf ſame thinge? But this is to be noted of thes hypocrites in all their ſermōs / when thei thus raill agaīſt the preachers / it is to this end to diſwade the people from the doctrine of only ſalvation by Chriſt / and to kepe this eſtimation of them ſelves / that thei be holy / pure and godly lyvers / and therfor men muſt here and folow thē / al other ar but carnall ſinners. In this wiſe the phariſes perſwaded the blīde man / whō Chriſt reſtored to his ſight againe / ſaing / Geve God the praiſe as for this manne we know is but a ſinner. Ioan. ix.John 9As though thei ſhold have ſaid / beleve vsus / folow our doctrin / be our diſciple / for we be holy / we ſerve god / we kepe y^e ordinaūce of our mother the holy church: and to maintaine this their hypocriſie w^t all / when other ſhyftes failed / thei tell a falſe lye on Chriſte to brīg him in hatred / ſaing he is a ſinner / and that thei know it ſo to be. You mai be ſure thes honeſt men wold not ells have ſaid it.

But if thei ſhold have hem examined what ſinne thei knew by him / thei ſhold have had nothing to ſaye. And what j praye youe knoweth our religious phariſes by the preachers whom thei call carnall / ſavīg that which is cōfeſſed / that we be all ſinners / and have nede of gods mercy? Do thei know vsus to be dronkerdes / theves / murtherours / whormongers cōmon brawlers / or ſoche open offēdours as y^e cōgregation toke offence by our living / if thei do let them openly rebuke it / that other may be afeard to do the like: i. Tim. v.1 Tim 5let them prove it by two or thre witneſſes after .ſ. Paules rule / & j for my parte ſhall not only make open confeſſion / but alſo ſhall make opē ſatiſfactiō as the ordre was in the church of auncient time. If thei have none of al thes thīgs to charge vsus w^t all (if thei had we ſhold have herd tell of it or now) thāks to god for his mercy to warde vsus / for this was only his work in vsus / & god graūt thes vnſhame faſt hypocrites true repentaunce / and amendment of their lyves / for a nūbre of them be notorious tabernhaunters / comon brawlers / veray dronkerds / known ſodomites / and manifeſtly proved whormongers. And if thei will ſay this is ſpoken of malice / j proteſt befor god that is not truly ſaid / for j do not name them / bycauſe j love the mēn although j hate their cō ditiones. As to wching faſting / praier / and preaching libertie / when did ever any preacher ſpeak againſt true praier / Chriſtian faſtīg / or ſet men at libertie to ſinne / but allwaies inveihed againſt abuſes in popiſh praier and faſtīg / as Chriſte rebuked the praiers and faſtings of the phariſaicall hypocrits / which in dede was all one with thes mennes praiers and faſtīgs. And the libertie we preached was not to geve y^e fleſh occaſion to ſinne / but to confort by the death of Chriſte the conſcience overcharged & looden with ſinne and ſoche bordens of phariſaicall traditiōs / as thei were not hable to beare. But this j know wel thei will charge me w^t all, and many others / that herin j ſhewed my ſelf a carnall preacher / for that j did not lyve a fool lyf without mariage as thei do. If thei lyve chaſte without mariage / let them geve god thanks therfore / j do not envye them that gyft of god. But ſurely god gave not me that gyft / that j could lyve a virginall chaſte lyfe / but after the maner of hypocrites / and therfore did entre in to y^e holy ſtate of matrimonye / which is honourable amōg all mē / to the end j might ſerve god in pure chaſtitie of matrimony. Heb. xiijAnd wher as thei ſaye that although it be the gyft of god / yet may we attain it yf we will faſt and praye for god hath made vsus a promiſe y^t he will here oure praiers / and graunt our petitiones. I graunt he will ſo do yf we aſk after his will / and if that the thing we crave appear to him y^t it be profitable for vsus / for he knoweth before we aſke what thīg we have nede of. And j doubte whether all the preſtes that ſaye / thei have chaſtitie / by this that thei praie and faſt / as thei ſay / optaine and have it or no? We rede in the ſcripture of many godly men / that earneſtly & faithfully begged of god that thing which thei opteined not / and yet god herd them and loved them / but he knew that to graunt their petitiō was not ſo profitable for them.ij. Cor. xij. As .ſ. Paule teſtifieth of him ſelf / how he was vexed with the prick of the fleſhe / the devels meſſinger / he did deſire the lord thriſe to be delivered ther from / but he opteined not / but had the aſſiſtaunce of gods grace promiſed / wher withall he was bid den to be contēt. I wil not now entre in to the diſputation of this mater / j may be ſo occaſioned that j ſhal ſpeak of it another time. But j wil herī purge myſelf of this crime wher of j & my felowpreachers ar accuſed as carnall / becauſe we ar maried / and j will purge my ſelf after the ordre of the canon law / as j ſaw it put in practiſe once in Cambrige for the purgatiō of an holy and learned virgin / if all vnmaried preſtes be virgins. The ordre was that beīg accuſed of whordom / fower or five as honeſt as him ſelf / and of no lower degre in the vniverſitie / muſt after he hym ſelf have taken an othe that he is no whormonger / ſwear y^t they think his othe to be true. Whiche done / y^e mater ſtan deth clear / and he may juſtly take an action of ſclander againſt them that accuſed him.

Now do j affirme befor my judge Ieſus Chriſt and his wholl church / that j have not ſinned / bycaus j tok a wif / and therfor am falſly accuſed as a carnall or fleſhly man for ſo doinge: & for my purgation herin and to prove my ſaing to be true in dede / and alſo to approve my doīg herin / j take witneſſ to the law of god / the law of nature / and the civil lawes till thre hūdred years after Chriſtes aſcenſion / the example of Chriſtes apoſtles / ſ. Paules coūſall to the Corinthians and in many other places / the councell of Nice / and all the fathers of the church to the ſecond Carthage coūcell / which was fowr hundred and twenty years after Chriſtes aſcē ſion. Yf thes ſuffiſe not or ells may be excepted agaīſt / when j here it j ſhall anſwer it. Yf thes be allowable and ſufficiēt then am j falſly accuſed / for all thes teſtifie plaīly that it is lawful and godly and in no wiſe forbidden but that a preſte may mary. Wherfor j end with this ſaing of .ſ. Auguſtin / queſt.nou. & veter. teſt. queſt. c. xxvij. Talis eſt enim quorūdā verſutia, quia vt ſanctitatis & caſtimoniae, amatores ſe ſimulent, nuptias eſſe dicunt damnandas, vt per hoc commendētur, & populum à veritate auertant. Soche is / ſaith .ſ. Auſtine / y^e ſubtiltie of ſom mē / becauſe thei wold faine them ſelves lovers of holines and chaſtitie / thei ſaye mariages ar to be dāned / that by this meanes thei might be cōmended / and turne the people from the truthe. Mark that .ſ. Auguſt. noteth thes men of hypocriſie / ſubtiltie / of ſekīg worldly praiſe / and deceiving the people. Cōſidre alſo that the mariages of preſtes were not forbidden in his time / but then this painted holines beganne as you may perceive by his wordes / and was cōfirmed by the ſecōd Carthage coūcel ſhortly after his death. Whē thes ſubtil hypocrites who condemne holy matrimony as carnalitie / and feine them ſelves chaſte lyvers to be eſtemed in the world / and that thei may the rather deceive y^e ſimple people / have rōne to thei be wearye in this raſe / then heape thei this on alſo to aggravate y^e mater / and make vsus mor odious vntounto the people / that all our preaching was but flatterye / to pleaſe the magiſtrates and the nobilitie / that we might therby avaūce our ſelves & clyme to ꝓmotion: but here muſt you note by the way: or ells their tale is not worth a fart / ſaving your reverēce / y^t look what crimes ſoever thei lai to vsus thei thē ſelves be clear & free frō thē / & thei be repleniſhed w^t y^e cōtrarie v er tues. We ar carnall / thei ar ſpiritual / we cā not lyve w^t out wives / thei live chaſte v er gīs our ladies huſbādes / we doo no good works / all y^e world mai wōdre of y^eir good works / we preached to pleaſe mē / y^ei ſpar no mā / we ſought to live jdlely & delicatly / y^ey ſtudye / they preache to their flok daylye / we ſought for promotion / & wold heap vp livīg vponupon livīg / y^ei wil none yf you wil geve it thē / or at y^e moſte thei wil have but one at once: if thei thought y^t you wold not thus eſteme & judge of them / thei wold no more impute vntounto vsus thes faultes / for thei ſhold but looſe their labour / & miſſe of y^e thīg thei hūted after. I dare ſay their owne cōſciēces doth accuſe thē of beliēg vsus when thei ſay we flattred the magiſtrates. The rulers thē ſelves toke vsus ſo mothe cōtrarye to flatterars & mē pleaſers / y^t thei did moche blame vsus of to bold & plain rebukīg their ſinnes / ī ſo moche thei wold not at the laſt here no moo ſermones / whiche was a manifeſt tokē y^t gods plage was at hād / as īdede it ſhortly folowed / vponupon thē & the wholl realme. And for the lordly loyterīg prelates w^t all their kennel of dūme dogs / j truſt thei will bear vsus witneſſ we flattred thē no deal. Who thē did we go about to pleaſe / y^e poore ſort? Ther was no ꝓmotiō nor ꝓfet to be wō. God knoweth & let y^e world judge / whether we ſought more to pleaſe mē & to ꝓcureto our ſelves ꝓmotiō / honour / eſtimatiō / eaſe / & ꝓfe…or y^ei y^t now wipe their hā des ſo clean. But let them wipe their handes ſo cleane as thei cān / let them hādle the mater never ſo conīgly in charging other with their owne faultes / yet will they be wraye them ſelves when they goo moſt about to cover & hide their faultes. But her in do we reioyſe that our caſe is at this preſent w^t thes as .ſ. Paules was w^t the Galathians and the Theſſalonians. for after he had inſtructed them perfectly & truly in the doctrine of ſalvation / ther entred in among them falſſ teachers which did not only poiſō the good doctrine of the goſpell which thei had received / w^t obſervationes of Moſes law / & ſuꝑſtitious ceremonies / but alſo the rather to bring their wicked purpoſe to paſſ / did ſclandre .ſ. Paul of flattery and covetouſnes: & therfor he writeth to both the congregations and purgeth him ſelf of that falſſ accuſation. Gal. j.ſaing to the Galathians now whether goo j about to pleaſe men or no? j. Theſſ. ij.& to the Theſſalonians we ſpeak vntounto you not as men pleaſars / but to pleaſe god who trieth our hartes. Nether have j lived among you at any time with flattering wordes / as you know nother by occaſiō of covetouſnes / god is witneſe, nether ſekīge praiſe of mē / nother of you nor of others. We had inſtructed y^e people & taught y^e pure doctrine of gods worde / we had laid no other foundation but Ieſus Chriſte / and in cometh a ſort of falſſ teachers / and doth not only treade downe the doctrine of Chriſt / and fill alful of ſuperſtition / jdolatrie and falſſ religion / but to bring this the rather to paſſ / doo accuſe vsus of thos crimes thei them ſelves ar only giltie in. this hath bene the practiſe of all heretikes & falſe teachers / ſence the beginning as doth wel appear to them that ar exerſiſed in the hiſtories of y^e church / whome thes hypocrites do folow ſo near / and have learned their cōning ſo ꝑfectly / that thow maiſt eaſely perceave y^e greke proverbe truly verefied in them / foreign / foreign. But what mervaill is it / though y^ei now raill & rage againſt the miniſters of gods worde / call them heretikes / ſeditious / & new fangled felowes / when their auncetours y^e phariſes did the ſame againſt Chriſt and his apoſtles: wherin thes antichriſtes birds wold not be one foote behind them yf thei durſt for the people / who wold not ſuffer Chriſt to be evel ſpoken of by name. But that thei dare not attempt agaīſt Chriſt by name / thei will doo agaīſt his holy worde vndre the name of new learning / & new preachīg againſt y^e faith of our mother holy church. Doo thei name it new learning bycauſe thei have not be wonted vntounto it / but now of late years? So may Chriſt be called vntounto thē a new Chriſt / bycauſe thei were never acquaited w^t hime. Now many of y^em have this acquaī taūce w^t Chriſt / y^t thei know & cōfeſſ him to be the only ſatiſfaction for our ſīnes / y^e only rede mer / y^e ōly mediatour / our only ryghteouſnes y^e he offred vponupon y^e croſſ ous for all / did mak by y^t one oblation / not to be iterated / a full & ꝑfect ſacrifice for all y^e ſinnes of y^e wholl worlde. Thei will ſaye y^e thei have bene ſo trained vp in y^e knowlege of Chriſte y^t thei know & cōfeſſ all this to be true. And thus farr were well cōtent to folowe y^e late kings procedings. Yea thei folowed it as a curriſh dogge doth folow whē he is drawē againſt his will: then he draweth bak w^t all his force to pull his neck out of y^e coller / & yf y^t will not be / he gooth on ſnatching & gnawing the bāde & ceaſeth not till he have gnawē it in ſondre. Or doo thei name it new bycauſe their holy father the pope / thei & his wholl clargie / doth ſo judge it & can in no wiſe brook it. In this ſence Chriſt him ſelf called it new learning when he anſwered Ioans diſciples their queſtiō of theirs & the phariſes faſt. For when thei miſliked his doctrine bycauſe it was vtterly agaīſt them & thei could in no wiſe awai w^tal Chriſt ſheweth this reaſō of y^eir offēce / olde rotten veſſells cā hold no new wine. This new wine of the goſpel cā not abide in a popiſh hart / repleniſhed w^t ſuꝑſtition / jdolatrie / & falſſ religion but it muſt nedes beſpued out agaī or ells y^e veſſells will vtterly burſt in ſundre. But they call it new learning & therfor the teachers therof heretikes / bycauſe it is but a new kinde of hereſies found out of late years by the germanes & had bene alwaies / & is cōdemned by the holy church. God hath bleſſed the germanes / his name be praiſed for it / wondrefully w^t the ſyncere knowlege of his truth / & thei doo cōtinew ther in / & dayly encreace / although our ēgliſh hypocrites brute abrode the contrarie. But yet they were not the firſt invētours therof / for thei her in have taught nothing ells but y^e thei received of Chriſt / & was the learning of the church tyll antichriſt of Rome waxed ſo ſtrong that he baniſhed Chriſt & his goſpel. And this doctrine which thei call hereſie is not at any time cōdemned by the church of Chriſt / but by the church of antichriſt / as ſhall plainlye be proded when thei have decreed agaīſt any particular ꝑte ther of. But this muſt not be for gotten y^t youe vndreſtād whē thei ſpeak of the church / although thei name it Chriſtes church / y^t hath alwaies cō demned this doctrine / thei mean in veray dede a cōgregation of huſhopes / monkes & friers / ſworne ſouldiours to antichriſt the pope. And think youe this church will decree any thing againſt it ſelf?. And wher thei will defende them ſelves w^t the reaſon of long auncient cuſtom / j anſwere w^t .ſ. auguſt. lib. de baptiſ. paruul. & it is recited ī the popes decrees for a decree of the church. diſt. viii. can. qui cōtemp. Qui cōtēpta veritate praeſumit conſuetudinem ſequi, aut circa fratres inuidus eſt et malignus, qui bus veritas reuelatur, aut in deum ingratus eſt, cuius inſpiratione eccleſia eius īſtruitur Nam dominus in euāgelio, ego ſum, inquit veritas, non dixit ego ſum cōſuetudo. Ita que veritate manifeſtata, cedat cōſuetudo verita ti. Reuelatione igitur facta veritatis, veritati cedat cōſuetudo, quia et Petrus qui circūcidebat, ceſſit Paulo veritatem praedicāti. Igitur cū Chriſtus veritas ſit, magis veritatem quā cōſuetudinem ſequi debemus. He y^econ temnīg y^e truth doth preſume to folow cuſtom is other envious & malignaunt to his brethren to whom y^e truth is revealed / or ells he is vnth ankfull to god by whos inſpiration his church is iſtructed / for y^e lord in y^e goſpel ſaith / jam y^e truth / & he ſaid not / jā y^e cuſtō. Therfor when y^e truth appeareth / let cuſtom geve place to the truth / for Peter him ſelf who did circūciſe / did geve place to Paul preachīg y^e truth. Therfore ſeing Chriſt is the truth / we ought rather to folowe y^e truth then y^e cuſtom. Herin is to be marked this / y^t the holy father doth geve exāple of .ſ. Peter who forſoke cuſtom to folow truth. Our prelates ſay thei be Peters ſucceſſours / why will thei not thē folow Peter herin. Thei be his folowers in title & name but nothīg in dede. Savīg y^t thei denie Chriſte & pluk out their ſwerds to perſequut them y^t ſerve and beleve in Chriſt / as Peter did ſmite Malchus one of thē y^t came to apprehend Chriſt. And yet thei differ from Peter / y^t wher he of blinde zeall drew out his ſwerd to defend Chriſt / thei of malitious purpoſe bend all their power w^t fier & ſwerd to deſtroy Chriſt. And is it ani merveill though we rūne away from y^t cruell clawes of thes wilde beaſtes / in whos handes ther is no mercy? We fled not bycauſe we did ſuſpect our doctrīe / but bycauſe we knew well their crueltie. We went not away bycauſe we could not abide bi our doctrine & prove it true / but for y^t truth could not be herd w^t indifferēt judgment. j pray you mark this practiſe / & loke yf the like were ever foūde in any hiſtorie? Thei caſt the chiefeſt learned mē in pri ſone / or cōmaundeth them to kepe their houſes & not to cōm a brode / or baniſheth them the realm as Peter martyr. I. alaſco w^t others / & whē thei be ſure of thē / y^t thei ſhall not meadle / for thei were not hable to abide their lernīg / then to blinde the eies of y^e people / thei pretēd a diſputation / & call the matter in to queſtion / when ther is no mān to anſwer thē as thei thīk & alſo when thei be already determined / let the truth apear never ſo plaine to the contrarye / what thei will decree. Then crieth a ſtoute chā piō at paulls croſſe boldly / wherbe our new preachers now? Why doo thei not now come forth & diſpute. Thīk youe this luſty royſterkī doth not know full well y^t thei be faſt j nough / they may not cōm to anſwer hī? Yet by thos whom god hath delivered out of their hādes / although thei be nothīg to be cōpared in learnīg to them thei have lokked faſt vpe / it ſhall plainly apeare to all indifferent men y^t their doctrine is true / & may eaſely be maītained by the ſcripture & teſtimonie of the aunciēt fathers of chriſtes church. And y^t the cōtrarie cā not be defēded / nother by gods word / the aunciēt church / norby no honeſt way / and therfor thei ar driven w^t ſhame j nough to bolſter & kepe it vp / w^t fier & ſwerd / w^t thus will we / & thꝰ ſhall it be. And by cauſe thei wold ſeem in the face of the world to doo it by learnīng & the cōſent of moſt part of learned men of the realme / thei gather a ſorte of blīde preſtes to gether in to the cōvocation houſe whos lyvīges hāgeth / as thei call it of makīg Chriſtes bodye / & of pretēſed chaſtitie / beīg for y^e moſt ꝑte / vnlerned aſſes / & filthy whormongers / and thes with a ſhowte of yea yeayea / or nay nay nay / muſt determine thes matters: Act. xiij.as yf the maiſters of y^e pythoniſe / whiche had a ſpirit of pytho and ther by brought to them great profet and Demetrius the gold ſmith with the wholl cōgregation of the artificers / who had riche livīgs by jdolatrie / ſhold had bene appoīted clerkes in the convocation houſe at philippos or at Epheſus and with their yea yea or nay nay have determined this queſtion / whether Paull & Silas had bene ſeditiouſe heretikes: wold not / trow youe / the more parte have cried w^t alowd voice yea yea yea? oh / auriſacra fames quid nō mortalia pectora cogis? Whether this ſtand with reaſon that thos preſtes whos living depē deth only of ſuperſtition / jdolatrie and fals religion / & ar for the moſt parte blind ignoraunt aſſes / ſhold be ōly judges in the waightye matters of our religion / j reporte me to the indifferent man. Another practiſe / whiche in veray dede was / that moved me moſt to ſave my ſelf from them by flieng out of the realme / thei have / not latly invented / but derived frome their forfathers y^e jewiſh phariſes / & yet not put in vre of many years. And that is / y^t thei will not leave a lyve one learned mā in the realme whiche is not of their owne ſecte / no nor yet or thei have done one noble mane that now liveth / although thei wil not pretēd religiō to be the cauſe / but invent ſome other waighty matter. I muſt nedes here geve the noble men warnīg of that j herde / by cauſe j love them / and am ſorye to here / ſtraungers ſpeak this diſhonour of thē y^t thei ar not hable to rule them ſelves and ther for muſt deſier a pollſhorne buſhope to governe them & the wholl realme. At my laſt being at Lōdon waitinge at y^e parlamēt houſe of my lordes of the counſall as j was cōmaunded / j mett w^t a familiar acquaintaunce of mine / although not of my opinion in religion / but one that for the matters of religion dothe favour the popiſh buſhopes / and is both familiar with the beſt of them / and alſo taken to be a wiſe man and of a great forſyght as he is in dede. He aſked me of my ſtate / ſaing thus vntounto me / did not j tell youe y^t youre religiō wold not cōtinew? And ſo wold have perſwaded me to have geven place / & revoked myn opiniō: wher in when he ſaw he prevailed not / he ſaid frendly / he was ſory for me / & wiſhed that he were of power to doo me pleaſure: to whome j ſaid / it was ſufficient to me y^t he wold cōtinew his familiar frendſhip w^t me: & ther vpō j charged him as j was often wont of frendſhip to tell me what he thought of our buſhoplike procedīgs. Wherto he anſwered / as in maters of religiō veray well. But in other maters nothīg ſo. For / ſaith he / j have entred talk with ſom that be moſt nygh of their counſall / and j perceav this by all their proceadings and purpoſes / y^t thei ar fullye bēt to ſet vp the power of the clargie as hygh as ever thei were above the laytye / & j have good reaſones that moveth me alſo to think this to be true. Whervnto j ſaid / that can never be brought to paſſ. For although the noble men doo favoure their religion / yet will thei never ſuffer them to clyme ſo hygh again. Tuſh / ſaith he / thei ſhall firſt of al help them to bring to paſſ at this parliament / that thei wold / & then thei will have their hedes off one after an other. What / ſaid j they will never ſo doo for the nobilitye favoureth them. Yea ſaith he / & thei favour ſom of them again. But thei love none of them all ſo well but thei love them ſelves better. Thei ſee y^t the wholl youth of the realme and eſpecially of the noble and the worſhipfull at infected w^t this hereſie and new learning / and thei ſhall herafter vndoo againe all y^t thei now doo / and then the latter end ſhal be worſe then the beginnīg / and therfore will thei chopp of the heads of the fathers and therby both their children ar diſenhereted / and ſhall be hable to do no harm / & alſo thei may in their place make noble men of their owne kinred & frēdes. What / ſaid j it were to moche cruelty / whervnto ſaith he / yea yea thei thīk it is better an incōveniēce than a miſchieff. God deliver the noble bloud of england out of the daunger of thes diſſēbling wolves. But let the noble men cōſidre how many of their owne frendes and moſt dear derlings / w^t whom they wer ioyned incōfederacye for the buſhop of Rome / wretched wincheſter and develiſh drēmīg Dureſme have brought to confuſion / and they ſhall have ſufficiēt warnīg how thei may truſt thes bloudye butchers. If doctour ridley wer a lyve the buſhop of Dureſmes chaplein and one hand / he wold vouche it to his face / as he ded y^e laſt time y^t ever he ſpak to him / y^t he careth not whos bloud he ſhed to bring his purpoſe about And what wold this vnſatiable bloudſokīg hypocrite have cared to have wrought my deſtruction / whom he toke to be an enemie to his develiſh deviſes. He invented al y^e waies he could to bring me to revoke the truth: he cauſed two noble men to charge me w^t preachīg / as he termed it hereſie / he him ſelf accuſed me that j had infected his wholl dioces with new lern̄ig / but when that wold not ſerve / by cauſe j had done nothing / but y^t was cōfirmed by the lawes of y^e realme / he was not aſhamed to lay to my charge that j was not an engliſhe mān borne: that j had exerciſed his office in his buſhoprich / that j had brought ī a wyfe of mīe own ī to y^t church wher never woman came be for. And then the .l. chaūcelour chargeth me w^t cōtempt of y^e quenes highnes as though j ſhold have received thre letters of cōmaūdmēt to repair & make myne appearaūce before the counſall and wold appear for none of them. If bothe thes butchers had bene ſo wel knowne to kīg Henry the eight for rank traitours to the crown of englond / as thei were īdede / which now thei ſhew plainly as j am well knowē to be a mear naturall ēgliſh mā / they ſhold never have brought that noble realme now in daunger to be over runne & conquered w^t ſtraungers: the which thing men y^t be half blinde may plainly ſee y^ei goo aboute. I never medled w^t his office / j was in daunger of muche diſpleaſure as the honorable coūſall did wel know / by cauſe j wold not take vpō me his office. And her in he vttereth his malitious hypocriſie / & what an vnſhamefaſt bawd he hath bene / is / and wilbe to y^e monkes of Dureſme when he ſaith ther came never woman w^t ī that houſe be fore my wyf came ther. For he knoweth right well y^t the church of Dureſme was repleniſhed w^t maried preſtes be for buſh. Williā by the helpe of lanfrank archbuſhope of Cantourburye did optaine lycence from pope Hildebrāde to baniſhe the maried preſtes & to brīg mōks from warmouth & jarrow. And alſo it is not vnknowē to hime nor to his chancellour nor to never one of his officers / y^t every mōke of them all for the moſt parte hath a concubine in the towne / who hath come and doth come to their church & chābre / & no fault foūde / but y^t honeſt men of the towne & alſo of y^e countrie ar offēded therw^t / but dare ſay nothīg for fear of the great bawde ther patrone. Yea y^e buſhope & his mōks knew full well y^t j did knowe to moche of theyr jugling and ther for it was time to rid me out of the waye.

But when Wincheſtre cam in alſo with his fallſs accuſation / (for j never receaved one letter nor token of cōmaundment / from here highnes nor from her honorable counſall / but a letter the poſt delivered me by the way as j was coming to Lōdon) and laid it earneſtly to my charge as though j had bene a ſtubbern rebell / j perceived thei wold ſerve me as thei had done others / meane to puniſhe me for religion & pretend treaſō: & ſubornate two or thre falſſ witneſſes as thei have pleintie in ſtore to affirme that j had made ſome offence to the quenes highnes / as their great grādſiers plaide with Chriſt / ſaing that he did forbid the people to pay tribute vntounto Caeſar. Wher for j thought it beſt to deliver my ſelf out of their handes by forſaking my native country / ſeing ther was nother equitie nor juſtice to be loked for although my doctrine was never ſo pure / my behavoir never ſo vpright / and j never ſo hable to anſwer with truth to y^t was obiected. And therfor my frendes and kinſfolke have no cauſe to be ſory for me. For although j have loſt a great livīg / al my goodes / have not on farthīg left me / am banniſſed my native countrie / ſhal vſe no more the familiar companie of my frendes / what have j loſt? Nothing / but ſhall be a great gainner: for yf to ſave thes thinges amā looſe his ſoul / what hath he wonne? And yf the departure from theis / have ever laſting lyf to rewarde what dāmage is ther? our ſaviour Chriſt whos ꝓmiſe is moche more ſure & preciouſe then y^e vncertaine & flatterīg glorie of the worlde / hath made faithfull ꝓmiſe / y^t who ſo ever forſaketh / houſe / brethrene / ſyſters / father mother / wyf / children / or lyvelod for his name ſak / the ſame ſhal receave an hūdred fould / and ſhall enheret ever laſtīg lyff. Mat. xix. Mat. vjMatt 19As for living he y^t fedeth y^e ſparrowes will not ſee me vnprovided for. Godlines is great riches / whē a mā is cōtēt w^t y^t he hath. When we have fode & raimēt let vsus be ther w^t cōtent. j. Timot. vj. Heb. xiijFor this is a plaine caſe we brought nothing in to the world / nor we cann carye nothīg away. we have here no dwelling place / but we ſeeke a citie to come / the hevenly Ieruſalem wher our ſaviour Ieſus Chriſt is / For whos ſake j counte all things but loſſe & do judge them but doung y^t j may winne him. Phi. iij.In him only reſteth the whole riches of gods treaſure / he is the only way to everlaſtīg lyff / wher vntounto who ſo will attaine muſt ſeke it in y^e ſcripture / in y^e goſpel of Chriſt / & not in the filthye dānable traditiones / & develiſh doctrine of the papiſtes. Wherfor deare brethren ſeing you have taſted of y^e ſwete bread of lyff / gods moſt holy worde / take hede of the papiſtes ſo wer leven that worketh death. And bycauſe j wolde you ſhold not be ignoraunt / how youe ought to be have your ſelves wher ſo moche jdolatrie is opēly cōmaūded / & howe to learne youre Chriſtes croſſe a new / j meane to beare Chriſts croſſe laid on your baks / to folow him ſtrōgly and not to fainte / j have tranſlated for you two ſermones of y^t great learned & godly man. I. calvī made for y^t purpoſe / & thes have j done travailing / havīg no place certaine wher j will remai but j truſt ſhortly to be wher j will ſtikke down the ſtake till god call me home againe. But for ſo mocheas y^e buſhop of Dureſme did openlye to my face call y^e doctrine which j had taught in his dioces as towchīg the popiſh maſſ / hereſie / jſhall by gods grace / good chriſtian bretthrē / declare & ꝓve by y^e teſtimonie of the ſcriptures & alſo of y^e aunciēt fathers of chriſtes church / y^t y^e popiſh maſſ is the greateſt hereſie / blaſphemy / & idolatrie / y^t ever was ī y^e church / which ſhal be the next thīg y^t youe ſhall looke for from me by gods grace. In y^e meane ſeaſō / remēbre good brethrē / y^t our vnthāk fulnes was the cauſe of this our plage. Let vsus crye therfor vntounto the lorde / powrīg forth before him faithfull teares / & he will delivere vsus that we may trulye honoure him ī the gates of the daughter of Syon / y^t is opēly ī y^e mides of y^e faithfull cōgregation. Amē.