Sixthly, That they give commandments in the King's name, and in pain of death, having none authority so to do.

Ever against God the Devil hath raised sedition.

As appeareth by the sedition of Dathan and Abiram; and all the murmurations of the childre of Israel against Moses and Aaron.

Also, of the conspiracies against Zorobabel in the reedifying of the temple.

Also, against Christ and his Apostles, in sundry parts of the world.

Also, in Germany lately, and now among us. For the Devil can abide no right reformation in religion.

Civil war is the greatest scourge that can be, and most certain argument of God's indignation against us for our ingratitude that we either will not receive his true word, or that they which receive the same, dishonour God in their living, when they pretend to honour him with their mouths. Which ingratitude and contumely God can in no wise bear at our hands.

The remedies to avert God's indignation from us is to receive his word, and to live according thereunto, returning to God with prayer and penance. Or else surely more grievous affliction shall follow; if more grievous may be, than civil war among ourselves.

The chief authors of all these tumults be idle and naughty people, which nothing have, nor nothing or little will labour to have that will riot in expending, but not labour in getting.

b And these tumults first were excitated by the papists and others which came from the western camp: to the intent, that by sowing division among our selves we should not be able to empech them.

b [It appears from this clause that it was not the Devonshire rebellion which produced these Notes; probably it was that which followed it in Norfolk, and which was headed by Ket the tanner. See Burnet, vol. ii. p. 242. There is reason to believe, as will be shown hereafter, that the following sermon was preached on occasion of the same insurrection.]

A Sermon concerning the time of Rebellion".

C. C. C. C.
MSS. CII.

p. 409.

The common sorrow of this present timeb, dearly beloved brethren in Christ, if I should be more led thereby, than by reason and zeal to my country, would move me rather to hold my peace, than to speak. For the great evils, which we now suffer, are to be bewailed with tears and silence, rather than with words. And hereunto I might allege for me the example of Job, who when he came to his extreme misery,

a [Although this Sermon has been placed among Cranmer's works, it must be admitted that his claim to it is not indisputable. It is printed from a manuscript in the library of Corpus Christi College Cambridge, written by a secretary, but corrected throughout by the Archbishop; respecting which the following memorandum has been left by Archbishop Parker: "Hic Sermo prius descriptus Latine a Petro Martyre." The Latin sermon or rather sermons alluded to, (for there are two of them,) are still preserved in the same collection, cccxL. Articles 4 and 6. It appears on examining them, that the English discourse, though founded on the two in Latin by P. Martyr, is far from being a mere translation of them. In some parts long passages are omitted, in others much new matter is added. There are inserted in particular some very interesting descriptions of the disturbed state of the country, and of the angry feelings existing between the gentry and the lower orders. It may be observed also, that both the Latin and English Sermons contain the same topics and examples as the rough Notes by the Archbishop which are printed above. Perhaps therefore it may be reasonably conjectured, that Cranmer placed these brief notes in the hands of P. Martyr, to be expanded into a regular homily; and that afterwards, from the materials thus prepared in Latin, he drew up the English Sermon which follows. Its contents prove it to be the same, which Burnet says was preached by Cranmer on a fast-day at Court, and which, he asserts, he saw at C.C.C.C. under the Archbishop's own hand, being the only sermon of his that he ever saw. He must have been mistaken with regard to the handwriting, and he does not give his authority for the rest of his statement: but it is in some measure corroborated by the expressions of the concluding prayer. Strype's opinion seems to have been, that a fast-day was appointed on account of the insurrections, that the Archbishop directed sermons on the occasion to be composed for the curates to read to the people, and that this was one of them which was printed for common use. See Note, p. 245. Strype, Cranmer, p. 187. Burnet, Reformat. vol. ii. p. 244. and App. B. i. N°. 36.]

This

[The rebellion against which this Sermon was more especially directed was probably that in Norfolk, headed by Ket the tanner. was rather later than the Devonshire insurrection, (which is referred to by name, p.255.) and was more remarkable for the hostility of the rebels against the gentry. See Burnet, Strype, Holinshed.]

he lying upon a dunghill, and three of his friends sitting upon the ground by him, for the space of seven days for great sorrow not one of them opened his mouth to speak a word to another. If then the miserable state of Job, like a most hard and sharp bit, stopped his mouth from speaking, and the lamentable case of their friend stayed those three men, being of speech most eloquent, that they could not utter their words; surely it seemeth, that I have a much more cause to be still, and hold my peace. For there was the piteous lamentation of no mo but of one man, or one household, and that only concerning temporal and worldly substance, but we have cause to bewail a whole realm, and that most noble, which lately being in that state, that all other realms envied our wealth and feared our force, is now so troubled, so vexed, so tossed and deformed, (and that by sedition among ourselves, of such as be members of the same,) that nothing is left unattempted to the utter ruin and subversion thereof. And besides this, the eternal punishment of God threateneth sore as well the authorers and procurers of these seditions, as all other that join themselves unto them. So that we be constrained day and night to bewail the decay, not only of a worldly kingdom and most noble realm, but also the eternal damnation of innumerable souls.

These reasons perchance might move some men to be quiet and hold their peace, but me they do not so much move, which know right well, that our common sorrow and lamentable state cannot be remedied with silence, nor good counsel can be given with holding my peace. Now therefore in this common sorrow, I know nothing that is more able to suage our griefs, and to comfort our heaviness, than is the word of God. For as the sun many times with his beams driveth away great thick and dark clouds, and stayeth great storms of winds; so doth the light of God's word stay men's minds, bringing them from trouble to quietness, from darkness to brightness, from heaviness and desperation to gladness, joy, and comfort. Wherefore I most humbly beseech Almighty God to grant me by his Spirit, that out of holy Scripture I may plainly set out before

Prima cau

sad. Re

your eyes the principal causes of all these tumults and seditions; for if the causes be once known, it shall be the more easy to provide remedy therefore.

The general cause of all these commotions is sin, and under Christian profession unchristian living. But there be also certain special causes, of the which some pertain both to the high and lower sort, as well to the governors as to the common people; some appertain only to the people; and some again only to the governors and rulers. And of them I will first begin to speak.

and

C

The governors and rulers be ordained of God, (as St. missness of Paul declareth in his Epistle to the Romans,) for this intent that they should be God's officers and minispurpose, ters here in earth, to encourage and advance them that be good, and to rebuke and correct those that be evil.

correction in the go

vernors.

But herein, O good Lord, be merciful unto us, for we have been too remiss in punishing offenders, and many things we have winked at. We have suffered perjury, blasphemy, and adultery, slandering and lying, gluttony and drunkenness, vagabonds, and idle persons, either lightly punished, or else not punished at all, either thinking this clemency for the time expedient for the common wealth, or else not duly weighing how grievous those offences be in the sight of God. And whilst we lacked this right judgment of God's wrath against sin, lo, suddenly cometh upon us this scourge of sedition, the rod of God's wrath, to teach us how sore God hateth all wickedness, and is displeased with his ministers that wink thereat. For except we be duller than stocks and stones, we must needs feel that this plague is the grievous Scourge of God for our offences, that we have suffered too much them that have offended against his most holy name. We have dissimuled the matter, we have been cold in God's cause, and have rather winked at than punished the contempt both of God and his laws.

с

["Ac ne videar potentioribus, nostroque ordini æquior esse quum par "sit, ab eo sermonem auspicabor," &c. Pet. Mart. This clause is favourable to the supposition, that the Sermon was prepared, at least in the first instance, for the Archbishop's own use. See Note, p. 248.]

d [These marginal remarks are all in Cranmer's own handwriting.]

And this surely is one great cause wherefore we suffer worthily this plague of God. Heli suffered his children too much, and was too soft in chastising of them, when they sinned against God; but that his softness was the destruction of him, his children, and of a great number also of the people of Israel. David, because in time he did not correct his three sons Amon, Absolon, and Adonias, he lost them all three, and was in great danger to be destroyed by them himself. And if the perils of this most chosen king of God do little move us, let us call to our remembrance, I pray you, the plague of God against the whole tribe of Benjamin, because they let pass unpunished the abominable abusing of the Levite's wife, whereof followed, that the whole tribe of Benjamin was almost utterly destroyed; for there was slain of them above twenty-five thousand, and there was left alive of the whole tribe no mo but six hundred. Consider, I pray you, by this example, how certain and present destruction cometh to common weals, because offenders against God are unpunished. And whensoever the magistrates be slack in doing their office herein, let them look for none other, but that the plague of God shall fall in their necks for the same. Which thing not only the foresaid examples, but also experiences within ourselves doth plainly teach us. For whensoever any member of our body is diseased or sore, if we suffer it long to continue and fester, do we not see, that at length it doth infect the whole body, and in process of time utterly corrupteth the same? But for what purpose, brethern, do I speak so much of this matter? Verily for none other intent, but that when we know one of the causes of these evils, we may duly repent, and amend the same.

But peradventure some will say, if the governors offend because they do not justly punish offenders, what doth that pertain to us the common people, which have not offended? Let them repent that have offended; let them be sorry for their remissness in punishment, and more sharply correct

e

["When the magistrate by negligence or preposterous pity will not punish for sin, then God striketh." Bp. Hoper, Third Sermon on Jonah.]