The second tome of homilees of such matters as were promised, and intituled in the former part of homilees. Set out by the aucthoritie of the Queenes Maiestie: and to be read in euery parishe church agreeably.

An Homilee of the ryght vse of the Churche or temple of God, and of the reuerence due vnto the same. ¶ The first part.

WHERE there appeareth at these dayes great slacknesse & negligence of a great sorte of people, in resorting to the Church, there to serue God their heauenly father, accor∣dyng to their most bounden duetie, as also muche vn∣comely and vnreuerent behauiour of many per∣sons in the same, when they be there assembled, and thereby maye iust feare aryse of the wrath of GOD, and his dreadfull plagues hanging ouer our heades for our greeuous offences in this be∣halfe, amongst other many & great sinnes which we dayly and hourely commit before the Lorde. Therefore for the discharge of al our consciences, and the auoydyng of the common peryl & plague hangyng ouer vs, let vs consyder what may be sayde out of Gods holy booke concernyng this matter, whereunto I pray you geue good audi∣ence, for that it is of great wayght, and concer∣neth you all.

Although the eternall and incomprehensible maiestie of God, the Lorde of heauen and earth, whose seate is heauen, & the earth his footestole, can not be inclosed in temples or houses made

with mans hande, as in dwelling places able to receaue or conteyne his maiestie, accordyng as is euidently declared by the prophete Esaias, and by the doctrine of saint Steuen, and saint Paul in the Actes of the Apostles. And where kyng Salomon (who builded vnto the Lorde the most glorious temple that euer was made) sayth, Who shalbe able to buylde a meete or worthye house for hym? if heauen, and the heauen aboue all heauens can not contayne hym: howe muche lesse can that whiche I haue builded? And fur∣ther confesseth: What am I, that I shoulde be a∣ble to buylde thee an house O Lord? But yet for this purpose only it is made, that thou mayest regarde the prayer of thy seruaunt and his hum∣ble supplication. Muche lesse then be our Chur∣ches meete dwellyng places to receaue the in∣comprehensible maiestie of God. And in deede, the cheefe and speciall temples of God, wherein he hath greatest pleasure, and moste delyghteth to dwell and continue in, are the bodyes and myndes of true Christians, and the chosen peo∣ple of GOD, accordyng to the doctrine of the holye scripture, declared in the firste Epistle to the Corinthians. Knowe ye not (sayth Saint Paul) that ye be the temple of God, and that the spirite of God dwelleth in you? If any man de∣fyle the temple of God, hym wyll God destroye. For the temple of God is holy, which ye are. And agayne in the same Epistle: Knowe ye not that your body is the temple of the holye ghost dwel∣lyng in you, whom ye haue geuen you of God, and that ye be not your owne? for ye are dearely

bought. Glorifie ye nowe therefore God in your body, and in your spirite, whiche are Gods. And therefore as our sauiour Christe teacheth in the Gospell of saint John, they that worshyp God the father in spirite and trueth, in what place so euer they do it, worshyp hym a ryght: for suche worshyppers doth God the father looke for. For God is a spirite, & those that worshyp hym, must worship him in spirit and trueth, sayth our saui∣our Christe. Yet all this notwithstandyng, the material Church or temple is a place appoynted aswell by the vsage and continuall examples ex∣pressed in the olde Testament, as in the newe, for the people of God to resort together vnto, there to heare Gods holy worde, to call vpon his holy name, to geue hym thankes for his innumera∣ble and vnspeakeable benefites bestowed vppon vs, and duely and truely to celebrate his holy sa∣cramentes (In the vnfayned doyng and accom∣plyshyng of the whiche, standeth that true and right worshipping of God afore mentioned) and the same Churche or temple, is by the scriptures both of the olde Testament and the newe, called the house and temple of the Lorde, for the pecu∣lier seruice there done to his maiestie by his peo∣ple, & for the effectuous presence of his heauen∣lye grace, where with he by his sayde holye word endueth his people so there assembled. And to the sayde house or temple of God, at all tymes by common order appoynted, are all people that be godly in deede, bounde with all diligence to re∣sorte, vnlesse by sicknesse or other moste vrgente causes they be letted therefro. And all the same

so resortyng thyther, ought with all quietnesse and reuerence there to behaue them selues, in doing their bounden duetie & seruice to almigh∣tie God, in the congregation of his Saintes. All which thinges are euident to be prooued by Gods holye worde, as hereafter shall playnelye appeare.

And firste of all, I wyll declare by the scrip∣tures, that it is called (as it is indeede) the house of God, and temple of the Lorde. He that swea∣reth by the temple (sayth our sauiour Christe) sweareth by it and hym that dwelleth therein, meanyng God the father, whiche he also expres∣seth playnely in the Gospell of Saint John, say∣ing: Do not make the house of my father the house of marchaundize. And in the booke of the Psalmes, the Prophete Dauid sayth, I wyll enter into thyne house, I wyll worshyp in thy holy temple, in thy feare. And it is in almost in∣finite places of the scripture, specially in the pro∣phetes and booke of psalmes, called the house of God, or the house of the Lorde. Sometyme it is named the tabernacle of the Lord, and sometime the sanctuarye, that is to say, the holy house or place of the Lorde. And it is in lykewyse called the house of prayer, as Salomon, who buylded the temple of the Lorde at Hierusalem, doth ofte call it the house of the Lorde, in the whiche the Lordes name should be called vpon. And Esaias in the. 50. Chapter, My house shalbe called the house of prayer amongst all nations. Which text our sauiour Christ alleageth in the newe Testa∣ment, as doth appeare in three of the Euange∣listes,

and in the parable of the Pharisee and the Publicane whiche went to pray, in which para∣ble our sauiour Christ sayth, They went vp into the temple to pray. And Anna the holy wydo we and prophetisse, serued the Lorde in fastyng and prayer in the temple, nyght and day. And in the storie of the Actes it is mentioned, how that Pe∣ter & John went vp into the temple at the houre of prayer. And saint Paul praying in the tem∣ple at Hierusalem, was rapte in the spirite, and did see Jesus speaking vnto him. And as in all conuenient places, prayer may be vsed of the godly priuately: So it is most certaine, that the Churche or temple is the due and appoynted place for common and publique prayer.

Nowe that it is lykewise the place of thankes geuyng vnto the Lorde for his innumerable and vnspeakeable benefites bestowed vppon vs, ap∣peareth notably in the latter ende of the Gospell of saint Luke, and the begynnyng of the storie of the Actes, where it is written that the Apo∣stles and disciples after the assention of the lord, continued with one accorde dayly in the temple, alwayes praysyng and blessyng God.

And it is lykewyse declared in the first Epistle to the Corinthians, that the Churche is the due place appoynted for the reuerent vse of the Sacramentes. It remayneth nowe to be de∣clared, that the Churche or temple is the place where the lyuely worde of God (and not mans inuentions) ought to be read & taught, and that the people are bounde thyther with all diligence to resort: and this proofe likewise to be made by

the scriptures, as hereafter shall appeare.

In the storie of the actes of the apostles, we reade that Paul and Barnabas preached the worde of God in the temples of the Jewes at Salamine. And when they came to Antiochia, they entred on the Sabbath day into the Sy∣nagogue or Churche, and sate downe, and after the lesson or readyng of the lawe and the pro∣phetes, the ruler of the temple sent vnto them, saying: Ye men and brethren, yf anye of you haue any exhortation to make vnto the people, saye it. And so Paul standyng vp, and makyng scilence with his hande, sayde? Ye men that be Israelites, and ye that feare God, geue eare, and so foorth, preachyng to them a sermon out of the scriptures, as there at large appeareth. And in the same storie of the actes, the seuenteenth Chapter, is testified howe Paul preached Christ out of the Scriptures at Thessalonica. And in the fifteenth Chapter, James the apostle in that holy councell and assemblie of his felowe Apo∣stles sayth, Moyses of olde tyme hath in euery Citie certayne that preache hym in the Sy∣nagogues or temples, where he is read euerye Sabbath day. By these places ye maye see the vsage of readyng of the Scriptures of the olde Testament among the Jewes in theyr Sy∣nagogues euery Sabbath daye, and sermons vsually made vpon the same. Howe muche more then is it conuenient that the Scriptures of God, and specially the Gospell of our sauiour Christ, should be read and expounded to vs that be Christians in our Churches, speciallye our

sauiour Christe and his apostles allowyng this most godly and necessarie vsage, and by theyr ex∣amples confirming the same.

It is written in the stories of the Gospels in diuers places, that Jesus went rounde about all Galilee, teachyng in theyr Synagogues, & prea∣ching the Gospell of the kyngdome: In which places is his great diligence in continuall prea∣chyng and teachyng of the people, most euident∣ly set foorth.

In Luke ye reade, howe Jesus accordyng to his accustomed vse came into the temple, and howe the booke of Esaias the prophete was de∣liuered him, howe he read a text therein, & made a sermon vpon the same.

And in the. xix. is expressed howe he taught dayly in the temple. And it is thus written in the. viii. of John: Jesus came agayne earlye in the mornyng into the temple, and all the people came vnto hym, and he sate downe and taught them. And in the. xviii. of John, our sauiour testifieth before Pilate, that he spake openly vn∣to the world, and that he alwayes taught in the Synagogue and in the temple, whyther all the Jewes resorted, and that secretely he spake no∣thing. And in saint Luke: Jesus taught in the temple, and all the people came early in the mor∣ning vnto hym, that they myght heare hym in the temple.

Here ye see aswell the diligence of our saui∣our in teaching the worde of God in the tem∣ple dayly, and specially on the Sabbath dayes, as also the redynesse of the people resortyng al∣together,

and that early in the morning, into the Temple to heare hym.

The same example of diligence in preachyng the worde of God in the Temple, shall ye fynde in the Apostles, and the people resortyng vnto them. Act. the. v. Howe the Apostles, although they had ben whypped and scourged the day before, and by the hygh priest commaunded that they shoulde preache no more in the name of Je∣sus, yet the day folowyng they entred earlye in the mornyng into the Temple, and dyd not ceasse to teache and declare Jesus Christe. And in sun∣drye other places of the storye of the Actes, ye shall fynde lyke diligence both in the Apostles in teachyng, and in the people in commyng to the temple to heare Gods worde. And it is testifi∣ed in the first of Luke, that when Zacharie the holy priest, and father to John baptist, dyd sacri∣fice within the temple, al the people stoode with∣out a long tyme praying, suche was theyr zeale and feruencie at that tyme. And in the seconde of Luke appeareth what great iourneyes men, women, yea and chyldren tooke, to come to the temple on the feast day, there to serue the Lorde, and specially the example of Joseph, the blessed virgin Marie mother to our Sauiour Jesus Christe, and of our sauiour Christe hym selfe be∣yng yet but a child, whose examples are worthy for vs to folowe. So that yf we woulde com∣pare our negligence in resortyng to the house of the Lorde there to serue hym, to the diligence of the Jewes in commyng dayly verye early, some∣tyme

great iourneyes to theyr temple, and when the multitude coulde not be receaued within the temple, the feruent zeale that they had, declared in standyng long without and praying: We may iustly in this comparison condemne our slouth∣fulnesse and negligence, yea playne contempt in comming to the Lordes house, standyng so nere vnto vs, so seldome, and scarcely at none time. So farre is it from a great many of vs to come early in the morning, or geue attendaunce with∣out, who disdayne to come into the temple, and yet we abhorre the verye name of the Jewes when we heare it, as of a moste wycked and vn∣godly people. But it is to be feared, that in this poynt we be farre worse then the Jewes, and that they shall ryse at the day of iudgement to our condemnation, who in comparison to them, shewe suche slackenesse and contempt in resor∣tyng to the house of the Lorde, there to serue him, according as we are of duetie most bounde. And besides this moste horrible dread of Gods iust iudgement in the great day, we shall not in this lyfe escape his heauie hande and venge∣aunce for this contempt of the house of the Lord and his due seruice in the same, accordyng as the Lorde him selfe threatneth in the firste Chapter of his prophete Aggeus after this sort: Because you haue left my house desert and without com∣payne (sayth the Lorde) and ye haue made haste euery man to his owne house, for this cause are the heauens stayed ouer you that they shoulde geue no deaw, and the earth is forbidden that it

shall bryng foorth his fruite, and I haue called drought vpon the earth, and vppon the moun∣taynes, and vpon corne, and vpon wyne, and vp∣pon oyle, and vpon al things that the earth brin∣geth foorth, and vpon men, and vppon beastes, and vpon all thynges that mens handes labour for. Beholde, yf we be such worldlinges that we care not for the eternall iudgementes of GOD, (whiche yet of all other are moste dreadfull and horrible) we shall not escape the punishment of God in this worlde by drought and famine, and the takyng away of all worldlye commodities, whiche we as worldlinges seeme only to regard and care for. Whereas on the contrary part, yf we woulde amende this faulte or negligence, slouthfulnesse and contempt of the house of the Lorde, and his due seruice there, and with dili∣gence resort thither together, to serue the Lorde with one accorde and consent, in all holines and ryghteousnesse before hym: we haue promises of benefites both heauenly and worldly. Whereso∣euer two or three be gathered in my name (saieth our sauiour Christ) there am I in the middest of them. And what can be more blessed thē to haue our sauiour Christe amongst vs? Or what a∣gaine can be more vnhappy or mischeuous, then to driue our sauiour Christe from amongst vs, and to leaue a place for his and our most aunci∣ent and mortall enemie the olde dragon and ser∣pent Satan the deuyll in the middest of vs?

In the second of Luke it is written, how that the mother of Christ and Joseph, when they had long sought Christ whom they had lost, & coulde

finde hym no where, that at the last they founde hym in the temple, sittyng in the middest of the doctours. So if we lacke Jesus Christe, that is to say, the sauiour of our soules and bodyes, we shall not finde hym in the market place, or in the guylde hal, much lesse in the alehouse or tauerne amongst good felowes (as they call them) so soone as we shall fynde hym in the temple the Lordes house, amongst the teachers and prea∣chers of his worde, where in deede he is to be founde. And as concerning worldly cōmodities, we haue a sure promise of our sauiour Christe: Seke ye first the kingdome of God, and the righ∣teousnesse therof, and al these thinges shal with∣all be geuen vnto you. And thus we haue in the first part of this Homilee declared by gods word, that the Temple or Churche is the house of the Lorde, for that the seruice of the Lorde (as tea∣ching and hearing of his holy worde, calling vp∣pon his holye name, geuyng thankes to hym for his great and innumerable benefites, and due ministring of his sacraments) is there vsed. And it is lyke wyse declared alredy by the scriptures, howe all godly and Christian men and women ought at tymes appoynted, with diligence to re∣sort vnto the house of the Lord, there to serue hym, and to glorifie hym, as he is most worthy, and we most bounde, to whom be all glory and honor world with∣out ende,

Amen.

¶ The seconde part of the Homilee of the ryght vse of the Churche.

IT was declared in the firste part of this Homilee, by gods word, that the temple or Churche is the house of the lord, for that the seruice of the Lorde (as teaching & hearyng of his holy worde, calling vpō his holy name, geuyng thankes to hym for his great and innu∣merable benefites, and due ministring of the sa∣cramentes) is there vsed. And it is lyke wyse alre∣dy declared by the scriptures, how all godly and christian men & women, ought at times appoin∣ted, with diligence to resort vnto the house of the Lorde, there to serue him, and to glorifie hym, as he is most worthy, and we most bounden.

Nowe it remayneth in this second parte of the Homilee concernyng the ryght vse of the temple of God, to be likewyse declared by Gods worde, with what quietnesse, scilence, and reuerence, those that resort to the house of the Lord, ought there to vse and behaue them selues.

It may teache vs sufficiently how well it doth become vs christian men reuerently to vse the Churche and holy house of our prayers, by consi∣dering in how greate reuerence and veneration the Jewes in the olde lawe had their Temple, whiche appeareth by sundrye places, whereof I wyll note vnto you certayne. In the xxvi. of Matthewe, it was laide to our sauiour Christes charge before a temporall iudge, as a matter

worthy death, by the two false witnesses, that he had sayde, he could destroy the temple of GOD, and in three dayes buylde it agayne, not doub∣ting but yf they might make men to beleue that he had sayde any thyng agaynst the honour and maiestie of the temple, he should seeme to al men moste worthy of death. And in the. xxi. of the Actes, when the Jewes found Paul in the tem∣ple, they layde handes vppon hym, crying: Ye men Israelies helpe, this is that man who tea∣cheth all men euery where agaynst the people and the lawe, and agaynst this place: besydes that, he hath brought the Gentiles into the tem∣ple, and hath prophaned this holy place. Behold howe they tooke it for a lyke offence to speake a∣gaynst the temple of God, as to speake agaynst the lawe of God, and howe they iudged it conue∣ment, that none but godly persons and the true worshippers of God, should enter into the temple of GOD. And the same fault is layde to Paules charge by Tertullus an eloquent man, and by the Jewes in the. xxiiii. of the Actes, before a tem∣porall Judge, as a matter worthy death, that he went about to pollute the temple of GOD. And in the. xxvii. of Matthewe, when the cheefe priestes had receaued agayne the peeces of siluer at Judas hande, they sayde, It is not lawfull to put them into Corban (whiche was the treasure house of the temple) because it is the price of blood. So that they coulde not abyde that not onely any vncleane person, but also any other dead thyng that was iudged vncleane, shoulde once come into the temple, or any place thereto

belonging. And to this ende is saint Paules say∣yng in the second Epistle to the Corinthians the vi. Chapter to be applyed: What felowshippe is there betwixt righteousnes, & vnrighteousnes? or what communion betwene light & darknesse? or what concorde betweene Christe and Beliall? or what part can the faythfull haue with thun∣faythful? or what agremēt can there be betwene the temple of God and images? Which sentence, although it be cheefly referred to the temple of y^e mynde of the godlye: yet seeyng that the simili∣tude and pith of the argument is taken from the material temple, it enforceth that no vngodlines, specially of images or idols, may be suffred in the temple of God, whiche is the place of worshyp∣pyng God: and therefore can no more be suffered to stande there, then light can agree with darke∣nes, or Christ with Belial: for that the true wor∣shipping of god, and the worshipping of images, are moste contrarye. And the settyng of them vp in the place of worshyppyng, may geue great occasion to the worshyppyng of them. But to turne to the reuerence that the Jewes had to their temple. You will say they honoured it su∣perstitiously, & a great deale to much, crying out, the temple of the Lorde, the temple of the Lorde, being notwithstanding most wicked in life, & be therfore most iustly reproued of Jeremie the pro∣phete of the Lorde. Trueth it is, that they were superstitiously geuen to the honouryng of theyr temple: But I woulde we were not as farre to short from the due reuerence of the Lords house, as they ouershot them selues therein. And if the

prophete iustlye reprehended them, hearken also what the Lord requireth at our handes, that we may know whether we be blame worthy or no.

It is written in Ecclesiastes the fourth Chap∣ter: When thou doest enter into the house of God (saith he) take heede to thy feete, draw neare that thou mayest heare, for obedience is muche more worth then the sacrifice of fooles, whiche know not what euill they do. Speake nothyng rashly there, neyther let thyne heart be swyft to vtter wordes before God. For God is in heauen, and thou art vpon the earth, therfore let thy wordes be fewe. Note (welbeloued) what quietnesse in gesture and behauiour, what scilence in talke & wordes, is required in the house of God, for so he calleth it. See whether they take heede to theyr feete, as they be here warned, which neuer ceasse from vncomely walking and ietting vp & downe and ouerthwarte the Churche, shewyng an eui∣dent signification of notable contempt, both of God, and all good men there present: and what heede they take to their tounges, & speach, which do not only speake wordes swiftly and rashly be∣fore the Lorde (whiche they be here forbydden) but also often tymes speake fylthyly, couetously, and vngodly, talkyng of matters scarce honest or fytte for the alehouse or tauerne, in the house of the Lorde, lytle consyderyng that they speake be∣fore God, who dwelleth in heauen (as is here de∣clared) when they be but vermins here creeping vpon the earth, in camparison to his eternall maiestie, and lesse regarding that they must geue an accompt at the great day, of euery ydle worde

whersoeuer it be spoken, muche more of fylthye, vncleane, or wicked words spoken in the Lordes house, to the great dishonour of his maiestie, and offence of all that heare them. And in deede con∣cernyng the people and multitude, the temple is prepared for thē to be hearers, rather then spea∣kers, consyderyng that aswell the word of god is there read or taught, whereunto they are bound to geue diligent eare with all reuerence and sci∣lence, as also that common prayer and thankes geuyng are rehearsed and sayde by the publique minister in the name of the people & the whole multitude present, wherunto they geuyng their redye audience, shoulde assent and say Amen, as S. Paul teacheth in the firste Epistle to the Corinthians. And in another place, glorifiyng God, with one spirite and mouth: which can not be when euery man and woman in seuerat pre∣tence of deuotion, prayeth priuately, one askyng, another geuyng thankes, another readyng doc∣trine, & forceth not to heare the common prayer of the minister. And peculierly, what due reue∣rence is to be vsed in the ministring of the Sa∣cramentes in the temple, the same saint Paul teacheth in his Epistle to the Corinthians, rebu∣kyng suche as dyd vnreuerently vse them selues in that behalfe. Haue ye not houses to eate and drynke in (sayth he?) Do ye despise the Churche or congregation of God? What shall I saye to you? Shall I prayse you? In this I prayse you not. And God requireth not onely this outward reuerence of behauiour and scilence in his house, but al inward reuerence in clensing of the

thoughtes of our heartes, threatning by his pro∣phete Ose in the. ix. Chapter, that for the malice of the inuentions and deuises of the people, he will cast them out of his house: whereby is also signified the eternall castyng of them out of his heauenlye house and kyngdome, whiche is most horrible. And therefore in the. 19. of Leuit. God sayth, Feare you with reuerence my sanctuarye, for I am the Lorde. And accordyng to the same the prophete Dauid sayth, I wyll enter into thine house, I wyll worshyp in thy holy temple in thy feare: shewyng what inward reuerence and humblenes of mynde the godly men ought to haue in the house of the Lorde. And to alleage some what concerning this matter out of the newe Testament, in what honour God woulde haue his house or temple kepte, and that by the example of our sauiour Christe, whose auctho∣ritie ought of good reason with all true Christi∣ans to be of most wayght and estimation: It is written of all the foure Euangelistes, as a nota∣ble acte, and worthy to be testified by many holy witnesses, how that our sauiour Jesus Christe, that mercifull and mylde Lorde, cōpared for his meekenesse to a sheepe, suffring with scilence his fleece to be shorne from him, and to a lambe led without resistaunce to the slaughter, whiche gaue his body to them that dyd smyte hym, aun∣swered not hym that reuiled, nor turned away his face from them that dyd reproche hym and spit vpon him, and accordyng to his owne exam∣ple, gaue preceptes of mildnes and sufferaunce to his disciples: Yet when he seeth the temple and

holy house of his heauenly father misordred, pol∣luted, and prophaned, vseth great seueritie and sharpenes, ouerturneth the tables of thexchaun∣gers, subuerteth the seates of them that solde doues, maketh a whip of cordes, and scourgeth out those wicked abusers and prophaners of the temple of God, saying, My house shalbe called the house of prayer, but ye haue made it a den of theeues. And in the. ii. of John, Do not ye make the house of my father, the house of marchaun∣dize. For as it is the house of GOD, when Gods seruice is duely done in it: So whē we wickedly abuse it with wicked talke or couetous bargay∣ning, we make it a den of theeues, or an house of marchaundize. Yea, and suche reuerence woulde Christe shoulde be therein, that he woulde not suffer any vessell to be caryed through the tem∣ple. And where as our saniour Christe (as is be∣fore mentioned out of S. Luke) coulde be founde no where (when he was sought) but only in the temple amongst the doctours, and nowe agayne exerciseth his aucthoritie and iurisdiction, not in castles and princely palaces amongst souldiers, but in the temple: Ye may hereby vnderstande in what place his spirituall kyngdome (whiche he denyeth to be of this worlde) is sonest to be founde, and best to be knowen of all places in this worlde. And accordyng to this example of our sauiour Christe in the primitiue Churche, which was most holy & godly, and in the which due discipline with seueritie was vsed agaynst the wicked, opē offenders were not suffered once to enter into the house of the Lorde, nor admit∣ted

to common prayer, and the vse of the holye Sacramentes with other true Christians, vntil they had done open penaunce before the whole Churche. And this was practised, not only vpon meane persons, but also vpon the ryche, noble, and mightie persons, yea, vpon Theodosius that puissaunt and mightie Emperour, whom for cō∣mittyng a greeuous and wylfull murther, S. Ambrose Byshop of Millayne reproued sharply, and did also excommunicate the said Emperour, and brought hym to open penaunce. And they that were so iustly exempted and banished (as it were) from the house of the Lorde, were taken (as they be in deede) for men diuided and separa∣ted from Christes Churche, and in most daunge∣rous estate, yea as S. Paul sayeth, euen geuen vnto Satan the deuyll for a tyme, and theyr company was shunned and auoyded of all godly men and women, vntyll suche tyme as they by repentaunce and publique penaunce were re∣conciled. Suche was the honour of the Lordes house in mens heartes, and outwarde reuerence also at that tyme, and so horrible a thing was it to be shut out of the Churche and house of the Lorde in those dayes, when religion was most pure, and nothyng so corrupt as it hath ben of late dayes. And yet we wyllyngly, eyther by ab∣sentyng our selues from the house of the Lorde, do (as it were) excommunicate our selues from the Churche and felowshyp of the Saintes of God, orels comming thyther, by vncomely and vnreuerent behauiour there, by hastie, rashe, yea vncleane and wicked thoughtes and wordes be∣fore

the Lorde our God, horribly dishonour his holy house the Churche of GOD, and his holy name and maiestie, to the great daunger of our soules, yea, and certayne damnation also, yf we do not spedily and earnestly repent vs of this wic∣kednesse.

Thus ye haue hearde (dearely beloued) out of Gods worde, what reuerence is due to the holye house of the Lorde, how all godly persons ought with diligence at times appoynted thither to re∣payre, howe they ought to behaue them selues there, with reuerence and dread before the Lord, what plagues and punyshementes, as well tem∣porall, as eternall, the Lorde in his holy worde threatneth, aswell to suche as neglect to come to his holy house, as also to suche, who commyng thither, do vnreuerently by iesture or talke, there behaue them selues. Wherefore, if we desyre to haue seasonable weather, and thereby to enioye the good fruites of the earth, yf we wyll auoyde drought and barrennesse, thirste and hunger, whiche are plagues threatned vnto suche as make haste to go to their owne houses, to ale∣houses, and to tauernes, and leaue the house of the Lorde emptie and desolate, yf we abhorre to be scourged, not with whyppes made of cordes, out of the materiall temple only (as our sauiour Christe serued the defilers of the house of God in Hierusalem) but also to be beaten and dryuen out of the eternall temple and house of the Lorde (which is his heauenly kingdome) with the iron rodde of euerlastyng damnation, and caste into outter darkenes, where is weeping and gna∣shing

of teeth, if we feare, dread, and abhorre this (I say) as we haue most iust cause to do: then let vs amende this our negligence and contempt in comming to the house of the Lorde, this our vn∣reuerent behauiour in the house of the Lorde, and resortyng thither diligently together, let vs there with reuerent hearyng of the Lordes holy worde, calling on the Lordes holy name, geuing of heartie thankes vnto the Lorde for his many∣folde and inestimable benefites daily and hourly bestowed vpon vs, celebrating also reuerently of the Lordes holy Sacramentes, serue the Lorde in his holy house, as becommeth the seruauntes of the Lorde, in holines and righteousnes before him all the dayes of our lyfe, and then we shalbe assured, after this lyfe, to rest in his holy hyll, and to dwell in his tabernacle, there to prayse and magnifie his holy name in the congregation of his saintes, in the holy house of his eternal king∣dome of heauen, which he hath purchased for vs, by the death and sheddyng of the pretious blood of his sonne our sauiour Jesus Christ, to whom with the father and the holy ghost, one immortal maiestie of GOD, be all honour, glorie, prayse, and thankesgeuyng, worlde without ende,

Amen.

Notes

• Act. 7.
• Esai. 16. Act. 7. 17,
• 3. Reg. 8. 2. Par. 2, and▪ 6.
• 1. Cor. 3.
• 1. Cor. 6,
• Iohn. 4.
• Mat. 2••.
• Iohn. 2.
• Psal. 5.
• Psal. 1••1.
• Exo. 25. Leui. 19.
• 3. Reg. 8. 2. Par. 26.
• Esai. 50.
• Mat. 21. Mark. 11. Luk. 19. Luk. 18.
• Luke. 2. Act. 3.
• Act. 2••.
• Luke. 24. Act. 2.
• 1. Cor. 9.
• Act. 13.
• Act. 17.
• Act. 15.
• Mat. 4. Mark. i. Luk. 4. Mat. 13. 20. Mark. 6. Luk. 13.
• Luk. 4.
• Luk. 19.
• Iohn. 8.
• Iohn. 18.
• Luk. 21.
• Act. 13. 15. 17.
• Luke. 1.
• Luke. 2.
• Agge. 1.
• Mat. 18.
• Luk. 2.
• Mat. 26.
• Actes. 21.
• Act. 24.
• Mat. 27.
• 2. Cor. 6.
• Hier. 7.
• Eccle. 4.
• Mat. 4.
• 1. Cor. 14.
• 1. Cor. 11.
• Ose. 9.
• Leui. 19.
• Psal. 5.
• Mat. 21. Mark. 11. Luk. 19. Iohn. 11.
• Esai. 53. Act. 8.
• Esai. 50. Mat. 5.
• Iohn. 2.
• Mar. 11.
• Chrisost.
• ••. Cor. 5.
• Epes. 3.