A03519:133
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.
¶ An exhortation against the fear of Death.¶ An exhortation agaynst the feare of Death.
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.
Therefore, seeing that when we have in earth our carnal fathers to be our correctors, we do fear them, and reverently take their correction, shall we not much more be in subjection to God our spiritual father, by whom we shall have eternal life? And our carnal fathers some time correct us, even as pleaseth them, without cause: but this father, justly correcteth us, either for our sin, to the intent we should amend, or for our commodity & wealth, to make us thereby partakers of his holiness. Furthermore, all correction, which God sendeth us in this present time, seemeth to have no joy and comfort, but sorrow and pain: Yet it bringeth with it a taste of Gods mercy and goodness towards them, that be so corrected, & a sure hope of God's everlasting consolation in heaven. If then these sorrows, diseases, and sicknesses, and also death it self, be nothing else, but our heavenly fathers rod, whereby he certifieth us of his love & gracious favour, whereby he trieth and purifieth us, whereby he giveth unto us holiness, & certifieth us, that we be his children, and he our merciful father: shall not we then, with all humility, as obedient & loving children, joyfully kiss our heavenly fathers rod, and ever say in our heart, with our saviour Jesus Christ: Father, if this anguish and sorrow with I feel, and death,1 which I see approach, may not pass, but that thy will is, that I must suffer them, thy will be done.
Therfore, seynge that whē we haue in earth our carnall fathers to be our correctors, we do feare them, and reuerently take their correction, shall we not much more be in subieccion to God our spirituall father, by whome we shall haue eternal lyfe? And our carnall fathers some tyme correct vs, euen as pleaseth thē, without cause: but this father, iustely correcteth vs, either for our synne, to the intēt we should amende, or for our commoditie & wealthe, to make vs therby partakers of his holynesse. Furthermore, all correction, whiche God sendeth vs in thys present tyme, semeth to haue no ioye and comforte, but sorowe and payne: Yet it bringeth with it a taste of Gods mercye and goodnes towardes thē, that be so corrected, & a sure hope of Godes euerlastyng consolacion in heauē. If then these sorowes, diseases, and sickenesses, and also death it selfe, be nothyng els, but our heauenly fathers rod, wherby he certifieth vs of hys loue & gracious fauor, wherby he trieth and purifieth vs, wherby he geueth vnto vs holynesse, & certifieth vs, that we be hys children, and he our mercifull father: shall not we then, with all humilitie, as obedyent & louyng chyldren, ioyfully kysse our heauenly fathers rod, and euer saye in oure harte, with oure sauior Iesus Christe: Father, if this āguishe and sorowe wich I fele, and death,