Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

The mind of man being endued with faith, and not infected with concupiscences and naughty lusts, doth give light to all things that he shall take in hand, go about, and do: but if his mind be corrupt and unclean, then shall his deeds savour also of corruption and uncleanness. Wherefore faith and an upright conscience, must subdue and beat down too much concupiscence and covetousness, which take their original and root from distrust, making unholy and unclean all the counsels of man, all his thoughts, all his words and deeds. And that we may be able and of force sufficient, to captivate & bring them into subjection, necessary it is, that the Grace of Christ assist us, which every godly minded man and woman, doeth ask of God, with godly and faithful prayers. Beehoofull it is, that we always set before our eyes, and have deeply graven in our hearts, the doctrine of our Saviour Christ touching these, and the instruction also of his holy Apostles: which is not so much, but it may be well borne away. We will therefore rehearse unto you (dearly beloved) three several places, two of them out of the Gospel, and the third out of S. Paul: in which places, as it were in a perfect abridgement, you may have comprised what things soever can be required, of such as worship God in trueth. In the Gospel according to S. Matthew, thus saith our Lord and Saviour: Hoard not up for your selves, treasures in earth, where the rust and moth doeth corrupt, and where ⟨p. 265⟩thieves break through and steal: but lay up treasure for you in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your hearts also be.

The minde of man béeing indued with faith, and not infected with concupiscences and naughtie lustes, doth giue light to all thinges that hée shall take in hand, goe about, and doe: but if his mind bée corrupt and vncleane, then shall his déedes sauour also of corruption and vncleannesse. Wherfore faith and an vpright conscience, must subdue and beate downe too muche concupiscence and couetousnesse, which take their originall and roote from distruste, making vnholie and vncleane al the counsells of man, all his thoughtes, all his woordes and déedes. And that wée may be able and of force sufficiēt, to captiuate & bring them into subiection, necessarie it is, that the Grace of Christe assiste vs, which euery godly minded man and woman, doeth aske of God, with godly and faithfull prayers. Béehoofull it is, that wée alwayes set before our eyes, and haue déepely grauen in our heartes, the doctrine of our Sauiour Christ touching these, and the instruction also of his holie Apostles: which is not so much, but it may bée well borne away. Wée will therefore rehearse vnto you (derely beloued) thrée seuerall places, two of them out of the Gospell, and the third out of S. Paule: in which places, as it were in a perfect abridgment, you may haue comprised what thinges soeuer can bee required, of such as worship God in trueth. In the Gospel according to S. Matthew, thus saith our Lord and Sauiour: Hoord not vp for your selues, treasures in earth, where the rust and moth doeth corrupt, and where