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
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
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
a. Church of christ builded on y e xii apostles equally clxiiii b Christ suffred his paines with ioy and gladnes in the higher part of his soule but by the lower portion he was in greatest payne fol clxxxxiiii a. Christes faith was first set forth by homly rude fishers and was reproued and pursued by the mightiest people of the world and yet it preuailed fol. ccxx b Christ preached in spirit to the spirites that were harde of beleif in Noes time is vnderstand .ii wayes fo ccxxiiii d Circuit or compasse about the deuill vseth fol. clxii d. Cleanes of life is necessary for receiuing of grace fo cxxx a Codrus king of Athenis died for his couÌ„treis sake fo xlix a Couetous men be like molles fol. vi c Counsel or policie worldly many times lacketh the spirite of counsell fol xv d Counsell of Gamaliel fol. xviii c the gifte of Counsell was in Iethro whiche Moises lacked fol. xxiiii c d Christen man winneth when he is thought to lose falshead loseth when he is glad of his winninge fol. cxxxiii b Consubstantiall that word is not founde in scripture yet it must nedes be vsed fol. xx d Conception of Christe in the virgins bodye is somewhat like the generation of a worme of the moist earth by the heate of the sonne fol. lxxviii a. and .ccxxi. c Communion much mutabilitie in ministring the communion amongest the heretikes fol cccxii d CommunioÌ„ of saintes is conformite to the coÌ„pany of holy men women as wel quicke as dead fol. lxxxv c â— Commaundementes of God be moral lawes oughte to be red in churches on sondaies holydaies lxxxx a Coueringe of sinnes is of two maners fol cclii a Correction beginneth at the churche fol. cclxxvi c Colchis where it is sayd the golden flece was is in Ponto fol. cx b. Counsell Nicene was kept in Bithinia Eodem d. Comming to Christ is by fayth fol. cliiii c Corner stone the Hebrues tale of that stone fo clv c. d new Conuerses to Christ suffreth much wo and persisteth in goodnes fol. ccxxxviii d. the Companie in Bristowe brought the common gaines into the handes of a fewe fol. ccxi b CoÌ„messatioÌ„s be al extraordinary banketings fo ccxxxiiii c Crime is described fol. cclxxxv c in Croked thinges the midle swarneth from the extremities fol. cccviii d Creation what maner a thinge it is fol. lxxv a. Crosses by the high wayes deuoutlye erecte maliciouselye cast downe fo lxxxxv a. Cure we haue euery one of his neighbour fol. cclxv d. Curiositie about new knackes and new learning is reproued with remedy against the same fol. clxxv b. c Cuthbert Sainte Cuthberte receiued an anngell for his gest fol. cclxi b. c D. DArke sayinges of Christe made manye to erre euen in Christes time fol. xxxvii d Dampned bodies how they shal euer endure fol. lxxxvii a the Deuils sinne is irremissible why fol. lx a Desire of the holy fathers to se Christ. fol. cxxvii a b Death of a faire death and of a foule death fo ccxli b Diuine productions fol. ix c Difference betwixt the minde of a fole and of a wise man about the affections fol. lvii c. Diuision of tongues was the greatest stroke that euer man was striken withall after the losse of originall iustice lx d Differ not to beleue why by example fol. lxxi c Die to sinne fol. lxxxii b. Discretion of spirites is necessary for him that shall studye scriptures fol. xcix b. c. Dowries or giftes of a glorified body fo lxxxvi c Dowries or giftes of a glorious body declared fo cclxxxi a Detraction and a remedy against detractours fol. cxlvii b Desier to haue is couetousnes and so is desire to saue folio cclxviii b. c Dukes Captaines and officers dueties vnder the kinge folio clxxxi b the Deuill killinge the latter Adam lost the first Adam and all his posteritie fol. ccxxvii a the Deuil medleth not with some walketh through some and compasseth about some fol. cccix d E. EArth is diuersly vnderstand folio lxv d Election of two maners fol. cxii c Elia the newe citie of Ierusalem fol. cxxviii b Embringe dayes fasted with prayers for orderinge of preistes fol. cclxxxiiii b Enuy is described is mete for no place but for hel cxlvii d Enuy commeth of vayne glory fol. cc. lxiiii d. Enuy how it may be put away by sufferinge in the fleshe folio ccxxxiii a. d Enuied and disdained is al new conuersion as wheÌ„ Saul prophecied fol. ccxxxvi c d Epicures felicitie fol. xlv c Epictetus determination of the affections fo lvii d Ephesus is a citie in the countrey of Asia the lesse fo cxi a Eue the first woman was made for two vses and in both she was excedingely punished fol. xcvi c Extremities of fortitude fol. xxvii a Examples of the gospels to forsake our parentes for to folow Christ in religion fo lii d Exhortation to seruauntes to their maisters fol xliii v Example of Christes paines in his most tender body shuld be our armour and defence fo ccxxx c Example of concord betwixt man and wife the lampraye with the veuemous viper geueth fo ccv c. Examples declareth and easeth our faith fo ccxxi b. F. FAbles pleasauntly couereth truthes fol. lxi d Faith is diffined and that it is necessarye for mans saluation fol. lxxi a b Faith hope and charitie be presupposed to the .vii. giftes of the holy goost fol v b Faith helpeth intelligence and contrary wise fol x. d Faith at rest and vnexercised anone decayeth fo lxxii c Faith is the instrumente by whiche God preserueth vs in goodnes fol. cxxii a Faith ouercommeth all worldlines and sinne is declared generally Eodem b Fear is necessary fol. lviii d Fear is deuided into sixe members after Damascen lxiiii d Fear is deuided into mundane seruile filial or chast EodeÌ„ Feare presupposeth a loue fol lxiiii d Feare seruile of god though it be not sufficient yet it doth good fol lxvi c Feare seruile and chast feare be like the feare of an adulteres wife and of a chast wife fol. lxvii c d Fear seruile is like the heare or bristel that leadeth bringeth in the threde fol lxix b Feare that is one of the seuen gifte of the holy goost is humilitie fol lxx b the rule of oure Faith is the whole booke of holye scripture fol. lxxiii a the Father in trinitie is neither elder nor more of power then the sonne or the holy Goste fol. lxxiiii d Flatterers of their lordes beleue not on one God properlye Eodem c Flateringe proueth a man fol. cxâ—iiii â— c Flattering hostes and tapsters that wil let vs in our iourney to heauen fol. clxxiiii b Fleshe desireth ease new inuentions and swetenes of tasting and touchinge Eodem c Flesh desireth against the spirite and the spirite against the flesh is vnproperly spoken fol. clxxvii a Feblenes of our wittes to vnderstande the holye scriptures fol. lxxxxix a Felowes to Christ. fol. ciiii c.
And euen like the gift of counsayle without fortitude or manlinesse is of no price Nother manlines without counsell or good aduisement No more is science without pietie or pietie without the discretion of science And fear muste haue some of the saide giftes concurrent with it or els no good will come of it Then to our purpose Because that our knowlege naturally beginneth at some of our fiue exteriour or outward senses which we call the .v. wits if our knowledge shall be eleuate aboue that his common course to heauenly matters as be thinges parteyning to our fayth it hath nede of some supernaturall light by whiche it may ascende and pearce into the knowledge of such thinges as by his natural power he caÌ„ not attayne to As that there be three persons in one substaunce of the Godhead And that the father by his fecund and fruteful memory produceth and getteth his onely begotten sonne the second person in trinitie And that the father and the sonne by their fecunde and frutefull will bringeth forth the holye gost coeternall and of equall might and power with theÌ„ both And y â— that one God thus distinct in thre persons by his endles and mighty power at his pleasure and wheÌ„ he thought good made all the world of nought And that by his onelye goodnes he mainteneth and preserueth the same so that if he would once withdrawe his hande of maintenaunce but one little moment from hys creatures they should sodainely fall to nought as they came fro And that all the glorious company of aungels he made to honour him like as all other creatures after their kindes and maners doth And where as some of the aungelles swarued from the grace that they were creat in and were damned to be the horriblest creatures and in most payne of all creatures of the world the others persistyng standinge in their goodnesse were confirmed in grace so that now they can not fall but continuallye remayneth in the glorious fruition sighte and loue of God euer ready to do his commaundemeÌ„t in heauen and at his pleasure here in earth toward vs mortall men Hebr. i. These and such high misteries of heauenly matters to perceiue and as it were by the sharpenes of mans witte to pearce into theÌ„ as man may here in this grose and corruptible bodye perteyneth properly to the gifte of vnderstandynge Ad donum intellectus And the more perfectly that this gifte is inspired into man by the holy gost the more distinctly and plainely he shal perceiue such hie secrets though perceue theÌ„ as he shall do hereafter in glory we can not yet And by mature and wise iudgement to discerne these verities from their contraries perteyneth properly to the gifte of Sapience or godly wisdome Ad donum sapientiae As to discerne one God from the false Gods To know that the .iii persons in Trinitie be equall in power and not one of them minister or seruaunt to the other as Arrius saide To know that there is but one maker of all thinges no more and not to put two creatours one of good thinges an other of euyl thinges as Manicheus saide And to iudge when the angels of God doth trulye Gods message And to discerne them from the aungels of darknes which many times disguise them selues into the fashion of the angels of light These and such other hye iudgementes in heauenly causes ê‘teineth properly to the gift of sapience or godly wisdome For this supernaturall gift of Sapience the wise man prayed Sapi. ix Da mihi sedium tuarum assistricem sapientiam Geue me the wisdome from aboue that is euer assistent bi thy seat of glory and from thence is deriued and infused or send downe to menne Because that Si quis erit consummatus inter filios hominuÌ„ si ab illo fugerit sapientia tua in nihilum computabitur If a man be neuer so profound and excellent in mans wisdome if he lacke this godlye wisdome good Lord he shall not be estemed wise but rather a fole in as much as worldly wisdome is counted but folishnes afore God .i. Corin. iii. And the prophet Dauid prayed that he might obtayne thys supernaturall gift called Donum intellectus the gift of intelligence wittinesse or fine and cleare vnderstandyng saying Psal. cxviii Da mihi intellectum vt discam mandata tua Geue me intelligeÌ„ce that I may learne thy coÌ„mandementes Where it is highly to be noted that this noble king and prophet whiche so well knew Gods lawes and that saide he had kept Gods eloquent sayinges yet nowe he prayed for finer and clearer vnderstandyng by whiche he might yet better ascende and pearce into the same And we haue nede so to pray as the prophet did that this gift of Intelligence may be geuen vs to helpe our fayeth like as in many cases our faith helpeth our intelligence or vnderstandyng accordyng to the saying of Esay vii Nisi credideritis non intelligetis As saint Augustine and others redeth that letter Excepte ye beleue ye shall not vnderstande For many thinges there be whiche except ye beleue ye can not vnderstande as the articles of our fayeth with other like And many truthes there be that we can not beleue except we haue vnderstandyng either by hearyng the preacher by instruction or by study as Paule sayth Ro. x Fides ex auditu auditus autem per verbum Christi And this is acquisite fayth gotten by laboure studie or hearyng and so is vnderstandyng proporcionablye to the same whiche bothe be made more firme fast and certaine by fayth infused and by Intelligence or vnderstandynge infused and geuen from aboue of the holy gost And this gift of Intelligence is neuer withdrawen from good men specially about such thinges as be necessary for mannes saluation to be knowen although some men haue it in a higher degree theÌ„ some other haue but about other thinges not necessary to be knowen it is withdrawen to pul men downe that the matter occasion of pride and curiositie may be taken away and lest men should be to proud of gods gifts and accordyng to this speaketh saint Iohn i. Ioh. ii Vnctio eius docebit vos de omnibus The oyntment infusion or inspiration of the holy goste will teach you in all thinges necessary to be learned although very good men hauyng the grace that maketh theÌ„ acceptable and in the fauour of God may be dul and little or nought perceiue of other truthes without whose knowledge a man maye come to heauen wel inough Chrisostome in a sermon De spiritu sctoÌ„ vseth a more familier playner distinction of these two giftes Sapience and Intelligence saiyng When it besemeth a doctour or a teacher to speake plainely his gifte is called the spirite of Sapience And where nede is that the hearer do wittily perceiue that is spoken the gifte that he muste haue is named the spirite of vnderstanding which also is called the spirite of reuelation wheÌ„ nede is to learne
And she stowped downe to him mockynge Anthiochus the Kinge and saide My sonne haue mercie on me that bare thee nyne monethes within my bodie and gaue thee milke of my brestes three yeres space and mirced thee and brought thee vnto the age that thou arte of I desire of thee my sonne that thou do loke on heauen and earthe and all thinges that be in them and do vnderstande that God made them all of nought and so it maye come to passe that thou shalt not fear this butcherly hangman but shalte be made worthy to haue such brothers as be gone afore thee Take thi death and such part as they haue done that in the time of gods mercy I may receiue thee againe with thy brothers While she was thus saiyng the yong man boldly cald vpon the tormentors saiyng that he wold not obey the coÌ„maundement of the kinge but he wold obey the coÌ„maundement of gods law geueÌ„ them by Moyses And after a sharpe lesson coÌ„mination geuen to the king the king was inflamed with anger was woode against him more then against al the other brothers so the good yong maÌ„ departed trusting on god in all points at the last the mother after her sons was speÌ„t put to death Of like fortitude maÌ„lines boldnes we read in the new testameÌ„t of s Steuen saint Iames other in the actes of the apostles we read also of saint Peter s Andrew Bartholomew Laurence Uincent many other whose passioÌ„s be red in Christes church of which al of others like thapostle Heb. xi saith Alii distenti suÌ„t non suscipientes redemptioneÌ„ vt meliorem inuenireÌ„t resurrectionem alii ludibria verbera experti c. Some were racked drawen in pieces not loking for any raunsome that so they might find a better resurrectioÌ„ some suffred mocks stripes more ouer fetters prisones were stoned to death some were cutte in pieces In al these and such other timiditie cowardnes was far away this gift of the holye gost fortitude manlines strong hert lacked not by which thei were so coÌ„stant in suffryng aduersitie for Christes sake in hope of reward euerlastyng Amen ¶ The fourth sermon treatyng of the fift gift of the holy gost called the spirite of Science THe fifte of these giftes of the holy gost is the spirite of science or the gifte of science or cunninge for whiche you shall vnderstaÌ„d the science is not so precisely taken here as y e logitions speaking of science callyng it the knowledge of a conclusion proued by demonstration but science as we nowe speake of it descendeth and commeth alowe and is properlye the iudgement in the articles of our faythe and in such other Godly verities as extendeth them selues to creatures and to mannes actes and doinges accordynge to saint Paules saiyng Faith worketh by loue And so doth all the whole holy scripture more consistyng in practise and exercise then in speculation This gift of science or cunnyng as we nowe speake of it extendeth also to hande craftes and occupations as I shall declare hereafter And it presupposeth the gift of counsaile that I spoke of lately by whiche we may with studie deliberacion and aduisement attayne to the knowledge of mans actes and to the knowlege of creatures But because that many times mennes wittes in their study and in their singuler or priuate counsailes be ready to inuent or imagine of mennes actes and of other creatures laiynge a parte the gifte of counsaile and good iudgement so commeth many times to mannes minde deception errour lolaâ—dye heresie contrary to true science and cunnyng geloâ—ie suspicion sclaunder and infamye contrarye to quietnesse of liuinge Example we haue of the people of Israell whiche hadde inbibed so muche of Moyses lawe and wedded their wittes so obstinately to that learnyng and leaned so carnally to the same that notwithstaÌ„dyng all Christes doctrine and all the preachinge of the Apostles thought no way to saluation but by obseruynge and fulfillyng the workes of the lawe of Moyses as except men were circuÌ„cised they thought menne coulde not be saued And after a manne had touched anye deade thinge or anye vncleane thinge excepte he should sequester him selfe .vii. dayes from the company of cleane people and except he were washed the thirde daye and the .vii. daye with a certayne water made for the same purpose he should dye with many such ceremonies and vsages which were then commaunded to be vsed and were no more but shadowes and figures of our sauioure Christe and of the time of grace that nowe is and they shoulde nowe cease when the veritye signifyed by theim is exhibited and perfourmed like as nighte ceaseth when the day commeth and darkenesse vanisheth awaye by the presence of lighte Thys they woulde not vnderstande nor learne for any mannes exhortacion but rather persecuted to death all them that instructed theÌ„ in this veritie In this case was sainte Paule firste before his conuersion and many of his contrey menne and kinsfolkes the Iewes of whiche he saith Testimonium perhibeo illis quod emulationem dei habent sed non secundum scientiam Roma .x. I beare them witnes that they haue a zeale and loue to folowe the learnyng that God hath geuen them by Moyses but they lacke science and cunnyng they folow not good vnderstandynge in that in whiche they thinke them selues cunnyng for the saide ceremonies were no more but Iustitiae carnis vsque ad tempus correctionis imposite Certaine obseruances laide on their neckes carnallye to be obserued and kept to occupy them and holde theÌ„ vnder obedience and to keepe theim from the rites and vsages that the gentyles vsed in theyr ydolatrye tyll the tyme of correction the tyme of reformacion whiche is the tyme of Christes commyng at whiche time they should surceasse and be vsed no more Such a zeale and loue to learnynge hathe manye nowe adayes And of their learnynge and knoweledge whiche they thinke they haue they wyll make as great glory and boast as did the Iewes of their learning And yet their zeale and learnynge shall be without that science that is this gift of the holy gost In this case be they that so arrogantly glorieth in their learnyng had by study in the englysh bible and in these sedicious Englisshe bokes that haue bene sent ouer froÌ„ our englyssh runagates nowe abidynge wyth Luther in Saxonie Of their studie you maie iudge by the effect When menne and women haue all studied and counte them selues best learned of their learnyng men ê‘ceiue litle els but enuie disdainyng at others mockynge and despisynge all goodnes raylynge at fastynge and at abstinence froÌ„ certaine meats one daie afore an other by custome or commaundemente of the churche at Masse and mattens and at all blessed ceremonies of Christes church ordeyned and vsed for the auancemente and settinge forthe of Goddes glorye not without profounde and greate misteries and causes reasonable By this effecte
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
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
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
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
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
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