Again,1 let all Bishops, Parsons, Vicars, Curates, Parish priests, & so many as are ministers of Gods word, in all their Sermons & other exhortations unto the people, above all things rebuke this abominable sin of swearing. • declare unto them how great an offence it is,2 & how the plague of God and his vengeance shall not depart from the houses of them, y• use this most detestable sin of swearing. Let them consider that they have hene the chief occasion both of this ⟨p. lxxiiii⟩sin and of all other, seeing they have not according to their office diligently watched upon the Lords flock, preached Gods word, rebuked the wickedness of the people, told them their faults, exhorted them unto repentance, & amendment of life.3 For wham the preaching of gods word faileth, saith Solomon, than doth the people perish and go to havoc. Christ had much pity on the people, when he saw that they were destitute and dispersed as sheep, not having a shepherd. For as sheep, when they be without a shepherd, wander they can not tell whither,4 hang on every bush, are rent with every brier, and in danger to be devoured of the ravening wolf at all times, even so likewise, those people that are without a Preacher & teacher of Gods word, run astray without order, hear the voice of every ⟨image 76⟩stranger, fall in all kind of vicious abomination, are rent & torn with wicked spirits, & ready at every hour to be swallowed up of Satan our old adversary, which sleepeth not, but watcheth diligently, & walketh about like a roaring Lyon5 seeking whom he may devour. Surely great is the damnation that hangeth over the heads of these sluggish shepherds. Christ the high priest said,6 Oportet me evangelizare, n• in hoc missus sum. I must preach the gospel, saith he, for I am sent for this purpose. What shall the baser sort of priests do than I pray you? shall they live in pleasure and idleness? in delicious fare & sluggishness? Doth not Oportet also pertain unto them • Certes if they will not meddle with Oportet evangelizare, they are like to have no part of Miserere. S. Paul also that good Bishop sayd, Vae mihi, ⟨p. lxxv⟩sinō evangelizavero. 7Woe unto me, if I preach not the Gospel. And shall our Rabbins think to escape without punishment, though they preach nothing at all?
Agayne,1 let all Bysshoppes, Parsonnes, Vicares, Curates, Paryshe prestes, & so many as are ministers of Gods word, in all theyr Sermōs & other exhortacions vnto the people, aboue all thynges rebuke thys abhominable synne of swearyng. • declare vnto them how great an offence it is,2 & howe the plage of God and hys vēgeaunce shal not departe from the houses of them, y• vse thys moost detestable synne of swearing. Let them consyder that they haue hene the chefe occasion both of thys ⟨p. lxxiiii⟩synne and of all other, seynge they haue not accordynge to theyr office diligently watched vpon the Lordes flocke, preached Gods worde, rebuked the wickednesse of the people, tolde thē theyr fautes, exhorted thē vnto repentaunce, & amendment of lyfe.3 For whā the preachyng of gods worde fayleth, sayth Salomon, thā doth the people perysh and go to hanocke. Christ had moch pytie on the people, whan he saw that they were destitute and dispersed as shepe, not hauynge a shepparde. For as shepe, whan they be without a shepparde, wander they can not tell whyther,4 hang on euery bushe, are rent wyth euery bryer, and in daūger to be denoured of the rauenyng wolfe at all tymes, euen so lykewyse, those people that are wythoute a Preacher & teacher of Gods word, runne astray wtout order, hear the voyce of euery ⟨image 76⟩straunger, faull in all kynde of vicious abhominacion, are rent & torne wyth wycked spirites, & redy at euery houre to be swalowed vp of Satan our olde aduersary, whiche sleapeth not, but watcheth diligently, & walketh about lyke a roryng Lyon5 seakyng whome he maye deuoure. Surely great is the damnaciō that hangeth ouer the hedes of these sluggyshe sheppardes. Christ the hyghe preste sayde,6 Oportet me euangelizare, n• in hoc missus sum. I must preach the gospell, saythe he, for I am sent for this purpose. What shall the baser sorte of prestis do than I praye you? shall they lyue in pleasure and idlenes? in delicious fare & sluggyshnes? Doth not Oportet also pertayne vnto thē Certes if they wyll not meddle with Oportet euangelizare, they are lyke to haue no parte of Miserere. S. Paule also that good Byshop sayd, Vae mihi,
- 1Bishops Parsons, Vicars. &cBysshops Parsons, Vicars. &c
- 2[…]. xxiii〈…〉. xxiii
- 3Pro. xxi• Math. ix
- 4Mark this comparison
- 51. Pet. v
- 6mar. •. iii•
- 7i. Cor. ix
