Sermon Before Parliament Began

〈2+ pages missing〉 both worthy to be hard in youe congregation, and also of such, as best shall become myn office in this place. That I may do this y ^e more commodiously, I have taken, that notable Sentence, in which our lord was not afraid to pronounce, The chylderne of this world to be moche more prudent and politic, than the children of light in their generation. Neither I will be afraid, trustynge that he will aid and guide me, to use this sentence, as a ground and foundation of all such things, as hereafter I shall speak of.

Now I suppose, that you see right well, being men of such learning, for what purpose the lord said this, and that ye have no need to be holpen with any parte of my labor in this thing. But yet, if ye will pardon me, I will wade somewhat deper in this matter, and as nigh as I can, fetch it from the first original beginning. For undoubtedly ye may moche marvel at this saying, if ye well ponder both what is said, and who saith it. Define me first these three things, what prudence is, what the world, what light, and who be the children of the world, who of the light, see what they sygnifie in scripture, I marvel, if by and by ye all agre, that the children of the world, should be wiser, than the chylderne of the light. To come some what nygher the matter, thus the lord beginneth.

For Luke saith, the Lord spake these words to his disciples. wherefor let it be out of all doubt, that he spake thē to us, which even as we wool be compted the successors & vycars of Christis disciples, so we be, if we be good dispensers, & do our duitie. He said these things, partly to us, which spake thē partly of him self. For he is that riche man, which not only had, but hath, and shall have evermore, I say not one, but many stewards, even to the end of the world.

He is man, seeing that he is god and man. He is rich, not only in mercy, but in all kind of rychesse. For it is he, that giveth us all things abundantly. It is he, of whose hand, we received both our lives, and other things necessary for the conservation of the same. What man hath any thing I pray you, but he hath received it of his plentyfulnes? To be short, it is he, that openeth his hand, and fylleth all beastis with his blessing, and not only giveth unto us, in most ample wise his benediction. Neither his treasure can be spente, howe moche so ever he lasshe out, howe moche so ever we take of him, his treasure tarrieth still, ever taken, never spente.

He is also the good man of the house. The church is his howseholde, which ought with all dilygence, to be fed with his word & his sacraments. These be his goods, most precious, the dispensation and administration whereof, he would bishops and curates should have. Which thing S. Paul affirmeth, saying, Let men esteem 〈2+ pages missing〉

hitherto faithful stewards or no? Ponder, whether yet many of them be, as they should be or no. Goo ye to, tell me now, as your conscience leadeth you (I wolle let pass to speak of many other) was there not some, that dyspysynge the money of the lord, as copre, and not currante, either coined new them selves, or else vtterde abroad newely coined of other, some time either adulteratynge the word of god, or else mynglinge it (as tauerners do, which brewe and utter the euylle and good both in a potte) sometime in the stead of god's word, blowynge out the dreams of men: While they thus preched to the people, the redemption that cometh by Christis dethe to serve only them that died before his coming, that were in the time of the old testament, and that now sense redempcyon, and forgyuenesse of sins pourchased by money, and deuysed of men, is of efficacye, and not redemption purchased by Christ.

They have a wonderfulle pretty example, to persuade this thing, of a certain married woman, which whan her husband was in purgatory, in that fyry fornays, that hath burned away so many of our pens, paid her husbands ransom, and so of duty claimed him to be set at lybertie: Whyle they thus preached to the people, that dead images (which at the first, as I think, were set up only, to represēt things absent) not only ought to be covered with gold, but also ought of all faithful & christē people, yea in this scarsenes and penurye of all things, to be clad with sylke garmētis, & those also ladē with precious gems & jewels, And that beside all this, they are to be lyghted with wax candelles, both within the church and without the church, yea at noon days, as who should say, here no cost can be to greatte, where as in the mean time, we see Christis faitheful and lively images, bought with no less price, thā with his most precious blood, alas alas, to be an hungered, a thurste, acolde, and to lie in darkness wrapped in all wretchedness, yea to lie there, until dethe take away their miseries: While they preched, these wylworkes, that comme but of our own devotion, although they be not so necessary, as the works of mercy, and the precepts of god, yet they said, & in the pulpet, that wilworkes were more principal, more excellent, & (plainly to utter what they mean) more acceptable to god than works of mercy: as though now man's inventions and fancies, coude plese god better than god's preceptis, or strange things better than his own: while they thus preached, that more fruit, more devotion cometh of the beholding of an image, though it be but a Pater noster while, than is gotten by redynge and contemplation in scripture, though ye rede and contemplate therein seven years space:

Finally, while they preached thus, souls tourmented in purgatory, to have most need of our help, and that they can have noo aid, but of us in this world, of the which two, if the one be not false, yet at the least it is ambiguous, vncercertayne, doubtefull, and therefore rashly & arrogantly with such boldness affirmed in the audience of people, Thother by all men's opinions is manifestly false. I let pass to speak of moche other such like countrefayte doctrine, which hath ben blasted and blown out by some for the space of. iii. hours together. Be these the chrystian and dyuyne mysteries, and not rather the dreams of men? Be these the faithful dispensers of god's mysteries, and nat rather falls dissipatours of thē? whom god never put in office, but rather the devil set them over a miserable family, over an house myserably ordered and entreated.

Happy were the people, if such preched seldom. And yet it is a wonder to see these, in their generation, to be much more prudent and politic, than the faithful ministers at in their generation, while they go about more prudently to stablysshe men's dreams, than these do, to hold up Goddis commandments.

Thus it cometh to pass, that works lucratiue, wylworkes, mens fancies reign, and Christian works, necessary works, fruitefulle works, be trodden under the foot. Thus the evil, is moche better set out by evil men, than is the good, by good men: because the euylle be more wise, than be the good in their generation.

These be the false Stewardes, whom all good and faithful men every day accuse unto the rich master of the household, not without great heuynesse, that they wast his goods, whom he also one day wol call to him, and say to them, as he did to his steward, whan he said, What is this, that I here of the?

Here God partly wondereth at our ingratitude and perfidy, partly chydeth us for them, and being both full of wonder, and ready to chyde, axeth us, What is this, that I here of you? As though he should say unto us, All good men in all places, complain of you, accuse your avarice, your exactions, your tyranny. They have required in you a longe season, and yet require, diligence and sincerity. I commanded you, that with all industry and labor, ye should feed my sheep: ye cruestly feed yourselves, from day today, wallowynge in delytes and ydelnesse. I commanded you, to teache my commandments, and not your fancies, and that ye should seek my glory and my vantage: you teche your own traditions, and seek your own glory and profit. You preach very seldom, and whan ye do preche, ye do nothing but cumber them that preach truly, as moche as lieth in you, that it were moche better, such not to preach at all, than so perniciously to preach. Oh, what I here of you? You that ought to be my preachers, what other thing do you, than apply all your study hither, to bring all my prechers to envy, shame, contempt, yea more than this, ye pulle them into perylles, into prisons, and as moche as in you lyethe, to cruclle deaths. To be short, I would, that christen people should here my doctrine, and at their commodity, rede it also, as many as would: your care is not, that all mē may here it, but all your care is, that no lay mā do rede it. Surely being afraid, lest they, by the redynge, should understand it. and understanding, learn to rebuke our slouthefulnesse. This is your generation, this is youre dispensation. This is your wisdom. In this generation, in this dispensation, you be most politic, most wyttye. These be the things that I here of your demeanour. I wysshed to here better report of you. Have ye thus deceived me? or have ye rather deceived yourselves?

Where I had but one house, that is to say, the church, and this so dearly beloved of me, that for the love of her, I put myself forth to be slain, and to shede my blood: this Church at my departure, I committed unto your charge, to be fed, to be nourished, and to be made moche of. My pleasure was, ye should occupy my place, my desire was, ye should have borne like love to this church, like fatherly affection, as I did. I made you my vycars, ye in mattiers of most importance. For thus I taught openly, He that should here you, should here me: He that should despise you, should despise me.

I gave you also keys, not erthly keys, but heavenly. I left my godes, that I have evermore most highely esteemed, that is, my word and sacraments, to be dispensed of you. These benefits, I gave you, and do you give me these thanks? Can ye find in your hearts, thus to abuse my goodness, my benignity, my gentylnesse? Have ye thus deceived me? Noo no, ye have not deceived me, but yourselves. My gifts and benefits toward you, shall be to your greatter damnation. Bycause ye have contempned the lenity and clemency of the master of the house, ye have right well deserved, to abide the rygour & severity of the Judge. Come forth than, let us see account of your stewardship. An horrible and fearful sentence. ye may have no longer my goods in your hands. A voice to weep at, and to make men tremble.

You se brothern, you se, to what evil, the evil stewards must come to. your labor is paid for, if ye can so take hede, that no such sentence be spoken to you. Nay, we must all take hede, lest these thretninges one day take place in us.

But leste the length of my sermon offend you to soore, I will leave the rest of the Parabole, and take me to the handling of the ende of it, that is, I wool declare you, howe the children of this world be more witty crafty and subtle, than are the children of the light in their generation. Which sentence, would god it lay in my poor tongue, to explicate with such light of words, that I might seme rather to have peynted it before your eyes, than to have spoken it: and that you might rather seme, to se the thing, than to here it. But I confess plainly, this thing to be far above my power. Therefore this being only left to me, I wysshe for that I have not, and am sory, that that is not in me, which I would so gladly have: That is, power so to handle the thing, that I have in hand, that all that I say, may turn to the glory of god, your sowle health, and 〈2+ pages missing〉

was in deed as he had said, but cōplayned rather, that it should be so: as many men speak many things, not that they ought to be so, but that they are wont to be so. Nay, this grieved Christ, that the children of this world, should be of more polycie, than the children of light, which thing yet was true in Christis time, and now in our time is most true. Who is so blind, but he seeth this clearly, except perchance there be any, that cannot discern the children of the world, from the children of light? The children of the world, conceive and bring forth more prudently, and things conceived and brought forth, they nouryshe and conserve with moche more polycie, than do the children of light. Which thing is as sorrowful to be said, as it seemeth absurd to be heard. Whan ye here the children of the world, you understand the world, as a father. For the world is father of many children, not by first creation & work, but by imitatiō and love. He is not only a father, but also the son of another father. If ye know ones his father, by and by ye shall know his children. For he that hath the dyuelle to his father, must needs have dyuellyshe children. The dyuelle is not only taken for father, but also for prince of the world, that is, of worldly folk. It is either all one thing, or else not moche different, to say, children of the world, and children of the devil, according to that, that Christ said to the Jews, Ye are of your father the dyuel: where as undoubtedly he spake to childerne of this world. Now seeing the devil is both author and ruler of the darkness, in the which the chiiderne of this world walk, or to say better, wander, they mortally hate both the light, & also the children of light. And hereof it cometh, that the children of light never, or very seldom, lack persecution in this world, unto which the children of the world, that is of the devil, bringeth them. And there is no man, but he seeth, that these use moche more policy in procurynge the hurt and damage of the good, than those in defēdyng them selves.

Therefore brothern, gather you, the disposition and study of the chil drē, by the disposition and study of the fathers. You know, this is a proverb much used, An evil crow, an evil egg. Than, the children of this world, that are known to have so evil a father, the world, so evil a grandefather, the devil, cannot chose but be evil. Surely the first heed of their auncester, was that deceitful serpent the devil, a monster monstrous above all monsters. I cannot holly express him, I wote not what to call him, but a certain thing, all together made of the hatrede of god, of mistruste in god, of lyenges, deceits, perjuries, discordes, manslaughters, & to say, at one word, a thing, concrete, heaped up, and made of all kind of myschiefe. But what the devil mean I, to go about to discriue particularly, the dyuels nature, whan no reason, no power of man's mind, can comprehend it. This alonly I can say grossly and as in a sum, of the which all we, our hurt is the more, have experience, the devil to be a stynking sentine of all vices, a foul filthy channel of all myscheues: and that this world, his son, even a child mete to have such a parent, is not moche unlike his father.

Then this dyuelle being such one, as can never be unlike him self, To of envy, his well-beloved leminan, he begatte the world, and after left it with discord at nours. Which world, after that it came to man's state, had of many concubines, many sounes. He was so fecunde a father, and had gotten so many children of lady pride, dame glottony, maystres avarice, ladye lechery, and of dame subtilitie: that no we hard and scant, ye may find any corner, any kind of life, where many of his chylderne be not. In court, in cowls, in cloisters, in rochettes, be they never so white, yea where shall ye not find them? Howe be it, they that be secular and lay men, are not by and by children of the world, ne they chylderne of light, that are called spiritual, and of the clergy. Noo noo, as ye may find among the laity, many children of light, so among the clergy (howe moche so ever we arrogate these holy titles unto us, & think them only attributed to us, vos estis lux mundi, peculium Christi. &c. Ye are the light of the world, the chosen people of Christ, a kyngely priesthood, an holy nation, and such other) Ye shall find many children of the world, because in all places, the world getteth many children. Amonge the lay people, the world cesseth not, to bring to pass, that as they be called worldly, so they at wordly in deed, driven heedlonge by worldly desires, in so much, that they may right well seme to have take as welle the manners, as the name of their father. In the clergy, the world also hath learned a way, to make of men spiritual, worldelynges, yea and there also to form worldly children, wherewith great pretense of holiness, and crafty color of religion, they utterly desire to hyde and clooke the name of the world, as though they were ashamed of their father, which do execrate and deteste the world (being never the less their father) in words and outewarde signs, but in heart and work, they colle and kiss him, and in all their lives declare them selves to be his babes: in so moche that in all worldly points, they far pass and surmount those, that they call seculars, lay men, men of the world. The child so diligently followeth the steppes of his father, never destitute of the aid of his grandfather. These be our holy holy men, that say they ar deed to the world, whan no men be more lively in worldly things, thā some of them be. But let them be in profession & name, moste farthest from the world, most alienate from it, yea so far, that they may seme to have no occupienge, no kynrede, no affinity, nothing to do with it: yet in their life & deeds, they show them self no bastards, but right begotten children of the world: as the which, the world longe sythens, had by his dere wife, dan Hypocrisy, and sins hath brought them up and multiplied them to more than a good maynye, increased them, to moche▪ • o moche, all be it they swear by all he saints and she saints to, th • t they know not their father, 〈◊〉 mother, neither the world, nor hypocrisy, as in deed they can semble & dissemble all things, which thing they might learn wonderful well of their parents. I speak not of all religious men, but of those, that the world hath fast knytte at his gyrdell, even in the mids of their religion, that is, of many, and mo than many. For I fear, leste in all orders of men, the better, I must say, the greatter parte of them, be out of order, and chylderne of the world. Many of these might seme ingrate and unkind children, that wool no better acknowledge, and recognyse their parents in words and outward pretense, but abrenounce and cast them of, as though they hated them as doggis and serpentes. Howe be hit they, in this wise, are most grateful to their parents, because they be moste like them, so lively representyng them in countenance, and condytions, that their parents seme in them to be young again, for as moche as they ever say one, and think another. They show them self to be as sobre, as temperate, as Curius the Romaine was, and live every day, as though all their life were a shrouynge time. They be like their parents, I say, in as moche as they in following them seme and make men believe, they hate them. Thus grandfather devil, father world, & mother hypocrisy have brought them up. Thus good obedient sons, have borne away their parents commandments, neither these be solitarye, howe religious, howe mocking, howe munkyng, I would say, so ever they be. O ye wool lay this to my charge, that Monachus and Solitarius, signifieth all one. I grant this to be so, yet these be so solitary, that they be not alone, but accompanied with great flocks of fraternities. And I marvel, if there be not a greatte sort of bishops and prelates, that are bretheren germayne unto these, and as a great sort, so even as right borne, and worlds chylderne by as good title as they.

But because I cannot speak of all, whan I say prelates, I understand bishops, abbattes, pryours, archedeacons, deanes, and other, of such sort, that are now called to this convocation, as I se, to entreat hereof nothing, but of such matters, as both appertain to the glory of Christ, and to the wealth of the people of England. Which thing I pray god they do as earnestly, as they ought to do. But it is to be fered, lest as light hath many her children here, so the world hath sent some of his whelps hither.

Amonges the which I know, there can be no concord nor unity, albeit they be in one place, in one congregation, I know, there can be no agreement between these two, as longe as they have minds so unlike, and so contrary affections, iugementes so utterly diverse in all points.

But if the children of this world be either mo in nonebre, or more prudent than the children of light, what than availeth us to have this convocation? Had it not ben better, we had not ben called together at all? For as the children of this world be evil, so they brede and bring forth things evil, and yet there be mo of them in all places, or at the leest they be more politic, than the children of light in their generation. And here I speak of the generation. whereby they do engender, and not of that, whereby they are engendered, because it should be to long to entreat, howe the children of light are engendered, and how they come in at the door: and howe the children of the world be engendered, and come in another way. How be hit, I think all you that be here, were not engendered after one generation, neither that ye all came by your promotions after one manner. God grant, that ye, engendered worldly, do not ingender worldly: And as now I moche pass not, how ye were engendered, or by what means ye were promoted to those dignities, that ye now occupy, so it be honest, good, and profitable, that ye in this your Consultation shall do, and ingendre. The ende of your Conuocation, shall show what ye have done: the fruit that shall come of your cōsultation, shall show, what generation ye be of. For what have ye done hitherto I pray you, these. vii. years and mo? what have ye engendered? what have ye brought forth? what fruit is come of your long and great assemble? What one thing, that the people of England hath ben the better of an hear? or you yourselves, either more accepted before God, or better discharged toward the people, committed unto your cure? For that the people is better learned and 〈2+ pages missing〉

trewly never hurt any of you, ye would have raked in the coles, because he would not subscribe to certain articles, that toke away the supremetie of the king. Take away these two noble acts, and there is nothing else left, that ye went about, that I know, sauying that, I now remember, that somewhat ye attempted against Erasmus, all be it as yet, nothing is come to light.

Ye have often sytte in consultation, but what have ye done? ye have had many things in deliberation, but what one is put forth, whereby either Christ is more glorified, or else Christis people made more holier? I appele to your own conscience. Howe chanced this? howe came this thus? because there were no children of light, no children of god amongst you, which setting the world at naught, would study to illustrate the glory of god, and thereby show them selves children of light? I think not so, certainly I think not so. God forbid, that all you, which were gathered together, under the pretense of light should be chylderne of the world. Than why happened this? Why I pray you? Perchaunce either because, the chylderne of the world, were mo in noumbre, in this youre congregation, as it oft happeneth, or at the leest of more policy, than the children of light in their generation. Whereby it might very sone be brought to pass, that those were moche more stronger, in gendryng the evil, than these in producynge good. The childerne of light have policy, but it is like the polycie of the serpent, and is joined with douuysshe symplicitie. They ingendre nothing but simply, faithfully, and plainly, even so doing all that they do. And therefore they may with more facility be combred in their ingendryng, and be the more ready, to take injuries. But the children of this world, have worldly policy foxely craft, lyonlyke cruelty, power to do hurt, more then either aspis or basiliscus, ingendrynge and doing all things, fraudulently, deceytfully, gylefully. Which as Nembrothes and such sturdy and stout hunters, being full of simulation & dissimulation, before the lord, deceive the children of light, & combre them easily. Hunters go not forth in every man's sight, but do their affairs closely, and with use of gyle and deceyte, wax every day more craftier than other. The children of this world be like crafty hunters, they be misnamed children of light, for as moche as they so hate light, and so study to do, the works of darkness. If they were the children of light, they would not love darkness. It is no marvel, that they go about to keep other in darkness, seeing they be in darkness, from top to toe overwhelmed with darkness, darker thā is the darkness of hell. Wherefore it is well done, in all orders of men, but in especial in the order of prelates, to put a difference between children of light, and children of the world, because great deceyte ariseth in taking the one for the other. Great imposture cometh, when they that the common people take for the light go about to take the son and the light out of the world. But these be easyly known, both by the dyuersitie of minds, and also their armors. For where as the children of light at thus minded, that they seek their adversaries health wealth and profit, with loss of their own commodities, and often times with ieoperdie of their life, The children of the world, contrary wise, have such stomachs, that they wool sooner se them deed, that doth them good, than sustain any loss of temporal things. The armure of the childrē of light, are first the word of god, which they ever set forth, and with all diligence put it abroad, that as moche as in them lieth, it may bring forth fruit: after this, patience and prayer, with the which in all adversities the lord comforteth them. Other things they cōmitte to god, unto whom they leave all reuengemente. The armure of the children of the world, are sometime frauds and deceytes, sometime lies and money: By the first, they make their dreams, their traditions: by the second, they stablishe and confirm their dremes, be they never so absurd, never so against scripture, honestye, reason. And if any man resyste them, even with these weapons they procure to slee him. Thus they boughte Christis death, the veray light it self: and obscured him after his death. Thus they bye every day the children of light, and obscure them, and shall so do, until the world be at an ende. So that it may be ever true, that Christ said, The chylderne of the world be wiser. &c.

These worldlings pull down the lively faith, and full confidence that men have in Christ, and set up another faith, another confidence of their own making: the children of light contrary. These worldelynges set lyttell by such works, as god hath prepared for our salvation, but they extol traditions and works of their own invention: the chylderne of light contrary. The worldlings, if they spy profit, gains, lucre, in any thing, be it never such a tryfle, be it never so pernicious, they preach it to the people, if they preach at any time: and these things they defend with tothe and nail. They can scarce disalowe the abuses of these, all be it they be intolerable, lest in disalowynge the abuse, they lose parte of their profit. The children of the light, coutrarye put all things in their degree, best highest, next, next, the worst lowest. They extol things necessary, Christian, and commanded of god. They pull down wylworkes feigned by men, and put them in their place. The abuses of all thing they earnestly rebuke. But yet these things be so done on both parties, and so they both do gendre, that children of the world show them self wiser than the children of light, and that frauds and deceytes, lies, and money, seme evermore to have the upper hand. I hold my peace, I wool not say, how fat feasts and ioly bankettes be ioly instruments, to set forth wordly matters withal.

Neither the children of the world, be only wiser, than the children of light, but are also some of them, among them self, moche wiser then 〈2+ pages missing〉

light, and also the rest of their company, that they both are but foles, if ye compare them with these.

It was a pleasant fiction, and from the beginning so profitable to the feyners of it, that almost, I dare boldly say, there hath been no emperor, that hath got̄ more by taxes and tallages of them that were alive, than these the very and right begotten sons of the world got by deed men's tributes and gifts.

If there be some in England, that would this sweting of the world to be with no less policy kept still, thā it was borne and brought forth in Rome, who thā can accuse Christ of lying? No no, as it hath ben ever true, so it shall be, that the children of the world, be much wiser, not only in making their things, but also in conseruing them. I wot not what it is, but somewhat it is, I wotte, that some men be so loath to se the abuse of this monster, purgatory, which abuse is more than abhominable. As who should say, there is none abuse in it, or elles as though there can be none in it.

They may seem heartily to love the old thing, that thus earnestly endeuoure them to restaure him his old name. They would not set an hear by the name but for the thing. They be not so ignorant (noo they be crafty) but that they know, if the name come again, the thing wool come after. Therby it ariseth, that some men make their crakes, that they, maugre of all men's heedes, have found purgatory. I cannot tell, what is found. This, to pray for deed folks, this 〈2+ pages missing〉

uocation, As our acts shall be, so they shall name us, so that now it lieth in us, whether we wool be called chylderne of the world, or chylderne of light.

Wherefore lift up your heads brotherne, & loke about with your eyes, spy what things are to be reformed in the church of England. Is it so hard, is it so great a matter for you, to se many abuses in the clergy, many in the laytye?

What is done in the arches? Nothynge to be amended? What do they there? Do they evermore rydde the people's business and matters, or combre and ruffle them? Doo they evermore correct vice, or elles defend it, sometime being well corrected in other places? How many sentences be given there in time, as they ought to be? If men say truth, howe many without bribes? Or if all things be well done there, what do men in bishops consistoryes? Shall you ofter se the punysshementes assigned by the laws executed, or elles money redemptions used in their stead?

Howe think you by the Ceremonies, that are in England, often times with no little offense of weak consciences, contempned: more oftener with superstition so defiled, and so depraved, that you may doubt, whether it were better, some of them to tarry still, or utterly to take them away? Have not our fore fathers complained of the number of ceremonies, of the superstition, and estimation of them?

Do ye se nothing in our holy days? of the which very few were made at the first, and they to set forth goodness virtue and honesty. But sythens, in some places, there is neither mean nor measure in making new holy days: as who should say, this one thing is serving of god, to make this law, that no man may work. But what doth the people on these holy-days? Do they give them self to godliness, or else ungodliness? Se ye nothing brotherne? If you se not, yet god seeth. God seeth all the hole holy days, to be spente miserably, in drunkenness, in glossynge, in strife, in envy, in daunsynge, dycyng, ideines and glortony. He seeth all this, and threteneth punishment for it. He seeth it, which neither is deceived in seeing, nor deceiveth when he threteneth. Thus men serve the devil, for god is not thus served, all be it ye say, ye serve god. No, the devil hath more service done unto him on one holy day, than on many working days. Lette all these abuses be compted as nothing, who is he, that is not sory, to se in so many holy days, riche and wealthy persons to flowe in delicates, and men that live by their trauaylle, poor men, to lack necessary meat and drink for their wives, and their chylderne, and that they cannot labor upon the holy days, except they wool be cited and brought before our officials? were it nat the office of good prelates, to consult upon these matters, and to seek some remedy for them? Ye shall se my brotherne, ye shall see ones, what wool come of this our wynkynge.

What think ye of these images that are had more than their fellows in reputation? that are goone unto, with such labor and werynes of the body, frequented with such our cost, sought out and vysited with such confidence? What say ye by these images, that are so famous, so noble, so noted, being of them so many and so divers in England? Doo you think, that this preferrynge of picture to pycture, image to image, is the righte use, and not rather the abuse of images? But you wool say to me, Why make ye all these interrogations? And why in these youre demands do you let and withdraw the good devotion of the people? Be not all things well done, that are done with good intent, whan they be profitable to us? So surely Covetousness both thinketh and speaketh. Were it not better for us, more for estimation, more meter for men in our places, to cut away a piece of this our profytte, if we will nat cut away all, thanne to wynke at such ungodliness, and so longe to wink for a lyttell lucre, specially if it be ungodliness, and also seme unto you ungodliness?

These be two things, so oft to seek mere images, & sometime to visit the relics of saints. And yet as in those, there may be moche ungodliness committed, so there may here some superstition be hid, if that sometime we chance to visit pigges bones, in stead of saints relics, as in time past it hath chanced) I had almost said) in England.

Than this is to great a blyndenes, a darkness to sensyble, that these should be so commended in sermons, of some men, and preached, to be done after such manner, as though they coude not be evil done, which not withstanding are such, that neither god nor man commandeth them to be done. No rather, men cō manded them either not to be done at all, or ess more slowlyer and seldomer to be done: for as moche as our auncetours made this constytution,

we command the priests, that they oft admonysshe the people, and in especial women, that they make no vows, but after longe deliberation, consent of their husbands, and counsel of the priest.

The church of England in time past made this constitution. What saw they, that made this decree? They saw the intolerable abuses of images. They saw the peryls, that might ensue, of going on pilgremage. They saw, the superstytious difference that men made between image and image. Surely somewhat they saw.

The constitution is so made that in manner it taketh away all such pylgremages. For it so plucketh away the abuse of them, that it leaveth either none, or else seldom use of them. For they that restrain making vows, for going of pylgremage, restrain also pilgremage. Seinge that for the moste parte, it is seen, that few go on pilgremage, but vowemakers, and such as by promise bind them self to goo. And whan, I pray you should a man's wife go on pilgremage, if she went not, before she had well debated the matter with herself, and obtained the consent of her husband, being a wise man, and were also counseled by a learned priest so to do? Whan should she go far of, to these famous images? For this the common people of England think to be going on pilgremage, to go to some deed and notable image out of town, that is to say far from their house.

Now if your forefathers made this constitution, and yet thereby did nothing, the abuses every day more and more increased, what is left for you to do? Brotherne and fathers, if lie purpose to do any thing, what should ye sooner do, than take utterly away, these deceitful and iuglyng images: or else if ye know any other mean, to put away abuses, to show it, if ye intend to remove abuses. Me think it should be grateful and pleasant to you, to mark the ernest mind of your forefathers, & to loke upon their desire, where they say in their constitution, we command you, and not, we counsel you. Howe have we ben so longe a cold, so longe slack in setting forth so wholesome a precept of the church of England, where we be so hot in all things, that have any gains in them, all be it they be neither commanded us, nor yet given us by counsel: as though we had leauer, the abuse of things should tarry still, than it taken away, lose our profit.

To let pass the solempne and nocturnal bacchanals, the prescript miracles, that are done upon certain days in the Weste parte of England, who hath not hard, I think, ye have hard, of sayncte Blesis heart, which is at Maluerne, and of saint Algars bones, how longe they deluded the people? I am afraid, to the loss of many souls. Whereby men may well conjecture, that all about in this realm, there is plenty of such iuglynge deceytes. And yet hitherto ye have sought no remedy. But euyn still the miserable people is suffered, to take the false miracles for the true, and to lie still a stepe in all kind of superstytion. God have mercy upon us.

Last of all, howe think you of matrimony? Is all well here? What of baptism? Shall we evermore in ministering of it, speak latin, and not englyshe rather, that the people may know what is said and done?

What think ye of these mass priests, & of the masses them self? What say ye? Be all things here so without abuses, that nothing ought to be amended? Your forefathers saw somewhat, which made this constitution, against the venalitie and sale of Masses, that under peine of suspending, no priest should sell his saying of tricēnals, or annals. what saw they, that made this constitutiō? What priests saw they? what manner of masses saw they, trow ye? But at the last, what became of so good a constitution? God have mercy upon us.

If there be nothing to be amended abroad, concerning the holy, let everyone of us make one better. If there be neither abroad nor at home any thing to be amended, and redressed, My lords, be ye of good chere, be merry: and at the least because we have nothing else to do, let us reason the matter, how we may be rycher. Let us fall to some pleasant communication: after let us goo home, even as good as we came hither, that is right begotten children of the world, and utterly worldlings. And while we live here, let us all make bon chere. For after this life, there is smalle pleasure, lyttell myrthe for us to hoope for, if now there be nothing to be changed in our facions. Lette us say, not as S. Peter did, Our ende approacheth nigh, this is an heuye herynge: but let us say, as the evil servant said, It wool belong ere my master come. This is pleasant. Let us beat our fellows. Lette us eat and drink with dronkerdes. Surely, as often as we do not take away the abuse of things, so often, we beat our fellows. As oft as we give not the people their true food, so oft we beat our fellows. As oft as we let them die in superstition, so often we beat them. To be short, as often as we blind, lead them blind, so oft we beat and grievously stryke our fellows. Whanne we walter in pleasures and idelnes, thā we eat and drink with drunkards. But God will come, God will come, he wool not tarry long away. He wool come upon such a day, as we nothing loke for him: and at such hour, as we know not. He wool come, and cut us in pyeces. He wool reward us, as he doth the hypocrites. He wool set us, where wailing shall be my brothern, where gnastyng of tethe shall be my brotherne. And let here be the ende of our tragedy, if ye wool. These be the delycate dysshes, prepared for worlds well be loved children.

These be the wafers and tōkettes, provided for worldly prelates, waylynge and gnasshynge of teethe. Can there be any mirth, where these two courses, last all the feast? Here we lawghe, there we shall weep. Our teeth make merry here, ever dashing in delicates, there we shall be torn with teeth, & do nothing but gnashe and grynde our own. To whatte ende have we now excelled other in policy? What have we brought forth at the last?

Ye se brothern, what sorrow, what punishment is provided for you, if ye be worldlings. If ye wol not thus be vexed, be not ye the chylderne of the world. If ye wool not be the children of the world, be not stryken with the love of worldly things, leave not upon them. If ye wool not die eternally, live not worldly. Come, go to my brothers, goo to, I say again, and ones again, go to, leave the love of your profit, study for the glory and profit of Christ, seek in your consultations, such things as pertain to Christ, and bring forth at the last, somewhat, that may please Christ. Fede ye tenderly with all diligence, the flock of Christ. Preache truly the word of god, Love the light, walk in the light: and so be ye the children of light, while ye are in this world, that ye may shine in the world, that is to come, bright as the son, with the father, the son, & the holy goost, to whom be all honor and glory.

Imprinted at London by Thomas Berthelet, printer to the kings grace. The yere from the birth of Christ. 1537. the 23. of November.

Cum priuilegio.