made coÌ„tinually as well in the lawe of Moyses as in the tyme of grace and the lawe of the Gospell by the imposition and laiyng on of the prelates handes and other ceremonies longyng to the same by which they that be so ordered receiueth a special gift of grace that maketh their ministerie seruice approued alowed of God and acceptable to hym and maketh the administration of the Sacraments effectuous and able to performe that they signifie that is to coÌ„ferre and geue grace as they were ordeined for to do And this blessed ceremonie was not done without great and Godly solicitude premeditation and preparation afore by deuout prayers and fastynge afore the promocion of men vnto the holye ministery and appoynted seruice of God accordyng to the example taken as well of our Sauiour Christe as of his apostles Saint Luke writeth Luke vi Factum est autem in diebus illis Exiit Iesus in montem orare erat pernoctans in oratione dei cum dies factus esset vocauit discipulos suos elegit duodecim ex ipsis quos apostolos nominauit Simonem quem cognominauit Petrum Andream fratrem eius c Christ went vp vnto an hyl to pray and he taried all night in his prayers to God â–ª And when daye came he called to hym his scolers or disciples and of them he chose twelue whiche also he named apostles Simon to whom he gaue surname Peter and Andrewe hys brother and so foorthe of others tyll he came to Iudas that was the traytoure whom as Sainte Ambrose noteth Christe chose not vnwares or ignoraunte what he would be how he would proue but by especiall prouidence foresight of purpose For our sauiour Christ toke vpoÌ„ him mans infirmitie frailnes therfore he refused not such pains of our infirmitie as men coÌ„monly do sustayne He was content to be lefte and forsaken as manye men be of their frends sometyme that thei loued best He was content to be vttered wheÌ„ he might haue bene secrete and quiet He was content to be betrayed of hys owne scholer seruaÌ„t to be coÌ„mitted by him into his enmies hands And all this he suffered for vs and for this purpose To geue vs example that if thou or I be forsaken of our owne felowe or frende or if wee be vttered and our secretes reueyled and opened or if we be betraied and put into the daunger of our aduersaries by our owne felowe or one that we haue done for we should moderately take it and well a worthe that our iudgemente hathe erred and gone amysse that we haue taken him of greater honestye then he is and that we haue taken him for one of better fidelitie and credence then hée sheweth him self to be We must be content y t our benefite that we haue done for him hath perished is clarely lost we ought to be contente as well as Christ was wyth Iudas and with all the displeasures dispites and paynes that he suffered by occasion of his falsshode And here also s Ambrose noteth that in this praier watch of Christ all night longe afore he chose his .xii. Apostles to be his ministers in his Churche we maye learne what we ought to do for our owne soule health seing that Christ toke so much paine not for hym self but for our wealth only to watch and praye that we might haue such ministers chosen by him that myght faythfully instruct vs for the saluation of our soules We may also by thys example of Christe consider what wee ought to do when we wyll enterpryse or set vpon any good or godly work or busines consideryng that Christ wheÌ„ he should chose his apostles to accompany him to learn of him and theÌ„ to be sent forth to preach his doctrine praied praied alone praied all night long without slepe and without meate or drinke Thapostles according to the example of their maister Christ vsed like maner As we haue Act. xiii where it is written that the holye Goste spoke vnto them that wer in Antiochia prophets and doctours with other company there seruing God fastyng Segregate mihi Saulum BarnabaÌ„ in opus in quod assuÌ„psi eos Seperate set out for me Saul which was afterward called Paule Barnabas into the work for which I haue takeÌ„ theÌ„ And it foloweth â–ª Tunc ieiunaÌ„tes oraÌ„tes imponentesque eis manus dimiseruÌ„t illos They altogether fasted prayed put on theÌ„ their holy haÌ„ds sent theÌ„ forth likewise Act. xiiii I read y t Paul Barnabas returning backe by the cities of Listra IconiuÌ„ and Antiochia coÌ„firming and staiynge the minds of their disciples exhorting theÌ„ that they should perseuer stedfastlye coÌ„tinue in their faith which thei had receued And declaryng and persuading theÌ„ that bi many tribulatioÌ„s much trouble we must enter into the kingdom of god And wheÌ„ they had made for theÌ„ priestes in euery church praied deuoutly for them with fastyng thei coÌ„mitted betoke theÌ„ to our Lorde God on whoÌ„ they beleued And here good worshipfull audience it is to be noted that in the Primitiue church euen in thapostles time wheÌ„ soeuer there were priestes ordered to be Gods ministers the people vsed fastiÌ„g praiyng fasting y t their wits mindes might be more clere and eleuate apt to pray And praiyng to almighty God for grace y t thei which wer chosen admitted to so excelleÌ„t a fuÌ„ction ministery seruice might be worthy to do their duty in their seruice calling And euen according to the apostles exaÌ„ples such fastyng praiyng hath ben vsed hereafore eueÌ„ to our time For at such times as holi orders be geueÌ„ we haue certein daies .iiii. times in the yere called imbring daies in whiche all christen people vsed fastinge praiyng to god that it may please him to inspire such grace into the harts of the preâ—ats pastors y t they may circuÌ„spectly loke vpon the qualities coÌ„dicions learning of them that shalbe ordred so y t they be not accused hereafter for putting on their haÌ„ds to sone or vnaduisedly or to rashly on theÌ„ that taketh orders so coÌ„municating or takiÌ„g part of other mens fautes as s Paul speaketh i. Timo. v. Manus cito nemini imposueris neque communicaueris peccatis alienis Put not thy handes to sone vppon no man neither take thou part of other mennes sinnes for the Prelate or Bishop that geueth orders to one that is vnworthye because of hys vice or ignoraunce lacke of learnyng and by that occasion liueth not like a priest or can not do his seruice and duetye like a priest then he that gaue hym orders is partaker of his faulte and shall beare hys parte of the iudgement condemnation and punyshemente for the same This is no small perill for Prelates that geue orders therfore verie christian charitie moued christen men and women to praye to GOD specially at such
a husbandman if he wold giue of going to ploughe because he seeth distemperaunce and troublous weather manye tymes and looseth hys labour and cost we shoulde all dye for hunger Lykewyse the shypman or the marchaunt if for one storme or twayne or one losse or twayne he should abhorre and giue of goyng to the sea there would at the last no man auenture to the seas and then farewell this citye of Bristowe and all good trade of marchaundyse and occupying by sea The husbandman often laboreth and breaketh one peece of grounde and litle or nothing gayneth yet at last recouereth in one yeare the losse of many yeres afore And the Marchaunt man although he hath had losse by shipwracke diuers times yet he absteineth not to passe and seke out straunge portes â–ª and many times auentreth on hys olde busynes with a Cabao gathered of borowed money and dothe full well and commeth to great substaunce and riches Then considering that these men bestoweth so great studie and labours about transitorie things that will perish shall we by and by surcesse and leaue preaching if we be not hearde as we woulde be Their condicion and ours is not like they lose both labours and cost but we shall be sure to receiue rewarde of God for oure labours for we haue done that we be bounde to do we haue layde our Lordes money to vsurye and for increase as he biddeth vs do Moreouer consideryng that the diuel neuer despayreth our destruction but euer looketh for it wythout rest shall we despayre the health saluation of our brothers Christ that knew well al thinges that should come after ceassed not to admonishe and teach Iudas whoÌ„ he knew wold neuer be good theÌ„ what shal we do toward our brothers which we knowe not whither they will be good or noâ— Of Iudas he spoke One of you shall betray me I speake not of you al for I know whom I haue chosen One of you is the dyuell He cast them al in an anguish lest he should publish and vtter the traitour and should make him past shame by manyfest and open reprofe The apostle according to this sayth ii Tim. ii Goddes seruaunt must be no wrangler but gentle toward al men teaching them that resyste the truthe if peraduenture God wyll giue them penaunce towarde the knowledge of truthe And thus I truste thys doubt is solued which I nowe moued and that we must do our dutie still preaching and teaching and let God alone with the profit and increase to grow therof And here for thys tyme I must surceasse because I haue long protract the time perceiuing your attentiue eares and diligent audience not doubting but that you will kepe in remeÌ„brance that I haue sayd of the introductioÌ„ and entring into the whole matter of the seuen giftes of the holy gost and of two of the same One called the sprite of sapience the other the sprite of vnderstanding Of the other ye shall heare more hereafter by the grace and helpe of the holye gost who wyth the father and with the sonne lyueth and reygneth one God for euer and euer Amen â–ª ¶ The seconde sermon of the gift of Counsail WOrshipfull audience when I preached last in this place I promised to declare vnto you the seuen gifts of the holy gost which as the prophet Esaye saith rested on the humanitie of our sauiour Christ most abundantly And entring that matter I spoke of the coeternitie and of the equall power of the holye goste with the father and the sonne And how the maÌ„hood of our sauiour Christ had all graces after a higher maner then euer had any other creature And then howe all these seuen giftes presuppoâ—eth faith hope and charitie in him that shall receiue them And then I declared what sapience is and howe manye wayes it is taken And then ioyntly of the gifte of intelligence or vnderstanding and why I shoulde so vnitelye or ioyntlye speake of theym Nowe consequentlye I muste speake of the third gifte of the holye gost called the spirite of counsaile or the gyft of counsaile which like as all the other giftes were giuen to the manhood of Christ and by him to vs like as the holy gost by him is spred on vs and froÌ„ him as from the head be all giftes of grace deriued vnto vs as to his limmes or meÌ„bers as I haue afore said For declaration of this gift of counsel ye shal vnderstand that this gift of the holy gost like as all the seuen gyftes be gyuen to man to help all other vertues that man hath whether they be naturall or gotten by assuefaction exercise vse or custome and also to make man more apt easy to be styrred moued to goodnes by the inspiration or mouing of the holy gost as the children of God Quicumque enim spiritu dei aguntur hij sunc filij dei Rom. viii God is euer redy to moue vs to goodnes thoughe we of our selfe be full dull to go forward hauing al the studie of our hartes set to yll at all times rather then to goodnes Gene. vi Yet where the lyght of reason ouercoÌ„meth sensualitie some intellectuall morall vertues springeth furth as it was in the paygnim Philosophers of which some were taken for excellent in the vertue of temperaunce some in liberalitie or other vertues whiche yet for all their good qualities and vertues gotten by their great paynes and labours lacked the grace that shoulde make them goodmen and acceptable in the sight of God because they lacked faithe the foundation and grounde of all sure spirituall and gostly building To helpe the said gifts gotten naturally or by assuefaction greatly auaileth this gift of the holy gost the gyfte of counsail which is a supernaturall gift of deliberacioÌ„ or aduisement superadded to that natural gift of reasoÌ„ of which the philosopher speaketh vi Eth. oportet prudentem esse bene consiliatiuuÌ„ A prudent maÌ„ a wel practised man saith he must be far casting a good counseller But this property of reason called counceling or forecasting or worldly policie that the philosopher speaketh of â–ª maye be without this supernaturall gyft of counsail that we now speake of for a man may compasse cast contriue alwaies â—e they neuer so many to bring his purpose or his frends purpose to passe and yet may faile of his intent if he lacke this godly counsail that we now speake of And the waies that he thinketh to make for his purpose shal make cleane contrary against him as it is written Psal. ii Populi meditati suÌ„t inania Astiterunt reges terrae principes conuenerunt in vnum aduersus dominum et aduersus Christum eius Which to the letter was writ by prophecie of the conspiracie of the chiefe rulers amonge the Iewes with Herod and Pilate againste our sauiour Christe For they had contryued by theyr counsail how to destroy Christ as appeareth by the EuaÌ„gelistes as it wer by destroying of him
iustice is rather to be called wylynes then science And to this purpose it is necessarye that you seruauntes do youre dutye to youre maysters obedientlye with feare and quakynge in simplicitie and playnes of hearte as vnto Christe not seruinge to the eye as to please man but like the seruauntes of Christ doinge the will of God with hearte and all Ephe. vi not deceauing your maisters by your idlenes or els beinge occupied about your owne busines when your master thinketh that you be in his labours And lykewyse you maysters do you to youre seruauntes instructynge them in theyr occupations for whiche they came to your seruyce accordyng to the trust that theyr parentes and frendes hath put you in that they maye get theyr lyuynge and yours with truth iuste dealynge and honestye and medle not to muche with other mens occupations that you cannot skyll on leasâ—e whyle ye be so curious in other mens matters not perteininge to your lerning you decaye as well in your owne occupation as in the other so fallynge to penurye extreme pouertye and very beggery For when a tayler forsakynge his owne occupation wyll be a marchaunt venterer or a shomaker to become a groser God sende him well to proue I haue knoweÌ„ manye in this towne that studienge diuinitie hath kylled a marchaunt and some of other occupations by theyr busy labours in the scriptures hath shut vp the shoppe windowes faine to take Sainctuary or els for mercerye and groserye hath be fayne to sell godderds steanes and pitchers and suche other trumpery For this I shal assure you that althoughe diuinitie be a science verye profitable for the soule health yet small gaynes to the purse or to the worlde aryseth by it Not that I intende to reproue the studye of scriptures for I extoll it and prayse it aboue all other studye so that it be vsed as I haue sayde afore with modestye and charitie with longanimitie and easye sufferaunce tyll God sende the a true instructour not infected with wylful and newfangled heresyes From whiche I pray god to defende you all and sende you teachers indued with such science as may instructe you in the truth by whiche you may attayne to ioyes euerlastynge Amen The fyfte sermon intreatynge of the spirite of Pietie NOwe right worshipful audience I must aunswer to your expectation not doubtinge but that ye loke I shoulde perfourme the promise that I haue made you in tymes paste when I toke vpon me to declare vnto you the vii giftes of the holye goste whiche as the prophet Esay xi sayth rested on our sauiour Christ and by hym be deriued to his faythfull people to euery one as it doth please his goodnes to distribute them to some more of them to some fewer and not so many And to them that receiue the giftes of one kynde and maner yet some persones hath them more intensly more fullye and more perfitly some more remysly more faintlye and not after so perfit facion or maner as I haue heretofore declared at large which I trust in God is not all forgotten Fyue of the sayde giftes I haue stripped and passed ouer after the capacitie of my poore witte nowe consequentlye succedeth the .vi. of the saide giftes called Spiritus pietatis or donum pietatis the gift of Pietie This word pietas or pietie the latin terme is so ambiguose so diuersly vsed both in the scriptures and also of the doctours that me thinketh it very hard to make it plaine in the english tonge for your capacitie The translatours of the Bible in to englishe calleth pietas godlines and his contrary impietas vngodlines But thus speaking of Pietie it semeth to comon and large to be one of these .vii. giftes distincte from the other because that thus speakinge of it it agreith to the other vi giftes that I haue spoken of For the gyft of godly counsell is a certayne godlines the gift of Fortitude also is a certayne godlines The gyfte also of the dreade of God is a godly gifte and a certayne godlines as hereafter shall appeare And if I should english it call it pitie yet there I should fall into an other equiuocation for this word pitie is not euer taken after one maner in the englishe tonge sometime it is taken for mercy or compassion that we haue on the miserye of our neighbour that is in paine or trouble thus is pieras somtime taken as I shal shew hereafter sometime otherwise as when we say to an vnthrift or a coÌ„mon malefactour it is pitie to do the good Here it signifieth rather an offence a fault or an il thing so speking I thinke this english may come of pio a verbe or piaculuÌ„ taken in malam parteÌ„ for a crime or a sinne as we take sacer or such other sometyme to signifie that is holye good and sometime that is cursed noughte But we haue not yet the principal significatioÌ„ of pietas that we now speke of Therfore more specially to speake of pietie ye shall vnderstand y t the paygnims in theyr writinges vsed y e same terme and as they thought in the same signification as we vse it Cicero .ii. officioruÌ„ Deos placatos pietas efficiet sanctitas They were deceiued by errour and worshipped many Gods yet this they thought good to pacifie coÌ„tent and please their gods by pietie holines Albeit their pietie holynes and integritie or clearenesse of liuyng in theÌ„ were but counterfait and vnprofitable for their soule healthe and for saluation of their soules in as muche as it lacked the foundacion of faith whiche as I saide in the firste Sermon that I made here of these seuen giftes is presupposed necessarilye to all these seuen gyftes of the holye Goost Lactancius firmâ—anus diuinarum institutionum Li. iii. ca. ix inueighing against the erroure of the olde Philosophers whiche sayde that mans felicitie stoode in the knowledge of corporall thinges as Anaxagoras did whiche when he was asked wherfore or for what cause he was borne answered Solis ac celi videndi causa I was borne and brought into this worlde sayth he for to see the sunne and the heauen or the bodies aboue as meanynge that in the beholding of theÌ„ with our bodelye eyes hadde stande all our perfection where he ought rather to haue confessed and magnified the power of him that made the Heauen and in contemplation of his maiestye that is to saie in the interiour sight of our mindes occupied about his highnes and in loue corespondente to haue constitute our felicitie stedfastlye continuynge in the same while wee be here in this corruptible bodie till at the last wee maye attayne and come to the cleare fruition of the same in heauen without any impedimente or let Therfore if a man were asked now wherefore he was made he should not answere to stare vpon the skye as Anaxagoras saide nother to folowe the carnall lust of this fleshe as Aristippus sayde
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
labours make vs afrayd For this is sure that no man shalbe crowned as a victour but he that wil take paine lawfully to fight and therefore he that now refuseth to fight in this present life against our gostlye ennemyes shall haue no crowne or garland of victorie in the life to come And what soeuer pain we suffer for our captains sake for Christes sake we oughte to be gladde of them not onely because we folowe his steps according to our duties but also because we be as his felowes and partakers of his passions and paines that he suffred as s. Peter saith here Sicut cōmunicantes Christi passionibus gaudete Be you glad as men taking part of Christes passions made hys felowes and like vnto him sufferynge payne and trouble as he dyd that so at the tyme when he shall shewe him selfe in hys glorye you maye be merye and gladde and maye be felowes with hym and partakers of hys ioye and glory Saynte Paule sayde Collossi i. Gaudeo in passionibus adim pleo ea que desunt passionum Christi in carne mea pio corpore eius quod est Ecclesia Saynte Paule was in prison in Ephesus when he wrotte hys Epistle to the Collossenses wher hee saythe the woordes rehearsed I am gladde in my passyons and paynes that I suffer and I fulfyll and make vppe those thynges that lacketh of Christes passyons in my fleshe Christes passions that he suffered in hys owne persone were full and perfytte and nothynge lackynge as hunger thyrste strokes and deathe but because he dothe esteme and repute hys Catholycke Churche as hys bodye and taketh euerye good Christian manne as hys lymmes and members of that hys bodye and counteth all the hurte and harme that is done to theym as done to hym selfe As hee sayde to Saynte Paule at the tyme when he went to pursue the Christen people that were in Damasco Saule Saule quid me persequeris Actuum ix Saule for so he was fyrst called why pursuest thou mee Yet he was then in heauen where no persecution coulde approche to hurte hym but because they were hys lymmes faste ioyned to hym by faythe adorned with charitye he tooke and regarded theyr paynes as thoughe hee hadde suffered theym hym selfe In lyke manner Saynte Peter in thys place of his Epistle wylleth all theym that suffereth payne for Iustice sake to reioyce and be glad as takyng parte of Christes passions that they may lykewyse reioyce to take parte of hys euerlastynge glorye Si exprobramini in nomine Christi beati eritis You must not onely paciently gladlye sustayne bodely paine for Christe but also contumelious despitefull wordes must be gladly suffered Elipham one of Iobs frendes that came to vysete him in his calamiti reputed it a great benefit of God to be hid from the scourge of an yll tounge A flagello lingue absconderis Iob. v. but he had no respecte to the life to come ▪ but onelye pondred weyed the benefites that God giueth to men in this world which worldlye people moste regardeth and most earnestly desireth to haue for they would haue no yll spoken to them nor of theym And yet they that be very good men woulde be lothe to be yll sayd by they woulde be lothe to be distayned blotted or spotted in theyr name and fame because it is theyr highest riches and treasure and therefore the prophet prayed Domine libera an imam meam a labijs iniquis a lingua dolola O Lord deliuer my soule deliuer me from vniust lippes and from a tounge that is deceyteful from all yll speaking And well is he that can escape them as few or none doth now adayes such is the iniquitie of the worlde that folke thinke it no fault but a merye gest to rayle and sclaunder their neighbour and to bring a man into an infamye which many times turneth to his destruction and vndoyng God amend them they thynck to displease theyr poore neyghbour and to hurte hym but yet many times they fayle God preseruing his seruant but they be sure that thei haue hurt theyr owne soules and procured their own dampnacion but if theyr raylynge and gestynge vs be for iustice for well doinge or sayinge for Christes cause or in Christes cause and thou canste haue no remedye but men wyll rayle then remember blessed S. Peters comforte Si exprobramini c. If you be vmbraided called fooles for takinge that waye that you do and for refusinge your olde trade and maner of liuinge you be blessed here in hope and after this presente life shal be blessed in heauen in dede whiche to the letter was spoken for the comforte of them that were newelye conuerted to Christes fayth and called Christen men and women whiche the infideles toke for a name of despite and they vsed other names of reproche agaynste them as callinge them Galileans and Christ was called Galileus because he was broughte vp in Galile but they that woulde not beleue on him called hym by that name in despite because they would not confesse hym Christ nor call him Iesus As Iulianus Apostata vsed to call him tyll at the laste he cryed Galilee vicisti to his payne And if they feared not to missay and rayle against the maister lette not the disciples and seruauntes loke to scape without despite Therfore when you vse any such deuout christian maner of abstinence as hath be vsed in olde time among christen people As if you absteyne from fleshe and from whitmeate in the holy time of Lent or yf you faste Fridayes and Wednesdaies or more dayes in the weke in that holy time or in this holy weke nowe present called the Rogation weke the procession weke yf men not willinge to runne afore a lawe newe made by them that haue aucthoritie woulde obserue the accustomed fast absteining from fleshe euery day in this weke except the thursday that is dedicate in the honour of Christes glorious ascention and taking but one meale on the Mundaye and on the Wednisdaye as the olde maner was you shalbe called hipocrites and folish phariseis w t suche other odious names or if a preist saye his mattens and euensonge with other diuine seruice dayly according to his bounden dutye he shall be mocked and iested at yea and not onelye of lighte braynes of the layfe but also of men of oure owne cote and profession leude and folyshe preistes that nother serue God deuoutly nor the world iustely nor diligently but geue thē selues to walkinge the stretes and beatinge the bulkes with theyr heeles clatteringe lighte and leude matters full vnseminge for theyr profession and some of them more geuē to reading these folishe englishe bokes full of heresies then anye true expositours of holy scriptures Suche men be they that desteyneth the aunciente grauitie of the Churche and suche be moste prone and ready to mocke all theim that intendeth well To all them that be deluded or mocked and molested with suche raylers S. Peter
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