theim because they be partakers of lyke glorye as you be And all this muste you do sayth Saint Peter Vt non impediantur orationes vestrae that youre prayers be not lette and hindered frome their effecte by the contrarie for if there be rancoure malice and stryfe betwixte you GOD will not heare your prayers for he is the GOD of peace and not of discention and debate Therefore he that wyl be hearde muste be peaceable and no brawler If you be not cleane of conuersation absteininge for causes aboue mencioned but folowe youre luste lyke beastes you shall hindre youre prayers that they shall not be hearde There be dayes appointed for fastinge and holye dayes appointed for prayer and holines if you will not at such times abstaine but please the flesshe your prayers will be let and hindred by fleshlye luste that God will not heare them And therfore S. Paul i. Corin. vii biddeth the man and the wife by one assent to abstaine that they may attende to their prayers You maye see howe both the Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paule agreith in this hauinge good occasion by the aucthoritie of the olde testamente for there was commaundement geuen to the people of Israell two daies before they shoulde haue the lawe geuen theim in the mount of Sinai amonge other pointes of cleanes Et ne appropinquetis vxoribus vestris Exo. xix that they should not come nigh their wiues For though the acte of matrimonie be lawfull yet it hath some vncleannes annexed and concurrente with it and speciallie it depresseth and pulleth downe the witte frome contemplation of heauenly thinges because of the vehement carnall pleasure in the acte Nowe both these muste be remoued when you shall geue your selues to god in fastinge keping holy daies and suche holines ▪ and likewise receauinge the Sacramente of the aulter and that was signified i. Reg. xxi Si mundi sunt pueri maxime a mulieribus manducēt where kinge Dauid and his companie were sore a hungred they came to Achimelech the highe preiste then dwellinge in Nobe where the tabernacle and the Arche of GOD was he desired meate this preiste Achimelech had none but the twelue holy loues of breade that stode afore the Arche by a certaine ceremonie of their lawe whiche Achimelech was contēt to geue them so that they were cleane from women And then you may be sure that suche cleanes and muche more is required to them that shall worthelye receiue that holy and gratious breade that came downe from heauen oure Sauioure Christ vnder the fourme of breade and his precious bloude vnder the fourme of wine To whiche moste reuerende body and bloude be all honour and worshippe for euer Amen The twelfth treatise or sermon IN fide autem omnes vnanimes compatientes fraternitatis amatores These wordes be redde in Christes churche for the epistle in the masse the fifte Sonday after Trinitie Sondaye and be wrytten in this thyrd Chapiter of Saint Peters fyrste Epistle where after he had afore geuen fruitefull and holesome exhortations and lessons to speciall estates of men and women as to them that be in bondage and to all prentises and seruauntes and to all seruinge mē and women and afterwarde to wyues and to maryed men of whiche I entreated in my laste sermon Nowe the blessed Apostle retourneth to generall lessons to all men and women vsing vs as good scholemasters and gouernours of noble mens children ordreth them that be vnder theyr gouernaunce fyrst exercisinge them in the thinges that shal beseme their byrth and consequently howe they shall exchewe and auoyde the contraries and such thinges as do not beseme a gentilman so doth S. Peter first exercise vs in weldoynge and seconde in auoidinge ill doing that so we may be conformable to oure byrth of God by baptisme and maye vse oure selues according to that gentle noble and gratious new natiuitie and byrth In fide autem omnes vnanimes He byddeth vs be all of one mynde in oure fayth and in all matters concernynge our fayth The new translation hath In summa omnes vnanimes In conclusion to be short be al of one minde and in the epistle of the said fift sundaye after the trinitie it is read Omnes vnamines in oratione estote Be you all of one minde in your praiers whyche might seme to haue some coherence to that went immediatlye afore where he bade the man and wife to agree lest by the contrary by theyr dissension and variaunce theyr prayers mighte be lette and hindred And then accordinge to the same he willeth all men and women to be of one minde in theyr praiers for if there be discord among them theyr prayers wil not be heard But let vs take this text of Saint Peters epistle as it is writ in the common translation In fide omnes vnanimes Be all of one minde in your faithe as they were that be spokē of Act. iiii Multitudinis credentium erat corvnum et anima vna The multitude of thē that beleued in the primitiue churche hadde one hart and one soule one will and one minde And therfore it foloweth Et gratia magna erat in omnibus illis there was greate grace in them all For where is concord and vnitie there the holye gost spreadeth his grace aboundantly and contrarye where be scismes and diuersitie of errours and opinions God withdraweth grace and then mē runne without brydell from one opinion to an other from one heresie to an other tyll men be set all on a rore and out of quietnes as it appeareth euidently in Germany wher be almost as manie heresies and diuers waies in theyr faith as be cities or townes euery citie taking his own wai his own fashiō in their sacramēts ceremonies This confusion S. Paule greatly feared to com among his disciples the Corinthers whē he praied them for gods sake for the name of our lord Iesu Christ vt idipsum dicatis omnes et non sint in vobis scismata .i. Cor. i. That they should say al one way so that there should be no scisme or diuision among them but that thei shuld be parfite in one minde as wel in theyr doinges as in theyr knowledge or learning He would not they shuld varye so much as in thought or minde Here amōg you in this citie som wil heare masse some will heare none by theyr good wils som wil be shriuen som wil not but for feare or els for shame some wyll pay tithes offeringes som wil not in that wors then the Iewes which paid them truly and fyrst frutes many other duties beside Som wil prai for the dead som wil not I heare of muche suche discension among you I will not descende to the specialties but with s. Paule with s. Peter I pray you accord you good maisters frends for feare least the anger of God fall vpon this citye which God forbidde it should Compatientes we must one suffer with an
the flesh but these men these priests be the aucthors and doers of that byrth which we haue of God and of that blessed regeneration and trew liberty by which we be made the children of God by adoption and speciall grace The Iewes priestes of Moyses law had power not to pourge clense the bodie from leprie of them that were infecte with the same disease but rather to discerne iudge whether men were purged or not purged from that disease and yet was their priesthod in hie estimacion and ambitiously desired as appered bi Chore Dathan and Abyron which for their obstinate and greedie desyre sanke into Hell the earth opened and swalowed them vp with all theyr confederacie Then coÌ„sider how the priesthod of the new Testament is amplified made of more sanctimonie by reason of the most holie misteries and sacramentes with whiche it is exercised then euer was the priesthod of Moyses law For Christes priestes doth not only declare and iudge whether men be purged fro the lepres of the soule or not but rather doeth purge them in deede by the power that Christ hath geuen to them Therfore after Chrisostom looke howe great difference there is betwixt vehement loue and desire of a thing and the contempt or despising of a thing so greatly thei that despiseth the holy priesthod of Christes ministers be more detestable to be reproued then euer were Chore and Dathan and their confederacy which with so ardent and feruente desyre aspired to the priesthod of Moyses time The one sanke downe into the gapinge earth which swalowed theÌ„ downe into Hell then let not the other thinke to escape without more shame and vengeauÌ„ce Moreouer yet further to compare the priestes to our naturall parentes Almighty God hath geueÌ„ to priestes more power vpon vs then to our naturall parentes For our parentes begetteth vs into this present temporall lyfe but the priestes getteth vs into euerlasting life Our carnall parentes can nother saue vs from temporall sickenes nor froÌ„ temporal death but the priestes not only when they regenerate vs by water and with the holy spirite or when by their holy doctrine they recouer vs from vice to vertu but also when we be bodyly sicke also sicke in our soule they cure and heale vs obtayning by the succour and help of their prayers bothe health of body and soule witnesseth S. Iames Iaco. vlt. Infirmatur inter vos aliquis accersat presbiteros ecclesie orent super euÌ„ vngeÌ„tes euÌ„ oleo in nomine dnÌ„i oratio fidei saluabit infirmuÌ„ et alleuiabit euÌ„ dominus et si in peccatis sic remittentur ei WheÌ„ any maÌ„ amoÌ„ge you is sicke let him sende for the priests of the church let them pray ouer him anoynt him with oyle in y e name of our Lord the praiers of faythfull persoÌ„s shal saue y e sick our lord shal set him vp agayn And if he be in sinnes they shalbe forgiueÌ„ him Natural pareÌ„ts cannot help theyr children if they offende against princes or kinges in anye poynt of treason or greuous offence where priestes many times obteineth grace mercy and fauour for theyr spirituall children not of mortall princes but of almighty God wheÌ„ he is offended with them Well thys excellencie of priesthod coÌ„sidered which I haue now at large declared euer presupposing their excellency power and auctority to be principallye vpon the soule of man in such things and doinges as be toward God to whom be all honour glory for euer Amen ¶ The .xix. treatise or sermon WOrshipful frendes I truste you remember that in my laste sermon that I made in this place I entred on the fift chapter of Saynt Peters first epistle In which I declared vnto you how Saynte Peter like as he had giuen good and godly lessons to all kynde maners of men and women maryed and single masters and seruauntes bondmen and freemen so because the ministers of the church shuld not lak learning he instructeth prelates and priests and informeth theÌ„ of theyr dutie alluring al priestes to giue credence to his doctrine by that he professeth him selfe to be a priest and one of such experience of the affayres of our Sauiour Christe that had sene as well the glory of Christes glorified body at his transfiguration as also the vexacion that he suffred in the whole processe of his painful passion and that he was partaker of the same And then consequentlye I descended to speake of the order of priesthode and of the dignity of the same which I declared at large bi the scriptures and by the auncient writers holye fathers And I had litle thanks for my labour specially of them that beinge priestes be ashamed of that name and of likelyhood would faine de discharged of theyr order if they could tell howe most agreued they were with me because I said nothing in the defence of theyr shameful and incestious bawdry which they would couer wyth the name of matrimony so by them sclaundring that holy sacrament Then I declared many properties of a good priest which to exchew prolixitie I will now not rehearse againe for I trust you haue not al forgotten them These properties of a good priest or prelate thus declared let vs see what Saint Peter now here in the letter willeth them to do Pascite qui in vobis est gregem dei Feede the flocke of God that is vnder your hand Because that now lateli this matter of the diuersitie of shepeheards and pastours was very well and aboundantly handled and declared I wil passe ouer it presupposing these good properties afore rehersed of him that shal be a good shepheard or pastour We must take heede to our charge Act. xx Atten dite vobis vniuerso gregi in quo vos spuÌ„s sâ—tuÌ„s posuit episcopos regere ecclesiaÌ„ dei quaÌ„ acquisiuit sanguine suo Take hede to your selfe sayth S. Paule to the priestes prelates of Ephesus and to all the whole flocke in whiche the holy goost hath set you bysshops Lo here he calleth them byshops they were not then all in such preminence or so set in aucthoritie or superioritie aboue others as bishops were then sone after and be now but he meaneth priestes afore he called them maiores natu ecclesie the elders of the church or congregation Now he calleth the same byshops these S. Paule biddeth take hede to their flocke Saynt Peter byddeth them feede their flocke as Christe had commaunded Peter to feede his lammes and to feede his sheepe his people whiche should be lyke laÌ„mes full of simplicitie tractablenes and geÌ„tlenes which Christ willeth all them that wilbe saued by him to vse So Saynt Peter descendeth as by an ordinate Iherarchie and giueth like charge to such as he had constitute and ordeyned to be curates after him willing them to feede the flocke prouidentes non coacte prouiding for theÌ„ without coaction They must wyth discrete solicitude and studie prouide such
I purpose God willinge to set forth hereafter as I maye haue oportunitie A repertorie or table directinge to manye notable matters expressed in this booke folowinge A. ABraham is dead and Abraham is alyue Fol. xxii d Abraham Iepthe and others what they didde for loue to their countrey fol. lii a Absteine from their wiues men must because of prayers fol. ccvii c Actes of parliament in our time hath pretended godlines but in effecte turued to priuate lucre with the impouerishinge and vndoinge of many others fol. cccix b. Adam by his life time had seperate the issue of Cayn from the issue of Seth. fol lix c Adam though he had not offended yet Christ woulde haue ben incarnate and howe fol. cxxxvii c. d. Adulteringe womens heare with strange colours c. is coÌ„trolinge of Gods handy worke fol. cc b. c. Affections of mannes wyll fol. lv c. Affections about good godly thinges be laudable lviii b Age crepeth vpon vs manye wayes and speciallye by studie fol. ccxxxviii b c Almightines of God geueth vs a great light and comforte to beleue all the articles of our fayth fol. lxxv a. Almes geuen againste a mannes will is nigardelye geuen fol. ccxii a b Almes geuen to the studentes of the vniuersities is best be stowed Eodem c. Anaxagoras felicitie fol. xlv a An Ape or counterfetter against euery vertue fol. xliii a Andrewes prerogatiue and his charitie fol. ci c Angels euer seeth the glory of God and euer desireth to se it and so shall we do fol cxxix a. b Apostle is the name of an office fol. c.ii d Apostles be of iiii maners fol. ciii b Arrius heresy fol ii c. Arrius heresy how it rose fol. xix c. Articles of our faith be .xii. according to the number of the Apostles and why they be called articles fo lxxiii b. Asia the lesse is full of pleasures fo lvi d Asia Affrick and Europ how they be deuided fo cviii c. As importeth not euer equalitie fo cxxxii d. Auctors of the Stoikes and their opinion of the .iiii. affections fol. lv d Aulus Gellius story concerning the .iiii. affections fol. lvi c Auctoritie of prelates successors to the apostles fol. xcvi b Auarice wexeth yonge in age fol. clxvii c Aucthoritie of the maister geueth the scoler a courage to learne in all faculties fol. cclxxix c. d. Aulters pulled downe and birdes put vp for the coÌ„munioÌ„ with much mutabilite about the same fol cccxii d. Aulters pulled downe by heretikes of Arrius secte in saint Basilles time fol. cccxiii d B. BAbilon was build .cxxxi. yere after Noes flud by Nembroth fo cccxiiii d Baptisme of infantes contrary to the Anabaptistes cxlii a Baptisme clenseth all sinnes fol. cxix b. Bezeleel had the spirite of science fo xlii c to Beleue there is one god or to beleue god is not sufficient but we must beleue on one god fol lxxiii d Beleue on the holy churche may be saied fo lxxxv a Beleue the resurrection c. is necessarye to take awaye the feare of death fol. lxxxvi b. c Bithinia lieth ouer y e streictes against CoÌ„stantinople cx c Better it is to shine with laboure then to rouste for idlenes fol. clxxiiii c. Bearing one with another easeth the burden so doth coÌ„passion in infirmities of the soule fol ccx a Beutie of face must not be vsed as an instrumente of mischeif fol. cclxvii c Bilders bad and good fol. clvi c. d. Bishoppes must not be to easy or rasshe in orderinge preistes and their perill in so doinge fo clxx d Bishops and preistes were al one in old time fo cclxxxvi c Bishoppes may commaund and compell when clxxii a b Bloud of Abell cried for vengeaunce the bloud of Christe cried for mercy fo cxiiii a Blessinge is diuersely vnderstande and taâ—en fol. cxvi b Blessinge and well sayinge by our neighbours shalbe requited with blessinge euerlastinge fo ccxvi a Blessed be they that suffreth for iustices sake fol. ccxix b Blessed be they that god correcteth and why fol. cclxxv c Bodily members applied to the soule fol cxxx a Bondage came other by iniquite or by aduersitie clxxxiiii a Body of sinne fol lxxxii c d Bristow was ful of diuersitie of errours fo ccix c d Brotherhed is to be loued and not only the brothers ccx c Brotherhead of heretikes and scismatikes is but a canâ—ell or patche of the very true brotherheade and like a rotten bowe broken of from the tree Eodem c C. CAre and solicitude we muste caste vpon god fo cccvii b Calling or election of two maners fol. cxii c. d. Cain for lacke of Goddes feare was punished with feare folio lix b. Calis Malis is called in latin Calpe and why it is called ill Calis fol cvii. b c. Capadotia situation fol. cx c. Carnal in liuing and carnal in knowledge fo cli c. d Carnal and wanton company must be left thoughe it be to thy paine fol. ccxxxii d Ceremonies were layde on the Iewes to kepe them frome Idolatrie fol. xxxi c. Cephas and his interpretation fol. cii a Ceremonie hath his name whereof and what they be folio lxxxviii c. d Ceremonies haue bene vsed frome the begynninge folio lxxxix a b Ceremonies whiche semeth to be of small reason and profitte why they were commaunded fol. lxxxxii b Ceremonies of the olde tyme were of foure manners folio lxxxx c. Ceremonies of the Iewes were .vi. c. or more and verye painefull and chargeable fol. lxxxxii b c. Ceremonies of Christes church be of iiii maners sacrifices Sacramentes halowed thinges and obseruaunces fol. lxxxxiii c Christ hid the glory of his godhead and why fol. i. b c Christ might haue geuen to the apostles as great comforte as the holy gost did and why Christ reserued the best part of learninge for to be taught by him fol. ii a b c Christen men varieth from the Philosophers in certayne conclusions of fortitude fol. xxvii b c Children be no mete hearers of diuinite why fo xxxiii a Christ had the true gift of pietie fol. xlvi b Christ firste heard the doctours read and teache and afterwarde asked questions of them Eodem c Christ reasoned not with the ignoraunt as many doth but with the very best of the doctours Eodem d. At Christes supper s. Peter begon to vnderstande Christes wordes except ye eat the flesh of a man c. fol xxxviii c Christ feared to comfort them that feaâ—eth fol. lxv c. Chast spouses to christ how they mai be knowen fo lxviii b Christe signifieth an office as a kinge a preiste or suche like fol lxxvi c Christ why he chose the death on the crosse fol lxxix a Christ was of most pure complexion therfore his woundes were moost painefull fol lxxix b. Christ descended into hel in soul why he descended lxxx c Charitie is compared to a garment fol ccliii c. d Christ is a stombling stone to whome fol clviii a b Christ is called a stone why fo clv.
places of the gospels calleth God hys father and hym him selfe the sonne of God he is true and verye truthe and cannot lye he is the onelye begotten sonne in the fathers bosome euerlasting as the father is He was afore Abraham was made afore all other creatures not made but begottē of the substaunce of the father very God of God the father Not two Gods but one God and one light and of one substaunce with the father By whom as by his wysedome and craft the father made all creatures as saint Iohn saith al things were made by him he is our Lorde which ye must here vnderstand bi his humanitie manhod for by reason of the Godhed we may sai so of the father and of the holy gost although it be not so expressed in the Apostles Creede For God is oure Lord so we should cal him by reason of his vniuersal dominiō ouer al mankind ouer al other creatures The Lorde importeth a vage dominiō and vncertain power but there is no power dominiō or authoritie so certain as the power that God hath ouer vs wherefore it semeth we may not conueniently call him the Lorde And moreouer we vse to saye the Lorde speaking of suche Lordes as haue nothing to doe with vs as the lorde of Dale the lord of Kilmayn and such like whereas if we were theyr tenauntes or otherwise held of thē we woulde say my lord of Dale or our Lord of Dale and so of others Wherfore professing our due subiection to almightye God we shoulde in common speeche cal him our Lord not dimissing our selues from our allegeaunce to his highnes And I haue knowen verye honest mē that in cōmunicatiō long afore the new translations of the bible came abrode vsed sometimes to sweare by the Lord no more intending or meaning to sweare by God then by any Lorde in the isles of Orchadie so thynking to sweare by they could not tell what or by nothing albeit lest thei should offend them that be addict to the new gise I haue aduertised them to leaue suche sayinges tyll men may be better informed But to my purpose now because all power in heauen and earth was giuen to Christ and all thyng was subiecte vnder his fete and he in his manhood taught his Apostles and all vs by them and in his manhode redemed vs and in the same shall iudge vs therfore we maye iustlye by that reason call hym our lord and maister as it is expressed in this article THe third article was added by S. Iames brother to saint Iohn the Euangelist son of zebedi called Iames the more That was conceiued by the holy gost and borne of the virgine Marie the authoure and doer of this conception was the whole trinitie the father the sonne the holy gost for the workes of the trinitie outwarde amonge creatures be vndyuided so that what so euer one persō doth the same thing doth all three persons But in asmuch as thys blessed incarnation of Christ came of the mere goodnes grace mercy and loue of God whiche is appropriate to the holy gost as power to the father wisedome to the sonne Though all these agreeth to all three persons therefore the scripture sayth as very true it is that the holy gost was the deer thereof but how it was performed done we can better beleue thē declare it faith may do very muche in this article and in all other articles of our faith speche can do very litle Saint Austine faith that lyke as by the heate and influence of the sunne a worme is gēdred of the moyst earth so by the inspiration of the holy goste santifyinge the hart of the virgin the flesh of Christ was cōceiued formed facioned of the flesh of y e virgin without the worke of any sede of man workyng to the same and therefore Christ sayd of himself by the mouth of his prophet that he was a worme and not a man because he was not conceyued as other men be In this marueilous conception the profite and whole nature of man soule and bodi together was vnite and ioyned in one person vnto the sonne of God and neither to the father nor to the holy gost because there should be no confusion but that he that was the sonne of god shuld also be the sonne of man Borne of Mary the virgin he that came to renew the nature of man cankered with sinne chose a new maner to be borne of a mayde and not of a corrupt woman And whē the God of maiestie tooke hys bodye and was borne of a vyrgine hee was no more polluted nor defowled then when he made manne of the earthe as when the Sunne or fyre woorketh on the claye he amendeth and hardeneth that he toucheth and fyleth not it selfe And it is as possyble credyble and lykelye that hee was borne of a virgine as that he made Adam of earth and Eue the first woman of the rybbe of Adams side all is the woorke of God to whom nothing is impossible Great was the prerogatiue of that virgine Mary and the loue that god had to her in that that his onely begottē son by whom he made all the worlde he gaue vnto her to be the fruite of her wombe and her naturall sonne God that made all thyng was made man of her purest bloud to renewe mankinde that by synne was brought to nought While the sonne of God was in his fathers glory not descending to our infirmitie he was vnknowen but when that worde of God was made man and dwelled amongest vs he was seene and knowen on earthe and was conuersaunt with menne for whose sakes he that is Lorde of all the world is made our brother comming forth being borne of the blessed virgine euer close and cleane with out any aperture or diuision of her blessed body euen like as after his resurrection he came into the chambre among the disciples the doores beyng shut and like as the sunne beames commeth through the glasse and breaketh it not SAint Andrewe layde his portion to thys shotte or gathering by these woordes of the fourthe article That suffered vnder Ponce Pilate was crucified dead and buried Thys Ponce Pilate was president and ruler of the countrey and highest iudge there set in his authority by Tiberius the Emperoure of Rome to whom the most part of the world was then subiecte he is here named not for any honestie to his parson but for to declare the time when Christ suffred The death on the crosse he those and neyther to haue his necke broken nor his bones burst as being cast downe from a hyll as his neighbours were aboute to serue him in Nazereth Luke .iiii. where he was brought vp in youthe neyther to be stoned to death as the Iewes would haue killed him when he hid him self and went out of the temple Iohn .viii. And al was for our health and for to saue vs for as saint Austine saith we can not
they wold not so sore charge the consciences of theyr subiectes but that wheÌ„ they breake the said lawes whether it be with contempt or withoute they shoulde suffer the temporall paines determined ordained for them that offende the said lawes And so they binde the seconde way by the payne to be inflicte on the breakers of the same Thys due obedience of the subiectes to theyr heades rulers and other premisses considered al noble Princes and Prelates and all others that commonly be called to high counsels to make lawes had nede maturely to consider that in their offices they be Gods helpers and the mean betwixt God and hys people and to be well ware that they make none such humane traditions as maâ— barre or deface the law of God as they dydde to whoÌ„ Christ vmbraideth that they for their own lucratiue traditions disswaded from the law of the honour of theyr parentes Math. xv And that they doe not binde suche heauye and vnportable burdens vpon their subiects backes as they wil not set one finger to to helpe men to beare Math. xxiii as the Scribes and Pharisies did whych then had the aucthoritie both temporall and spiritual vnder the Romaines And that they haue no malicious eye towarde anye partie diuisyng lawes for theyr neyghbours destruction or excogitating lawes for the impouerishynge of other men alleuiatyng theyr owne charges and making others fal down vnder their burdens The Prophet sayth to them that be constitute and set in suche authoritie Psa. lvii O ye children of men if ye speake truelye of iustice and ryghteousnesse then se that ye iudge streightly neither declining on the right hand by affection to your selfe or to your friende neither on the leaft hand by malice or displeasure to your foes or to them that you fauour not Considering that the iust iudgement of God shall be against them that measureth the power that they haue receiued of God after their owne wickednes not according to Gods lawes Wher they that iustly and charitably haue vsed their authority shall haue suche reward prepared for them in heaueÌ„ as no â—ong can tel nor hart can think Of whiche that we may be partakers he graunt vs that for vs dyed Amen An expositioÌ„ of the first epistle of Saynt Peter the Apostle set fourth in traictises or Sermons preached in the Cathedral Churche of Bristow by maister Roger Edgeworth Doctour of diuinitie one of the canons of the same Cathedrall church THe gret wise maÌ„ king SalomoÌ„ y t by his wit searched out the natures kinds of all creatures on erth as far as any man might and dysputed reasoned of all the trees in the wood from the highe Ceder tre growing in Libanus where â—uch trees be abundant vnto the poore and lowe I sope that groweth out of the walles and that write and reasoned of beastes and birdes wormes and fishes and to whom resorted people of all nations and from all kinges of the world to heare hys wysedome yet he confesseth Ecclesiastes i. Cuncte res difficiles et non potest ea homo explicare sermone All thinges be hard to be knowen no man can perfitely expresse them by mouth For as the Logition speaketh we knowe not the substantiall and perfite dyfference and distinction betwyxte creatures of the world that we se afore our faces euery day Therfore it is no merueil though our wits be very thin feable and weake to vnderstaÌ„d the holy scriptures For the faire beuty of godlye truth comprised and contained in the scriptures lyeth so priuely hid like a heauenly treasure layd vp in them that it wyll not appeare but onely to them that seeke and searche for it wyth a whole minde and with a clere hart And in asmuche as mans reason is grosse and combred wyth many ydle thoughtes and with muche busynes of the worlde running in mans minde this maketh vs the more blinde vnmete to finde the sayd treasure specially because that in spirituall and heauenly matters as Saint Paule saith we se but as it were in a glasse obscurelye and as a thyng farre of vnperfitelye And beside this I knowe that the thinges that be spoken of in Gods holye and liuely worde be endited by the holy spirite of God Wherefore it is not for euery man to examine theÌ„ and discusse them after his own iudgement for no man may worthely medle wyth hys doyâ—ge but he that hath the holy spirite and specially that gift of the holy spirite that S. Paule speaketh of .i. Corin. xii Discretio spirituum where he sayth that to some man is giuen the spirit of sapience to iudge and reasoÌ„ of celestial matters to other the gift of scieÌ„ce in lower exercise to som is giuen faith by the same spirite To som power to discerne spirites to know when the good spirite speaketh and when the bad and noughtye spirite speaketh In catholike and true expounders of scriptures speaketh the good spirite in heretikes speaketh the bad and noughty spirite And in the holy scripture which is the worke of the holy spirite of the holy gost for he inspireth all the writers of the holye scriptures he is the chiefe author of holy scripture and they that be named the doers thereof as Mathewe Marke Luke Iohn and S. Peter whom we haue now in hand be but as the Scribes Notaries Scriueners and as it were the very quils or pennes of the holy goste Lingua mea calamus scribe saith the Prophet In the holye scriptures I saye when a texte maye haue diuers expositions and may be diuersly taken and euery way good and catholike yet to attaine to the verye prescise and true meaning of the holy gost is no small grace this is the grace of DiscretioÌ„ of spirites or of putting difference betwixte spirites And withoute this gift no maÌ„ shal be able to pas fafely through the scriptures without a foyle Nowe who shall haue this gift and who shall lacke it it standeth chiefely in Gods handes and not in our merites and deseruing For these considerations it is no merueil that it be perilous to speake of almighty God of heauenly or godly causes far aboue our reache In somuch that many wise and wel learned men haue rather chosen silence to hold their tonges then to take labours in expouÌ„dinge or preching y e scriptures But this is not inough for theÌ„ to whom the office of teaching is coÌ„mytted As to bishops to whoÌ„ is coÌ„mitted the whole cure of their dioceses To Archdeacons persons vicars al other hauing cure of soules to al such it is very hurtfull noysome to kepe silence as s. Paule full well considered saying .i. Corin. ix Ve mihi est si non euangelizauero I am sure of wo euerlasting if I do not preach Christ biddeth scruramini scripturas search labour in y e scriptures he biddeth vs also seke and we shall finde Therefore we must search seke least we heare the reproche that Christe gaue the
in the Englyshe as I sayde a stone or of stone Christe that is the true and sure stone vpon whyche the Churche is buylded gaue him a name deriued from him selfe that lyke as he is the fyrme and faste stone so shoulde Symon be all one with hym and of stone with hym as all we of the name of Christe be called Christians and should be all one with hym And morallye Simon the sonne of Ionas was called Peter Symon by interpretation is as muche to saye as obedient Ionas a doue moste gentle hansome and tame byrde Obedience is the chylde of the doue of gentlenes and curtesye and that we be obedient to good counsel to godly exhortations or to our maysters it commeth of a gentyll and curtyse hearte for gentlenes gendreth obedience they that be proude stubborne and sturdy wyll neuer be obedient they that be obedient shal chaunge theyr name into the better they shall be Peter fyrme and faste in goodnes by that they shall be incorporate to Christ the fyrme and fast rocke foundation of all our goodnes we shalbe called Christians or Christen men and women and by that we shalbe the children of God the frendes of God and the body of God with Christe and coperteiners of his enheritaunce and kingdome with hym And in this that Christ chaunged the name of Symon into Peter he declared that it was he that by his godheade had aucthoritie so to do and that it was he that in the olde testamente chaunged the name of Abram into Abraham of Sarai into Sara of Iacob into Israel as now he called Symon Peter and Iohn and Iames the sonnes of Zebede he called Boanerges quod est filii tonitrui Marc. iii. the children of thondre It foloweth in the texte Apostle of Iesus Christe Apostolos in the Greke is as muche to saye as one that is sende it is the name of an office accordynge to them that Christe chose to be sende forth thorough all the worlde to preach the good tydinges of remission of synnes by Christe and of lyfe euerlastinge But this name is not appropriate to them onely but it agreeth also to manye other as well in the olde testamente as in the newe Moyses was a blessed prophete and he myghte also be called Apostle because God sente him to do his message to Pharao kynge of Egypt Exo. iii. where he excused his vnhablenes ▪ desyrynge God to prouide an other to be sente thether And it is wrytten Esai vi Quem mittam quis ibit nobis Whome shall I sende sayde the voice of almyghtye GOD and who shall goe for vs to this people Esaye aunswered Ecce ego mitte me Lo here I am sende me Saynt Iohn Baptist fuit homo missus a deo was sente from God and by that he was Apostle he was also a prophete and more then a prophete And Saynt Paule calleth Christe Apostle Heb. iii. Considerate Apostolum et pontificem confessionis nostre Iesum In as muche as God the father sente hym to be incarnate for oure redemption Saynt Hierome on the begynninge of the Epistle to the Galathians putteth a distinction of .iiii. manners of Apostles One kīnde of Apostles be they that be sente not from man or by man but by Iesu Christe and GOD the father as Moyses Esaye Iohn Baptiste Peter Paule with theyr company Of the seconde manner be they that be sente of GOD by man as by a meane betwyxte GOD and them as Iosue was made the guyde and instructoure of the people of Israell by Goddes wyll declared by Moyses whiche in Goddes behalfe put hym in aucthoritie Nu xxvii And so I doubt not but S. Augustine Anglorum Apostolus was sent of God by the ministerye and settinge furth of S. Gregory one of the best bishoppes of Rome that euer was after S. Peter into this realme to cōuerte the people to Christes fayth and so he dyd spedely God assisting and helping forth his godly purpose And lykewyse when the kynges maiestie or the prelates vnder him sende furth catholike preachers amonge the people sincerelye to instructe them to vertue it is to be supposed that they be Apostles sende of God by man The thyrde maner is of them that by mans fauoure affection more then for learninge or any good condition in them be sent or set furth to take vpon them the office of preachinge And yet they lowly consideringe theyr infyrmitie and inhabilitie and the highnes of the office that they be put in by prayer and exercise of study may come to suche grace that they maye worthely execute the Apostles office that they toke vpon them The fourth maner of Apostles be neither sent by God nor good man as pseudapostles false preachers of heresies scismes discention and diuisiō of whiche speaketh Paule .ii. Cor. xi Such pseude Apostles or false Apostles be subtill and disceitfull workemen disguisynge them selues into the Apostles of Christ and no marueil for Sathan as self disgiseth him selfe into an Aungel of light therefore it is no meruayle thoughe his ministers and seruauntes do so lykewise They speake in Goddes name as though God sent them yet God sayth not as they saye neither sent them to do his errande Suche was not blessed S. Peter but he was sent by almighty God our Sauiour Iesus Christ as he sayth here in this salutation or gretynge Iesus is as much to say as a sauiour and therefore in as muche as Christe by reason of his godhead was euer a Sauiour of the worlde he had that name from the beginning of the world and also afore the world was made because that he euer intended to saue the worlde after that it shoulde perisshe And for this cause the Aungell Gabriell when he had Ioseph that he shoulde not put away Mary his wife but cherysshe her declaringe that the chylde that she went with al was begotten not by anye misorderinge of her virginall bodye but by the operation of the holy goost and that he shoulde call the chylde Iesus because he should saue the people from their synnes The Aungell bad him not geue him that name but bad him that he shoulde call him so by the name that he had euer for he was euer a Sauiour Manye we reade of in the olde testamente that were called Iesus as Iesus Naue otherwise called Iosue and Iesus filius Iosedech Eccl. xlix and Iesus filius Syrach Eccl. l. but none of them could saue the people from theyr sinnes but only our Iesus the sonne of Mary y e virgin Christ is as much to say as anoynted so was oure sauiour Christe with the oyle of gladnes that is to say with the grace of the holye gooste signified by the gentyll supplenes of oyle ▪ pre cōsortibus tuis better and aboue his felowes By that the Prophet compareth him to his felowes ye may playnely vnderstande that he meaneth of the manheade of Christ by whiche he become oure felowe for the godheade is but one
so they saye it was at the consuÌ„mation ending of the teÌ„ple that Salamon builded And of this reuelation they say y e prophet had occasioÌ„ to say LapideÌ„ queÌ„ reprobauerunt edificantes hic factus est in caput an guli But because this narratioÌ„ hath no euideÌ„ce of scripture it is not best to grounde anye scripture vpon it and specially this scripture that is so oft in mouth with our sauiour Christ with the euangelistes and in the Apostolical epistles But we must take the said wordes of the psalme Lapidem quem repro c. spoken originally and to the lettre of our Sauiour Christ selfe and so he alledgeth the same wordes Mat. xxi as spokeÌ„ by him selfe after the parable of the good man that made a vineyard and set it to labourers to dresse it and kepe it and when time came to gather the fruytes he sent his seruauÌ„tes to gather the fruites fyrst one coÌ„pany and after an other company and these rude felowes the labourers in the vyneyarde toke some of them that were sent to them and beate them and â—lewe some of them so that at the last the good man was fayne to sende his owne sonne thinkinge that the vnkynde churles yet woulde be afrayde to medle with him yet notwithstandinge him they caste out of the vyneyarde or garden and killed hym also as they had done others that were sente amonge them afore Now sayth Christ what wyl the sayd goodman the owner of the vyneyarde do to these fermers and labourers in the vineyarde that haue done this mischiefe They answered The yl and noughty wretches he muste destroy put them to death must set forth his vineyarde to other tenauntes And then because they shuld ê‘ceiue vnderstaÌ„d more by this soÌ„ne that y e goodmaÌ„ sent among theÌ„ he allegeth this of the psalme makinge for his purpose sayinge dyd you neuer reade The stone whiche the builders reproued and caste by was made the heade stone for the corner of the buyldinge meaninge that the goodmannes sonne that was caste out of the vineyarde to be slayne and the stone that the buylders reproued and caste by for noughte was all one He was the onely and derest sonne of the father of heauen whome the vnkind Iewes cast oute of the citie of Ierusalem and led him to the mount of Caluary the place of execution without the citie and there killed him and euen he was the stone that the buylders cast by and despised for a thinge of noughte and yet afterwarde the same stone ioyned the two walles together as one wall the Iewes and the Gentyles in the vnitie of one churche The buylders that be here spoken of were the scribes and the phariseis and learned men amonge the Iewes whiche knewe by the Scriptures that they had redde that Christ was the verye anoynted that was so longe afore promised of almightie God by the mouthes of his holy Prophetes for they sawe all thinges that were spoken of afore to be performed in the anointed that they loked for performed in Christ in very dede They saw the time that Iacob in y e blessing of his soÌ„ne Iudas apointed also Daniel the prophet spoke of to agre theÌ„ put in effect come in dede that wheÌ„ y t holy one of al holy ones shuld come ther shuld be no more kinges anointed of y e linage of Iude. For y t time y t christ came Herode was their king an alien an Idumey desceÌ„ding of Esau not of They sawe also his wonderous workes and miracles aboue the power of anye pure man to do Their learnynge and the experience that they had of Christes Godlye power and of hys wisedome shoulde haue moued them to edify the people in the fayth of Christe they should haue beleued on hym them selfe and should haue perswaded the people likewise to beleue vpon hym and to take hym for the true Messias but they did cleane contrarye peruertynge and misexpoundyng the scriptures that speake of him and swadynge the people that he was but a dissembler and that he was a tauerne hunter a wyne drinker a quaffer a companion wyth the Publicans wyth whores naughty liuers Like as a builder gathereth and ioyneth together stones and other matter or stuffe to make a house euen so shoulde they haue gathered and layed in frame together the textes of Moyses and of the Prophetes and suche other Scriptures of the olde Testament appliynge them to Christ of whom and by whome they were intended and spoken that they so doyng myght haue buylded the people as spiritual houses on Christ as on the firme and sure rocke or stone Whiche they did not but rather dissipate and scattered abroade the buildynge deuidynge the people into scismes and diuers opinions of hym and rather not to be stablisshed on hym but to be cleane shaken awaye from hym The blessed apostles Euangelistes and holye doctours gathered together the texts and saiynges of the holy scriptures as stones or timber or stuffe to make vp their audience and buylde theim as spirituall houses on Christe And so dothe Sainte Peter in this his letter that we haue now in hande by the aucthoritie of Dauid and Esay declarynge Christe to be the precious and best beloued stone that GOD had chosen althoughe men hadde reproued him and set little by hym whiche yet notwythstandynge he shoulde be the hedstone to ioyne together the Iewes and Gentyles in one churche And not onelye then he was reproued of the builders of that tyme the Scribes and Phariseis and their audiences and Scholers the carnall Iewes but as well nowe adayes he is reiecte and dispised of manye Buylders and Preachers blasphemynge and missaiynge hys godlye and myghtye power in manye pointes as farre foorthe as they dare for feare of the Kinges lawes And of this it commeth that so manye miscreauntes and misbeleuers so little regarde the blessed and mooste reuerende Sacramente of the Aultare and also the Sacramentall confession of synnes vnto a Prieste as thoughe Christe were not able by his Godlye power to make of breade and wine his owne fleshe and bloude and to geue power to a priest by his wordes to dooe the same likewise Or as thoughe GOD were not able by his officer to deliuer men from the prison and boÌ„dage of their synnes They that by their preachynge readinge or teachinge sowe suche heresies among the people they be naughtye builders they cast away the bindinge stone our Sauiour Christe that he maie not ioyne together all people in the vnitie of one faieth they scatter the stones the aucthorities of the scriptures by their misunderstandinge and false interpretation more then gathereth theim to edifie and builde their audience on the liuelye and liuynge stone oure Sauiour Christ. To all theÌ„ that beleue not well theÌ„ selues on God In quo positi sunt in whome wee liue and moue and be as Sainte Paule speaketh God hath made vs and set vs and ordeyned vs to
womans sacrifices that wyll shewe them selues to be of Christes faith and beliefe and these be made acceptable to God by the merites of our sauiour Iesus Christe on whom we beleue By this you may iudge how far wide from this generall laye presthoode and from the sinceritie of theyr Christendome they be that wil neither sacrifice to God iustice or rightuous dealing but vseth al oppression extorcion theft and bribery neither will giue to God the sacrifice of laude praise and thankes but rather blasphemy to Gods reproche and to his dispite and wil not vse prayers in the church nor in other places but rather with their babling in the church and mocking of diuine seruice letteth and hindreth other men from theyr praiers and from attending and hearing gods seruice They giue not theyr bodies as a holy sacrifice to God but rather as a stincking sacrifice to the fleshe to the diuel not liuely but sinfull and deadly not pleasant but as an instrument of mischiefe displeasant to God and man There is an other priesthode whiche is one of the seuen sacrameÌ„tes called the order of presthode farre aboue the foresayd lay priesthoode in dignitie and in authoritie This order and dignitie of priesthode our sauiour Christe gaue to hys disciples after his last supper wheÌ„ he toke breade in his handes and conuerted it into his bodye by these words saying This is my body And taking the cuppe with wine in his handes he sayd This is my blood And consequently he sayd to his disciples Hoc facite in meam comme morationem do you this that I haue done and so doing remember me where he gaue theim authoritie to consecrate bread and wine into his blessed bodye and bloode as he had done And in this he gaue them power on him selfe and on his owne verye bodye and bloode in which consisteth the chief office of a prieste and giuing theym power to consecrate that most reuerend sacrameÌ„t of the alter he made them priestes and wyth all in so doinge he instâ—tuted and ordeyned the sacrament of order And after hys gloryous resurrection 〈◊〉 gaue vnto the sayde Apostles power and iurisdiction vpon hys misticall body that is the churche or multitude of Christen people When he came in amonge the Apostles the doores of the chaumber beyng fast shutâ—â— and sayde vnto them Pax vobiâ— peace be amonge you and then he breathed vpon them and sayde Take you the holye Gost whose synnes you forgiue shall bee forgiuen and whose synnes you retayne and not forgiue shall be retayned and not forgyuen And as the Apostles tooke theyr order of priesthoode at Christes handes giuing them the holy gost by which they had authoritie on his own body and also on his misticall body which is the church and the multitude of Christen people so the Apostles by imposicion and layinge their handes on suche as they chose for to be priestes or bishops made theym priests geuing theÌ„ authoritie to consecrate Christes bodye and bloode and to minister the sacrament of penaunce forgiuyng sinnes and retayâ—ing sinnes as they see it necessary and likewise to minister all other duties of a priest The holye Goste spoke to the ministers of the churche that were in Antiochia Segregate mihi Saulum et Barâ—â—â—am in opus ad quod assumpsi eos Act. xiii And it foloweth tunt ieiunantes orantes imponentes â–ª que eis manus dimiserunt eos With fasting praying and leyng theyr holy hands on Saule afterward called Paule and on Barnabas they ordred theym priestes and sent them furthe to execute priestes offices Saint Paule writeth vnto his scoler Timothe Noli negligere gratiam que in te est que data est tibi per propheciam cum impositione manuum presbiterij i Timo. iiii Be not neglygent in the grace that is gyuen thee by prophecye wyth leynge the Priestes handes vpon thee Prophecye he called here after Saynt Ambrose the election by whyche he was chosen as one that shoulde bee a meete Minister and teacher in Christes Churche And suche prophecye is vsed or shoulde bee vsed to thys daye in makynge of Pryestes where the Byshoppe or his sufficient depute sitteth vpon opposicions of them that shall be made priests wher he ought to haue mature and discrete examinacion aswell of his maners and conuersation as of his leaâ—ning oportet autem illum testimonium habere bonum ab hijs qui foris sunt i. Timo. iii. He ought to haue good report of the infidels saythe Saynte Paule then much more he ought to haue good reporte of the layfe that be neither priestes nor ministers of the church vpon which examinaâ—ion if the bishop and his officeâ—s thinke him meete to be a priest they set him furth to the bishops handes to take orders This allowing of his lyuing and of his learning with hope that he will so continue and increace in goodnes is it that S. Paul in this place calleth prophecie Imposition of the bishops handes hath with it concurring certeine holy wordes by which wordes he as I sayde afore is confirmed made strong and able to exercise that he was chosen to takinge authoritie by which he may be bolde to offer sacrifices to God in Christes steede And because of the perill that is in making vnworthy priestes S. Paule warneth Timothe .i. Tim. v. Manus cito nemini imposueris neque coÌ„municaueris peccatis alienis Wher s. Paule with a contestacion as Timothe shuld answer afore God and our sauiour Christ and hys elect Angels of heauen coÌ„maundeth him that he be not to easy and light to set his holy handes on any man to promote him to that ecclesiastical dignitie of priesthode because he will nothing to be done in giuing orders without a foresight and a fore iudgement lest peraduenture if he be found reproueable and vicious the bishop that promoted him may repent his dede and also least he be contaminate partaker of the vices of hym that he hath ordered because he hath suffered hym so lightly to passe his handes without sufficieÌ„t trial of his liuing Manye other authorities of scripture and specially of S. Paule I could reherse in which it doth euidently appeare howe prescise he is in the sayd order of priesthoode and howe it doth surmount the other common anointing by which all they be anoynted that be christened as I sayde for thoughe all they that be anoynted at theyr baptisme be enbrued with the holye goste yet by imposition of the bishops handes on hym that is ordered with the holy wordes concurrent with the same the holy goste is giuen to a prieste for to giue him authoritie an higher office that euery maÌ„ may not attain to As for to consecrate the body and bloud of our sauiour Christe in the most reuerend sacrament of the aulter to minister other sacramentes and specially the sacrament of penance which in this holy time all well disposed good christen people run to as to the necessary remedy to saue
and by their dampnation the paines of the euyll example geuer shall be greuouslye encreased when he shall mete with theim in Hell that shall come thither by his example geuinge This knewe full well the riche glotton that was buried and laied in Hell when he desiered Abraham to sende one home to hys brethren and their familyes to bidde theim amende their lyues that they come not here This desire came of no charitie for in Hell is no charitie but it was onelye for the cause aforesaide He knewe well that the euill example that hee hadde geuen theim by his lyfe tyme to eate and drinke to reuell and riote to go gorgeouslie and in fine softe and riche apparaile to followe the lustes of the fleshe to vse crueltie oppression and extorcion in the countrey to gather riches as he hadde done shoulde brynge theim thither to him to the great cumulation encrease of his sorowe and so for his owne ease he willed theim well for feare lest by their damnation he should haue more sorowe and paine in hell Saint Peter likewise in these wordes sheweth vs that although commonly Cum sancto sanctus eris cū peruerso peruerteris With the holy a man shalbe holy and wyth a frowarde synner a man shall be naughtye and synnefull for lyke maketh like Yet the other is not impossible that the naughty maye lyue amonge the good and the good maie lyue amonge the euill For Iudas was naught with Christe and with the other of the Apostles that were good And Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph Iob Thoby and suche others were verye good amonge theim that were naught Euen as you see in natural example A goodlie Rose springeth vp amonge the thornes and a goodlye Oke amonge the rughe bryer bushes A candle geueth best lyghte in the darke and the Starres sheweth fayrest in the night If your conuersation shall be seene good to theim that you shall dwell amonge you muste beware of the .vii. faultes that be spoken of Prouer. vi Se◠sunt que odit Dominus septimum detestatur anima eius There be syxe thynges that oure Lorde hateth and the seuenth his minde abhorreth You muste beware you haue not Oculos sublimes hye lokes by manifest signes settynge furthe your pryde it wyll be longe afore anye suche allure menne to goodnesse by their example but rather menne shall hate theim and also their condicions fewe men can well agree wyth them Linguam mendacem You muste be no lyers but to haue a true tongue in your head and not accustomed to pernicious and perillous lyes who wyll set by suche a lyer or learne anie good by his euyll example Manus effundentes sanguinem innoxium An homicide or murtherer that will kyll or procure the deathe of theim that be innocente and haue not offended Cor machinās cogitationes pessimas He that hath a venemous harte euer studiynge to hurte hys neighboure Suche an harte muste neades nowe and then burste out and shewe it selfe it will no more be kept in then fyre couered vnder strawe whiche muste neades burst out in one place or an other Pedes veloces ad currendum in malum Euer readye to do harme and to hurte their neighbours as when they perceiue a man prone and ready to anger with him thei wil be doing as thinking it is a good sport to kindle him make hym angry to make hī fight brawle or to blaspheme god nother regardynge the deathe of their brother nor the despite of God He that hath burned a pore mannes house thatched wyth strawe might thynke he hadde greuouslye offended then you may be sure that he hath not a litle offended that hath burned Gods house hys euen christen And euen suche they bee that prouoketh others to dronkennesse or to anye other vyce euer runnynge and readye to do shrewde turnes And as Titus the noble Emperoure Vespasians sonne was wont to saie that he had lost the daye when peraduenture in the daye he had not done some man good Amici hodie diem perdidi quia nemin◠benefeci So contrary they thinke the daye lost in whiche they haue not done some man hurte either by backebityng men or sclaundering them raylinge or mockinge them or picking and stealinge from them or otherwise Proferentem mendacia testem fallacem Where afore the wiseman hadde reproued generallie a liynge tongue Here he reproueth speciallye the lier that will in open iudgemente geue false testimonie and witnesse bothe to hurte his neighbour and also to peruert iustice whiche is hurt to the common wealthe The seuenth and worste of all whiche God abhorreth is Qui seminat inter fratres discordiam He that soweth discorde and debate among brethren Wee be all brethren in God and GOD woulde haue vs to loue like brethren to agree in one minde and one wyll in God like brothers to agree in opinions Vt idipsum dicatis omnes non sint in vobis scismata That one saith an other should saie without scismes diuersities of minds in thinges concerninge our fayeth ceremonies and vsages of Christes churche of such diuersity of opinions commonlye foloweth dissention and debate betwixt neighbour neighbour by which the vnitie of the church the vnitie of the congregation of Christes people is dissolued and cast asunder whiche GOD mooste desiereth to haue kept and knitte together by the bonde and knot of charitie and abhorreth the contrarye If we eschewe and auoyde all these seuen our conuersation shall seme good to them that wee occupye wythall and dwell amonge so that when they consider our good workes they may take example of the same and haue a cause to saye well by vs and to glorifye God by vs whiche shall through Christes helpe returne to the common comfort of vs all in heauen Amen The ninth treatice or Sermon SVbiecti igitur estote omni humane creature propter deum In these wordes which I haue taken to declare vnto you Saynte Peter willeth vs to geue example of due subiection and humilitie whiche is the mother and keper of vertues Be you subiect saith he and lowly to al maner of men constitute and set in auctoritie ouer you whether they be faiethfull or infidels as moost parte of them were at that time vnder whom they liued that s Peter wrote his epistle vnto in the countreys rehearsed Pontus Galatia Capadotia c. This we must do not only for fear of punishmēt but rather for discharge of conscience because it is gods will we shold so do Witnesseth s Paule Ro. xiii Non est potestas nisi a deo qui potestati resistit dei ordinationi resistit There is no power but it cōmeth of god therefore he y t resisteth power auctoritie of office resisteth gods ordinaūce so worketh toward his owne dānation Siue regi quasi presellenti As well to the Kynge as chiefe ruler in his realme in all temporall auctoritie as to dukes and other captayns or officers sent from him to
y e martirs haue suffred innumerable displeasures vntollerable paines for Christes sake here in this world how muche more sorow paines groneth loketh for their tormentors that put theÌ„ to those paines And if holy Iob the old patriarchs prophetes in Christes time the apostles martirs such other receiued much pain suffred sorow displesurs to please almightie God how much more sorow may they loke for in another world y t here liueth at pleasure be mery laugheth at other mens harmes taketh more paines to hurt theÌ„ then to do them good The good liuers taketh paines on earth here in this world the sinners malicious persoÌ„s bribers oppressioners extorcioners shal suffer their paines w tout end in the horrible paines of hell And this is it y t s. Peter meaned by the sayd text y t if the good maÌ„ shal with much a do be saued that is vix scarsely where shal the vicious wicked sinner apeare he can not so come to saluatioÌ„ then no remedy but he must come to dampnation with the deuyll and all his dampned companye in hel Then for the finall conclusion of this matter of sufferynge aduersitie paynes and trouble for Christe and for iustice sake S. Peter concludeth saying Itaque hi qui paciuntur secundum voluntatem dei c. Therfore they that suffereth of ill folkes by the wil permission of God this is called Voluntas signi â–ª it is a signe that he is content it should so be â–ª because he suffreth it for the time and it semeth that he wyl so because he suffreth it Thei that so suffreth let them commit their liues their soules to almighty God their faithful maker in good workes let them liue well and do well nothinge presuming on theyr owne power then let him alone withal when you do the best and you can do no more let him alone with y e rest for he is faithfull saith S. Peter he is trustie and â—aythful and wyl not fayle to acquite aboundauntlye the paines that you take yea and much aboue anye mans deseruing And here you must not forget how S. Peter biddeth vs commende once selues to God in good dedes then onely fayth is not ynough you must worke charitably withall to declare youre selues to haue a liuely fayth vivificate made alyue and adourned with charitie and good workes whiche shalbe acquited surelye and faythfully with glory in heauen euerlastingly whiche he graunt vs. c. The xviii treatise or sermon The fyfte Chapiter GOod and worshipfull audience considerynge my bounden duetie and due obedience that I owe to the superiour powers I haue absteined now from preachinge these .v. or .vi. yeares but nowe that it hath pleased them more fauourably to loke vpon me and to lycence me I shalbe glad to retourne to that my old exercise and to come among you to do my duety in that behalfe at such times as I may coÌ„uenientlye Furthermore I trust you remember and I doubt not but many here present doth remember that about .viii. or .ix. yeares agone I toke vpon me to preache vnto you here in this citie the first epistle of S. Peter in whiche in manye sermons I came ouer foure chapters of the same epistle afore I was prohibited for to preache And now beginning where I lefte I purpose GOD helpinge to prosecute the residue of the said epistle The .v. chapter beginneth thus Seniores ergo qui in vobis sunt obsecro consenior testis Christi passionum qui eius quae in futuro reuelanda est glorie communicator pascite c. i. Pet. v. Because the blessed Apostle Saynt Peter woulde leaue none estate of people destitute of learninge and withoute gostlye exhortation therefore after his holesome lessons geuen afore generally to all maner of people as well riche as poore as to bondmen and seruauntes then to wiues and maried men then retourning to generall lessons indiffereÌ„t for al men Nowe consequently in these wordes rehearsed he infourmeth preistes which God hath apointed to be among the people as launterns of lyghte to leade and guyde his people towarde the saluation of theyr soules whiche is the ende and perfection of our fayth as he sayde afore Capi. i. In all maner of doctrine the auctoritie of the mayster hath great efficacitie and doth verye muche in makinge the scholer to applie his mind to that is taught him to learne it and beare it away Therefore Saint Peter because he would here teache preistes he professeth him selfe to be a preist as they be and therefore they shoulde be gladder to heare hym and to folowe his doctrine As yf there should be a matter of the trade of marchaundise to be intreated of among the marchauntes of this citie if there came in a marchaunt of graue and longe experience all the others woulde geue eare and lysten to his talke and woulde be gladde to folowe his counsell Lykewise amonge carpenters or masons if the kinges cheife carpenter or maister mason of his graces workes came in place beynge knowen for most excellent of the realme in theyr faculties all the carpenters all the masons in the citie would anone resorte vnto them to heare some learninge of them Euen so it is in matters of hygher learnynge pertaininge to our soule health And for suche considerations S. Peter here professeth him selfe to be a preiste and a preiste not made at all aduentures as these leude ministers be made nowe a dayes of shoemakers smithes coblers and clouters as well maryed as single but one taught brought vp vnder the prynce of preistes oure Sauyoure Christe therefore they shoulde assure theim selues that he woulde teache them nothinge but that shoulde beseme a preiste And yet furthermore to amplifie his auctoritie he calleth hym selfe a wytnes of Christes passions and paynes that he suffred for vs. Testis Christi passionum Thoughe all Christes lyfe were a verye passyon and a time full of trouble paine and persecution yet chiefly his passion begonne when he prayed on the banke besyde Gethsemani in the mounte Oliuete when he was in a marueilous agony that made him swete so sore that the droppes fel from him like water mixt with bloude Then came Iudas and a traine with him of the presidents souldiers also of the bishops men set hand vpon him led him ful boistuously first to Annas then to Caiphas that was pontifexan ni illius then to Pilate then to Herode because al the world should wonder on him as condemned by so many iudges and none of theÌ„ all speaking one word for his dispatching or acquiting Then they brought him backe againe to Pilate which condemned him to death partlye to stoppe the Iewes mouthes and their clamoure partlye for fear lest he should haue bene accused to the emperoure for lettinge one scape that toke vpon him to be a kinge as the Iewes bore him on hande that Christ did as preparing or intending a
al thinges considered we haue no cause to be proude at al but we haue manie causes to be lowlie consideringe our owne miserie first how miserably how vnclēly we were gotten as vnclenly borne then how wretched we be in our education nursing bringing vp where euery beast by and by as sone as he cōmeth into the worlde can make some shyfte for him selfe to finde the teete or other kinde of feedynge man canne make none suche shyfte but rather yf helpe were not should forthwith perysh Then in processe of our life how many infirmities we bee subiecte vnto Pockes Meesils Axes and Agues sweatinge Pestylence besyde troubles and vnquietnes of the mynde and how miserably we lyue in soule dayly offēdinge him that made vs almightie God by this vnthrifty and naughty breder of sinne the nurse of sinne which the Apostle calleth sinne remayning in our flesh as the dragges of our fyrst infection and corruption taken of Adam by whiche commeth gloteny lechery pride malice murder robbery and all other iniquitie whiche all peyseth and presseth vs downe to dampnation euerlasting Thē what cause I pray you haue we to be proude none god knoweth but cōtrari great cause to come alow and study to vse humility by frequentinge the same to gender in vs the habite or vertu of humilitie And by that vertu we shalbe inclined to the contēpt of the glory of thys world and to despise the exaltation the honour the worshyps welth pleasures of this presente life as thinges flux and fadinge inconstant and of no valure Christ teacheth vs the same speaking of him self Io. viii Si ego glorifico me ipsum gloria mea nihil est If I glorifie my self beside or contrary to the rule of goddes truth my glory is nothing Thē much lesse worth is our glory whiche cōmonly is vayne and in thinges contrary to his pleasure This considered s. Paule i. Timo. vi Diuitibus huius sec. pecip non sublime sap Neque sperare in incerto diuitiarū Willinge Timothe to speake to the riche men bid thē not to be proud nor to trust in the vncertenty of their riches but to put their trust in the liuing god Aug. Non expauit diuitias apostolus sed superbiā que est vermis diuitū The apostle was not afrayd of riches but rather of pride which is the moght the worme that eateth vp the riche men And he is worthy to be called a great man a riche man and a good man that hauing muche riches is not ouercome with that vice of pride And he that thinketh him self a great mā because he is riche he is a proud man he swelleth in the flesh is not ful but as a thing blowen vp redie to burst and yet is there no sure and permanent stuffe within him We must also come alow submittinge our selues to superiour powers lowlie obeinge them that be set in aucthoritie ouer vs considering that theyr aucthoritie commeth of God is giuen them of almightie God eyther by his wel pleased will or at the least wyse by his sufferaunce Non enim est potestas nisi a deo Itaque qui resistit potestati ordinationi dei resistit Qui autē resistūt ipsi sibi dānationē acquirunt Ro. xiii Ye may obiecte yea syr I put the case that they woulde persue me for my fayth or woulde compel me to reneyg anie article of my fayth must I obey them vnder payne of dāpnation No syr We must not vnderstande S. Paule y t he speaketh of tirrannes or persecutours of the faythe but of suche rulers or mē of aucthoritie as he speaketh of there Principes non sunt timori boni operis sed mali Of such princes or rulers y t make not men afrayed for well doinge but rather that lawde and prayse men for well doynge and of such as be terrible to malefactours and to ill doers them we must obey vnder payne of dampnation in all their iust commaundemētes and requestes not onlie for feare of punishment but also for conscience sake The other we may not obey in no cause but rather make some shift remouinge to some other place out of their daunger if it may be or by some other way to stay them selues for the time but yf there be no other remedie but y u shalt be vrged or constrayned to denie thou must rather offer thy self to die then to refuse god or his fayth S. Peter in the seconde chapter of this epistle biddeth vs Subiecti estote omni humane creature propter deū siue regi quasi precellēti siue du tāque ab eo missis ad vindictā malefactorū laudē vero bonorū And it followith deū timete regem honorificate On a time when there was a contentyon amōge his disciples not without some cause as it seemed because they perceiued by diuerse sayinges of our maister Christe that he woulde be gonne from them and that he should be betraied of one of them there presēt at supper with them and that he should be ill hādled of the Prelates and hie priestes and of the Scribes Pharisies such other they thought it meete to haue a presidēt a hed a ruler amonge thē to order them to prouide necessaries for them Christ hard their talke and first extolled the aucthoriti of princes saying Reges gētiū dn̄ātur eorū er qui potestatē habēt super eos benefici vocātur Luk. xxii Kinges of people be lordes ouer them and they that haue power ouer them be called souerayne lordes or gracious lordes But you must not do so I will haue no such lording or maistership among you but he y t is hiest or thinketh him self best of you let him be as the yōgest or as the least of you al. And he y t will go formest let hym be a seruitour take exāple of me Whether is he greater that sitteth at the borde at meate or he y t wayteth serueth at the table I am amōge you as a seruaūt at the borde euen so must you be you wyl be hie Then cōsidering y t that christ would so haue it amonge his disciples that prelacie amonge thē which were equalles should come by humiliatiō then much more his pleasure is that we should humiliate our selues to them that by Gods will be set in soueraygntie superioritie rule or aucthoritie ouer vs. And that is it that S. Peter sayth Humiliamini sub potenti manu dei vt vos exaltet in tempore visitationis Make your selues humble and lowlye vnder the mightye hande of God that he may exalte you set you vp in honour at the time of his visitacion at the generall iudgement when he shall for youre lowlynes here in earthe sorte you amonge the Angels in heauen wyth euery order of Angelles some men and women accordinge to their good liuing here as it shalbe seen good to his godly wysdom To whome be all glorie honour for euer Amen The
do vengeance punishemente and correction on malefactours and euyll doers and to the laude and prayse of theim that be good Sainte Peter knewe no precellencye or excellencye ouer a whole realme bearinge the sworde of Iustice and hauynge the execution of Iustice ouer all his subiectes but in the kynge whom he calleth Precellent which I take for a more magnificente and noble terme then Excellent Example In an vniuersitie many be excelleÌ„t clerkes as it were out of the coÌ„mon sort passyng a great meyny of theÌ„ that be learned but none may well be called precelleÌ„t but he that passeth theÌ„ all in learnyng So in auctoritie he is Precellent that passeth all other power and aucthoritye whiche in his owne realme and in the administration of Iustice ouer his owne subiectes is onely the king therfore froÌ„ him is deriued the ministratioÌ„ of iustice to all inferiour Iusticiers iudges iustices The auctoritie of a king ouer his subiecâ—s is wel set furth .iii. Esd. iiii O viri nuÌ„ precellunt hoies qui terraÌ„ mare obtineÌ„t O sirs be not those men Precellente highest of all in might power that kepeth both the land sea and all that is in them Rex auteÌ„ super omnia precellit Such is the Kynge for he is hyghest ouer al and is lord of theÌ„ Here he vseth the word PrecelleÌ„t which s Peter vseth Et oia quecuÌ„que dix erit illis faciuÌ„t Al y â— the king biddeth theÌ„ do thei do And if he send them to his army in his wars thei go and there they pull downe hylles and make playne grounde castelles and towres they slaye and be slaine and passeth not the kinges commaundement when they haue ouercome theyr enemies they bring to the king al theyr prayes and they that goo not to warre but ploweth the ground when they haue reaped bringe the king his parte And if he alone bydde them kill they kyll yf he bidde them forgeue they forgeue yf he bidde them strike they strike yf he bydde banishe they banyshe if he bidde men builde they buylde if he bid cutte downe they hew downe if he bidde them set they sette and all the people what power soeuer they be of obeyeth him And for all this he taketh his ease his meat drinke and his slepe and others watcheth and kepeth his body from harme and they may not go euerye man his waye to do what he wyll but at a worde they obey him Nowe syrs howe say you is not the kinge worthie to be called precellent whose fame and royall name is set furth after this maner Of the duety of dukes Captaines or great officers vnder kinges you heare They haue aucthoritie to edifie not to destroye to do good and not to do ill to punishe vice and to auaunce and set forth vertue to correct theÌ„ that be badde and to laude praise and cherishe them that be good yf they do otherwise their dampnation is iuste they well deserue it And for them and vs this is goddes will and pleasure that with well doinge we shoulde stoppe mennes mouthes that folyshly will raile and ignorantly knowing nothinge of the matter that they rayle against with our well doinge we shoulde make theim holde theyr peace or to say the best and not with scolding brawlinge or chidinge agayne nor by actions on the case nor by citations or by suche litigious processe If thou be sclaundered a purgation is not the thinge that S. Peter biddeth the runne to but he biddeth the do well and so thou shalt stoppe mennes mouthes Auoyde the occasion on whiche the rumoure and sclaunder rose and the rumoure wyll sone cease where as by contentious and litigious processe manye meÌ„ wyll speake of the matter that neuer heard of it afore and wyl be more ready to speake the worst then the best Quasi liberi non quasi velamen habentes malicie libertatem sed sicut serui Dei You must geue good example and occasion to men to say well and to leaue theyr rayling or missaying against you not for anye bondage or for seruyle feare but like fre meÌ„ set at the libertie at whiche Christ hath set vs doinge it with heart and all And we must beware that we vse not our libertie as a cloke or coueringe of malice and of mischeife Remembre what Iudas of Galiley did that is spoken of Actu v. and Iosephus antiquitatuÌ„ li. xviii Cap. i. he calleth him Iudas Gaulonites homo ex ciuitate cui nomeÌ„ erat Gamala He seduced a great multitude and made them to rebell vnder the pretence of a Godly libertie in as much as they were the elect people of God paid to him fyrst fruites tithes and other dueties Wherfore he sayd they ought not to pay tribute to any man nor to recognize any other lord but onelye God This heresie grew so sore y t it peruerted a great multitude of the people to consente vnto it but anone the auctor of it as many of his secte as could be found were slaine with him albeit the smoke of this heresy smelled longe after for this Iudas the heresiarch set forth this heresie tempore professionis when by the coÌ„maundement of the emperour Octauianus Augustus ibant singuli vt profiterentur in ciuitates suas euery man went to the place where he was borne there to haue his name takeÌ„ to pay his head peny or tribute professinge their subiection to the Romaines at which time Ioseph Mary went to Bethleem where they were borne they being there came the time that Mary shuld be deliuered of child there Christe was borne And afterwarde more then .xxx. yeres they moued a questioÌ„ to Christe touching this heresie An licet ceÌ„suÌ„ dare Caesari an non Mar. xxii Whether it were lawful to pay tribute to the emperor or not Christ sayd ye declaring the same by the coine of y e mony which was the emperors image It is but temporall why shuld not a teÌ„poral lord haue temporal subsedy aide it is his duetye so to haue therefore pay it saith christ you must nedes do so The said Iudas pretended a liberty by y t they were of the holy line of Abraham Isaac Iacob Gods electe people but this libertie he shoulde haue vnderstand goostly and not carnally but he turned it to carnalitie as Iosephus expresselye sayth Obtentu quideÌ„ vtilitatis defeÌ„sionis communis reuera auteÌ„ propriuÌ„ lucroruÌ„ gratia tota seditio gerebatur All the commotion and fraye was made vnder the pretence and coloure of a common profytte and common defence but in very dede it was for theyr owne priuate and proper lucre What mischeif hath come in Saxony by a pretensed libertie is not vnknowen Euangelicall libertie setteth no man at large to liue as he list but this it setteth vs at libertie from the bondage of sinne and also makinge vs subiecte to god and to our kinge and to all our rulers constitute and