beleue vpon hym And beside that offendeth in wordes againste Christe and againste his blessed Sacramentes after the maner aforesayde our Sauiour Christe is Lapis offensionis petra scandali As sainte Peter sayeth here he is a stumblyng Stone such a one as men take harme of and be agreued withall not for occasion geuen of hym but by the pryde of mens hartes and sturdinesse or hardnes in not beleuynge The Iewes were offended and thought amisse of Christe because they sawe him in the infirmitie of his flesh They sawe him eat and drinke slepe and laboure as other men did They knewe his bryngynge vp in youthe and where he was nursed and who was his mother who were his kinsfolkes This made a great meyny of them to shake him of and in no wise to beleue vppon him and by that this stone fell vpoÌ„ them al to crasshed theÌ„ to naught Quia super quem ceciderit lapis iste conteret enim Math. xxi On whom so euer this stone falleth it wyl braye hym and crashe hym And in that place Christe sayeth that some men falleth on this stone and breaketh or hurteth theim selues on it And on others this Stone falleth and brayeth theim or crassheth them as corne or other grayne is brayed betwixt two mill stones or in a querne They that conseruynge and kepynge their fayeth yet falleth sometymes to synne They fall vpon the stone and taketh harme and be hurt by their fall As when a christen man or woman not erring in the articles of our fayth yet by infirmitie of the flesshe or by temptation of the deuill falleth to synne they fall on Christe this liuynge Stone and hurteth theim selues right sore bringynge them selues in daunger of death and damnation euerlastyng and makyng them selues more vnable to resist synne an other tyme for the oftener thou sinnest the more redy thou shalt be to sinne againe and the more vnable to resist temptation but when a man or woman falleth to infidelitie or to heresie then fare well For this stone falleth vpon them and breaketh theim to duste and to asshen euerlastynge Qui non credit iam iudicatus est He that beleueth not is iudged already The sentence is geuen and past in the mynde and foreknowledge of the iudge our Sauioure Christ. Because that saint Peter saith here that Christ was Lapis offensioÌ„is Petra scandali The stone that men shoulde take hurte by and that by him men shoulde take occasion to fall euen as the prophetes hadde saide of him afore And as the Gospels reherseth of hym likewyse I thinke it necessarye to demore and tarye in the declaration of that maner of speakynge of the Scriptures and what is meaned by the same Luke ii It is written that when Christes foster father and Mary his mother presented him in the temple as the lawe was The holye and well disposed man Symeon toke hym in hys armes with great ioye because he knew it was he that shold be the consolation and comforte of Israell And he knewe the tyme was then come or very neare hande when Christe shoulde come He knewe it also by reuelation of the holye Gooste that then moued hym to goe to the Temple as it is there sayde Et venit in spiritu in templum Where after great ioye of that he hadde seene he then desiered to be let go in peace to dye And among other thinges he saide this plainely to Marye the blessed Mayde and mother of Christe as a cordiall or rather a corosiue Ecce positus est hic in ruinam in resurrectionem multorum in Israel insignum cui contradiceretur Et tuam ipsius animam pertransibit gladius Loe sayeth he Thys childe is set to make men fall and to make many men to ryse among the people of Israel And he is set as a signe or a mark that folke wil couÌ„tersay speke against And as for your part said he to Marie his mother the sworde of sorowe shall pearce your harte which yet shall redound and turne to the comfort of manye others Here you see that this blessed man sayde that Christe shoulde be the ruyne of many a one and suche a one as should be countersaid and spoken against of manie others And. Mat. xi When sainte Iohn Baptist sente two of his disciples to Christe to aske him a question for their learnynge whether it was he that they loked for that aboute that time they knew shoulde come to saue mankinde or whether they should loke for another Because they shoulde not saye as the Iewes were euer ready and wonte to saye Tu de te ipso testimonium dicis testimonium tuum non est veruÌ„ Thou bearest witnesse of thy selfe thy witnesse is not true Christe referred them to his workes that by them he might allure them to beleue vpon him knowynge that the blinde were made to see The lame were made to goe The leprouse be made cleane the deafe to heare â–ª The deade were raysed to lyfe againe and that the poore were taughte the Gospell and good tydynges of lyfe euerlastynge And at laste he saied vnto theim Beatus est qui non fuerit scandalizatus in me Blessed is hee that by me taketh none occasion to fall or to offende In whiche wordes Christe touched the messengers and manye others by them They sawe hym a mortall man as other were they could scarce beleue any Godhed in him yet seinge that Christ knewe their wan and fainte beleue and the secretes of their hartes this made them to haue more affiance beleue vpoÌ„ him for it is aboue y e knowlege of a pure maÌ„ to knowe y e secretes of an other mans minde They knewe he spoke by theÌ„ he knew they wer offended by y t thei saw in him And not onely these messengers of sainte Iohn but also manie a thousand others be offended by Christe and by Christes woordes euerye daye Because men see not the bloud runne about the Priestes fingers in the masse at the fractions of the Sacrament they be so harde harted and so dul in beleue that thei wil not beleue that Christ saide true when he saide this is my bodye or my fleshe and bloude in the sacrament of the aultare because thei perceiue not by it as they do bi other fleshe and bloud in the Shambles not beleuing that Christe by his Godlye power causeth and maketh his owne fleshe and bloud there secretelye vnder the fourme of breade and wyne for to augment and encreace the merite of our fayeth which shold be smal or none if we saw that with our bodelye eyes that wee see by the fayethfull eyes of our christen hartes They that be addict and wedded to their carnall senses their fyâ—e wits be offended and agreued to here that they muste beleue that thinge that they see not And euen so they iudge by sacramentall confession of sinnes thinkynge men no more bounde nowe to be confessed nother anye otherwyse then to God because that
you maye iudge of the cause the effecte is nought therfore there must neades be some faulte in the cause But what saiest thou Is not the studye of Scripture good Is not the knowledge of the Gospels and of the newe Testamente godlye good and profitable for a christian manne or woman I shall tell you what I thinke in this matter I haue euer bene of this minde that I haue thought it no harme but rather good and profitable that holie Scripture shoulde be hadde in the mother tong and with holden from no manne that were apte and mete to take it in hande specially if we coulde get it well and truely translated whyche wyll be verye harde to be hadde But who be meete and able to take it in hande there is the doubte I shall declare this doubte by an other like The Philosopher i. Ethi Declareth who be mete and conuenient hearers of the science of morall philosophie And there he excludeth from the studie of that learnyng all yonge menne and women whether they be yonge in age or yonge in maners and condicions they that be yonge in yeares be no conueniente hearers of Morall philosophye because they lacke experience of thinges that be taughte in that facultye which be Actes of vertue and vertuousse lyuynge principallye intended in Morall Philosophye of such maner of liuynge youth hath no experience or very little and therfore they can not discerne theim from their contraries when they heare them spokē of neither discerne the meanes whiche be vertues from the extremities that be vyces no more then a blinde man can iudge colours frō their contraries or can perceiue y t how muche the nigher that any meane colour draweth to white so muche the more it scattereth and disperseth the sight and hurteth it or on the cōtrarie parte howe muche the nyer in degrees it approcheth to the blacke coloure so muche the more it gathereth the syghte closse together and helpeth the sight and comforteth it To tel thys tale to a blinde manne is all laboure loste for he can not tell what you meane after Aristotle because a childe knoweth not the actes of vertue of whiche Morall philosophye treateth for the ende of that philophye is well doynge and good liuynge Therfore to teache a childe the rules of that facultie is a vaine laboure And also because youth is much geuen to folowe their affections and their lustes they be no kindly scholers of morall philosophye for the vehement inclinations that they haue to do their luste maketh them that morall lessons teachynge the exercise of vertue canne not printe in them And for the same cause they that be yong in maners though they be olde in yeres as the counsaylers of Roboam Salomons sonne were And such as be a great meyny of our lustye yonkers now adayes olde inoughe to be wise and yet as lewde they be as they were at twelue yeare olde and muche worse They be so headstrong and so obstinately set to satisfie their concupiscence and to take their pleasure that they will not learne any lessons for the contrarye And so they can not attaine to the ende of morall philosophie which is vertuous workes Women also a frayle kinde verye obedient to their fansies and to earnestly and eagerly folowynge their lustes be verye vnmete scholers of morall philosophye Nowe to my purpose the ende of Diuinitie is good doinge as appeareth plainelye by Moyses and the Prophetes in the olde Testament by our sauiour Christe in the Gospels and by the Apostles in their Epistles in manye places And therfore diuinitie is not called a speculatiue science but a science of practise or doinge Then as the Philosopher reasoneth of the hearers of philosophye I maie saie likewise that children whether they be children in yeres or childrē in cōdicions vicious maners for their wilful pronitie headines to satisfie their lustes pleasures whether they be menne or women can not perceiue the differences and diuersitie of such good works as be taught in diuinitye nother y e things that be spoken of in diuinitie their passiōs doth so sequester and alienate their wittes from consideracion of them that they shall be little or nothing the better for hearing of theim if they come where they maye heare of them as at sermons lessons and exhortacions to which they come verie seldome they loue nothinge worse and thinke no tyme worse spent thē y e time while thei be hearing the word of god ful like thē that our sauiour Christ speaketh of Mat. xiii reciting y e propheci of Esai Auribus grauiter audierunt It greued thē to heare the woorde of God et oculos suos clauserunt they shut fast their eyes Nequādo oculis videant Lest they might se with their eyes y e works of Christ the right way to heauen And least they should heare with their eares with good will vnderstād the liueli word of god that might saue their soules might be conuerted frō their misliuing that so I might heale them saith Christe from the sores of their soules that be their synnes For in al such maner of sayinges you muste vnderstād y t the impossibilitie yea rather the difficulty to do wel is of our self onely not of god Therfore s. Austine saith they could not beleue by which it is to be vnderstand that they wolde not beleue they wold not molifie their hartes to receiue holy instruction How maye a mā teache thē whether charitie or loue be y e vertue or work of the body or the soule or of both or whether it be the worke of reason or of the wil. Likewise of fruition in whiche shall stand our beatitude glory in heauen whether it be the operation of the wit or of the wil or of both And also of Angels what maner thinges they be howe God speaketh to thē one of thē to another thoughe thei haue no tōges And how thei mai moue frō place to place considering that they fill no place for thei be no bodies A hūdred such things must be considered in the scriptures whiche it is but vain labour to teach children neither to thē that be childish leud in cōdicions I meane thē that of election of very purpose doth nought hath a pleasure in noughtye liuyng in which neyther such high cōsideracions as I now touched neither any moral rules or lessons of good liuing cā print or haue place they be so blinded by yll custome roted in the contrarie vices in vicious liuing Neither to the most part of women being very sensual parsons and much addict giuē to folow their lusts affections which here amōg you in this town not onely studieth y e scriptures but also teacheth it and disputeth it S. Paule i. Corinth xiiii woulde that a woman if she wold learne anye thing for her soule health she should aske of her husbande at home that he may teach her if he be so well learned
dwelleth dawes and crowes the vawtes and rouffes be so ruinous that no man dare well come vnder them Where is Troye where be the olde Emperies and monarchies of the Assirians of the Caldeis Medes Persies and of Rome whose Emperours had vnder them in maner all the worlde for theyr tyme Where is the deuotion that noble men and ryche marchauntes hath had to magnifie and encrease Goddes seruice to his honoure If God had not preserued our mooste gratious Soueraigne Kinge Henry the eyght whiche by his princelie zele loue and deuotion to God hath erecte this Cathedrall Churche of Bristowe and manye other suche within this Realme God knoweth what case diuine seruice should haue bene in All thinge waxeth olde and decayeth in processe of time so that corruption and decayeth in processe of time so that corruption and deathe is the ende Seconde how frequēt and many infirmities raigneth we see dayly infections of pestilence pockes great and small these new burninge agues and innumerable others more then the Phisicions haue written of in their bookes These contaminate and defowleth mens bodies by infections aches and paines euen to death And what corruption and infection of maners commeth to the soule by euill examples ill wordes and suche other occasions it were to long to be spoken of nowe Thirde the comon sterilitie and barennes of the grounde the great scarsitie of all maner of vitall and of fruites of the earth we feele it so many times to our great paine and discomfort that it nede not to be declared But the inheritance that as saint Peter saith here is kept for vs in heauen hath thre proprieties cōtrarie to these thre rehersed ther is no rotting ruine corruptiō or decay but immortalitie cōtrarie to all feare of death There is no feablenes of sicknes ther is none infection of body by corrupt ayre nor of soule by temptacion or by euill example for into that glorious citie and dwelling place can no vncleane thynge enter or come Thirde there shall nothing welow or wyther away but shall euer be kept freshe and floorishing by that well of life almighty God Ther shall be no lothesomnes or werynes by long vse and continuaunce as there is in all worldly plea pleasures there shall all good men and women shine like the sonne Math. xiii Oh good Lorde what beutie and brightnes shal our soules haue when our bodies shall be as bright as the sunne There shal be no heauines no labour no payne no sorowe no feare no death but euer still shall continue health of bodye and minde There shall neuer rise discentiō or debate betwixt neighbour and neighbour no miserie no nede or necessitye no hunger no thurst no cold to hurt the ne heate to enflame thee no faintnes for fasting no sluggardie for much eating no temptacion of oure gostly enemies The fleshe shal not resist against the spirite ther shal be no wil to sinne nor possibilitie to offēd But our sauiour Christ wil giue vs suche pleasure with the companye and felowship of the glorious angels as no hart can think nor any tonge expresse This ioyfull inheritaunce is conserued and kept in store in heauen saith sainte Peter for you that by vertue and power of god be kept by faith vnto saluation whiche is readye to be shewed in the last time at the generall iudgement Here he saithe that this inheritaunce is kepte in store not for all men that be regenerate by baptisme but onely for suche as perseuer and continue in goodnes to the ende by Gods speciall preseruation For perseuerance commeth principallye of God and of our selfe but secundarelye and is necessary for all them that will be saued Nam in cassum bonum agitur si ante terminum vite deseratur saith saint Gregory Good workes be done but all in vayne if they be left and giuen ouer afore the ende of a mans life For he that gyueth ouer and ceasseth to do wel afore he haue proued the vttermost of it or be come to the ende is lyke an Ape whose condition is when he tasteth the vtter hull or huske of an nutte and perceiueth it sowre and bitter casteth awaye the nutte afore he hathe tasted the swetenes of the curnell And cur Sauiour Christ saith in the parable of hym that woulde borowe breade of hys neyghbour Luke xi Si perseuerauerit pulsans c. If he continue still knockyng if hys frende wyll not giue it hym because he is his frende yet for hys importunitie continuall crauynge he wyll ryse and gyue him as manye as he hath neede of And he telleth vs what is the instrument or meane by which God dothe preserue vs and make vs to perseuer and continue in grace and good liuynge It is faithe and suche lyke faithe as I spoke of hope euen nowe sayinge that God hath regenerate vs by hys greate mercye into a lyuelye hope and so the faythe by whyche GOD keepeth vs is a lyuelye faithe adorned with Charitie and with good woorkes accordinglye By faithe Christe abydeth in oure hartes by whose presence wee ouercome all assaultes of oure gostlye enemyes Fayth maketh vs to vnderstande the fylthe and vncleanenesse of synne that so wee maye abhorre synne and flee from it Hec est victoria que vincit mundum fides nostra i. Iohn v. Thys is the victorye that ouercommeth the worlde oure faythe saythe Saynte Iohn it ouercommeth the pleasures of the fleshe tellynge vs that the fleshe is lyke a fellon giltye and most worthly condempned to mortalitie and death and euer still resisting and feighting against y e spirite wherfore it deserueth rather tortures paine and punishment then delicates or plesures Faith also maketh vs to know that the Apostle saith Si secundum carnem vixeritis moriemini if ye liue after the pleasures of the fleshe ye shall die wherefore if ye haue folowed your carnall pleasures eating and drinking reuealing and rioting in this holye time of Christmas lately past which ye should haue spent in deuotion and holynes ye muste repent your faulte and do penaunce therefore Faith maketh vs to contemne and dispise worldly wealth and riches as the dyuels mowse snatch and snare that maketh a man to catche hold others mens goodes so long till the diuell hath caught them and hold them in his danger Saint Paule saith i. Tim. vi Qui volunt diuites fieri incidunt in tentationes et in laqueum diaboli c. They that wil be made riche falleth into temptacions and snare of the dyuell and into many desires vnprofitable and noysom which drowneth men into death and destructiō therefore he biddeth the sayde Timothe to commaunde the riche men of the worlde not to be to highe in their own conceite nor to trust in the vncerteintie of their riches but in the liuinge God which giueth vs all thinges abundantly aswell to bring vs to the eternall fruition of the glorious Godhed as to liue by in this worlde Fayth contempneth despiseth honours
vs as it were marueilynge whye wee shoulde thinke so saiynge who is he that will hurte you if you be the folowers of good dedes as Saynte Paule speaketh Tit. ii Sectatores bonorum â—peruÌ„â— Ensuers and folowers of good workes but rather wil fauour you cherish you And so wil all good men do Yea good s. Peter why askest thou that questioÌ„ Doest thou maruel of this I praye the why was Ieremye the Prophete stoned to death Why was Esay sawed to deathe Was it not for their good liuinge and for their Preaching And why wer thou thi self thy felowes y e apostles so bitterly thretened coÌ„mauÌ„ded y t you shold no more preach in christes name Was it not because you folowed the thing y t was good Why wer you cast into the coÌ„mon geyle at y t time when y e angel of god in the night time opened the prysoÌ„ dore bade you go and staÌ„d in the teÌ„ple and speak al the words of this christeÌ„ life Act. v. And afterward when Gamaliel had by his counsel somwhat stated the malice of y e officers yet you were wel beateÌ„ coÌ„mauÌ„ded to speake no more in Christes mane And also when Herode agrippa would haue slain thee as he hadde done Iames brother to saynte Iohn to gratifie the Iewes And finallye when Nero caused thee to be killed in dede was not all this because thou were Emulator boni et sectator bonorum operum A good doer Why was saynte Stephan martyred and likewise a great multitude in the Primitiue churche was it not for well doinge And in the Gospell of this present third sonday of Lent when Christ had cast out a deuil out of a man that was both dombe deafe blinde The people marueiled praised the miracle where others as the Scribes and Phariseis said he wrought that myracle by the power of Belzebub chiefe of the deuils So that where they durste not hurte hym wyth their handes they did the worst they coulde to hurt him wyth their malicicious tongues And you good neighbours here in Bristowe I trowe you learned of them that I haue spoke of If a man abstaine from whitemeate this holye time of Lente you will call him hypocrite and dawe fole and so rap at him and strike him with youre venemous tongues and vse him as an â—biecte excludynge him out of your companie where he ought rather to be afrayed of your company to abhorre it because of your carnal lust to please the mouth and the bealy and for your euill example geuing to others you be such as Iude speaketh of in his epistle In epulis suis macule conuiuantes When you be on your Ale benche or in your bankets at the whot and strong wine you spot your own soules and spotteth others by your euill tonges and yll examples teachinge youthe to be as euill as you bee Then haue at the preachers then they hurte men with their rayling tongues and more hurt they woulde do with their handes if it were not for feare of the kinges lawes You hadde nede to amend this maner you must be content to heare your fauts tolde you that you maie so ameÌ„d theÌ„ for feare lest the deuill leade you still in your affectate and blinde ignoraunce till he haue brought you to the blinde exteriour darkenes in hell where he woulde haue you Cherishe your Preachers as besemeth good men to do or at the lestwise if you will do them no good do theÌ„ no hurt lest God take their parte and execute his vengeance against you And then to the preachers and to al good liuers I saie that if the worst fal that you be troubled with euill persons that haue no respect to your good liuing but that will rather inuent matters againste you and pike quarels by whiche they maye vnquiete you and trouble you let your trouble gender patience and so you shall conuert necessitie vnto vertue makinge a matter of vertue of it Count your selues blessed in that you suffer for Iustice sake This lesson Sainte Peter learned of our maister Christe Math. v. Beati qui persecutionem patiuntur propter iusticiam quoniam ipsorum est regnum celorum Blessed be they saith Christe that suffer persecution for Iustice and good liuynges sake for their paine and sorow shall be recompenced with ioyes euerlastinge in Heauen the paine shall be but shorte but the pleasure shall neuer haue end Therefore feare you not any thing that semeth to them terrible and fearefull that woulde peruert and ouerthrowe a carnall worldly person and that you be not turned froÌ„ your vertue nor from any good purpose by their thunder boltes comminations threatenynges prisonmente or other punishement let none such trouble you Dominum autem Christum sanctificate in cordibus vestris But that you sanctifie our Lord and master Christes in your heartes Sanctus significat firmum sanctificare firmare Make Christe sure in your heartes so that he go not from your remembraunce nother out of your loue for fear of any trouble or payne Parati semper ad satisfactionem omni poscenti vos rationem de ea que in vobis est spe fide Euer being ready to satisfie euerye maÌ„ that asketh you the reason of the hope faith that is in you For they that be better learned more exercised in christen religion muste instruct them that be ignare not learned as charitably and soberly teaching theÌ„ by sensible plaine examples perswasions as they can And if they y t wold inquire of our faith be infidels or els peraduenture heretikes that haue swarued froÌ„ the coÌ„mon receiued faith of Christes churche If such wold be inquisitiue busy questioning rather to take vs in faut by our answers to put vs to rebuke theÌ„ for zeale or loue to learning as though our hope wer of things neuer like to be obteined or gotteÌ„ our faith wer w tout reasoÌ„ â–ª or of things vnpossible or vnlikely not worthy to be accept or receued of any wise maÌ„ yet thei may be answered reasonably That if the thinges y t we hope beleue wer not so obscure remoued froÌ„ our carnal senses as thei be our merit shold be but smal therfore because god wold reward vs abundaÌ„tly for our faith for our hope he wold vs to take more pain theÌ„ for to adheir stick to such things only as we se afore our face Many there be that be so addict wedded to their bodely senses that they will not beleue muche more then experience sheweth theÌ„ or then that they may attaine to by their owne grosse reasons by that shewing them selues not much better theÌ„ brute beastes And of such sturdy hardnes of hert coÌ„meth this diffideÌ„ce wauering about the veritie of Christes body bloud in the most reuereÌ„d sacrameÌ„t of the altar And about the state of souls after this preseÌ„t life w t many such other matters of our faith whiche be now adayes
in the noughty sorte of christen people deposirio sordium carnis a clensinge and wasshinge away of the filth of the flesh by the water of baptisme when they were christened but it preuayled not to eternall saluation because they lacked a faythfull conscience well instructed examined and tried towarde GOD by the resurrection of Christ from the dead that like as he rose from the dead so our consciences should ryse frome deade workes of synne to liuelye workes of grace and vertue no more to dye or synne agayne whiche is in the right hande of God swalowynge vp consuminge and destroyinge death that so we might be made inheritours of euerlastinge life That a man swaloweth he consumeth so that it shall no more appeare in the fourme and fashion that it was of afore so Christe made by his death that death shuld be consumed in as much as by his death the deuyl that is the auctor causer of death was ouercome his heart was burst He begilinge and deceiuyng oure fyrste parentes kylled them â–ª and made them and all theyr posteritie subiect to death but kylling the latter man the latter Adam our Sauioure Christe he loste the fyrste man oute of his snares whiche kylled his hearte and was verye death to him He had power to bringe all them to death that descended of Adam whome he hadde kylled yf they came of hym by carnall propagation takinge of him the spotte of sinne but abusinge his libertie and procuringe the death of our moost innocent Sauioure Christe that came not of the sede of Adam by generation betwixt two parentes nor had any spotte of sinne by Adam he was worthy to lose his libertie and so he loste an infinite numbre of them that he thought him self sure of and dayly loseth his expectation and none can gette but suche as wylfully wyll runne into his daunger After this victorye ouer the deuyll Christ went vp into heauen as S. Peter sayth here and had subiect vnto him Aungels potestates and vertues where S. Peter expresseth three orders of Aungels of heauen to be subdued and subiecte vnto Christ by them vnderstandinge al the residue of the Aungels which as S. Dionise in his boke de celesti Hierarchia writeth according to that he had learned of his maister S. Paule by whome he was baptised and also taughte in the catholyke fayth be diuided into .iii. Hierarchies Euery Hierarchie conteyninge .iii. orders of Aungels and so they make nine ordres in the whole Saint Dionise that wrytte his booke of these heauenly creatures was S. Paules disciple and scoler and learned of him that could best declare the truthes of theim in as muche as he was rapte into heauen and there sawe suche secretes as a man might not speake Notwithstandinge as muche as semed to agree to mortall mans capacitie for to knowe as was mete and profitable for men to learne he declared to this blessed S. Dionise and to others of his disciples that had theyr wittes illuminate aboue others whiche the sayde S. Dionise committed to writing in his boke rehearsed that the posteritie that shoulde come after him in Christes churche mighte be instructe by the same In the sayde boke he rehearsed the names of euerye order of aungels in euery one of the saide Hierarchies The fyrste and highest Hierarchie conteyninge the .iii. orders Seraphin Cherubin and Thronos The seconde conteyneth Dominationes virtutes potestares The thirde Hierarchie and lowest hath in it these thre orders Principatus Archangelos et Angelos As appereth by s. Dionise in the sayde boke Cap vi vii.viii .ix. And by S. Gregory Homil .xxxiiii. super Euangelia All these were subiecte and subdued to Christes manhod when he came to heauen by his marueilous ascension Of all these orders Saint Peter in this place rehearseth thre orders one of the loweste Hierarchie Angelis and two of the middle Hierarchie potestates et virtutes by them vnderstandinge all the other Aungels which though they were euer sith theyr fyrst creation subiecte and subdued to Christes Godheade yet here in this place he maketh speciall mention of theyr subiection to Christ that he might shewe that the humanitie of Christ was so exalted and set alofte by his ascension whiche Saint Peter here speaketh of that it was preferred and set aboue the excellencie of all the Aungels of heauen Accordinge to the sayinge of the Prophet Omnia subiecisti sub pedibus eius And Saint Paul phil Dedit illi no men quod est super omne nomen vt in nomine Iesu omne genu flectatur celestium terrestrium infernorum GOD the father hath geuen hym a name aboue all names that to his name all creatures in heauen in earth and of hel shall bowe the knee and be subdued and obediente vnto him To whome be all honour and glorye for euer Amen The .xiiii. treatise or sermon The fourth Chapiter CHristo igitur passo in carne vos eadem cogitatione armamini quia qui passus est in carne de siit a peccatis c. The blessed Apostle Saynt Peter in diuers places of this epistle that we haue in hande vehemently extolleth and coÌ„mendeth the most aboundant mercy of God by whiche he hath regenerate and gotten vs agayne to lyfe where we were afore by oure carnall parentes gotten to death And we see by experience that one that hath a greate affection or vehement loue to any thinge wyll be euer busie as it were one that coulde neuer haue done or that woulde be euer gladde to speake of it So Saint Peter coulde neuer geue thankes ynoughe he euer inculcateth bringeth in the remembrauÌ„ce of the benefyt of oure redemption because we shoulde euer haue it in minde And because it is not ynough to remember it but we must also in our liuinge conforme oure selues to the same holynes he geueth vs manye holesome morall lessons and fatherly exhortations teachinge vs to lyue vertuousely and holyly contrarye to vices and vicious liuinge And because our regeneration and sanctification coÌ„meth by baptisme whiche taketh his efficacitie and strength of Christes bloude shedde in his payneful passion therfore euer amonge he speaketh of the excellente mysterye of the sayde passion of Christe and of his gloryous resurrection by whiche as he sayd in the ende of the thyrde Chapiter whiche I declared in my laste sermon vpon the same he swalowed vp drowned and consumed death of the soule to make vs heyres of lyfe euerlastynge And in as muche as the worlde and the spyryte be aduersaries and euer at variaunce euen so be worldlye and carnall personnes enemyes to spirituall personnes Spirituall I call good lyuers that worketh accordynge to the inclination and styringe of the holye spyryte the holye gooste Then considerynge that the carnall people be the more sorte and the greater number and the good lyuers be fewer in number it is no maâ—ueyle that good people suffereth muche wo vexation and trouble in this worlde that were able to ouerthrowe a
taketh awaye all goodnesse spoyleth the Soule from all vertues burneth vp all that he findeth wyth the fire of luste and of vnlawfull concupiscence and ouerturneth all the walles and defences of discipline and of good instruction that was wonte to awarde and defende the Soule frome his enemyes Like as in example and figure it is written i. Macha i. That Antiochus illustris kynge of Syria sende into Hierusalem the captayne of his Tributes wyth a greate Armye of fightynge men whiche firste spoke faire to them intreatyng of peace In dolo al in gile As to make thē thinke he came for their commoditie to do theim good but as sone as he was receiued he robbed and spoyled the citye he set it on fire destroyed the walles and brought all to nought Euen so dothe the deuill by the soule of manne when he is once entred and harboured there Factum hoc ad insidias sanctificationi in diabolum malum in Israell All that turneth to the harme hurt of al the temple of God of all holines of the soule of man is a great deuil in Israel an horrible rauener enemy to godly contemplation to al deuotion And you must vnderstād that in some mē sin is a gest or a straūger in some other he is one of housholde yea rather a king or a ruler as in example Incōtinency or lechery was in king Dauid but as a straūger as apereth by the parable or riddles that Nathan the prophet proposed to king Dauid of a rich man that had many shepe of his owne and yet he stole from a pore man one pore shepe that he had and no more for meat to fede his gest or straunger that came vpō him Parcens ille sumere de ouibus bebus suis vt exhiberet conuiuium illi perigrino qui venerat ad se tulit ouem viri pauperis parauit cibū illi qui venerat ad se. ii re xii All this was said for y e reproch of king Dauid which hauing many wiues of his owne yet to satisfy and feade his lecherous lust which is here called his gest or straunger he toke the shepe of his pore neighbour the wife of Vry abused her to satisfie his vnlawfull lust This adulterie and vnlawefull luste in hym was not domesticall or of housholde but came sodainelye vpon him as a straunger and sone after went away as appeareth by his penaunce that he toke by and by saiyng peccaui domino I haue sinned against god He spared not to confesse his fault wherupon god was mercifull to him as the prophet thē told him saiyng Dominus trāstulit peccarū God hath taken away thi sinne thou shalt not dye for it So blessed is he which after his offence whether it be by the flesh or by the worlde hath grace to take repentance and to do penance For in such a person sinne is not of houshold but only as a gest or a stranger Example we haue how sin is somtime of houshold cōtinuing as a lorde or king by Salomō of whō it is writtē iii. reg xi when he was an old man his hart was made croked and naughtye by women so that he worshipt false Gods and his hart was not straight and perfit wyth our Lord God as the harte of his father Dauid was His vnlawefull luste maistred hym and kepte him vnder euen to hys ende and as it is to bee feared to the extreame peryll of hys soule And so in others when their customable synne comtinueth to the ende it is a shrewde signe that it raygneth and is a Lorde or a kynge in them All such cōmers and goers whether they be as gests or as of housholde muste be put out of the dores or els they wyll destroye their hoste that harboreth them Almighty God when he is harbored and lodged by his grace in your soules is a profitable gest that all the house shall fare the better for all shall prospere in Godlinesse and goodnes where he inhabiteth One way to winne him and to brynge him to our house is by the liberall receiuynge of hys pore seruauntes to some sustenaunce whiche I called euangelicall hospitalitie or viandry for whiche he that vseth it shall be inuited to the euerlastyng refreshyng in heauen Hospes eram colligistis me sayeth Christe I was a geste or a straunger and you called me in and brought about me al things necessary which Christe reputeth as done to him self when it is bestowed vpon his pore and neady creatures And this must be done sine murmuratione without murmure or grudgynge For he that is liberal or free and large of giftes with murmuryng grudgyng hath not tre liberalitie but lasheth out as for a cloke to couer hide his nigardnesse and not without some priuy grefe in his hart for wasting of his substance The murmurer grudger w t his well doing hath the property of a hog which slepyng in his stye waking and going abrode to his fedyng vseth to grunt and grone as it were one neuer pleased but thinkynge all to muche that he dothe be it neuer so little As it is writ of the vnkind people of Israel Num. xi Ortum est murmur populi quasi dolentium pre labore There rose a grudge among them as they hadde bene folkes being sory for their labours Euen so they that geueth and yet groneth withal semeth to be sorie for their goods as lest they shold haue nothing lefte or that their goodes should fayle and be wasted and decay if they should helpe the neady Your hospitalitie or viandre muste also be without grudging not disdaining y t an other mā is more cōmended thē you ether for interteining feding more thē you do or els for making them better chere thē you do for such grudgyng groweth cōmeth of enuy And enuy cōmeth of vayne glory for no man enuieth another as better estemed taken thē he but because he would be best estemed taken him self which is plaine vanitie pride vain glory To auoid this euery mā shold helpe an other according to his talent abilitie And he shal be rewarded accordynge to his good wil in y t he hath not in y t he hath not as s Paule saith ii Co. ix Si enim volūtas prōpta est secundū id quod haber accepta est nō secundū id quod nō habet If the wyll be prompte and readye GOD is pleased wyth it if it woorke accordynge to hys substaunce for it is not required nother loked for that a man shuld do more then he may or then his goodes wyll extend to or beare And contrary to all suche grudging as Saint Peter reproueth here the Apostle Saint Paule exhorteth vs. Rom. viij Qui prebet in hillaritate He that giueth should giue with a good chere and wyth a mery hart And .ij. Corin. ix Hillarem datorem diligit deus He saythe God loueth a cherable gyuer and to suche
geueth good comforte sayinge if you be vmbrayded and missaied for vsynge vertue and iustice that is for Christes sake you be blessed for euerlastinge blessing is promised you And that perteineth to honoure to glorye and to the vertue of GOD and also his holye spirite resteth vpon you In this present lyfe you shall be worthye to haue honoure in youre good workes and for well doynge and vertuous lyuinge Nam honor est praemium virtutis Honor is the rewarde for vertue and in time to come you shall be partakers of Christes honour And nowe you shall haue the glorye of a pure cleare conscience whiche is the glory of a Christen man and the very waye to come to glorye of body and soule Gloria nostra haec est testimonium conscientie nostrae ii Cor. i. This is my glory saith S. Paul the witnes of mine owne conscience without remorse or grudge for my conuersation hath be in simplicitie amonge you without carnall or crafty subteltie or deceipt saith S. Paule Euen like glorye of your owne consciences shall reste vpon you whiche shall comfort you agaynst the insulties and sclauderous raylinge of all your aduersaries Let them say what they wyll you can not let them you know your selues cleare and fautles and the vertue and strength of God ouer the deuyll and all his membres shall also reste vpon you and no marueyle for his holy spirite the holy goost the causer of these benefites and of all other goodnes resteth vpon you and therefore as muche as in them is almightie God that resteth in you is missaid and rayled at in you but as in you and for your part and as you muste take it he is glorified and that is said redoundeth to his glorye by you Nemo autem vestrum patiatur vt homicida aut fur aut maledicus aut alienorum appetitor When you take paine and be rayled on for iustices sake you maye be gladde But I woulde not sayth S. Peter here that any of you shoulde suffer for manslaughter as a murtherer or as a thefe or as a sclaunderer or backbiter or blasphemer or as one that goeth about to take awaye other mens goodes to spoile and robbe them The theues suffer imprisonmēt and death for theyr offences this paine they suffer for theyr iniquitie Heretikes be likewise put to shame and many times to death for theyr misbeleife and heresies and for blaspheminge and missayinge Gods holy scriptures to the yl example and peruerting of many a christen soule bringing them also to like damnation There be none such to be reputed blessed for theyr paines sufferyng because it is not for Christe nor for iustice sake but for theyr owne faultes yll doinges and ill sayinges but yet some suche men and women that haue so suffred for theyr faultes be so obstinate in theyr malice and so glory in theyr errors and iniquitie that they be not ashamed to saye they beare theyr crosse with Christe when they beare theyr fagottes in open penaunce to escape theyr burninge They beare theyr crosse in dede as the thefe dydde that was hanged on Christes lefte syde not to theyr saluation but to theyr cōdempnation which they here beginne and in hell shall consummate perfourme and continue the same for euer Si autem vt Christianus non erubescat sayth S. Peter If you suffer as a Christen man or woman eyther displeasures in body and goodes or by wordes for that thou arte a good Christen man or liueste like a good christen man or woman be not ashamed what so euer be sayd or done against the but rather glorify God giue laude and prayse and thankes to God that hath geuen the grace to be thought worthye to suffer contumely or despites for Christes name Glorificet autem deum in isto nomine quoniam tempus est vt incipiat iudicium a domo dei For nowe is the time for the iudgement of God to beginne at the house of God The iudgement beginneth in our lyfe time for whiche you muste note that the iudgement of God is of two maners one is priuie and secrete the other shall be manifest and openly knowen to all men and women The fyrste is in this life the other shalbe at the day of dome and the generall iudgement For almighty God will leaue no ill vnpunished therfore in as much as he sharpely wyll punishe sinfull persons with the intollerable paynes of hell with the deuylles after this lyfe he suffreth them to take their pleasure while they be here a while and to leade a mery life in welth in prosperitie but at a trise sodenly they be plucked awaye and descendeth downe into hell to that vntollerable and eternall iudgement And when God sendeth to such malefactours any paynes or trouble they fret and chafe rayle and grudge agaynste GOD and in theyr rage dyeth and beginneth theyr hell with paynes and sorowe here that hereafter in hell shall continue for euermore no tounge can expresse the sorowe and paynes that there shall be But others that by suche strokes and correction as God sendeth them be exercised for theyr purgation and be made better and better taketh them for a warning to conuert and amend their liues such correction doth thē much good Therfore it is written Iob. v. Beatus homo qui corripitur a domino Blessed is the man or woman that is correct and punished of our lord God And the reason is this for if mannes correction maye be good and holesome then Gods correction muste nedes be much more holesome for man knoweth not parfitly the maner and measure of holsome correction neither is omnipotent to take awaye the punishment when it is ynoughe or when he lyste ▪ nor to do good and to ease a man in tyme conuenient but God by his omnipotency by that he is almightie and knoweth all thinges he knoweth how much or how litle he maye punishe his childe and seruaunt and he euer punisheth hym to do him good either to trie him and to proue his constauncy or to make him amende his lyfe For there is no man liuinge that can say he is all cleare but that he hath sinned or done amisse and many things that in our iudgement semeth to be iust and well done yet in the iudgemente of God they may be nought For man seith and iudgeth after the exterior apparaunce but God seith the secretes of the heart and al other circūstaunces And in as much as all mankinde was at the beginning iustly condempned for the offences of Adam God will not easely deliuer vs from that malandre neither from so greate a disease which also maketh that sinnes be euer ready and we euer running headlong to them but iustice good liuing is full of labour and payne and is hard to come to but that loue and charitie maketh that easy to them that loueth God whiche to other is very painefull And this is the occasiō of this priuie iudgement of God by which he sendeth