A03519:141
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.
¶An exhortation, concerning good order and obedience, to rulers and magistrates.
¶An exhortacion, concernyng good ordre and obedience, to rulers and magistrates.
Almighty God hath created & appointed all things, in heaven, earth, and waters, in a most excellent and perfect order. In heaven, he hath appointed distinct orders and states of Archangels and Angels. In earth he hath assigned kings, princes, with other governors under them, all in good & necessary order. The water above is kept and raineth down in due time and season. The sun, moon, stars, rainbow, thunder, lightning, clouds, and all birds of the air, do keep their order. The earth, trees, seeds, plants, herbs, corn, grass, and all manner of beasts, keep them in their order. All the parts of the whole year, as winter, summer, months, nights & days, continue in their order. All kinds of fishes in the sea, rivers and waters, with all fountains, springs, yea, the seas themselves, keep their comely course and order. And man himself also, hath all his parts, both within & without: as soul, heart, mind, memory, understanding, reason, speech, withal and singular corporal members of his body, in a profitable, necessary and pleasant order. Every degree of people, in their vocation, calling, & office, hath appointed to them, their duty & order. Some are in high degree, some in low, some kings & princes, some inferiors and subjects, priests, and laymen, masters & servants, fathers & children husbands and wives, rich and poor, and every one have need of other: so that in all thinged, is to be lauds & praised the goodly order of God, without the which, no house, no city, ⟨image 65⟩no common wealth, can continue & endure. For where there is no right order, there reigneth all abuse, carnal liberty, enormity, sin, & babilonicall confusion. Take away kings, princes, rulers, magistrates, judges, and such states of Gods order, no man shall ride or go by the high way unrobbed, no man shall sleep in his own house or bed unkilled, no man shall keep his wife, children, & possessions in quietne: shall things shall be common, and there must needs follow all mischief and utter destruction, both of souls, bodies, goods and common wealths. But blessed be God, that we in this realm of England feel not the horrible calamities, miseries & wretchedness, which all they undoubtedly feel & suffer, that lack this godly order. And praised be God, that we know the great excellent benefit of god, showed towards us in this behalf.