sonne of God is gotten aske not the maner how for the angels cannot tel The Prophetes were ignorant thereof Esay saith his generation who can declare as who should say no creature We muste beleue it and reason no farther in it Not that the father is elder then the sonne neyther of greater power but that like as the fyre is not without heate neither the sunne in the fyrmament without brightnes so was the father neuer without the sonne neither had any power to do any thing but y t the sōne had y e same power to do the same like him and so hath the holy gost the third person in trinitie product and brought forth by the will of the father and of the sonne coeternally with the father with the sonne Almightynes of power is here applyed to the person of the father by appropriation although it agre to the almighty sonne to the almighty holy gost not three almighties but one God almyghtie And by this that we beleue him to be almightie we haue a great comfort and lighte to beleue all the articles that folowe in our creede for if he be almighty he may make heauen and earthe of nought he may make a man to be borne of a virgin he may forgiue synnes and giue life euerlasting Maker of heauen and earth maker by creation that is to say without any matter or stuffe to make it of That a man maketh he maketh of somewhat or of some stuffe therefore he can be no creatour but almighty god made heauen and earth of nothing therefore he is iustly called the creator of heauen and earth What is here to be vnderstande by thys woorde Heauen there be two opinions for which ye shall first vnderstand that heauen is called one maner of wise the empiriall heauen aboue the starrye skye and aboue all the orbes that moueth there in which is neyther place nor vacuitie neyther time but onelye thinges leading a most blessed life Thys farre Aristotle dreamed and discussed primo de celo mundo and it agreeth with holy scriptures and with holy doctours there putting the felicitye of Aungels and men that shall be saued in the fruition that is to say in the clere sighte and loue of God ther most aboundantly shewing his glory This the prophet in the psalme calleth the kyngdome of GOD saying to God of the same Thy kingdome is the kingdome of all worldes as who should say whatsoeuer nomber of yeares can be thoughte or spoken of thys kingdome passeth it for this king almighty God was neuer wythout a kingdome by which it semeth to be eternal and euerlasting for it is the very clerenes of God coeternal with him and not created with other visible creatures and to thys were admitted and receiued the holy angels after their creation for so long space and such durance as God knoweth best afore that he made heauen and earthe that Moyses spoke of And of this minde is Saynte Basile as appeareth in the first homilye of hys exameron Heauen is taken an other waye for the bodies aboue as Sunne Moone Sterres with the orbes and circles there Heauē is called also the thirde maner all that is aboue the earth and so the sayde bodies aboue with the speires of the fyre and of the ayre be compriseed vnder one name of heauen so it is taken in the psalme when we say the birdes of the heauen for the birdes of the ayre And after this opinion so taketh Moyses this word Heauen when he saythe that in the begynning God made heauē earth And by the Earth there is to be vnderstande the water and earth together whiche as then were not dysseuered and diuided tyll the thirde daye when the earth first appeared drye The seconde opinion which is more comon taketh this worde Heauen for the empiriall heauen replenished and fulfilled with the glorious companye of Angels whiche was made together with the earthe vnderstandynge by the Earthe the firste vnfacioned matter or stuffe of which almighty God made disposed and garnyshed al other kindes of creatures that may be sene or feled as wel in the firmament aboue as vnder it to his owne glorye to do seruice vnto man Therfore we haue great nede to take hede that vsing Gods creatures for our profite or pleasure we in no case dyshonoure God vsing thē contrary to his honour contrary to his pleasure intent that he made them for THe seconde article saynte Iohn Euangelist layd to this shotte or gathering which is this And in Iesu Christe his onelye sonne our Lorde euer repeting this word And I beleue so that this is the sentence And I beleue on Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord. The second persone in trinitie the coeternall sonne of the father knowing afore the worlde beganne the syn of Adā of the miserable case that mā shuld com to was determined to saue mākinde frō the danger of the same therfore he was euer worthi to be called a sauiour Iesus is as much to sai as a sauior thē this name was his for euer it is y e name that y e father gaue him by productiō in his godhed was newly diuulged published bi the angell to our blessed Lady his mother afterward to his foster father Ioseph with y e interpretacion of y t name saying Ipse eni saluū faci po s. a pec eorū For he shall saue the people from their synnes which onely God can do and none other ▪ Gods pleasure was that the same name that he had in his Godhed should also be his name in his humanite for his humanitie was the instrument and mean by which he wrought and perfourmed our saluation and redemption Iesus and Christ signifieth one person that was borne of the virgine Mary yet there is some difference betwixte the names Iesus is his proper name as we say Hēry Thomas Roger or suche like Christ is the name of a sacrament as sainte Austine speaketh or of an office super epist. Io. tract iii. as we say a king a prophet a priest Christ is as much to saye as anoynted and he was anoynted before all other men by the chiefest oyntment which is the holye gost one God with him and with his father of which oyntment the anointyng with oyle is the sacrament and signe It foloweth his onely sonne which as saint Peter writeth was not declared by any fables But by that that he with Iohn Iames sawe and hearde on the holye hill where Christ shewed them the maiestie of his glorious body as it shuld be after hys resurrectiō because they shuld not fear nor wauer when they saw the miserable processe of his painful passiō Therfore sayth he ii Pet. i. Christ toke of God the father honour and glory by a voyce comming downe to him from the great doynge glorye after thys maner this is my welbeloued sonne in whom I haue pleasure gyue eare vnto hym And Christ in manye
excellencie of the ministers of the newe testament to the glory and ryaltie of the ministers of the old testament That thing that floorished and was had in glorye and riallie esteemed was not glorified in this behalfe in respecte of the excellent glorye of the thinges of the new testament of Christe As the Apostle sayth a litle before Si ministratio mortis litteris deformata in lapidibus fuit in gloria ita vt non possent intendere filij Israell in faciem Mois◠propter gloriam vultus eius que euacuatur quo modo non magis ministratio spiritus erit in gloria ii Cor. iii. If the seruice of death described and written with letters in the stones of the two tabels was had in glory and reuerence so that the people of Israell coulde not looke vpon the face of Moyses which was the minister of that lawe for the glorie and shyning bryghtnes of his face which is sone taken away for it taried not How then can it be that the seruice of the spirite by the grace of the new Testament should not be in glorie muche more He calleth the ministration and seruice of the olde leuits priestes of Moyses law the ministration and seruice of death bycause that Moyses lawe was the occasion of death of the soule not of it self but by the malice and yll will of man whiche commonly laboreth and inclineth to the thing whiche is forbidden so runneth headlonge to breake the commaundementes of God whiche be set forthe by Moyses law and consequently to run headlong to death euerlasting And also Moyses law is full of the comminations and threateninges of the death of the body for the breakinge of it He that gathered stickes on the holy daye was put to deth he that missayde his father or mother should die for it and such other Yet the ministers of the same were had in glorie great reuerence whiche the Apostle declareth by the glory shyninge brightnes of the face of Moyses when he came downe from the mount from GOD bringinge downe with him the lawes then his face had certayne bright shining beames comming from it which appered to the people like hornes ascending vpward from his face so that the peoples eyes could not abyde the sight to loke vpon him but runne backe awaye from him in so muche that he was fayne to put a veyle or a couerynge ouer his face when he spoke to them and when he went vp to talke with God he vncouered his face and when he should declare Goddes pleasure to the people he couered his face agayne that they myght more easly aproche and looke vpon him and heare him as it is playne in the story Exo. xxiiii Of this the Apostle Saynte Paule argueth If the ministration and seruice of death whiche also is euacuate abolished and gon were had in glory and reuerence as it was in deede as appereth by the storie now rehersed then muche more the ministration and seruice of the spyrite of the new law and Testament in whiche the holye spiryte of GOD is gyuen to faythfull people whyche is also the seruice of loue and of libertie of the soule must needes be had in glory and in reuerence For in comparyson of the glory of the lawe of the Gospel and of the law gyuen by Chryst the former glory and clearenes of Moyses law is not seen but vanysheth awaye euen like as the light of the Moone or of the sterres is hyd and sheweth not by the light of the son in a clere day Then saith Chrisostome conuerting his contemplacion to our misteries of the new testament of Christ and to the ministers of the same Let vs consider among other thinges how it is cōmytted to them here dwelling on earth in thys mortall bodye to dispence and bestowe the treasure and riches of heauen for it is giuen to priestes to haue suche power as almighty God would neyther giue to the angels nor to any of the archangels or to any other angels of heauē For it was neuer sayd to any of them whatsoeuer thou loosest on earth shal be losed in heauen whatsoeuer thou bindest on earth shall be bounde in heauen This bonde toucheth the very soule of men and reacheth vp euen to heauen aboue so that whatuer the priest doth in this behalfe here beneth on earth almighty God doth ratifie and alowe the same aboue in heauen and he beyng the lord and mayster doth aproue the sentence of his seruāt Now what maye a man call this els but that in maner al the power in heauen is committed and graunted to the priest for Christ sayth whosoeuer sinnes you forgiue thei be forgiuen and who soeuer sinnes you restrayne or bynde they be restraint bound Tel me saith Chrisostom what power can be giuen greater then this one The father hath giuen to the sonne al power in heauē and earth But now I see saythe Chrisostome the same power the sonne hath giuen to the prest which the father hath giuē to him Imagyn that if a noble king had gyuen to one of hys faythfull and true seruauntes or subiectes power to caste into prison whom it pleased him and to take him out of prison againe or ani other prisoner that he thought wel to do such a man should be counted a marueilous man and in great fauour with his souerayne and worthy to be highly estemed of all the realme And it were a plaine madnes for anye man to despise such an auctoritye euen so it were a manifest madnes to despise or litle regard that authoriti without which we can not obtain our soule helth here in this world saith Chrisostom nor can obtaine the good promisses of the ioyes of heauē Here you must vnderstand Chrisostom that he speaketh of them that be of age and dyscretiō and hath time and oportunitie to vse the sacramentes which the priest ministreth For no man can come to heauen except he be regenerate by water and by the holy gost and he that eateth not the fleshe of Christ drinketh not his blood can not haue life euerlasting Al these thynges be performed and brought to passe by the priest thē how can it well be that without theyr helpe wee may escape the euerlasting fyre of hell or obtaine or wyn the reward of the eternall garlande and crowne of glorye These bee they these be they I say to whom the spiritual trauelyng and the byrthes or deliueraunce of soules to God be put to and they be put in credite and trust with thē By them we put on vs Christe for our garment when we be made Christen men by theym we be buried with Christ by baptisme as Saint Paul speaketh and be made the limmes and the members of hys blessed body For these consideratiōs we ought to feare them to do them more honour then to our carnall father for by our carnall parentes we be borne ex sanguinibus voluntate carnis of bloud the peasure of
was sayd in his name to synne and to hell Osee. xiii â–ª O death I will be thy death O hell I wyll bite the. He that eateth occupieth all that he eateth he that byteth taketh part and leaueth part so dyd the soule of Christ take that part of the prisoners in hell whiche dyed in charitie lefte behind him in tormentes and paynes with the deuylles â–ª all them that besyde oryginall synne hadde committed mortall synne and dyed without satisfaction for the same SAynt Thomas put the syxt article of our fayth sayinge The thyrde daye he rose agayne from death For on Sondaye earlye in the breakynge of the daye while it was somewhat darke he ioyned his soule vnto hys body and rose from death to lyfe and came forth of his chest or graue and oute of the monument or caue in the whiche the graue was beynge fast shutte with a greate stone rouled to it for a dore â–ª and surelye sealed And forthwith came the Aungell from heauen and remoued the stone that was rouled to the doore of the sayde caue and satte vpon it to declare that Chryste was rysen and gonne and anone came the thre Maries and they sawe and hearde the Aungels appearynge to theim lyke men whiche tolde theim that Chryste was rysen but they scarselye beleued the Aungelles rather thinkynge that his precyouse bodye was stolen and caryed awaye oute of the graue Notwithstandynge as they were bydde they wente to geue knoweledge to the Disciples whiche then kepte them selues together in greate pensifenes for the losse of theyr mayster and as close as they coulde for feare of shrewes Marye Magdalene made beste spede and tolde Peter and Iohn what she hadde sene and hearde and consequentlye the same day and other dayes folowinge as well the sayde holye women as the Apostles and other Disciples were by euidente and sensible signes well assured that he was bodelye rysen in dede and not fantasticallye nor faynedlye He was the fyrste that euer ryse to lyfe immortall neuer to die againe Other there were that were reised frome death to lyfe by the power of God but after certaine yeares they died againe Christe rose by his owne power and neuer died againe therefore the Apostles called him the beginninge and fyrste begotten amonge dead men Col. i. The beginner and cause of his owne resurrection whiche was by his owne power and also of oure resurrection that lyke as he died for oure sinnes and rose againe to iustifie vs so we shoulde mortifie oure selfe to sinne that we may rise againe with him and liue to God walkinge in a newe life whyle we be here that finallye we maye rise with oure bodies and soules glorified to immortall lyfe Oure olde manne was crucyfied with Christe that the bodye of synne myghte be destroyed that we shoulde no more doe seruice to sinne Oure olde man signifieth oure olde lyuinge in synne lyke Adam the fyrste manne that synned of whose offence descended to all his posteritie the nourishinge and feadinge of sinne the darte and pricke of death whiche the Apostle manye times calleth by the name of sinne this we must mortifie and kyll that so the bodye of synne maye be destroyed We lyue to synne when we lyue after the inclination of the sayde nurse and breder of synne so that synne reigne in our mortall bodies to obeye the desires of sinne And contrary we die to sinne when we do not the desires of sinne neither folowe the inclinations of sinne that so the body of sinne may be destroyed in vs the bodye of sinne is the whole rable and multitude of sinnes together like limmes of one body as fornication vncleanes auarice contention wrath gyle brauling dissension heresies enuye ryot or surfet and suche other when these be mortified in vs then we dye with Christ. And this mortification we must buselye and continually beare vpon vs and then we shal be sure to liue with him by renewinge of our liuinge contrarie to vice vsing iustice and vertue that so we may giue light of good example to all others that they may glorifie and laude God in vs that finally we and they with vs may ryse to immortall glorye THen foloweth the seuenth article whiche S. Barthelomew put to this gathering and it is this He ascended into heauen and sitâ—eth on the righte hande of GOD the father almightie That is to saye the condition of our nature whiche he toke of the virgin his mother he toke vp with him and set it on the ryght hand of his father aboue the skye and aboue all the orders of aungels and aboue al thinge that is named not only in this world but also in the world to come Therefore let vs ascende vp in deuoute heart with Christ while we be in this presente lyfe that when the daye of the generall resurrection shall come we may folowe him ascendyng in body thither as he is gone afore vs bodelye openinge the waye for vs. Mich. ii For lyke as he rose from death to life to make vs lykewise to ryse so he ascended to make vs to ascende For whiche purpose we must well knowe and remeÌ„ber that with Christ ascendeth not pryde nether couetousenes lechery or any other synne he was our phisition he cured vs and made vs once hole but he toke with him none of our malaÌ„ders therfore yf we come after him we must leaue all these and cast them of least they presse vs downe that we may not ascend to that glorious place wher Christ sitteth on the ryght hande of his father that is to saye equal with the father by his godhead and in the inheritaunce and highest wealth and glory of God by his humanitie to entreate for vs as our attourney towarde the father To sitte belongeth to a iudge because oure sauioure nowe beinge in heauen considereth and iudgeth all mens actes and at the laste shall manifestlye and openly come to iudge them and to geue sentence therefore it is sayd that he sytteth Saynt Steuen sawe him standing on the fathers right hande as one redy to fyght for hym and to helpe him constantlye to suffer the persecution of the Iewes where ye must not ymagine any materiall body or ryght hand or lyfte hande in the godhead or any material stoles to sit on in heauen it is a maner of speakinge of the scripture by a similitude rather then that there be any such partes there in dede And likewise to sitte or stande in heauen signifieth no more but there to be at his pleasure and to shewe hym selfe as it please his maiestie THe eyght article saint Mathew the Apostle and Euangelist sayd From thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade In the same body he wyl come to the iudgemeÌ„t in whiche he ascended into heauen to iudge all christen and hethen for all we that be hath be shall be shall stande afore Christes seat of iudgement that euery man maye receaue the duetie of his bodye as he hath
And she stowped downe to him mockynge Anthiochus the Kinge and saide My sonne haue mercie on me that bare thee nyne monethes within my bodie and gaue thee milke of my brestes three yeres space and mirced thee and brought thee vnto the age that thou arte of I desire of thee my sonne that thou do loke on heauen and earthe and all thinges that be in them and do vnderstande that God made them all of nought and so it maye come to passe that thou shalt not fear this butcherly hangman but shalte be made worthy to haue such brothers as be gone afore thee Take thi death and such part as they haue done that in the time of gods mercy I may receiue thee againe with thy brothers While she was thus saiyng the yong man boldly cald vpon the tormentors saiyng that he wold not obey the coÌ„maundement of the kinge but he wold obey the coÌ„maundement of gods law geueÌ„ them by Moyses And after a sharpe lesson coÌ„mination geuen to the king the king was inflamed with anger was woode against him more then against al the other brothers so the good yong maÌ„ departed trusting on god in all points at the last the mother after her sons was speÌ„t put to death Of like fortitude maÌ„lines boldnes we read in the new testameÌ„t of s Steuen saint Iames other in the actes of the apostles we read also of saint Peter s Andrew Bartholomew Laurence Uincent many other whose passioÌ„s be red in Christes church of which al of others like thapostle Heb. xi saith Alii distenti suÌ„t non suscipientes redemptioneÌ„ vt meliorem inuenireÌ„t resurrectionem alii ludibria verbera experti c. Some were racked drawen in pieces not loking for any raunsome that so they might find a better resurrectioÌ„ some suffred mocks stripes more ouer fetters prisones were stoned to death some were cutte in pieces In al these and such other timiditie cowardnes was far away this gift of the holye gost fortitude manlines strong hert lacked not by which thei were so coÌ„stant in suffryng aduersitie for Christes sake in hope of reward euerlastyng Amen ¶ The fourth sermon treatyng of the fift gift of the holy gost called the spirite of Science THe fifte of these giftes of the holy gost is the spirite of science or the gifte of science or cunninge for whiche you shall vnderstaÌ„d the science is not so precisely taken here as y e logitions speaking of science callyng it the knowledge of a conclusion proued by demonstration but science as we nowe speake of it descendeth and commeth alowe and is properlye the iudgement in the articles of our faythe and in such other Godly verities as extendeth them selues to creatures and to mannes actes and doinges accordynge to saint Paules saiyng Faith worketh by loue And so doth all the whole holy scripture more consistyng in practise and exercise then in speculation This gift of science or cunnyng as we nowe speake of it extendeth also to hande craftes and occupations as I shall declare hereafter And it presupposeth the gift of counsaile that I spoke of lately by whiche we may with studie deliberacion and aduisement attayne to the knowledge of mans actes and to the knowlege of creatures But because that many times mennes wittes in their study and in their singuler or priuate counsailes be ready to inuent or imagine of mennes actes and of other creatures laiynge a parte the gifte of counsaile and good iudgement so commeth many times to mannes minde deception errour lolaâ—dye heresie contrary to true science and cunnyng geloâ—ie suspicion sclaunder and infamye contrarye to quietnesse of liuinge Example we haue of the people of Israell whiche hadde inbibed so muche of Moyses lawe and wedded their wittes so obstinately to that learnyng and leaned so carnally to the same that notwithstaÌ„dyng all Christes doctrine and all the preachinge of the Apostles thought no way to saluation but by obseruynge and fulfillyng the workes of the lawe of Moyses as except men were circuÌ„cised they thought menne coulde not be saued And after a manne had touched anye deade thinge or anye vncleane thinge excepte he should sequester him selfe .vii. dayes from the company of cleane people and except he were washed the thirde daye and the .vii. daye with a certayne water made for the same purpose he should dye with many such ceremonies and vsages which were then commaunded to be vsed and were no more but shadowes and figures of our sauioure Christe and of the time of grace that nowe is and they shoulde nowe cease when the veritye signifyed by theim is exhibited and perfourmed like as nighte ceaseth when the day commeth and darkenesse vanisheth awaye by the presence of lighte Thys they woulde not vnderstande nor learne for any mannes exhortacion but rather persecuted to death all them that instructed theÌ„ in this veritie In this case was sainte Paule firste before his conuersion and many of his contrey menne and kinsfolkes the Iewes of whiche he saith Testimonium perhibeo illis quod emulationem dei habent sed non secundum scientiam Roma .x. I beare them witnes that they haue a zeale and loue to folowe the learnyng that God hath geuen them by Moyses but they lacke science and cunnyng they folow not good vnderstandynge in that in whiche they thinke them selues cunnyng for the saide ceremonies were no more but Iustitiae carnis vsque ad tempus correctionis imposite Certaine obseruances laide on their neckes carnallye to be obserued and kept to occupy them and holde theÌ„ vnder obedience and to keepe theim from the rites and vsages that the gentyles vsed in theyr ydolatrye tyll the tyme of correction the tyme of reformacion whiche is the tyme of Christes commyng at whiche time they should surceasse and be vsed no more Such a zeale and loue to learnynge hathe manye nowe adayes And of their learnynge and knoweledge whiche they thinke they haue they wyll make as great glory and boast as did the Iewes of their learning And yet their zeale and learnynge shall be without that science that is this gift of the holy gost In this case be they that so arrogantly glorieth in their learnyng had by study in the englysh bible and in these sedicious Englisshe bokes that haue bene sent ouer froÌ„ our englyssh runagates nowe abidynge wyth Luther in Saxonie Of their studie you maie iudge by the effect When menne and women haue all studied and counte them selues best learned of their learnyng men ê‘ceiue litle els but enuie disdainyng at others mockynge and despisynge all goodnes raylynge at fastynge and at abstinence froÌ„ certaine meats one daie afore an other by custome or commaundemente of the churche at Masse and mattens and at all blessed ceremonies of Christes church ordeyned and vsed for the auancemente and settinge forthe of Goddes glorye not without profounde and greate misteries and causes reasonable By this effecte
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
inflat charitas edificat Such science maketh a man proude but charitie edifieth dothe good If a man thinke he knoweth any thing by suche science wythout charitie he knoweth not yet how he ought to know it .i. Corin. viii he considereth not that he oughte to vse hys scyence with humilitie and wyth charitie towarde hys neyghboure and that is the science that God aloweth For lacke of this charitie vayne is thy studie thy science vanisheth away to vainglory which agreeth not with the holy gost And when the holy gost is absent then beware of studye in scripture specially aboue all faculties for without his special assistence thou shalt not scape heresie rather defoulinge the scriptures with thy expositions and yl applicacion like Swine treading pearels vnder their feete and readye to inuade and all to teare them that haue the true knowledge and vnderstanding of scriptures Of such speaketh the prophet Psa. liiii Contaminauerunt testamentum eius Where he speaketh of them that without charitie treateth the scriptures haue defouled them leauing the vnitie of charitie and taking euery one away by them selfe in their owne confederacie refusing the vnitie and concord of good and faithfull people But what hath come of them It foloweth diuisi sunt ab ira vultus eius They haue been deuided by the anger of Gods face What better marke can wee haue to marke heretikes Arrius was deuided with his confederacie Pelagius with his faction Nouatus Manicheus wycliffe such other which haue been deuided frō the congregacion of good and faithfull people by excommunication here in this world and it is to be feared least they be excommunicate from the celestiall congregacion be perished for euermore excepte peraduenture some of them did penaunce at the last caste but whether ouer late penaunce be sufficiente it is doubt What profit came by the diuision and seperacion of such heretikes It foloweth there appropinquauit cor illius the harte and mynde of him that deuided thē by his anger came nigher to mens knowledge by the scriptures For many thinges were hid and vnknowen in the scriptures but when heretikes that vexed the church and troubled it with their questions were prescised and cut awaye then the harte and will of God in the scriptures was vnderstand knowen For there was nothing so parfitely knowen nor so commonly knowen of the blessed trinitie and of the diuine productions afore that Arrius barked and rayled againste it as was knowen afterwarde The sacrament of penaunce had neuer be so well knowen as it is if Nouatus that heretike had not taughte his faction to despise the seconde table or raffe after shypwracke that is penaunce the seconde helpe and remedye to saue men soules Baptisme is the first that riddeth a man from originall synne and from actuall synne if any be afore committed After which baptisme if a man fall to synne agayne penance is the second remedy Nouatus would none therof but that if a man synned after he was baptised he was remediles and could not be saued He gloried to much in his owne sinceritie and clerenes of his lyuing And so of the syngle lyuyng of priestes of the inuocation of Saintes of theyr prayers for vs of purgatorie of ceremonies of the church of images which you without sciēce call idols In all Christendome were scarce so many that could exactly profoundly and so redely declare and reason the truthe of these matters and defend theym from barkers and from gnawers raylers afore this wicked new learning rysse in Saxony and came ouer into England among vs as you shall finde now in one vniuersitie or in one or two good towns So that generally by the excluding and putting awaye of errours heresies the will of God cōmeth nigher and is better knowē declared vnto vs by the scriptures wel labored and truly vnderstanded It foloweth in the psalme Molliti sunt sermones eius super oleum et ipsi sunt iacula The wordes of God in scripture which afore were hard by the exercise and labour of catholike clerkes be made very soft yea more softe easye and soople then oile and be made harnes and dartes or weapōs for the preachers Of the hardnes of scriptures in which our new diuines finde no hardnesse riseth al heresies And so they did euen at the beginning in Christes time When Christ said Io. vi Nisi manducaueritis carnem filij hominis et biberitis eius sanguinem nō habebitis vitam in vobis Except you eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drink his bloud ye shal haue no life in you Many of his disciples hearing these woordes sayde This is a hard saying who can abide to heare him say thus And after that time many of his disciples gaue backe and walked not with him they kept him no company thē said our sauiour Christ vnto the .xii. y t he had chosen apostles wil you begone also Peter aunswered good mayster to whō shall we go Thou hast the wordes of euerlasting life I pray you take hede and learne here of S. Peter meekely to rede and take the woordes of GOD in his scriptures Dyd Peter vnderstande Christes woordes for whyche a greate manye of hys scholers gaue backe and companyed not wyth Christ Naye verelye no more then other dyd But yet he woulde not shake of hys mayster for the obscurenesse of hys woordes neyther despysed hys woorde thoughe it were obscure and darke neyther tooke vppon hym arrogantlye to deuine and arede what was hys maysters mynde and meanynge by his woorde that was so darke as manye of our yonge diuines nowe adayes wyll not stycke to doe and rather to saye boldlye and to confirme it wyth an horrible othe I am sure thys is hys meanynge and thus it muste be vnderstanded when they be farre wyde So did not Peter but taried his time and so by sufferance and good abiding at the maundye afore the passion when Christ by consecracion cōuerted bread and wine into his precious body bloud then he perceiued what Christ meaned by his saying afore rehersed Nisi manducaueritis c except you eate the flesh of a man and drink his bloud you shall haue no life in you c. and so did other of the apostles there present then first vnderstand the word And euen then Christe spoke certayne woordes that might haue giuen them light to vnderstand him saying Si ergo videritis filium hominis ascendentem vbi erat prius If you shall se the sonne of man ascend to heauen wher he was afore as who should say when you shall see him ascend with a whole body then you shal perceiue that this carnall and grosse vnderstandinge that maketh you nowe to murmure and grudge profiteth nothing at all At that blessed supper the apostles knew that Christ should ascend whole and that they shoulde not teare the body as they there saw it with their kniues nor gnaw it with their teethe that the bloud
should run about their teethe neither eate it rosted nor sod as men eate the meate that they dye in the shambles but that they should eat it in an other facion then they saw it theÌ„ that they should eate his body and drinke his bloude in a maner that shoulde not lothe nor abhorre theyr stomakes vnder the fourme and facion of bread and wyne that they were dayâ—ye vsed to Thâ—s S. Peter knewe not at the first and yet he spoke to Christ full reuerentlye and louingly as it were saying aske not whether wee will be gone and forsake you though your wordes be so obscure that wee can not perceiue them For this we knowe that verba vitae aeterne habes thou hast the woordes of life euerlasting As yet he dyd not vnderstande Christes woordes but full louinglye he beleued that the wordes that he vnderstoode not were verye good Woulde GOD you woulde when you rede y e scriptures vse such a modesty suche charity that if the sentence be hard and strange then not to determine your self to an vnderstanding after your owne fancie but abyde a tyme with longanimitie and easy sufferaunce Et iacta super dominum curam tuam ipse te enutriet Referre thy mynde to Gods pleasure caste thy care vpon GOD and he will nourishe thee he will send thee light prouiding for the some man that is wel learned substancially exercitate in the scriptures to teache thee specially if it be necessarye for thy soule health to knowe it If it be not necessarye for thy soule healthe but such as thou mayest be safe inough â–ª whether thou know it or not and mayest come to heauen wythoute the knowledge thereof as a thousande places in scripture be suche then lette it passe and say with Saynte Peter Domine verba vitae eternae habes O Lorde GOD thou hast the wordes of euerlasting life The woordes be good because they be the woordes of GOD although I doe not vnderstande them Thus orderynge your selues in the studye of holye scriptue you do like good men and lyke gods seruauntes and God wyll be good Lorde vnto you Et non dabit ineternum fluctuationem iusto And wyll not suffer you finallye for euer to fleete and wauer inconstantlye runnyng from one opinion to an other from one illusion to an other thou shalt stay thy selfe by the ancour of faythe and that shall keepe thee from the rocks that be perelous heretikes For if thou fleete and wauer tyll thou fal on one of them thou shalt haue suche a crash of false doctrine and leude vnderstandyng that thou shalt not auoyde shypwracke thou shalte not come to the porte of safe knowledge ne to the port of ease quietnes and caulmenes euerlasting in heauen if thou be made by suche false doctrine to erre in the essentiall and necessarye pointes of thy belefe Therefore in your learnynge see that you vse charitie with humilitie and lowlynesse of hart and then you shall shewe your selfe that your learnynge is the true science gyuen of the holye goste of whyche we now entreate And by the same gift you shall as well know what you shal beleue as to iudge and dyscerne the thynges that you shall beleue from the thinges that you shall not beleue And also you may ascende to so hyghe knowledge that you shall be able to declare the articles of your faythe and to induce and perswade other men to beleue and also to conuince and ouercome countersayers and such as woulde impugne the faith Althoughe it be not gyuen to all menne to ascende vnto so hyghe a degreee of science And because I spoke euen nowe of Images and Idolles I woulde you shoulde not ignoÌ„rauntlye confounde and abuse those termes takynge an Image for an Idolle and an Idolle for an Image as I haue hearde manye doe in thys citye as well of the fathers and mothers that shoulde be wyse as of theyr babies and chyldren that haue learned foolyshnesse of theyr parentes Nowe at the dissolucion of Monasteries and of Freers houses many Images haue bene caryed abrod and gyuen to children to playe wyth all And when the chyldren haue theym in theyr handes dauncynge theim after their childyshe maner commeth the father or the mother and saythe What nasse what haste thou there the childe aunsweareth as she is taught I haue here myne ydoll the father laugheth and maketh a gaye game at it So saithe the mother to an other Iugge or Thommye where haddest thou that pretye Idoll Iohn our parishe clarke gaue it me saythe the childe and for that the clarke muste haue thankes and shall lacke no good chere But if thys follye were onelye in the insolent youthe and in the fonde vnlearned fathers and mothers it myght soone be redressed But youre preachers that you so obstinatelye folow more leaninge to the vulgar noyse and common erroure of the people then to profounde learnyng they bable in the pulpittes that they heare the people reioyce in And so of the people they learne their sermons and by their sermons they indurate their audyence and make the people stubbourne and harde to be perswaded to science contrarye to theyr blinde ignoraunce aswell in this point of Images and Idolles as in manye other like They would haue that this latine worde Imago signifieth an Idole and so these new translations of the english bibles hath it in all places where the translatours would bring men to beleue that to set vp Images or to haue Images is idolatrye And therefore where the scriptures abhorreth idols they make it Images as though to haue imagerie were idolatrie that God so greatly abhorreth But you must vnderstande and knowe that an Image is a thinge kerued or painted or cast in a moulde that representeth and signyfyeth a thing that is in dede or that hath be or shal be in dede And so speaketh our Sauiour Christ of an Image when the Pharisies send their disciples wyth Herodes seruauntes to aske hym thys question whether it were lawfull for the Iewes to paye tribute to the Emperour or not He called them Hipocrites and bad them shewe him the coyne or money that was vsually payde for the tribute They brought him a denere wee call it a peny He asked them Cuius est Imago hec et superscriptio Mat. xxii Whose is this Image the scripture about They answered the emporours Note here good frendes that Christ asked not cuius est idolum hoc Whose is this idole for he knewe it was none but that it was an image as is the Image of our soueraigne Lord the king vpon his money coyned in London in Bristow or in other places whiche no man that hath witte woulde call an Idole For Saynte Paule sayth i. Cor. viii Scimus quia nihil est IdoluÌ„ in mundo quod nullus est deus nisi vnus We knowe that an ydole is nothinge in the worlde and that there is no God but one Where the blessed Apostle referreth muche vnto
iustice is rather to be called wylynes then science And to this purpose it is necessarye that you seruauntes do youre dutye to youre maysters obedientlye with feare and quakynge in simplicitie and playnes of hearte as vnto Christe not seruinge to the eye as to please man but like the seruauntes of Christ doinge the will of God with hearte and all Ephe. vi not deceauing your maisters by your idlenes or els beinge occupied about your owne busines when your master thinketh that you be in his labours And lykewyse you maysters do you to youre seruauntes instructynge them in theyr occupations for whiche they came to your seruyce accordyng to the trust that theyr parentes and frendes hath put you in that they maye get theyr lyuynge and yours with truth iuste dealynge and honestye and medle not to muche with other mens occupations that you cannot skyll on leasâ—e whyle ye be so curious in other mens matters not perteininge to your lerning you decaye as well in your owne occupation as in the other so fallynge to penurye extreme pouertye and very beggery For when a tayler forsakynge his owne occupation wyll be a marchaunt venterer or a shomaker to become a groser God sende him well to proue I haue knoweÌ„ manye in this towne that studienge diuinitie hath kylled a marchaunt and some of other occupations by theyr busy labours in the scriptures hath shut vp the shoppe windowes faine to take Sainctuary or els for mercerye and groserye hath be fayne to sell godderds steanes and pitchers and suche other trumpery For this I shal assure you that althoughe diuinitie be a science verye profitable for the soule health yet small gaynes to the purse or to the worlde aryseth by it Not that I intende to reproue the studye of scriptures for I extoll it and prayse it aboue all other studye so that it be vsed as I haue sayde afore with modestye and charitie with longanimitie and easye sufferaunce tyll God sende the a true instructour not infected with wylful and newfangled heresyes From whiche I pray god to defende you all and sende you teachers indued with such science as may instructe you in the truth by whiche you may attayne to ioyes euerlastynge Amen The fyfte sermon intreatynge of the spirite of Pietie NOwe right worshipful audience I must aunswer to your expectation not doubtinge but that ye loke I shoulde perfourme the promise that I haue made you in tymes paste when I toke vpon me to declare vnto you the vii giftes of the holye goste whiche as the prophet Esay xi sayth rested on our sauiour Christ and by hym be deriued to his faythfull people to euery one as it doth please his goodnes to distribute them to some more of them to some fewer and not so many And to them that receiue the giftes of one kynde and maner yet some persones hath them more intensly more fullye and more perfitly some more remysly more faintlye and not after so perfit facion or maner as I haue heretofore declared at large which I trust in God is not all forgotten Fyue of the sayde giftes I haue stripped and passed ouer after the capacitie of my poore witte nowe consequentlye succedeth the .vi. of the saide giftes called Spiritus pietatis or donum pietatis the gift of Pietie This word pietas or pietie the latin terme is so ambiguose so diuersly vsed both in the scriptures and also of the doctours that me thinketh it very hard to make it plaine in the english tonge for your capacitie The translatours of the Bible in to englishe calleth pietas godlines and his contrary impietas vngodlines But thus speaking of Pietie it semeth to comon and large to be one of these .vii. giftes distincte from the other because that thus speakinge of it it agreith to the other vi giftes that I haue spoken of For the gyft of godly counsell is a certayne godlines the gift of Fortitude also is a certayne godlines The gyfte also of the dreade of God is a godly gifte and a certayne godlines as hereafter shall appeare And if I should english it call it pitie yet there I should fall into an other equiuocation for this word pitie is not euer taken after one maner in the englishe tonge sometime it is taken for mercy or compassion that we haue on the miserye of our neighbour that is in paine or trouble thus is pieras somtime taken as I shal shew hereafter sometime otherwise as when we say to an vnthrift or a coÌ„mon malefactour it is pitie to do the good Here it signifieth rather an offence a fault or an il thing so speking I thinke this english may come of pio a verbe or piaculuÌ„ taken in malam parteÌ„ for a crime or a sinne as we take sacer or such other sometyme to signifie that is holye good and sometime that is cursed noughte But we haue not yet the principal significatioÌ„ of pietas that we now speke of Therfore more specially to speake of pietie ye shall vnderstand y t the paygnims in theyr writinges vsed y e same terme and as they thought in the same signification as we vse it Cicero .ii. officioruÌ„ Deos placatos pietas efficiet sanctitas They were deceiued by errour and worshipped many Gods yet this they thought good to pacifie coÌ„tent and please their gods by pietie holines Albeit their pietie holynes and integritie or clearenesse of liuyng in theÌ„ were but counterfait and vnprofitable for their soule healthe and for saluation of their soules in as muche as it lacked the foundacion of faith whiche as I saide in the firste Sermon that I made here of these seuen giftes is presupposed necessarilye to all these seuen gyftes of the holye Goost Lactancius firmâ—anus diuinarum institutionum Li. iii. ca. ix inueighing against the erroure of the olde Philosophers whiche sayde that mans felicitie stoode in the knowledge of corporall thinges as Anaxagoras did whiche when he was asked wherfore or for what cause he was borne answered Solis ac celi videndi causa I was borne and brought into this worlde sayth he for to see the sunne and the heauen or the bodies aboue as meanynge that in the beholding of theÌ„ with our bodelye eyes hadde stande all our perfection where he ought rather to haue confessed and magnified the power of him that made the Heauen and in contemplation of his maiestye that is to saie in the interiour sight of our mindes occupied about his highnes and in loue corespondente to haue constitute our felicitie stedfastlye continuynge in the same while wee be here in this corruptible bodie till at the last wee maye attayne and come to the cleare fruition of the same in heauen without any impedimente or let Therfore if a man were asked now wherefore he was made he should not answere to stare vpon the skye as Anaxagoras saide nother to folowe the carnall lust of this fleshe as Aristippus sayde
euer beare with vs rocks stones or swerds to defend vs from the diuell but the signe of the crosse is soone made with a little mouing of our hand to saue vs from his falsehed This is the signe by which with his mighty woorde is consecrate the bodye of Christ the Fount is halowed priestes and other degrees of the churche take their orders and all thinges that be halowed by this signe of Christes crosse with inuocation of hys name be sanctified The crosse layd down on the grounde extendeth his partes towarde the foure partes of the worlde East West Northe and Southe and so did the body of Christ when he was nayled on the crosse lying on the grounde in signe and token that hys loue extended to all partes of the worlde and that for theyr sakes he suffered so great paines as he did whych doubtlesse very farre passed the paynes that any other man myght suffer by reason of the complexion of his body whych was excellently pure quick for it was made of the purest substaÌ„ce of a cleane mayde vndefowled not mixt of such vile matter as our bodies be and it was neuer mystempered by ingurgitacion or vncleane diet Therefore it must nedes be very pure and cleane And according to the proportion rate or maner of the disposition of the bodye is the dysposition of the sences of the body and specially of the touchyng or feling then it must nedes folow that hys touching or feling was exerceding pure quicke and liuely by which ye may be sure that the stroke or wounde that would litle agreued another man was great griefe to him Then consider howe his head was bobbed and beaten and pricked wyth sharpe thornes his handes feete â–ª bored through and torne with great nayles And after that the crosse he hanging on it hoysed vp let downe into the mortesse made for it and to be shogged and shaken hauyng no stay but his own sinowes fleshe and skynne rent and torne in his handes and feete Thys was a payne of all paines specially in that pure complexioned and tender body â–ª After this he suffered his soule to departe out of his body and so dyed bodely that he might delyuer vs from the death of the soule which coÌ„meth by synne for like as the soule giueth life vnto the bodye so God giueth life vnto the soule therfore like as when the soule is gone from the body the body is dead so wheÌ„ God is gone from the soule the soule is dead and that is euer wheÌ„ we synne for God and synne dwell not together no more then light and darkenesse â–ª Roma v. From thys danger we were reconsiled to God by the bloude of his sonne for he washed vs from our sinnes in his owne bloude and so deliuered vs oute of the diuels danger which had none other holde vpon vs but by the ropes and bondes of synne He was burled that so he might blesse the buriall and graâ—es of al good men for the consolacion of al them that shall be buried in the earth Of his graue Esay prophecied longe afore saying that hys graue shall be glorious Esay xi as in dede it was hewed out of a new stone intended for a worshipfull maÌ„ that prouided it for hymselfe but he was verye glad to bestow it on a better man He was wrapt in fyne â—lothes and powdred with costlye spyces The graue was honoured wyth the presence of Angels visited of holye women and of the disciples and afterward deuoutely soughte of noble Emperours and of other great men we Christen people in the remembraunce of the same vse a laudable ceremonie garnishynge after the best maner that we can in our churches euerye good fryday a goodly sepulture in whyche we repose the blessed body of Christ. COnsequentlye foloweth the fifth article added by saynt Phillip He descended into hell not hys bodye for it remayned in the sepulchre tyll hys resurrection but in hys soule wyth the Godhead for the pryncipall partes of Christes mannehoode whyche the Godheade once tooke to hym hee neuer lefte His Godhead was with the bodye in the graue with the soule in hell for the consolation of our first parentes and of all Patriarchs and Prophetes and of all good men and women that afore his comming remayned there without anye sensible paine but onely in the greuous payne of lacke of glory from which they were stopped as by a payne for originall synne because the raunsome was no rather payed Thyther it pleased him of his goodnes to descende for to confounde his enemies the diuels that lyke as he had ouercome them on earth by hys blood so he might at home amoÌ„g them selfes in hel triumphe ouer theÌ„ taking theyr prayes and prisoners out of theyr holdes agaynst theyr wylles The Prophet zachary sayd that Christ woulde thus doe by these wordes zacha ix Thou in the bloud of thy testament hast let fourth out of the lake or dongeon in which ther was no water or refreshing theym that were bounde there And the blessed Apostle saynt Peter confirmeth the same in hys first epistle thirde chapter saying that Christ came in spirite and preached to them that were in prison whiche some time were hard of beliefe when they loked for Gods patience in the daies of Noe while the shippe was a making in which a fewe that is to saye eighte lyues were saued by the water He came in spirite in his soule for his body remayned in the graue as I sayd and preached declaryng that the misterie of his incarnation and passion was performed by whyche hell shoulde be spoyled and the way to heauen should be opened to all good men and women whose soules were in captiuitie amonge whiche were manye of them that were alyue in that space of C. xx yeares that God gaue to the people to amende theyr lyues and to Noe for a warninge to prepare and make his shyppe readye of whiche some woulde not beleue Noe manye times and busely exhortynge them to amende theyr lyues yet at the last when they saw the waters ryse styll and encrease withoute any ebbyng they repented and were sorye for theyr synnes and so died penitente and descended to the skyrte of hell where were the soules of many Patriarches and Prophetes and of other holy men and women whiche by Christes presence had consolation inestimable as well as they that S. Peter speaketh of in this place for if they of whiche it semeth lesse had comforte by Christes descendinge to them then muche more they that were of higher perfection had such consolation comfort by his presence and by their delyuerauÌ„ce out of that pryson S. Basyl sayth on these wordes of the Psalme Dirupisti vincula mea Thou hast broken my bondes because thou hast set vs at libertie from the bondage of sinne and descendinge into hell hast losed from death mankinde there beinge captiue and holden in the vneuitable custodye of hel So it was verified that
that is done thoroughe all the worlde and he that is excommunicate and caste oute of this vnitie looseth his parte of all the sayde good workes THen foloweth the eleuenth article expressed by Iude otherwise called Thadeus the brother of Iames the lesse aforesaid The forgiuenes of synnes It concerneth the amotion and puttinge awaye the thinge that is yll and moost noysome to man that is synne whiche by the auctoritie that Christe gaue to the Apostles and by them to theyr successours ministers of the Churche and by the vertue of the Sacramentes is losed and taken awaye For while we be in this worlde howe greate so euer oure sinnes shall chaunce to be they may be all wasshed awaye by the strength that Christ left in his Sacramentes THen foloweth the twelfth and laste article of the Crede layde to this shot or gatheringe by S. Mathy that was chosen to make vp the perfite number of the .xii. Apostles after that Iudas the traiter was gone frō them had hanged him selfe it is this The resurrection of the bodye and life euerlastinge that is to saye glorye rialtie and ioye euerlastinge of bodye and soule It is verye necessarye for vs stedfastly to beleue this article to take from vs the feare of death for if we thoughte there were no lyfe hereafter we might well feare death as a thinge most horrible whiche nowe we take as a necessary meane and highe waye to eternitie and life euerlastinge Therefore we shoulde not vndiscretely mourne or cry for feare of our owne death neither for the death of our frende consyderinge that it maketh for the profyt of oure bodies and of our soules for euer stil from the time of mannes conception in his mothers body tyll he be buried he maye take hurt and may be corrupt but he shall rise agayne vncorruptible by the dowrye or gyfte of impassibilitie neither fyre weapon syckenes neyther anye other thinge can hurte him Lykewise in this life mannes body is dymme and darke and geueth no lyghte but it shall rise in glorye clearenes and brightnes by the gyft of clearnes Mannes body is nowe dull and heauy and longe a mouinge and not able to styrre it selfe withoute laboure but it shall ryse nymble and quicke able to moue from place to place how farre distant soeuer they be in a twinkelinge of an eye by the will and commaundement of the soule and this shall be by the dowry or gifte of Agilitie Our body is now grosse and no more able to be present with an other bodye then the body of a brute beaste but it shall rise so spirituall fine and pearsing that it may goo thorough an other body and be present in one place with an other body by the gifte of Subtilitie euen like as I said afore that the body of oure Sauiour Christ came from the wombe of the vyrgyn Marye and as he came amonge his disciples when the doores were shutte so that his fleshe bones and bloude were present with the ooken boordes and yren twistes of the doore or with the walles withoute any diuision of his body or of the dore or of the yren workes or of the walles These wōderous indumentes dowries and gyftes of a body glorified were shewed in oure Sauiour Christes body at his transfiguration for our comforte declaringe that like as he shewed them in him selfe then so we shoulde assure our selfe to haue them in vs when we shall rise to life euerlastinge Where contrary they that shall be dampned shall haue theyr bodies vncorruptible for they shall euer endure passible and subiecte to all paynes of extreme heate extreme colde without any meane besyde the worme and grudge of minde frettinge and gnawinge theyr owne consciences whiche shal neuer cease Their bodies shall be dimme darke heuy and shal supplye the rowmes of cheynes fetters and stockes to kepe them downe in that detestable pryson of hell Then fynally to speake of life euerlastinge of body and soule in heauen what tonge is able to tell or what wytte can compasse how greate the ioyes of that high citie be to be amonge the companies of blessed spirites and holy aungels and to beholde the countenaunce of the Godheade euer presente with them and not to be dismayde with feare of death and to reioyce of the gyfte of euerlastinge incorruption withoute disease or sickenes for there shall be no paine sorowe nor mourninge There shalbe no feare of pouertie no feablenes of sickenes there no man shall be hurte no man shall be angry no man shall enuy or disdaine an other there shall be no couetousnes no hunger no gaping for promotion or honoure no feare of the deuill there shal no diuels lie in waite for to tempt vs no feare of hel there shalbe no death of body or soule but a life full of pleasure indued with immortalitie there the blessed folke shal shine like sterres and they that teacheth other to liue wel shalbe like the brightnes of the firmament Wherfore there shalbe no night no darkenes no cloudes no sharpenes of colde or heate but there shalbe such temperature and measure of all thinges as no eye hath sene no eare hath hearde neither any mans hert hath comprehended or attained to but onely of them as haue be worthie or shalbe founde worthy to haue the same pleasures whose names be written in the boke of life euerlastinge In whiche boke that we maye be registred he graunte vs for his infinite mercy that for vs died Amen An homilie or sermon intreatinge of Ceremonies and mannes lawes GOod Christen people forasmuch as now of late manye mē hath so litle fauored the Ceremonyes of Christes churche also mannes traditions or lawes made by man reputing them inualide and of no strength to bynde Christen people to obserue and kepe them that they haue runne into so greate peruersitie as to despise as wel such laudable vsages as hath ben vsed among christen people continually sith the time of the Apostles vnto our dayes as also to reiecte the very Sacramentes of God the principal Ceremonies of oure faith to the extreme daunger of their owne damnation and of all thē that haue geuen faith to theyr doctrine because you shal not erre in like opinions but rather shal know how necessary Ceremonies be that so you may haue a loue to thē ye shal first hear the aūcientie of Ceremonies then the necessitie of Ceremonies And consequentlye somewhat I shall speake of mannes traditions and lawes and of the strength that they haue to bind men that be subiect to the same lawes to kepe them For the first ye shall vnderstande that this vocable or latyn worde Ceremonie as Valerius Maximus wryteth in the fyrst booke of his stories hath his name of a towne in Italy called Cerete into which towne whē the citie of Rome was taken by the frenchmen the preist of Quirinus and the professed maidens called Vestales virgines with theyr Idolles and other sacred thinges after their maner that they could
swadeth that we oughte to be of cleane life and in all oure conuersation to liue in feare while we be dwelling as tenauntes at wil here in this worlde This he perswadeth by consideration of the price that was paid for oure redemption or raunsom out of the deuils dauÌ„ger out of our former conuersation noughtye liuing which price was neither gold nor siluer nor any such corruptible substauÌ„ce as is vsed amoÌ„ge men to redeme mens offeÌ„ces or to make ameÌ„ds for faultes or harmes done amoÌ„ge men but you were bought deliuered froÌ„ your noughty liuiÌ„g from your vaine and folish conuersation by the precious blud of Christ offred for vs on y e crosse like a moste pure and cleane lambe without spot or blemishe and neither groned nor grudged so sufferinge no more then the lambe doth when he is ledde to the slaughter house We must no more nowe thinke oure selues vile or little worth for once we pleased oure Lorde God so well that he chose rather to die for vs then he would lose vs it can be no smal thinge of valure that God was content to pay his owne bloude for By his precious bloud you were deliuered from your vaine and folysh conuersatioÌ„ that you learned by your fathers traditions by your fathers teachinge They that S. Peter writte to some were of the Iewes and some were of the Gentiles as I declared in the beginninge of this Epistle They that were of the Iewes had learned of their fathers to leaue the true vnderstandinge of the lawes of God and to folowe certaine precepts and rules of theyr traditions and teachinge as to let theyr owne parentes die for hunger to bestow theyr goodes in offeringe at the Church â–ª Mat xv not that Christe forbiddeth to helpe the ministers of the Churche but that when thou mayste helpe both thou shouldest so do but yf thou be not able to do both se that thou fayle not to do thy dutye to thy parentes cherysshinge and helpinge them for this is thy bounden duetie And also the curious and prescise obseruaunce of the Iewes ceremonies may be vnderstand by these fathers traditions whiche were but vayne and lytle good did to the soule for they gaue no grace to the soule but specially after the publyshing of Christes Gospell they seassed and did no good but muche hurte to the soule They that were of the Gentilles were brought vp as their fathers were in Idolatrye and taught to worshippe Idolles false Goddes whiche in dede be thinges of naught and verye nothinge as sainte Paule saieth .i. Cor. viij .x. Nowe to our purpose they were taught by their fathers and bringers vp to worshippe that for a god and to geue it diuine honour that was no God were brought vp in a folishe trade and in vayne conuersation by their fathers lore tradicions and teachynge froÌ„ such vayne conuersation wee were redemed not by money but by the precious blud of the lambe our Sauiour Christe most immaculate and vndefowled froÌ„ all sinne original actuall He was knowen sayeth saint Peter and appointed of God afore the worlde was made that he shold redeme vs And he was declared and knowen plainly now in the latter dayes And towarde the ende of the worlde for our sakes and to saue vs that by hys instruction published and spredde abrode among vs by the preachers of hys Gospell be made faithfull beleuers on almightye God whiche raised oure saide sauiour Christe from death to life againe and gaue him glorie at his resurrection and also at his glorious ascention because you shoulde truste to to haue like glorye by him And al this was not for anye indigence or neade that he hadde to be so exalted but for oure sake that so sayeth Sainte Peter your fayeth myght be on God and your whole hope and truste in GOD that you maye receiue like glorye of GOD. Because saint Peter sayeth that the misterye of Christes incarnation of his passion by whiche we shold be redemed was knowen afore and appointed afore the worlde was made You must vnderstaÌ„d that this that saint Peter saieth of the eternall predestinacion and foreknowledge of the second person in Trinitie the sonne of God to be incarnate was not onely for the redemption of man from the preuarication and offence of Adam but althoughe Adam hadde neuer offended yet notwithstandinge the sonne of GOD woulde haue be incarnate takynge the nature of man vppon him to beautifye in hym selfe the whole man aswell the outwarde man as the inwarde man that so mankinde Siue ingrederetur siue egre deretur pascua inueneret Whether he should come in by his wit or did go furth by exteriour senses he shoulde euerye waye finde pasture feadynge and refresshynge pasture within by knowledge and contemplation of the Godheade to the comforte of the reason pasture outwarde in the flesshe and bodye of our Sauioure to the comforte of the exteriour senses For if Adam hadde not sinned but hadde stande stedfast in the state of innocencye he shoulde at the laste haue bene translated from Paradyse into the glorye of Heauen and so shoulde all his posteritie wythout anye deathe by the onely wyll or desyre of mynde where his glorye shoulde haue bene verye leane and bare yf no exterioure sense shoulde haue hys owne delectation in the thing that he is exercised in as the syghte in seinge or the touchyng in felyng the eare is in hearing Therefore to satisâ—ye bothe the reason and the sensible powers it was necessarye that GOD shoulde haue a bodye and shoulde be made man that he myghte be perceyued by the senses as wel as by the wyt And to such beatitude ioye wee were appoynted and chosen in Christe afore the makinge of the worlde as the Apostle sayth Ephe. i. Benedixit nos in Christo Iesu sicut elegit nos in ipso ante mundi constitutionem God the father hath blessed vs in Christe as his lymmes or membres like as he hath choseÌ„ vs in him afore the makyng of the worlde so that the chosynge of Christe GOD and man in one persone was presupposed and went afore the chosing of vs hys membres to be incorporate vnite and ioyned to him by faith grace as one body with hym Like as the builder first intendeth a house of thys fashion or that fashion then intendeth to prouide tymber lyme and stone and workemenne to make his house Therefore sayeth the Apostle that GOD chose vs in Christe Firste chosynge Christe to glorye inestimable and then consequentlye and secundarily hee chose vs in him as hys membres to be glorified in hym and with him and by hym And therfore saieth our Sauiour vnto hys Father speakynge of his disciples Dilexisti eos sicur me dilexisti Ioh. xvii Thou haste loued them as thou haste loued me Aug. Because that he loued vs in hym lyke as he chose vs in him afore the making of the world for he y t loued his onely begotten sonne surelye
Centurio a captain in Capharnaum came to Christ praying him to helpe his seruant that was yll vexed with a paulsy Christ offered to come him selfe to the mans house to heale his seruaunt No saith he I am not worthye to receiue you into my house but once say the word and my seruant shall be whole and according to his beliefe so he sped for his seruant was whole by and by after the maister had confessed his beliefe An other that was impotent by a pawlsye and his frendes coulde finde no waye to bringe him to Christe for preasse of people that were about him in the house At the last they were fame to vntile the house and let him in by the roofe of the house Quorum fidem vt vidit dixit homo remittuntur tibi peccata tua et ait paralitico tibi dico surge tolle lectum tuum vade in domum tuam Luke v. Mark ii He saw the faith of them that so conueyed the syckeman in at the roofe of the house and forgaue the man his sinnes and cured him of his pawlsy at the contemplation of theyr faith that brought him to Christe And this texte maketh plainly for our purpose for here it appeareth that by the faith of other men this sickman had aswell soule health as bodely healthe for he had his sinnes forgiuen him for his soule health and was rid of his pawsy for his bodely healthe And euen so it was generallye of Christes cures that he did which were euer full and perfite for he healed the whole man soule and bodye for he vsed not to heale the bodye but he woulde fyrste heale the soule because that the infirmities of the body commeth comonly of the sinnes and syckenes of the soule either originall or actuall The Gospels hath many suche examples in whiche it is plaine that the belief and praiers of others helpeth against bodely sickenes then muche more it helpeth against this daungerous sickenes of the soule that is originall synne the common malander and mischiefe of all the issue of Adam which if it be not cured and healed wyll surely let hym that is diseased with it from the sight of the glorie of God for euer For as I saide God regardeth more the health of the soule then of the body And consideringe that the infantes haue the said originall sinne by an other mans preuarication and transgression reasonable it is that they be releued and discharged of the same by the meane of other mens faith as by the vniuersall faith of the church and by the faith of the godfathers and godmothers and of other assistents at the christening of the childe so that we muste not exclude or denie the mercye grace of God from any man or woman borne into this worlde but that after their bodelye birthe to death they be new borne to life by Gods holye worde and by water with the inspiration of grace of the holye spirite the holye Gost. And by this that I haue said you maye answer to the chiefe reason of the Anabaptistes that they vse against the said veritie alledging that Christ sayth Math xviii Qui crederit baptisatus fuerit saluus erit He that beleueth and is baptised shall be saued and he that beleueth not shal be dampned Of this they take that it is necessary for him that shall be baptised that he beleue Now say they infantes lackynge the vse of reason cannot beleue therefore they be vnmete to be baptised I tolde you that they be saued by the beliefe of the church and beleueth in the beliefe of the church and in the belief of theyr Godfathers and godmothers other assistents representing the church as I declared by diuers examples of the gospell as wel of soule health as of bodely health procured of Christ by the belief of others or els as the scholasticall doctours sa◠very well in receyuing of the sacrament of baptisme the grace of faith is infused and powred in to the soule of him or her that is baptised and so they haue the habyte or theologicall vertue of fayth or the thing by which afterwarde as they increase in the vse of reason they may beleue actually and in dede Example a Phisicion though he be fast a sleepe he hath the science of phisicke but yet if you put an vrinall in his hand he cannot iudge the disease of the sickman as longe as he is a slepe albeit he hath the sciēce in his soule by which whē he waketh he can iudge according to his learning And I trust you haue now herd sufficiently of the new birthe that saynte Peter speaketh of which is more to be pondred then the carnall byrth by corrubtible matter for the sede cause of this generation is vncorruptible it is the worde of God that abideth for euer therfore consideringe whereof we came and be gotten to life and to God we ought to haue special cleanenes in our life and to chastice oure soules vnder obedient charitie and in fraternall loue attentius more earnestly then we haue don and more diligently cōsidering the nobilitie of thys our second byrthe by the vncorruptible seede of Gods holye worde that abideth for euer and hath bene preached among vs as saint Peter sayth in the ende of hys first chapter And now you haue heard the first chapiter of this first epistle of saint Peter declared as my poore wyt and learning wold serue me I pray God it may be to hys pleasure and to the edifying and profyte of oure soules Amen ¶ The fift treatise or sermon The second chapiter DEponentes igitur omnem malitiam et omnem dolū simulationes et inuidias et omnes detractiones sicut modo geniti infantes rationabiles sine dolo lac concupiscite In the fyrst chapiter of this epistle which I haue passed ouer and expounded as God put into my minde the blessed Apostle saint Peter chiefelye magnifyeth our regeneration and seconde byrth by which we be borne to life euerlasting where throughe oure carnall parentes we were borne to dye Fyrst he giueth thankes to God that hath done so moche for vs as so to get vs againe to the inheritance of heauen that wil neuer be corrupt that neuer wil be defowled nor fade or wither away and in the meane season will bring vs to the soule healthe by Christes faith that al the old prophets labored to see and to obteine but thei were answered that it would not be for theyr time but all the labours that they tooke in prayers contemplacion and study should serue for them that shuld come after which be wee that haue sene and heard the trouthe by theym that haue preached Christes gospel continually sithe the holye Gost was sent from heauen in sensible signes of fyrye tounges sone after Christes gloryous ascention And for this consideration sainte Peter exhorteth vs to be cleane of lyuinge and while we be here to liue in feare considering the indifferencye of our iudge in
then Iosue with his host returned vpon them so betwyxte the captaine and the stale they were destroyed and taken euery mothers sonne This was bonus dolus a laudable gile to vanquish and ouercome Gods enemies which had discomforted them afore You must also lay away and put from you all simulacion or faining shewing one thing for an other hauing one thing in the mouth and an other thing closed within the hart as Ioab did to Amasa ii Reg. xx suspecting that Amasa would haue put him out of fauoure with the kinge Dauid when he met wyth hym he came louingly to him and said Salue mi frater God spede you or God saue you my brother and with hys right hand he toke Amasa by the chin as though he woulde haue kissed him but with his left hād he drew his dagger and strake him in the syde so that his guts fel about his feete there he died Here was sore simulatiō and fayning this was a false flattring kisse like Iudas kisse by whych he betrayed his maister This must be left layd downe and no more vsed There is also an other simulation which may be called good and laudable and suche vsed kinge Dauid as it is wrytten i. Reg. xxi when he fled to Achis kynge of Geth when the kynges seruauntes sawe Dauid they sayd among them selues is not this Dauid king of the land of Israell Dauid was sore afrayde and when he came afore Achis the king he changed his countenance and fell down among their handes and then flapped his handes and layde his shoulders against the doores his spytle draueled downe vpon his beard Then sayde Achis to his seruants why haue you brought this mad man afore me haue we not mad men inoughe of our owne Why haue ye brought this felowe to play the mad man in my presence And vpō thys Dauid was let go like a foole and so escaped the danger of them that would haue brought him a gaine to king Saul which then was his mortall enemye And to this fact of Dauid agreeth full well thys comon prouerbe Stultitiam simulare loco prudentia summa est To fayne foolishnesse in some case is verye highe wisedome Thys is not the pernicious simulation by whiche men wyth flyring cheare woulde crepe into a mans bosome and yet kyll hym if they coulde And so muste all enuye be layde awaye that is sorowe for an others mans wealthe or welfare or gladnesse for hys hurte or hynderance For here on earthe no man enuyeth hym that hath neyther vertue morall nor intellectuall neyther theologicall but rather bemoneth hym and is sorye for hym accordyng to the old prouerbe I hadde leauer hee enuyed me then bemoned me Thys is that dyuelish vice that is not so meete for anye place as for hell In heauen it cannot be for there shall be the greatest ioye possible of one neyghbour in an other euerye man shall reioyce of an other mans glorye as muche as of hys owne In hell thys vyce shall be at rest for there he shall see nothing to disdayne at or to enuye at there shall bee no wealthe no prosperitie no exaltacion or promotion to be enuyed but all payne sorow and care And of thys shall come no ioye to the enuyous soule but all freatyng and gnawyng in his own conscience and euerye one of theym that there shall be against an other It is the sinne that is most contrarye to charitie and by that moste dyspleasaunt to almightye God and moste acceptable and pleasant to the dyuell And of thys enuy commeth and foloweth thys other vyce that Saynte Peter here woulde haue vs purged of that so we myghte be able to receyue the mylke that he woulde nourse vs and feede vs wyth all That vyce saythe Saynte Peter is detraction or backbitynge by whiche secretelye behinde a mans backe a mans fame or good name is defaced and defowled Suche backbiters that depraueth and missayeth men behinde theyr backes destroying theyr good name Sainte Paule reherseth amonge them that God hath let runne in reprobum sensum into such madnes as to think nothing good but that is nought in dede and to do as is vnconuenient for men to doe Susurrones detractores deo odibiles they be such as God hateth or as the other translation hath dei osores suche as hateth God for they hate theyr neyghbours whō God would haue them to loue so thei loue neither God nor his pleasure commandement The greatest treasure that a man hathe is hys good name and fame therefore Ecclesiast xli biddeth vs Curam habe de bono nomine hoc enim magis permanebit tibi quam mille thesauri preciosi et magni thou must care and take hede and prouide for thy good name for that will stick by the better then a thousand rich and great treasures and Salomon saith Pro. xxii Melius est bonū nomen quam diuitie multe Better is a good name then great riches Therefore he that diminisheth thy good name doth worse then if he pyked thy purse or stole all thy riches and can neuer haue his offence forgiuen till he haue made restituciō and then considering howe hard it is to pull out of mens heades that opinion that thou hast once brought into their heades by thy rayling backbiting tong By this you may consider the dāger of that vyce for the frowardnes of fraile man is such that it is more easie to bring out of his head a good opinion once conceiued by an other then an yll Thou shalt tell a good tale or a good report by one twise or thrise afore a man beleue it but a noughty report be it neuer so false is soone taken but not so soone disswaded againe And by this also appeareth the danger perill of thē that giueth eare to backbiters for they be partakers of the offence so be in like dānacion beside the sinister rashe iudgement that they haue of their neighbour by such detraction and lewd report of y e detractour or backbiter for to misiudge thy neighbour to be a theefe or to be a lecher or adulterer to be an heretik or such other mortal sinner except the fact be euidente and plaine or the signes so euident that they can not be countersaid is deadly sinne Therefore as S. Hierome saith Epistola ad Nepocianū de vita clericorū we muste beware that we haue nother itchinge tonges nor itchinge eares itching tonges busy clatering and raylinge itching eares euer open and glad to be clawed with newes and noughty tales But fewe there be that forsake this vice of detraction and a man shall seldome finde one so clere and blameles that he will not be gladde to reproue and blame other folkes liuinge And men haue so great pleasure in this vice that thei y t be not poluted or spotted with other vices yet they fall to this vice as into the extremeste and last snare of the deuill and the lightnes
wey and runne because we must folowe the foundation and leyne on the foundation The earthlye buildynge beginneth at the grounde for there lieth the foundation but the spirituall foundation on is on high in heauē Therfore thither toward him our spirituall buildynge must ascende that we maye be suche spiritual houses as saint Peter exhorteth vs to be in the wordes of his epistle which I read now vnto you And that we all may be so he graunt vs that for vs dyed Amen ¶ The seuenth treatise or sermon THe blessed Apostle Saint Peter prosecuteth this spiritual buylding that I spoke of in thend of my last sermon saying that we muste be buylded on this stone our sauiour Christ as an holy priesthoode offering spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. Occasion of this saying saint Peter toke of the saying of al mighty God by Moyses to the people of Israel Exod. xix If you will heare my voice and wil kepe my commaundement you shall be my peculier and speciall people of all people all the world is myne et vos eritis mihi in rengnū sacerd otale et gens sancta ta And I wyll haue you a priestly kingdome and an holy nation Alluding to this Saint Peter wryteth here Vos autem genus electum regale sacerdo cium gens sancta populus acquisitionis You be a chosen kinred a princely or a kingly priesthod an holy nacion a people that are wonne Thys text cannot be negligentlye passed ouer but muste be earnestly loked on speciallye because that at this text manye men stumble and hurt them selues takinge occasion of heresie Of this saying of almighty God in Exodo and the rehersall of saynt Peter of the same text here in this place thei wil proue if they maye that all men and women be priestes as well as they that be ordered by a byshops hands because that saint Peter writ these wordes to all them that he had preached vnto by thē to vs and to all other that shal come after till the worldes ende as wel to women as to mē of all degres and of all ages that were baptised and had taken vpon them Christes lyuerye All such saint Peter calleth regale sacerdotium kings and priestes and to confirme theyr opinion they alledge the saying of saint Iohn in the first chapter of the Apocalips wher he speaketh of Christ saying Qui dilexit nos lauit nosa peccatis nostris in sāguine suo et fecit nos regnum et sacerdotes deo et parrisuo He loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his bloode and made vs a kingdome priests to God and to his father Of these authorities the Lutherians take an argument and occasion to confounde and deface all good order of diuine and humane thinges allowing the womē to serue the altar and to say masse while the men tary at home and keepe the children and washe theyr ragges and clothes and aswell they might allow the women to be captains of their warres and to leade and gide an army of men in battell while theyr husbandes tary at home to mylk the Cowe and to serue the Sow and to spynne and carde To exchewe suche horrible confusion and misordring of the worlde that would offende honest eares to heare it and to declare that if they well vnderstoode the textes alledged they should finde none occasion of such errour We must returne to the sayd texts and waigh the sayings of almighty God by Moyses to the people of Israel and the sayinges of S. Peter and saint Iohn so that we may conserue and keepe that ordinate I herarchie and good order amonge people that God would haue vs to kepe and that al the gospels and the Apostles letters be full of Saynt Ambrose in his first booke de vocatione gentium cap. iii. giueth vs a very notable rule to expounde scriptures and it is the same rule in effecte that Tichonius putteth for the thirde rule whiche he called de specie et genere as S. Austine writeth iii. de doctrina Christiana Saint Ambrose rule is this In scripture many times that thing is said and spoken vniuersally of the whole which is verified and true onely of the part He putteth ther many examples of whiche some I will reherse leauing the other for to auoyde prolixitie and tediousnes The prophet saith in the psalme Alleuat dominus omnes qui corruunt et erigit omnes eli sos Our Lord God taketh vp all them that fall and setteth vp al them that be broken or brused By this texte it seemeth that who soeuer falleth to sinne God setteth him vp agayne or if he be broken against the stone that I spoke of afore by sinne God setteth hym on his feete agayne whiche if it myght be so vnderstande and founde true then shoulde neuer manne nor woman be dampned and then it myghte seeme true that I sayde of the mockers of Gods woorde that they hadde made a leege with death and a couenaunt with hell that neyther death nor hell should hurt theym And oure Sauiour saythe in the Gospell Si exaltatus fuero a terra omnia traham ad me ipsum As thoughe he promysed that when he was crucifyed he woulde conuert and drawe to him all men and women of the world whiche is not yet performed but many persist and continue in infidelitie And likewise in the negatiues it is written in the psalme Dominus de celo prospexit super filios hominum vt videat si est intelligēs aut requirens deum omnes declinauerunt simul inutiles facti sunt nō est qui faciat bonū non est vsque ad vnū Psa. xiii Our lord loked down frō heauē vpō the children of mē to se whither ther wer euer a wyse one or one that sought for god al be wried away they be al together vnprofitable without fruite of good workes There is none that doth any good no not so much as one Likewise saith the Apostle Phil. ii omnes que sua sunt querunt non que Iesu Christi All men seeke for theyr own profite and not those thynges that be for Christes pleasure Here be hard sayinges if they be not helped bi the rule that saint Ambrose teacheth vs to remēber when we expound scriptures The rule is this The scripture speaketh manye tymes of the whole meaninge but the part of the same as speaking of the whole world meaneth but parte of the same and speaking of al men meaneth but part of thē Or as the Logicion speaketh in such sayinges of the scriptures there maye be vnderstand distributio pro generibus singulorum nō pro singulis generum vel econuerso As when the prophet sayde that God taketh vp to him all that fall downe For of all them that falleth he taketh vp some and leaueth the other in their filth myre And when Christ said that when he should be exalted on the crosse he would drawe all the men women of the
yll To the thirde seruaunte that is our Wyll wee must geue one taleÌ„t that is the loue of god we must beware lest when we haue this talent committed vnto vs we dygge an hole in the ground and in the same hyde the money of our Lorde in earthly and worldlye thinges as the proud man in excellencye and auctoritie superfluous and gaye apparell And the couetous man in worldlye wealth and riches And the lecherous man in delectation of the fleshe Seconde a Pylgryme muste take diligent hede that he kepe the waye towarde hys countrey the waye of the commaundementes of GOD that he lose not that waye And if peraduenture he goe oute of that waye he hadde neade of Penaunce to reduce hym into the right waye by the direction of grace whiche communely is conferred and geuen to all Penitentes Thirde a Pylgryme hadde neade to beware that he make not too longe tariynge by the waye but daylye kepe hys dayes iourneyes proceadynge frome vertue to vertue lyke as a Bee tarieth not styll on one Flower but flyeth frome Flower to flower to gather her Waxe and Honye Uertue dooeth strengthen our Soules in the exyle and banishemente of thys worlde Fourthe in as muche as the whole lyfe of a good christian manne is Desyre therefore althoughe a Pilgryme by reason of hys bodye be in the waye yet by hys minde he shoulde be euer in his countrey hauynge hys minde vpon Heauen and euer desierynge the same And therefore Christe teacheth vs thus to praye Adueniat regnum tuum Wee desyre that thy Kyngedome maye come Fyfte a Pilgryme shoulde not ouer lode hym selfe wyth superfluities but onelye wyth such thynges that shall be necessarye for hys waye .i. Timo. vi Habentes alimenta quibus tegamur his contenti simus Hauynge meate and drynke and clothe let vs be so content Syxte a Pylgrime shoulde not stryue and varye nor goe to lawe wyth theim that be borne in the countrey where hee traueyleth that is to saye with worldlye persons as Cicero saieth .i. offi Perigrini est minime curiosum esse in re publica aliena The office of a Pilgrime is not to be to busye in a straunge coÌ„minaltye but must suffer mockes and other hurtes as thei of the countrey will dooe vnto him Wee shall finde in oure waye manye flatterynge Hostes and Hosteses and diuers wanton Tapsters that wyll entyce vs by their good cheare to tarrye styll wyth theim and so for to spende our selues and our goodes amonge them Saint Peter telleth vs what they be and biddeth vs beware of them Carnall desires he calleth them or fleshely lustes and biddeth vs abstayne from them because they fight agaynst the soule The flesh desireth ease the flesh desireth new knacks with chaunge of pleasures The fleshe desireth swetenes of tastynge and of touchynge By the fleshe I meane carnal men and women geuen to folowe the inclination of the bodye For the first the fleshe woulde haue rest and abhorreth paine and labour and had leuer rust for slouthe and idlenes then to shyne fayre and bright wyth labour The plowmans share or culter of his plow if it be well occupied it sheweth faire and bryght and doth much good if it lye vnoccupied in a corner it rusteth and cankereth to naught and doth no manne good So with labour a man shall be shininge and bright afore God and man and shal do muche good where the slothfull man shall be euer vnprofitable and nothinge set by like the weuyll in the corne and a verye spill paine The scripture speaketh shame of him Eccle. xxii In lapide luteo lapidatus est piger omnes loquentur super aspernationem illius The slouthful person is stoned with a stone of myre and euery man shall speake of the shame that he shall be put to where by the hardines of the stone the filthines of the mire is signified the harde and vyle punishment that the idle person shall susteyne And the same sentence is aggrauate by that commeth after in the same chapter De stercore boum lapidatus est piger omnis qui tetigerit eum excutiet manus The slouthefull shall be stoned with oxe dunge and euerye manne that toucheth him shall shake his handes from the filthe Euery man that is conuersant with him and partaker of his vice must nedes make cleane his handes and make amendes by penance The same text is otherwyse expouÌ„ded vnderstanding by the oxen the prechers of the worde of God accordynge to the saiyng of Moyses NoÌ„ alligabis os boui trituranti in horreo which saynte Paule vnderstandeth of the preachers whiche ought not to haue their mouthes mouselled or so bounde vp but that they maye take their sustenaunce and liuyng by their preachynge then by the dunge of these Oxen may be vnderstande the sharpe and harde reprehensions by whiche they rebuke suche dull and idle sluggardes wyth such oxe dunge the slouthful sluggard must be stoned and beaten as is abouesaid And he must be serued like an yl willy boÌ„dman or seruaunt Seruo maliuolo tortura coÌ„pedes mitte illum in operationem ne vacet Eccle. xxxiii He must haue soore punishment and prisonment by the heles and must be set to worke lest he be idle Multam enim malitiaÌ„ docuit ociositas For ydlenes is chiefe maistres of all vyces and of all malyce and mischiefe And where this vice of slouth and idlenes is greatly to be feared of all christen people yet most of the nobilitie which be most ydlely brought vp in youth and therfore it wyll be harde for them to leaue it in age Secondlye I sayde the fleshe woulde take pleasure with wanton knackes rayment of the newe tricke with cuâ—ious and costlye chaunge of the same And with newe inuentions of learninge neuer content with the olde be it neuer so good but euer vagynge and rouynge curiouslie for newe and newe It deliteth in bawdye songes vnhonest and filthye playes or pageantes enterludes of scismes dissention heresies which carnall men women be gladder to folow to pay monie to hear their own bane very poysoÌ„ to their soules theÌ„ to come to hear a sermoÌ„ for their soules helth whiche they maye haue here many times by the kinges prouision and cost them nothinge They be also curious busie and inquisitiue to heare newes of their neighbours liuynges and communelie lighteth more on mennes vices if anye be then on their vertues and be readye to publishe them and blast them abroade and to make all matters worse rather then to amende them and make them better vncharitablye and verye deuillyshelye This curious and busye roauinge of mennes fansies aboute diuersities of thinges shall neuer saciate nor please a manne but rather a manne by suche newe fanglenes is made more hongrie and more greadie and neuer content For the wise man saieth Non saciatur oculus visu nec auris auditu impletur Eccle. i. There is nothinge by seynge or hearyng in this worlde
thē loke smoth is of the deuils inuētiō neuer of gods teaching Therfore I must exhort al womē to beware of coūterfeting adulterating or chaūginge the fashion and fourme of Goddes worke ether by yelow colour blacke or redde pouder or by any other medson corrupt or chaūg y e natural lineamētes or fauour of man or woman because they that vse that maner of doinge semeth to go about to correcte or amende the thinge that god hath made and striueth against God violentlye settynge hande vppon his worke If there were an excellent Painter or a keruer that had made a goodly image of the best fashion that he could if a busye bodye woulde take a tole and take vppon him to amende the ymage so made shoulde he not do iniurye to the sayde gaye workeman and also dispite vnto hym Yes surelye For he shoulde seme to count the workeman but a fole nothing cunnyng Then cōsider almighty God the workeman of of all workemen he made the face and body of man and woman as he thought best then I praye you what arrogancy and presūption is it for man or woman to set to the pensile or tole to make it better Thinkest thou that God will not take vengeaunce on thee for thy striuinge wyth him to amend yea rather to mar that he hath made Therfore in that y t thou thinkest thy selfe that thou arte made fayrer thou art made fowler in dede beggynge of colours made with pouder of stones with rindes of trees or wyth ioyce of herbes the thing that thou hast not of thy selfe More ouer Christe sayth Mat. v. Non potes vnum capillum album facere aut nigrū Thou canst not make one heer of thy head white or blacke And yet thou by thy pride wylte proue him a lyer and make thy selfe a better workman then he paintynge thy heere or thy face not onelye blacke or white for women set little by such colours but also yelowe or redde malo praesagio futurorum sayth S. Cipriane with a shreude ossinge or prophecying of the colour that thy head shalbe of in the redde fyre of hel when thou shalt come thither Nowe I praye the that so paintest thy selfe arte thou not afrayde least when thou shalte appeare afore the iudge at the generall iudgemente he wyll not knowe the but wil put the away from the rewarde that is prouided for all good people in heauen sayinge what haue we here The figure of her face is steyned or polluted into a straunge countenaunce Howe canst thou see God with suche eyes as he made not but as the deuyls crafte hath died and steyned lyke the fyrye glistering eyes of the serpent with whome thou shalt burne for euermore The fyrst that I reade of that thus painted her phisnomy was the noughtye quene Iesabell the common butcher and murderer of all the preachers and prophetes of almightye God She was wyfe to Achab kinge of Israell that destroied Naboth for his vineyard when Hieu sometime seruaunt to Achab and to his sonne Ioram was anoynted kinge and had slayne his Lorde and maister Ioram by Goddes commaundemente he came into Iezraell where the kinges manoure was there to do vengeaunce on Iezabell that noughty quene she trustinge to haue grace and fauoure at his handes yf she might moue him to concupiscence paynted her eyes and her heare and her face after the best fashion But this woulde not helpe they that were aboue in the chambre with her were commaunded to pitche her downe at the wyndowe and so they did and there she was all to troden vnder the horse feete so that there was no more lefte but the scull of her head and her fete and the knockels of her handes whiche serued for the dogges accordinge to the prophecie of the blessed prophete Helye In agro Iezraell commedent canes carnes Iezabel iiii Reg. ix You see what payntinge serued for But nowe maried women wyll pretende and make an excuse by theyr husbandes sayinge that they take all the labours in payntinge and trimming them selues to please theyr husbandes and so doynge they make theyr husbandes partetakers of theyr offence and consequently of theyr dampnation for company sake And I shall aduertise all maried men and all them that haue doughters to kepe that whether the tyrynge or trimminge of your wyues and doughters be for to please you as they say or to please them selues as you say that you suffer not theym to vse it because it is not godlye as I haue tolde you and also because of the peryll that may come of it For when they set them selues forth so curyouselye and goeth abroade in the streates or sytteth in theyr shoppe windows or elles peraduenture at feastes and bankettes with vicious companye it is not you alone that they woulde haue to loke vpon them it is not you alone that is pleased with the sight of theim it is not you alone that casteth theyr eyes after theim or that draweth longe sighes of carnall loue after them this is not the waye to kepe theim for youre selues Beware therefore good husbandes that you set not youre wyues or doughters so to sale for feare least harme come of it And you good wiues beware of the daunger and peryll of youre honestye and specially beware of the peryll of your soules If you nouryshe the luste of concupiscence and sette on fyre the breadynge of sinne so beynge as a sword or dagger to stryke an other man to the hearte and as a verye poysonne to destroy others you knowe the perill of it Wo be to him or her sayth Chryste that geueth occasion of ruyne woo and sorowe euerlastinge in hell Beare not your selues proude of youre husbandes riches sayinge my husbande hath landes and rentes to mainetayne all the costes that I do vpon me my husbande hath golde inoughe in his coffers his riches commeth in and encreaseth dayelye The time shall comme that you shall saye wringinge youre handes and gnasshinge youre teeth in Hell Sapient v. Quid nobis profuit superbia aut diuitiarum iactantia quid contulit nobis Talia dixerunt in inferno qui peccauerunt c. They that haue synned shall saye after this manner in Hell What dydde oure pryde auayle vs Or what profitte hadde we by boastynge of oure ryches As whoo shoulde saye none at all but rather aggrauatethe oure dampnation If thou be riche lette the pouertie feele thy ryches helpe theim wyth thy riches and bestowe it not in superfluous ornamentes Study to dresse youre soules sayth S. Peter here and trymme the inwarde man qui absconditus est cordis homo that is hyd within you your soules whiche God seeth very well and do it so that your spirite be not corrupte or defouled with sinne but be quiete not troubled with inordinate concupiscence or desyre of the fleshe nor of the minde studyinge for to do displeasures or to do hurte And also that your spirite be modest kepinge a meane and measure in all your sayinges
requite il words then il dedes for meÌ„ dare not at al tunes strike wheÌ„ they be strikeÌ„ nor rob when thei be robbed yet words be sone paied home many times worst then they be giuen of which coÌ„meth much dissentioÌ„ anger breach of charity Therfore the apostle specially biddeth theÌ„ that he wrot to vs by them beware of that faut endeuour our selues to say wel when we be ill said by for cursings to pai hom blessings again for which he bringeth a vehement persâ—oasioÌ„ by that that we be called to Christes faith to haue Gods blessing by enheritaunce whiche shall be giuen vs at oure iudgment Therfore s. Peter meaneth that what soeuer we desire to haue in the world to com in y e same thing we should exercise our selues in thys world blessing our Lord maker by laud praising him blessing our brothers sisters our eueÌ„ christeÌ„ saying wel by theÌ„ wishing praying theÌ„ good in this world so preparing our selfes for the heauenly blessing that shal neuer fail vs. S. Peter alledged the prophet Dauid in the psal xxxiii whosoeuer wil loue life euerlasting in heaueÌ„ in whiche no maÌ„ dieth and will loue to se good daies that shal neuer be darkened nor discoÌ„tinued by ani night let him refraine his tong froÌ„ il saiynges not blaspheming y e name of god nor murmuring agaiÌ„st him And let him refrain his lips that they speake no gile nor deceit against his neighbour but be true in thy words in keping thi honest promises for vnlawful vnhonest ê“mises thou shuldest make none but if thou haue made any such thou shouldest repent thy foly breake thy promis Christ saith Mat. xii Ex verbis tuis iustificaberis et exveâ—bis tuis condemnaberis by thy woordes thou shalt be iustified approued as a good man afore god and by thy words thou shalt be dampned the children of Adders being noughtye theÌ„ selfe can not say wel ex abundantia enim cordis loquitur os for y e mouth speaketh of the stuffe of the hart Il wordes declareth an ill hart good words declareth a good hart And therfore when the prophet also s. Peter forbiddeth the tong from il he forbiddeth the hart from il thoughts aswel as y e tonge from il wordes S. Iames saith Iac. iii. Be a horse neuer so strong feirce yet with a good bit in his mouth with the bridle a man may turne him winde him as he list and likewise a ship though it be very great and vnweldi be set furth in his way with a right boistous strong forwinde yet with a litle sterne it may be turned wynded as the maister y t holdeth the helme list So the toÌ„ge is but a litle lim of a mans body et magna exaltat it setteth forth many great matters mors et vitam manibus lingue it bringeth life temporal and much quietnes if it be well bestowed and causeth life euerlasting to him that well vseth hys tonge in godlye doctrine and gostlye exhortation vttered in season wher contrary a wicked tonge maketh muche trouble in thys worlde and manye times death temporal and eternal foloweth of it A little fire burneth a whole groue or a greate wodde An yll tongue is a fire that marreth all and burneth vp coÌ„sumeth and wasteth al goodnes specially when the fire of hell hath set it on a flame when the deuyll hath blowen the coale It is an vnquiet mischiefe full of deadly poyson Prohibe linguam tuam a malo When the Deuyll moueth thee to saye yll then play the controller playe the commaunder bidde thy tongue kepe it selfe wythin hys bondes and saye none euyll thoughe thy courage woulde contrarye And then Declinet a malo faciat bonum Where the blessed apostle Saint Peter by the words of the Prophet biddeth vs vse Iustice in our woorkes and dedes as he hath willed vs to vse iustice in our thoughtes and in our wordes And because there be two principall partes of Iustice one to decline from euill and the other to do good hee that will see good dayes must decline from euil so perfourmynge the preceptes negatiue Thou shalt not take the name of God in vayne Thou shalt not kyll any man woman or childe Thou shalt not steale nor robbe Thou shalt do no lechery nor such other The seconde precept concerninge the other parte of Iustice is to dooe good fulfillyng the precepts affirmatiue Beleuyng on one God louyng him and fearyng him Kepyng thy holy daye holilye worshippynge thy father and mother and generallye so doynge to an other as thou wouldest an other should do to thee Inquirat pacem prosequatur eam Let him seke peace with God and man and earnestly folowe it The worlde can geue no peace but will rather driue away peace and make disseÌ„sion and debate betwixt god and man and betwixt man and man Therfore the Prophete saith not onelye thou must seke for peace but also thou muste pursue it runne after it laboure and finde all meanes possible to catche it and to holde it els it will be gone the worlde and carnalitie wil haue it awaye from thee And because he that declineth and auoydeth from euill and doth well and also laboureth and taketh paine to obtaine Iustice taketh great labour and pains in so doing The blessed apostle sainte Peter forth with comforteth vs telling what is the reward of iustice and of good men that kepe iustice Oculi domini super iustos This shall be their rewarde Firste our Lorde Gods eyes wyll fauourablie beholde them and louinglye loke vppon theim as on his frendes as a mans eyes runneth muche on the thinge that a man loueth Seconde his eares will be open mercifully inclined to heare their prayers where contrary he will make a face and loke with a terrible countenance vpon them that do yll and kepe not these partes of Iustice afore rehersed nor careth for peace nor will not labour for to obtaine it Where the prophet applieth corporal limmes or meÌ„bres to almighty god coÌ„descending to our infirmitie of our wittes whiche must be led vp bi corporal similitudes to the coÌ„sideration of heuenly thinges of the maner vsed among men by his amiable casting his eyes vpon vs his louing fauour and by his frowning terrible countenance his anger and displeasure Et quis est qui vobis noceat si boni emulatores fueritis â— Here the apostle excludeth a certaine doubt that might moue mens mindes saiyng that if we shal thus do as you saye not requite euil for euil nor checke for checke but contrary waies do good for yll blesse or saye well for yll wordes and euer to labour for peace and quietnes then euery maÌ„ would treade vs vnder fote and would hurt vs and rob vs and do vs displeasures one after another so we shold be in worse case then all other men be To this s. Peter answereth comfortyng
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
um herinacijs the rocke is a refuge a place of safe garde and defence for that beast It is a little rough beast and buildeth in the rockes in Palestine in the holy lande I thinke we haue none of them here with vs. For the same our translation in the prouerbs of Salomon putteth Lepusculus an Hare or a Leueret This worde Saphan in the Hebrewe hath dyuers significations of whyche one is a Hare and so it is put in our comon translacion A Hare is a weake beast and a fraiful euer running away more trusting to her feete and to her form or resting place then to her own streÌ„gth Sometime she maketh her forme in old grofes rockes or quarryes spent lefte or forsaken and signifieth the weake good Christen people that seke not to reuenge the wrongs done vnto them and hath this pointe of prudence and wisedome not to trust in theyr owne strength but to putte theyr trust principally in our redemer sauioure Iesus Christe sygnified by the stone or rocke in whiche as it is sayde here the Hare maketh hys bed or forme And so we all shoulde be timorous and frayfull of oure owne selues or of our owne merites and muste commytte oure selues to the protection and defence of God as in a towre of strengthe to saue vs from oure ennemyes that woulde destroye vs. Regem Locusta non habet egreditur vuiuersa pro turmas suas Locusta is a certayne longe Flye bygger then the Cricket or then the Grassehopper they be verye many in Affrike and in southe parte of Asia Theyr propertie is to flye flocking together as it wer al with one accorde hauyng no kyng nor captayne to set theym forwarde The Bees haue a captayne or mayster Bee whom they folowe when they wyll swarme and so hath not these Locustes bi which is commended vnto vs the prudence and wysedome in concorde and vnitie felow like wythout coertion or compulsion â–ª For thoughe concorde and vnitie wyth obedience vnder one heade and ruler be very good and necessary and accordinge to Gods lawee and to hys pleasure yet thys brotherlye loue and concorde without coertion pleaseth him much more maketh the diuels of hell afrayde to set vpon vs. And therefore the spouse our sauiour Christ calleth his best beloued the holy church the coÌ„gregacion of faithful people Terribilis ut castorum acres ordinata Canti vi Terrible like the forwarde or the onsette of a battel wel set in order and in araye They that haue experience knoweâ—h this right well that when two armies or hostes shall meete together in battayle that hoste that auaunceth forward in a ray very close ioined together shalbe terrible to the coÌ„trari part and shal make them soone afrayde because they can not spye any place where to breake the raye but they must needes come vpon the pikes vpon the artilery vpon the whole ordinance and peryll of the battel wher contrary if they be disseuered diuided and parted abrode then the coÌ„trary multitude runneth in among them and scatereth theÌ„ as dogges doth in a flocke of sheepe and destroyeth and killeth where they list Euen so when our gostli enemies seeth vs close knit together by the linkes of charitie and of concord in goodnes thei be afrayd of vs for they loue nothing wors then loue and vnitie in goodnes they be in dispayre to do vs any hurt and flye away from vs. We be euer in warre and battell agaynste the diuels our gostly enemies and thei be euer ramping and roring and laboring to ouercome vs and to brynge vs to dampnacion euerlasting therfore we must needes make a close bulwerke of our selues by a frame of charitie agreyng fast and sure amonge our selues by concord and vnitie and so saue our selues as the wise man exhorteth vs to doe by example of the sayde Locustes that so ordinatelye keepeth theyr aray when they flye abrode Stellio manibus nititur moratur in edibus regis A Stote a Ueyry or a Wesyll clyngeth and cleaueth fast with his fete which standeth him in stede of handes and by them he scratcheth and climeth verye nimlye on the walles on the roofes and on all other places of great meÌ„s houses yea and byldeth and breedeth in the kynges palace and where he hath no winges to flie vp he getteth vp with his handes or feete as hie as he list to do by this teaching vs this point of prudence and of prouision that where we may not obteyne our intente one waye we must assaye another way As if a man be not of such naturall pregnancy and quicknes of witte as others be yet by his diligence and busye exercise in study and contemplation and in prayers he commeth sometyme to the knowlege of holye scripture and to such graces of vertues by whiche he may builde his dwellinge place in the kinges house of heauen aboue And you see many times that in the trade of marchaundise and in handy craftes men that be not most clere of wytte yet by their continuall paines takinge and by diligent appliynge their wittes that they haue vnto their worke they come to more conninge and knowledge in their faculties and to more aboundaunce of riches by their exercise then they that haue farre better wittes And as we se that manye birdes that haue fethers and winges to flie and mounte vp on hie yet they abide and builde alowe amonge the briers frisses and bushes and sometimes vpon the grounde while this stellio this stoote or wesel that hathe no winges trustinge to her nayles climeth vp to the top of the towre so they that be well witted and might mount hie by their wittes manye times geueth them selues to slouth and idlenes kepinge them selues alowe in shreude vnthriftie and noughtie workes while good simple persoÌ„s that lacketh the winges of subtill wittes trusting to theyr nailes to their busie labours commeth to greate knoweledge and to grace and goodnes and finally to the kinges house and towers in heauen aboue as I sayde And this for this fyrste kinde of prudence or wysedome whiche I called prouision The seconde kynde of prudence may be called Circumspection by which we loke well about and take good hede that we do truely kepe the meane of vertue so that while we exchew and auoyde one vice we fall not into the other extremitie and contrarye vice as that while we auoide auarice and couetousenes we fall not into prodigalitie and wastfulnes and that whyle we auoyde cowardnes we fall not into folishe hardines or to rasshe brainesicknes They be not circumspecte inough that so exchueth and auoideth from temporall trouble and payne that they runne into euerlastinge payne or that so flieth from worldly pouertie that they fall into euerlastinge nede and scarcitie when they shall begge and nothinge shall be geuen theÌ„ All such be like a skittish starting horse whiche coming ouer a bridge wil start for a shadowe or for a stone lying by him and leapeth ouer on the other side into
dicitur Nabuchodonosor rex Regnum tuū transibita te ab hominibus eiicient te cū bestiis atque feris erit habitatio tua fenū quasibos comedes septē tēpora mutabūtur super te donec scias quod dominetur excelsus in regno hominū cuicūque voluerit det illud Eadē hora. Is not this Babilō the great city that I haue builded for a palaice of mi kingdom in the might of my manlines and in the glory of my beauty And euen while this saiynge was in the kings mouth a voice came al in hast frō heuē This is said to thee Nabuchodonosor king Thi kingdome shal go frō thee and thei shal cast thee out from mans cōpany and thy abiding shall be with wilde beastes Thou shalt eate hey like an oxe And seuen yeares shall chaunge and go ouer thee vntill thou knowe that there is a highe one y t is lord in the kingedome of men that he may geue it to whō soeuer he wil Eadē hora. The same time this worde and saiynge was performed he was striken with such amencye and madnes that he ranne abrode out of mens cōpanye he eat hay grasse like a best he lay forth out of any house The dewe raine haile and snow fel on his body his nails growed out like an eagle or a kites cleis the heere of his head clotted together as longe as an eagles winges Then after that seuē yeres were spent vpon him after this maner almighty god that toke away the vse of his wit restored it vnto him again thē he lift vp the eyes of his body of his soule vnto almighty god he lauded praised god whose power is euerlasting al that it peaseth him he doth as well in heuen aboue as among thē that dwelleth on erth there is none that can resist his hand power or that can saye to him why hast thou done so Therfore nowe saith he I Nabuchodonosor laude and magnify and glorify the king of heuen for all his workes are true al his waies be iudgemente Et gradientes in superbia potest humiliare Dan. iiii And thē that goeth in pride he can humiliate pul down as it proued in effect by him self in dede When he exceaded in pride God resisted him pulled him downe And when he knew him selfe and became lowly god sent him grace euen as ▪ s. Peter sayt◠here In the new testamēt we haue examples of the proude Pharisey and the lowlye Publicane one was repelled for hys pryde the other was Iustified and alowed for hys lowlinesse And generallye all the Scribes and Phariseis whyche did all their workes that they dyd that they might be sene and praysed for their doyngs whiche euer proued nought at lengthe and preuayled not where contrarywise the humilitye of the blessed virgin Marye mother of Christe the meke lowlines of al Christes disciples which they learned of him obteined grace here and glory euerlasting at their end Humiliamini igitur sub potenti manu dei vt vos exaltet in tēpore visitationis Considering therfore these examples how pride hath a fal preuaileth not wher humilite lowlines is exalted set aloft Therfore concludeth s. Peter that you and all we must be made lowe in our harts vnder the mighty hand of god that it maye please him to exalt vs at the time of hys visitation as well euery man for him self when euery man shall depart out of this worlde as at his great and general visitation at the generall iudgement when he shal call to accōpt all that euer died sithe the beginning of the world till that time And thē according to the philosophers rule Sicut simpliciter ad simpliciter sic magis ad magis maxime ad maxime As they that be humiliat and made lowly in hart now in this time of battel against our gostly enemies shalbe exalted and set aloft in glorye so he that is more lowlye shall be more exalted in glorye and he that is is moste lowly shalbe most exalted amōg thē that for their humilitie shalbe exalted contrary he that here is exalted by pride shall be made mooste lowe in paines euerlastinge Yet furthermore to declare the nature of this vertue of Humilitie you shall vnderstande that Humilitye in vs and in Christe of whome and by whom wee muste learne to be lowelye is not in all poyntes after one maner in hym and in vs. For in vs humilitye is a vertue that by hys offyce restrayneth and kepeth downe the appetite of manne frome inordinate desire of excellencys that a man hath not yet obteined but as it were beynge content with the state that a man hath alreadye An other office is to incline a mās wil or appetite not to vse or shew to y e vttermost such power might honour or auctorite as a mā hath Now because there could be in Christ no such inordinate desire neither any excellency able to be desired aboue y t which he had cōtinually from the moment of his conception yea and by his Godhead euer afore y e worlde was made therfore humilitie in Christe was not after the first maner but was in hym onelye after the other office of humilitie by whiche he kept close his mighty power euer shewed him selfe curteous gentle patient and as an vnderlinge to euery man And all for to geue vs example to kepe a low saile not to haue any hy opinion of our selues thinkynge our feete there as our head wil neuer come As they haue which when they cā read the english Bible thinke thei haue as perfite vnderstandyng of the Scripture as though they hadde studied in it forty yeares Wee muste vse lowlinesse bothe wayes that is to saie by Humilitye to keepe downe our hartes from desire of exaltation aboue our callyng And also not to bragge or boaste of that little that wee haue thynkynge our selues a great deale better then other bee but rather thinking euerie man better than we be as hauinge some gift of God that we haue not In humilitie Superiores sibi inuicē arbitrantes Sayth S. Paule Phil. ii By humilitie you euery one must thinke an order better then you Therfore it is not with out cause that the apostle s. Peter so ernestly exhorteth vs to humilitie as to the vertu contrary to pride which the world doth hoyst vs vp vnto not for any profite vnto vs but rather cōtrary for our ouerthrowe and downe fall euen as the menne of Nazareth ledde Christe to the toppe of of the hill on whiche their Citie was builded onlie bycause they would haue pitched him downe haue broke his necke but he so inuisiblie conueyd him self away amōge thē that they had not theyr purpose And the deuill caried our sauiour Christ set him on a galerie of the tēple bycause be would haue had him pitch him self downe to the grounde therfore humiliation is necessarie for him that wilbe saued And
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
without brydle or staye brought into questioÌ„ But he y t beleueth there is a heuen doth hope to come to heuen must ascend while he is here must beleue y t of heueÌ„ly secretes that he heareth by the true preachers of Christes worde And take this for a priÌ„cipal reasoÌ„ why thou sholdest beleue hope as christen people be taught y t wheÌ„ Christes fayth was first published decâ—ared abrode in al the world it was first set furth bi pore meÌ„ homely rude fishers of the most abiect sort of the people for such Christ chose for his apostles And their doctrine was reproued pursued of y e most mighty sort of y e world Great emperours haue despised it haue many tymes by expresse lawes labored to extinguish the name of Christ haue beaten slaine theÌ„ that beleued on Christe or haue preached or spoken in Christes name whiche yet notwithstandynge the more trouble that tyrantes hath stirred against Christ and his doctrine and against his preachers and against his faithfull people the more excellently the faith of Christ hath florished aduaunced and gone forwarde so that the laboure of the pore fishers with Goddes assistence vainquished and ouercame the auctoritie of all the potentates of the worlde maligning against our faythe and against our hope So that I count this one of the greatest myracles that euer GOD wrought for the proufe and confirmacion of Christes faythe And nowe good neighbours if there be anye amonge you that in time paste haue maligned against your preachers or against the common receiued faith of Christes church amend your faith assuring your selues that Christes true doctrine will haue his waie and will preuaile at lengthe be your malice neuer so greatlie set againste it Moreouer thus we maye saie to Infideles that woulde examine vs of our fayth that our faithe hath be so confirmed by such myracles as coulde not be done but onely by the power of GOD therfore if we be deceiued in our beleue god hath begiled vs whiche can not bee for God is true very truth it selfe and can not be witnes of any falsitie And for the maner how to satisfie euery person particularlie in seuerall doubts and how we shoulde vse our selues the apostle S. Paule aduertiseth vs saiyng Col. iiii Sermo vester semper in gratia sale sit conditus vt sciatis quomodo oporteat vos vnicuique respondere Let your communication be such that it maye be acceptable and pleasaunt to them that would learne of you and let it be poudred with salt that is to saye with sauory wisedome that you may knowe howe to aunswere euery person accordinge to such measure of grace as shall please God to geue euerye one of you as he wyll not faile to do for Christe hath so promised Lu. xxi I will geue you a mouth and such wisedome as all your aduersaries shall not haue power to resist But this must be done with modestye and with feare without presumption pride or arrogancie with modesty and good maner outwarde and with feare inwardlie in your heartes so that you wade not to farre least in your declaration you bring in more depe and obscure matters then were asked of you and least you trust to much to naturall reasons and familier examples intendinge to proue that can not be proued by naturall reasons nor by examples Although naturall reasons and familier examples may do much to declare and to set furth the thinges that we beleue and to declare the possibilitie of theim that such thinges maye bee and then ioyne y e veritie of the scripture to this possibilitie and this shall make a man more swetelye and louingly to beleue the thing that he beleued afore Take example in the Article of the incarnation of the sonne of God We stedfastly beleue that the holy Gost fourmed and fashioned in the virgins bodie of her moste pure bloude without anye mixture or healpe of mannes sede a perfite mans bodie parfitely distinct in all liniamentes and proporcions belonging to a mans bodye althoughe it were of small quantitie at the beginning yet in processe it was nourished and encreased growed to a greater quantity as other children dothe in their mothers bodye This we beleue as we beleue other articles of our faythe and we take it for an vnfallible truth And then if we will muse or studie howe this may be let vs take a naturall example to helpe our beleue We perceiue that of the moyst grounde the sunne by his heate and influence naturally gendreth firste a little worme which in time groweth to a greater quantitie then we may be bold to beleue that the infinite power of god may do lyke and much more in Christes Incarnation Such naturall reasons and examples myght be geueÌ„ to declare other articles of our fayth whych muste be done manerlye that is wyth Modestye as S. Peter speaketh also with fear lest we passe our bondes And speciallye we must haue an eye to our owne coÌ„science ConscientiaÌ„ habentes bonaÌ„ hauing a good coÌ„science so y t in the matters that we declare to others we wauer not w tin our selues but that wee do inwardlye beleue the thinges to be true that we say we beleue that in our outward behauour liuing we shew it in our workes And so whosoeuer would backebite you or raile at you saith s Peter or would vniustly accuse you afore any iudge as though your fayeth wexe â–ª naught nor worthy to be receiued of anye wisemaÌ„ thei coÌ„sidering your stedfastnes in Christes faith your good conuersation and liuing in Christ may be ashamed of them selues and may leaue their accusementes their tayling may amend their liues and come to grace They that ignorantly will teach and declare the thing that is false that they know not they haue no good conscience their conscience is not sufficiently instructed thei know not what they say thei be no good readers no good scholemaisters nor good preachers They also that for to please the world or for promocioÌ„ profite or aduauÌ„tage will be of one opinion now sone after of another minde at one time doth teach one thing at another time doth teach the coÌ„trary as the wind bloweth as the world chaungeth thei at the first had no good coÌ„science The science or knowledge of their hartes or minds was not good but erronious or els vafre wilye suttle which s Peter woulde not haue in any christen man or womaÌ„ Melius est enim vt bene facieÌ„tes si voluntas dei velit pati quaÌ„ male facientes For if it be gods will that you suffer persecution tentation or trouble for the exercise of your faith for the increase of your reward better it is that you suffer for well doyng then for euyll doinge For you shall haue reward of GOD for your paciente sufferynge of vexation that you haue not deserued Where as if you were malefactours and yll