at one woorde what soeuer is naturally to bee doen in this bodie and is fraile and transitorie To all these died Christe Saincte Paule calleth these the Naturall or Animall bodie for that all other Creatures haue the vse of all these actions as well as we But his fleshe died not in any other sorte but accordyng to the fleshe that is accordyng to those Naturall and corporall functions whiche are done and exercised by the bodie To this life I saie Christe died so that all these functions likewise died and ceassed in hym and hee hymself transported into an other life And beeyng quickened accordyng to the Spirite tooke vnto hym a life Spirituall and supernaturall comprehendyng and possessyng in it self all that life whiche Christe now possesseth as well in Bodie as in Spirite Who now hath not any longer suche a carnall Bodie as he had afore but a Spirituall bodie And thus doeth sainct Paule expounde this place The very same hope wee also at the latter daie to enioye to witt that our fleshe and bloud shall passe and bee altered in to a spirituall life wherein these our Bodies shal no more eate and drinke begette children digest concoct euacuate or any suche like but shall 〈…〉 in Spirite and this bodie shall bee as clearâ— as nâ—w the Sâ—nne is yea 〈◊〉 clearer Fleshe and bloud shall not thenceforth bee naturall there shall then be no suche function either 〈◊〉 or corporall suche as other Creatures now 〈◊〉 aswell as wee These bee in a maner the woordes whiche sainct Paule vseth j. Cor. xv The first man Adam saieth he was made a liuyng Soule and the last Adam was made a quicknyng Spirite And it there followeth That as we haue borne the Image of the earthie and naturall Man so shall we beare the Image of the spirituall and heauenlie From Adam wee haue all the offices and functions naturall euen as brute Beastes haue accordyng to our outwarde senses and faculties But Christe liueth in the Spirit and is fleshe and bloud but not so as he did afore all outwarde functions of bodily Senses are ceassed in hym he neither sleepeth nor watcheth and yet knoweth he all thinges and is in euery place Suche also shall wee bee for he is the first fruictes the oblation and first boxâ—re as S. Paule saieth of the 〈…〉 that is he is the first that arose from the dead and tooke vnto him a spiritual life Therefore Christ doeth now liue accordyng to the Spirite that is to saie He is still very perfect Man but he hath a spiritual Body And therfore that whiche is here saied is not so to 〈◊〉 taken as we vsually doe wheÌ„ we separate Fleshe and Spirite asunder the one from the other but that the Bodie and Fleshe are now spirituall and that the Spirite is bothe in the Bodie and with the Bodie For sainct Peters meanyng is not here that Christe was raised by the holie Ghost but he vseth this worde Spirite after a general maner 〈◊〉 if a man should saie the Spirit doth this or that In whiche wordes is not simplie meant the holie Ghoste but rather that inwarde working and effectuall force whiche worketh in vs by the operation of the holie Ghost By the whiche he also went and preached vnto the spirites that are in person Whiche were in tyme passed disobedient THis place I dooe take to bee as obscure and harde to bee vnderstoode as any in the newe Testament insomuche that I confesse my self not yet to haue founde out the certaine meanyng thereof First the words them selues doe sounde as though Christe had preached vnto Spirites I meane the Soules of them that would not beleeue in the tyme that Noah built the Arke The sense thereof beeyng somewhat harde to conceiue hath hitherto so entangled mee that neither can I aduouche any sounde interpretation of it neither any other as yet that hath takeÌ„ in hand the exposition thereof Some peraduenture will not sticke to take these woordes so as that Christe after his deathe on the Crosse went downe into Hell and preached to the Soules there with whiche vain opinion I meane not here to enter disputation But mee thinkes these wordes doe very well admit an other sense meanyng to wit that our Lorde Christ after his ascension into Heauen came in Spirite and preached albeeit not bodilie For hee speaketh not now with any bodilie voyce as he also vseth none of the other functions of corporall or bodily nature And therefore let vs take the wordes to signifie and meane accordyng as thei sounde that is in Spirite and that he preached to the Spirites in that his spirituall life Wherevppon it also followeth that his preachyng then was spirituall emplantyng the same in their hartes and Soules so that there was no neede for him to goe in bodie and preache with mouth for the same These words of sainct Peter proue not that after he dyed he went doune vnto the Ghosts that are in Hell to preache vnto them For he saieth thus In whiche he went c. Whiche is asmuche as if he had saied After he was deade accordyng to the fleshe and quickened accordyng to the Spirite that is after hee had laied doune and left his life in the fleshe and all other naturall workes and functions of his bodie and had now taken vnto him a spirituall life and conuersation as now he hath and doeth in heauen then hee went and preached to the Spirites c. Now it is most euident and certaine that Christ descended not eftsoones to Hell after he had receiued this his newe glorified life And therefore wee must vnderstande that he made this preachyng after his Ascension into Heauen Seyng therefore that the wordes doe well beare to be vnderstood of a Spirituall preachyng wee are to thinke that S. Peter in this place speaketh of the Office of Christe for that as the worde is outwardly preached by Voyce so worketh he inwardly in the harte Hee enioyned his Apostles to preache the Gospell bodily but yet is hee hymself present spiritually and whatsoeuer the Apostles vtter in outwarde speeche to the bodily eares of men that doethe he speake and preache into the hartes and myndes of them inwardlie And then preacheth hee to the Spirites whom the Deuill holdeth captiue and in thraldome so that wee take this worde went and these wordes preachyng to the Spirites that are in prison accordyng to the accoumpt and computation of God himself because in the sight of Christe thei that haue been long since are euen in the same state as thei bee that now presently liue For his Kyngdome reacheth to the deade aswell as to the liuyng In that life wherein hee now liueth the Beginning the Middle and the ende of the Worlde are conteined and reckened after one and the same accoumpt all as one although in this life these thinges bee not reckened so but eche thyng accordyng to his orderly succession as the Sonne after the Father and so of others All thinges
The same is this in effect whiche Sainct Peter saieth in this place for it is asmuche as if he had saied we certeinly looke for eternall life although wee liue here on the earth yet no otherwise then by the resurrection of Christe that is to saie euen therefore because he is risen againe ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hande of his Father For this cause did hee ascende that he might giue vnto vs his spirit whereby beyng regenerate we might bee bolde to goe to the Father and saie Behold I come before thee O mercifull father and praie vnto thee not that I putte any trust or confidence in any praier of myne owne but for that my Lorde Christ doeth make intercession for me and is myne Aduocate All these wordes carie an ardent efficacie and fierie force where there is a harte that beleeueth where the harte beleeueth not there all suche words are colde neither doeth the conscience feele any comfort thereby Wee maie here also iudge and knowe whiche is syncere doctrine and true Christian preaching and which is not For hee that is a Preacher of the Gospell must moste zelously and diligently preache forthe the resurrection of Christ whiche he that doeth not is no Apostle For this is the Summe of our faithe And those Bookes of all other are the best and the excellentest whiche teache and treate vpon this poincte principally and chiefly as before hath beene declared This article of our Faith is of most waightie importaunce For if Christ had not risen againe all our comforte and hope were in vaine and all whatsoeuer Christ hath either done or suffred should be to vs in no steede And therefore this maner of teaching is moste requisite Beholde Christ hath dyed for vs and taken vpon him to satisfie for vs to the iustice of his Father against Sinne Death and Hell with whom he had a moste sharpe and bitter encountrie yet could none of them ouercome hym but were by hym all conquered and subdued for that he was the stronger He rose again mawgre the forces of them all brought them in subiection to himself and that for none other cause but to set vs free and at libertie out of the daunger and thraldome of them This if wee stedfastlie beleeue wee haue a perfect assuraunce and full possession of all these benefites whiche beyng eche waie impossible to bee brought to passe by our selues or any strength that is in vs it behoued that Christ should performe the same Otherwise there had been no cause why he should haue descended from heauen hither among vs vile wretched and sinfull men And therefore when men in preachyng attribute any of these thinges to our woorkes thei doe nothyng els but cause that these so necessarie pointes of doctrine cannot afterwards take any place in the hartes of the hearers nor be rightly vnderstood of them O how well ought these thinges to be knowen to vs Christians how throughly ought this Epistle to be vnderstoode of vs To an inheritaunce immortall and vndefiled and that fadeth not awaie WEE hope not for suche a substaunce and inheritaunce as is not present but wee liue in hope of an inheritaunce whiche is present in deede and is immortall is also vndefiled and fadeth not awaie This inheritaunce wee haue perpetually and without ende howbeit wee doe not as yet â—ee the same These are wordes forcible and of wonderfull efficacie and he in whose minde thei are firmely fixed will be as I thinke little mooued with desire of riches and pleasures of this worlde For how can it bee that one should so set his minde vpon these transitorie riches and delightes if he beleeue those thynges whiche bee here spoken For when worldlie wealthe and terrene treasures bee compared to these thinges it appeareth straight how those thinges of the worlde endure but a small tyme and doe sone passe awaie but these thinges continue for euer and doe neuer faile nor fade Moreouer all the thynges of the worlde are vnpure and doe defile vs for there is no man here so godly but in one respect or other he is caried away and defiled with the vanities and pleasaunt thinges of this life but this inheritaunce is vndefiled and pure and he that possesseth the same remaineth for euer immaculate Finally this inheritance doeth not fade doeth not decaie neither is euer subiect to any corruption but euery yearthly thyng although it bée as hard as Iron and Stones is neuerthelesse chaunged and continueth not still As soone as man also becommeth old his beautie is gone and he becommeth lothsome and vnamiable Howbeit this inheritance is farre from mutation or chaunge it alwaies remaineth it is alwaies freshe and floorishyng There is no pleasure so greate on the yearth whiche will not by continuance become lothsome and tedious as we see there is at the laste a tediousnesse in all thynges but our good thynges here spoken of are otherwise whereof there is not sacietie for euer All whiche we obtaine in Christ through the mercie of GOD when we firmely beleeue that thei are freely giuen vnto vs. For how should we miserable men by our owne workes merite those so greate good thynges whiche no reason or vnderstandyng of man is able so muche as to comprehende or by imagination of harte once to conceiue Reserued in heauen for you THis inheritaunce immortall vndefiled and that fadeth not awaie is vndoubtedly ours it is onely for a little while remoued and kepte from our sight vntill these eyes bee closed vpp and this mortall life ended Then shall we certainly finde and see the same vnlesse wee bee vnbeleeuyng And because wee should not doubte of the certaintie thereof the Apostle here addeth that this inheritaunce whereunto no corruption can cleaue is reserued for vs in heauen Whiche are kepte by the power of God through faithe vnto saluation WE in hope saieth the Apostle looke for this excellent inheritance whereunto wee come by faithe For these doe in this sorte followe one an other By the Woorde is wrought in vs Faithe by faithe that newe birth and by this newe birthe wee come vnto hope so that wee certainly looke for these thynges and are throughlie assured thereof Wherefore sainct Peter fitly here saieth that these thynges must be doen by faithe and not by our workes The Apostle here expressely saieth Ye are by the power of God kepte vnto saluation There are many who hauyng heard the Gospell how that faithe onely doeth iustifie without woorkes doe by and by burst forthe and saie Wee also doe beleeue thinkyng that that bare opinion whiche thei feine vnto theim selues is right faithe Wee haue alreadie taught and that out of the Scriptures that it is not in our power to dooe euen the least good woorke that is without the especiall assistaunce of Gods Spirite how then shall wee by our owne strength arrogate that whiche of all other is moste excellent namely to beleeue These cogitations therefore are a mere dreame
whereto I stedfastly trust Vnto you therefore whiche beleeue it is precious but vnto them whiche bee disobedient the Stone whiche the builders disalowe thesame is made the heade of the Corner And a Stone to stumble at and a Rocke of offence THis moste excellent and precious Stone is vnto some precious and moste highlie regarded Againe vnto no fewe it is not precious at all but rather a Stone of Offence and a Stone whereat many doe stumble And how commeth this geare to passe Forsooth the Scripture speaketh of the same in twoo sortes namelie there bee some that doe beleeue on hym And againe there bee many that dooe not beleeue on hym Now vnto them that doe beleue on hym he is precious and it can not be but their hartes hauyng still their hope trust and confidence in hym muste needes bee excedyngly cheared and made ioyfull And therefore it is that he saieth Vnto you whiche beleeue on hym he is precious that is to saie he is of you highlie esteemed For although he bee neuer so precious and excellēt of hymself and by himself yet would that without more nothyng at all auaile vs and therefore it behooueth that he muste bee precious vnto vs to the ende it maie enriche vs with many singuler good thynges Like vnto some precious Pearle or Gemme whiche keepeth and retaineth not his vertue to it self but vttereth and sheweth it foorthe to others and so totallie manifesteth hee his whole powers and vertues that we maie now both enioye and possesse whatsoeuer thesame is But vnto them whiche beleeue not this Stone is nothing precious for thei disalowe and caste it awaie and take offence and stumble at it whereby it falleth out that thei repose no assuraunce or trust in it and so vnto them it turneth vnto a greater detriment and maketh them worse albeit the same of his owne nature is wont rather to stirre vp in men a more strong hope and perfect trust Thei that thus stumble are not onely suche as are chained and clogged in those grosse and manifest synnes but suche hypocrites rather whiche heare themselues bold vpō their vizured sanctimonie and fained holinesse which trust vnto their owne Freewill to their owne Workes their owne Righteousnesse These fellowes can not choose but stūble and bee offended at this Stone Here now doeth God definitiuely set it downe that thei whiche come without workes must come by Faithe onely for their righteousnesse and that thei whiche come otherwise then by Faithe shall neuer speede of their purpose because thei goe about as sainct Peter saieth Rom. x. To stablishe their saluation by their owne righteousnesse And therefore saieth Sainct Peter here That he is made the Stone which the Builders disalowed and refused and here he conferreth certaine places of the Scripture together eftsoones cityng that text out of the 118. Psalme wherevnto he afore alluded The Stone which the Builders refused is the head of the Corner Who these builders bee wee haue afore sufficiently declared namely thei that teache and preach the Law and go about to iustifie men by their Works These Iusticiaries agree aswell with Christ as Winter with Sōmer and therefore it must necessarilie followe that these Meritemongers bee euen thei that reiect and refuse this Stone He further bringeth in an other place out of Esay Chap. viij wherein the Prophete foretelleth that the same thyng should come to passe whiche sainct Peter here in this place telleth is come to passe alreadie and is daily doen and put in practise His wordes are these Sanctifie the Lorde of Hostes and let hym bee your feare and let hym be your dread and he shall bee to you as a Sanctuarie but a stumblyng stone and as a Rocke to fall vppon to bothe the houses of Israell The meanyng of the Prophete is as though he should saie The Lorde shall be vnto you a Sanctification that is he ought to be sanctified in your heartes other Sanctification you neede none neither is there any other thyng required of you but that you beleeue in hym To all others he shall bee a Stone of offence and stumblyng And what is the sense and meanyng of hese wordes Offence and Stumbling Truely this when Christ is preached and that thou hearest these wordes Beholde he is the Stone that is laied for a foundation then art thou vtterly to dispaire distrust and renounce al helpe in thy self and to condemne and accoumpt as detestable all thine owne woorkes and all thyne owne Righteousnesse and onely to repose thy confidence vpō hym firmelie beleuyng that Christes righteousnesse is thine At these and suche like wordes these fellowes stand agast are offended and become worse then afore What saie thei darest thou auouche saie that Virginitie Single life Massing and suche like are nothyng worthe Thou speakest thus through the very instinct of the Deuill For nothyng but mere good deedes are accepted before GOD. Yea thei are not as they think without some strong places of Scripture for the maintenaunce of their assertion hauyng still in their mouthes that God hath commaunded vs to doe good Workes Therefore when wee reiect the same straightwaies wee heare at their handes Heretike Heretike to the Fier with him to the Fier with him And thus thei can not abide this Stone thei violently rushe and push at it and doe all thei can to pull it doune and are therein themselues so crushed and bruised that by the same very Stone thei are vtterly dashed in pieces Euen as in the xxj of Mathewes Gospell Christe himself saieth Haue you not read in the Scriptures The Stone whiche the Builders refused the same is made the head of the Corner And anone after it followeth Whosoeuer shall fall on this Stone he shall bee broken but on whomsoeuer it shall fall it will grinde hym to powder Take heede therefore what ye doe it is no game nor plaiyng matter that is spokē concernyng this Stone It is laied and shall for euer remaine in his place hee that wil rushe and bruise himself vpon it can not better escape but be dashed in peeces and grounde into pouder This is the stumblyng and offence taking at this Stone whereof the Scriptures speake muche Therefore the Iewes euen to this daie doe stumble at this Stone and still will continue till the ende of the worlde for then shall this Stone fall vppon all Infidelles and faithlesse Miscreauntes and grinde them vtterly to pouder And thus it commeth to passe that Christe albeit hee bee an elect and precious Stone is called without any fault of his owne a Stone of Offence and Stumblyng And as the Iewes did so also dooe wee and that continually For as thei greatly boasted of the name of GOD and vaunted themselues to bee the peculier people of God euen so fareth it now with vs for vnder the pretext of Christe and of the Churche of Christe wee renounce and renye the name of Christe and flatly refuse this precious Stone Hee came into
as siluer and golde from your vaine conuersation receiued by the traditions of the fathers But with the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot Whiche was ordeined before the foundation of the worlde but was declared in the last tymes for your sakes Which by his meanes doe beleeue in God that raised him from the dead and gaue him glorie that your faith and hope might be in God Hauing purified your soules in obeying the truthe through the Spirit to loue brotherly without fainyng loue one an other with a pure harte feruently Beyng borne a newe not of mortall seede but of immortall by the worde of God who liueth and indureth for euer For all fleshe is as grasse and all the glorie of man is as the flower of grasse The grasse withereth and the flower falleth awaie But the worde of the Lord endureth for euer and this is the worde whiche is preached among you ¶ The first Chapter Verse 1 Peter an Apostle of Iesus Christ to the straungers that dwell here and there throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia Elect accordyng to the foreknowledge of God the Father vnto the sanctification of the Spirite through obedience and sprincklyng of the blood of Iesus Christ THis is bothe an inscription and subscription Thou seest here in the verie beginnyng that that whiche is here written is the Gospell He saith that he is an Apostle whiche signifieth a Legate or Messenger that doeth by woorde of mouthe the businesse whiche he hath receiued in charge which name beeing so englished of the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is now commonly knowne what it signifieth I haue not thought it good by any other phraze or terme to expresse and translate it Howbeeit properly it signifieth hym that declareth something by worde of mouth not a mere carier of letters but a messenger that with liuely voice deliuereth his errand and by wordes vttereth his commission and charge and suche in Latine we call Oratores that is Orators Whereas thē he calleth himself the Apostle of Iesus Christ it is as much as if he had saied I haue charge from Iesus Christ to preache of this same Iesus Christe vnto you Marke here how at the first thei are excluded debarred whatsouer thei be y t preache any of the dreggie and doatyng doctrines of seelie foolishe and vaine men for he is a messenger of Iesus Christ whiche doeth that whiche Christ hath commaunded hym If he preache any other thyng he is not Christes messenger and therefore in no wise to bee heard But if he preache that whiche Christe hath enioyned hym then is he to bee heard and to heare hym is as muche as to heare Christ hymself beyng present To the Straungers Elect. THe Apostle wrote this Epistle to those Countries that are here mentioned Thei were in tyme paste Christian but are now in miserable subiection and slauerie vnto the Turke among whom thou maiest perhaps euen at this daie finde some that faithfullie beleeue in Christe Pontus is a greate and large countrie bordering vpon the sea next vnto it is Cappadocia the borders and limites of whiche twoo countries are almoste conioyned On the hinder parte is Galatia on the former toward the Sea Asia and Bithynia all situate toward the Easte greate and large Countries Paule preached personallie in Galatia Asia whether he did y e same also in Bithynia I doe not certeinly know But in the furthermost two it is certain that he did not preache Straūgers are thei whom we call Forreiners namely such as come frō some other place and not borne in the Countrie wherein wee are Now the Apostle calleth them so because thei had been Gentiles Neither is it to be thought straunge that Peter beeyng the Apostle of the Iewes did neuerthelesse write also vnto the Gentiles The Iewes call those Proselites that is admitted to the state of the Iewes who beeyng not lineallie of their stocke and of the blood of Abraham had notwithstandyng embraced Iudaisme and submitted theim selues to the obseruation of their lawe To these therefore the Apostle writeth who before had been Gentiles and therefore no members of the common wealthe of Israell but beeyng now conuerted to the faithe had adioyned them selues to the faithfull Iewes Wherefore he calleth them Straungers Elect whom vndoubtedly hee none otherwise reputeth then true Christians and to these alone he writeth Whiche maner of callyng theim containeth in it no common doctrine as wee shall hereafter more at large heare Accordyng to the foreknowledge of GOD the Father HE calleth thē Elect but how Surely not of them selues but accordyng to the ordinance of GOD. For it lieth not in our owne powers to bryng our selues vnto heauen nor to haue faithe when wee liste neither will God receiue into heauen all whom so euer Naie hee will verie diligently and circumspectly sifte examine and trie all them that be his Awaie therefore with all mannes doctrine of free will and of all strength in our selues this thing dependeth not of our but of Gods good will and election Vnto sanctification of the Spirite God hath predestinate vs to be holie and that spirituallie These woordes holie and spirituall the Belligods of the Romishe Cleargie haue shameleslie taken from the true professors of the Gospell and entailed the same vnto their Maumetishe Monkerie whiche state thei doe now call holie and spirituall Euen as thei haue doen by this name Churche so that thei will haue none but the Pope and his mitred Bishops to bee the Churche saiyng that the Churche hath commaunded this and that whereas thei in the meane tyme at their pleasures doe and determine what thei liste Holinesse consisteth in nothyng lesse then in this that one bee a Monke a Freere or a Nunne or to bee a Shauelyng and weare a Coule or some peltyng religious habite The word Spirit signifieth that we should be holie in hart inwardly and in spirite before God And this is saied especially for this cause to shewe that nothing is holie but that whiche God maketh holie in vs. For at that tyme the Iewes had many outward sanctifications but the true sanctification thei had not This then is the meanyng of sainct Peter God hath predestinate you to this ende that now at the laste ye should bee holie in deede accordyng as sainct Paule saieth in the fourthe to the Ephesians In righteousnesse and true holinesse that is in holinesse whiche is sincere and altogether entire For suche outwarde holinesse as the Iewes had is nothyng esteemed nor regarded before God After this sort doeth the Scripture call vs holie and Sainctes when wee beleeue beeyng as yet liuyng here on earth But our Rabbines the Papistes haue taken this name from vs saiyng that we are not Holie but that thei onely are Holie whiche are in heauen We must therefore repossesse and againe take this notable name vnto vs. Thou must needes be Holie yet must thou not thinke that thou haste
contained the summe of a true Christian life As thou liuest therefore so shalt thou receiue and so will God iudge thee And therfore although God iudge vs accordyng to our woorkes yet neuerthelesse this remaineth also alike true that good workes are onely the fruictes of Faithe whereby it shalbe easie to finde and trie where Faithe is and where is Infidelitie And therefore will God iudge thée accordyng to thy workes and will thereby laie it face to face to thy charge whether thou haue Faithe or no. As no man can better confute a Lyer then by his owne woordes And yet neuerthelesse it is plaine that by those words he is not made a Lior but he was a Lyer afore that he vttered any lye because that a lye must needes proceede from the harte into the mouth Take therefore these same woordes of Sainct Peter in a moste simple sense and in such sorte that you vnderstande workes to be the fruictes and seales of Faithe and that God doth iudge men according to these fruictes whiche can not but ensue and followe a true and sounde Faithe to the intent it maye manifestly appeare where Faithe remaineth in the harte and also where Infidelitie lodgeth God will not iudge accordyng to these interrogatories and questions whether thou be called a Christian or no or whether thou bee baptized or not but hee will thus question with thee Sirrha if thou bee a Christian where bee thy fruictes whereby thou art able to confirme and approue thy faithe And therefore saieth sainct Peter forasmuche as you haue suche a father which iudgeth not accordyng to any mans person see that yee haue your conuersation in the tyme of your dwelling here in feare that is to saie Feare ye this Father not in the feare of punishment and reuenge for so the wicked reprobates and Deuilles dooe feare hym but feare ye hym least he should forsake you or withdrawe his holie hande from you Euen as an honest and good childe standeth in feare least hee should offende his father or commit any thyng that should not bee well liked of hym Suche a feare doeth God require at our handes whereby wee maye loathe and abhorre sinne and diligently studie to helpe out neighbour so long as we haue to liue in this worlde That Christian that beleeueth well is possessed of all the goodes and benefites of God and is the childe of God as wee haue heard afore declared but the tyme that hee here hath to liue is nothyng els then a kinde of Sequestration or Pilgrimage For his Spirite by faithe is alreadie in heauen by the whiche hee is euen a Lorde of all thynges But God therefore suffreth hym yet for a tyme to liue in the fleshe and to bee conuersant in bodie vpon the earth purposelie that he should help others and bryng them with him to heauen And therefore wee ought no otherwise to vse this worlde nor to make any other accompt thereof but as Straungers or wayfaring men are wont to doe who commyng into their Lodgyng or Inne make no further reckoning but to haue at their Hostes handes meate drincke and lodging for one night and no longer thei doe not chalenge and laie claime vnto their Hostes whole substaunce After the same sorte ought euery one to accoumpt of his wealth and richesse euen as though thei were none of his to take therof onely so much as is sufficient for the maintenance and nourishment of his bodie and with the rest to relieue and helpe his needie neighbours Therefore the life of a Christian man is no otherwise but as a mansion for one night For wee haue here no permanent dwellyng place wee must haue our desire thither where our Father is namely heauen And therfore wee ought to abandon and laie aside all lasciuiousnesse and dissolute life and to passe as sainct Peter saieth the time of our dwellyng here in feare Knowyng that ye were not redeemed with corruptible thinges as siluer and golde from your vaine conuersation receiued by the traditions of the fathers But with the precious bloud of Christ THis saieth he ought to prouoke and stirre you to employe your conuersation in the feare of God consideryng how greate a price your redemption coste Heretofore ye were Citezins of the worlde liuyng vnder the tyrannous rule of the Deuill now hath God deliuered you from suche lamentable and desperate conuersation and hath brought you into an other place so that now you are Citezens in heauen and but Straungers and Pilgrims on earth But marke ye wel how muche God hath bestowed on you and how vnvaluable and exceedyng greate that treasure is wherewith you are redeemed and brought into that happie case to become the children of God Therefore passe your time and conuersation in feare and take ye good heede least if ye should contemne and neglect these thynges ye loose this so excellent and precious a treasure And what treasure is that whiche is so excellent and precious wherewith wee are redeemed Not these corruptible thinges Golde or Siluer but the moste precious bloud of Christe the Sonne of God This treasure is so excellent and of price so inescimable that no sense or reason of man is able to comprehende it insomuche that one small droppe of this most innocent Bloud had been fullie sufficient for the sinnes of the whole worlde But it pleased the eternall Father so aboundantly to poure out his Grace vpon vs and with suche a price to procure and worke our Saluation that he would haue his moste deare Sonne Christ to shed all his bloud and to bestow and giue vnto vs all his treasures at once And therefore he requireth vs that we doe not as it were cast awaie into the ayre or make small accoumpt of suche a greate Grace but rather so to esteeme of it that wee maie bee stirred and mooued vnto feare that liuyng therein wee maie not deserue est sones to be depriued of this so surpassing a treasure And this withall must diligently be noted and considered how that sainct Peter here doeth saie that ye were redeemed from your vaine conuersation which ye receiued by the traditions of the fathers For by this hee vtterlie throweth downe that perswasion that wee are wont moste commonly to leane vnto thinkyng that all our dooinges ought to bee allowed and well liked of because the same of an olde custome haue had lonâ— continuaunce and because our Auncestours and predecessors aâ—â—â—ng whom there haue been many wise and good men haue so obserued them For thus hee saieth Whatsoeuer our fathers haue either enacted or doen all was ill and consequently those thinges that you haue learned of theim concernyng the worshippe of God are so corrupt and naught that God muste bestowe the blond of his owne Sonne to redeeme and free men from the same Whatsoeuer now therefore is not washed awaie by his bloud is altogether by the fleshe infected and accused Wherevpon it followeth that the more earnestly that any man striueth to attaine to
thou his Sonne in whom thou reposed greater confidence and trust then in thy â—â—rnal father and mother and that he will in all thy necessitie bee readie to helpe thee euen for Christes sake our onely Mediatoure and Sauiour Suche a Faithe as this commeth not of any humaine power but GOD planteth thâ— same in vs for that Christe with his Blood deserued and merited it to whom therefore be hath giuen this glorie that beyng set on his right hande he by his diuine power might settle and staie a sure faithe in vs. Hitherto therefore wee haue heard how saincte Peter exhorteth vs first to girde vp the loynes of our mynde and also sincerely to walke in a perfecte faithe Then consideryng how deare a price this hath coâ—te Christe that wee should haue our conuersation in feare not bearyng our selues hold vpon this that we are named ChristiaÌ„s sith God is suche a iudge as respecteth no maintes persone one more then an other but iudgeth equally without any parcialitie Now proceedeth he further and endeth this first Chapter saiyng Seeyng your Soules are purified in obeiyng the truthe through the Spirit to loue brotherly without â—â—inyng Loue one an other with a pure harte feruently Beeyng borne a newe not of mortall seede but of immortall by the woorde of God who liueth and indureth for euer For all fleshe is as grasse and all the glorie of man is as the flower of grasse The grasse withereth and the flower falleth awaie But the worde of the Lorde endureth for euer and this is the worde whiche is preached among you SAinct Paule in the fifte to the Galath rekoneth vp the fruites that followe faithe The fruites of the Spirit saieth he are Loue Ioye Peace long suffering Gentlenesse Goodnesse Faith Meekenesse Temperance So also here doeth saincte Peter teache vs whiche bee the fruietes of faithe To witte to purifie our Soules in obeiyng the truthe through the Spirite For where true Faithe is it bryngeth the bodie vnder and in subiection and bridleth the lustes of the fleshe and although it make not a cleare riddaunce and dispatche thereof yeâ— makers it the Bodie subiect to the Spirite and â—s with a bridle qualifieth the wilde motions thereof The same meanyng also hath sainct Paule where he speaketh of the fruictes of the Spirite It is a greate and busie peece of woorke to bryng the Spirite to Maister and beare rule ouer the Bodie and to represse the wilfull affections and fleshlie desires naturally engraffed in vs from our parentes For it is not possible for vs to liue well no not in the state of Wedlocke without speciall Grace I saie nothyng what wee can doe herein beyng without Grace But why saieth he Purifie or make chaste your Soules and not rather your Bodies Surely he full well knewe that the lustes and concupiscences of the fleshe accompainie vs to our Graues and are neuer quenched in vs although wee bee Baptized till our diyng daie Now it is not inough for a manne to conteine hymself from the acte doyng and to be outwardly chaste and a virgine his harte in the meane while boilyng in filthie desires of fleshly lustes but wee must earnestly endeuour our selues with all diligence that our Soules maie bee chaste so that this chastitie maie proceede and come from the harte and that the Soule maie bee at continuall enemitie and warre with all naughtie desires and still fight againste them till it be cleare deliuered from them And it agreeth very well that is here added that we must purifie our Soules in obeiyng the truthe through the Spirit Muche hath been preached and spoken of Chastitie and many Bookes haue been written concernyng it The Aucthours whereof haue taught vs with long Fastyng abstinence from fleshe wine and suche like to quenche these filthie motions of concupiscence and luste Whiche although some what thei helpen therevnto yet could thei not be sufficient neither could thei beate doune the inordinate desires of the flesh Sainct Hierom writeth of hymself that he so punished and pinched his Bodie that he was euen like an Ethiopian yet neuerthelesse he so little therewith profited that he many tymes dreamed he was in Rome in companie of Gentle women and faire Maiders S. Bernard also so punished and with suche abstinence almoste so spoiled his bodie y t it stonke loathsomely as afore I haue declared These holy men were greeuously teÌ„pted for with those outward thinges thei thought thei could restraine and quench their temptations but because the remedies whiche thei vsed were externall and outwarde and were applied outwardlie and not inwardly where in deede the disease was harboured thei could not serue as sufficient and able to maister and kill those desires of the mynde with whiche thei warred But S. Peter in this place sheweth vs a moste true and Soueraigne remedie wherewith to cure this euill to witte Obedience to the truthe through the Spirite Whiche the Scripture in other places also setteth doune as in the 11. of Esaie Faithfulnesse shalbe the girdle of his reynes This is the true Cataplasme wherewith the Reynes are to be girded whose soundnesse must proceede from the inner thinges to the outwarde and not contrariwise from the outwarde to the inner For the Soare whiche we would cure lieth not outwardlie in the kerther or clothes but deeyng bredde inwardlie ragingly raigneth and lyeth in the Bloud Fleshe Marrowe and Veines Therefore it is not the beste waie with outwarde thinges to goe aboute to represse and quenche fleshly concupiscence the bodie with fasting and labours may be brought into greate debility and weakenesse and at leÌ„gth thereby be vtterly marred spoyled and brought vnto death but to bee cased from euill desires it can not But Faithe is able to quenche them and so to keepe them vnder that thei shall bee brought to giue place and yeeld vnto the Spirite So also speaketh the Prophete Zacharie in his 9. Chapter of wine whereof Christe first drinketh whiche maketh them maydens to whom hee drinketh and forecasteth Then arare of other wine is wont to enkindle and stirre vp naughtie desires but this wine to wit the Gospell represseth the same and maketh the harte chast And this is it that S. Peter here meaneth when hee saieth where Truthe is bolden fast in the harte and obedience thereunto giuen through the spirite that that and none but that is the truest cure presentest remedy against this daungerous euil and mischiefe beside which there is none other that can be found so able to driue awaie and qualifie these euill cogitations and vaine thoughtes For wheÌ„ this remedie the Gospell I meane is entered and taken possessioÌ„ within the harte all naughtie leude motions do straightways giue place and vanishe awaie Let hym that wil trie this matter and hee shall duely finde it so to bee as all they that haue made triall thereof doe very well know But the Deuill doth not easely suffer any man to come to that poinct as in harte so to embrace the
the old birth proceeded and came of Seede the newe Birth also must needes be of some Seede But what Seede is this Truely not fleshe and blood What then Nothing that is corruptible and mortall but euen the eternall and liuyng worde This is all that whereby we liue whereby we are nourished and haue our beyng and whereby specially as he here saieth we are regenerated But how and by what meanes is this wont to bee dooen and brought to passe God sendeth out this his Worde to 〈◊〉 the Gospell whiche casteth seede into the hartes of menne â—f this Seede abide and sticke Fast in the harte then is there presently readie the holie Ghoste who fashioneth a newe manne whiche becomneth altogether of an other fort their he was afore hath other deuises thoughtes and cogitations other wordes and other woorkes And thus is he whollie and altogether altered Whatsoeuer thou aforetyme diddest est huc and auoide now thou pursuest and seekest what soeuer thou â—aâ—ste sought thou now fleest The state of Corporall generation is suche that the Seede whiche is in manne hath his alteration and remaineth not still Seede But the Seede of the Spirite can not bee chaunged but remaineth one for euer so entirely alteryng chaungyng me that I am transmitted and altered into it and the corruption and euill whiche naturally dwelleth in me is quite abolished And therefore this is a wonderfull kinde of Birthe and of a merueilous Seede For all fleshe is as grasse and all the glorie of man is as the flower of grasse The grasse withereth and the flower falleth awaie But the word of the Lord endureth for euer THis place is takeÌ„ out of the xl Chap. of Esaiâ— Where a voice saied vnto the Prophete Crie And he saied what shall I crie To whom the voice saied Crie thus All fleshe is grasse and al the glorie thereof as the flower of the feeld The grasse withereth and the flower fadeth a waie but the word of the Lorde standeth for euer These wordes hath S. Peter here brought in and alledged For this Epistle is as I saied bothe riche and grounded vpon the aucthoritie of sondrie Scriptures Now the meanyng of the Scripture here alledged is this The woorde of the Lorde endureth for euer But whatsoeuer is fleshe and blood the same is as corruptible grasse Bee a manne of neuer so flourishyng and gallant age bee he neuer so riche and mightie neuer so wise and iuste neuer so braue freshe and beautifull all whiche appertaine to the flower yet doeth the flower in the ende wither awaie and that whiche in gallante age and beautie lately excelled is waxed olde and become ilfauoured that whiche earst was riche is growne to be poore and so forthe also all other thinges fade awaie sauyng onely the Woorde of God Whiche Seede can neuer perishe nor decaye And this is the Worde whiche is preached among you AS though he should saie you neede not to seeke farre how to come to this Woorde for behold you haue it euen before your eyes It is that Worde whiche wee preache vnto you by this you maie qualifie and restraine all wicked desires Thou needest not to seeke farre for it onely looke to this that thou gladly embrace it when it is preached vnto thee For it is so neere vnto thee that it maie bee heard As Moses also saieth in the xxx of Deuter. The worde which I commaunde thee this daie is not farre of from thee that thou shouldest neede to goe farre to seeke it as either to goe vp to heauen or to goe ouer the Sea to fetche it but it is verie neere vnto thee euen in thy mouthe and in thy harte It was straightwaies preached and heard but when it hath feased and takeâ— full possession of thy harte it can not any more dye and vanishe awaie neither dooeth it suffer thee to dye but saueth thee so long as thou stickest and cleauest faste vnto it As when I heare how that Iesus Christ died for me and bore all my synnes and purchased heauen for me and also how he hath giuen all that he hath vnto me now dooe I heare the Gospell and glad thynges I meane the Worde of God beyng preached whiche peraduenture quickly passeth awaie and is forgottenâ— but if it bee effectually receiued with the harte and that thou throughlie embrace hym in faithe then can not he any more slippe from thee nor be forgotten This truthe no Creature whatsouer is able to ouerthrowe the Gates of hell shall neuer preuaile againste it Yea although I sticke faste in the Iawes of the Deuill yet if I be able to take holde vpon and to apprehende this Woorde I muste needes bee bailed and deliuered thence and shall remaine where the Woorde remaineth And therefore it is not without good cause that the Apostle here in effect saieth that there is none other Worde to bee looked for then this whiche we haue preached vnto you To this purpose tendeth that whiche Paule in the firste to the Romaines saieth I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christe for it is the power of God vnto saluation to all that beleeue The Woorde is the Diuine and eternall power of God For although the voice sounde or speeche dooe quicklie vanishe and passe awaie yet the kernell that is to saie the knowledge and truthe contained in that voice remaineth stil As when I putt a Goblet or Iugge of wine to my mouthe I drinke vp the Wine the Goblet or Iugge remaining still vnspent So also y e Word which being brought vnto vs by voice descendeth into the harte and there beginneth to haue life the voice remainyng still without and vanishyng awaie And therefore it is well tearmed the power of GOD yea rather God hymself For so he saied vnto Moses Exod. iiij I will be in thy mouthe And in the lxxxj Psalme Open thy mouthe wide that is shewe forthe boldlie speake out bee an hungred and I will fill it I my self beyng present with thee will speake enough So also Christe in the xiiij of Ihon saieth I am the waie the truthe and the life he that cleaueth therevnto the same is borne of God Therefore this Seede is the Lorde our God hymself All which thinges serue to this end to instruct and teache vs that wee can not possibly bee relieued and holpen by woorkes and the Woorde be it neuer so small a thyng in shewe when it is vttered out of the mouth and in apparaunce seeme nothyng glorious and honorable yet is there in it a kinde of suche incomparable vertue and force as maketh so many the children of God as faithfully cleaue thereunto Iohn 1. VpoÌ„ suche an excellent staie and goodnesse leaneth our saluation This is the first Chapter of this Epistle wherein thou seest with what singuler Arte and cunnyng sainct Peter handleth and preacheth Faithe Whereby it manifestly appeareth that is Epistle is the very Gospell or glad Tydynges it self Now followeth next the seconde Chapter wherein he teacheth vs
behaue your selues as newe borne Babes are wont to doe that is thei desire and couet after nothyng but Milke As thei therefore desire the Dugge and Milke euen so ought ye to desire the Woorde and to haue your whole delight in the same accoumpting that all delicacies and dainties are therein readie for you so loÌ„g as you may sucke that Milke whiche is sincere and without deceipt Againe these wordes bee figuratiue For he speaketh neither of bodily Milke neither of any corporal kinde of sucking nor yet of any naturall birthe and natiuitie But hee speaketh here of an other kinde of Milke whiche is Spirituall whiche is drawen by the Soule sucked with the Hart. This Milke ought to bee without deceipte and not guilefull as it many tymes nowadaies happeneth y t much paltring and deceiptfull wares are retailed and vttered in sale Truly it is moste necessarie that Christians beyng new Borne and yet Infantes should be nourished with sincere pure and perfect good milke Now this Milke is nothyng els then the Gospell whiche is the Seede whereof we be conceiued and newe borne as afore we declared thesame also is our meate wherwith after we be come to growth we are fedde it is also our Armor wherwith we bee fenced cladde and armed and to speake all at once the self same Gospell is all thynges vnto vs. Now whatsoeuer is thereunto myngled or corrupteth and infecteth the sinceritie thereof is the doctrine of men Therefore doth the holie Ghost here warne vs that euery one of them whiche bee regenerate and newe borne in Christ should carefullie looke about hym and take heede what Milke he sucketh and learne to bee able to iudge of euery doctrine The Dugges or Teates distilling and draynyng out this milke and out of whom Infantes doe sucke are thei whiche preache and teache the pure Worde in the Churche of Christ So speaketh the Bridegroome to his Spouse in the Cantic Chapter 4. Thy two Breastes are like two twinnes of yong Roes Betwene these ought there to hang a buÌ„dell of Myrrhe as the Spouse there saieth Canti 1. A bundell of Myrrhe is thy Louer vnto mee whiche lyeth betweene my breastes The meanyng whereof is that Christ onely is alwaies to be preached This Bridegrome alwaies ought to lye in the middle betweene our breastes Otherwise if Christ be not purely preached the Milke is corrupted and al thinges are preposterous noysome and contagious Purely preached I call that when it is first taught how that Christe hath dyed for vs and by his death hath rescued and deliuered vs from Synne Death and Hell this doctrine is in hearyng very pleasant and like as it were sweete Milke But withall anone after must the Crosse also bee preached to wit that wee must euen so suffer as he hymself hath suffred this is a vehement strong drinke and mightie Wine Therefore to suche as are but newly wonne and begotten in Christe gentle meate that is to saie Milke must bee first giuen whiche can no waie be so conueniently doen as first and formost by preachyng and shewyng vnto them Christe who is nothyng at all sharpe and bitter but rather euen sweetenesse it self both pleasaunt in relishe and toothsome in taste without any maner of harshnesse or harme And this is that very sincere and Spirituall Milke without all deceiptfulnesse And here againe hath sainct Peter by Milke comprehended and glaunced at other places of Scripture as his order and custome is often and very plenteously to doe namely that in the 23. of Exod. and Deut. 14 The Lorde gaue this commaundement saiyng See that thou seeth not a Kidde in his mothers Milke For what purpose I praie you willed God this to be written what matter is there in it that a Kidd must not bee killed so long as it sucketh Doubtlesse for none other cause but to signifie the same thyng whiche sainct Peter here teacheth For it is nothyng els then if hee should saie Looke that ye preache gently and softlie to those Christians that bee as yet Infantes and Weakelinges let them be well fedd and fatted in the knowledge of Christe ouercharge them not with strong learnyng for their weakenesse and age can not awaie with it nor yet digest it But after that thei bee growen and waxen strong then see them to bee killed and sacrificed with the Crosse The same sense and meanyng hath that Lawe whiche we reade Deuter. 24. That a man takyng a newe wife shall not be compelled to goe a warfare the first yeare least he should be slaine but shall be free at home and reioyce with his new wife whiche he hath taken Whereby assuredly there is none othâ—â— thyng ment but that wee are to allowe and graunt vnto those that as yet be children in the Schole and faith of Christ their conuenient tyme and space to grow vp and in the meane season that we ought to deale with them and handle them geÌ„tlie and curteously whom afterwarde being waxed strong and of sufficient growth the Lorde will bryng to the Crosse and make to be slaine as he doth other Christians And then is the Kidde killed Whereby ye maie growe if so bee ye haue tasted how bountifull the Lorde is IT sufficeth not once onely to haue heard the Gospell It must continually bee inculked that we may daiely thereby grow accordyngly as we see one endued with strongnesse of faithe so ought he to be prouided for and so to bee fedde Now do not thinke that this is spoken or ment to such as yet haue not heard of the Gospel for thei neither know what Milk is nor what Wine meaneth Therefore added he these woordes If so bee you haue tasted how bountifull and gracious the Lorde is As though he should saie He that hath not tasted this geare to hym is it neither perceiued with the harte neither hath it any pleasaunt or sweete sauour But thei that haue tasted it doe long after it and are euer desirous of this meate to theim the Woorde relisheth and sauoureth euen as it is in deede and of theim is it with wonderfull sweetenesse receiued and taken And this I call Tastyng when I dooe with my very harte beleeue that Christe hath giuen hymself vnto me and that I haue my full interest in hym that he beareth and aunswereth for all my Sinnes trangressions and harmes and that his life is my life When this perswasion is throughly settled in my hearte it yeeldeth wonderfull and incredible good taste For how should not I herewith bee euen rauished with ioye and pleasure seeyng I am so glad and so ioyfull of a small temporall commoditie as if a freende should giue vnto me but onely an hundreth peeces of gold But he that feeleth no tast of this thing in his harte can not hereof conceiue and take any ioye or pleasure Furthermore thei beste taste these thynges that are drawyng neere to the agonies of Death or are any waie disquieted with remorse of conscience In those cases
Will not here define whether in this place S. Peter speake of an outwarde Incontinencie or no or whether he doe as Sainct Paules order is call all those thynges Fleshly whiche a man yet liuyng in this bodie and carnall life committeth and dooeth without Faithe But I am of opinion that S. Peter in this place vseth an other maner of reason Neither doe I thinke that he taketh this worde Soule in suche a sense as Sainct Paule doeth who taketh it for Spirite But that he somewhat more déepely as I suppose considered the proprietie of the Greeke Howebeit it is not greatly materiall whether a man vnderstande this place as meant of all carnall affections or els onely of an externall and outwarde intemperaunce This profitable lesson notwithstanding is hereby taught vs that no man in this life can be perfectly holie and throughly pure from sinnes This place the Schoole men haue grossely mistaken rouyng farre wide from the true meanyng thereof For thei thinke it to bee onely spoken and meant of theim that bee Sinners As though the holie ones were cleare without all euill lustes and carnall affections But he that will profitablie searche and read the Scriptures must with iudgement and discretion waigh and throughly sifte the nature sense and signification of euery woorde for the Prophetes vse sometymes so to speake of them that be holie as that thei seme to pronounce theim pure and altogether cleare from all maner of Sinnes Againe sometymes thei so speake of theim as that thei confesse theim yet to haue euill affections corrupt motions and to fight against Synne This diuersitie and varietie that in apparaunce seemeth to bee in theim marueilouslie grauelleth and offendeth these greate Rabbines and wonderfullie blindeth their Senses from rightlie vnderstandyng the true meanyng of the Scriptures Thus therefore staye thou thy self and for thy sure conceiuyng of this and suche like places bee at this resolution Thou oughtest to consider Christians after twoo sortes namely accordyng to their inwarde and hidden life to witte Faithe and also accordyng to their outwarde and open life that is to saie the Fleshe Now if thou consider and respecte a Christian accordyng to Faithe he is all pure and without all filthe and vncleannesse but after the flesh he is not so For the woorde of GOD can abide no vncleane thyng to reste in that harte where it is throughlie and faithfullie receiued so that the harte whiche faste cleaueth vnto the Woorde can not but thereby bee throughlie purged and entirely cleansed Therefore in faithe all thynges are perfecte accordyng to that saiyng afore wherein wee are sayed to hee Kynges Priestes and the peculier People of GOD. But for so muche as wee hauyng Faithe are as yet cladde in this fleshe and dwell on this Earth it can not bee but that now and then wee feele within our selues sundrie corrupt and Earthly affections as Impacience feare of Deathe c. And these bee the diseases remainyng yet of the old Manne For Faithe hath not yet here raught to hir perfection nor gotten a full power ouer the fleshe This maiest thou plainlie and euidentlie vnderstande by the Parable Luke x. of a certaine man Who goyng doune from Hierusalem to Hiericho fell among Theeues who robbed hym of his raimente and wounded hym verie sore and departyng lefte hym halfe dead on whom in the ende a certaine Samaritane tooke compassion boūd vp his woundes powred in Oile and Wine sett hym on his owne beaste and brought hym to an Inne and made prouision for hym Here thou seest that this man was cared for his cure prouided for anone after he was wounded and now beeyng out of daunger of Death was lefte sicke in deede but not vnto Death howbeeit he was not as yet fullie healed and cured His life is preserued and he left aliue but yet is he not come to his perfecte healthe he is lefte in the charge of the Phisitious to bee cured and dressed afterward Euen so wee that beleeue haue Christ all and entire and are assured of eternall life but our perfecte and consummate healthe wee haue not yet obteined for some reliques of the old Adam remaineth yet still within vs. To the same purpose serueth that other Parable mentioned by Christe Matth. xiij The Kyngdome of heauen is like vnto Leauen whiche a woman taketh and hideth in three Peckes of Meale till all bee leauened For when the Meale is begonne to bee kneaded the Leauen is all there but it hath not yet sowred and pearced the whole lumpe of Dowe the mixture is not yet fullie perfected yet the Meale is therein still till it bee fullie Leauened and more Leauen maie not bee put vnto it So also whatsoeuer thou oughtest to haue thou haste it alreadie by Faithe whereby thou haste taken holde of the Worde and embraced it but it hath not yet throughlie soaked and pearced into thee and therefore it needes must bee so long in woorkyng vntill thou be whollie renewed And in this sort oughtest thou to discerne and interprete the Scripture And not so to Iumble and mangle the textes thereof as dooe the Papistes Therefore when in the Scriptures thou readest of holie meime that are saied to bee perfecte thou must thus vnderstande it that accordyng to Faithe thei were altogether pure and without synne But all the reste was fleshe and therfore could not bee entierly cleane Wherevpon Christians in their praiers desire to bee dissolued and ridde of this bodie or fleshe that thei maie whollie attaine to an entire puritie Thei that other wise teache neither haue any feelyng nor yet any sounde taste of the same And therevpon it commeth to passe that thei speake euen as thei thinke within themselues and as thei can comprehende by their owne reason and therefore thei can not choose but bee deceiued This hath been a stumblyng blocke to many yea of them that haue been accoumpted worthie and famous for their holinesse and sanctimonie and who haue taught and written verie muche Origene speaketh not one worde hereof in his Bookes Hierome neuer vnderstoode thē Augustine also would haue had small knowledge thereof if he had not so much buckled with the Pelagians Some whē thei speake of holie men thei so muche extol and dignifie them as though either thei had been of some higher degree and excellencie then other Christians or els as though thei had had no feelyng of this Flesh or as though thei had not complained thereof aswel and as muche as wee Therefore saieth Sainct Peter You are all cleane and haue your full righteousnesse there now remaineth nothyng for you but y t you stoutly fight againste these wicked and naughtie affections And so also speaketh Christe Iohn xiij He that is washed needeth not sauyng onely to washe his feete For it is not enough that the heade and handes bee cleane and therefore albeeit he saie that thei are all cleane yet neuerthelesse he requireth theim to washe their feete But what meanyng hath Saincte Peter
of euill doers thei maie bee ashamed whiche slaunder your good conuersation in Christe For it is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well doyng then for euill doyng For Christe also hath once suffred for sinnes the iust for the vniust that he might bryng vs to God and was put to death concernyng the fleshe but was quickened in the spirite By the whiche he also went and preached vnto the spirites that are in prison Whiche were in tyme passed disobedient when once the long sufferyng of God abode in the daies of Noe while the Arke was preparing wherein fewe that is eight soules were saued in the water To the which also the figure that now saueth vs euen Baptisme agreeth not the puttyng awaie of the filth of the flesh but in that a good cōscience maketh request to God by the resurrection of Iesus Christ Whiche is at the right hande of God gone into heauen to whom the Angels and Powers and Mighte are subiect Likewise let the wiues bee subiecte to their Housbandes that euen thei whiche obey not the word maie without the woorde bee wonne by the conuersation of the wiues While thei behold your pure conuersation which is with feare SAincte Peter in this place namely speaketh of those Wiues whiche in his tyme had vnbeleeuyng Housebandes and again of suche faithful Housebandes as yet had Heathen and Ethnick wiues For it oftentymes happened in those daies that the Apostles preached the Gospell emong vnbeleeuyng Pagans and Infidelles emong whom it was often seen that the one of the parties to witte either the Housebande or the Wife was conuerted and wonne vnto Christe the other still wallowyng and persisting in errour Now if this charge of Wiues subiection and obedience to their housbandes were so straightly commaunded then how muche more is it behouefull and necessarie to performe and shewe it forth now adaies The office therefore of a Wife saieth sainct Peter is this to bee loyall and subiecte to her Housebande yea though he bee an Infidell and a Heathen And here he inferreth the cause why it is conuenient and behoouefull so to doe That euen thei whiche obeye not the worde maie without the woorde bee wonne by the conuersation of the wiues WHen the Housebande seeth that his Wife liueth orderly innocently and honestlie he is thereby moued and prouoked to embrace the like Christian Faithe and godlinesse And albeeit the office of preachyng bee not committed nor allowed vnto Women yet ought thei neuerthelesse so honestly to demeane and behaue themselues in maners and conuersation that euen thereby thei maie allure and drawe their Housebandes vnto Faithe Wee reade that the vertuous Matrone Monica Mother vnto sainct Augustine conuerted her houseband a little afore his death vnto the Faithe of Christ and after that her Soonne Augustine also But wee must note that this is an externall office and outward charge not to bee doen of any woman with intent thereby to bee iustified For by all this obedience shall not a woman bee saued For euen emong the Heathen Infidelles wee maie finde some Wiues in eche respecte verie duetifull seruiceable and debonaire to their housebandes but that obedience of theirs raught no farther then to content serue and please their housebandes For so did God ordaine and appoincte Genes iij. when he saied to the woman Thou shalt be subiecte to thy Housebande and he shall rule ouer thee whiche is one of the punishmentes that God there inflicted and laied vpon Women But yet this is as I saied afore appertainyng to outward conuersation and belongeth to the bodie not to the Spirite Women haue here greate cause to reioyce in that thei knowe what Worke to doe to please God withall For this is suche a greate treasure as a wife can not haue a greater nor more precious in that she certainely knoweth that when she sheweth suche subiection and obedience to her housebande she highlie pleaseth God therewith and doeth that whiche to hym is right acceptable then whiche knowledge and persuasion what can be tide vnto her more ioyfull and gladsome And therefore she that is desirous to bee a right Christian wise let her thus thinke with her self I will not respect what maner of persone my housebande is with whom I am now coupled in mariage whether he bee Iewe or Gentile good or badde but I will drawe my self to this consideration and respecte onely that God hath appoincted me to bee this mannes Wife and linked me vnto hym in the bandes of Matrimonie and therefore as I am bounde so will I in all poinctes bee subiecte and obedient vnto hym This persuasion beeyng once throughlie settled in her liuyng in suche duetifull obedience all her Workes bee bothe acceptable and commendable If any bee so wilfull and waiwarde whom these reasons doe not moue to suche a one doubtlesse no other persuasions will be auaileable By beatyng a man shall doe no good if he thinke thereby to bryng his wife to be tractable and duetifull for in castyng out one Deuill by beatyng he shall bee sure to beate in twoo as badde or worse as in our common Prouerbe we are wont to saie O that Wiues throughlie knewe this doctrine and exhortation of Saincte Peter how happily and blessedlie should thei liue But our peruerse and crooked Nature is suche that what God commaundeth none are willyng to followe but what mannes idle braine deuiseth after that men runne headlōg Furthermore God hath willed this Commaundement of wiues obedient subiection to their housbandes to bee so firmely and inuiolablie obserued that he hath graūted power and aucthoritie to the housebandes to dissolue vndoe disalowe and to make frustrate and of none effecte any vowes made by their wiues if thei mislike the same As wee read Num. xxx And that for none other cause but to liue therby at home in peace quietnesse and tranquillitie And thus muche firste of the office and duetie of Wiues towarde their Housebands now next the Apostle setteth doune how a Wife ought to behaue her self towardes all others Whose apparailyng let it not be outward as with broided haire and golde put aboute or in puttyng on of apparaile But let the hidde man of the harte bee vncorrupte with a meeke and quiet Spirite whiche is before God a thyng muche set by THis treasure and inward garnishement we maie not thinke here to be commaunded and prescribed onely for Wiues but the same stretcheth ought to bee construed as ment also of Men. Here maie some aske this question Whether these saiynges of Saincte Peter concernyng Womens apparaile bee straightly commaunded or no Wee reade of Queene Esther how that she ware a Croune of gold on her head and putte on her roiall apparaile that was very rich precious and meete for a Quene Esth ij and .v. Iudith also apparailed her self moste brauelie and magnificently Iud. x. But in bothe places we finde it thus explaned that thei did it not for any vaine delite that thei had therein
iudgeth accordyng to the hearte and faithe and not accordyng to the persones or outwarde workes And therefore we ought so to iudge as God himself iudgeth that is that we must haue all one mynde and one iudgement that vnitie and concorde maie flourishe and remaine in the world that our hartes may continue vndisseuered and not bee drawen asunder for these outwarde by matters so that we are to deeme allow and think well of the worke that any other doeth so long as the same is not of it self Sinne. Of this Concorde speaketh sainct Paule ij Cor. xj where hee saieth thus I feare least as the Serpent beguiled Eue through his subtiltie so your myndes should bee corrupt frō the simplicitie that is in Christ whiche is as muche to saie as I feare least the Deuill likewise deceiue you and drawe your simple heartes and agreing myndes into diuision and discord Likewise Phil. iiij The peace of God whiche passeth all vnderstandyng preserue your hartes and myndes in Christ Iesus And why is the Apostle so carefull for our hartes and mindes Truely because therevpon al other thinges doe depende For if I once fall into a reprobate sense and bee possessed with a peruerse vnderstandyng I make a general shipwrack of all together As if I bee a Monke and therein fullie perswade my self that my woorkes are more regarded and esteemed before God then other mens and should saie I thanke thee O GOD that I am become a Monke my profession is farre better then the vulgare state of maried life therevppon straightwaies necessarilie ariseth a swelling arrogancie of the minde and a vaine puffyng vp of the hart can not but be there where I seeme in myne owne eyes to bee more iust and righteous then others be and in respect of my self contenme other men By whiche meanes I wilfullie beguile my self for there is no maried woman liuyng in the true and sincere Faithe of Christ but is muche more esteemed before God then I with my lowsie Profession and witlesse Vowe Therfore when we acknowledge assuredly knowe that Faithe bringeth with it all thinges that be expedient and needefull for a Christian man to haue then are wee all of one mynde heart and iudgement without makyng any difference of workes or preferryng one before an other Thinke therefore that this place of S. Peter is not to bee vnderstoode of any externall mynde but of a spirituall and internall iudgement in thinges and suche as before GOD are highly set by that life and doctrine maie vniformallie agree together and that the same thing that séemeth good to an other maie seeme also good to vs and also that that maie bee likyng and pleasaunt to an other that is liked and pleasaunt vnto vs as afore hath been declared This hearte and this mynde haue thei that be right Christians and this ought thei with all care and diligence to looke vnto that by no meanes it quaile accordyng to sainct Paules exhortation For assoone as the Deuill by his malice ouerthroweth this hart and this minde straightwaies is the bonde of true vnitie broken asunder and all thinges at once come to an vtter confusion One suffer with an other LET one haue a care for an other lett the necessitie of thy Neighbour no lesse moue thy hearte then if the case were thine owne yea thinke it to appertaine vnto thee And when hee hath sustained any hindraunce losse or mischaunce doe not thou reioyce thereat neither thus thinke with thy selfe It is well enough if some worse thing had happened vnto him he hath well deserued it For where charitie is there is so muche and so greate care for the state of our Neighbour that if any mishappe befall vnto hym it should no lesse pearce our heartes then if it had chaunced vnto our selues Loue as Brethren LEt euery one accoumpte an other as his owne Brother the whiche how to bee vnderstood is very easie for euen Nature her self teacheth vs. Wee see that thei whiche bee naturall borne brethren liue in a more neerer bonde of loue and are more carefull zealous willing and readie one to assist an other then any other freends be The same must wee now dooe beeyng all Brethren together by Baptisme insomuche that our verie Parentes after our baptisme are to vs in the place and steede of Brethren for that wee haue the same giftes graces and benefites at Christes hande by Faithe whiche thei haue Be pitifull one to an other THE Greekes in this one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comprehende all this sentence whiche to expresse againe in one worde in Latine wee must bee driuen to call it Viscerosi And I knowe not how better to interprete and explaine it then by a comparison or similitude Behold marke how a Father or Mother is affected towarde their Childe that if a mother see her Infant to suffer any extremity or wāt her harte and bowelles earne within her And thence is this forme or phraze of speakyng borowed whiche is very vsuall and often in the Scriptures One Historie thereof we haue in the first Booke of Kynges Cap. iij. Where it is declared how two women contended before Kyng Solomon for a young Infant whose it should be for either of them laied claime vnto it The Kyng therefore purposing to trie out whether of them was the right mother of the Childe could deuise no better waie to bolt out the truth then by nature it self by whiche pollicie he tryed out the matter For hee saied to the women Thou saiest that the liuyng Childe is thine and she saieth it is hers Bryng mee therefore hither a Sworde and diuide the Infant in twaine and giue the one halfe to the one and the other halfe to the other By whiche wise pollicie hee founde out which was the true mother of the Childe For the Scripture in the self same place recordeth that straightwaies the bowelles of her compassion were mooued in loue towarde her Childe and that she cried out and saied Oh my Lord not so but let her rather haue the whole Childe and staye hym not Wherevpon the King presentlie gaue iudgment saied This is the true mother of the Childe deliuer him vnto her Herehence maie wee gather the very true sense of this worde here deliuered vnto vs by saincte Peter to signifie an entyer compassion and most hartie affection And that we should be none otherwise mutuallie affected one towarde an other then they that are naturall Brethren by bloud that euery ones whole harte marowe veines and all the powers of our mynde and bodie be totallie moued with compassion at the mishappes of an other and that we ought to beare suche a zealous mutuall hartie and motherly affection one toward an other that if any thing with thē miscarie it should euen pearce vs as it were to the death Suche a mynde ought one Christian to beare towardes an other But I feare there are but a very fewe to bee founde whiche so entierly with their harte loue
their Neighbour and that are so moued with compassion ouer the necessities and wants of others as a mother is ouer her Babe that she bore in her wombe Be curteous VSE your conuersation so gently and amiably one towarde an other in these outwarde thinges of the world that euery one not onely accoumpt the thynges whiche happen to an other to appertaine also to hymself euen as Parentes are wont to doe who make no lesse reckoning of that whiche is their Childrens then of their owne but also that euery one vse louing and curteous conuersation with his Neighbour For there bee some so waiwarde churlishe crabbed and vnreasonable that euery one almost is vnwillyng to haue any dealyng or vse any companie or conference with theim And so it commeth to passe that suche persones commonly be suspicious and easilie drawen vnto wrath and anger so that none will willingly deale with them But thei be truely curteous freendly fauourable sincere and amiable whiche construe all thinges to the best bee of nature nothyng suspicious and are not easilie mooued vnto anger and wrathe but can take well in worthe whatsoeuer is doen vnto them Beholde now and looke into the Gospell and there shall you finde Christe depaincted and sett out after this maner in whom wee maie beholde and see moste euidently all these vertues singularly abidyng The Pharisees tempted hym after sundrie sortes now one waie and now an other to entrapp and catche hym at auauntage and yet is not hee a whit therewith mooues And although his Apostles now and then stumbled and did amisse foolishly yet neuer did he roughly and hardly checke them but vsed alwaies a myld and curteous lenitie towardes them assuryng and drawyng them vnto hym to the intent to make them the gladder and willynger with all their hartes to liue with him and to haue a greate pleasure in adheryng and cleauyng vnto his companie The same kinde of louyng affection wee commonly see to bee among tried freendes and faithfull Companions where there bee two or three that bee sincerely affected in mynde one towardes an other If one of them make a fault the other taketh it well in worth and gentlie beareth with it This example somewhat confirmeth this sentence and aduertisement of Saincte Peter but not whollie expresseth the full meanyng thereof For the freendlinesse and courtesie that is here spoken of ought indifferently to bee extended and shewed vnto all men Here thou seest the verie nature of sincere and true Loue and what a perfecte gracious and fauourable people Christians are The Aungelles leade this maner of life emong theim selues in heauen Whiche kinde of life wee ought also to practise and leade here on earth but the nomber emong whom the same is to bee founde is verie rare and scante As sainct Peter therefore hath taught Housebandes and Wiues Menseruauntes and Womenseruauntes so to frame and leade their liues as that eche one should looke to his owne charge and function and carefullie applie his owne peculier vocation So willeth he likewise thesame practise and order to bee putte in vre in our common dealynges emong our selues Now the onely Workes wherevnto Sainct Peter here would haue vs earnestlie and zealouslie to giue our selues are these to bee sorie at the harmes and mischaunces of our Brethren to bee feruent in Brotherlie Loue to haue our verie bowelles throughlie enflamed with the loue of theÌ„ and to shewe our selues readie willyng tractable and fit to loue and to bee loued of all men Here is neuer a woorde mencioned of any of those flim-flam toyes and friuolous deuises that haue heretofore verie deuoutlie been preached or rather prated on vnto vs. He doeth not here saie Builde an Abbeye or a Nunnerie giue some maintenaunce for an ordinarie Masse take the holie order of Priesthood vppon thee professe thy self a Monke weare a Cowle vowe Chastitie or any suche like But he saieth thus Looke that thou bee milde gentle and courteous These are the true good Woorkes in deede yea rather the golden Deedes the Pearles and the precious Stones wherewith God is singularlie delighted But as this doctrine is a perfecte Christian and right wholesome doctrine So can not the Deuill any waie abide it For this doctrine once preuailing would quickly ouerthrowe and subuerte his Kyngdome And therefore he seeketh all the waies that he can to deface and extinguishe it by stirryng vp these pompous Popes and mumpyng Monkes to yell and â—aule to banne and curse and malapertly to affirme that whosoeuer he be that speaketh against any of their doynges speaketh by the verie instincte suggestion and procurement of the Deuill hymself But little knowe thei the vse of these â—eedefull and necessarie good Workes whereof saincte Peter here speaketh Namely Brotherly loue beeyng entirely and in the bowelles of vnfeined sinceritie meante and exercised with all freendlinesse courtesie and sweetenesse For if these bee 〈◊〉 as needes thei must confesse them to bee then are thei muche to blame and to bee accoumpted as impudent liers in presumyng and affirmyng their owne dregges and deuises to bee moste worthie to bee preferred It is to bee wondered at how suche grosse and palpable blindnesse could sincke into mennes hartes Thomas Aquinas â—â—e of their moste reâ—erende couled Rabbines impudently aduouched that the Orders of Popes and Monkes farre surmounted the common state of the simple Laitie Whiche moste impious shamelesse and liyng assertions were afterward by the Schoolemen ratified and allowed and thei onely that were the Professors thereof inuested with the title dignitie and name of right Reuerend Doctors and afterward the Pope with the Ruffianlie route of his carnall Cardinalles and adherentes Canonized and Calendred them for holie Sainctes Abandonyng therefore and reiectyng all other doctrines I wishe thée to embrace and firmely to sticke vnto this Christ hymself and his Apostles haue taught so If thou wilte therefore dooe those Woorkes that of all others are beste and take that profession vpon thee that of all others is moste holie embrace Faithe and Charitie and detest that grosse impudencie of these Popelynges whiche affirme and vaunte their Profession to surmounte either Faithe or Charitie For if their vowed Profession were of suche worthinesse that it excelled Faithe it muste also excell the woorde of God And if it excell the worde of God it must needes followe that it excelleth and passeth God himself And here we see that S. Paule ij Thes ij wrate verie truely in saiyng that Antichrist should exalt him self against al that is called God Finally leaâ—â—â— thus to iudge al these matters wheresoeuer Loue Mildnesse and Courtesie are wanting there doubtlesse all other Workes be damnable Wee see therefore how plainely and fullie Sainct Peter hath here sette doune vnto vs how wee ought to frame our selues to liue a Christian life euen in our outward conuersation hauing afore with no lesse excellencie and skill declared how our â—nner life should be framed to God warde Wherefore this Epistle is fullie staught
with stoare of muche godlie and wholesome doctrine and therefore to bee accoumpted as golden and among the beste and moste absolute Epistles that are Not rendryng euill for euill neither rebuke for rebuke â—ut contrariwise blesse knowyng that ye are theâ—eunto called that ye should bee heires of blessyng YEt he continueth his exposition of Loue more at large instructyng vs further how we should behaue our selues toward them that hurte and persecute vs. The meanyng of the Apostle is this when thei persecute trouble moleste and hurte you dooe not you the like againe vnto them but for the euill that thei doe vnto you require ye good vnto them againe When thei ceuile and slaunder you take heede that ye doe not the like vnto theÌ„ but contrariwise blesse them praie for them and wishe well vnto them And this is a moste excellent point and office of Loue But O Lorde how fewe is the number of suche Christians But why must wee not render euill for euil but contrariwise good for euill Doubtlesse saieth he because ye are herevnto called that ye should bee heires of blessyng Whiche ought bothe to admonishe and to inuite and allure you herevnto In the Scripture we Christians are called a blessed people blessed euen by God hymself For God saied vnto Abraham Gene. xij In thy Seede shall all Nations of the Earth be blessed Seeyng therefore that God hath so bountifully powred this blessyng vpon vs that he might take a waie from vs all the curse and malediction whiche we had drawen from our first Parents which Moses denounced vnto all those that did not beleeue it is verie meete and requisite that wee beeyng thus graciouslie blessed should so vse and behaue our selues in eche respecte as that this maie be saied and verified on vs behold this is a blessed people And therefore sainct Peters meanyng herein is as though he should haue saied Consider with your selues and behold GOD hath infused and bestowed this his gracious fauour vpon you to take awaie all curse and malediction from you and hath not imputed nor laied to your charge the blasphemie where with ye haue dishonoured hym neither hath he for the same punished you as ye haue well deserued but contrariwise hath moste liberally and franckly bestowed the richesse of his grace and benediction vppon you who in respecte of your continuall blasphemie were worthie of al maner of malediction and curse for where stedfast Faithe wanteth there can the harte none otherwise doe but still curse and blaspheme God Now therefore endeuour your selues so to deale with others as it hath been dealt with you Curse not reuile not but doe good and speake well yea although others raile on you and speake all maner of euill against you and paciently suffer when iniurie and wrong is offred vnto you And now he bryngeth a place out of the xxxiiij Psalme where the Prophet Dauid saieth thus For if any man long after life and to see good dayes let hym refraine his tongue from euill and his lippes that thei speake no guile HE that would enioye a pleasaunt and delightsome life and not dye the Death but see good daies that all thynges maie prospere and goe well with hym lette hym refraine his tongue from speakyng euill and that not onely against his freendes whiche is a moste viâ—e qualitie and resemblyng the Nature of verie Serpentes and Vipers but his meaning is thus muche more let hym carie aboute with hym an honest and good meanyng mynde let hym refraine his tongue from speakyng any harme euen against his Enemies yea when hee is thereto prouoked and hath greate cause ministred vnto hym to reuile and speake amisse Yea lette hym restraine his lippes also saieth he that thei vtter no guile For there be not a fewe whiche outwardly in mouthe speake well and bidde their neighbour freendly Good morowe whiche inwardly in harte thinke cancardly and spightfully euen wishyng them at the Deuill These men are thei that haue no right nor interest in the inheritaunce of blessyng Thei be euill fruites of an euill Tree And thus dooeth Saincte Peter fitly referre the place whiche he alledged concernyng Woorkes vnto the roote inwardly namely vnto the Harte And this is the verie true and proper interpretation hereof There followeth alâ—o afterward in the afore alledged place of the Psalmist these woordes Let hym eschue euill and doe good let hym seeke peace and followe after it THE worlde thinketh the beste waie to purchase this peace is to require wrong with wrong and one displeasure with an other But this is not the right waie to attaine vnto it For there was neuer yet any Kyng that by this meanes could winne peace at his Enemies handes The Romaine Empire grewe to suche might and Maiestie thâ—â— it subdued and ouerthrew all that againstoode it and yet could it neuer retaine the people that were Subiecte vnto theim in their due obeisaunce And therefore this course and order of repressyng our Enemies with force is not the beste waie to purchasse and confirme stedfast peace emong vs. For if we ouercome and suppresse one Enemie there will arise vp tenne yea twentie till we our selues bee brought to confusion But hee taketh the right and orderly waie to seeke after peace and shall surely finde it whiche refraineth his tongue escheweth euill and rendreth good for il This is another maner of waie then the Worlde taketh or hath skill of Now to decline from euill and to doe good signifieth to refraine either from hearyng or speakyng any wordes of spight and malice and not to seeke requitall of iniuries Seeke after peace this waie and thou shalt bee sure to finde it For when thyne enemie hath serued his owne mynde and fullie satisfied his angrie humour in doyng what he can against thee if thou againe replie not againste hym with bitter and bityng wordes neither storme and fret at his iniuries thou shalt ouerthrowe hym in his owne turne and get the vpperhande of hym in the swaie of his owne maliciousnesse For in this sort did Christ ouercome his Enemies vppon the Crosse and not with any sworde or materiall weapon Requitall of one iniurie with an other and one shrewde turne with an other encreaseth furie and setteth parties at further iarre then thei were afore wheras pacience and suffraunce procureth quietnesse and ease But some will saie how can this so bee it standeth not with manhood neither can flesh and bloud abide so to deale I confesse it is more then is simplie in man thus to dooe but beeyng assisted with supernall grace and thus paciently tolerating iniuries without desier of actuall reuenge thou shalt be sure to speede as this next sentence purporteth to wit For the eyes of the Lorde are ouer the righteous and his eares are open vnto their praiers and the face of the Lorde is vpon them that doe euill IF thou thy self seeke not priuate reuenge neither recompence euill for euil there sitteth one in the Heauens euen the Lorde
who can not abide to see his Seruauntes to take wrong and therefore thei haue the best and the iustest cause whiche strike not againe neither seeke reuenge God hymself careth and respecteth theÌ„ and their praiers sound in his eares He is our protectour ayder and mainteinour he is our Guardian and ouerseer he will not be vnmindfull of vs neither can wee slide out of his sight for his eyes are alwaies vppon vs. And this is it that ought to erect and stirre vp our courages and to perswade and prouoke euery Christian paciently to suffer all maner of iniurie without requiring one euill with an other For al I coÌ„sider the matter with my self aright I muâ—â— thus thinke that the Soule of that man whiche hurteth me without earnest repentaunce shalbe in endlesse tormentes in hell and there vppon a Christian harte can not choose but thâ—s burst out in hartie and zealous praier vnto God and saie most louyng and gracious Father forsomuche as this man hath so horriblie incurred thy displeasure and so miserably thereby throwne himself into the daunger of Hell fier I humbly praie and beseeche thee that thou wouldest pardon and forgiue hym this his fault and so doe to him as thou haste doen vnto me in deliueryng me froÌ„ this thy heauie wrath and anger For as he hath his eyes euer readilie bent and with fauour moste graciouslie beholding them that be good so looketh he with a sterne and frounyng countenaunce vppon them that bee euill Wee therefore whiche knowe that hee fauourably and graciouslie looketh vpon vs but vpon them angerly frouningly and with indignation ought to pitie their wofull case and to be throughly sorie for their miserable estates and hartily to praie for theÌ„ And who is it that will harme you if ye followe that whiche is good WHen wee followe that whiche is good and recompeÌ„ce not euill for euill but rather most curteouslie and with the very bowelles of tender affection embrace and loue all menne there is none that can doe vs any harme For although thei should take from vs our wealth our name and bodie yet are not wee in any poynt harmed because wee possesse suche abundant stoare of good thinges vnto whiche the thinges taken from vs can by no meanes and in no respect bee compared Thei that persecute and seeke after vs to dooe vs harme haue no goodes at all sauyng onely these lame momentarie vnperfect and transitorie trashe of the worlde and shall afterward if thei continewe in impenitencie bee cast into Hell fier there for euen to bee tormented But our goodes are eternall and incorruptible although wee suffer a little losse of these worldly and temporall goodes Notwithstanding blessed are ye if ye suffer for righteousnesse sake HE not onely saieth that no man shalbe able any whitt to harme you if ye suffer any thyng for Gods sake but he further addeth Blessed are ye for the same so that ye haue greate cause of reioycing if ye so be afflicted For so saith Christ Matth. v. Blessed are ye when men reuile you and persecute you and say all maner of euill against you for my sake falselie Reioyce and bee glad Hee that rightlie and throughlie waigheth these wordes and considereth that the Lord hymself speaketh them and that so louingly and so comfortably how should he but constantlie stande to his tacklyng and paciently abide all that can or maie happen Againe thei that in these wordes feele no comfort and inwarde consolation can not but bee voide and vtterly without all strength ioye and comfort Yea feare not their feare neither be troubled But sanctifie the Lorde God in your heartes THis place againe hath sainct Peter cited out of the Prophete Esay where he hath these words Feare ye not their feare neither bee ye afraied of them but sanctifie God in your hartes and let hym bee your feare and let hym bee your dread c. Esay viij Here wee haue a verâ— greate protection and refuge so that we maie boldly repose ourselues in safetie and bee assured that none shall harme vs Let the worlde terrifie and rage threaten and menace neuer so tyrannouslie yet shall their terrour come to an ende whereas our ioye and consolation shall be endlesse And therefore we ought not to feare the worlde any thing aâ— all but rather to bee valiauntlie minded and constantly encouraged againste it but before God to humble our selues and â—o feare with all reuerence And what meaneth sainct Peter in bidding vs to sanctifie the Lord God How can we sanctifie hym of whom we must be sanctified I answere that wee after this sort praie Hallowed or sanctified bee thy name for that it is our dueties to sanctifie his name whereas notwithstandyng he hymselfe sanctifieth his owne name Wherefore sainct Peter is thus to bee vnderstoode Sanctifie the Lorde God in your hartes that is whatsoeuer it shall please God to laie vppon vs whether it seeme to vs good or badde pleasaunt or greeuous honorable or ignominious luckie or vnluckie it is our partes and dueties not onely to embrace and take the same in good parâ—e as thinges sent to vs for our furtheraunce and benefite but also to accoumpt the same as holie and therevpon to saie This that I now receiue from the Lordes hande is a thyng so precious and holie that I am not worthie to bee partaker thereof So saieth the Prophete Dauid Psal Cklv. The Lord is iust in all his waies and holie in all his woorkes When as I therefore in these thinges doe thus glorifie God and repute his workes as precious and holie I doe thereby sanctifie hym in my harte But those fellowes that dwell so muche vpon the poinctes of the Lawe that thei thinke not God to bee righteous but that he doeth them wrong and that he is asleepe and neither wil maintaine his owne iustice and righteousnesse nor yet repulse wrong and iniurie doen vnto hym these fellowes I saie dishonour God in thus deemyng him to bee neither iust nor holie But hee that is a true Christian must entierlie ascribe all iustice vnto God and vnto himself as truthe it is all iniustice to acknowledge God euer holie and himself prophane and sincerely to professe and confesse that God is in all his doinges most iust and holie This harty acknowledgment he requireth at the handes of euery one of vs. And foreade we Dani. ix O Lorde God iuste and true are thy Iudgmentes which thou hast doen vnto vs for we haue sinned and committed iniquitie and haue doen wickedlie yea wee haue rebelled and haue departed from thy preceptes and from thy iudgementes and therefore vnto thee O Lorde belongeth Righteousnesse honour and glorie but vnto vs open shame and confusion To conclude when any calamitie or mishappe as it is commonlie taken betydeth vs let vs hartilie thanke God and blesse his holie name for it and that is it which sainct Peter and Esay doe here cal the right sanctifiyng of the Lord our God Notwithstanding it
lye naked to the sight of GOD and are as now present vnto his eyes and he in one moment or minute of tyme ouerlooketh and surueigheth all that is was or shalbee A thousande yeeres with hym are but as one daie as saincte Peter in his seconde Epistle declareth And therefore the first man is as present vnto him as the man that shalbe last borne for with one glaunce he beholdeth at once the whole Worlde Let this therfore be the meanyng of this place that Christ now preacheth not any more corporallie but is present in his Woorde and thereby preacheth to the Spirites in their hartes And here wee must note that Saincte Peter vseth a Figure named Synecdoche which is when the whole is taken for a parte and contrariwise when the parte is taken for the whole For hee preached not altogether vnto them alone but vnto all that are like vnto them and of semblable disposition to theirs As if a mā for example sake should now saie This man preached among the Heluetians who sometymes were vnder the gouernement of the Dukes of Austria It herevppon by and by followeth not that hee preached to theim that sometymes were Vassalles to the Dukes of Austria and are now long since dead but it sufficeth to saie that he preached to the people dwellyng now in that Countrie which afore liued in suche subiection And thus vnder the name of the parte the whole is many tymes vnderstoode and the whole againe oftentymes is put to signifie the Parte And after this sorte must we by this life haue respect and consideration of the other life This is the beste interpretation in my Iudgemente that can bee for this place howbeit if any manne bryng a better I will bee glad as meete it is to allowe of it But to be plaine I can not at any hande bee perswaded to beleeue that Christe beeyng quickened in Spirite that is hauyng now taken vnto hym a Spirituall life did descende into Helle and preache to the Soules there speciallie seeyng the Scripture is flatte againste any suche matter affirmyng that when thynges are brought to that poinct euery one shall receiue accordyngly as he hath dooen and beleeued Againe it is not certaine in what state the dead remaine To conclude the woordes themselues are against any suche meanyng for the deade Now this is vndoubtedly true that Christe is presente and preacheth in the harte when as the faithfull Minister or vocall Preacher with fruite vttereth and instilleth the Woorde of God into the Eares and therefore wee maie boldly and without daunger admit and embrace this interpretation of this place He to whom God hath reueiled and opened a better exposition I wishe to be followed The verie summe therefore of this our Interpretation is this Christe beyng now quickened in Spirite that is after he was ascended into Heauen preached afterwarde vnto the Soules of menne who afore vsed to preache to their bodies emong whiche Soules there were many Vnbeleuers in the daies of Noah When once the long suffring of God abode in the daies of Noah while the Arke was preparyng where in fewe that is eight Soules were saued in the water HEre againe persisteth Sainct Peter in alledging and insertyng the Scriptures in whiche his purpose is to drawe vs to enure and exercise our selues And out of theim he bryngeth the figure of Noah his Arke whiche be also explaneth It is verie cōfortable and proper to fetche Similitudes from suche maner of Examples as this whiche order Saincte Paule also followed Gala. iiij where he recordeth the mysterie of the twoo Sonnes of Abraham and also his twoo Wiues and afterward expounded the same And Christe also Ihon. iij. speaketh of the Brasen Serpent whiche Moses lifte vp in the wildernesse Num. xxj Suche pithie Similitudes are easily learned and willyngly hearkened vnto and menne commonly take greate delight in the hearyng of theim And therefore Saincte Peter here bryngeth in by waie of comparison the Similitude of the Arke of Noah whereby he briefly and in fewe woordes and yet with a certaine pleasure setteth doune a sure lesson to confirme Faithe And that whiche he here setteth doune to haue come to passe when Noah made the Arke after the same sort standeth the case now that as he and his euen eight Soules were saued in the Arke whiche was caried vpon the Waters so must wee also bee saued through Baptisme that Water did then once saue bothe menne and all Creatures beside and so Baptisme beyng receiued in Faithe drouneth in vs whatsoeuer is carnall and naturall and maketh vs Spirituall And this commeth to passe when wee betake our selues into the Arke whiche signifieth and figureth our Lorde Christ or the Churche of Christ or the Gospell whiche Christe preached or the Bodie of Christe in whiche wee all hange together by Faithe and are deliuered from all euilles euen as Noah by the Arke was saued from beeyng drenched in the Waters Gene. vij Thus we see how this example by hym here brought comprehendeth as it were compendiously and briefly bothe what Faithe is and what the Crosse is what is Life and what is Death Now where soeuer there bee men that whollie depende vpon Christ there certainly is the Churche of Christ and there is vtterly drouned and killed what soeuer is in vs that is euill and that issueth and commeth from our old Adam To the whiche also the figure that now saueth vs euen Baptisme agreeth not the puttyng awaie of the filthe of the fleshe but in that a good conscience maketh request to God YE are not hereby satted in that the filth of your bodies is cleane washed awaie and nothyng els cleansed but the Bodie as the Iewes precisely obserued and vsed to doe for suche kinde of purifiyng is of no moment nor force but it is a good Conscience makyng request to God that saueth you When as ye feele within you a good Conscience chearfullie and confidently daryng to shewe it self and to appeare before God as though there were a couenaunt or bargain betwéene theim and therevppon dare boldly saie This hath my Lorde God promised me and I am sure he will performe it for he is suche a one as can not deceiue If ye thus stedfastly cleaue vnto his Woorde and whollie depende vppon hym you can not misse but bee saued And the Meane whereby we thus obtaine Saluation is Faithe and not any outward Worke that we our selues are able any waies to doe By the resurrection of Iesus Christe THis small portion of woordes hath Saincte Peter purposely added to that whiche went before to shewe a reason of the Faithe that is grounded herevpon because that after Christe died and descended into the lower partes he staied not still there but anone arose againe from the deade For if he had continued still in Death we had remained still in our miserable estate forlorne as wee were afore But because he is risen againe from the deade and now sitteth on the right hande of his
and selflikyng of theimselues trustyng in their owne Merites Woorkes and rotten Ceremonies Thei beleeue that Christ the Sonne of God in his humanitie suffred death and rose againe the third daie that he is the Sauiour of the worlde c. but thei doe not firmely and onely trust in hym for if thei did thei would not so scrupulously bee tied to their owne Lowsie trashe and beggerly Traditions After the same maner did thei beare the Laitie in hande that they could not attaine to saluation except they did after their directions Ye are Christians saie thei we confesse but this is not enough ye must doe suche and suche good workes ye must build Churches in the honor of this and that Sainct ye must erect and founde Monasteries and Abbayes ye must buie certaine Trentalles of Masses to be saied or song for you ye must pyue awaie your selues with fastyng and suche like Thus haue the séely poore people been beguiled and thus haue thei been perswaded and brought to shew themselues as well likers of these trumperies thinkyng it to be the Kynges high waie to heauen and these rotten workes of blinde deuotion to be of all workes the best because they sawe them which caried the tytle of the Church to allowe and followe the same so that in processe of tyme there grewe to bee as many Factions Sectes and Religions as there were Cities yea almoste as there were Men. Whereas they should rather haue taught them thus Ye are Christians aswell as thei that bee an hundred myles distant from you ye haue all one Christ one Baptisme one Faith one Spirite one Worde one God there is no worke that ye of your selues are able to doe towarde your saluation or able to bring you to the perfection of a right Christian If this Doctrine might generally bee preached men should be kept in the fellowshippe and vnitie of one Common Faith neither would there bee any difference at all in thinges appertainyng to God but all would be alike and one the same that an other is This Communion and vnitie thei haue broken and disioynted in that thei seduce and misleade vs in teachyng vs that wee must merite heauen by our Workes drawyng vs thereby from Faith to our own Pharisâ—icall deedes S. Peters wordes therefore if he bee well marked caâ—ie this meanyng There shall arise among you Sophisticall Scholemen Doctors Teachers Priestes Munkes and suche like beyng the very offall and Skumme of the Worlde who shall bryng in pernicious sectes odible orders damnable heresies and seduce the Worlde with their lying and false Doctrines These these doubtlesse are thei of whom the Apostle here speaketh For thei are all thus perswaded and verely beleeue that their willfully Professed Orders are meritorious to theÌ„ and shall bryng them to saluation and perswade others also to put confidence and trust in them If this were not their opinion who would thinke but thei would rather liue free abroade then as thei do cage and empound themselues in their Cloysters as it were in Prisons Euen denying the Lorde that hath bought them THei are readie to saie that thei doe not denye the Lord but if this question be demaunded of them what thei meane or what they seeke to get through these their vowed ProfessioÌ„s if thei beleeue as thei saie thei doe that they are redéemed by Christ and that their sinnes are washed awaie by his bloud Thei will quickly aunswere that forsooth Faith alone is not sufficient and therefore they must haue the helpe of good Workes Thus with mouth they confesse God and in harte flatly renounce hym Consider also what pithie and vehement words S. Peter here vseth They denye saieth he the Lord that hath bought them Thei ought to bee subiect vnto hym as vnto their supreme Souereigne Lord whose inheritaunce thei are Now they dooe beleeue that he is the Lorde and that he redeemed the worlde by the sheadyng of his precious bloud but that he redeemed them thei cannot nor doe not beleeus neither dooe thei acknowledge and take hym for their Lorde for thei saye and confesse that he hath bought and redeemed them but yet thei are not perswaded that that is enough and sufficient because thei must thei saie discharge and satisfie for their sinnes by their Works To whom this answere maie wel be made If thou canst doe any worke to take awaie thy Synnes what good hath Christe by his death doen vnto thee For there can not bee twoo Christes to take awaie Synnes Hee as good right it is must bee acknowledged to be the onely Redeemer and taker awaie of Sinnes Whiche beeyng graunted to bee true as it is moste true thou thy self canst dooe no maner of worke to take away thy sinnes If thou do goe about or think any whit by thy works to merite Heauen thou canst not truly saie thou beleeuest that he taketh awaie thy Sinnes And this is flatly to denye Christe For although these fellowes doe acknowledge Christe to bee the Lorde yet doe they denye that he bought them Thei beleeue that he sitteth in heauen and is Lorde but the takyng awaie of Sinnes whiche is his proper and peculier office thei nippe and take quite from hym and attribute it vnto their owne woorkes and by that meanes leaue nothyng to hym but the bare name and tytle ascribyng his power woorke vertue and office vnto themselues And therefore Christ moste truely foretolde that there should come many in his name and saie I am Christ and shal deceiue many Math. xxiiij Mar. xiij For these Iusticiaries and Meritemongers thus tying Saluation to Woorkes shewe foorth in their so doyng as though they should saie not I am called Christe but I am Christ Whereby thei snatch and applye vnto themselues that office whiche is onely proper and peculier vnto Christ and so thrust Christ out of his seate and place themselues therein This is so euidently knowen that no man can truely denye it And therefore worthily doeth S. Peter tearme them damnable pernicious Heresies for thei leade a man straight to Hell insomuche that I greatly feare least in a thousande of them there is scarcely one saued For whosoeuer of them wilbee saued must quight abandon himself and all that of himself he hath or can doe yea he must franckly confesse and from the harte pronounce these wordes The rules of my vowed Obedience are nothyng worth my Chastitie can not saue me my workes can not take awaie any parte of my Sinnes c. And bryng vpon themselues swift damnation THeir damnation shall come vppon them sooner then thei thinke although God seeme to deferre his commyng and to tarie long yet will he hasten his iudgment and come tyme enough to their cost But this shall not bee corporallie and visiblie to the eye but so and in suche sorte as it is sett downe in the l.v. Psalme They shall not liue out halfe their dayes that is Death shall catch holde of them sooner then thei think so that thei
and gouerned by others For suche bee the menne that are begotten of Fleshe the Spirite beegetteth other maner of persones Thus hath God in his Scriptures very properly and aptly tearmed and sette them out in liuely colours namely thereby to giue vs to vnderstande and knowe what is to bee thought of them The Asse beeyng a dumme beaste and daiely accustomed to the yoke and burdeÌ„s signifieth the People whiche must bee content bothe to bee snaffled brideled sadled ridden vpon and to goe whiche waie thei are bidden And as this Asse was violently dealt withall and greeuously beaten when she went out of the waie and was forced to goe still forwarde till she came into suche a straite Lane where shee could not any waie either starte aside for the narownesse of the place nor goe on for the Angell that withstoode and stopped her so that she was driuen to fall doune So the poore people so often as thei feele theim selues to be hardly dealt withall and to be caried into vnsuffeâ—able errours and faine would goe aside out of that wicked waie straighwaies these seducyng Balaamites were readie with rigour and violence to bryng them into their erring waie againe and therein compelled and enforced them to goe till it pleased God to open our mouthes and to putte his Woordes therein so that now his name be praised euen young children doe talke of it Whereby their brainsicke madnesse is so notoriously detected that though thei be moste shamelesse and impudent yet can thei not choose but blushe thereat And here out of this place our Balaamites maie very fitly bee answered when as thei bragge and crie out accordyng to their wonted order that it is not meete for the Laie people as thei call theÌ„ to read the Scriptures nor to talke and conferre of the same one with an other but rather to giue eare and hearken what the Generall Councelles doe decree and what soeuer thei agree vpon that onely to bee beleeued and embraced Maie we not thus answere them That GOD speaking by a poore Asse reprooued the Prophete whiche satte on her backe of madnesse Thei now therefore beeyng infatuated and their harte whollie possessed with couetousnesse what marueile is it though God stirre vp the poore common people to declare and shewe foorthe his truthe whom thei hitherto haue surcharged with heauie burdeins and driuen whiche waie thei lifte none otherwise then a dumme seelie Asse seruyng onely to carie burdens This is therefore the similitude that sainct Peter sheweth betweene Balaam and our blinde Popishe Guides These are Welles without water and Cloudes caried about with a tempest SOlomon in the xxv of his Prouerbes vseth a similitude saiyng A manne that boasteth of false liberalitie is like Cloudes and Winde without Raine So saieth sainct Peter here in this place Thei are Welles without water and Cloudes caried about with a tempest that is they boaste of great things but thei performe nothyng thei are like Welles that are stopped and dried vp hauyng in them no water at all and yet thei beare theimselues highly vppon that title and boste themselues to bee the true Welles But the Scripture calleth theim Welles whiche teache and from whom doeth flowe and issue good and wholesome doctrine wherewith the Soules of men maie be refreshed This is the office that thei ought to doe and for this are thei appointed But alas sauyng onely the name there is no suche thyng in theim as likewise thei call theimselues Shepeheardes whereas in verie deede thei be rather rauenyng Wolues Againe thei be as Cloudes caried hither and thither with the winde Not as the thicke and blacke Cloudes that destill and droppe doune Raine vpon the earth but as the thinne and light fleetyng Cloudes in the Aire whiche are tossed and caried about hither and thither out of whom there commeth no Raine at all Euen so likewise doe these Pompous Prelates vaunt and bragge and carie loftie and high countenaunces in the Churche seducyng the worlde with their owne vaint guegawes and Traditions beyng like to light windetossed Cloudes and are contented to swaie whiche waie soeuer Sathan lifteth to carie them and to preache what soeuer maie be to his likyng but not so much as one Worde of the pure and sincere Gospell of God Which Gospell Word because none preacheth but thei that be true Preachers and Teachers therefore are thei in the v. of Esaie and other places of the Scriptures tearmed Cloudes because thei doe destill and lette fall into the hartes of their Auditorie the sweete and comfortable Water of Gods truthe and mercie To whom the blacke darknesse is reserued for euer THey liue now euen at their own pleasures euery thing accordyng to their owne hartes desires prospereth and hath good successe but there is a glommie daie toward them there shall come vpon them euerlastyng darkenesse although now thei neither beleeue it nor feele it For in speakyng swelling wordes of vanitie they beguile with wantonnes through the lustes of the fleshe them that were cleane escaped from them whiche are wrapped in errour IF ye aske how they can bee called Welles without water and Cloudes without raine sith thei preache very much euery where S. Peter maketh you this answere thei preach in deede and rayne enough and enough but their preachynges are nothyng els then swellyng and proude woordes wherewith they accloye and fill the eares of the poore seelie people whom thei make to beleeue that what thei speake is right good and Catholike whereas indeede there is nothyng more vaine fonde and childishe Thus are our lubberly Monkes wont with braue and plausible words to boaste and vaunt their Obedience Pouertie and Chastitie and all because thei would be thought of the common people to be of all menne the holiest whereas all their doings and preachinges are nothyng but mere iugglynges deceites and collusions not hauyng in theim either Faithe or Charitie And so is also this loftie vaine bragge of theirs that the state and office of a Bishoppe is an estate of perfection whereas thei that bee in that mitred state dooe nothyng but Pompously ieste the streates awaited vppon with a greate retinue of Suiters and Seruauntes as though their were great Lordes and fare like Princes riding vpon braue horses like gallant Caualieres Without any regard had to their Pastorall charge sauyng that now and then thei hallowe a Churche or consecrate an Altar or Baptize Belles for with these and suche like swellyng and vaine wordes their whole Pontificiall Law is full thwackte pestred Thei beguile with wantonnesse through the lustes of the Fleshe them that were cleane escaped from them whiche are wrapped in errour THE drifte of these Welles and these Teachers is none other but to entangle and catche in their snares the selie Soules that had scarcely afore escaped As namelie children lately Baptized and newly receiued into the Church and washed from their synnes deliuered from Adam and engraffed into Christ them I saie waxyng somwhat bigge