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or learning, joined with a true zeal unto God, doth not fee and lament to have entered into Chrift's religion, fuch falfe doctrine, fuperftition, idolatry, hypocrify, and other enormities and abufes, fo as by little and little, through -the four leaven thereof, the fweet bread of God's holy word hath been much hindered and laid apart? Neither had the Jews in their moft blindnefs fo many pilgrimages unto images, nor ufed fo much kneeling, kiffing, and cenfSects and ing of them, as hath been used in our time. Sects and religions feigned religions were neither the fortieth part fo many amongst Chriftian among the Jews, nor more fuperftitiously and ungodlily abufed, than of late days they have been among us: which fects and religions had fo many hypocritical and feigned works in their ftate of religion, as they arrogantly named it, that their lamps, as they faid, ran always over, able to fatisfy not only for their own fins, but alfo for all other their benefactors, brothers, and fifters of religion, as moft ungodlily and craftily they had perfuaded the multitude of ignorant people; keeping in divers places, as it were, marts or markets of merits, being full of their holy relicks, images, fhrines, and works of overflowing abundance ready to be fold; and all things which they had were called holy, holy cowls, holy girdles, holy pardons, beads, holy fhoes, holy rules, and all full of holiness. And what thing can be more foolish, more fuperftitious, or ungodly, than that men, women, and children, fhould wear a friar's coat to deliver them from agues or peftilence? or when they die, or when they be buried, caufe it to be caft upon them, in hope thereby to be faved? Which fuperftition, although (thanks be to God) it hath been little used in this realm, yet in divers other realms it hath been and yet is ufed among many, both learned and unlearned. But, to pafs over the innumerable fuperftitioufnefs that hath been in ftrange apparel, in filence, in dormitory, in cloister, in chapter, in choice of meats and drinks, and in fuch like things, let us confider what enormities and abufes have been in the three chief principal points, which they called the three effentials, or three chief foundations of religion, that is to fay, obedience, chaffity, and wilful poverty.

The three

First, under pretence or colour of obedience to their Fachief vows ther in religion, (which obedience they made themselves) of religion. they were made free, by their rule and canons, from the obedience of their natural father and mother, and from the obedience of emperor and king, and all temporal power, whom of very duty by God's laws they were bound to obey. And fo the profeffion of their obedience not due

was

was a forfaking of their due obedience. And how their profeffion of chastity was kept, it is more honefty to pals over in filence, and let the world judge of that which is well known, than with unchafte words, by expreffing of their unchafte life, to offend chafte and godly ears. And as for their wilful poverty, it was fuch, that when in poffetlions, jewels, plate, and riches, they were equal or above merchants, gentlemen, barons, earls, and dukes; yet by this fubtile fophiftical term, Proprium in commune, that is to fay, Proper in common, they mocked the world, perfuading, that notwithstanding all their poffeffions and riches, yet they kept their vow, and were in wilful poverty. But for all their riches, they might neither help father or mother, nor other that were indeed very needy and poor, without the licence of their Father Abbot, Prior, or Warden; and yet they might take of every man, but they might not give aught to any man, no not to them whom the laws of God bound them to help: and fo, through their traditions and rules, the laws of God could bear no rule with them: and therefore of them might be moft truly faid that which Chrift fpake unto the Pharifees, You Matt. xv. break the commandments of God by your traditions: you bonour God with your lips, but your hearts be far from him. And the longer prayers they ufed by day and by night, under pretence or colour of fuch holinets, to get the favour of widows and other fimple folks, that they might fing Trentalles and fervice for their husbands and friends, and admit or receive them into their prayers; the more truly is verified of them the faying of Chrift, Wo be unto Matt. xxiii, you, Scribes and Pharifees, bypocrites! for you devour widows' boufes under colour of long prayers; therefore your damnation fball be the greater. Wo be to you, Scribes and Pharifees, bypocrites! for you go about by fea and by land to make more novices, and new brethren; and when they be let in, or received of your feet, you make them the children of hell worse than yourfelves be. Honour be to God, who did put light in the heart of his faithful and true minifter of most famous memory, King Henry VIII. and gave him the knowledge of his word, and an earneft affcction to feek his glory, and to put away all fuch fuperftitions and pharifaical fects, by Antichrift invented, and fet up againft the true word of God, and glory of his moft bleffed name, as he gave the like fpirit unto the most noble and famous princes, Jofaphat, Jofias, and Ezechias. God grant all us the King's Highness faithful and true fubjects, to feed of the sweet and favoury bread of God's own word, and (as

Other de vices and

fuperftitions.

Decrees

tals.

Christ commanded) to eschew all our Pharifaical and Papistical leaven of man's feigned religion: which, although it were before God moft abominable, and contrary to God's commandments and Chrift's pure religion, yet it was praised to be a moft godly life, and highest state of perfection: as though a man might be more godly, and more perfect, by keeping the rules, traditions, and profesfions of men, than by keeping the holy commandments of God. And briefly to pafs over the ungodly and counterfeit religion, let us rehearse fome other kinds of Papistical fuperftitions and abuses, as of Beads, of Lady Pfalters, and Rofaries, of fifteen Oes, of St. Bernard's Verfes, of St. Agathe's Letters; of purgatory, of maffes fatisfactory, of stations and jubilees, of feigned relicks, of hallowed beads, bells, bread, water, pfalmis, candles, fire, and fuch other; of fuperftitious faftings, of fraternities or brotherhoods, of pardons,with fuch like merchandize,which were fo esteemed and abused to the great prejudice of God's glory and commandments, that they were made moft high and most holy things, whereby to attain to the everlafting life, or remiffion of fin: yea alfo vain inventions, unfruitful ceremonies, and ungodly laws, decrees, and councils of Rome, and decre- were in fuch wife advanced, that nothing was thought comparable in authority, wifdom, learning, and godliness, unto them; fo that the laws of Rome, as they faid, were to be received of all men as the four Evangelifts, to the which all laws of princes muft give place: and the laws of God alfo partly were left off and lefs efteemed, that the faid laws, decrees, and councils, with their traditions and ceremonies, might be more duly kept, and had in greater reverence. Thus was the people through ignorance fo blinded with the godly fhew and appearance of those things, that they thought the keeping of them to be a more holiness, a more perfect fervice and honouring of God, and more pleafing to God, than the keeping of God's commandments. Such hath been the corrupt inclination of man, ever fuperftitioufly given to make new honouring of God of his own head, and then to have more affection and devotion to keep that, than to fearch out God's holy commandments, and to keep them. And furthermore, to take God's commandments for men's commandments, and men's commandments for God's commandments, yea, and for the highest and moft perfect and holieft of all God's commandments. And fo was all confufed, that fcant well learned men, and but a fmall number of them knew, or at the leaft would know, and durft affirm

the

the truth, to separate or fever God's commandments from the commandments of men. Whereupon did grow much error, fuperftition, idolatry, vain religion, overthwart judgment, great contention, with all ungodly living.

God's com

God's com

mand

Wherefore, as you have any zeal to the right and pure An exhorthonouring of God, as you have any regard to your own ation to the fouls, and to the life that is to come, which is both with- keeping of out pain and without end, apply yourselves chiefly above mandall things, to read and hear God's word, mark diligently ments. therein what his will is you fhall do, and with all your endeavour apply yourselves to follow the fame. First, you A brief remuft have an affured faith in God, and give yourfelves heartal of wholly unto him, love him in profperity and adverfity, and dread to offend him evermore: then, for his fake, love all ments. men, friends and foes, because they be his creation and image, and redeemed by Chrift, as ye are. Caft in your minds, how you may do good unto all men unto your powers, and hurt no man. Obey all your fuperiors and governors; ferve your mafters faithfully and diligently, as well in their abfence as in their prefence, not for dread of punishment only, but for confcience fake, knowing that you are bound fo to do by God's commandments. Difobey not your fathers and mothers, but honour them, help them, and please them to your power. Opprefs not, kill not, beat not, neither flander, nor hate any man; but love all men, fpeak well of all men, help and fuccour every man as you may, yea, even your enemies that hate you, that speak evil of you, and that do hurt you. Take no man's goods, nor covet your neighbour's goods wrongfully; but content yourselves with that which ye get truly; and alfo beftow your own goods charitably, as need and cafe requireth. Flee all idolatry, witchcraft, and perjury; commit no manner of adultery, fornication, or other unchaftenefs, in will nor in deed, with any other man's wife, widow or maid, or otherwife. And travelling continually (during this life) thus in keeping the commandments of God (wherein ftandeth the pure, principal, and right honour of God, and which wrought in faith, God hath ordained to be the right trade and path-way unto heaven) you fhall not fail, as Chrift hath promifed, to come to that bleffed and everlafting life, where you fhall live in glory and joy with God for ever: to whom be praise, honour, and empery, for ever and ever. Amen.

A SER

A

SERMON

OF

Chriftian Love and Charity.

What cha

Fall things that be good to be taught unto Chriftian people, there is nothing more neceffary to be fpoken of, and daily called upon, than charity; as well for that all manner of works of righteoufnefs be contained in it, as alfo that the decay thereof is the ruin or fall of the world, the banishment of virtue, and the caufe of all vice. And forfomuch as almost every man maketh and frameth to himself charity after his own appetite, and how detestable foever his life be both unto God and man, yet he perfuadeth himself ftill that he hath charity: therefore you fhall hear now a true and plain description or setting forth of charity, not of men's imagination, but of the very words and example of our Saviour Jefus Chrift: in which defcription or fetting forth, every man (as it were in a glass) may confider himself, and fee plainly without error, whether he be in the true charity or not.

Charity is, to love God with all our heart, all our foul, rity is. The and all our powers and ftrength. With all our heart; that love of God. is to fay, that our heart, mind, and ftudy be fet to believe his word, to trust in him, and to love him above all other things that we love beft in heaven or in earth. With all our life; that is to fay, that our chief joy and delight be fet upon him and his honour, and our whole life given unto the fervice of him above all things, with him to live and. die, and to forfake all other things rather than him: for be that loveth bis father or mother, fon or daughter, boufe or land, more than me, faith Chrift, is not worthy to bave me. With all our power; that is to fay, that with our hands

Matt. X.

and

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