An Homilie of almes deedes, and mercyfulnes towarde the poore and needy.

AMongst the manyfold
duties that almightie
God requireth of his
faythfull seruauntes
the true Christians,
by the which he would
that both his name
shoulde be glorified,
and the certaynetie of
theyr vocation declared,
there is none that
is either more acceptable vnto him, or more profitable
for them, then are the workes of mercy,
and pitie shewed vpon the poore, which be afflicted
with any kinde of misery. And yet this notwithstandyng
suche is the slouthfull sluggishnes
of our dull nature, to that whiche is good
and godly that we are almost in nothyng more
negligent, and lesse carefull, then we are therein.
It is therefore a very necessary thyng, that
Gods people should awake their sleapie mindes,
and consider their duetie on this behalfe. And
meete it is, that all true Christians should desirously
seeke, and learne what God by his holy
worde doth herein require of them: that fyrst
knowyng theyr duetie whereof many by theyr
slacknes, seeme to be very ignoraunt they may
afterwardes diligently endeuour to perfourme
the same. By the whiche, both the godly charitable
personnes maye be encouraged to go forwardes,

Yy i

and continue in theyr mercyfull deedes
of geuyng almes to the poore, and also suche as
hytherto haue eyther neglected or contemned
it, may yet nowe at the length when they shall
heare howe muche it appertayneth to them
aduisedly consider it, and vertuously applye
them selues thervnto.
And to the intent that euery one of you may
the better vnderstande that whiche is taught,
and also easelier beare away, and so take more
fruite of that shalbe sayde, when seuerall matters
are seuerally handeled: I mynde perticulerlye
and in this order, to speake and entreate
of these poyntes.
Fyrst, I will shewe howe earnestly almightie
God in his holy worde, doth exacte the doyng
of almes deedes of vs, and howe acceptable they
be vnto hym.
Secondly, howe profitable it is for vs to vse
them, and what commoditie and fruite they
will bryng vnto vs.
Thirdly and last, I wyll shewe out of Gods
worde, that who so is liberall to the poore, and
relieueth them plenteously, shall notwithstandyng
haue sufficient for him selfe, and euermore
be without daunger of penury and scarsitie.
Concernyng the first, whiche is the acceptation
and dignitie or pryce of almes deedes before
God: Knowe this, that to helpe and succoure
the poore in their nede and misery, pleaseth God
so muche, that as the holy Scripture in sundry
places recordeth, nothyng can be more thankefully
taken or accepted of god. For first we reade
that almightie God doth accounte that to be geuen,
and to be bestowed vpon him selfe, that is
bestowed vpon the poore. For so doth the holy
ghost testifie vnto vs by the wyse man, saying:
He that hath pitie vpon the poore, lendeth vnto
the Lorde hym selfe. And Christ in the Gospell
aduoucheth, and as a moste certayne trueth,
byndeth it with an othe, that the almes bestowed
vpon the poore, was bestowed vpon hym,
and so shalbe reckened at the last day. For thus
he saieth to the charitable almes geuers, when
he sitteth as iudge in the doome, to geue sentence
of euery man, accordyng to his desertes:
Veryly I say vnto you, whatsoeuer good and
mercyfull deede you dyd vpon any of the least of
these my brethren, ye did the same vnto me. In
relieuyng theyr hunger, ye relieued myne, in
quenchyng theyr thyrst, ye quenched myne, in
clothyng them, yee clothed me, and when ye harboured
them, ye lodged me also, when ye visited
them beyng sicke or in pryson, ye visited me. For
as he that receyueth a Princes embassadours,
and entertayneth them well, doth honour the
Prince, from whom those embassadours do
come: So he that receyueth the poore and nedie,
and helpeth them in theyr affliction and distresse,
doth thereby receyue and honour Christ
theyr master, who as he was poore and nedye
hym selfe, whylest he lyued here amongest vs, to
worke the misterie of our saluation, so at his departure
hence, he promised in his steede, to sende
vnto vs those that were poore, by whose meanes
his absence should be supplyed: & therefore that

Yy ii

we woulde do vnto him, we must do vnto them.
And for this cause doth almightie God say vnto
Moyses: The land wherein you dwell, shall
neuer be without poore men, because he would
haue continuall tryall of his people, whether
they loued hym or no, that in shewyng them
selues obedient vnto his wyll, they might certaynely
assure them selues of his loue and fauour
towardes them, and nothyng doubt, but
that as his lawe and ordinaunces wherein he
commaunded them, that they should open theyr
hande vnto their brethren, that were poore and
nedie in the lande were accepted of them, and
willingly perfourmed: So he woulde on his
part louingly accept them, and truly perfourme
his promyses that he had made vnto them.
The holy Apostles and Disciples of Christ, who
by reason of his dayly conuersation, sawe by his
deedes, and harde in his doctrine, how much he
tendered the poore: the godly fathers also, that
were both before and since Christ, indued without
doubt with the holy ghost, and most certainly
certified of Gods holy wyll: they both do
most earnestly exhort vs, & in al their writinges,
almost continually admonishe vs, that we wold
remember the poore, and bestowe our charitable
almes vpon them. Saint Paule cryeth vnto
vs after this sort: Comfort the feeble minded,
lyft vp the weake, and be charitable towarde all
men. And againe: To do good to the poore, and
to distribute almes gladly, see that thou do not
forget, for with suche sacrifices is God pleased.
Esay the prophete teacheth on this wise: Deale

4

thy bread to the hungry, and bryng the poore
wandryng, home to thy house. When thou seest
the naked, see thou clothe hym, and hide not thy
face from thy poore neighboure, neyther despise
thou thyne owne fleshe. And the holy father
Tobie geueth this councell. Geue almes sayth
he of thine owne goodes, and turne neuer thy
face from the poore, eate thy bread with the hungry,
and couer the naked with thy clothes. And
the learned and godly doctour Chrisostome geueth
this admonition. Let mercifull almes be
alwayes with vs, as a garme~t, that is, as mindfull
as we wyll be to put our garments vppon
vs, to couer our nakednes, to defende vs from
the colde, and to shewe our selues comely: So
mindfull let vs be at all times and seasons, that
we geue almes to the poore, and shew our selues
mercyfull towardes them. But what meane
these often admonitions, and earnest exhortations
of the Prophetes, Apostles, Fathers, & holy
doctours? Surely, as they were faithful to godward,
and therfore discharged their duetie truelye,
in tellyng vs what was Gods Wyll: so of a
singuler loue to vsward, they laboured not onlye
to infourme vs, but also to perswade with
vs, that to geue almes, and to succour the poore
and needy, was a very acceptable thyng, and an
high sacrifice to God, wherin he greatly delited,
and had a singuler pleasure. For so doth the
wise man, the sonne of Syrach teach vs, saying:
Who so is merciful and geueth almes, he offreth
the right thanke offring. And he addeth thervnto:
The right thanke offering, maketh the aultar

Yy iii

fat, and a sweete smell it is before the hyghest,
it is acceptable before God, and shall neuer
be forgotten.

The second part of the Sermon of almes deedes.

YE haue harde before dearely beloued
that to geue almes vnto
the poore, and to helpe them in
time of necessitie, is so acceptable
vnto our Sauiour Christe, that
he counteth that to be done to
him selfe, that we do for his sake
vnto them. Ye haue harde also, howe earnestly
both the Apostles, Prophetes, holy fathers, and
doctours do exhort vs vnto the same. And ye see
howe welbeloued and deare vnto GOD they
were, whom the Scriptures report vnto vs, to
haue ben good almes men. Wherefore, yf eyther
theyr good examples, or the holesome counsayle
of godlye fathers, or the loue of Christ, whose
especiall fauour, we maye be assured by this
meanes to obtayne, maye moue vs, or do any
thyng at all with vs: let vs prouyde, that from
henceforth we shew vnto Godward this thankfull
seruice, to be myndefull and ready to helpe
them that be poore and in miserye.
Nowe wyll I this seconde tyme that I entreate
of almes deedes, shewe vnto you, howe
profitable it is for vs to exercise them, and what
fruite thereby shall ryse vnto vs, yf we do them
faythfully. Our Sauiour Chryste in the Gospell
teacheth vs, that it profiteth a man nothyng,
to haue in possession all the ryches of the
whole worlde, and the wealth or glory therof, yf
in the meane season he loose his soule, or do that
thyng, whereby it shoulde become captiue vnto
death, sinne, and hell fyre. By the whiche saying,
he not onlye instructeth vs howe much the
soule health is to be preferred before worldlye
commodities: but also serueth to stirre vp our
myndes, and to prycke vs forwardes, to seeke diligently,
and learne by what meanes, we maye
preserue and kepe our soules euer in safetie,
that is, howe we may recouer theyr health, if it
be lost or empeared, and howe it may be defended
and mayntayned, if we once haue it. Yea, he
teacheth vs also thereby, to esteeme that, as a
precious medicine, and an inestimable iewell,
that hath suche strength and vertue in it, that
can eyther procure or preserue so incomparable
a treasure. For yf we greatly regarde that medicine
or salue, that is hable to heale sundry and
greeuous diseases of the body: much more wyll
we esteeme that which hath like power ouer the
soule. And because we myght be better assured,
both to know and haue in readines, that so profitable
a remedye: he, as a most faithfull and louing
teacher sheweth him selfe, both what it is,
and where we may fynde it, and howe we may
vse and apply it. For when both he and his Disciples
were greeuously accused of the Phariseys
to haue defyled theyr soules, in breakyng
the constitutions of the Elders, because they
went to meate and washed not theyr handes
before, accordyng to the custome of the Iewes:
Chryste aunsweryng theyr superstitious complaynte,
teacheth them an especiall remedye,
howe to kepe cleane theyr soules, notwithstandyng
the breache of suche superstitious orders.
Geue almes sayeth he and beholde, all thynges
are cleane vnto you. He teacheth them,
that to be mercyfull and charitable in helpyng
the poore, is the meanes to kepe the soule pure
and cleane in the syght of GOD. We are
taught therefore by this, that mercyfull almes
dealyng, is profitable to purge the soule, from
the infection and fylthy spottes or sinne. The
same lesson doth the holye ghost also teache
in sundrye places of the Scripture, saying:
Mercyfulnes, and almes geuyng, purgeth from
all sinnes, and deliuereth from death, and suffereth
not the soule to come into darknes. A great
confidence may they haue before the hygh God,
that shewe mercy and compassion to them that
are afflicted.
The wise preacher, the sonne of Syrach, confirmeth
the same, when he sayeth: That as water
quencheth burnyng fyre, euen so mercy and
almes, resisteth and reconcileth sinne. And
sure it is, that mercyfulnes quayleth the heate
of sinne so muche, that they shall not take holde
vpon man to hurt hym, or yf he haue by any infirmitie
and weakenes, ben touched and anoyed
with them, straightwayes shall mercyfulnes
wipe and washe them awaye, as salues and remedies
to heale theyr sores and greeuous diseases.
And thervpon that holy father Ciprian, taketh
good occasion, to exhort earnestly to the
mercyfull worke of geuyng almes, and helpyng
the poore, and there he admonisheth to consider
howe holesome and profitable it is, to relieue
the needie, and helpe the afflicted, by the whiche
we may purge our sinnes, and heale our wounded
soules.
But here some wyll say vnto me. If almes
geuyng, and our charitable workes towardes
the poore, be able to washe awaye sinnes, to reconcile
vs to God, to delyuer vs from the perill
of dampnation, and make vs the sonnes and
heyres of Gods kyngdome: then is Christes merite
defaced, & his bloud shed in vayne, then are
we iustified by workes, and by our deedes may
we merite heauen, then do we in vayne beleue
that Christ died for to put away our sinnes, and
that he rose for our iustification, as S. Paule
teacheth. But ye shall vnderstande dearely beloued
that neyther those places of Scripture
before alleaged, neyther the doctrine of the blessed
Martir Ciprian, neyther any other godlye
and learned man, when they in extollyng the
dignitie, profite, fruite, and effect of vertuous
and liberall almes, do say, that it washeth way
sinnes, and bringeth vs to the fauour of God, do
meane that our worke and charitable deede, is
the originall cause of our acception before God,
or that for the dignitie or worthynes therof, our
sinnes be washed awaye, and we pourged and
clensed of all the spottes of our iniquitie: for
that were in deede to deface Christ, and to defraude
hym of his glory. But they meane this,
and this is the vnderstanding of those, and such
lyke sayinges: That God of his mercy and especiall
fauour towardes them, whom he hath appoynted
to euerlasting saluation, hath so offered
his grace especially, and they haue so receyued it
fruitefully, that although by reason of theyr
sinfull lyuyng outwardly, they seemed before to
haue ben the chyldren of wrath and perdition,
yet nowe the spirite of God mightyly workyng
in them, vnto obedience to Gods will and commaundementes,
they declare by theyr outwarde
deedes and lyfe, in the shewyng of mercy
and charitie which can not come but of the spirite
of God and his specially grace that they are
the vndoubted chyldren of GOD, appoynted to
euerlasting lyfe. And so as by theyr wyckednes
and vngodly liuing, they shewed them selues according
to the iudgement of men, which folow
the outward appearaunce, to be reprobates and
castawayes: So nowe by theyr obedience vnto
Goddes holy wyll, and by theyr mercyfulnes
and tender pitie wherein they shewe them
selues to be lyke vnto GOD, who is the fountayne
and springe of all mercy they declare openly
and manyfestlye vnto the syght of men,
that they are the sonnes of God, and electe of
hym vnto saluation. For as the good fruite is
not the cause that the tree is good, but the tree
must first be good, before it can bryng forth good
fruite: so the good deedes of man, are not the
cause that maketh man good, but he is fyrst
made good by the spirite and grace of God that
effectually worketh in hym, and afterwarde he
bryngeth forth good fruites. And then as the
good fruite doth argue the goodnes of the tree:
so doth the good and mercyfull dede of the man,
argue and certaynlye proue the goodnes of hym
that doth it, accordyng to Christes sayinges: Ye
shall knowe them by theyr fruites. And yf any
man wyll obiect, that euyll and naughtie men
do somtymes by theyr deedes appeare to be very
godly and vertuous: I wyll aunswere, that so
doth the crabbe and choke pere, seeme outwardlye
to haue sometyme as fayre a redde, and as
melowe a colour, as the fruite whiche is good
in deede. But he that will byte, and take a taste,
shall easyly iudge betwixt the sower bitternesse
of the one, and the swete sauerines of the other.
And as the true Christian man in thankefulnes
of his hart, for the redemption of his soule,
purchased by Christes death, sheweth kyndly by
the fruite of his fayth, his obedience to God: so
the other, as a marchaunt with God, doth all
for his owne gayne, thynkyng to wynne heauen
by the merite of his workes, and so defaceth and
obscureth the pryce of Chrystes bloud, who only
wrought our purgation.
The meanyng then of these sayinges in the
Scriptures and other holy writinges: almes
deedes to washe away our sinnes, and mercy to
the poore doth blot out our offences, is, that we
doyng these thynges accordyng to Gods wyll,
and our duetie, haue our sinnes in deede washt
away, and our offences blotted out: not for the
worthynes of them, but by the grace of God,
whiche worketh all in all, and that for the promyse
that God hath made to them that are obedient
vnto his commaundement, that he which
is the trueth, might be iustified in perfourming
the trueth, due to his true promyse. Almes
deedes do washe away our sinnes, because God
doth vouchsafe then to repute vs as cleane and
pure, when we do them for his sake, and not
because they deserue or meryte our purgyng, or
for that they haue any suche strength and vertue
in them selues. I knowe that some men, to
muche addict to the aduauncyng of theyr good
workes, wyll not be contented with this aunswere,
and no maruayle, for suche men, can no
aunswere content nor suffice. Wherefore leauyng
them to theyr owne wylfull sense, we
wyll rather haue regarde to the reasonable and
godly, who as they most certaynely knowe and
perswade them selues, that al goodnes, al bountie,
all mercy, all benefites, all forgeuenesse of
sinnes, and whatsoeuer can be named good and
profitable, eyther for the body, or for the soule,
do come onlye of Gods mercy and mere fauour,
and not of them selues: So though they do neuer
so many and so excellent good dedes, yet are
they neuer puft vp with the vayne confidence
of them. And though they heare and reade in
Gods worde, and otherwhere in godle mens
workes, that almes dedes, mercy and charitablenes,
doth washe away sinne, and blot out iniquitie:
yet do they not arrogantly and proudely
sticke and trust vnto them, or bragge them selues
of them, as the proude Pharisey dyd, lest with
the Pharisey they shoulde be condempned: but
rather with the humble and poore Publican,
confesse them selues sinfull wretches, vnworthy
to looke vp to heauen, callyng and crauyng
for mercy, that with the Publican they
may be pronounced of Christ to be iustified. The
godly do learne, that when the Scriptures say,
that by good and mercyfull workes, we are reconciled
to Gods fauour: we are taught then to
knowe what Christ by his intercession and mediation,
obtaineth for vs of his father, when we
be obedient to his wyll, yea they learne in suche
maners of speaking, a comfortable argument of
Gods singuler fauour and loue, that attributeth
that vnto vs, and to our doynges, that he
by his spirite worketh in vs, and through his
grace procureth for vs. And yet this notwithstandyng,
they crye out with Saint Paule, Oh
wretches that we are, and acknowledge as Christ
teacheth that when they haue all done, they are
but vnprofitable seruauntes: and with the blessed
kyng Dauid, in respect of the iust iudgementes
of God, they do tremble and say: Who shalbe
able to abyde it Lord, yf thou wylt geue sentence
accordyng to our desertes? Thus they humble
them selues, and are exalted of God: they count
them selues vyle, and of God are counted pure
and cleane, they condemne them selues, and are
iustified of God, they thynke them selues vnworthie
of the earth, and of God are thought worthy
of heauen? Thus of Gods worde are they truely
taught howe to thynke ryghtly of mercyfull dealyng
of almes, and of Gods especiall mercie and
goodnesse are made partakers of those fruites
that his worde hath promysed. Let vs then followe
theyr examples, and both shewe obediently
in our lyfe those workes of mercie that we are
commaunded, and haue that ryght opinion and
iudgement of them that we are taught, and we
shall in lyke maner as they, be made partakers
and feele the fruites and rewardes that
folowe such godly lyuyng, so shal we
knowe by profe what profyte
and commoditie doth come
of geuyng almes and
succouryng of
the poore.

The thirde part of the Homilie of Almes deedes.

YE haue alredye harde two partes
of this treatise of almes deedes.
The first, howe pleasaunt and acceptable
before God the doyng of
them is. The seconde, how much
it behoueth vs, and howe profitable
it is to applie our selues vnto them. Now
in this thirde part, wyll I take away that lette
that hyndreth many from doyng them.
There be many that when they heare howe
acceptable a thyng in the syght of God the geuyng
of almes is, and how much God extendeth
his fauour towardes them that are mercyfull,
and what fruites and commodities doth come
to them by it: they wishe very gladly with them
selues that they also myght obteyne these benefites,
and be counted suche of God as whom he
woulde loue or do for. But yet these men are
with greedy couetousnes so pulde backe, that
they wyll not bestowe one halfpeny, or one shiue
of breade, that they myght be thought worthy of
Gods benefites, and so to come into his fauour.
For they are euermore fearefull and doubtyng
lest by often geuyng, although it were but a litle
at a tyme, they shoulde consume theyr goodes,
and so impouerishe them selues, that euen them
selues at the length shoulde not be able to lyue,
but shoulde be dryuen to begge, and lyue of other
mens almes. And thus they seke excuses to withholde
them selues from the fauour of God, and
choose with pinchyng couetousnesse rather to
leane vnto the deuyll, than by charitable mercyfulnesse
eyther to come vnto Christ, or to suffer
Christ to come vnto them. Oh that we had some
cunnyng and skylfull phisition, that were able
to purge them of this so pestilent an humour,
that so sore infecteth, not theyr bodyes, but theyr
myndes, & so by corruptyng theyr soules, bryngeth
theyr bodies and soules into daunger of hell
fyre. Nowe lest there be any suche among vs
dearely beloued let vs diligently search for that
phisition, which is Iesus Christ, and earnestlye
labour, that of his mercy he wyll truely instruct
vs, & geue vs a present remedie agaynst so peryllous
a disease. Harken then, whosoeuer thou art
that fearest lest by geuyng to the poore thou shuldest
bryng thy selfe to beggery. That which thou
takest from thy selfe to bestowe vpon Chryst, can
neuer be consumed and wasted away. Wherein
thou shalt not beleue me, but yf thou haue fayth
and be a true Christian, beleue the holye Ghost,
geue credite to the aucthoritie of Goddes worde,
that thus teacheth. For thus saith the holy ghost
by Salomon: He that geueth vnto the poore,
shall neuer want. Men suppose, that by hoordyng
and laying vp styll, they shall at the length
be ryche, and that by distributyng and laying
out, although it be for moste necessarie and
godlye vses, they shall be brought to pouertie.
But the holy Ghost whiche knoweth all
trueth, teacheth vs another lesson, contrary to
this. He teacheth vs, that there is a kynde of
dispending that shall neuer diminishe the stocke,

Zz ii

and a kynde of sauyng, that shall bryng a man to
extreme pouertie. For where he sayth, that the
good almes man shall neuer haue scarscitie, he
addeth: But he that turneth away his eyes from
such as be in necessitie, shall suffer great pouertie
hym selfe. Howe farre differente then is the
iudgement of man from the iudgement of the
holy Ghost? The holy Apostle Paule, a man full
of the holy Ghost, and made priuie euen of the secrete
wyll of God, teacheth: that the liberall
almes geuer shall not thereby be impoueryshed.
He that ministreth sayth he seede vnto the sower,
wyll minister also breade vnto you for foode,
yea he wyll multiplie your seede, and encrease
the fruites of your ryghteousnes. He is not content
here to aduertise them that they shall not
lacke, but he sheweth the~ also after what sort god
wyl prouyde for them. Euen as he prouided sede
for the sower, in multipliying it, & geuyng great
encrease: So wyl he multiplie their goodes, and
encrease the~, that ther shalbe great aboundance.
And lest we should thynke his sayinges to be but
wordes, and not trueth, we haue an example
therof in the thirde booke of kynges, which doth
confirme & seale it vp, as a most certayne trueth.
The poore wydowe that receyued the banysshed
Prophete of God Elias, when as she had but an
handfull of meale in a vessell, and a litle oyle in
a cruse, whereof she woulde make a cake for her
selfe & her sonne, that after they had eaten that
they myght dye, because in that great famine
there was no more foode to be gotten: yet when
she gaue part thereof vnto Elias, and defrauded
her owne hungry belly, mercyfullye to relieue
hym, she was so blessed of God, that neyther the
meale nor the oyle was consumed all the tyme
whyle that famine dyd last, but therof both the
Prophete Elias, she, and her sonne, were sufficiently
noryshed, and had enough. Oh consider
this example, ye vnbeleuyng and faythlesse couetous
persons, who discredite Gods worde, and
thynke his power diminished. This poore woman,
in the tyme of an extreme and long dearth,
had but one handfull of meale, and a litle cruse
of oyle, her onlye sonne was redye to peryshe before
her face for hunger, and she her selfe lyke to
pine away, & yet when the poore Prophete came
and asked part, she was so myndefull of mercyfulnesse,
that she forgat her owne myserie, & rather
then she woulde omit the occasion geuen to
geue almes, and worke a worke of ryghteousnes,
she was content presently to hazarde her owne
and her sonnes lyfe. And you who haue greate
plentie of meates & drynkes, great store of motheaten
apparell, yea many of you great heapes of
golde and syluer, & he that hath least, hath more
then sufficient, now in this tyme, when thankes
be to God no great famine doth oppresse you,
your chyldren being well clothed and well fedde,
and no daunger of death for famine to be feared,
wyl rather cast doubtes and perylles of vnlykely
penurie, then you wyll parte with any peece of
your superfluities, to helpe, feede, & succour the
poore, hungry, and naked Christ, that commeth
to your doores a beggyng. This poore and seely
wydowe neuer caste doubtes in all her miserie

Zz iii

what want she her selfe shoulde haue, she neuer
distrusted the promyse that God had made to her
by the Prophet, but strayghtway went about to
relieue the hungry Prophete of God, yea preferryng
his necessitie before her owne. But we, like
vnbeleuyng wretches, before we wyll geue one
mite, we wyll cast a thousande doubtes of daunger,
whether that wyll stande vs in any steade
that we geue to the poore, whether we shoulde
not haue nede of it at any other tyme, and whether
here it woulde not haue ben more profitably
bestowed. So that it is more hard to wrench
a strong nayle as the Prouerbe sayth out of a
post, then to wryng a farthyng out of our fyngers.
There is neyther the feare nor the loue of
God before our eyes, we wil more esteeme a mite,
then we eyther desyre Gods kyngdome, or feare
the deuyls dungeon. Harken therefore ye mercylesse
mysers, what wyll be the ende of this your
vnmercyfull dealyng. As certaynely as God noryshed
this poore wydowe in the tyme of famine,
& encreased her litle store, so that she had enough
and felt no penury when other pyned away: so
certaynely shall God plague you with pouertie
in the middest of plentie. Then when other haue
aboundaunce and be fedde at full, you shall vtterly
waste and consume away your selues, your
store shalbe destroyed, your goddes plucte from
you, all your glory and wealth shall peryshe, and
that whiche when you had you myght haue enioyed
your selfe in peace, and myght haue bestowed
vpon other most Godly, ye shall seke with
sorowe and syghes, and no where shall fynde it.
For your vnmercyfulnes towardes other, ye shal
fynde no man that wyll shewe mercye towardes
you. You that had stony hartes towardes other,
shall fynde all the creatures of God to youwards
as harde as brasse and yron. Alas what furye &
madnesse doth possesse our myndes, that in a matter
of trueth and certayntie, we wyll not geue
credite to the trueth, testifying vnto that which
is most certayne. Christ sayth, that yf we wyll
fyrst seke the kyngdome of God, and do the workes
of ryghteousnes therof, we shall not be lefte
destitute, all other thynges shalbe geuen to vs
plenteously. Nay say we, I wyll fyrst loke that I
be able to lyue my selfe, and be sure that I haue
enough for me and mine, and if I haue any thing
ouer, I wyll bestowe it to get Gods fauour, and
the poore shall then haue part with me. See I
pray you the peruerse iudgment of men, we haue
more care to noryshe the carkasse, then we haue
feare to see our soule peryshe. And as Cyprian
sayth, whylest we stande in doubt lest our goodes
fayle, in being ouer liberal, we put it out of dout
that our lyfe and health fayleth, in not beyng liberal
at all. Whylest we are careful for diminishyng
of our stocke, we are altogether carelesse to
diminyshe our selues. We loue Mammon, & lose
our soules. We feare lest our patrimonie shoulde
peryshe from vs, but we feare not lest we shoulde
peryshe for it. Thus do we peruerslye loue that
we should hate, & hate that we should loue, we be
negligent where we should be carefull, & carefull
where we nede not. This vayne feare to lack our
selues if we geue to the pore, is much like ye feare

Zz iiii

of chyldren and fooles, which when they see the
bryght glymmeryng of a glasse, they do imagine
strayght way that it is the lightnyng, and yet the
brightnesse of a glasse neuer was the lyghtnyng.
Euen so, when we imagine that by spendyng
vpon the poore a man may come to pouertie, we
are caste into a vayne feare, for we neuer harde
nor knew that by that meanes any man came to
miserie and was leste destitute, and not considered
of God. Nay we reade to the contrary in the
Scripture as I haue before shewed, and as by
infinite testimonies and examples maye be proued
that whosoeuer serueth God faithfully and
vnfaignedly in any vocation, God wyll not suffer
hym to decay, much lesse to peryshe. The holy
Ghost teacheth vs by Salomon, that the Lorde
wyll not suffer the soule of the ryghteous to peryshe
for hunger. And therfore Dauid saith vnto
all them that are mercyfull: O feare the Lorde
ye that be his Saintes, for they that feare hym
lacke nothyng. The Lions do lacke and suffer
hunger: but they whiche seeke the Lorde, shall
want no maner of thing that is good. When Elias
was in the desert, God fed him by the ministerie
of a Rauen, that euening & morning brought
hym sufficient victuals. When Daniell was shut
vp in the Lions denne, God prepared meate for
hym, & sent it thyther to hym. And there was the
saying of Dauid fulfylled: The Lions do lacke &
suffer hunger, but they which seke the Lord shall
want no good thyng. For whyle the Lions whiche
should haue ben fedde with his fleshe, roared
for hunger and desyre of theyr pray, wherof they
had not power, although it were present before
them: he in the meane tyme was freshe fed from
God, that shoulde with his fleshe haue fylled the
Lions. So mightily doth God worke to preserue
and maynteyne those whom he loueth, so careful
is he also to feede them who in any state or vocation
do vnfaignedly serue hym. And shall we
nowe thynke that he wyl be vnmyndfull of vs, if
we be obedient to his worde, & accordyng to his
wyll haue pitie vpon the poore? He geueth vs all
wealth before we do any seruice for it: and wyll
he see vs lacke necessaries when we do hym true
seruice? Can a man thynke that he that feedeth
Christ, can be forsaken of Christe & lefte without
foode? Or wyll Christ denie earthly thinges vnto
them whom he promiseth heauenly thynges for
his true seruice? It can not be therfore deare brethren
that by geuyng of almes we should at any
tyme want our selues, or that we which relieue
other mens neede, should our selues be oppressed
with penurie. It is contrary to Goddes worde, it
repugneth with his promise, it is agaynst Christes
propertie & nature to suffer it, it is the craftie
surmise of the deuyl to perswade vs it. Wherfore
sticke not to geue almes freely, & trust, notwithstandying,
that Gods goodnes wyll minister vnto
vs sufficiencie and plentie, so long as we shal liue
in this transitorie lyfe, and after our dayes here
well spent in his seruice and the loue of our brethren,
we shalbe crowned with euerlasting glorie
to raygne with Christ our sauiour in heauen, to
whom with the father and the holy Ghost, be all
honour and glory, for euer. Amen.

An Homilie concerning the comming downe of the holy ghost, and the manyfolde giftes of the same.

For Whitsunday.

BEfore we come to the
declaratio~ of the great
and manyfolde gyftes
of the holy ghost, wherwith
the Churche of
GOD hath ben euermore
replenyshed: it
shall first be needefull,
briefly to expounde vnto
you, whereof this
feast of Pentecoste or
Whitsontide had his first beginning. You shall
therefore vnderstande, that the feast of Pentecoste,
was alwayes kept the fiftie day after Easter,
a great & solemne feast among the Iewes,
wherein they dyd celebrate the memoriall of
theyr deliueraunce out of Egipt, and also the
memoriall of the publishing of the lawe, which
was geuen vnto them in the mount Sinai, vppon
that day. It was fyrst ordeyned, and commaunded
to be kept holy, not by any mortall
man, but by the mouth of the Lorde hym selfe,
as we reade in Leuit. 23. and Deut. 16. The place
appoynted for the obseruation thereof, was
Ierusalem, where was great recourse of people
from all partes of the worlde, as may well
appeare in the seconde Chapter of the Actes,
wherin mention is made of Parthians, Medes,
Elamites, inhabitours of Mesopotamia, inhabitours
of Iewry, Capadocia, Pontus, Asia,
Phrigia, Pamphilia, & diuers other such places,
wherby we may also partly gather, what great
& royall solemnitie was commonly vsed in that
feast. Nowe as this was geuen in commaundement
to the Iewes in the olde lawe, so dyd
our Sauiour Christe, as it were, confirme the
same in the tyme of the Gospell, ordaynyng after
a sort, a newe Pentecost for his Disciples,
namely when he sent downe the holy ghost visibly,
in fourme of clouen tongues lyke fire, and
gaue them power to speake in suche sort, that
euery one myght heare them, and also vnderstande
them in his owne language. Whiche miracle,
that it might be had in perpetual remembraunce,
the Churche hath thought good, to solemnize
and kepe holy this day, commonly called
Whitsunday. And here is to be noted, that
as the lawe was geuen to the Iewes in the
mounte Sinai, the fiftie day after Easter: so
was the preachyng of the Gospell, through the
mightie power of the holy ghost, geuen to the
Apostles in the mount Sion, the fiftie day after
Easter. And hereof this feast hath his name to
be called Pentecost, euen of the number of the
dayes. For as S. Luke writeth in the Actes of
the Apostles: When fiftie dayes were come to
an ende, the Disciples beyng altogether with
one accorde in one place, the holy ghost came sodenly
among them, and sat vpon eche of them,
like as it had ben clouen tongues of fyre. Which
thing was vndoubtedly done, to teach the Apostles
and all other men, that it is he whiche geueth
eloquence and vtteraunce in preaching the
Gospell, that it is he whiche openeth the mouth
to declare the myghtie workes of God, that it is
he which engendreth a burning zeale towardes
Gods worde, and geueth all men a tongue, yea
a fierie tongue, so that they maye boldely and
cherefully professe the trueth in the face of the
whole world, as Esay was indued with this
spirite. The Lorde saith Esay gaue me a learned
and a skilfull tongue, so that I might know
to rayse vp them that are fallen with the word.
The Prophete Dauid cryeth to haue this gyft,
saying, Open thou my lippes, O Lord, and my
mouth shal shewe forth thy prayse. For our Sauiour
Christ also in the Gospell sayeth to his
Disciples, It is not you that speake, but the
spirite of your father whiche is within you. All
whiche testimonies of holy scripture, do sufficiently
declare, that the misterie in the tongues,
betokeneth the preachyng of the Gospell, and
the open confession of the Christian fayth, in all
them that are possessed with the holy ghost. So
that yf any man be a dombe Christian, not professyng
his fayth openly, but clokyng and colouring
hym selfe for feare of daunger in tyme to
come, he geueth men occasion, iustly and with
good conscience to doubt, lest he haue not the
grace of the holy ghost within hym, because he
is tongtied, and doth not speake. Thus then
haue ye harde the fyrst institution of this feast
of Pentecost or Whitsuntide, aswell in the olde
lawe among the Iewes, as also in the tyme of
the Gospell among the Christians.
Nowe let vs consider what the holy ghost is,
and howe consequently he worketh his miraculous
workes towards mankind. The holy ghost
is a spirituall and diuine substaunce, the thyrde
person in the deitie, distinct from the father and
the sonne, and yet proceadyng from them both.
Which thing to be true, both the Crede of Athanasius
beareth witnesse, and may be also easyly
proued by moste playne testimonies of Goddes
holy worde.
When Christ was baptised of Iohn in the
ryuer Iordan, we reade that the holy ghoste
came downe in fourme of a doue, and that the
father thundered from heauen, saying: This is
my deare and welbeloued sonne, in whom I am
well pleased. Where note, three dyuers and distinct
persons, the father, the sonne, and the
holy ghost, whiche all notwithstandyng are not
three Goddes, but one God. Lykewyse, when
Christe dyd fyrst institute and ordayne the Sacrament
of Baptisme, he sent his Disciples into
the whole worlde, willing them to baptise all
nations, in the name of the father, the sonne,
and the holy ghost. And in another place he
sayeth: I will pray vnto my father, and he shall
geue you another comforter. Agayne, when
the comforter shall come whom I wyll sende
from my father. &c. These and suche other places
of the newe Testament, do so playnely and
euidently confirme the distinction of the holy
ghost, from the other persons in the Trinitie:
that no man possibly doubt thereof, vnlesse he
wyll blaspheme the euerlastyng trueth of Gods
worde. As for his proper nature and substaunce,
it is altogether one with God the father, and
God the sonne, that is to say, spirituall, eternal,
vncreated, incomprehensible, almightie, to be
short, he is euen God and Lorde euerlastyng.
Therefore he is called the spirite of the father,
therefore he is sayde to proceade from the father
and the sonne, and therefore he was
equally ioyned with them in the commission
that the Apostles had to baptise all nations.
But that this may appeare more sensiblye to
the eyes of all men, it shalbe requisite to come
to the other part, namely to the wonderfull and
heauenlye workes of the holy ghoste, whiche
playnely declare vnto the worlde his mightie
and diuine power.
Fyrst it is euident, that he dyd wonderfullye
gouerne and direct the hartes of the Patriarkes
and Prophetes in olde time, illuminating their
myndes with the knowledge of the true Messias,
and geuyng them vtteraunce to prophesie
of thynges that shoulde come to passe long tyme
after. For as Saint Peter witnesseth, the prophesie
came not in olde time by the will of man:
But the holy men of God, spake as they were
moued inwardlye by the holy ghost. And of
Zacharie the hygh Priest, it is sayde in the Gospell,
that he being full of the holy ghost, prophesied
and praysed God. So dyd also Simeon,
Anna, Mary, and dyuers other, to the great
wonder and admiration of all men.
Moreouer, was not the holy ghost a mightie
worker in the conception and the natiuitie of
Christ our Sauiour? Saint Mathewe sayeth,
that the blessed Virgin was founde with chylde
of the holy ghost, before Ioseph and she came together.
And the Angell Gabriell did expressely
tell her that it shoulde so come to passe, saying:
The holy ghost shall come vppon thee, and the
power of the most hygh shall ouershadowe thee.
A marueylous matter that a woman shoulde
conceyue and beare a childe, without the knowledge
of man. But where the holy ghost worketh,
there nothyng is vnpossible, as maye further
also appeare by the inwarde regeneration
and sanctification of mankynde.
When Christ sayde to Nicodemus, vnlesse a
man be borne a newe, of water and the spirite,
he can not enter into the kyngdome of God: he
was greatly amased in his mynde, and began to
reason with Christ, demaundyng howe a man
myght be borne whiche was olde? Can he enter
sayeth he into his mothers wombe agayne,
and so be borne a newe? Beholde a lyuely patterne
of a fleshely and carnall man. He had little
or no intelligence of the holy ghost, and therfore
he goeth bluntly to worke, and asketh how
this thing were possible to be true. Whereas otherwyse,
yf he had knowen the great power of
the holy ghost in this behalfe, that it is he, whiche
inwardlye worketh the regeneration and
newe byrth of mankynde, he would neuer haue
marueyled at Christs wordes, but would haue
rather taken occasion therby, to prayse and glorifie
God. For as there are three seuerall and
sundry persons in the deitie: So haue they thre
seuerall and sundry offices proper vnto eche of
them. The Father to create, the Sonne to redeeme,
the holy ghost to sanctifie and regenerate.
Whereof the last, the more it is hid from
our vnderstandyng, the more it ought to moue
all men to wonder at the secrete and mightie
workyng of Gods holy spirite whiche is within
vs. For it is the holy ghost, and no other thyng,
that doth quicken the myndes of men, stirring
vp good & godly motions in theyr hartes, which
are agreable to the wyll and commaundement
of God, such as otherwyse of theyr owne croked
and peruerse nature, they shoulde neuer haue.
That which is borne of the fleshe saieth Christ
is fleshe, and that whiche is borne of the spirite,
is spirite. As who shoulde say: Man of his
owne nature, is fleshely and carnall, corrupte
and naught, sinnefull and disobedient to God,
without any sparke of goodnes in hym, without
any vertuous or godly motion, onlye geuen
to euyll thoughtes and wycked deedes. As for
the workes of the spirite, the fruites of fayth,
charitable and godlye motions, yf he haue any
at all in hym, they proceade onlye of the holye
ghost, who is the only worker of our sanctification,
and maketh vs newe men in Christ Iesu.
Dyd not Gods holy spirite miraculously worke
in the chylde Dauid, when of a poore shepheard,
he became a Princelyke Prophete? Dyd not
Gods holy spirite miraculouslye worke in Mathewe,
sitting at the receyte of custome, when
of a proude Publican, he became an humble
and lowely Euangelist? And who can chose
but maruayle to consider, that Peter should become
of a symple fissher, a chiefe and mightie
Apostle? Paule, of a cruell and blouddy persecuter,
a faythfull Disciple of Christ, to teache
the Gentyles.
Suche is the power of the holy ghost, to regenerate
men, and as it were, to bryng them
forth a newe, so that they shalbe nothyng lyke
the men that they were before. Neyther doth
he thinke it sufficient, inwardly to worke the
spirituall and newe byrth of man, vnlesse he do
also dwell and abyde in hym. Knowe ye not
saieth Saint Paule that ye are the Temple of
God, and that his spirit dwelleth in you? Know
ye not that your bodyes are the temples of the
holy ghost, whiche is within you? Agayne he
sayeth. You are not in the fleshe, but in the spirite.
For why? The spirite of God dwelleth in
you. To this agreeth the doctrine of S. Iohn,
writing on this wyse: The annointing whiche
ye haue receyued he meaneth the holy ghost
dwelleth in you. And the doctrine of Peter
sayeth the same, who hath these wordes: The
spirite of glory, and of God, resteth vpon you.
O what comfort is this to the hart of a true
Christian, to thinke that the holy ghost dwelleth
within him. If god be with vs as the Apostle
sayeth who can be against vs? O but howe
shall I knowe that the holy ghost is within me,
some man perchaunce wyll say? Forsoth as the
tree is knowen by his fruite, so is also the holy
ghost. The fruites of the holy ghost according
to the minde of S. Paule are these: Loue, ioy,
peace, long sufferyng, gentlenes, goodnes, faythfulnes,
meekenes, temperaunce, &c. Contrarywyse,
the deedes of the flesh are these: Adultery,
fornication, vnclennes, wantonnes, ydolatrye,
witchcraft, hatred, debate, emulation, wrath,
contention, sedition, heresie, enuye, murther,
dronkennes, gluttony, and suche lyke.
Here is nowe that Glasse, wherein thou must
behold thy self, and discerne whether thou haue
the holy ghost within thee, or the spirite of the
fleshe. If thou see that thy workes bee vertuous
and good, consonant to the prescript rule of
Gods worde, sauouryng and tastyng not of the
fleshe, but of the spirite: then assure thy selfe,
that thou art endued with the holye ghoste.
Otherwyse in thinking well of thy selfe, thou
doest nothyng els, but deceyue thy selfe. The holye
ghost doth alwayes declare hym selfe by his
fruitfull and gracious gyftes, namely, by the
worde of wysdome, by the worde of knowledge,
whiche is the vnderstandyng of the scriptures,
by fayth, in doyng of miracles, by healyng them
that are diseased, by prophesie whiche is the declaration
of gods misteries, by discerning of spirites,
diuersities of tongues, interpretation of
tongues, and so forth. All which giftes, as they
proceade from one spirite, and are seuerally geuen
to man, accordyng to the measurable distribution
of the holy ghost: Euen so do they bring
men, and not without good cause, into a wonderfull
admiration of Gods diuine power.
Who wyll not marueyle at that whiche is wrytten
in the Actes of the Apostles, to heare theyr
bolde confession before the Councell at Ierusalem?
And to consider that they went away with
ioye and gladnesse, reioycyng that they were
counted worthy to suffer rebukes and checkes for
the name & fayth of Christ Iesus? This was the
myghtie worke of the holy Ghoste, who because
he geueth pacience and ioyfulnesse of harte in
temptation and affliction, hath therefore worthyly
obtayned this name in holy Scripture, to
be called a comforter. Who wyll not also maruayle
to reade the learned and heauenly Sermons
of Peter, and the other Disciples, consideryng
that they were neuer brought vp in scoole
of learnyng, but called euen from theyr nettes
to supplie roumes of Apostles. This was lykewyse
the myghtie worke of the holy Ghost, who
because he doth instruct the hartes of the simple
in the true knowledge of God & his holy worde,
is most iustly tearmed by this name and title, to
be the spirite of trueth. Eusebius in his Ecclesiasticall
historie, telleth a straunge storie of a certaine
learned and subtyle Philosopher, who beyng an
extreme aduersary to Christ and his doctrine,
coulde by no kynde of learnyng be conuerted to
the fayth, but was able to withstande all the argumentes
that coulde be brought agaynst hym,
with litle or no labour. At length there started
vp a poore simple man, of small wit, and lesse
knowledge, one that was reputed among the
learned as an idiote: And he an Goddes name
woulde needes take in hand to dispute with this

Fff i

proude Philosopher. The Bishoppes and other
learned men standyng by, were marueylouslye
abashed at the matter, thynkyng that by his doynges
they shoulde be all confounded and put
to open shame. He notwithstandyng goeth on,
and begynnyng in the name of the Lorde Iesus,
brought the Philosopher to suche poynt in the
ende, contrary to all mens expectation, that he
coulde not chose but acknowledge the power of
God in his wordes, & to geue place to the trueth.
Was not this a miraculous worke, that one seely
soule of no learnyng, shoulde do that which many
Byshoppes of great knowledge and vnderstandyng,
were neuer able to bryng to passe? So
true is the saying of Bede: Where the holy ghost
doth instructe and teache, there is no delay at all
in learnyng. Much more myght here be spoken
of the manyfolde gyftes and graces of the holye
ghost, most excellent and wonderful in our eyes.
But to make a long discourse through all, the
shortnes of tyme wyll not serue. And seyng ye
haue harde the chiefest, ye may easyly conceyue
and iudge of the rest. Nowe were it expedient
to discusse this question: Whether all they which
boast and bragge that they haue the holy Ghost,
do truely chalenge this vnto them selues, or no?
Which doubt, because it is necessarie and profitable,
shall God wyllyng be dissolued in the
next part of this Homyly. In the meane season,
let vs as we are most bounde geue harty thankes
to God the Father, & his sonne Iesus Christ,
for sending down this comforter into the world,
humblye besechyng hym, so to worke in our
hartes, by the power of this holy spirite, that
we beyng regenerate and newely borne agayne
in all goodnes, ryghteousnes, sobrietie, & trueth,
may in the end be made partakers of euerlasting
lyfe in his heauenly kyngdome, through Iesus
Christ our Lorde and Sauiour. Amen.

The seconde part of the Homilie, concernyng the holy Ghost, dissoluyng this doubte: whether all men ryghtlye challenge to them selues the holy Ghost, or no.

OUR Sauiour Christe
departynge out of the
world vnto his Father,
promised his Disciples
to send downe an other
comforter that shoulde
continue with them for
euer, and directe them
into all trueth. Which
thyng to be faythfullye
& truly perfourmed, the
Scriptures do sufficiently beare witnes. Nether
must we thynke that this comforter was eyther
promised or els geuen onlye to the Apostles, but
also to the vniuersal Church of Christ, dispearsed
through the whole worlde. For vnlesse the holy
ghost had ben always prese~t, gouerning & preseruyng
the Church fro~ the beginnyng, it could neuer
haue susteined so many & great bruntes of

Fff ii

affliction and persecution, with so litle damage
and harme as it hath. And the wordes of Christ
are most playne in this behalfe, saying, that the
spirite of trueth shoulde abyde with them for
euer, that he woulde be with them alwayes he
meaneth by grace, vertue, and power euen to
the worldes end. Also in the prayer that he made
to his Father a litle before his death, he maketh
intercession, not only for hym selfe and his Apostles,
but indifferently for all them that shoulde
beleue in hym through theyr wordes, that is to
wit, for his whole Church. Againe, Saint Paul
sayth: If any man haue not the spirite of Christ,
the same is not his. Also in the wordes folowyng:
We haue receyued the spirite of adoption,
whereby we cry Abba Father. Hereby then it is
euident and playne to al men, that the holy ghost
was geuen, not only to the Apostles, but also to
the whole bodye of Christes congregation, although
not in lyke fourme and maiestie as he
came downe at the feast of Pentecost. But nowe
herein standeth the controuersie: Whether all
men do iustly arrogate to them selues the holye
Ghost, or no? The Byshoppes of Rome haue for
a long time made a sore chalenge therevnto, reasonyng
for them selues after this sort. The holy
ghost say they was promised to the Church, and
neuer forsaketh the Churche: But we are the
chiefe heads, & the principal part of the Church,
therefore we haue the holy Ghoste for euer, and
whatsoeuer thynges we decree, are vndoubted
verities, and oracles of the holy Ghost.
That ye may perceyue the weakenesse of this
argument, it is nedefull to teach you, first, what
the true Church of Christ is, & then to conferre
the Church of Rome therwith, to discerne howe
well they agree together. The true Churche is
an vniuersal congregation, or felowship of Gods
faythfull and elect people, buylt vpon the foundation
of the Apostles and Prophetes, Iesus
Christ hym selfe being the head corner stone. And
it hath alwayes three notes or markes, whereby
it is knowen. Pure and sounde doctrine, the
Sacramentes ministred accordyng to Christes
holy institution, and the ryght vse of Ecclesiasticall
discipline. This description of the Churche
is agreable both to the Scriptures of God, and
also to the doctrine of the auncient fathers, so
that none may iustly fynde fault therwith.
Nowe yf ye wyll compare this with the Church
of Rome, not as it was in the begynnyng, but
as it is presently, and hath ben for the space of
ix. hundreth yeres and odde: you shall well perceyue
the state thereof, to be so farre wyde from
the nature of the true Church, that nothyng can
be more. For neyther are they buylt vppon the
foundation of the Apostles and prophetes, retaynyng
the sounde and pure doctrine of Christ Iesu,
neyther yet do they order eyther the Sacramentes,
or els the Ecclesiasticall keyes, in suche
sort as he dyd fyrst institute and ordeyne them:
But haue so intermyngled theyr owne traditions
and inuentions, by choppyng and chaungeyng,
by addyng and pluckyng away, that nowe
they may seme to be conuerted into a new guise.
Christ commended to his Churche a Sacrament

Fff iii

of his body and bloud: They haue chaunged it
into a sacrifice for the quicke and the dead. Christ
dyd minister to his Apostles, and the Apostles to
other men, indifferentlye vnder both kyndes:
They haue robbed the lay people of the cup, saying
that for them one kynde is sufficient. Christ
ordeined no other element to be vsed in baptisme
but only water, wherevnto when the worde is
ioyned, it is made as Saint Augustine sayth a
full and perfect Sacrament: They beyng wyser
in theyr owne conceite then Christ, thynke it is
not well nor orderly done, vnlesse they vse coniuration,
vnlesse they halowe the water, vnlesse
there be oyle, salt, spyttle, tapers, and such other
dumbe ceremonies, seruyng to no vse, contrary
to the playne rule of Saint Paule, who wylleth
all thynges to be done in the Church vnto edification.
Christe ordeyned the aucthoritie of the
keyes to excommunicate notorious sinners, and
to absolue them which are truly penitent: They
abuse this power at theyr owne pleasure, aswell
in cursyng the godly, with bell, booke, and candell,
as also in absoluyng the reprobate, whiche
are knowen to be vnworthy of any Christian societie.
Wherof he that luste to see examples, let
hym search theyr lyues. To be short, loke what
our Sauiour Christ pronounced of the Scribes
and Phariseys in the Gospell, the same
may we boldlye and with safe conscience, pronounce
of the Byshoppes of Rome, namely that
they haue forsaken, and daylye do forsake, the
commaundementes of God, to erecte and set vp
theyr owne constitutions. Whiche thyng beyng
true, as all they which haue any lyght of Gods
worde must needes confesse, we maye well conclude
accordyng to the rule of Augustine: That
the Byshoppes of Rome and theyr adherentes,
are not the true Churche of Christe, muche lesse
then to be taken as chiefe heades and rulers of
the same. Whosoeuer sayth he do dissent from
the Scriptures concernyng the head, although
they be founde in all places where the Churche
is appoynted, yet are they not in the Churche.
A playne place, concludyng directly agaynst the
Churche of Rome: Where is nowe the holye
Ghost, whiche they so stoutlye do clayme to them
selues? Where is nowe the spirite of trueth, that
wyll not suffer them in any wyse to erre? If it
be possible to be there where the true Church
is not, then is it at Rome: otherwyse it is but
a vayne bragge, and nothyng els. Saint
Paule as ye haue harde before sayth: If any
man haue not the spirite of Christ, the same is
not his. And by turnyng the wordes, it may be
as truely sayde: If any man be not of Christ, the
same hath not the spirite. Nowe, to discerne
who are truelye his, and who not, we haue
this rule geuen vs, that his sheepe do alwayes
heare his voyce. And Saint Iohn sayth: He that
is of God, heareth Goddes worde. Whereof it
foloweth, that the Popes, in not hearyng
Chrystes voyce, as they ought to do, but preferryng
theyr owne decrees before the expresse
worde of God, do playnely argue to the worlde
that they are not of Christ, nor yet possessed with
his spirite.

Fff iiii

But here they wyll alleage for them selues,
that there are diuers necessarie poyntes, not expressed
in holy Scripture, which were left to the
reuelation of the holy Ghost: who beyng geuen
to the Churche, accordyng to Christes promise,
hath taught many thynges from tyme to tyme,
which the Apostles coulde not then beare.
To this we maye easylye aunswere, by the
playne wordes of Christ, teachyng vs, that the
proper office of the holy Ghost is, not to institute
and bryng in newe ordinaunces, contrary to his
doctrine before taught: but to expounde and declare
those thynges which he had before taught,
so that they myght be well and truly vnderstode.
When the holy Ghoste sayth he shall come, he
shall leade you into all trueth. What trueth doth
he meane? Any other then he hym selfe had before
expressed in his worde? No. For he sayth:
He shall take of mine, and shewe it vnto you. Agayne,
he shall bryng you in remembraunce of
all thynges that I haue tolde you. It is not then
the duetie and part of any Christian, vnder pretence
of the holy Ghoste, to bryng in his owne
dreames and phantasies into the Churche: but
he must diligently prouide that his doctrine and
decrees be agreable to Christes holy Testament.
Otherwyse, in makyng the holy Ghoste the aucthour
thereof, he doth blaspheme and belye the
holy Ghost, to his owne condempnation.
Nowe to leaue theyr doctrine, and come to
other poyntes. What shall we iudge or thynke
of the popes intollerable pride? The Scripture
sayth, that God resisteth the proude, and sheweth
grace to the humble. Also it pronounceth
them blessed which are poore in spirite, promisyng
that they whiche humble them selues shalbe
exalted. And Christ our Sauiour wylleth all
his to learne of hym, because he is humble and
meeke. As for pryde, Saint Gregorie sayth, it is
the rote of all mischiefe. And Saint Augustines
iudgement is this, that it maketh men deuyls.
Can any man then, which eyther hath or shall
reade the Popes lyues, iustly say, that they had
the holy Ghost within them? Fyrst, as touchyng
that they wyll be tearmed vniuersall Bishoppes
and heades of all Christian Churches through
the worlde, we haue the iudgement of Gregorie
expressely agaynst them, who writyng to Mauritius
the Emperour, condempneth Iohn Bishop of
Constantinople in that behalfe, callyng hym the
prince of pryde, Lucifers successour, and the fore-runner
of Antichrist. Saint Barnarde also agreeyng
therevnto, sayth: What greater pryde
can there be, then that one man shoulde preferre
his owne iudgement before the whole congregation,
as though he onely had the spirite of
God? And Chrysostome pronounceth a terrible
sentence agaynst them, affirmyng playnely, that
whosoeuer seeketh to be chiefe in earth, shall
fynde confusion in heauen, and that he whiche
stryueth for the supremacie, shall not be reputed
among the seruauntes of Christe. Agayne he
sayth: To desyre a good worke it is good, but to
couet the chiefe degree of honour, it is mere vanitie.
Do not these places sufficiently conuince
theyr outragious pride, in vsurpyng to them
selues a superioritie aboue all other, as well Ministers
and Byshoppes, as Kynges also and Emperours?
But as the Lion is knowen by his
clawes, so let vs learne to knowe these men by
theyr deedes. What shall we saye of hym that
made the noble king Dandalus to be tyed by the
necke with a chayne, and to lye flatte downe before
his table, there to gnaw bones lyke a dogge?
Shall we thynke that he had Gods holy spirite
within hym? and not rather the spirite of the
deuyll? Such a tiraunt was Pope Clement the
sixt. What shall we say of hym that proudly and
contemptuouslye troade Fredericke the Emperour
vnder his feete, applying that vearse of the
Psalme vnto hym selfe: Thou shalt go vpon the
Lion and the Adder, the yong Lion and the Dragon
thou shalt treade vnder thy foote? Shall we
say that he had Gods holy spirite within hym?
and not rather the spirite of the deuyll? Such a
tiraunt was Pope Alexander the thyrde. What
shall we saye of hym that armed & animated the
sonne agaynst the father, causyng hym to be taken,
and to be cruelly famyshed to death, contrarie
to the lawe both of God and also of nature?
Shal we say that he had gods holy spirite within
hym? and not rather the spirite of the deuyll?
Such a tiraunt was Pope Pascall the seconde.
What shall we saye of hym that came into his
Popedome lyke a Foxe, that raigned lyke a Lion,
and dyed lyke a dogge? Shall we say that he
had Gods holye spirite within hym? and not rather
the spirite of the deuyll? Suche a tiraunt
was Pope Boniface the eyght. What shall we
say of him that made Henry the Emperour, with
his wyfe and his yonge chylde, to stande at the
gates of the Citie in the rough wynter, bare
footed and bare legged, onlye clothed in Lincie
wolsie, eatyng nothyng from morning to nyght,
and that for the space of three dayes? Shall we
say that he had Gods holy spirite within hym?
and not rather the spirite of the deuyll? Suche
a tiraunt was Pope Hyldebrande, most worthy
to be called a fyrebrande, yf we shall terme hym
as he hath best deserued. Many other examples
myght here be alleaged. As of Pope Ione the
harlot, that was delyuered of a chylde in the
hygh streate, goyng solempnlye in procession.
Of Pope Iulius the seconde, that wylfully cast
Saint Peters keyes into the ryuer Tiberis. Of
Pope Vrban the sixt, that caused fyue Cardinales
to be put in sackes, and cruelly drowned.
Of Pope Sergius the thirde, that persecuted
the dead bodye of Formosus his predecessour,
when it hadde ben buryed eyght yeres. Of Pope
Iohn, the. xiiii. of that name, who hauyng his
enemie delyuered into his handes, caused hym
fyrst to be strypped starke naked, his bearde to be
shauen, and to be hanged vp a whole day by the
heere, then to be set vpon an Asse with his face
backewarde towarde the tayle, to be caryed
rounde about the Citie in despyght, to be miserably
beaten with roddes, laste of all, to be
thrust out of his countrey, and to be banyshed
for euer. But to conclude and make an ende, ye
shall briefelye take this shorte lesson. Where so
euer ye fynde the spirite of arrogancie and
pryde, the spirite of enuie, hatred, contention,
crueltie, murther, extorcion, witchcraft, necromancie.
&c. Assure your selues that there is the
spirite of the deuyll, and not of God, albeit they
pretende outwardly to the world neuer so much
holynesse. For as the Gospell teacheth vs, the
spirite of Iesus is a good spirite, an holy spirite,
a sweete spirite, a lowly spirite, a mercyfull spirite,
full of charitie and loue, full of forgeuenes,
and pitie, not rendryng euyll for euyll, extremitie
for extremitie: but ouercommyng euyll with
good, and remittyng all offence, euen from the
hart. Accordyng to which rule, yf any man lyue
vpryghtly, of hym it may be safely pronounced,
that he hath the holy Ghost within hym. If not,
then is it a playne token that he doth vsurpe the
name of the holy Ghost in vayne.
Therefore dearely beloued accordyng to the
good councell of Saint Iohn, beleue not euery
spirite, but fyrste trye them whether they be of
God, or no. Many shall come in my name sayth
Christ and shall transfourme them selues into
Angels of lyght, deceyuyng if it be possible
the very electe. They shall come vnto you in
sheepes clothyng, beyng inwardely cruell and
rauenyng wolues. They shall haue an outwarde
shewe of great holynesse and innocencie
of lyfe, so that ye shall hardly, or not at all discerne
them. But the rule that ye must folowe is
this, to iudge them by theyr fruites. Whiche
yf they be wicked and naught, then is it vnpossible
that the tree of whom they proceade should
be good. Suche were all the popes and prelates
of Rome, for the most part, as doth well appeare
in the storie of theyr lyues, and therefore they
are worthyly accompted among the number of
false prophetes, and false Christes, whiche deceyued
the worlde a long whyle. The Lorde of heauen
and earth defend vs from theyr tyranny and
pride, that they neuer enter into his vineyarde
agayne, to the disturbaunce of his seely poore
flocke: but that they may be vtterly confounded
and put to flight in all partes of the world. And
he of his great mercy so worke in all mens hartes,
by the mightie power of the holy Ghost, that
the comfortable Gospell of his sonne Christ, may
be truely preached, truely receyued, and truely
folowed, in all places, to the beatyng downe of
synne, death, the pope, the deuyll, and all the
kyngdome of Antichrist, that the scattered and
dispersed sheepe, beyng at length gathered into
one folde, we may in the ende, rest altogether in
the bosome of Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob,
there to be partakers of eternall and
euerlastyng lyfe, thorowe the
merites and death of
Iesus Christ our
Sauiour.
Amen.