his heauenly graces and benefites Wee haue the influence of his Diuine power woorkyng in vs whiche promoteth and furthereth vs vnto all thynges that pertaine vnto life and godlinesse that is when wee beleeue wee receiue so many benefites of hym that God bountifully bestoweth vpon vs euen the giftes of his power whiche power is diffused into all and euery our actions bothe is and also effectually woorketh in vs. What soeuer we speake or what soeuer wee doe it is not wee but GOD in vs that speaketh and doeth He is in vs strong mightie and omnipotence yea euen when wee suffer torment and affliction when wee are killed and dye and when before the worlde wee are altogether seelie and weake In somuche that when wee haue not this power of God there is in vs no strength at all no facultie no habilitie Now whereas Sainct Peter saieth that all thynges are giuen vnto vs of his Diuine power his meanyng is not as though wee should bee able to make Heauen and Earth and to woorke Miracles and doe wonders For what good would that doe vnto vs But wee haue all the giftes of his godly and Diuine power in vs so farre as is necessarie and profitable for vs. And therefore the Apostle addeth further these woordes That pertaine to life and godlinesse That is to saie wee haue all thynges by his godlie and diuine power moste abundantly giuen vnto vs that wee should dooe good and alwaies liue in vertuous estate and blessednesse Through the knowledge of hym that hath called vs. THis mightie power and greate grace of God proceadeth not from elswhere then from this perfecte and sounde knowledge of GOD. For when thou throughlie knowest hym for thy God he dealeth with thee as God After this maner also sainct Paule j. Cor. j. saieth In all thynges ye are made riche in hym in all kinde of speeche and in all knowledge as the testimonie of Iesus Christe hath bin confirmed in you so that ye are not destitute of any gift This is the greatest and the moste necessarie gift of all others that God can giue vnto vs whiche wee ought not to exchange for all other riches that is either in Heauen or in Earth For what would it auaile thee although thou couldst goe through Fire and Water without takyng any harme and woorke all kinde of Miracles and wonders if thou shouldest want this For there bee a greate many condemned that haue been able is woorke suche Miracles But this exceedeth and farre surmounteth all Miracles in that God bestoweth and giueth so greate a power vnto vs wherby al our sinnes are forgiuen vs and abolished quite out of remembraunce Death Sathan and Hell beyng vtterlie vanquished and swallowed vp Whereby we possesse our Consciences without feare and haue our hartes ioyful merie and bold without beyng afraied of any thing All whiche the knowledge of GOD that calleth vs doeth affoord and bryng vnto vs. Vnto glorie and vertue AND after what sorte was that Callyng wherewith God called vs Forsooth this God sent his holie Gospell into the World and caused the same to bee proclaimed and preached abroade for the whiche no man euer made any labour no man euer praied or made any entreatie to him but before any one so much as once thought of it he offred and gaue this grace vnto vs and powred the same moste aboundantly vppon vs all that he alone might haue all the glorie and praise and wee enioying suche a benefite should ascribe this power and vertue al onely to him For it is no worke of our owne but his And therefore seeyng that this Callyng is none of our owne neither coÌ„meth of our selues it is not mâ—â—te that we should lift vp our selues in pride as though we had brought it to passe of our selues but he is onely to bee glorified of vs and all thankes are to bee giuen vnto hym for so mercifullie bestowyng and giuyng his Gospell vnto vs and withall also for so strengthenyng vs with power and vertue against Sathan Death Hell and all mischieues at once whatsoeuer Whereby moste greate and precious promises are giuen vnto vs SAinct Peter hath added this to shewe forth and declare the nature and force of Faithe For when we knowe God to bee ours wee haue also with hym by Faith eternall life and the power of God wherby wee ouercome and get the victorie both of Death and Deuill And yet for all this we do not see these things neither yet feele wee them although all thinges be promised vnto vs. We haue al things but thei yet appeare not but in the last daie we shall plainly discouer and see all thinges present and apparantly laied open vnto our eyes Wee beginne here in this Worlde but wee come not to any ful fruition or perfection thereof in this life But we haue this promise that we liue here by the mightie power of God and that after this life we shalbe euerlastingly blessed He that faithfully beleeueth these thinges hath the some as it were alreadie in possession he that beleeueth not hath them not but is sure to perishe eternallie How greate and how precious these promises are Sainct Peter further yet declareth saying That by them ye should bee partakers of the godlie nature in that ye flee the corruption whiche is in the worlde through lust THis benefite wee haue by the power of Faithe that wee thereby are made partakers of God and come into a certein participation and communion of his diuine nature This is suche a sentence as the like ye shall not reade againe neither in the olde Testament nor yet in the newe Howbeit among the Painims and Heathen writers it is often read that wee partake with the very diuine nature it self But what is this nature of God Euerlastyng truth righteousnesse iustice wisedome eternall life peace ioye pleasure and al goodnesse that can bee named He now that is partaker of the nature of God is seized and priuiledged in all these to wit that he shall liue for euer enioye perpetuall and endlesse peace pleasure ioye and mirth bee pure holie iust and able to withstand and supplant Sathan Sinne Death Peters wordes therefore sounde as though he should saie thus Looke how vnpossible it is to take from God euerlastyng life and eternall truth so impossible is it also that these thinges should be taken from you If any man hurt you he must needes also hurt God For he must first oppresse God that seeketh to oppresse a right Christian All these properties are comprehended vnder this worde Diuine or Godly Nature whiche worde be therefore vsed because it containeth in it so large a signification These bee greate and singuler benefites if wee faithfully beleeue the veritie of them But all that is here set doune is as afore was declared Doctrines wherevppon the groundwoorke of our Faith is laide for that whiche here is written is rather to declare and shewe what greate and excellent benefites grow vnto vs through
hunger is as the Prouerbe saieth the beste sauce those pinches maketh this meate meruailous sauorie For the harte and conscience when thei once beginne to haue feelyng of their miserie and wretched state can heare nothyng that is so pleasaunte as the Gospell thei whollie rely vnto it thei smell afarre of the delicacie and toothsomnesse thereof and can not bee fullie satisfied therewith So was the song of the blessed virgine Marie He hath filled the hongrie with good thinges In the meane season those stiffe mynded persones that trust to their owne holinesse and leaue to their owne woorkes and righteousnesse haue neither any feelyng of their Synnes and wickednesse neither enioye any tast of these thynges here spoken of As for example when any that is hungrie sitteth at a table eche kinde of meate sauoureth well and hath a good relishe in his mouth whereas to hym that is full stomacked nothing sauoreth well but all meates yea the beste and daintiest dishes seeme loathsome Therefore vseth the Apostle these woordes If so be that you haue tasted how bountifull the Lorde is as though he should saie If you haue not as yet tasted this my preachyng to you is but in vaine To whom comyng as vnto a liuyng stone HEre againe taketh he holde of Scriptures afore tyme written and bryngeth in the xxviii of Esaie saiyng thus Heare the woorde of the Lorde ye mockers because ye haue saied wee haue made a couenant with Death and with Hell are wee at an agreement and haue made falshood your refuge Therefore thus saieth the Lorde Beholde I will laie in Zion a Stone a tried Stone a precious corner Stone a sure foundation c. This place doeth saincte Paule also alledge and it is one of the principallest places of the Scripture For Christe is that precious Stone whom God hath laied for the foundation and vppon whom wee are to bee builded And here beholde how S. Peter taketh these wordes and interpreteth them of Christ Again that which Esaie calleth Trustyng in hym that saieth S. Peter to be the same that to bee builded vpon hym is And this is truely and aptly to expounde the Scriptures Thei that builde laie their foundation in suche a place where it maie continue faste and remaine firme so that it may beare vp the whole house and frame that is builded vpō it And euen so doth this liuyng Stone which is Christ vphold and beare all this spirituall buildyng And to be builded vpon hym is nothyng els but that we all together repose our trust confidence and hope whiche wee haue in our selues whollie vpon hym Disalowed of men but chosen of God precious HEre againe he alledgeth a place out of the Cxviij Psalme of the Prophete Dauid The same Stone whiche the builders refused is become the hedde Stone of the corner and it is merueilous in our eyes Whiche place Christ hymself also citeth in the xxj of Matthewes Gospell and is repeted in the fourth of the Actes The Stone whiche you builders reiected and set nought by You saieth he are the builders For thei taught the people preached many thynges enacted sondrie ordinaunces and Lawes but thei made men nothyng thereby but Meritemangers Hypocrites Wherevpon Christe pronouncyng sentence vppon them calleth them plaine Hypocrites and the generation of Vipers and pronounceth many terrible sentences vpon theim reckonyng theim among Synners and not for suche greate holie men as thei would faine haue semed This can thei not abide but reiect hym and saie Hereticke forbiddest thou to doe good woorkes Thou shalte dye the death for thy so saiyng And therefore saieth saincte Peter here This same corner Stone vpon whiche you must be builded is euen likewise refused and set at naught This as the Prophet saieth appeareth merueilous in our eyes and seemeth verie straunge and so wonderfull that vnlesse the Spirite did teache it vs no man by reason could conceiue in Therefore saith he before God this Stone is chosen and precious and of so high price and value that it taketh awaie Death recompenseth for Synnes deliuereth from Hell and laste of all giueth also vnto vs the Kyngdome of Heauen Ye also as liuelie Stones be made a spirituall house HOw and by what meanes are wee builded Euen by the Gospell and preaching of the Woorde The Builders are thei that preache Thei that are builded are suche Christians which heare the Gospell thei are the Stones whiche must be laied and couched vpon this corner Stone so that wee repose our whole truste vppon hym and that out harte leane onely vpon hym and so bee at reste Now it followeth that wee must so directe and frame our selues that wee maie expresse shewe forthe and imitate that course of life that he ledd For it is verie meete that I who am builded and laied vpon hym by faithe should freme my self to the same workes that he did and shewe forth the same conuersation Which order all menne generally and ioyntly ought and are bounde to resemble And this issueth forth and proceedeth frō Faithe and is the woorke of Loue that we should mutuallie bee morteised and ioyned out into an other that we all together maie make one buildyng The same reason hath sainct Paule also j. Cor. iij. Howbeeit not altogether after the same maner that this is You are saieth he the Temple of God It is not the materiall house made of woodd and stone which is his House a Spirituall house is that whiche he requireth whiche is the Churche of Christe in whiche wee are all through one Faithe equall That whiche one is an other is all builded together within our selues mutuallie and emong our selues cemented couched framed and knitte together by Loue without al maliciousnesse guile hypocrisie enuie and euill speakyng as afore hath been declared An holie Priesthood HEere taketh he awaie that outwarde and corporall Priesthood whiche was in the old Testament as also that outward Temple all whiche he quite remooueth and saieth thus That outwarde and externall pampe of Priesthoode is now cleane ceassed now therefore beginne yea newe Priesthood and offer other Sacrifices but so that all thynges be Spirituall Here haue we had somewhat adoe for that wee haue mainteined and affirmed that these persones whiche commonlie of late yeres haue been called and tearmed by y e name of Priestes are not Priestes before God at all and that assertion prooued we cheeflie out of this place And therefore vnderstande it aright and beare it well in mynde That if any should bee so wilfull in suche sorte to wreste and teare in peeces for I will not call it expounde this place as that the same were to be meant of a double Priesthoode whiche some blusteryngly and boldly haue auouched that is to witte bothe of a Spirituall and also of a Corporall Priesthoode will hym to cleare his eyesight and a little better to awake his senses For sainct Peter saieth thus Be ye builded into a Spirituall or holie Priesthood Now demaunde of
at one woorde what soeuer is naturally to bee doen in this bodie and is fraile and transitorie To all these died Christe Saincte Paule calleth these the Naturall or Animall bodie for that all other Creatures haue the vse of all these actions as well as we But his fleshe died not in any other sorte but accordyng to the fleshe that is accordyng to those Naturall and corporall functions whiche are done and exercised by the bodie To this life I saie Christe died so that all these functions likewise died and ceassed in hym and hee hymself transported into an other life And beeyng quickened accordyng to the Spirite tooke vnto hym a life Spirituall and supernaturall comprehendyng and possessyng in it self all that life whiche Christe now possesseth as well in Bodie as in Spirite Who now hath not any longer suche a carnall Bodie as he had afore but a Spirituall bodie And thus doeth sainct Paule expounde this place The very same hope wee also at the latter daie to enioye to witt that our fleshe and bloud shall passe and bee altered in to a spirituall life wherein these our Bodies shal no more eate and drinke begette children digest concoct euacuate or any suche like but shall 〈…〉 in Spirite and this bodie shall bee as clearâ— as nâ—w the Sâ—nne is yea 〈◊〉 clearer Fleshe and bloud shall not thenceforth bee naturall there shall then be no suche function either 〈◊〉 or corporall suche as other Creatures now 〈◊〉 aswell as wee These bee in a maner the woordes whiche sainct Paule vseth j. Cor. xv The first man Adam saieth he was made a liuyng Soule and the last Adam was made a quicknyng Spirite And it there followeth That as we haue borne the Image of the earthie and naturall Man so shall we beare the Image of the spirituall and heauenlie From Adam wee haue all the offices and functions naturall euen as brute Beastes haue accordyng to our outwarde senses and faculties But Christe liueth in the Spirit and is fleshe and bloud but not so as he did afore all outwarde functions of bodily Senses are ceassed in hym he neither sleepeth nor watcheth and yet knoweth he all thinges and is in euery place Suche also shall wee bee for he is the first fruictes the oblation and first boxâ—re as S. Paule saieth of the 〈…〉 that is he is the first that arose from the dead and tooke vnto him a spiritual life Therefore Christ doeth now liue accordyng to the Spirite that is to saie He is still very perfect Man but he hath a spiritual Body And therfore that whiche is here saied is not so to 〈◊〉 taken as we vsually doe wheÌ„ we separate Fleshe and Spirite asunder the one from the other but that the Bodie and Fleshe are now spirituall and that the Spirite is bothe in the Bodie and with the Bodie For sainct Peters meanyng is not here that Christe was raised by the holie Ghost but he vseth this worde Spirite after a general maner 〈◊〉 if a man should saie the Spirit doth this or that In whiche wordes is not simplie meant the holie Ghoste but rather that inwarde working and effectuall force whiche worketh in vs by the operation of the holie Ghost By the whiche he also went and preached vnto the spirites that are in person Whiche were in tyme passed disobedient THis place I dooe take to bee as obscure and harde to bee vnderstoode as any in the newe Testament insomuche that I confesse my self not yet to haue founde out the certaine meanyng thereof First the words them selues doe sounde as though Christe had preached vnto Spirites I meane the Soules of them that would not beleeue in the tyme that Noah built the Arke The sense thereof beeyng somewhat harde to conceiue hath hitherto so entangled mee that neither can I aduouche any sounde interpretation of it neither any other as yet that hath takeÌ„ in hand the exposition thereof Some peraduenture will not sticke to take these woordes so as that Christe after his deathe on the Crosse went downe into Hell and preached to the Soules there with whiche vain opinion I meane not here to enter disputation But mee thinkes these wordes doe very well admit an other sense meanyng to wit that our Lorde Christ after his ascension into Heauen came in Spirite and preached albeeit not bodilie For hee speaketh not now with any bodilie voyce as he also vseth none of the other functions of corporall or bodily nature And therefore let vs take the wordes to signifie and meane accordyng as thei sounde that is in Spirite and that he preached to the Spirites in that his spirituall life Wherevppon it also followeth that his preachyng then was spirituall emplantyng the same in their hartes and Soules so that there was no neede for him to goe in bodie and preache with mouth for the same These words of sainct Peter proue not that after he dyed he went doune vnto the Ghosts that are in Hell to preache vnto them For he saieth thus In whiche he went c. Whiche is asmuche as if he had saied After he was deade accordyng to the fleshe and quickened accordyng to the Spirite that is after hee had laied doune and left his life in the fleshe and all other naturall workes and functions of his bodie and had now taken vnto him a spirituall life and conuersation as now he hath and doeth in heauen then hee went and preached to the Spirites c. Now it is most euident and certaine that Christ descended not eftsoones to Hell after he had receiued this his newe glorified life And therefore wee must vnderstande that he made this preachyng after his Ascension into Heauen Seyng therefore that the wordes doe well beare to be vnderstood of a Spirituall preachyng wee are to thinke that S. Peter in this place speaketh of the Office of Christe for that as the worde is outwardly preached by Voyce so worketh he inwardly in the harte Hee enioyned his Apostles to preache the Gospell bodily but yet is hee hymself present spiritually and whatsoeuer the Apostles vtter in outwarde speeche to the bodily eares of men that doethe he speake and preache into the hartes and myndes of them inwardlie And then preacheth hee to the Spirites whom the Deuill holdeth captiue and in thraldome so that wee take this worde went and these wordes preachyng to the Spirites that are in prison accordyng to the accoumpt and computation of God himself because in the sight of Christe thei that haue been long since are euen in the same state as thei bee that now presently liue For his Kyngdome reacheth to the deade aswell as to the liuyng In that life wherein hee now liueth the Beginning the Middle and the ende of the Worlde are conteined and reckened after one and the same accoumpt all as one although in this life these thinges bee not reckened so but eche thyng accordyng to his orderly succession as the Sonne after the Father and so of others All thinges
spightfull enuie and cancarde hatred am I not a greate deale the fitter to deale louingly and gentlie with my neighbour I haue oftentymes afore saied that although by Faith we bee fullie iustified and haue Christe with all his merites fullie our owne yet ought wee to applye our selues to good Workes and to seeke all that wee can the benefite and commoditie of our Neighbour For we are neuer perfectly purged and cleane so long as we dwell in this worlde there is no man but feeleth and findeth in his Bodie a Storehouse of many euill lustes and filthie desires For Faithe beginneth to mortifie Sinnes and to bryng with it an heauenly life but it is not as yet here perfect and strong enough to doe that which it would Euen as Christe reasoned of the Samaritan which was not yet wholly restored to health although his woundes were bounde vp and charge enough giuen for his curyng and looking to so fareth it with vs. For wheÌ„ we beleue our woundes are bound vp that is to saie the infection and disease which by propagation is deriued into vs from Adam is begonne to bee healed whiche is brought to passe as wee see in some remisselie and slowly in other some speedily and quickly accordingly as euery one chastiseth himself and represseth his flesh and hath a fuller measure of Faithe giuen vnto hym And therefore when we haue attained these two Faithe and Charitie our next studie and care ought to be euen vntill wee dye to skowre and pourge these reliques of Synne yet harboroughyng within vs. And therefore saieth sainct Peter Arme ye your selues likewise with the same mynde that is confirme your myndes and strengthen your hartes in this cogitation to dooe as Christ hath dooen afore you For if wee be right Christians wee ought thus to thinke with our selues My Lorde GOD hath suffred for me hath shew his precious blood for me and hath suffred Death on the Crosse for me why should I bee suche a bastarde to bee vnwillyng to suffer any kinde of affliction For if our Lorde hymself issue out into the brunte and breaste of the Battaile how muche more meete is it for vs beyng his poore Seruauntes ioyfully to abide and vndertake any daunger These cogitations would animate vs to pearce into and boldely to aduenture to giue the â—nsect vpon any daungerous assaies what soeuer This woorde Fleshe signifieth not onely the Bodie consistyng of Fleshe and Blood Skinne and Bones but all what soeuer commeth from Adam So saieth God Genes vj. My Spirite shall not alwaies striue with manne because he is but Fleshe And Esaie likewise Chap. xl All Fleshe shall see the sauyng health of God That is it shalbee manifest before all menne in the worlde So also saie wee in our Creed I beleeue the resurrection of the Fleshe that is that all mennesh all arise againe Fleshe therefore signifieth the whole and entire Manne euen as he liueth in this life Now the wâ—â—rkes of the Fleshe are in an excellent order reckoned vp and recoumpted by sainct Paule Gala. v. And not those grosse actions and workes of the Fleshe onely as Fornication but the chiefest and greatest vices that bee as Idolacrie and Heresies whiche bée resiauÌ„t not in the Bodie onely but rather in the Reason Note therefore that Manne together with his Reason Will and all inward motions Soule and Bodie is called Fleshe and that because with al his powers bothe inwardly and outwardly he pursueth and himteth onely for those thynges that are carnall and delightfull to the Fleshe Euen so saieth Saincte Peter in this place that Christ suffred in the Fleshe whereas it is certaine that his Passion was not onely in the Fleshe but in his Soule also whiche adode that moste extreme agoine whereof Esaie speaketh And after the same sorte must we also take this that followeth He whiche suffreth in the Fleshe ceaseth from Synne For this is not the meaning of it that he whiche hath his head chopped of or his bodie onely dismembred ceasseth from synnes but this suffryng in the Fleshe comprehendeth in it what soeuer it bee that aggreeueth and vtterly discontenteth Man or that whiche shalbee his happe willinglie to suffer and beare what Miserie Calamitie Vexation or necessitie so euer it bee For there are a greate sorte that beeyng sounde in bodie are notwithstandyng inwardly in mynde greatly perplexed and disquieted and in harte greeuously tormented Now if these grieues be laied vpon them for Christes cause it is good and commobious for them for he that is afflicted in the Fleshe saith he ceasseth from Synne For this purpose is the Crosse very profitable because thereby Synnes are qualified and greatly alaied For when a Manne once beginneth earnestly and from the verie bottome of his harte to repente it is wonderfull to see how soone and how quickely Luste Enuie hatred and other synnes doe vanishe awaie and ceasse Wherefore GOD hath laied the Crosse on vs thereby as it were to compell and pushe vs forwarde as well to beleeue in hym and to put our thirst in hym as also that wee should reache our helpyng hande one to an other through Loue. That he henceforthe should liue as muche tyme as remaineth in the Fleshe not after the lustes of menne but after the will of God OVr partes and dueties are as in the whole course of our life so by the Crosse and daiely chastifyng of our selues to conquere and subdue our Fleshe and to bryng it in subiection not with intent therby to merite any thyng toward our Saluation but to shewe our selues gratefull and duetifull vnto God Not after the lustes of menne saieth he that is We must not doe it to please either our selues or others thereby For wee must not fashion our selues like vnto this worlde as Saincte Paule writeth in the xij Chapter to the Romaines Whatsoeuer the worlde requireth of vs that must we refraine and forbeare For it is sufficiente for vs that wee haue spent the time paste of the life after the luste of the Gentiles walkyng in wantonnesse lustes drunkennesse in gluttonie drinkynges and in abhominable Idolatries WEE haue alreadie too muche cockered our selues and been too muche giuen to our owne waÌ„ton delites for before wee receiued the Faithe wee spente our tyme and bestowed our liues accordyng to our owne sensuall appetites in no better sorte then very Gentiles And therefore we must striue and endeuour our selues to consecrate and direct the residue of our life according to the will of God and to doe that whiche maie bee acceptable vnto him For we haue our Enemie within our owne bosome wee foster and nourishe hym within our owne fleshe there and from thence the craftie and moste Pestilent enemie as it were out of an ambushe priuily and secretly setteth vpon vs and that not with any grosse and apparaunt vices but rather with the credite iolitie and estimation of the Fleshe which is called by Sainct Paule The wisedome of the Fleshe j. Cor. j. This beeyng now
Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christ Againe j. Cor. iij Euery mannes woorke shalbee made manifest for the daie shall declare it because it shalbee reueiled by the Fire Therefore when that laste daie shall like a sodaine flashe of Lightnyng come vppon vs all thynges in this Heauen and this Earth shall in the twincklyng of an eye be consumed to Cinders and sodainly chaunged with Fire euen as in the tyme of Noah all thynges were chaunged with the water and that GOD will not faile in this his threatening commination wherof we ought to take his former dealyng for an infallible token the whiche he hath left vnto vs for a signe Dearely beloued bee not ignoraunte of this one thing that one day is with the Lord as a thousand yeres and a thousande yeres as one daie The Lorde is not slacke concernyng his promise as some men counte slacknesse but is pacient toward vs and would haue no man to perishe but would all men to come to repentaunce But the daie of the Lorde will come as a Thiefe in the night in the whiche the Heauens shall passe awaie with noyse and the Elemētes shall melt with heate and the Earth with the woorkes that are therein shalbe burnt vp IN these woordes S. Peter meeteth with those cauillers of whom he spake afore whiche saie that the Apostles haue foretold many vaine and foolish tales of the latter Daie and that al thinges stande still in the same course and order as thei did before notwithstandyng so long a space of tyme since thei foretold and Prophecied thereof And this place borowed he out of the praier of Moses in the lxxxx Psalme A thousand yeres saieth he in thy sight are as yesterdaie when it is paste This is after twoo sortes to bee vnderstoode and taken One as it hath respecte and relation to God the other as it respecteth Men and the Worlde Againe this life is to be considered after one sort the life to come after an other This life can not bee the life to come because into that none can passe but by Death that is till he ceasse from the functions of this mortall life This present Life consisteth and is preserued by eatyng drinkyng sleapyng digestyng c. all whiche consiste and are doen within the limitation of Houres Daies and Yeres But when thou wilt throughly consider the life to come thou must quight forget and put out of thy cogitation and remembrance all the course of this present life and neuer thinke to make any conference or comparison betweene this Life and it For all thynges in it are as one Daie one Houre one Minute one Moment Seyng therefore that there is no Dinumeration of tyme with God it followeth that a thousande yeres with hym are as one daie and therefore the first manne Adam is as neere to God as he that shalbe laste borne the daie next afore the Generall daie of Iudgement For God respecteth not tyme according as the same is in length but rather as it were aslope as if a man should behold and looke vpō a verie long Tree liyng ouerthwarte or aslope afore hym For so should he with one glaunce of his eye beholde bothe the endes thereof at once whiche he could not doe if he should stande at the one ende and beholde it long wise Now we mortall Creatures can not by our owne reason beholde and consider the Tyme but accordyng to the length by numbryng and addyng yere to yere from Adam till the laste daie But with God all thynges are lapped vp as it were in one bundle and seen with one blushe What we thinke to de long the same with hym is shorte and contrariwise A man when he dieth lieth buried in the Earth and his bodie is consumed into duste neither knoweth he any thyng but when he shall arise againe in the laste daie he shall thinke he hath slept as it were scarcely as houre then shall he see and beholde a greate multitude that liued after hym of whom hee knewe nothyng at all Saincte Peters meanyng therefore is this The Lorde is not slacke to performe his promise as these Mockers and Skorners doe thinke that he is but is pacient and long suffryng therefore be ye ready against the laste daie whiche will come sooner then ye looke for and will sodainly ouertake the wicked Worldlynges as Saincte Paule saieth j. Theis v. When thei shall saie peace and safetie then shall come vppon them sodaine destruction as the trauaile vpon a woman with child and ther shall not escape That daie shall come with suche a noise and shall so sodainly as it were a terrible tempest fall vpon the world that al thinges shalbe consumed in a moment Seyng therefore that all these thinges must be dissolued what maner persons ought ye to be in holy conuersation and godlinesse Lookyng for and hastyng vnto the commyng of that daie of God SEyng that ye know that all these thinges shall passe awaie bothe Heauen Earth and all thinges therein consider and waigh with your selues with what holinesse of life and godlinesse of conuersation ye ought to stande readie against that daie For S. Peter so describeth this daie as that it is euen now at hande against the whiche wee should not onely be in a readinesse but also moste ioyfully and gladly expect and looke for the commyng thereof Yea he would haue vs with moste willing myndes to goe to meete the Lorde in that daie as in whiche wee hope at length to bee clearely ridde and deliuered from the tyrannie of Sinne Death and Hell By the whiche the heauens beyng on fier shalbee dissolued the Elementes shall melt with heate But we looke for newe Heauens and a new Earth accordyng to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnesse THE Lord by his Prophetes in sundry places hath promised that he will create newe Heauens and a newe Earth as Esay Lxv. Loe I will create newe Heauens and a newe Earth and the former shall not be remembred not come into your mynde Againe Esay xxx The light of the Moone shalbee as the light of the Sunne the light of the Sunne shalbe seuenfold and like the light of seuen daies And Christ saith Matth. xiij that the iust shall shine as the Sunne in the kingdome of their father But how after what fashion al this shall come to passe we cā not tell sauing that it is faithfully promised by him who can not deceiue that there shalbee newe Heauens and a newe Earth in which shall dwell no sinne vncleannesse but righteousnesse and they that bee the children of God as Paule also Rom. viij witnesseth There shalbe nothyng but ioye and perpetuall solace to wit the kyngdome of God and all felicitie Here he that would bee inquisitiue to knowe whether the elect and blessed shal at that tyme bee in the Heauens or on the Earth Truely this place soundeth that thei shal remaine and dwell on the Earth so that al both Heauens and Earth shalbe as one Paradise
Prophete emong theim as Moses was Wherevpon thei gather that this contention here mentioned by S. Iude arose because the Deuill would gladly haue had the bodie of Moses to bee manifestly knowen where it was to the intent the people might haue had occasion to committe Idolatrie thereby ministred vnto them Now albeit Michael were an Archangell yet durst be not saieth S. Iude rebuke hym with cursed speakyng and railyng Sentence But these blasphemous mouthes and peruerse persones are not ashamed to despise treade vnder foote and speake euill of the Powers whiche are ordained by God and to curse theim to the eight and ninth generation And whereas thei themselues are nothyng els then wretched Caitifes and seelie fraile Creatures yet see thei here that Michael one of the chiefest Angelles was afraied to curse and raile vpon the Deuill beyng a moste wicken Spirite Not daryng to saie any farther then The Lorde rebuke thee But these speake euill of those thinges whiche thei knowe not and what soeuer thynges thei knowe naturallie as beastes whiche are without reason in those thynges thei corrupt themselues THese kinde of persones be cursed speakers and blasphemous railers because thei haue skill of nothing but of Excommunicatyng Accurâ—ng deliuering ouer to SathaÌ„ not onely Kinges Princes Potentates and Powers but euen GOD hymself and his blessed Sainctes as in the Bull of the Supper of the Lorde is to be seen Thei knowe not that their Saluation consisteth in Faithe and Charitie Thei can not abide to haue their Woorkes dispraised reiected and condemned Neither will thei suffer any to preache to the people that wee muste onely looke for our Saluation by the Merites Death and Workes of Christ And therfore thei condemne Accurse Reuile and Blaspheme all true Christian doctrine wherein thei plainly discouer themselues how vtterly blinde and ignoraunt thei bee But those thynges whiche thei knowe by their owne naturall vnderstanding as Trentalles Masses and suche like Legierdemaine whiche filleth bothe their pouches and their paunches and bryngeth in store of pelfe mâ—nâ—y and wealth thereto thei whollie emploie themselues and therby carie bothe themselues and others into perdition Woe bee vnto them for the haue followed the waie of Cain CAin killed his brother for none other cause but for that his brother was iuster and godlier then hymself and for that God had more respect and greater delight in his brothers Sacrifice then he had in his Therefore the waie of Cain is to trust in our owne Workes and to renounce and reiecte those Workes that bee true and good Workes in deede Finallie to murther and slaie all those that walke in the truthe and in the tight waie Whiche nature and practise wee see the Papistes most earnestly with tooth and naile daiely to put in vre And are cast awaie by the deceit of Balaams wages THei should bee inwardly hidden with Christ in an assured trust and confidence of Gods diuine grace but thei licentiously breake out and actually dispose themselues into sundrie sortes of externall and outward Workes and doe all thinges for greedinesse of gaine and pecuniarie reward to fill their beallies after the example of the Prophete Balaam as was declared in the seconde Chapter of the second Epistle of S. Peter aforegoyng And perishe in the gainsaiyng of Core OF the sedicious rebellion of Core and how he with his wicked confederates was swallowed into the Earth wee reade in the fourth Booke of Moses Chapt. xvj Moses was appoincted and called of God to this ende that he should bryng and conducte the people of Israell out of Egypt and his brother Aaron to bee the high Priest This Core beyng also of the same Tribe and Familie and ambielously aspiryng to cary some high aucthoritie adioyned vnto hym twoo hundred and fiftie Captaines of the beste and moste renoumed emong all the people with whom he raised vp suche a mutinous faction and seditious Tumulte that brought all the companie into an vprore and welnere caused Moses and Aaron to flee and giue place to their furie But Moses fallyng doune vppon his face praied vnto the Lorde that hee should not looke vnto their offryng and Sacrifice and when he had spoken to the people that thei should separate themselues and departe from the companie of those wicked conspiratours he saied Hereby ye shal knowe whether the Lord hath sent me or no. If these men dye the common death of all men or if they bee visited after the visitation of all men the Lorde hath not sent me But if the Lorde make a newe thyng and the Earth open her mouthe and swallowe downe these men quicke into the pitte then ye shall vnderstande that these men haue blasphemed and prouoked the Lorde And assoone as he had made an ende of speakyng all these woordes euen the grounde claue asunder thas was vnder them and the Earth opened her mouthe and swallowed them vp with their families and all the men that were with Core and all their goodes So thei and al that thei had went doune aliue into the pitte and the Earth couered them And there came out a Fier froÌ„ the Lorde whiche consumed the twoo hundred and fiftie men that had adioyned themselues to Core and offred Incense This Example doeth sainct Iude bryng against these our horrible and blasphemous Popelynges who charge vs to bee the Aucthours of Sedicion and mutinie when wee preache against theim whereas in deede it is thei that are the causers of all garboile and trouble For Christ is our Aaron and high Priest whom onely we ought to heare and acknowledge for the Bishoppe of our Soules But that can not the Pope and his greazed Bishoppes abide for thei aduaunce themselues alofte and chalenge to theim all domination and power and flatly oppose themselues against Christe These beeyng altogether drouned and buried in Earthly conuersation and pleasure and beeyng the verie worlde it self doeth S. Iude compare and resemble to Core and his companions whom God straungely punished so that the grounde opened and swallowed them vp aliue These are Spottes in your feastes of Charitie wheÌ„ thei feast with you without all feare feedyng them selues Clouds thei are without water caried about of windes corrupt Trees and without fruite twise dead and plucked vp by the rootes Thei are the ragyng waues of the Sea fomyng out their owne shame Thei are wandâ—yng Staires to whom is reserued the blackenesse of darkenesse for euer ALL this wee haue alreadie heard largelie discoursed in the Epistle of S. Peter The greater parte of Christendome hath trained and brought vp their children to the order of Priesthoode and for none other cause but to liue idlie and delicately without any labour of their owne handes or trouble of preachyng Voluptuouslie enioiyng and spendyng at their owne ease and pleasure those goodes whiche poore men painfullie gotte in the sweate of their browes Thei are among the common people reputed and taken for the worthiest Pillers as it were the Iewelles and ornamentes of
and selflikyng of theimselues trustyng in their owne Merites Woorkes and rotten Ceremonies Thei beleeue that Christ the Sonne of God in his humanitie suffred death and rose againe the third daie that he is the Sauiour of the worlde c. but thei doe not firmely and onely trust in hym for if thei did thei would not so scrupulously bee tied to their owne Lowsie trashe and beggerly Traditions After the same maner did thei beare the Laitie in hande that they could not attaine to saluation except they did after their directions Ye are Christians saie thei we confesse but this is not enough ye must doe suche and suche good workes ye must build Churches in the honor of this and that Sainct ye must erect and founde Monasteries and Abbayes ye must buie certaine Trentalles of Masses to be saied or song for you ye must pyue awaie your selues with fastyng and suche like Thus haue the séely poore people been beguiled and thus haue thei been perswaded and brought to shew themselues as well likers of these trumperies thinkyng it to be the Kynges high waie to heauen and these rotten workes of blinde deuotion to be of all workes the best because they sawe them which caried the tytle of the Church to allowe and followe the same so that in processe of tyme there grewe to bee as many Factions Sectes and Religions as there were Cities yea almoste as there were Men. Whereas they should rather haue taught them thus Ye are Christians aswell as thei that bee an hundred myles distant from you ye haue all one Christ one Baptisme one Faith one Spirite one Worde one God there is no worke that ye of your selues are able to doe towarde your saluation or able to bring you to the perfection of a right Christian If this Doctrine might generally bee preached men should be kept in the fellowshippe and vnitie of one Common Faith neither would there bee any difference at all in thinges appertainyng to God but all would be alike and one the same that an other is This Communion and vnitie thei haue broken and disioynted in that thei seduce and misleade vs in teachyng vs that wee must merite heauen by our Workes drawyng vs thereby from Faith to our own Pharisâ—icall deedes S. Peters wordes therefore if he bee well marked caâ—ie this meanyng There shall arise among you Sophisticall Scholemen Doctors Teachers Priestes Munkes and suche like beyng the very offall and Skumme of the Worlde who shall bryng in pernicious sectes odible orders damnable heresies and seduce the Worlde with their lying and false Doctrines These these doubtlesse are thei of whom the Apostle here speaketh For thei are all thus perswaded and verely beleeue that their willfully Professed Orders are meritorious to theÌ„ and shall bryng them to saluation and perswade others also to put confidence and trust in them If this were not their opinion who would thinke but thei would rather liue free abroade then as thei do cage and empound themselues in their Cloysters as it were in Prisons Euen denying the Lorde that hath bought them THei are readie to saie that thei doe not denye the Lord but if this question be demaunded of them what thei meane or what they seeke to get through these their vowed ProfessioÌ„s if thei beleeue as thei saie thei doe that they are redéemed by Christ and that their sinnes are washed awaie by his bloud Thei will quickly aunswere that forsooth Faith alone is not sufficient and therefore they must haue the helpe of good Workes Thus with mouth they confesse God and in harte flatly renounce hym Consider also what pithie and vehement words S. Peter here vseth They denye saieth he the Lord that hath bought them Thei ought to bee subiect vnto hym as vnto their supreme Souereigne Lord whose inheritaunce thei are Now they dooe beleeue that he is the Lorde and that he redeemed the worlde by the sheadyng of his precious bloud but that he redeemed them thei cannot nor doe not beleeus neither dooe thei acknowledge and take hym for their Lorde for thei saye and confesse that he hath bought and redeemed them but yet thei are not perswaded that that is enough and sufficient because thei must thei saie discharge and satisfie for their sinnes by their Works To whom this answere maie wel be made If thou canst doe any worke to take awaie thy Synnes what good hath Christe by his death doen vnto thee For there can not bee twoo Christes to take awaie Synnes Hee as good right it is must bee acknowledged to be the onely Redeemer and taker awaie of Sinnes Whiche beeyng graunted to bee true as it is moste true thou thy self canst dooe no maner of worke to take away thy sinnes If thou do goe about or think any whit by thy works to merite Heauen thou canst not truly saie thou beleeuest that he taketh awaie thy Sinnes And this is flatly to denye Christe For although these fellowes doe acknowledge Christe to bee the Lorde yet doe they denye that he bought them Thei beleeue that he sitteth in heauen and is Lorde but the takyng awaie of Sinnes whiche is his proper and peculier office thei nippe and take quite from hym and attribute it vnto their owne woorkes and by that meanes leaue nothyng to hym but the bare name and tytle ascribyng his power woorke vertue and office vnto themselues And therefore Christ moste truely foretolde that there should come many in his name and saie I am Christ and shal deceiue many Math. xxiiij Mar. xiij For these Iusticiaries and Meritemongers thus tying Saluation to Woorkes shewe foorth in their so doyng as though they should saie not I am called Christe but I am Christ Whereby thei snatch and applye vnto themselues that office whiche is onely proper and peculier vnto Christ and so thrust Christ out of his seate and place themselues therein This is so euidently knowen that no man can truely denye it And therefore worthily doeth S. Peter tearme them damnable pernicious Heresies for thei leade a man straight to Hell insomuche that I greatly feare least in a thousande of them there is scarcely one saued For whosoeuer of them wilbee saued must quight abandon himself and all that of himself he hath or can doe yea he must franckly confesse and from the harte pronounce these wordes The rules of my vowed Obedience are nothyng worth my Chastitie can not saue me my workes can not take awaie any parte of my Sinnes c. And bryng vpon themselues swift damnation THeir damnation shall come vppon them sooner then thei thinke although God seeme to deferre his commyng and to tarie long yet will he hasten his iudgment and come tyme enough to their cost But this shall not bee corporallie and visiblie to the eye but so and in suche sorte as it is sett downe in the l.v. Psalme They shall not liue out halfe their dayes that is Death shall catch holde of them sooner then thei think so that thei
shalbe driuen to saie as Ezechias did Esay xxxviij I saied in the middest of my daies I shall goe to the gates of the graue As if he should saie O Lorde God is Death come vppon mee so sodainly For thei that liue without faithe are loath to dye the longer they liue the more they desire to liue and the more of this painted holinesse that hath appeared in them the terribler and dreadfuller is Death vnto them namely to those that haue such tender spiced consciences exercise and afflict themselues in these woorkes of their owne whiche they take to be meritorious For it is vnpossible that any man should ouercome Death by any humaine strength Wheresoeuer Faithe is not there must the conscience needes tremble and dispaire But where Faith is there Death seemeth many times to tary too long ere he come whereas to the Faithlesse and vnbeleeuyng it alwaies commeth sooner then thei would haue it Sainct Peters meanyng therefore is that thei whiche set abroache suche Sectes and Heresies and consequently denye Christ dye moste vnwillingly and that with horrour and desperation For it can not otherwise bee seyng thei stand doubtfull of their saluation vsing these or suche like tearmes Who can tell whether God wilbee mercifull vnto mee and forgiue me my Sinnes or no And thus while thei stande in doubte with these wordes Who can tell and who knoweth their consciences can neuer be merie nor quiet And the longer that thei continue plunged in this waueryng doubte the more terribler still will Death bee vnto them whiche can neuer bee ouercome vnlesse synne and guiltinesse of conscience be first taken awaie Sodaine Death therfore destruction and damnation shall come vppon them so that thei shall alwaies remaine in perpetuall death And many shall followe their damnable waies THat this hath come to passe accordyng to Peters prediction all men well knowe For there were almoste no Parents but thei desired and were willyng to make some one of their Children either a Priest or a Munke a Nunne or some like ydle Votarie Therefore foolishe Fathers made foolisher Children while they mislikyng and beeyng wearie of the troubles disquietnes and discommodities of Matrimonie meant hereby to ease and ridde their children from the same by tying them thus to a vowed Profession thinkyng thereby to make them liue both quietly ydlie and delicately Wherein thei shewed themselues merely ignoraunt what an holy thing Mariage is and how blessed the troubles and greeues thereof are Sainct Peter therfore in these wordes foretolde how the worlde should bee pestered with Priestes Munkes Nunnes and Votaries To whiche Profession most of the Youth of the worlde betooke themselues euen as if it had bin into the clutches and clawes of the Deuill so that alas too truely hath S. Peter foreshewed that these damnable waies should bee followed of many By whom the waie of truth shalbe euill spoken of AND this also wee both haue seen and at this daie in many places of the Worlde dooe see to come to passe For he that feareth GOD and studieth to leade a Christian life is sure to bee euill reported of rahated and detested and the true syncere profession of the Gospell shal not escape the rancorous note of spightfull reprehension but hee spurned against and ill thought of as though it were Heresie and Errour If any man in zeale of truthe should preache and tell them that their Sectes bee contrarie to the doctrine laied downe in the Gospell for that thei carie men awaie from Faithe to Workes thei straightwaies with open mouth crye out against him and saie Accursed art thou for thou seducest the worlde They heinouslie also blaspheme God tossyng and turnyng the wordes of Christe which waie thei list to serue their owne turnes of expresse Commaundementes makyng Consultations Counsailes deliberations and dispensations forbiddyng that whiche Christe plainly allowed and did and makyng that to bee as Sinne which is no Sinne yea whosoeuer he bee that speaketh against these their blasphemous treacheries and enormious prankes shalbe sure to bee condemned and burned to ashes For the waie of truthe is a right vertuous life and syncere conuersation without any halting or hypocrisie This truth beeyng onely sett downe in the Worde of God and by faith firmely beleeued is that waie wherein all true Christians ought to walke Which waie and truth these fellowes can not in any wise abide but blaspheme reuile slaunder and condemne it to the ende they maie establishe extoll magnifie and mainteine the peeuishe pedlarie of their owne shamelesse Sectes And through couetousnesse shall they with fained wordes make marchandise of you COuetousnesse for the moste parte is the companion of Heresie These sowers of faâ—â—e doctrine generally haue chiefest respect vnto their bellie as in our daies hath been manifestly seen For none of them would either patter up a Masse of mumble vp their Vigiles as thei called them without money Among them no peine no Paâ—er â—oster No 〈◊〉 nor Colledge no Monasterie nor Freerie was erected and peopled till order was taken for their maintenaunce and that euen riotously and abundantly neither was there any of these Houses that for Gods sake onely would doe any thyng for any man Money must be had without it there was no dealing if purse were penilesse there was nothyng to bee gotten at the handes of these pitifull Lurdaines and holie Maisters But where true Faith beginneth to be preached there is very little money stirryng it bryngeth no stoare of pence at all for then downe goe Pilgrimages Bulles and Pardons will not bee bought of any man Abbayes and Nunneries are not esteemed vpon all whiche notwithstandyng more then halfe the wealth of Christendome was bestowed and no profite at all redoundyng or commyng thereof to any man sauyng onely to these greasie Priests Munkes Freers and Nunnes But by what waies and meanes doe thei thus scrape together and rake to themselues so muche money With fained woordes saieth S. Peter shall they make marchandise of you For they haue coigned certaine smooth speeches to serue their turnes whereby to cozen men of their money as when thei saie If thou wilt bestowe so many hundreth Crounes vppon our blessed Ladie or vpon this or that Sainct thou shalt therein doe a merueilous meritorious woorke thou shalt buye therewith so many Pardons and for so many thousande yeres thou shalt haue cleare remission of all thy Sinnes and finally thou shalt deliuer so many of thy Freendes Soules out of Purgatorie c. These and suche like wordes are deuised and feigned for none other purpose but to picke mens purses and gleane their money from them For in all these triflyng trashe which thei sell so deare and where withall thei scratch together suche huige Summes of money there is not a mite of merite grace or remission of Sinnes how muche soeuer they boast wrest the holie and precious Worde of God to bleare the eyes of the Worlde and to serue their auaritious appetites So also of