A03519:104
Certain Sermons or Homilies (First Book of Homilies)
Certain sermons, or homilies appointed by the kings Majesty, to be declared and read, by all persons, vicars, or curates, every Sunday in their churches, where they have cure. Anno 1547.Certayne sermons, or homelies appoynted by the kynges Maiestie, to be declared and redde, by all persones, vicars, or curates, euery Sondaye in their churches, where they haue cure. Anno 1547.
London: printed by Richard Grafton printer to his most royal Majesty, 1547London: printed by Rychard Grafton printer to his moste royall Maiestie, 1547
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
¶A Sermon, how dangerous a thing it is, to decline from God.
¶A Sermon, how daungerous a thynge it is, to declyne from God.
OF our going from God, the Wiseman sayeth,1 that pride was the first beginning: for by it mans heart was turned from god his maker. For pride (sayeth he) is the fountain of all sin, he that hath it, shall be full of cursings, & at the end, it shall overthrow him. And, as by Pride & sin, we go from God, so shall God & all goodness with him, go from us. And the prophet Ozee doeth plainly affirm:2 that they which go away still from God, by vicious living, & yet would go about to pacify him otherwise, by sacrifice, & entertain him thereby, they labour in vain. For, notwithstanding all their sacrifice, yet he goeth still away from them. For so much (sayeth the Prophet) as they do no apply their minds, to return to god, although they go about with whole flocks and herds, to seek the Lord: yet they shall not find him, for he is gone away from them. But as touching our turning to god, or from god: you shall understand, that it may be done diverse ways. Some times directly by Idolatry, as Israel and Judah then did: some times men go from God, by lack of faith, & mistrusting of God, whereof Isaiah speaketh in this wise: Woe to them that go down into Egypt, to seek for help,3 trusting in horses, and having confidence in the number of chariots, and puissance of horsemen. They have no confidence in the holy God of Israel, nor seek for the ⟨image 49⟩Lord: But what followeth? The Lord shall let his hand fall upon them, and down shall come, both the helper, and he that is holpen. They shall be destroyed altogether.
OF our goyng from God, the Wyseman sayeth,