our faithe They haue euer bene impugned and persecuted by heritykes wilfully and grosselye leanynge to their carnall imaginations And yet God of his goodnesse turneth all to the best agaynste their expectation It is verye profitable and necessarye that our faythe shoulde be set to woorke for as sainte Ambrose saythe Fides inexcercitata cito languescit crebris ociosa tentatur incommodis super illud psal cxviii Iniqui ▪ persecuti sūt me adiuua me Our fayth when it is vnexercised anone waxeth sicke and faint And when it is idle it is tempted and tried with many discommodities Remissas excubias callidus insidiator irrumpit As we see that he that wililye and craftelye lieth in wayte will sone breke in to an Holde or Fortresse where the watches bee slacke and sleapye euen so when oure faythe the watche of oure Soule laye idle and was not exercised and tempted by contrary heresies spying howe to breake into the fortresse of our soules it was easye to sowe the sedes of errours in our soules to destroy our faith and our soules Fortye or fifty yeares afore this present yeare of Christ M.D.xlvi the common faithe of the churche was at rest and in maner idle without trouble And by that when the Germaynes suscitated and raysed vp all maner of heresies by Luther and that rable anone they were receiued in all countreys for pax fidei corruptele materia est Ambrosius The peace and rest of faith is the matter and cause of corruption of faith Mens wits wer vnexercised not cūbred with suche newes and coulde not forthwith by learning spye the falsitie of them therefore they were taken for truthes of all carnall and wilfull people and so beleued to the vtter confusion of manye a one The true rule of our beliefe is the whole booke of holye scripture but because it is to muche for euery parson to learne all that and to beare it way therefore the holye goste hath otherwise instruct his holye churche to gather the most necessary thinges for Christen people to beleue into .xii. articles according to the nomber of the .xii. Apostles which as the holy fathers wryteth as it is credibly thought after thei had receiued y e holy gost the gift of tonges by which they coulde speake all maner of languages and muste departe a sondre into dyuers countries to preache the faith of Christ. They thought it necessarye to make a gatheryng of the sayd articles and laye them together to be taught to all people that so they might by the same shotte or gatherynge knowe that as well they among them selues as all people of their teaching varied not but agreed in one faithe euen like as souldiours vnder one Capitaine vseth one badge and one watche word And according to the nombre and names of the sayde Apostles I shall in my processe diuide the said articles They be called articles that is to saye truthes of God and of hys gracious effects compact and knit into short sentences binding vs without ambiguitie or wauering to beleue them THe first article saint Peter layde to thys collation and shotte or gatheringe and it is this I beleue in God the father almightie maker of heauen and earth In whiche article ye must note the order of the words Fyrst it is said I beleue to declare that it is no point of our charge to discusse and reason the highe iudgement and secrets of God nor to require and aske these busye questions when how or why but plainelye and stedfastly to leane to our fayth beleuyng on one God It is not sufficient to beleue that there is one God for the deuils in hell beleue that and so did the Paynym Philosophers but they dyd not glorifie hym as God but played the fooles in theyr fansies as other idolatours did It is not sufficient to beleue GOD as thou beleuest thy neighbour or thy brother whē thou thinkest that hys saying is true for so doth manye a synnefull person and yet noughte wyll doe accordyng to Gods wordes which he beleueth to be true But we must beleue on God or in God that is to say ▪ with our beliefe we must extende and set fourth our selues with loue to God so to be incorporate to him and made one spirite with him and thys is the good and parfit faith adorned and decked with charitie which onely shall saue vs. And in case thou be in deadly synne out of charitye yet ceasse not to say this thy belefe in this gathering or shotte of the Apostles called the Crede for it is the belefe of the vniuersal church which doubtles is not without charitie and so by the merite of the whole congregation of Christen people thou as the vnfrutefull membre mayst labour to come to the beliefe of the whole then trulye to say that thou for thine own part beleuest in god which afore was not true but in the voyce of the whole church If thou beleue on God thou must beleue he is of infinite power but one no more for it is not possible twoo powers infinite to be Then the superstitious erroures of Paygnyms worshipping creatures as theyr gods as Iupiter Mars Venus Sunne Moone or anye element must nedes be false And the heresie of Maniche making twoo first causes or twoo Gods one of good thinges which after him were onely things inuisible and the other he put the causer and maker of all yll thinges He called all visible creatures yll and nought moued by a rude imagination because they may hurt or do yll as the fyre burneth him that cōmeth to nigh vnto it and is yll to hym therefore he sayde it was yll by kinde and made by the deuyll And water because it choketh hym that is drowned in it and so is yll to hym therefore he sayd it was nought by nature and the effecte of the naughtye God And all they that vse sorcery charmes wytchecraftes by inuocation and callynge on dampned spirites that first taught men and women to vse such folishnes and to giue faith to thē loking for reuelatiō of secrets or for knowledge of thinges to come or for healpe of the deuils whych they ought to looke for onely of God And generallye who soeuer obeyeth man more then God doing that for the pleasure of hys Lorde or mayster or for affection or carnall fauoure to hys worldlye frende or louer which he would not do to please God or doing for his louers sake that is cōtrary to Gods pleasure Al such maketh their frendes theyr God so do al they that labour to satisfie theyr carnall lust or theyr bellies more then to subdue them to Gods pleasure All suche make theyr flesh or bellies theyr Gods and do not beleue on one God as is afore declared It foloweth in this first article The father almightye in which is expressed the first parson in trinitie the original foūtain of the whole trinitie by whose frutefull memorye the second parson in Godhed the
places of the gospels calleth God hys father and hym him selfe the sonne of God he is true and verye truthe and cannot lye he is the onelye begotten sonne in the fathers bosome euerlasting as the father is He was afore Abraham was made afore all other creatures not made but begottē of the substaunce of the father very God of God the father Not two Gods but one God and one light and of one substaunce with the father By whom as by his wysedome and craft the father made all creatures as saint Iohn saith al things were made by him he is our Lorde which ye must here vnderstand bi his humanitie manhod for by reason of the Godhed we may sai so of the father and of the holy gost although it be not so expressed in the Apostles Creede For God is oure Lord so we should cal him by reason of his vniuersal dominiō ouer al mankind ouer al other creatures The Lorde importeth a vage dominiō and vncertain power but there is no power dominiō or authoritie so certain as the power that God hath ouer vs wherefore it semeth we may not conueniently call him the Lorde And moreouer we vse to saye the Lorde speaking of suche Lordes as haue nothing to doe with vs as the lorde of Dale the lord of Kilmayn and such like whereas if we were theyr tenauntes or otherwise held of thē we woulde say my lord of Dale or our Lord of Dale and so of others Wherfore professing our due subiection to almightye God we shoulde in common speeche cal him our Lord not dimissing our selues from our allegeaunce to his highnes And I haue knowen verye honest mē that in cōmunicatiō long afore the new translations of the bible came abrode vsed sometimes to sweare by the Lord no more intending or meaning to sweare by God then by any Lorde in the isles of Orchadie so thynking to sweare by they could not tell what or by nothing albeit lest thei should offend them that be addict to the new gise I haue aduertised them to leaue suche sayinges tyll men may be better informed But to my purpose now because all power in heauen and earth was giuen to Christ and all thyng was subiecte vnder his fete and he in his manhood taught his Apostles and all vs by them and in his manhode redemed vs and in the same shall iudge vs therfore we maye iustlye by that reason call hym our lord and maister as it is expressed in this article THe third article was added by S. Iames brother to saint Iohn the Euangelist son of zebedi called Iames the more That was conceiued by the holy gost and borne of the virgine Marie the authoure and doer of this conception was the whole trinitie the father the sonne the holy gost for the workes of the trinitie outwarde amonge creatures be vndyuided so that what so euer one persō doth the same thing doth all three persons But in asmuch as thys blessed incarnation of Christ came of the mere goodnes grace mercy and loue of God whiche is appropriate to the holy gost as power to the father wisedome to the sonne Though all these agreeth to all three persons therefore the scripture sayth as very true it is that the holy gost was the deer thereof but how it was performed done we can better beleue thē declare it faith may do very muche in this article and in all other articles of our faith speche can do very litle Saint Austine faith that lyke as by the heate and influence of the sunne a worme is gēdred of the moyst earth so by the inspiration of the holy goste santifyinge the hart of the virgin the flesh of Christ was cōceiued formed facioned of the flesh of y e virgin without the worke of any sede of man workyng to the same and therefore Christ sayd of himself by the mouth of his prophet that he was a worme and not a man because he was not conceyued as other men be In this marueilous conception the profite and whole nature of man soule and bodi together was vnite and ioyned in one person vnto the sonne of God and neither to the father nor to the holy gost because there should be no confusion but that he that was the sonne of god shuld also be the sonne of man Borne of Mary the virgin he that came to renew the nature of man cankered with sinne chose a new maner to be borne of a mayde and not of a corrupt woman And whē the God of maiestie tooke hys bodye and was borne of a vyrgine hee was no more polluted nor defowled then when he made manne of the earthe as when the Sunne or fyre woorketh on the claye he amendeth and hardeneth that he toucheth and fyleth not it selfe And it is as possyble credyble and lykelye that hee was borne of a virgine as that he made Adam of earth and Eue the first woman of the rybbe of Adams side all is the woorke of God to whom nothing is impossible Great was the prerogatiue of that virgine Mary and the loue that god had to her in that that his onely begottē son by whom he made all the worlde he gaue vnto her to be the fruite of her wombe and her naturall sonne God that made all thyng was made man of her purest bloud to renewe mankinde that by synne was brought to nought While the sonne of God was in his fathers glory not descending to our infirmitie he was vnknowen but when that worde of God was made man and dwelled amongest vs he was seene and knowen on earthe and was conuersaunt with menne for whose sakes he that is Lorde of all the world is made our brother comming forth being borne of the blessed virgine euer close and cleane with out any aperture or diuision of her blessed body euen like as after his resurrection he came into the chambre among the disciples the doores beyng shut and like as the sunne beames commeth through the glasse and breaketh it not SAint Andrewe layde his portion to thys shotte or gathering by these woordes of the fourthe article That suffered vnder Ponce Pilate was crucified dead and buried Thys Ponce Pilate was president and ruler of the countrey and highest iudge there set in his authority by Tiberius the Emperoure of Rome to whom the most part of the world was then subiecte he is here named not for any honestie to his parson but for to declare the time when Christ suffred The death on the crosse he those and neyther to haue his necke broken nor his bones burst as being cast downe from a hyll as his neighbours were aboute to serue him in Nazereth Luke .iiii. where he was brought vp in youthe neyther to be stoned to death as the Iewes would haue killed him when he hid him self and went out of the temple Iohn .viii. And al was for our health and for to saue vs for as saint Austine saith we can not
their soules Here I shuld more largely demore and tarie on this sacrameÌ„t of penance but that I remember that here afore declaring those wordes of S. Peter in the fyrste chapter secundum misericordiam suam magnam regenerauit nos in spem viuaÌ„ I touched that matter sufficiently ¶ The .viii. treatise or sermon CHarissimi obsecro vos ranquam aduenas et peregrinos abstinere vos a carnalibus desiderijs que militant aduersus anâ—mam c. These wordes which immediately foloweth the processe that I preached of in my last sermon on Sainte Peters epistle be red in the church this present Sunday for the epistle in the Masse where in contemplation of that he had sayde immediately afore that they were sometyme not the people of God but rather Idolaters and the people of the dyuell and that nowe they were the people of God conuerted to the beliefe on one God and on our Sauiour Christ by hearyng the preachinge of Christes gospell and that sometyme they were without Gods mercye and that now they had obtayned his mercy By reason of this he calleth them very welbeloued and as his welbeloued children and friendes he entreateth theym to vse vertue and to giue to all them among whom they shuld be conuersant example of holy conuersation and liuing And afterwarde he exhorteth them to due subiection towarde theyr heades and rulers I beseche you sayth he as Straungers and Pylgrimes to kepe your selues from carnall desyres which fight against the soule This obsecration or beseching signifieth a certayne vehemencie in desiring as it wer for Gods sake or for the loue of our Lady or of al the sayntes of heauen or for their faithes sake by which thei trusted to be saued of which he had spoken much afore So he praieth them and not after the imperious commaunding of Bishops theyr officers which yet haue not al layd away the lowrynge browes of the phariseis Not that I deny but that bishops and theyr discrete officers may commaund them that be of theyr iurisdiction to do the thing that is conformable to Gods commaundement and if the contumacie sturdines of the partie proceede so far that they will not be reformed by reason by fayremeanes then to compel them by the sensures of the church to amend theyr liues as saynt Paule did by the notorious adulterer that kepte his own mother in law to paramour in Corinth And he bid Titus .ii. Hec loquere exhortare et argue cum omni imperio that he shuld rebuke them that be sturdy and fauty with al authority to coÌ„maund albeit when desiring or besechinge maye serue it doth best beseme a prelate or a curate therefore S. Paule writing to his scoler and louing friend Philemon saith Multam fiduciam habens imperandi tibi quod ad rem pertinet propter charitateÌ„ magis obsecro I may be bold to coÌ„manÌ„d the to do the thing that shalbe for the profit of thâ— soule but yet for the loue that I haue to thee I had leauer pray thee to be good to Onesimus thy seruant And euen so S. Peter might haue bene bold to coÌ„maund them that he wrot vnto but he had leauer desyre theÌ„ as straungers pylgrimes We call them straungers that dwell not in theyr owne countrey but in a straunge place So saint Peter wylleth vs to count our selues as not at home in our owne countrey because that by the faute of our fyrst parentes we be banished from Paradise which God gaue vs to dwel in and be come into this vale of misery and sorowe not to liue delicatelye and to take oure pleasure but to take paine and sorow and to do penance and not to settle our selues on worldly wealth and pleasures here but to go furth like pilgrimes or wai faring men considering that we haue no steddye and permanent citie here but that we seke for an other the citie of heauen aboue Like as Saynt Paule speaketh of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and others Heb. xi which abiding in the lande of CanaaÌ„ and had not receiued the promyses made vnto them confessinge that they wer Pilgrimes and straungers vpon earthe signifieth that they seke for a better habitacion and dwellinge place that is to say the countrey of heauen aboue An old vse hath peruerted the name of a Pilgryme because folke were woÌ„t to go from place to place to honour saintes in places dedicate for theyr honour and to kysse theyr images and they onelye in times past were callled Pilgrimes therefore nowe men thinke the proper signification of this worde Pilgrime to be none other but such as goeth about such deuocions but his significacion is more generall it signifieth a wayfaringe man or woman that abideth not still in one place but remoueth from place to place tyll at the laste he may come to his iourneys ende where he woulde be and in suche case we be neuer at rest but euer laboring through the troublous stormes of thys world to come to our inheritance and dwelling place that God hath made for vs and that our sauiour Christe by his blessed bloud is entred in afore vs to make vs roume And therfore let vs do as wise pilgrimes dooe when they intende to take a great iourney vppon theim They dispose such goodes as they haue and set theim in safe custodye and prouideth for their family or housholde We knowe not when we shal be called to take this farre iourney out of thys worlde into an other worlde as longe as we be here wee be euer onward and entred on this iourney Therfore it is necessary that we bestow our goodes on charitable workes so settyng them in safe custodye and that we order our family that is to say all the powers of our bodyes and of our soules prouidyng for them accordingly as the man did that toke his iourney into a farre couÌ„trey Mat. v. He called his seruauntes and deliuered theÌ„ his goods So muste we geue to some of our familye .v. talentes to be well occupied against our lordes returne when he shall come to the iudgemente to sitte on oure audite our bodye muste be charged with .v. senses which we cal our fiue bodely wits They must be well employed well spent well ordered So that we close theim vp agaynst all thinges that shall be contrary to Gods pleasure That our eare heare no yll wordes that our eye se no vnhonest thing â–ª that our mouth delight not in thinges that be to swete delicate nor speake any filthines neithâ—r any lyes And that we open the same our senses to all thinges perteynynge to Goddes pleasure that our eare do gladly hear the worde of God and diuine seruice and all coÌ„munication of honestye And that we conforme our eyes and our mouth likewise to such honesty â–ª To the seconde Seruaunt that is Reason wee muste geue science and knowledge in whiche he maye exercise it selfe and haue delection in that is good and maye detest and eschewe that is
twenty treatice or Sermon OMnem solicitudinem vestram proiicientes in eum Where Saint Peter considerynge that the worlde dothe vnquiete manye a man and dothe alâ—enate his mynde from the exercise of humilitie towarde GOD and of other Godlie vertues by ouermuche cumberaunce of minde with solicitude carke and care of the worlde exhorteth vs to caste all our solicitude thought and care vppon almightye God for he hath cure ouer vs and careth for vs. The world doth euen as Christe speaketh of the sede sowen amonge the bushes thornes or briars it can not proue for y e thornes suffocate it stiful it hinder it and marreth it Solicitude and care of the worlde is the thinge that the worlde combreth vs with To exclude this saint Peter here counseileth vs to cast vppon God all our care all our solicitude and cumberaunce of minde let him alone with it Yea sir shall I do so This is a good easie waie if it woulde serue I haue father and mother a great charge of housholde to care for shall I let God alone with theim go play and make merie Shall I loke whether he will send them meate by the birdes as he did to Helie by the crowes and rauens or to bake a cake vnder a panne c. No that were to tempt God c. But I muste do that partaineth to mannes industrye and to mans laboure and diligence and then no further to cumber my minde or to weare away my self with carke but then to cast all the rest of my care vpon him euen as the mariners cast theyr anker vnto the lande to more set fast their shyp to stay it fast for there is sure holde when we haue done our diligence let vs laye all the rest in his lap for he careth for vs as a mercyfull father for his children So that moderate sollicitude is not reproued but solicitudo obrueÌ„s confundens intellectuÌ„ suche solicitude as doeth ouer whelue and confounde a mans witte And because that Mundus par immoderantiam sauciat The worlde woundeth man by excesse and superfluite therfore Saynt Peter byddeth vs be sobre contrarie to glotenie whiche killeth more theÌ„ doth the sweard And this sobriete is y e same vertue that we call temperaunce whiche is one of the .iiii. cardinall vertues of whiche the wise man Sapi. viii speaketh amoÌ„ge the praises of sapience sayinge that the godly sapience Sapientia increata The wysdome of the father the seconde parson in Trinitie of whose wysedome euerie man and woman hath a sparke that lighteneth and inclineth him to goodnes and to eschew yl This heauenly Sapience and wisdome sayth the wyse man Sobrietatem et prudentiam docet et iustitiam virtutem quibus vtilius nihil est in vita hominibus heaueÌ„ly wisdom the increate wisdome of the father of heauen teacheth a man sobrenes that is teÌ„peraunce and prudence iustice and vertue or power that is fortitude And these be the .iiii. cardinall vertues vnto which all morall vertues be reduced et vigilate watche take hede that you fall not to sinne beware for you haue a shrewde whelp to bite you to bringe you to sinne yf he may A duersarius vester diabolus tan quam leo rugiens circuit quereÌ„s queÌ„ deuoret Where s. Peter vseth the diuels owne terme a worde of his owne coÌ„fession CuÌ„ venissent filij dei vt assisterent coram deo affuit inter eos etiaÌ„ sathan cui dixit dominus vnde venis Qui respoÌ„densait circuiui terram et peraÌ„bulaui eaÌ„ Iob. i. WheÌ„ the children of god the good angels came to staÌ„de afore god our lord the aduersarie the dyuel was also among them The good Angels be called here the children of God â–ª in as muche as they be made like vnto him by participation of his glorie for the gracious fauour and loue that he hath toward them and they towarde him The yll Angels were not yll by creation or by name but of theyr owne frowarde wyll declyninge and goynge away from the fauour of god To shew that as wel all good thinges that men do inclined by the good Angelles as also all yll vnto whiche they be moued by the yll spirites be openlie knowen to almightye GOD as also the spirites good and bad the ministers of the same workes for it is said Cum assisterent coram deo filij dei affuit inter eosetiaÌ„ Sathan Sathan the Diuel was amonge them not so takinge that sayinge of holie Iob as that Sathan was one of the good Angelles that contynuallie and styll behelde the glorye of GOD. For so onlye the good Angelles and blessed spyrytes that be associate wyth them hath that ioyful and glorious sight but it is so sayd of SathaÌ„ in as much as his actes and deedes be seen and knowen to almightye God And because the good Angels do nothing but according to Gods pleasure and to his commaundementes therfore the Scripture taketh theyr actes as wel knowen and therfore it is not said that God asked of them any questioÌ„s but of the Deuyll because his actes agre not to gods pleasure but be in maner straunge to him for he doth not aproue them nor alow theÌ„ but asketh of hys doinge as of a straunge thinge like as he asked of Cayn where is thy brother Abel and quid fecisti What hast thou done Euen so in our purpose Our lorde God spoke to Sathan that is to saie made him to vnderstande that he knoweth all thinges And euen so you muste vnderstande the other saiynge that Sathan answered God againe not that he gaue anye knowledge to almighty God that he had not afore But it is as much to saie as that Sathan coÌ„sidered and vnderstode that all his doinges were plaine and open to the sight of God Let vs consider his answere Circuiui terram perambulaui cam I haue compassed or gone aboute the earth and haue walked through it By thys circuite or goynge aboute the worlde of SathaÌ„ is vnderstand hys callidyte wylines and sutteltie to serche whome he may disceyue and brynge into his snares And this is it that saynt Peter meaneth Aduersarius vester diabolus tanque leo rugiens circuit querens queÌ„ deuoret Wily persons goeth compasse aboute the bushe Psal. in circuitu impij ambulant in a compas like as in all croked thinges Medium exit ab extremis The middel or meane goeth out from the extremities like as in thinges that be streyght the middel wrieth not nother goeth oute from the extremities as appereth playnlye in a streyght line in whiche euery part lieth streight and none swarueth aside out of course so they that be iust and streight when they entende a thing or say it in their doinges setting forward toward that ende or purpose they swarue not by wrenches and wyles bypathes but goeth as streyght as they maye to the thinge that they intende or promise and to bringe their purpose to passe and to good effecte But the wylie
And euen like the gift of counsayle without fortitude or manlinesse is of no price Nother manlines without counsell or good aduisement No more is science without pietie or pietie without the discretion of science And fear muste haue some of the saide giftes concurrent with it or els no good will come of it Then to our purpose Because that our knowlege naturally beginneth at some of our fiue exteriour or outward senses which we call the .v. wits if our knowledge shall be eleuate aboue that his common course to heauenly matters as be thinges parteyning to our fayth it hath nede of some supernaturall light by whiche it may ascende and pearce into the knowledge of such thinges as by his natural power he caÌ„ not attayne to As that there be three persons in one substaunce of the Godhead And that the father by his fecund and fruteful memory produceth and getteth his onely begotten sonne the second person in trinitie And that the father and the sonne by their fecunde and frutefull will bringeth forth the holye gost coeternall and of equall might and power with theÌ„ both And y â— that one God thus distinct in thre persons by his endles and mighty power at his pleasure and wheÌ„ he thought good made all the world of nought And that by his onelye goodnes he mainteneth and preserueth the same so that if he would once withdrawe his hande of maintenaunce but one little moment from hys creatures they should sodainely fall to nought as they came fro And that all the glorious company of aungels he made to honour him like as all other creatures after their kindes and maners doth And where as some of the aungelles swarued from the grace that they were creat in and were damned to be the horriblest creatures and in most payne of all creatures of the world the others persistyng standinge in their goodnesse were confirmed in grace so that now they can not fall but continuallye remayneth in the glorious fruition sighte and loue of God euer ready to do his commaundemeÌ„t in heauen and at his pleasure here in earth toward vs mortall men Hebr. i. These and such high misteries of heauenly matters to perceiue and as it were by the sharpenes of mans witte to pearce into theÌ„ as man may here in this grose and corruptible bodye perteyneth properly to the gifte of vnderstandynge Ad donum intellectus And the more perfectly that this gifte is inspired into man by the holy gost the more distinctly and plainely he shal perceiue such hie secrets though perceue theÌ„ as he shall do hereafter in glory we can not yet And by mature and wise iudgement to discerne these verities from their contraries perteyneth properly to the gifte of Sapience or godly wisdome Ad donum sapientiae As to discerne one God from the false Gods To know that the .iii persons in Trinitie be equall in power and not one of them minister or seruaunt to the other as Arrius saide To know that there is but one maker of all thinges no more and not to put two creatours one of good thinges an other of euyl thinges as Manicheus saide And to iudge when the angels of God doth trulye Gods message And to discerne them from the aungels of darknes which many times disguise them selues into the fashion of the angels of light These and such other hye iudgementes in heauenly causes ê‘teineth properly to the gift of sapience or godly wisdome For this supernaturall gift of Sapience the wise man prayed Sapi. ix Da mihi sedium tuarum assistricem sapientiam Geue me the wisdome from aboue that is euer assistent bi thy seat of glory and from thence is deriued and infused or send downe to menne Because that Si quis erit consummatus inter filios hominuÌ„ si ab illo fugerit sapientia tua in nihilum computabitur If a man be neuer so profound and excellent in mans wisdome if he lacke this godlye wisdome good Lord he shall not be estemed wise but rather a fole in as much as worldly wisdome is counted but folishnes afore God .i. Corin. iii. And the prophet Dauid prayed that he might obtayne thys supernaturall gift called Donum intellectus the gift of intelligence wittinesse or fine and cleare vnderstandyng saying Psal. cxviii Da mihi intellectum vt discam mandata tua Geue me intelligeÌ„ce that I may learne thy coÌ„mandementes Where it is highly to be noted that this noble king and prophet whiche so well knew Gods lawes and that saide he had kept Gods eloquent sayinges yet nowe he prayed for finer and clearer vnderstandyng by whiche he might yet better ascende and pearce into the same And we haue nede so to pray as the prophet did that this gift of Intelligence may be geuen vs to helpe our fayeth like as in many cases our faith helpeth our intelligence or vnderstandyng accordyng to the saying of Esay vii Nisi credideritis non intelligetis As saint Augustine and others redeth that letter Excepte ye beleue ye shall not vnderstande For many thinges there be whiche except ye beleue ye can not vnderstande as the articles of our fayeth with other like And many truthes there be that we can not beleue except we haue vnderstandyng either by hearyng the preacher by instruction or by study as Paule sayth Ro. x Fides ex auditu auditus autem per verbum Christi And this is acquisite fayth gotten by laboure studie or hearyng and so is vnderstandyng proporcionablye to the same whiche bothe be made more firme fast and certaine by fayth infused and by Intelligence or vnderstandynge infused and geuen from aboue of the holy gost And this gift of Intelligence is neuer withdrawen from good men specially about such thinges as be necessary for mannes saluation to be knowen although some men haue it in a higher degree theÌ„ some other haue but about other thinges not necessary to be knowen it is withdrawen to pul men downe that the matter occasion of pride and curiositie may be taken away and lest men should be to proud of gods gifts and accordyng to this speaketh saint Iohn i. Ioh. ii Vnctio eius docebit vos de omnibus The oyntment infusion or inspiration of the holy goste will teach you in all thinges necessary to be learned although very good men hauyng the grace that maketh theÌ„ acceptable and in the fauour of God may be dul and little or nought perceiue of other truthes without whose knowledge a man maye come to heauen wel inough Chrisostome in a sermon De spiritu sctoÌ„ vseth a more familier playner distinction of these two giftes Sapience and Intelligence saiyng When it besemeth a doctour or a teacher to speake plainely his gifte is called the spirite of Sapience And where nede is that the hearer do wittily perceiue that is spoken the gifte that he muste haue is named the spirite of vnderstanding which also is called the spirite of reuelation wheÌ„ nede is to learne
And she stowped downe to him mockynge Anthiochus the Kinge and saide My sonne haue mercie on me that bare thee nyne monethes within my bodie and gaue thee milke of my brestes three yeres space and mirced thee and brought thee vnto the age that thou arte of I desire of thee my sonne that thou do loke on heauen and earthe and all thinges that be in them and do vnderstande that God made them all of nought and so it maye come to passe that thou shalt not fear this butcherly hangman but shalte be made worthy to haue such brothers as be gone afore thee Take thi death and such part as they haue done that in the time of gods mercy I may receiue thee againe with thy brothers While she was thus saiyng the yong man boldly cald vpon the tormentors saiyng that he wold not obey the coÌ„maundement of the kinge but he wold obey the coÌ„maundement of gods law geueÌ„ them by Moyses And after a sharpe lesson coÌ„mination geuen to the king the king was inflamed with anger was woode against him more then against al the other brothers so the good yong maÌ„ departed trusting on god in all points at the last the mother after her sons was speÌ„t put to death Of like fortitude maÌ„lines boldnes we read in the new testameÌ„t of s Steuen saint Iames other in the actes of the apostles we read also of saint Peter s Andrew Bartholomew Laurence Uincent many other whose passioÌ„s be red in Christes church of which al of others like thapostle Heb. xi saith Alii distenti suÌ„t non suscipientes redemptioneÌ„ vt meliorem inuenireÌ„t resurrectionem alii ludibria verbera experti c. Some were racked drawen in pieces not loking for any raunsome that so they might find a better resurrectioÌ„ some suffred mocks stripes more ouer fetters prisones were stoned to death some were cutte in pieces In al these and such other timiditie cowardnes was far away this gift of the holye gost fortitude manlines strong hert lacked not by which thei were so coÌ„stant in suffryng aduersitie for Christes sake in hope of reward euerlastyng Amen ¶ The fourth sermon treatyng of the fift gift of the holy gost called the spirite of Science THe fifte of these giftes of the holy gost is the spirite of science or the gifte of science or cunninge for whiche you shall vnderstaÌ„d the science is not so precisely taken here as y e logitions speaking of science callyng it the knowledge of a conclusion proued by demonstration but science as we nowe speake of it descendeth and commeth alowe and is properlye the iudgement in the articles of our faythe and in such other Godly verities as extendeth them selues to creatures and to mannes actes and doinges accordynge to saint Paules saiyng Faith worketh by loue And so doth all the whole holy scripture more consistyng in practise and exercise then in speculation This gift of science or cunnyng as we nowe speake of it extendeth also to hande craftes and occupations as I shall declare hereafter And it presupposeth the gift of counsaile that I spoke of lately by whiche we may with studie deliberacion and aduisement attayne to the knowledge of mans actes and to the knowlege of creatures But because that many times mennes wittes in their study and in their singuler or priuate counsailes be ready to inuent or imagine of mennes actes and of other creatures laiynge a parte the gifte of counsaile and good iudgement so commeth many times to mannes minde deception errour lolaâ—dye heresie contrary to true science and cunnyng geloâ—ie suspicion sclaunder and infamye contrarye to quietnesse of liuinge Example we haue of the people of Israell whiche hadde inbibed so muche of Moyses lawe and wedded their wittes so obstinately to that learnyng and leaned so carnally to the same that notwithstaÌ„dyng all Christes doctrine and all the preachinge of the Apostles thought no way to saluation but by obseruynge and fulfillyng the workes of the lawe of Moyses as except men were circuÌ„cised they thought menne coulde not be saued And after a manne had touched anye deade thinge or anye vncleane thinge excepte he should sequester him selfe .vii. dayes from the company of cleane people and except he were washed the thirde daye and the .vii. daye with a certayne water made for the same purpose he should dye with many such ceremonies and vsages which were then commaunded to be vsed and were no more but shadowes and figures of our sauioure Christe and of the time of grace that nowe is and they shoulde nowe cease when the veritye signifyed by theim is exhibited and perfourmed like as nighte ceaseth when the day commeth and darkenesse vanisheth awaye by the presence of lighte Thys they woulde not vnderstande nor learne for any mannes exhortacion but rather persecuted to death all them that instructed theÌ„ in this veritie In this case was sainte Paule firste before his conuersion and many of his contrey menne and kinsfolkes the Iewes of whiche he saith Testimonium perhibeo illis quod emulationem dei habent sed non secundum scientiam Roma .x. I beare them witnes that they haue a zeale and loue to folowe the learnyng that God hath geuen them by Moyses but they lacke science and cunnyng they folow not good vnderstandynge in that in whiche they thinke them selues cunnyng for the saide ceremonies were no more but Iustitiae carnis vsque ad tempus correctionis imposite Certaine obseruances laide on their neckes carnallye to be obserued and kept to occupy them and holde theÌ„ vnder obedience and to keepe theim from the rites and vsages that the gentyles vsed in theyr ydolatrye tyll the tyme of correction the tyme of reformacion whiche is the tyme of Christes commyng at whiche time they should surceasse and be vsed no more Such a zeale and loue to learnynge hathe manye nowe adayes And of their learnynge and knoweledge whiche they thinke they haue they wyll make as great glory and boast as did the Iewes of their learning And yet their zeale and learnynge shall be without that science that is this gift of the holy gost In this case be they that so arrogantly glorieth in their learnyng had by study in the englysh bible and in these sedicious Englisshe bokes that haue bene sent ouer froÌ„ our englyssh runagates nowe abidynge wyth Luther in Saxonie Of their studie you maie iudge by the effect When menne and women haue all studied and counte them selues best learned of their learnyng men ê‘ceiue litle els but enuie disdainyng at others mockynge and despisynge all goodnes raylynge at fastynge and at abstinence froÌ„ certaine meats one daie afore an other by custome or commaundemente of the churche at Masse and mattens and at all blessed ceremonies of Christes church ordeyned and vsed for the auancemente and settinge forthe of Goddes glorye not without profounde and greate misteries and causes reasonable By this effecte
seruile feare that serueth or dothe well onelye for feare of payne and it is true also of the feare that groweth in processe which is partlye for feare partly for loue that is called Timor inicialis this is the next meane to the chaste feare or holye feare that remaineth for euermore But nowe finallye to speake of the seuenth gift of the holie Gost whiche as the Prophete Esay sayeth rested on our sauiour Christ. It is not mundane humane nor carnal feare nother the seruile feare or the bondmannes feare His good and gracious workes that he did on earthe he did not for feare of the paynes of Hell or for feare of anye other punishmentes It was the holye feare that remayneth for euer It was louynge and reuerende feare of God suche as all the angels in heauen haue nowe And that maye begin in vs grow vp with charitie here on earth and shal shote vp and growe vp with euerlastinge charitie or loue that shall neuer fall awaye or fayle but shall euer abide more and more in euerlastynge glory This feare dothe not importe anye perturbation or trouble of minde but rather a certayne reuerence towarde almightye God Suche is the feare that the angels haue in heauen where is no trouble of minde or vnquietnesse but readye and ioyful obedience to almighty God And such reuerende feare of the father hadde our sauiour Christe as appeareth in manye places of the gospell where hee protesteth hym to dooe the commaundementes of his father and to fulfyll his pleasure with manye suche like Honorifico patrem c. Thus he did lowlye and reuerently magnifie his father by reason of his manhode by whiche he was inferiour and lower and subiect to his father And in his manhode he hadde these seuen giftes of the holye Gooste restynge on hym as Esai saide and as I haue declared in times paste And this gifte of dreade or feare of GOD after scolasticall doctours is Humilitie which was most excellently in our sauiour Christ Phili. ii Humiliauit semetipsuÌ„ dominus noster Iesus Christus c. Our Lorde Iesus Christe did humiliate him selfe kepynge obedience euen to hys death on the crosse for whiche God the father exalted him gaue him a name aboue al names that all creatures in heauen earthe or hell shall bowe the knee to this blessed name of Iesus and all tonges shall confesse that our Lorde Iesus is in the glorye of god his father there to be mediatour a meane and intreater for vs to bringe vs as his coparteners and coenheritours wyth him to his inestimable glory in heauen and that we maye all come to that enheritaunce he graunt vs for his infinite mercy that for vs dyed Amen An homilie or sermon of the articles of our christian faythe FAyth as saynt Paule sayth to the Hebrewes is y e beginnynge of heuenly ioyes that we hope to come vnto makinge our wits surely to assente agree to thinges that wee do not yet see nor knowe by experience Euerlastyng lyfe shall stande in the clere knowledge of the Godhead and of the glorified manhode of our sauiour Christ knitte in one persone to the seconde persone in Trinitie one God with the father and with the holye Gost. This knowledge and sighte wee shall haue in heauen clearelye and perfitelye whiche wee haue here but darkelye by heresaye But let vs leane fast by our fayth to this that we hearesaye by Gods scriptures and liue accordinglye and wee shall not faile to come to the cleare knowledge in heauen where we shall knowe God as he knoweth vs without corporall similitudes to conduct vs to that knoweledge and without anye impedimente Without faieth it is impossible to please GOD. For he that wyll come to God muste neades beleue as the Apostle saythe Hebre. xi Wee muste not diffarre nor refuse to beleue so longe tyll wee can declare or proue by reason the articles or poyntes that wee be bounde to beleue for if wee woulde be so daungerous it myght chaunce that by the difficilitye of the scriptures of the things that we shuld beleue we myght be withdrawen and kept backe from the merite and rewarde of our faythe for euer He that woulde so differ to beleue shoulde be like a manne almoste deade for honger whyche hauynge breade and meate offered hym woulde not open hys mouthe to eate thereof tyll hee knewe who made the breade and dressed the meate and howe and wyth what instrumentes or tooles it was made and dressed He were like to be deade for honger afore he came to that knoweledge Better it were for him firste to take hys meate and saue his lyfe and afterward if nede were at leasure to laboure for such knoweledge if he myght obtayne it So best it is for vs with an open harte to beleue as wee be taughte by Christes churche and to feede oure soules with suche Godly foode and to saue our liues by fayth afterward by exercise to attaine to more distincte and playne vnderstandynge of that wee do beleue accordynge to suche measure of fayth as shall please God to distribute to euerye one of vs. There was neuer manne saued from the beginnynge of the worlde neither shall be to the ende of the same but by his beliefe on Goddes rewarde prouided for his faithfull people by the merite of our sauiour Christe as by the mediatoure and meane to come thereto The holye menne and women that were afore Christes incarnation by the space of fiue thousande yeres and more were saued by their fayth of saluation by the mediatour that was to come and in signe thereof they vsed their sacrifices afore the lawe written and also in the tyme of the lawe writte by Moyses as figures to proteste and signifie the misterie of the mediatour which the auncientes and they that hadde higher reuelation and that were best learned among them beleued more distinctlye and plainelye then the younger and simpler sorte did or were bounde to beleue And nowe in the plentuoâ—s tyme of grace bothe yonge and olde be bounde to haue expresse faythe of Christes incarnacion alreadye exhibited and perfourmed and of suche articles and pointes as be commonlye declared and openlye set furthe in the churche concernynge our saluation by our sauioure Christe as the onelye meane to obtayne the same Al be it they that haue clearer wyttes and they that be sette in aucthoritye and offyce speciallye to haue the rule and cure of Christes flocke be bound more expreslye dystynctlye and playnelye to haue the knoweledge of subtyller and hygher consyderations consernynge the Articles of oure faythe then the rude and vnlearned folcke so that they maye by their knoweledge and learnyng declare the truthes and the possibilitie of the same to them that be ignorant and would learne i. Pet. iii. To declare I saye but not to proue by reason the veritie of them They must also bee able to replye and conuince theim that frowardely woulde repugne and countersaye anye article of
sonne of God is gotten aske not the maner how for the angels cannot tel The Prophetes were ignorant thereof Esay saith his generation who can declare as who should say no creature We muste beleue it and reason no farther in it Not that the father is elder then the sonne neyther of greater power but that like as the fyre is not without heate neither the sunne in the fyrmament without brightnes so was the father neuer without the sonne neither had any power to do any thing but y t the sōne had y e same power to do the same like him and so hath the holy gost the third person in trinitie product and brought forth by the will of the father and of the sonne coeternally with the father with the sonne Almightynes of power is here applyed to the person of the father by appropriation although it agre to the almighty sonne to the almighty holy gost not three almighties but one God almyghtie And by this that we beleue him to be almightie we haue a great comfort and lighte to beleue all the articles that folowe in our creede for if he be almighty he may make heauen and earthe of nought he may make a man to be borne of a virgin he may forgiue synnes and giue life euerlasting Maker of heauen and earth maker by creation that is to say without any matter or stuffe to make it of That a man maketh he maketh of somewhat or of some stuffe therefore he can be no creatour but almighty god made heauen and earth of nothing therefore he is iustly called the creator of heauen and earth What is here to be vnderstande by thys woorde Heauen there be two opinions for which ye shall first vnderstand that heauen is called one maner of wise the empiriall heauen aboue the starrye skye and aboue all the orbes that moueth there in which is neyther place nor vacuitie neyther time but onelye thinges leading a most blessed life Thys farre Aristotle dreamed and discussed primo de celo mundo and it agreeth with holy scriptures and with holy doctours there putting the felicitye of Aungels and men that shall be saued in the fruition that is to say in the clere sighte and loue of God ther most aboundantly shewing his glory This the prophet in the psalme calleth the kyngdome of GOD saying to God of the same Thy kingdome is the kingdome of all worldes as who should say whatsoeuer nomber of yeares can be thoughte or spoken of thys kingdome passeth it for this king almighty God was neuer wythout a kingdome by which it semeth to be eternal and euerlasting for it is the very clerenes of God coeternal with him and not created with other visible creatures and to thys were admitted and receiued the holy angels after their creation for so long space and such durance as God knoweth best afore that he made heauen and earthe that Moyses spoke of And of this minde is Saynte Basile as appeareth in the first homilye of hys exameron Heauen is taken an other waye for the bodies aboue as Sunne Moone Sterres with the orbes and circles there Heauē is called also the thirde maner all that is aboue the earth and so the sayde bodies aboue with the speires of the fyre and of the ayre be compriseed vnder one name of heauen so it is taken in the psalme when we say the birdes of the heauen for the birdes of the ayre And after this opinion so taketh Moyses this word Heauen when he saythe that in the begynning God made heauē earth And by the Earth there is to be vnderstande the water and earth together whiche as then were not dysseuered and diuided tyll the thirde daye when the earth first appeared drye The seconde opinion which is more comon taketh this worde Heauen for the empiriall heauen replenished and fulfilled with the glorious companye of Angels whiche was made together with the earthe vnderstandynge by the Earthe the firste vnfacioned matter or stuffe of which almighty God made disposed and garnyshed al other kindes of creatures that may be sene or feled as wel in the firmament aboue as vnder it to his owne glorye to do seruice vnto man Therfore we haue great nede to take hede that vsing Gods creatures for our profite or pleasure we in no case dyshonoure God vsing thē contrary to his honour contrary to his pleasure intent that he made them for THe seconde article saynte Iohn Euangelist layd to this shotte or gathering which is this And in Iesu Christe his onelye sonne our Lorde euer repeting this word And I beleue so that this is the sentence And I beleue on Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord. The second persone in trinitie the coeternall sonne of the father knowing afore the worlde beganne the syn of Adā of the miserable case that mā shuld com to was determined to saue mākinde frō the danger of the same therfore he was euer worthi to be called a sauiour Iesus is as much to sai as a sauior thē this name was his for euer it is y e name that y e father gaue him by productiō in his godhed was newly diuulged published bi the angell to our blessed Lady his mother afterward to his foster father Ioseph with y e interpretacion of y t name saying Ipse eni saluū faci po s. a pec eorū For he shall saue the people from their synnes which onely God can do and none other ▪ Gods pleasure was that the same name that he had in his Godhed should also be his name in his humanite for his humanitie was the instrument and mean by which he wrought and perfourmed our saluation and redemption Iesus and Christ signifieth one person that was borne of the virgine Mary yet there is some difference betwixte the names Iesus is his proper name as we say Hēry Thomas Roger or suche like Christ is the name of a sacrament as sainte Austine speaketh or of an office super epist. Io. tract iii. as we say a king a prophet a priest Christ is as much to saye as anoynted and he was anoynted before all other men by the chiefest oyntment which is the holye gost one God with him and with his father of which oyntment the anointyng with oyle is the sacrament and signe It foloweth his onely sonne which as saint Peter writeth was not declared by any fables But by that that he with Iohn Iames sawe and hearde on the holye hill where Christ shewed them the maiestie of his glorious body as it shuld be after hys resurrectiō because they shuld not fear nor wauer when they saw the miserable processe of his painful passiō Therfore sayth he ii Pet. i. Christ toke of God the father honour and glory by a voyce comming downe to him from the great doynge glorye after thys maner this is my welbeloued sonne in whom I haue pleasure gyue eare vnto hym And Christ in manye
is called Propontis Then yet more Northwarde it runneth togither into a narower streict then any of the two that I haue spoken of this streict is called Thratius Bosphorus The countrey of Thracia where Bizantium nowe called Constantinople is cheife citie is on the West parte of it and the sayde Constantinople lieth nigh to the same streict This streicte is so narowe that in caulme wether men maye heare byrdes singe frome the one point to the other and mennes voyces also from Europe into Asia and contrarywyse out of Asia into Europe When the sea passeth that streict then it spreadeth abroade into a marueilous great sea called Pontus Euxinus And yet agayne gathereth it self together into as narow a streicte as this that I spake of last and it is called Cymmerius bosphorus and beyonde him it spreadeth abroad againe into a huge meare or standing water called Meotis into whiche runneth the fierce and swifte riuer of Tanais comminge oute of the mountaines of the North and is drowned in the sayd Meotis Here haue you hearde more shortely then the matter requireth the course and wayes of the middle earth sea or leuaunt whiche you maye more sensiblye perceiue yf you wyll conferre my sayinges to a table or mappe of the worlde In the sayd Leuaunt be Ilāndes as Pomp. Mela reconeth about C.xl. of whiche some be the moost excellentes of the worlde speciallye in the forth-right course betwixt Calis Malis Cilicia there is Corsica where the Romaines haue their vyne cors There is Sardinia Sicilia and Creta whiche we call Candy there is the most fertyle and fruitfull Ilande of Cyprus And towarde the mouth of the retourne Northwarde called Hellespontus that I spoke of is the well knowen Ile of the Rhodes latelye inhabited with Chrysten men nowe by the rage of the Turke peruerted to myserable subiection and bondage Nowe for the texte you shall vnderstande that these countreys that Saynt Peter speaketh of lieth in greate Asia whiche is the thyrde parte of the worlde deuyded frome Affrike by the ryuer of Nylus that runneth thoroughe Egipte downe vnto the sayde myddle earth Sea or leuaunt deuyded from Europe by the seas runnynge Northwarde into the standynge water called Meotis and by the swyfte ryuer of Tanais runnynge oute of the mountaynes in the North parte of the worlde and descendinge into the sayde Meotis And the sayde Asia conteyneth in quantitie more grounde then both Affricke and Europe doeth And the sayde countreys that Sainte Peter preached in and to whiche he wrote his lettre or Epistle lyeth not so in ordre as Saynte Peter rehearseth them but Saynte Peter rehearseth them oute of theyr ordre of purpose I thinke meanynge that vicinitie to Ierusalem or prioritie in receauinge the fayth doeth not derogate or hindre the other that were later conuerted but that fyrste and laste all is one in Chryste As Sainte Paule in a lyke speaketh Galath iii. Non est Iudeus neq Graecus non est seruus neque liber non est masculus neque femina omnes enim vos vnum estis in CHRISTO IESV Furtheste of frome Ierusalem and mooste Northwarde lyeth Pontus on the Easte side of that broade sea called Pontus Euxinus that I spoke of euen nowe Pomponius Mela capite de summa Asiae descriptione Circa pontum aliquot populi alio alioque fine omnes vno nomine pontici dicuntur Hieronimus de nominibus Hebraicis Pontus regio multarum gentium iuxta mare ponticum quod Asiam Europamque disterminat It conteyneth dyuers countreys and of diuers languages There is Colchis where Iason hadde the Golden fleice as Poetes faine Mithridates that noble kinge that kepte open warre with the Romaynes by the space of sixe and fortye yeares was kinge there in Ponto fyrste and afterwarde of Armenia Capadotia and of the mooste parte of all maygne and greate Asia And I thincke verelye it is twoo thousande myle aboute by lande frome Ierusalem where Sayncte Peter begonne to preache In whiche all Bysshoppes and all they that haue taken vppon them cure of soules or the office of preachinge haue example to take paines and labours in ministringe the worde of God to theyr people and not to lie at reste pleasures in a corner at their manours Next to this is Capadocia where S. George the martyr was borne as appeareth by his legend this Capadocia hath on his North coaste the sayde sea Pontus Euxinus and it runneth a long on the same sea and hath on his east side both Armenyes the lesse and the more and is deuided from the greater Armenye by the ryuer of Euphrates and extendeth southwarde as farre as Cilicia that I spoke of and hath on the Weste side Bithinia Galacia Paphlagonia Then by the sea coaste Bithinia lyeth next and it lyeth against Constantinoble sometyme called Bizancium in so muche that the East point of the lande making the streict called Thracius Bosphorus is in Bithinia and parte of Bithinia lyeth on the sea that is on the South part of that streat called Propontis parte of it on the North parte of that streict on pontus Euxinus And in the sayd Bithinia is the citie called Nicea where the gratious Emperor Constantine with CCC and .xviii. bishops kept the moost autenticall and blessed counsell called concilium Nicenum in whiche Arrius heresies were condempned and manye blessed statutes made Then commeth Galacia sometime called Gallogrecia it lieth withoute the streicte called Hellespontus southward super mare Egeum and in this countrey S. Paule had laboured as wel as S. Peter and had instruct them very perfitlye in Christes fayth Notwithstandinge by pseudapostles and false preachers they were broughte into the Iewes ceremonies whiche when S. Paule knewe he writte to them a very earnest epistle to call them home agayne you haue it amongest his other epistles called the Epistle to the Galathies or Galathians Then commeth Asia the lesse which is but a part of maigne Asia that as I tolde you is the thyrd part and greatest parte of the worlde and in this countrey standeth the noble citie of Ephesus in which sometyme was the famous temple of Diana that is spoken of Act. xix And to the people of this citie S. Paule wrote his epistle intitled the epistle to the Ephesies or Ephesians The country is exceadinge welthy and fruiteful and the people excedingely geuen to carnall pleasures therfore S. Paule called them beastes i. Cor. xv Si ad bestias pugnaui Ephesi quid mihi prodest c. Here I haue breifely declared the site and standing of these countreys that S. Peter speaketh of in his salutation and beginning of his epistle you must not thinke that all these countreys be immediat and next to gether one to another but there be some greate countreys betwixte them whiche is not to my purpose nowe to speake of but conferringe one of these to another of them they lye by the Geographye in that order as I haue tolde you To all
fyrst he deliuered him selfe to Iudas comming to mete him when he came with his companie to take Christe Iudas delyuered hym to the ministers that came with Iudas to take Christe and they delyuered him to the princes of priestes scribes and Phariseys that hadde payde money to Iudas for him They deliuered him to Pilate which wrongfullye condempned him This deliuerie of Christes part proceded and came of obediēce to his father and of most abundant charitie and loue towarde mankinde Of Iudas part it came of couetuousnes to recouer the losse of the oyntment that Mary Magdalen bestowed vpon his fete anoynting them And on the Scribes and Phariseis part it came of rancke malice and enuie against Christ. I take not prodere and tradere for one Prodere is to woorke the treason and that was done when Iudas consulted with the princes of the prestes and agreed with theim on a price then the treason was wrought when Christ was bought and sold. Deliueraunce was made afterwarde when Iudas mette him in the gardeine and kissed him and they sette handes on hym Iudas was proditor and traditor he wroughte the treason and also made delyueraunce Qui peccata nostra ipse pertulit in corpore suo super lignum Euen he delyuered hym selfe to the vniuste iudge whyche bore oure synnes vppon hys bodye nayled faste vppon the tree of the crosse He bore our synnes vpon hys bodye saythe Saynte Peter not as my surpeles beareth hys whitenesse nor as thy gowne beareth his blackenesse for my surpelesse beareth hys wytenesse so that I maye saye my surpeles is whyte and thy gowne beareth hys blackenesse so that I maye saye thy gowne is blacke But thoughe Christe bore oure synnes I may not saye that Christ was a synner for he neuer sinned in worde nor dede as Saynt Peter sayde afore When we bare our iniquitie we be wicked when we bear our sinnes we be sinners it is not so of Christe therefore when we saye that Christe bore oure synnes you muste vnderstande that hee bore the payne and punyshement that we were worthye to beare for oure synnes as the Prophet Esaye sayde of hym longe afore Esa. liii Ipse autem vulneratus est propter iniquitates nostras attritus est propter scelera nostra Hee was wounded for oure iniquities and al to torn with whyppes scourges and roddes wyth manye blowes and bobbes and with the nailes and with the speare and al for our greuous offences that lyke as hee dyed bodelye so wee maye dye to synne so that sinne dye in vs and haue no lyfe nor strengthe in vs and maye liue to Iustice so that vertue and good maner of liuyng be quick liuelye and freshe in vs. Cuius liuore sanati sumus the woordes of Esaye With hys blewe wales and scarres in hys fleshe after the scourges stripes and strokes that made his skinne to ryse and to bee blacke and blewe wee were healed from the syckenes of our soules that that made his body sycke and sore made vs whole sound Et dominus in eo posuit iniquitatem omnium nostrum Euen the same sētence that Saint Peter saith peccata nostra ipse pertulit in corpore suo Our Lord God the father put vpon him all our iniquities And still the blessed Apostle S. Peter alludeth to the same chapiter of Esay where the prophet sayth Omnes nos quasi oues errauimus Al we went a straying lyke shepe out of the flocke and out of the keping of our shepherd so saithe S. Peter You were once like shepe strayed oute of Gods flocke but nowe you be conuerted and turned againe to the pastor and feder bishop and ouerseer of your soules And in this processe saint Peter also semeth to teach vs the parable of the gospell of the man that had a C. sheepe of whych one was straied away and he left foure score and nintene in deserte and went to seeke that sheepe that was strayed awaye and when hee hadde founde her he cast her on his shoulders and was glad and when he came home with her he called his friendes and his neighbours about him praiyng them to be mery with him because he hadde founde the shepe that was lost and so they made more chere and myrth for that one shepe then for all the rest that still kept the flocke Thys odde shepe that strayed out of the flocke signifieth the tenthe kynde of reasonable creatures that God made to honour and laude hym God made the ix orders of Angels al reasonable creatures and the tenth is mankinde which was by sinne gone at large out of the folde of Paradise and oute of the compasse of Gods fauour The second person in trinitie owner of this sheepe left all the rest of his resonable creatures and shepe or flocke the .ix orders of Angels in deserte in heauen which the innumerable multitude of dampned angels had forsaken and left and so to them it was a wildernesse as a thinge forsaken And so it was to man that was made finally to inherite heauen yet folowing his pleasure regarded it not but had lost it and yet to this daye it is reputed as a wyldernes or as a thing forsake of the most part of people that will not walke in the streyght way that bringeth a man to heauen but had leauer keepe the brode waye of pleasure easelye hopping and dauncing to hell and therefore to them heauen is a wildernes and also in the wooddes of the wyldernes there be many birdes that singeth swetely with many and diuers swete tunes so in heauen where the inhabitauntes shall prayse our Lorde God worlde without ende There be also in wyldernes many swete and pleasant floures and so there be in heauen the red roses of Martyrs the violets of Cōfessours the lilies of Uirgines For such considerations heauen may be called a wyldernes as Christ calleth it in thys parable Ther he semed to leaue them when he came alowe and was by our mortall and passible nature minished and made somwhat lower then the Angels though by his Godhead he were farre aboue them Here in earth he found the shepe that was lost and neither beat it nor stroke it nor brawled with it nor rayled nor chidde but louingly gotte it vpon hys shoulders when his shoulders and armes were racked and strained to fet the holes that wer bored for the nailes in the side armes of the crosse for then as Esay saith and saint Peter reherseth the same here he bare our sinnes vpon his tēder bodie on the crosse he suffered vpon the crosse the paines that we should haue suffered for our sins Saint Ambrose vpon the same saithe Humeri Christi brachia crucis sunt illic peccata mea deposui in illa patibuli nobilis ceruice requieui The shoulders of Christ be they that be extended vpon the braunches of the crosse there vpon them said S. Ambrose I laide downe my sinnes on the necke and shoulders of that noble galowes I reste my selfe But
in the noughty sorte of christen people deposirio sordium carnis a clensinge and wasshinge away of the filth of the flesh by the water of baptisme when they were christened but it preuayled not to eternall saluation because they lacked a faythfull conscience well instructed examined and tried towarde GOD by the resurrection of Christ from the dead that like as he rose from the dead so our consciences should ryse frome deade workes of synne to liuelye workes of grace and vertue no more to dye or synne agayne whiche is in the right hande of God swalowynge vp consuminge and destroyinge death that so we might be made inheritours of euerlastinge life That a man swaloweth he consumeth so that it shall no more appeare in the fourme and fashion that it was of afore so Christe made by his death that death shuld be consumed in as much as by his death the deuyl that is the auctor causer of death was ouercome his heart was burst He begilinge and deceiuyng oure fyrste parentes kylled them â–ª and made them and all theyr posteritie subiect to death but kylling the latter man the latter Adam our Sauioure Christe he loste the fyrste man oute of his snares whiche kylled his hearte and was verye death to him He had power to bringe all them to death that descended of Adam whome he hadde kylled yf they came of hym by carnall propagation takinge of him the spotte of sinne but abusinge his libertie and procuringe the death of our moost innocent Sauioure Christe that came not of the sede of Adam by generation betwixt two parentes nor had any spotte of sinne by Adam he was worthy to lose his libertie and so he loste an infinite numbre of them that he thought him self sure of and dayly loseth his expectation and none can gette but suche as wylfully wyll runne into his daunger After this victorye ouer the deuyll Christ went vp into heauen as S. Peter sayth here and had subiect vnto him Aungels potestates and vertues where S. Peter expresseth three orders of Aungels of heauen to be subdued and subiecte vnto Christ by them vnderstandinge al the residue of the Aungels which as S. Dionise in his boke de celesti Hierarchia writeth according to that he had learned of his maister S. Paule by whome he was baptised and also taughte in the catholyke fayth be diuided into .iii. Hierarchies Euery Hierarchie conteyninge .iii. orders of Aungels and so they make nine ordres in the whole Saint Dionise that wrytte his booke of these heauenly creatures was S. Paules disciple and scoler and learned of him that could best declare the truthes of theim in as muche as he was rapte into heauen and there sawe suche secretes as a man might not speake Notwithstandinge as muche as semed to agree to mortall mans capacitie for to knowe as was mete and profitable for men to learne he declared to this blessed S. Dionise and to others of his disciples that had theyr wittes illuminate aboue others whiche the sayde S. Dionise committed to writing in his boke rehearsed that the posteritie that shoulde come after him in Christes churche mighte be instructe by the same In the sayde boke he rehearsed the names of euerye order of aungels in euery one of the saide Hierarchies The fyrste and highest Hierarchie conteyninge the .iii. orders Seraphin Cherubin and Thronos The seconde conteyneth Dominationes virtutes potestares The thirde Hierarchie and lowest hath in it these thre orders Principatus Archangelos et Angelos As appereth by s. Dionise in the sayde boke Cap vi vii.viii .ix. And by S. Gregory Homil .xxxiiii. super Euangelia All these were subiecte and subdued to Christes manhod when he came to heauen by his marueilous ascension Of all these orders Saint Peter in this place rehearseth thre orders one of the loweste Hierarchie Angelis and two of the middle Hierarchie potestates et virtutes by them vnderstandinge all the other Aungels which though they were euer sith theyr fyrst creation subiecte and subdued to Christes Godheade yet here in this place he maketh speciall mention of theyr subiection to Christ that he might shewe that the humanitie of Christ was so exalted and set alofte by his ascension whiche Saint Peter here speaketh of that it was preferred and set aboue the excellencie of all the Aungels of heauen Accordinge to the sayinge of the Prophet Omnia subiecisti sub pedibus eius And Saint Paul phil Dedit illi no men quod est super omne nomen vt in nomine Iesu omne genu flectatur celestium terrestrium infernorum GOD the father hath geuen hym a name aboue all names that to his name all creatures in heauen in earth and of hel shall bowe the knee and be subdued and obediente vnto him To whome be all honour and glorye for euer Amen The .xiiii. treatise or sermon The fourth Chapiter CHristo igitur passo in carne vos eadem cogitatione armamini quia qui passus est in carne de siit a peccatis c. The blessed Apostle Saynt Peter in diuers places of this epistle that we haue in hande vehemently extolleth and coÌ„mendeth the most aboundant mercy of God by whiche he hath regenerate and gotten vs agayne to lyfe where we were afore by oure carnall parentes gotten to death And we see by experience that one that hath a greate affection or vehement loue to any thinge wyll be euer busie as it were one that coulde neuer haue done or that woulde be euer gladde to speake of it So Saint Peter coulde neuer geue thankes ynoughe he euer inculcateth bringeth in the remembrauÌ„ce of the benefyt of oure redemption because we shoulde euer haue it in minde And because it is not ynough to remember it but we must also in our liuinge conforme oure selues to the same holynes he geueth vs manye holesome morall lessons and fatherly exhortations teachinge vs to lyue vertuousely and holyly contrarye to vices and vicious liuinge And because our regeneration and sanctification coÌ„meth by baptisme whiche taketh his efficacitie and strength of Christes bloude shedde in his payneful passion therfore euer amonge he speaketh of the excellente mysterye of the sayde passion of Christe and of his gloryous resurrection by whiche as he sayd in the ende of the thyrde Chapiter whiche I declared in my laste sermon vpon the same he swalowed vp drowned and consumed death of the soule to make vs heyres of lyfe euerlastynge And in as muche as the worlde and the spyryte be aduersaries and euer at variaunce euen so be worldlye and carnall personnes enemyes to spirituall personnes Spirituall I call good lyuers that worketh accordynge to the inclination and styringe of the holye spyryte the holye gooste Then considerynge that the carnall people be the more sorte and the greater number and the good lyuers be fewer in number it is no maâ—ueyle that good people suffereth muche wo vexation and trouble in this worlde that were able to ouerthrowe a
and strength and to furnysh and to set forth the beutie of the whole worlde and to saue them selues by a certayne methaphoricall prudence or a similitude of prudence or prouision as you see that whē a yong tree groweth nigh vnto a great tre y e yong tree wyl grow outward frō the greater tree as it were to saue it selfe frō the shadow or dropping of the greater tree naturally prouiding for his owne safegarde by suche a naturall prudence or prouision The brute beastes also desyreth that is good for them by a certaine comon prudence which is and may be called A prouision for thinges to come bi remembrance of thyngs past As a Horse or a Cowe that hath be fed in a good pasture or wintred in a warme stable wyll draw to the same againe when thei haue nede But mā which is a reasonable creature prouideth for the thing that is good for him self or for thē that lōg to him bi prudence more properly taken which is recta ratio agibilium circa hominis bona et mala vi Ethi id est ratio rectificatiua agibilium The reason or a qualitie or a vertue in the reasō that maketh streight setteth in order al things that mā doth to obtaine that is good to exchew that is bad It is also the vertue by which a manne can gyue good counsail make wise prouision for al thinges that longeth to a mans life But then in as much as the wiseman saith Contra bonum malū est et contra malum bonū Euery good thing hath an enemie and so hath eueri vertue or at the lest wise an Ape or a counterfeter that semeth a vertue is none but rather a vice So there is a certaine prudēce of hipocrites that pretendeth a grauitie and a politique cast in all theyr affaires and doinges yet they loke more for vayne prayse of the people and that they may be seene to be wise and politique then for anye right or streight intencion to do anye good by theyr policie to Gods pleasure or to do any man good by the same Because that Prudence and sapience be sometyme taken for one as appeareth where the Apostle sayth Ro. viij Prudentia carnis mors est The prudence of the fleshe is deathe And there ryght he saythe Sapientia carnis inimica est deo The Sapience or wisedome of the fleshe is enemye to God Therefore as Saynte Iames maketh a distinction of three maner of wysedomes Iacob iij. So we maye diuide prudence or prouidence callynge some earthly prudence or wisedome some beastlye wysedome and some dyuelishe wisedome or prouision Earthly prudence or wisedome is the wisedome of them that studyeth vehemently and farre casteth to gette the wealthe and ryches of the world and drowneth them selues in the same euen as it were Moles or Wants that be neuer well but when they be toylynge or moylynge in the earth and there they be wyser and can better skil then any other beast Euen so be these worldly wise men whiche be neuer well but when they be gathering riches mucke of the worlde more seruing theyr riches then seruing God Agaynste which speaketh our sauiour Christ Nemo potest duobus dominis seruire deo et mammone No man can serue two maysters God and his goodes or ryches The Phariseis that were couetous men hearde thys and laughed hym to scorne therfore they heard ve vobis diuitibus you suche rych persons shall haue wo euerlastinge for the ioye that you nowe take in your riches Beastlye wisedome they haue that obey the pleasure of the bealy and applyeth theyr wyttes chiefelye to content the same in that folowing the propertye of very beastes to which Christ sayd Ve vobis qui saturati estis quia esurietis Wo be to you that be farced and stuffed full of meates for you shall be a hungerd bothe here and in the worlde to come Esau for greedynes of a messe of potage lost hys fyrst frutes yea made but a trifle of it he toke no thought for his losse worsse then the prodigall and wastefull sonne that is spoken of in the gospel for when he had spent al he toke repentance returned to his father agayne asked mercye and had it But our spill paynes that drinketh wasteth all that theyr fathers or frendes hathe lefte them loueth nothing wors then to heare of their ryote and waste and wyl be readye to fighte if a man speake to them of it and wyl sweare woundes and nayles that if they had twise as muche more it should go the same way they would sell euery ynche of it Suche men be wearye of theyr wealthe they can not beare wealth and plentye they can not beare so heauye a burden therefore they must learne to beare light to beare pouerty and beggery and for landes rents and worship full estate must hop in a cutted cote proficientes in peius proceding and going furth euery daye into worsse and worsse Diuelishe wisedome or prudence they haue that by example of the deuyl exalt them selues to the vttermost of theyr power He would haue exalted him selfe aboue the sters of heauen aboue the estate of all angels and said he would be like the highest equall and as good as God Esay xiiii Mark the sequel that folowed of his pride and beware of it Veruntamen in infernum deijcieris in profundum laci but thou shalt be cast into hell into the depest of the lake and so he was ouerturned from the gloriousest angell in heauen and made the fowlest dyuell in hell and yet proud men semeth worsse then he was for he desired no more but to be like GOD and equall with God but the proude man woulde be better then God For where God woulde haue his will fulfilled and done when it is iuste and good the proude man would haue his will done and fulfilled whither it be right or wrong Against al these worldly prudences and wisedomes saith almighty God as it is rehersed .i. Cor. i. I shall destroy the wisedome of worldlye wise men and shall reproue the prudence and prouidence of suche prudent persons Hath not God saith the Apostle made the wisedome of the world very foolishnes It hath pleased almightye God to saue faithfull people by the preaching of the gospell whiche worldlye wisemen repute and take as very foolishnes and as a foolishe thinge They take theyr policie and worldly prouidence as thoughe it came of theym selues and not of God and therefore they thanke not God for it neither honour him but rather labour and studie to destroy his honour to quēch it and therefore God of his iust iudgement many times taketh that awaye from theym that he gaue them so that while they thincke them selues wise they proue verye fooles and God turneth theyr cast and theyr drift to a frustratorie vayne and foolishe end contrarye to theyr expectacion The prudence and wisedome that Sainte Peter in this place of his epistle that wee
within the territory of Sidon he found a woman gatheringe a few stickes to make her a fire he desiered her to geue him a little water to drinke and a morsel of bread She answered and said she had no bread I haue no more said she but a handfull of meale in a steen and a litle oyle in a gearre I gather nowe saide she duo ligna two stickes as a man woulde saie a fewe stickes to bake it and make breade for my sonne and me and when we haue eaten that we haue no more we will dye No saide Helye be not afraied Thus saith the God of Israel Thy steen of meal shal not faile or lack nor thy gearre of oyle shall be any thing lesse tyll the time when GOD shall sende rayne vpon the earth For in dede this fortuned in the time of the lōg famine that was in y t coūtrey for lack of rayne by the space of three yeres an halfe accordynge to the prayer and peticion of the same Prophete Helye for the correction and punishement of Achab the kyng and Iesabel his quene and of their false prophetes and of their people And as the Prophete promised so it proued in dede By this example you se howe the pore hospitalitie of the saide good woman exhibited and bestowed on Helye was recompensed with plentie sufficiente where all the countrey els was in greate penurye and neade And here you shall note that this meale in the Steen that was so longe reserued and continued by the word of the Lorde God of Israell was a figure and signified the most reuerende and blessed Sacrament of the Aultare The wydowe that was so longe susteined with this meal signified Christes holy church the whole congregation of faythful men and womenne whiche by that that Christe her spouse and husband was slayne and buried and then rose again and departed from her into heauen and hath left her viduate and without hys visible presence althoughe he hath left her hys blessed bodye and bloude in this blessed Sacrament whiche this wydowe all faiethfull folkes muste bake and digest with the sayde two trees signifiynge the remembraunce of his paynefull passion that he suffered on the crosse for a crosse is made commonlye of two trees acccordynge to Sainte Paules saiynge As oft as you shall eate this breade or drinke of this cuppe you shal shewe the death of our Lorde vntill he come and shall shewe him selfe in his glorious maiestie at the generall iudgemente which tyme thoughe it shall be a terible and an horrible time to sinners and to all damnable persons yet it shal be a time of grace of solace and comfort to al his true louyng seruauntes This was signified by y e raine that came from Heauen vppon the earth when Helye sayde that the Steen of meale should not fayle nor the gearre of oyle shoulde not be diminished tyll GOD sende rayne from heauen for the comforte of the countrey as his grace shall come for the comfort of vs all at that daye This meale and Oyle were continued so longe to sustaine .iii. persons not by any natural power but by the supernatural power of God And so is his bodye made of breade and wine by the worde of Christe and by his Godlye and infinite power aboue nature Therefore let not naturall reason cumber it selfe in the examination or triyng how it maye be but stedfastlye beleue that thus it is for so God saith And although it be called bread and the cuppe of wine as well in the Gospell as of S. Paule yet there is nother bread nor wine after the consecration but very fleshe and bloud Tell me how a handful of meale and a little oyle coulde continue so longe ▪ and to feade so manye persons and I shall tell thee howe of a little breade and wyne shall be made a perfect body of a manne and hys bloude Thou canst saye no more to the firste question but Hec dicit dominus Deus Israell As Helye sayde Thus sayth the GOD of Israell and thus it was in dede And euen so I saye vnto thee Thus sayeth the God of Israell our Sauiour Christe Thys is my bodye This is my bloude And therefore so it is and muste neades be so in dede And so shall continue Donec veniat vntyll he come to the generall Iudgemente in his visible maiesty amonge vs. And then shall cease this blessed Sacramente in whyche for the tyme wee see Christes bodye enigmatically and in a straūge similitude by our fayeth whiche maner of seinge hym shall then cease when we shall see him face to face in hys owne likenesse when he shall cast downe and treade vnder his feete all theim that nowe so despitefullye rayle and geste and mock his blessed bodye that he hath left vs in this blessed Sacramente for our comfort And nowe to returne to the storie In processe of tyme it chaūced that the sayde good wydowes childe dyed to her great discomforte And she desired the Prophet Helye to praye for hym that he mighte reuyue and lyue agayne And so the Prophete did the chylde reuiued the Prophete gaue him to his mother aliue agayne Loe here was another notable recompence for hospitalitie exhibited to this good man Firste the sauegarde of all their liues seconde the raysynge of the chylde from death to life agayne Likewise it is writ iiii Reg. iiii of the blessed Prophete Helise that he vsed to resorte to an honest house in the towne of Suna where a worshipfull woman maistresse of the house perceyuynge hym to be a holy man exhorted her husbande to make for the sayde Helise a Parloure wyth a bedde in it and a table and a cheare and a place to set hys candle on And so thei did The said prophet resorted thither diuers tymes and lodged in the same parlour and hadde good cheare on a time when he was minded to pay for his cheare he bade Giezi his seruaunt to aske of her whether she had anye matters to do with the kinge or with any of the counsaile or with anye great man in the courte or with the Capitayne in the Warres that hee might be suter for her and speake for her She aunswered that shee dwelled amonge her owne frendes and kinred and neaded none of his helpe in any such matters Then saide Giezi to his master you must vnderstande that she hath neuer a childe and her husbande is an aged man as who should saie it shuld be most comfort for thē both if they might haue issue by your praier wherupō the Prophete promised her that she shoulde conceiue a sonne by a certayne daie that he appoynted and so she did to the great comfort of the husbande and of the wife This was a notable reward for their hospitalitie bestowed vpon their gest that holye Prophet In processe of tyme the same childe fell sicke on a certayne disease that begōne with a feruent ache in his heade and died vpon the same Then
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
excellencie of the ministers of the newe testament to the glory and ryaltie of the ministers of the old testament That thing that floorished and was had in glorye and riallie esteemed was not glorified in this behalfe in respecte of the excellent glorye of the thinges of the new testament of Christe As the Apostle sayth a litle before Si ministratio mortis litteris deformata in lapidibus fuit in gloria ita vt non possent intendere filij Israell in faciem Mois◠propter gloriam vultus eius que euacuatur quo modo non magis ministratio spiritus erit in gloria ii Cor. iii. If the seruice of death described and written with letters in the stones of the two tabels was had in glory and reuerence so that the people of Israell coulde not looke vpon the face of Moyses which was the minister of that lawe for the glorie and shyning bryghtnes of his face which is sone taken away for it taried not How then can it be that the seruice of the spirite by the grace of the new Testament should not be in glorie muche more He calleth the ministration and seruice of the olde leuits priestes of Moyses law the ministration and seruice of death bycause that Moyses lawe was the occasion of death of the soule not of it self but by the malice and yll will of man whiche commonly laboreth and inclineth to the thing whiche is forbidden so runneth headlonge to breake the commaundementes of God whiche be set forthe by Moyses law and consequently to run headlong to death euerlasting And also Moyses law is full of the comminations and threateninges of the death of the body for the breakinge of it He that gathered stickes on the holy daye was put to deth he that missayde his father or mother should die for it and such other Yet the ministers of the same were had in glorie great reuerence whiche the Apostle declareth by the glory shyninge brightnes of the face of Moyses when he came downe from the mount from GOD bringinge downe with him the lawes then his face had certayne bright shining beames comming from it which appered to the people like hornes ascending vpward from his face so that the peoples eyes could not abyde the sight to loke vpon him but runne backe awaye from him in so muche that he was fayne to put a veyle or a couerynge ouer his face when he spoke to them and when he went vp to talke with God he vncouered his face and when he should declare Goddes pleasure to the people he couered his face agayne that they myght more easly aproche and looke vpon him and heare him as it is playne in the story Exo. xxiiii Of this the Apostle Saynte Paule argueth If the ministration and seruice of death whiche also is euacuate abolished and gon were had in glory and reuerence as it was in deede as appereth by the storie now rehersed then muche more the ministration and seruice of the spyrite of the new law and Testament in whiche the holye spiryte of GOD is gyuen to faythfull people whyche is also the seruice of loue and of libertie of the soule must needes be had in glory and in reuerence For in comparyson of the glory of the lawe of the Gospel and of the law gyuen by Chryst the former glory and clearenes of Moyses law is not seen but vanysheth awaye euen like as the light of the Moone or of the sterres is hyd and sheweth not by the light of the son in a clere day Then saith Chrisostome conuerting his contemplacion to our misteries of the new testament of Christ and to the ministers of the same Let vs consider among other thinges how it is cōmytted to them here dwelling on earth in thys mortall bodye to dispence and bestowe the treasure and riches of heauen for it is giuen to priestes to haue suche power as almighty God would neyther giue to the angels nor to any of the archangels or to any other angels of heauē For it was neuer sayd to any of them whatsoeuer thou loosest on earth shal be losed in heauen whatsoeuer thou bindest on earth shall be bounde in heauen This bonde toucheth the very soule of men and reacheth vp euen to heauen aboue so that whatuer the priest doth in this behalfe here beneth on earth almighty God doth ratifie and alowe the same aboue in heauen and he beyng the lord and mayster doth aproue the sentence of his seruāt Now what maye a man call this els but that in maner al the power in heauen is committed and graunted to the priest for Christ sayth whosoeuer sinnes you forgiue thei be forgiuen and who soeuer sinnes you restrayne or bynde they be restraint bound Tel me saith Chrisostom what power can be giuen greater then this one The father hath giuen to the sonne al power in heauē and earth But now I see saythe Chrisostome the same power the sonne hath giuen to the prest which the father hath giuē to him Imagyn that if a noble king had gyuen to one of hys faythfull and true seruauntes or subiectes power to caste into prison whom it pleased him and to take him out of prison againe or ani other prisoner that he thought wel to do such a man should be counted a marueilous man and in great fauour with his souerayne and worthy to be highly estemed of all the realme And it were a plaine madnes for anye man to despise such an auctoritye euen so it were a manifest madnes to despise or litle regard that authoriti without which we can not obtain our soule helth here in this world saith Chrisostom nor can obtaine the good promisses of the ioyes of heauē Here you must vnderstand Chrisostom that he speaketh of them that be of age and dyscretiō and hath time and oportunitie to vse the sacramentes which the priest ministreth For no man can come to heauen except he be regenerate by water and by the holy gost and he that eateth not the fleshe of Christ drinketh not his blood can not haue life euerlasting Al these thynges be performed and brought to passe by the priest thē how can it well be that without theyr helpe wee may escape the euerlasting fyre of hell or obtaine or wyn the reward of the eternall garlande and crowne of glorye These bee they these be they I say to whom the spiritual trauelyng and the byrthes or deliueraunce of soules to God be put to and they be put in credite and trust with thē By them we put on vs Christe for our garment when we be made Christen men by theym we be buried with Christ by baptisme as Saint Paul speaketh and be made the limmes and the members of hys blessed body For these consideratiōs we ought to feare them to do them more honour then to our carnall father for by our carnall parentes we be borne ex sanguinibus voluntate carnis of bloud the peasure of
dicitur Nabuchodonosor rex Regnum tuū transibita te ab hominibus eiicient te cū bestiis atque feris erit habitatio tua fenū quasibos comedes septē tēpora mutabūtur super te donec scias quod dominetur excelsus in regno hominū cuicūque voluerit det illud Eadē hora. Is not this Babilō the great city that I haue builded for a palaice of mi kingdom in the might of my manlines and in the glory of my beauty And euen while this saiynge was in the kings mouth a voice came al in hast frō heuē This is said to thee Nabuchodonosor king Thi kingdome shal go frō thee and thei shal cast thee out from mans cōpany and thy abiding shall be with wilde beastes Thou shalt eate hey like an oxe And seuen yeares shall chaunge and go ouer thee vntill thou knowe that there is a highe one y t is lord in the kingedome of men that he may geue it to whō soeuer he wil Eadē hora. The same time this worde and saiynge was performed he was striken with such amencye and madnes that he ranne abrode out of mens cōpanye he eat hay grasse like a best he lay forth out of any house The dewe raine haile and snow fel on his body his nails growed out like an eagle or a kites cleis the heere of his head clotted together as longe as an eagles winges Then after that seuē yeres were spent vpon him after this maner almighty god that toke away the vse of his wit restored it vnto him again thē he lift vp the eyes of his body of his soule vnto almighty god he lauded praised god whose power is euerlasting al that it peaseth him he doth as well in heuen aboue as among thē that dwelleth on erth there is none that can resist his hand power or that can saye to him why hast thou done so Therfore nowe saith he I Nabuchodonosor laude and magnify and glorify the king of heuen for all his workes are true al his waies be iudgemente Et gradientes in superbia potest humiliare Dan. iiii And thē that goeth in pride he can humiliate pul down as it proued in effect by him self in dede When he exceaded in pride God resisted him pulled him downe And when he knew him selfe and became lowly god sent him grace euen as ▪ s. Peter sayt◠here In the new testamēt we haue examples of the proude Pharisey and the lowlye Publicane one was repelled for hys pryde the other was Iustified and alowed for hys lowlinesse And generallye all the Scribes and Phariseis whyche did all their workes that they dyd that they might be sene and praysed for their doyngs whiche euer proued nought at lengthe and preuayled not where contrarywise the humilitye of the blessed virgin Marye mother of Christe the meke lowlines of al Christes disciples which they learned of him obteined grace here and glory euerlasting at their end Humiliamini igitur sub potenti manu dei vt vos exaltet in tēpore visitationis Considering therfore these examples how pride hath a fal preuaileth not wher humilite lowlines is exalted set aloft Therfore concludeth s. Peter that you and all we must be made lowe in our harts vnder the mighty hand of god that it maye please him to exalt vs at the time of hys visitation as well euery man for him self when euery man shall depart out of this worlde as at his great and general visitation at the generall iudgement when he shal call to accōpt all that euer died sithe the beginning of the world till that time And thē according to the philosophers rule Sicut simpliciter ad simpliciter sic magis ad magis maxime ad maxime As they that be humiliat and made lowly in hart now in this time of battel against our gostly enemies shalbe exalted and set aloft in glorye so he that is more lowlye shall be more exalted in glorye and he that is is moste lowly shalbe most exalted amōg thē that for their humilitie shalbe exalted contrary he that here is exalted by pride shall be made mooste lowe in paines euerlastinge Yet furthermore to declare the nature of this vertue of Humilitie you shall vnderstande that Humilitye in vs and in Christe of whome and by whom wee muste learne to be lowelye is not in all poyntes after one maner in hym and in vs. For in vs humilitye is a vertue that by hys offyce restrayneth and kepeth downe the appetite of manne frome inordinate desire of excellencys that a man hath not yet obteined but as it were beynge content with the state that a man hath alreadye An other office is to incline a mās wil or appetite not to vse or shew to y e vttermost such power might honour or auctorite as a mā hath Now because there could be in Christ no such inordinate desire neither any excellency able to be desired aboue y t which he had cōtinually from the moment of his conception yea and by his Godhead euer afore y e worlde was made therfore humilitie in Christe was not after the first maner but was in hym onelye after the other office of humilitie by whiche he kept close his mighty power euer shewed him selfe curteous gentle patient and as an vnderlinge to euery man And all for to geue vs example to kepe a low saile not to haue any hy opinion of our selues thinkynge our feete there as our head wil neuer come As they haue which when they cā read the english Bible thinke thei haue as perfite vnderstandyng of the Scripture as though they hadde studied in it forty yeares Wee muste vse lowlinesse bothe wayes that is to saie by Humilitye to keepe downe our hartes from desire of exaltation aboue our callyng And also not to bragge or boaste of that little that wee haue thynkynge our selues a great deale better then other bee but rather thinking euerie man better than we be as hauinge some gift of God that we haue not In humilitie Superiores sibi inuicē arbitrantes Sayth S. Paule Phil. ii By humilitie you euery one must thinke an order better then you Therfore it is not with out cause that the apostle s. Peter so ernestly exhorteth vs to humilitie as to the vertu contrary to pride which the world doth hoyst vs vp vnto not for any profite vnto vs but rather cōtrary for our ouerthrowe and downe fall euen as the menne of Nazareth ledde Christe to the toppe of of the hill on whiche their Citie was builded onlie bycause they would haue pitched him downe haue broke his necke but he so inuisiblie conueyd him self away amōge thē that they had not theyr purpose And the deuill caried our sauiour Christ set him on a galerie of the tēple bycause be would haue had him pitch him self downe to the grounde therfore humiliation is necessarie for him that wilbe saued And
trouble and paine to good men with the bad indifferently for all haue sinned and haue nede of gods glorious helpe Some by the sayde payne trouble that God sendeth be exercised for their purgation and to be made better by the same suche as be good as Iob Tobie and such lyke others be warned for their conuersion and amendment of their liues and other that contemneth the callinge it blyndeth toward their condempnation as I sayd ▪ Now is the time that Goddes iudgement should begin at Gods house the Church of Christ the congregatiō of good faithfull people whiche must be exercised with paine and trouble to learne the way to glory and ioy euerlastinge where reproued damnable persōs lead a mery life in welth and prosperitie feleth no paine nor displeasure but laugheth at other mens harmes and glorieth in nothinge more then to make thē selues riche of other mennes goodes landes and possessiōs to their euerlastīg impouerishing And if we shal yet more specially speak of the house of God it is to be feared lest euen like as Ezechiell the prophet saw in his visiō vi aungels like mē with weapons in their handes to execute Gods vengeaunce on the reuersion leauinges of Ierusalē they had going afore thē one clothed in linnen hauing a pēner inckhorne hāging at his back which was cōmaunded to make y e signe of Tau vppon all them that lamented and wayled for their owne sinnes and for the sinnes of the people the other .vi. men were commaunded to go forth kyl al them that had not the said signe of Tau marked in theyr foreheades and to spare neither olde nor younge man woman nor child Et a sanctuario meo incipite Ezeck ix And beginne at my holye church sayth almighty God because that the iniquitie of the people rose that tyme by some occasion of them of the churche eyther because of ill example geuing vnto the people or els because they would not by holesome lessons instructe them to liue vertuouselye or els for feare of displeasure of great men woulde not sharpely reproue theyr vices and noughtie liuinge The day of iudgemente is at hande as appeareth by manye signes continuall warre or suspition of battayle countreys against countreys realmes agaynst realmes princes agaynst princes continuall plague of moreine and pestilence trouble vexation continuallye and feare lest GOD hath byd the ministers the executours of his iustice vengeaunce to beginne at his churche for wel is he that can do any hurt or displeasure to a preist to take their landes liuinges is thoughte gotten good no good so easely gotten to ieste raile and mocke at them and to do them despites is thought best pastime not regarding the prohibition of God Nolite tangere Christos meos et in prophetis meis nolite malignari Touche not mine annointed saith God and maligne not ymagin no mischeif nor do any such harme to my prophetes such as preach teache and tel you of the wyl of God So euery way Gods stroke iudgemēt beginneth at y e church albeit s. Peter in this place taketh not the church so precisely for y e ministers of the church but more generally for the congregation of good faithful people which almightye God permitteth and suffreth to be flagelled and scourged here because he wyll not dampne them eternally but wyl shortly set them at rest in heauen aboue where they shall be no more scourged nor vexed pilled nor polled Si autem primum a nobis quis finis eorum qui non credunt euangelio dei ▪ If Gods iudgement beginne and be so sore vpō vs that beleue vpon him what shal be their ende that beleue not Goddes gospell or that haue beleued it in times past and now beleueth it neuer a deale If he punishe them that he loueth howe shall they spede that he loueth not ▪ And if he whip beat his children what shal the wicked noughty seruauntes loke for but to be boūd hād and fote and cast into exterior darkenes to dampnatiō euerlasting Et si iustus vix saluabitur impius et peccator vbi parebunt ▪ And if a good mā shal scarsely and with much a do be saued where shal the wicked common sinner appeare Aristotle saith Quod fere fit nō fit sed quod vix fit fit That is almost done or wel nere done is not done but that is scarsely done yet it is done thoughe it be w t much a do So if a man do manye times well and liue wel lōge and many a day yet at the last falleth to sinne and liueth nought and so dyeth this man was almost saued but yet he was not saued all oute in dede because he died in deadlye sinne and out of the state of grace as offendinge and breaking one commaundemente or another and he that breaketh one commaundement Factus est omnium reus is made giltie in them al as muche as concerneth euerlastinge saluation for if a man breake one then the obseruinge and kepyng of al the rest shal not saue his soul from dānation But the iust man the good liuer taketh payne and labours to auoyde from sinne and to please God by vertuouse liuinge and by doynge good workes and it is not one days worke onely but he muste continue in well doynge and in continuall battayle agaynst the deuil the world and the fleshe It is no smale busines but continuall payne and sorowe as S. Paule said Actu ▪ xiiii Per multas tribulationes oportet nos intrare in regnum Dei Through many troubles and much busines which can not be auoyded ouercome or passed through withoute a speciall assistence of almighty God we must come to heauē And that is it that S. Peter sayth here vix saluabitur iustus the good man the good liuer shalbe saued scarcelye or with much a do I heard one preache in an excellent and learned audience whiche expounding this text of S. Peter Iustus vix saluabitur ▪ resolued this word vix folishly into y e .iii. letters v.i.x. vnderstandinge by v. virtute by i. Iesu. by x. Christi as though S. Peter had meaned y t a iuste man or a good liuer shalbe saued bi the vertue or power of Iesus Christ. And this is true for with out his power no man shalbe saued but this is not taken of the said word vix so resolued by an Ethimologie for it is a folish Ethimologie in euery point and specially because that why this letter .x. should signifie Christi there is no reasō although the grekes ch which is the fyrst letter of Christus in y e greke be made like our latin x. But this cōmon text of S. Peter which is almost in euery mans mouth is taken of the Prou. xi Si iustus in terra recipit quanto magis impius et peccator If a good liuer receiueth paine punishmēt here on erth how much more may the noughty liuers loke to receiue take If