A03519:74
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.
And beside the foresaid inventions,1 the inclination of man to have his own holy devotions, ⟨image 34⟩devised new sects and religions, called Pharisees, Sadducees, and Scribes, with many holy & godly traditions and ordinances (as it feigned, by the outward appearance and goodly glistering of the works,) but in very deed, all tending to Idolatry, Superstition and Hypocrisy: their hearts within, being full of malice, pride, covetousness, and all iniquity. Against which sects, and their pretensed holiness, Christ cried out more vehemently, then he did against any other persons, saying and often repeating these words:2 Woe be to you Scribes and Pharisees, ye Hypocrites, for you make clean the vessel without, but within you be full of ravin and filthiness: thou blind Pharisei, & Hypocrite, first make the inward part clean. For notwithstanding all the goodly traditions, and outward shows of good works, devised of their own imagination, whereby they appeared to the world, most religious and holy of all men: yet Christ, (who saw their hearts) knew that they were inwardly in the sight of GOD, most unholy, most abominable, and farthest from God of all men. Therefore said he unto them:3 Hypocrites, the Prophet Isaiah spake full truly of you, when he said: This people honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me: they worship me in vain, that teach doctrines and commandments of men: For you leave the commandments of God, to keep your own traditions.
And beside the foresayed inuencions,1 the inclinacion of man to haue hys awne holy deuocions, ⟨image 34⟩deuised newe sectes and religiōs, called Phariseis, Sadduces, and Scribes, with many holy & godly tradicions and ordinaūces (as it feined, by the outward apparaūce and goodly glisteryng of the workes,) but in very deede, all tendynge to Idolatrye, Supersticion and Hipocrisye: theyr hartes within, beynge full of malice, pride, coueteousnesse, and all iniquitie. Against which sectes, and their pretensed holynes, Christe cryed out more vehemently, then he did against any other persones, saiyng and often repetyng these wordes: