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
dwelleth dawes and crowes the vawtes and rouffes be so ruinous that no man dare well come vnder them Where is Troye where be the olde Emperies and monarchies of the Assirians of the Caldeis Medes Persies and of Rome whose Emperours had vnder them in maner all the worlde for theyr tyme Where is the deuotion that noble men and ryche marchauntes hath had to magnifie and encrease Goddes seruice to his honoure If God had not preserued our mooste gratious Soueraigne Kinge Henry the eyght whiche by his princelie zele loue and deuotion to God hath erecte this Cathedrall Churche of Bristowe and manye other suche within this Realme God knoweth what case diuine seruice should haue bene in All thinge waxeth olde and decayeth in processe of time so that corruption and decayeth in processe of time so that corruption and deathe is the ende Seconde how frequēt and many infirmities raigneth we see dayly infections of pestilence pockes great and small these new burninge agues and innumerable others more then the Phisicions haue written of in their bookes These contaminate and defowleth mens bodies by infections aches and paines euen to death And what corruption and infection of maners commeth to the soule by euill examples ill wordes and suche other occasions it were to long to be spoken of nowe Thirde the comon sterilitie and barennes of the grounde the great scarsitie of all maner of vitall and of fruites of the earth we feele it so many times to our great paine and discomfort that it nede not to be declared But the inheritance that as saint Peter saith here is kept for vs in heauen hath thre proprieties cōtrarie to these thre rehersed ther is no rotting ruine corruptiō or decay but immortalitie cōtrarie to all feare of death There is no feablenes of sicknes ther is none infection of body by corrupt ayre nor of soule by temptacion or by euill example for into that glorious citie and dwelling place can no vncleane thynge enter or come Thirde there shall nothing welow or wyther away but shall euer be kept freshe and floorishing by that well of life almighty God Ther shall be no lothesomnes or werynes by long vse and continuaunce as there is in all worldly plea pleasures there shall all good men and women shine like the sonne Math. xiii Oh good Lorde what beutie and brightnes shal our soules haue when our bodies shall be as bright as the sunne There shal be no heauines no labour no payne no sorowe no feare no death but euer still shall continue health of bodye and minde There shall neuer rise discentiō or debate betwixt neighbour and neighbour no miserie no nede or necessitye no hunger no thurst no cold to hurt the ne heate to enflame thee no faintnes for fasting no sluggardie for much eating no temptacion of oure gostly enemies The fleshe shal not resist against the spirite ther shal be no wil to sinne nor possibilitie to offēd But our sauiour Christ wil giue vs suche pleasure with the companye and felowship of the glorious angels as no hart can think nor any tonge expresse This ioyfull inheritaunce is conserued and kept in store in heauen saith sainte Peter for you that by vertue and power of god be kept by faith vnto saluation whiche is readye to be shewed in the last time at the generall iudgement Here he saithe that this inheritaunce is kepte in store not for all men that be regenerate by baptisme but onely for suche as perseuer and continue in goodnes to the ende by Gods speciall preseruation For perseuerance commeth principallye of God and of our selfe but secundarelye and is necessary for all them that will be saued Nam in cassum bonum agitur si ante terminum vite deseratur saith saint Gregory Good workes be done but all in vayne if they be left and giuen ouer afore the ende of a mans life For he that gyueth ouer and ceasseth to do wel afore he haue proued the vttermost of it or be come to the ende is lyke an Ape whose condition is when he tasteth the vtter hull or huske of an nutte and perceiueth it sowre and bitter casteth awaye the nutte afore he hathe tasted the swetenes of the curnell And cur Sauiour Christ saith in the parable of hym that woulde borowe breade of hys neyghbour Luke xi Si perseuerauerit pulsans c. If he continue still knockyng if hys frende wyll not giue it hym because he is his frende yet for hys importunitie continuall crauynge he wyll ryse and gyue him as manye as he hath neede of And he telleth vs what is the instrument or meane by which God dothe preserue vs and make vs to perseuer and continue in grace and good liuynge It is faithe and suche lyke faithe as I spoke of hope euen nowe sayinge that God hath regenerate vs by hys greate mercye into a lyuelye hope and so the faythe by whyche GOD keepeth vs is a lyuelye faithe adorned with Charitie and with good woorkes accordinglye By faithe Christe abydeth in oure hartes by whose presence wee ouercome all assaultes of oure gostlye enemyes Fayth maketh vs to vnderstande the fylthe and vncleanenesse of synne that so wee maye abhorre synne and flee from it Hec est victoria que vincit mundum fides nostra i. Iohn v. Thys is the victorye that ouercommeth the worlde oure faythe saythe Saynte Iohn it ouercommeth the pleasures of the fleshe tellynge vs that the fleshe is lyke a fellon giltye and most worthly condempned to mortalitie and death and euer still resisting and feighting against y e spirite wherfore it deserueth rather tortures paine and punishment then delicates or plesures Faith also maketh vs to know that the Apostle saith Si secundum carnem vixeritis moriemini if ye liue after the pleasures of the fleshe ye shall die wherefore if ye haue folowed your carnall pleasures eating and drinking reuealing and rioting in this holye time of Christmas lately past which ye should haue spent in deuotion and holynes ye muste repent your faulte and do penaunce therefore Faith maketh vs to contemne and dispise worldly wealth and riches as the dyuels mowse snatch and snare that maketh a man to catche hold others mens goodes so long till the diuell hath caught them and hold them in his danger Saint Paule saith i. Tim. vi Qui volunt diuites fieri incidunt in tentationes et in laqueum diaboli c. They that wil be made riche falleth into temptacions and snare of the dyuell and into many desires vnprofitable and noysom which drowneth men into death and destructiō therefore he biddeth the sayde Timothe to commaunde the riche men of the worlde not to be to highe in their own conceite nor to trust in the vncerteintie of their riches but in the liuinge God which giueth vs all thinges abundantly aswell to bring vs to the eternall fruition of the glorious Godhed as to liue by in this worlde Fayth contempneth despiseth honours
Pie the false shrew in his beginninge will pretende a goodlie and Godlie matter as for the glorie of God for a common welth or for some worke of merci or some other Albeit in his processe he will exorbitate he wyll go awry he will compas the matter so that it shall finallie ende in a money matter For to get landes or possessions or for to rob men of their liuinges or some such deuylishe purpose The deuil sayth s. Peter goeth aboute lyke a rorynge Lyon sekynge for his praye whome he may deuoure and incorporate to him felfe makinge him one bodie with him selfe for the Dyuell hath hys misticall bodie compacte and made of suche as he hath rauende and swalowed vp by theyr sinnes they be counted and taken as his lymmes and meÌ„bres And for to gette suche he goeth aboute by compasses wrenches and wiles as his propertie is not to go streyght or after a plaine fashion but aboute the bushe by compasses in which medium exit ab extremis The midell exhorbitateth from the streightnes of trueth as pretending some common proâ—ect or some honesty or common wealth or some particuler pleasure or honest gaynes or suche like but in prosecuting of hys purpose he wyll cleane go compas and awrie from iustice from charitie and wyll ende finally vpon some money mater for a priuate luker to him selfe wyth the spoylinge robbing or vndoing of their poore neyghbour ExaÌ„ples of this we haue sene in our time more then I can haue leasure to expresse or to reherse at this time In the actes of parliamentes that we haue had made in our dayes what goodly preaÌ„bles hath gone afore in the same eueÌ„ quasi oraculuÌ„ apollinis As though y e thinges that folow had come froÌ„ the couÌ„sel hiest in heaueÌ„ and yet the ende hath ben either to destroy Abbeyes or Chauntreys or Colleges or suche like by whiche some haue gotten muche landes haue be made men of great possessions whiche by Gods iust iudgement they haue but a short while enioyed but many an honest poore man hath ben vndone by it and an innumerable multitude hath peryshed for defaute and lacke of sustinaunce this miserie hath longe continued and yet hath not an ende Thus the diuell goeth aboute as he sayd by him self Iob. i. When God asked of him where he had been he sayd he had coÌ„passed aboute the earth walked throw it Where ye shall vnderstande there be thre sortes of resonable liuinge creatures of which one is in heauen as Angels and saued soules which the diuell neyther goeth aboute by temptatioÌ„ to bring theÌ„ to sinne neither walketh throw theÌ„ to performe his malice actually briÌ„ging theÌ„ to sin A nother kinde of reasonable creatures is in hel which the Diuel walketh through in the middel amonge them which he seaseth not to tormente and punishe aboue measure he doth not compas aboute to tempte theim for he hath brought theÌ„ to his purpose alredie The thirde kinde is here on earth as we mortall men and women whom our goostlie aduersarie the Dyuell compasseth and goeth aboute by diuerse kindes of temptacion to ouerthrow and bringe to sinne and ouer some of them he doeth preuayle peruertinge theÌ„ and bringing them to sinne which holy Iob calleth parambulacion or walkinge through them and they may be vnderstande by the sayd earth which the diuel said that he coÌ„passed aboute and walked through And that he doth like a roryng Lion bicause that when he can not by his priuy lurking temptations ouer come theÌ„ he goeth to worke wyth manyfest and opeÌ„ terrours bearinge menne in hande that they rebell agaynst the Kynge and a gaynste the Kinges procedinges whiche was wonte to be their sute ancor when they had none other argumente when they shake oute the Kinge or my Lordes grace or such other potentate to fortifie theyr waye and exorbytaâ—eth from the trew trade of true doctrine then they rore like the Dyuell as the dyuels ministers to deuoure men vp to falshed and Heresie they know that as Salomon sayth Pro. xx Lyke as the roringe of a Lyon euen so is the feare of a Kynge who so doeth prouoke him synneth agaynst his owne soule And thus they haue shaken poore menne and made them eyther to saye as they say or els to holde theyr peace and say nothynge The Deuil the aucthor of these troubles Saynt Peter byddeth vs resist by fayth in whiche in verye deede as Saynt Paule sayeth in the last Chapter to the Ephesians In all thinges takynge the shielde or buckeler of faythe wyth whiche ye maye quenche all the firie Dartes or weapons of the moste wicked Deuyll But Saynt Peter addeth and putteth to more then Saynt Paule doeth exhortinge vs to be stronge in faythe and by that to resist the fyrie Dartes of temptacion meanynge that many haue faythe and yet they resiste not the Deuylles rorynge and fearce temptation and because they be not fortes in fide stronge in faythe but verie weake in fayth therefore they be sone ouerthrowne ouercome And that is the cause that Heresies so muche preuayle amonge vs and peruerteth and turneth the most parte of people As sayth that greate auncient Father Tertullian libro de prescriptionibus contra hereticos Hereses apud eos multum valent qui in fide non valent Where he imputeth as he well maye all the strength of Heresyes to the weakenes of the people sayinge Heresies be of greate strengthe amonge them that be of no strengthe in fayth or that haue no stronge faythe He putteth an example of these tourneamentes as fightyng wyth Battell Axes or Iustinge at the Tylte or at prouinge of mastries as Wrestlynge or suche other Not he that is mooste stronge hath euer the best game or hath the victorie but is manie tymes ouercome of a verie wretche and of a weake man and he that doeth ouercome doeth not alwayes ouercome because of hys owne strengthe but because he mette wyth a wretche or with a weake manne that had no strength And therfore it proueth manie times that he that nowe ouercame when he shalbe afterward matched with a man of good streÌ„gth shall haue a foyle and be ouercome So saieth Tertullian Non aliter Heresis de quorundam infirmitatibus habent quod valent Nihil valentes si in bene valentem fidem incurrant Euen so Heresies getteth and hath of the weakenes of some persons that they be so stronge as they be And should be of no strength if they should matche or chaunce vpon a fayth that is myghtie stronge Therfore yf you will resist the roring of the Deuill and quenche the fyrie Dartes of the mooste wicked you must doo it by faythe and that by stronge faythe for a faynte and a weake fayth will not be able so to doo Howe many thynke you of this audience here present be there A greate manie I am sure that woulde haue sayd once within this twentie yeares that no man liuing no nor an
carnalitie nor bringeth any man to carnall liberty As in very dede this opinion of no Purgatorye dothe Here I will not contende aboute this vocable Purgatory I meane the middle or meane place betwixt heauen and hell in whiche some soules be stayd afore they can come to that most pure and cleane citye into which nothing can enter excepte it be of the cleanest sorte For whiche place if I coulde imagine a more accommodate and conuenient vocable or terme I woulde be glad to vse it bicause the scriptures hath not the sayd word Purgatory Albeit I knowe ryght well that in all Scripture wee reade not this worde Trinitas or thys woorde Consubstancialis yet God forbid that we should denye the blessed Trinitie in the Godhed the sonne to be consubstanciall and of one substance with the father or the holye gost to be of one substance with the father and the sonne Arrius that pernicious heretike when he was conuinced and compelled by aucthorities and reasonynge to graunte that all three persons in trinitie were of one and equall substance had none other refuge but to sticke in the vocable or terme homousion that we call in latine consubstantialis or vnius substantiae and in Englyshe of one substance because that word is not vsed in scripture he would none therof althoughe he could not denye the thinge a poore cloke of defence God knoweth to graunte the thinge and to varye in the name Therfore so that I might agree with this audience and they with me that there is suche a staye and a meane place of punishment after this life I would not care thoughe I neuer called it Purgatorye but let A. be his name To denye the sayde A. and to say y t there is no such thing bringeth a man to a carnall libertye and geueth man occasion boldly to continue in sinne to hys liues ende trusting then to crye God mercye for his misliuynge and then to go through as they speake I trow they meane to go by and by to heauen as well as he or she that hath liued in vertue prayers paine and penance all the dayes of their liues And so shoulde they be in beste case that be lechers aduouterers couetous brybers and oppressioners and extorcioners vserers periurers dicers and carders hunters and haukers and all suche of the worst sort where contrarye the true beleue that he that hath not done condigne and conuenient penaunce here shall be punished greuously accordynge to the grauitie of his misliuynge afore he enter into that most clere and pure city though god may of his absolute power forgeue such alonge misliuer for one woorde of repentaunce at his laste ende Yet this will make a manne beware of him self and to amende his liuynge surely thinkyng as the truth is that for his vicious pleasures in whiche he hath delited in his lyfe tyme and hath not sufficiently satisfied for hys faulte he shall haue afore he come to heauen suche punishement and payne as the lest parte therof shall greue hym more then all his vnlawefull pleasures haue done hym solace or comforte Thys counsayle and conformitie of good and faythfull people wythdraweth menne from sinne where contrarye Consilia impiorum fraudulenta the disceiptful counsayles and conuenticles of wycked menne rather prouoketh and geueth menne comforte to continue in sinne I was once in a soleme audience where I hearde a famous preacher laboure sore to impugne the sayde meane place saiynge that if it there were anye such place at all it is a place of ease quietnesse and rest alledgyng for his purpose the woordes of the Canon of the Masse after the seconde memento Qui nos precesserunt cum signo fidei dormiunt in somno pacis Where we praye for them that begone afore vs wyth the caracter printe and signe of christes faythe and sleapeth in the sleape of peace These menne lyke as they take the wordes of the Masse and of the seruyce of the churche when they semeth to make for theyr purpose woulde GOD they coulde be so contente to alowe and admit the same in other tymes and places It foloweth there right Ipsis domine omnibus in Christo quiescentibus locum refrigeri◠Iucis pacis vt indulgeas deprecamur Where we pray our Lord God fauourably and with cheryshing to giue them a place of cooling and refreshing contrarie to heate a place of light contrarye to darkenes a place of peace contrary to trouble and vnquietnes either by perplexitie and confusion of minde or by terrible visiōs or otherwise Now if their new purgatory be a place of tranquillitie a place of lyght and a place of rest and peace it should be but all labour lost for vs so besyly to pray that they may come to suche a place seyng that they haue it alredy Then to theyr allegacion Dormiunt in somno pacis you must vnderstand these wordes by a like saying of our sauiour Christ Ioh. xi After that he had a messager sent to him from Martha and Mary that Lazar their brother was sore sicke he taried in the place where he was then beyonde Iordaine for the space of two dayes and then sayd to his dysciples Lazarus amicus noster dormit Lazar oure frende sleepeth I will go into Ieurye where he dwelleth and wake him of his slepe Then sayde his disciples Sir if he sleepe he will be safe anone when he hath slept inoughe They were as wyse then as oure newe purgatorye menne be nowe They thoughte Christe had spoken of that rest that man and beast must nedes haue after theyr labours or els shall fayle and dye whyche wee call commonlye sleepe But Christe meaned of the sleape of deathe Dixerat autem Iesus de morte eius As he expressed by and by playnely saiynge Lazarus mortuus est Lazarus is deade And thys is it that holye churche in that place of the masse calleth sleapynge in the sleape of peace as Christe spoke in like case And as the Prophete speaketh in hys persone Psal. xv Caro mea requiescet in spe My bodye shal rest in hope to ryse againe Then consideryng that holy church after the maner of holye scripture vseth to call death by the name of sleape wee muste be wise and well ware to what thinges what wordes may agree and by reason wherof they do agre or els by our words we maye deceiue our audience as well as oure selues If we thinke that this slepe or death cōmeth to man by reason of the soule we erre very sore for the soule neuer dyeth but is immortall as well by the consent of the paynym Philosophers as by the auctoritie of holy scripture Deus Abraham deus Isaac deus Iacob Exod. iii. Non est autē deus mortuorū sed viuentium Mat. xxii Abraham slepeth and Abraham is wakyng Abraham is dead and Abraham is aliue The one parte you wyll graunte for it is true the other is the saiynge of Christe whiche can not be false The firste is
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
seruile feare that serueth or dothe well onelye for feare of payne and it is true also of the feare that groweth in processe which is partlye for feare partly for loue that is called Timor inicialis this is the next meane to the chaste feare or holye feare that remaineth for euermore But nowe finallye to speake of the seuenth gift of the holie Gost whiche as the Prophete Esay sayeth rested on our sauiour Christ. It is not mundane humane nor carnal feare nother the seruile feare or the bondmannes feare His good and gracious workes that he did on earthe he did not for feare of the paynes of Hell or for feare of anye other punishmentes It was the holye feare that remayneth for euer It was louynge and reuerende feare of God suche as all the angels in heauen haue nowe And that maye begin in vs grow vp with charitie here on earth and shal shote vp and growe vp with euerlastinge charitie or loue that shall neuer fall awaye or fayle but shall euer abide more and more in euerlastynge glory This feare dothe not importe anye perturbation or trouble of minde but rather a certayne reuerence towarde almightye God Suche is the feare that the angels haue in heauen where is no trouble of minde or vnquietnesse but readye and ioyful obedience to almighty God And such reuerende feare of the father hadde our sauiour Christe as appeareth in manye places of the gospell where hee protesteth hym to dooe the commaundementes of his father and to fulfyll his pleasure with manye suche like Honorifico patrem c. Thus he did lowlye and reuerently magnifie his father by reason of his manhode by whiche he was inferiour and lower and subiect to his father And in his manhode he hadde these seuen giftes of the holye Gooste restynge on hym as Esai saide and as I haue declared in times paste And this gifte of dreade or feare of GOD after scolasticall doctours is Humilitie which was most excellently in our sauiour Christ Phili. ii Humiliauit semetipsuÌ„ dominus noster Iesus Christus c. Our Lorde Iesus Christe did humiliate him selfe kepynge obedience euen to hys death on the crosse for whiche God the father exalted him gaue him a name aboue al names that all creatures in heauen earthe or hell shall bowe the knee to this blessed name of Iesus and all tonges shall confesse that our Lorde Iesus is in the glorye of god his father there to be mediatour a meane and intreater for vs to bringe vs as his coparteners and coenheritours wyth him to his inestimable glory in heauen and that we maye all come to that enheritaunce he graunt vs for his infinite mercy that for vs dyed Amen An homilie or sermon of the articles of our christian faythe FAyth as saynt Paule sayth to the Hebrewes is y e beginnynge of heuenly ioyes that we hope to come vnto makinge our wits surely to assente agree to thinges that wee do not yet see nor knowe by experience Euerlastyng lyfe shall stande in the clere knowledge of the Godhead and of the glorified manhode of our sauiour Christ knitte in one persone to the seconde persone in Trinitie one God with the father and with the holye Gost. This knowledge and sighte wee shall haue in heauen clearelye and perfitelye whiche wee haue here but darkelye by heresaye But let vs leane fast by our fayth to this that we hearesaye by Gods scriptures and liue accordinglye and wee shall not faile to come to the cleare knowledge in heauen where we shall knowe God as he knoweth vs without corporall similitudes to conduct vs to that knoweledge and without anye impedimente Without faieth it is impossible to please GOD. For he that wyll come to God muste neades beleue as the Apostle saythe Hebre. xi Wee muste not diffarre nor refuse to beleue so longe tyll wee can declare or proue by reason the articles or poyntes that wee be bounde to beleue for if wee woulde be so daungerous it myght chaunce that by the difficilitye of the scriptures of the things that we shuld beleue we myght be withdrawen and kept backe from the merite and rewarde of our faythe for euer He that woulde so differ to beleue shoulde be like a manne almoste deade for honger whyche hauynge breade and meate offered hym woulde not open hys mouthe to eate thereof tyll hee knewe who made the breade and dressed the meate and howe and wyth what instrumentes or tooles it was made and dressed He were like to be deade for honger afore he came to that knoweledge Better it were for him firste to take hys meate and saue his lyfe and afterward if nede were at leasure to laboure for such knoweledge if he myght obtayne it So best it is for vs with an open harte to beleue as wee be taughte by Christes churche and to feede oure soules with suche Godly foode and to saue our liues by fayth afterward by exercise to attaine to more distincte and playne vnderstandynge of that wee do beleue accordynge to suche measure of fayth as shall please God to distribute to euerye one of vs. There was neuer manne saued from the beginnynge of the worlde neither shall be to the ende of the same but by his beliefe on Goddes rewarde prouided for his faithfull people by the merite of our sauiour Christe as by the mediatoure and meane to come thereto The holye menne and women that were afore Christes incarnation by the space of fiue thousande yeres and more were saued by their fayth of saluation by the mediatour that was to come and in signe thereof they vsed their sacrifices afore the lawe written and also in the tyme of the lawe writte by Moyses as figures to proteste and signifie the misterie of the mediatour which the auncientes and they that hadde higher reuelation and that were best learned among them beleued more distinctlye and plainelye then the younger and simpler sorte did or were bounde to beleue And nowe in the plentuoâ—s tyme of grace bothe yonge and olde be bounde to haue expresse faythe of Christes incarnacion alreadye exhibited and perfourmed and of suche articles and pointes as be commonlye declared and openlye set furthe in the churche concernynge our saluation by our sauioure Christe as the onelye meane to obtayne the same Al be it they that haue clearer wyttes and they that be sette in aucthoritye and offyce speciallye to haue the rule and cure of Christes flocke be bound more expreslye dystynctlye and playnelye to haue the knoweledge of subtyller and hygher consyderations consernynge the Articles of oure faythe then the rude and vnlearned folcke so that they maye by their knoweledge and learnyng declare the truthes and the possibilitie of the same to them that be ignorant and would learne i. Pet. iii. To declare I saye but not to proue by reason the veritie of them They must also bee able to replye and conuince theim that frowardely woulde repugne and countersaye anye article of
sonne of God is gotten aske not the maner how for the angels cannot tel The Prophetes were ignorant thereof Esay saith his generation who can declare as who should say no creature We muste beleue it and reason no farther in it Not that the father is elder then the sonne neyther of greater power but that like as the fyre is not without heate neither the sunne in the fyrmament without brightnes so was the father neuer without the sonne neither had any power to do any thing but y t the sōne had y e same power to do the same like him and so hath the holy gost the third person in trinitie product and brought forth by the will of the father and of the sonne coeternally with the father with the sonne Almightynes of power is here applyed to the person of the father by appropriation although it agre to the almighty sonne to the almighty holy gost not three almighties but one God almyghtie And by this that we beleue him to be almightie we haue a great comfort and lighte to beleue all the articles that folowe in our creede for if he be almighty he may make heauen and earthe of nought he may make a man to be borne of a virgin he may forgiue synnes and giue life euerlasting Maker of heauen and earth maker by creation that is to say without any matter or stuffe to make it of That a man maketh he maketh of somewhat or of some stuffe therefore he can be no creatour but almighty god made heauen and earth of nothing therefore he is iustly called the creator of heauen and earth What is here to be vnderstande by thys woorde Heauen there be two opinions for which ye shall first vnderstand that heauen is called one maner of wise the empiriall heauen aboue the starrye skye and aboue all the orbes that moueth there in which is neyther place nor vacuitie neyther time but onelye thinges leading a most blessed life Thys farre Aristotle dreamed and discussed primo de celo mundo and it agreeth with holy scriptures and with holy doctours there putting the felicitye of Aungels and men that shall be saued in the fruition that is to say in the clere sighte and loue of God ther most aboundantly shewing his glory This the prophet in the psalme calleth the kyngdome of GOD saying to God of the same Thy kingdome is the kingdome of all worldes as who should say whatsoeuer nomber of yeares can be thoughte or spoken of thys kingdome passeth it for this king almighty God was neuer wythout a kingdome by which it semeth to be eternal and euerlasting for it is the very clerenes of God coeternal with him and not created with other visible creatures and to thys were admitted and receiued the holy angels after their creation for so long space and such durance as God knoweth best afore that he made heauen and earthe that Moyses spoke of And of this minde is Saynte Basile as appeareth in the first homilye of hys exameron Heauen is taken an other waye for the bodies aboue as Sunne Moone Sterres with the orbes and circles there Heauē is called also the thirde maner all that is aboue the earth and so the sayde bodies aboue with the speires of the fyre and of the ayre be compriseed vnder one name of heauen so it is taken in the psalme when we say the birdes of the heauen for the birdes of the ayre And after this opinion so taketh Moyses this word Heauen when he saythe that in the begynning God made heauē earth And by the Earth there is to be vnderstande the water and earth together whiche as then were not dysseuered and diuided tyll the thirde daye when the earth first appeared drye The seconde opinion which is more comon taketh this worde Heauen for the empiriall heauen replenished and fulfilled with the glorious companye of Angels whiche was made together with the earthe vnderstandynge by the Earthe the firste vnfacioned matter or stuffe of which almighty God made disposed and garnyshed al other kindes of creatures that may be sene or feled as wel in the firmament aboue as vnder it to his owne glorye to do seruice vnto man Therfore we haue great nede to take hede that vsing Gods creatures for our profite or pleasure we in no case dyshonoure God vsing thē contrary to his honour contrary to his pleasure intent that he made them for THe seconde article saynte Iohn Euangelist layd to this shotte or gathering which is this And in Iesu Christe his onelye sonne our Lorde euer repeting this word And I beleue so that this is the sentence And I beleue on Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord. The second persone in trinitie the coeternall sonne of the father knowing afore the worlde beganne the syn of Adā of the miserable case that mā shuld com to was determined to saue mākinde frō the danger of the same therfore he was euer worthi to be called a sauiour Iesus is as much to sai as a sauior thē this name was his for euer it is y e name that y e father gaue him by productiō in his godhed was newly diuulged published bi the angell to our blessed Lady his mother afterward to his foster father Ioseph with y e interpretacion of y t name saying Ipse eni saluū faci po s. a pec eorū For he shall saue the people from their synnes which onely God can do and none other ▪ Gods pleasure was that the same name that he had in his Godhed should also be his name in his humanite for his humanitie was the instrument and mean by which he wrought and perfourmed our saluation and redemption Iesus and Christ signifieth one person that was borne of the virgine Mary yet there is some difference betwixte the names Iesus is his proper name as we say Hēry Thomas Roger or suche like Christ is the name of a sacrament as sainte Austine speaketh or of an office super epist. Io. tract iii. as we say a king a prophet a priest Christ is as much to saye as anoynted and he was anoynted before all other men by the chiefest oyntment which is the holye gost one God with him and with his father of which oyntment the anointyng with oyle is the sacrament and signe It foloweth his onely sonne which as saint Peter writeth was not declared by any fables But by that that he with Iohn Iames sawe and hearde on the holye hill where Christ shewed them the maiestie of his glorious body as it shuld be after hys resurrectiō because they shuld not fear nor wauer when they saw the miserable processe of his painful passiō Therfore sayth he ii Pet. i. Christ toke of God the father honour and glory by a voyce comming downe to him from the great doynge glorye after thys maner this is my welbeloued sonne in whom I haue pleasure gyue eare vnto hym And Christ in manye
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
be so prone and headstronge to all actuall Synnes as to pride couetuousnesse anger enuye and such other whyche all make agaynste saluation and worketh to dampnation euerlastynge All these miseries and wretchednes considered it is playne that mankynde hath nede of greate mercy and manifolde and abundant mercy to releue hym And therfore Saynt Peter sayde that almightye God by his greate mercye regenerate vs and gote vs again to life agaynst al these mortal deadly miseries The regeneration new begettyng is by the water of baptisme wyth y e words the cooperation and working of the holy spirit without whiche no man maye see the kyngdome and glorye of God By this the dutye or debt of originall iustice is washed away so that GOD will require it no more of vs but he geueth vs in the stede of the sayde originall Iustice an other gyfte equiualent and as good to helpe vs to heauen as it was whiche is the grace that maketh vs in the fauoure of God againe and acceptable to hym This gifte God sendeth into our soules with fayth at our Baptisme and will still at all tymes require it of vs lyke as afore he required the saide originall iustice so that the former debt and dutye of originall Iustice is chaunged into this latter debte and dutie to conserue and kepe the grace geuen vs at our baptisme And yet the mercy of God is so great toward miserable mā that if it mischaunce vs to lose the same baptismall grace by sinne he hath prouided vs an other helpe the seconde table a seconde remedy by penaunce to washe awaye our sinnes and to make vs cleane againe that we may recouer his grace and fauour So that like as originall iustice after it was lost was recompensed by the grace of baptisme so the grace of baptisme after it is lost by actuall sinne is recompensed by grace geuen vs with remission of our sinne bi penance And so loke how necessary baptisme is to wash vs frō the deformitie of originall sinne and to restore vs to grace so necessary is penāce to clense vs frō the deformitie of actual sinne cōmitted after baptisme to restore vs to grace fauour of god And euē like as God requireth originall iustice of al men that be not baptised as of Turkes Saracens Paignims and Infidels which all receiued it in Adam and as for lacke of it they remayne the children of anger of damnation so of al that be christened he requireth the said grace geuē with baptisme they that haue lost it by deadly sinne remaine the children of damnation except thei be healed by penaunce whiche shal geue them grace equiualent to the baptismal grace like as I said that baptisme geueth grace equiualent to originall iustice Al be it the disobedience and rebellion of the powers of our soules for lacke of the foresayde originall iustice dothe remayne in vs as a payne for Adams synne and as a nours◠and a breader of actuall synne and because almightye GOD while he dothe scourge vs doth not forgette to be mercifull he leaueth the sayde disobedience and rebellion of the powers of our soules as a matter of vertue if we will labour and striue against it to ouercome all vices that it woulde incline vs to By this regeneration also all actuall synnes mortall and veniall be cleane forgeuen when anye manne or woman dothe worthelye receiue it He hathe begotten vs againe sayeth saynt Peter into a liuelye hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christe By whiche the Apostle meaneth that lyke as there be two maner of fayethes a deade fayth and a liuelye fayeth so there be two maners of hope a deade hope and a lyuelye hope Hope is the expectation and lokynge for euerlastyng beatitude and ioye throughe grace and our merites Then the hope of hym that will hope and loke to come to heauen and wyll doe no good thynge to brynge him thither is a deade hope and a presumption rather then hope Thys considered the blessed manne Iob whose hope on God was so firme and sure that he sayde Etiam si occiderit me in ipso sperabo Iob. xiii Althoughe he wyll kyll mee yet I wyll hope and truste vppon hym Yet he sayeth there Veruntamen vias meas in conspectu eius arguam ipse erit saluator meus Non enim veniet in conspectu eius omnis ypocrita I wyll discusse my lyfe accuse myne offences afore hys face And then he wyll be my Sauioure For there is no Hypocrite none that wyll shewe oute warde more hope deuotion or holinesse then they haue in deede that shall come in hys sight Therfore lyke as wee haue powred into vs at our regeneration or Baptisme a liuelye fayeth so wee haue a liuynge or liuelye Hoope that lyke as Christe rysse from deathe to a lyfe immortall so shall wee dooe for the father of heauen so disposed and ordeyned for vs that hys sonne shoulde dye for vs that when hee hadde destroyed deathe by hys resurrection he myghte geue vs good example and lyuelye Hope that wee shoulde lykewyse ryse agayne from death to lyfe For lyke as he dyed for to shewe and geue vs Example not to feare Deathe so he roose agayne because wee shoulde surelye hope lykewyse to ryse agayne Into an inheritance that is vncorruptible vndefowled and neuer fadynge conserued and kepte in store in heauen The inheritaunce of Heauen as the Apostle saythe here hathe three excellente properties whyche wee maye ymagine by three contrarye properties whiche no purchaser wyll haue in anye Patrimonie manour or Lordshippe that he shoulde bye or purchase for him selfe to inhabite or dwell in Firste if it bee a rotten grounde where all thynge anone moulleth the tenauntes and mortises of tymber buyldynge rotteth oute and loseth their pynnes The walles or rouffes gathereth a mosse or a wylde Fearne that rotteth out the Lyme and Morter from the stones And where the Sea or freshe water weareth out the ground so that all thinges that there is in shorte space commeth to nought Hee is not wyse that wyll bestowe hym selfe or hys money on suche a grounde Second if there bee in the Lande or House any infectyue or pestylente Ayre disposynge menne to manye infirmityes and genderynge adders snakes or todes or these stingyng scowts or gnats that will not suffre men to slepe a man shoulde haue litle ioye to dwel in such a manour Third if it be suche a grounde where all thinge withereth and dryeth awaye for lacke of moysture where hearbes proueth not and trees groweth not to theyr naturall quantitie where the leues waxeth yelowe and falleth at Lammas tyde where men soweth a busshel and reapeth a peck and for redde wheate reapeth like rye or otes that is bestowed on suche a purchase is but cast awaye The inheritaunce of this transitorye worlde hath all these noughty properties rehersed and manye worse townes and towres castels and manours decayeth continuallye and where noble men haue dwelled nowe
victorie that ouercommeth the worlde oure faith for our fayth on God and on his holy worde telleth vs that no manne shall desyre to haue an other mans wyfe neither any woman to haue an other womans husband nether anye man beside her own husbaÌ„d Likewise if thou se another mans good lye by the negligentlye so that thou maist conuey it awaye and no man to se the yf thou take it awaye or consent thereto here thy fayth is tryed and proued noughte for thy fayth telleth the that thou shalt take awaye none other mans goodes Lykewise in thy occupyinge if for couetousnes to get the penye thou sell false or noughty ware or by false weightes or measures deceiue thy neighbours so doynge thou shewest thy self to forget thy faith to God and to his holy worde Statera iusta equa sint poÌ„dera Leuit. xvii Let thy balance be iuste and thy weightes equall And. Ezech. xlv Statera iusta ephi iustum and also byddinge the do none otherwyse to an other man then thou wouldest an other man should do to the. And coÌ„trary wise wheÌ„ thou art tempted to suche vnlawfull Lecherye as I spoke of or to false pyckinge stealynge or robbinge or to deceiue any man or woman by false occupiynge if thou sticke stedfastlye to thy fayth doing accordinglye to Gods holye worde then thy faith by this teÌ„ptation is proued good and muche better in the sighte of God then if it had neuer bene so tried And by this it is lyke to golde tryed by the fyre and shall be founde worthy to receiue praise glory and honour wheÌ„ Christ shall shewe him selfe in his glory at the generall iudgemente then he wil geue to the blessed children of his father whiche then shall be set vpon his right hand disseuered from the refuse deputed to dampnation on the lift hande to all them I saye that hath theyr fayth tried by temptation and proued sounde and pure as golde â–ª Christ wyll geue laude and praise sayinge to you I was an hungred and you gaue me meate I was a thirste and ye gaue me drinke I lacked clothes and ye gaue me clothes and so he wyl saye I had nede of such ware as you occupied and you serued me faythfully and trustely and my wife was in thy sight and in thy companye where thou mighte haue had occasion to tempte her to yll and yet thou dyddeste not And to the honest wyfe wydowe or mayde he wyll geue like laude and praise sayinge that where they were sore tempted to incontinencie yet they didde strongely and stedfastly resist and withstande for Goddes sake and for his holye wordes sake for suche workes of iustice and honestye the iudge wyll praise vs as well as for the workes of mercye whiche be namelye expressed in the Gospell because we shall by them thinke lykewise to be praysed for all lyke good and godlye workes And when he or she that haue this prayse shall saye I neuer serued the of anye ware and I neuer sawe thy wyfe for whom thou geueste me these thankes he wyll saye That you didde for the least of my seruauntes that you didde to me occupyinge with my seruauntes iustelye withoute gyle or deceite thou occupied iustelye with me and abstayninge from my seruauntes wife doughter mayde or seruaunte thou didde shewe thy selfe honest towarde my wife doughter or seruaunt Nowe what ioye and pleasure and comforte it shall be for a Christen man to haue suche laude and praise of the highe iudge at that terrible day when folke shall haue nede of comforte iudge who can It passeth my braine Oure fayth so tryed by trouble or temptation shall be founde worthye to haue glorye when the iudge shall say to vs Venite benedicti patris mei possidete paratum vobis regnum Math. xxv Come you blessed chyldren of my father and take possession of that glorious kyngedome that was prepared for you frome the beginninge of the worlde in whiche we shal be no more seruauntes but coparteners and coinheritours with our sauiour Christe and with all the gloryous Aungelles and glorious companye of heauen where we shall haue the graâ—e that GOD gaue vs here consummate perfourmed and in his hygheste perfectyon whiche wee call glorye whyche honoure we shall haue as Saynte Peter sayeth when we shalbe set a lofte and in highe estate whiche shall appeare more euidentlye by the deiection and ouerthrowinge of others of which Esa. xxvi saith Tollatur impius ne videat gloriam Dei Take awaye the wycked synner that he se not the glorye of GOD And also Christ sayth Go frome me you wicked persons into fier euerlasting when the dampned men and women wepinge and waylinge and cryinge oute when they se the exaltation of good men shall say Nos autem insensati c. Sap. v. we dastardes estemed and counted their liues but folishnes or madnes lo nowe howe they be counted amonge the children of God All this shall redounde to the honoure of them that shalbe saued This sayde prayse glorie and honoure we shall be indued wyth all by Chryste when he shall shew hym selfe in his glory Therfore though you do not nowe se him yet ye loue him For as Saint Augustyne sayth we maye loue thinges that wee se not so that we haue knoweledge of them for no man can loue that that he hath no knowledge of We know Christe by heare saye by readinge and hearinge his holy gospelles declaringe his gratious goodnes for whiche we muste nedes loue hym And although you se him not yet you do beleue vppon him for whiche beleife you shall be merye and haue suche ioye as no tounge can tell for it shall be the ioye of the glorye of heauen when you shall receaue for youre rewarde the ende and perfection of youre faith whiche is the health of your soules Nowe here you knowe by Saint Peters wordes what is the ende of youre faith it is the helth of your soules whiche health shall exclude al sicknes payne and miserie for none suche can come into that glorye of heauen where you shall haue the sayde health and saluation and neuer afore for here is no ioye but it is contaminate defouled and interrupted by discomforte payne and trouble And here you muste vnderstand perfect faith garnished and adourned with charitie and good workes accordinge for none other wyll serue vs to come to that glorious rewarde of health euerlastinge De qua salute exquisierunt atque scrutati sunt Prophetae Here Saynte Peter styrreth vp oure deuotion and loue that we shoulde haue to oure soule health that we shall obteyne and gette by the triall and profe of our fayth as he sayde afore He taketh an argumente of the olde fathers holye prophetes that in olde tyme prophecied of the grace that should fall vpon vs by the comminge of our Sauiour Christ which they vehemently desired to see in their time but they coulde not As Christe saith Math. xiii Multi prophete et iusti
Centurio a captain in Capharnaum came to Christ praying him to helpe his seruant that was yll vexed with a paulsy Christ offered to come him selfe to the mans house to heale his seruaunt No saith he I am not worthye to receiue you into my house but once say the word and my seruant shall be whole and according to his beliefe so he sped for his seruant was whole by and by after the maister had confessed his beliefe An other that was impotent by a pawlsye and his frendes coulde finde no waye to bringe him to Christe for preasse of people that were about him in the house At the last they were fame to vntile the house and let him in by the roofe of the house Quorum fidem vt vidit dixit homo remittuntur tibi peccata tua et ait paralitico tibi dico surge tolle lectum tuum vade in domum tuam Luke v. Mark ii He saw the faith of them that so conueyed the syckeman in at the roofe of the house and forgaue the man his sinnes and cured him of his pawlsy at the contemplation of theyr faith that brought him to Christe And this texte maketh plainly for our purpose for here it appeareth that by the faith of other men this sickman had aswell soule health as bodely healthe for he had his sinnes forgiuen him for his soule health and was rid of his pawsy for his bodely healthe And euen so it was generallye of Christes cures that he did which were euer full and perfite for he healed the whole man soule and bodye for he vsed not to heale the bodye but he woulde fyrste heale the soule because that the infirmities of the body commeth comonly of the sinnes and syckenes of the soule either originall or actuall The Gospels hath many suche examples in whiche it is plaine that the belief and praiers of others helpeth against bodely sickenes then muche more it helpeth against this daungerous sickenes of the soule that is originall synne the common malander and mischiefe of all the issue of Adam which if it be not cured and healed wyll surely let hym that is diseased with it from the sight of the glorie of God for euer For as I saide God regardeth more the health of the soule then of the body And consideringe that the infantes haue the said originall sinne by an other mans preuarication and transgression reasonable it is that they be releued and discharged of the same by the meane of other mens faith as by the vniuersall faith of the church and by the faith of the godfathers and godmothers and of other assistents at the christening of the childe so that we muste not exclude or denie the mercye grace of God from any man or woman borne into this worlde but that after their bodelye birthe to death they be new borne to life by Gods holye worde and by water with the inspiration of grace of the holye spirite the holye Gost. And by this that I haue said you maye answer to the chiefe reason of the Anabaptistes that they vse against the said veritie alledging that Christ sayth Math xviii Qui crederit baptisatus fuerit saluus erit He that beleueth and is baptised shall be saued and he that beleueth not shal be dampned Of this they take that it is necessary for him that shall be baptised that he beleue Now say they infantes lackynge the vse of reason cannot beleue therefore they be vnmete to be baptised I tolde you that they be saued by the beliefe of the church and beleueth in the beliefe of the church and in the belief of theyr Godfathers and godmothers other assistents representing the church as I declared by diuers examples of the gospell as wel of soule health as of bodely health procured of Christ by the belief of others or els as the scholasticall doctours sa◠very well in receyuing of the sacrament of baptisme the grace of faith is infused and powred in to the soule of him or her that is baptised and so they haue the habyte or theologicall vertue of fayth or the thing by which afterwarde as they increase in the vse of reason they may beleue actually and in dede Example a Phisicion though he be fast a sleepe he hath the science of phisicke but yet if you put an vrinall in his hand he cannot iudge the disease of the sickman as longe as he is a slepe albeit he hath the sciēce in his soule by which whē he waketh he can iudge according to his learning And I trust you haue now herd sufficiently of the new birthe that saynte Peter speaketh of which is more to be pondred then the carnall byrth by corrubtible matter for the sede cause of this generation is vncorruptible it is the worde of God that abideth for euer therfore consideringe whereof we came and be gotten to life and to God we ought to haue special cleanenes in our life and to chastice oure soules vnder obedient charitie and in fraternall loue attentius more earnestly then we haue don and more diligently cōsidering the nobilitie of thys our second byrthe by the vncorruptible seede of Gods holye worde that abideth for euer and hath bene preached among vs as saint Peter sayth in the ende of hys first chapter And now you haue heard the first chapiter of this first epistle of saint Peter declared as my poore wyt and learning wold serue me I pray God it may be to hys pleasure and to the edifying and profyte of oure soules Amen ¶ The fift treatise or sermon The second chapiter DEponentes igitur omnem malitiam et omnem dolū simulationes et inuidias et omnes detractiones sicut modo geniti infantes rationabiles sine dolo lac concupiscite In the fyrst chapiter of this epistle which I haue passed ouer and expounded as God put into my minde the blessed Apostle saint Peter chiefelye magnifyeth our regeneration and seconde byrth by which we be borne to life euerlasting where throughe oure carnall parentes we were borne to dye Fyrst he giueth thankes to God that hath done so moche for vs as so to get vs againe to the inheritance of heauen that wil neuer be corrupt that neuer wil be defowled nor fade or wither away and in the meane season will bring vs to the soule healthe by Christes faith that al the old prophets labored to see and to obteine but thei were answered that it would not be for theyr time but all the labours that they tooke in prayers contemplacion and study should serue for them that shuld come after which be wee that haue sene and heard the trouthe by theym that haue preached Christes gospel continually sithe the holye Gost was sent from heauen in sensible signes of fyrye tounges sone after Christes gloryous ascention And for this consideration sainte Peter exhorteth vs to be cleane of lyuinge and while we be here to liue in feare considering the indifferencye of our iudge in
illusores Heare the worde of God you mockynge men that make so light of the worde of GOD in the preachers mouthes or in the diuine seruice of the churche whiche is none other but the worde of God Dixistis nos percussimus fedus cum morte cum inferno fecimus pactum flagellum inundans cum transierit non veniet super nos quia posuimus mendacium spem nostram mendatio protecti sumus You haue said or you order your selues to gods word euen as though you said thus We haue stricke handes made a leege or agrement with death And we haue made a couenant and a bargayne with hell we be agreed with death that he shall not take vs and with Hell that he shall not hurt vs we be agreed and be frends we be not afrayed of death nor of hell we be safe inough Therfore Flagellum inundans cum transierit non veniet supernos When the scourge of GOD that ouer runneth all like as a flod runneth ouer a whole cuntrey as the vengeaunce of God doth it shall not fall on vs nor hurt vs all that these cōmune preachers saieth threateninge vs be but lies we trust vpon lyes and by liers and false flatteryng preachers that geueth vs swete words and setteth vs at libertie to liue as we list promiseth faire to vs we be defended and safe inoughe I thinke the prophet Esay sawe our time in spirit or els he could neuer so plainly haue set furth and described our time For how greatly men be sclaundered that is to saie offended and taketh occasion to do naughtely by Gods long suffrance and differring of his stroke thinking all but fables and trifles that is spoken of Godds vengeaunce and how little men regarde his preachers takinge all that they saie for very trifles mockage it was neuer more in experience in Esays time thē it is in our time Therfore the said prophet Esai as for a redresse of al these enormities of the old tyme sheweth vs a remedy if it may be taken speaking of the same stone that s. Peter speketh of here reciting the same sentēce that s Peter groūded his saiyng on in the words of his eipstle which we haue now in hand Ecce ego mittā in fundamētis Siō lapidem angularē lapidem probatū preciosum infundamento fundatū qui crediderit non festinet S. Paule Ro. x. s Peter here readeth non cōfundetur I wil set in the foūdation of Sion by whiche is vnderstande the Catholike church of Christe which begone in Sion where the holy temple was founded within the citye of Ierusalem a corner stone tried and proued and precious laied in the foundation Whosoeuer beleueth on him let him make no haste saieth the olde text of Esay shall not be ashamed sayeth s Peter and also s Paule And both cōmeth to one purpose He that beleueth on this stone our sauiour Christe which is called a stone for his surenes and fastnes and stedfastnes Let him make no haste s. querere retributionem glo inter to haue furthwith the rewarde for his beleue Let hym make no haste to see by and by the threatenynges of GODS woordes spoken by the Prophetes or Preachers nor to obtayne and haue by and by the rewardes that Goddes worde promiseth vnto theim that do well and vertuouslye It will not be had furthwyth as these viri illusores these mockers of Gods word woulde haue it But it is differred till the tyme when it shall do vs more good as God knoweth better then we do And therfore beleue and at length thou shalt not be confounded ashamed or dismayed accordyng to the letter of saint Peter and also of saint Paule And accordynge to thys saith the prophete Expecta dominum viriliter age confortetur cor tuum sustine domine Tarye and loke for our Lorde God playe the man be not so childish as to beleue nothinge that is promised the except thou haue it in hand forthwith And then thy hart shall be comforted saieth the prophet Therfore sustaine beare with our lord And likewyse the comminations threatninge for oppression extorcion such other misliuyng that these mockers of Gods worde thinketh wil neuer come because they see it not at hande they shall then know when they shall fele thē in dede Sola vexatio intellectum dabit auditui Esay Onelye the vexation when it cōmeth will make you to vnderstande that you haue hearde by the prophetes and preachers This Stone is proued and tried saieth Esay and also Saynt Peter A mason when he shall worke a stone Firste he will proue whether it be sounde or not lest if it breake when he hath laboured on it his laboure be all lost He wil assay the veyne or grayne with his axe he wil knocke on it with his sledge hammer or mallet and if it gerre sounde not wel he will caste it by and not meddle with it If it rynge and sounde close like a Bell then it is for his purpose good for his worke Christ was tried with knockes manye strokes and yet he neuer gerred nor spoke any worde of anger or debate to theim that stroke him no more then the Lambe dothe when he is ledde to the slaughter house Precious he was so precious that with the price of his precious bloude he redemed and bought that thing out of y e deuils handes that al the riches of the world could not bye again He is laied set in the foūdatiō of the catholike church yet neuertheles he is the headstone the hyest stone of the same for he is the beginning also y e consūmation ending of our beatitude of al our grace goodnes And on him were leied set the xii apostles immediatly equally according to y e saiyng of the Apo. xxi Murus ciuitatis habet fundamenta .xii. in ipsis .xij. nomina .xii. apostolorū agni The wal of y e heuēly citie that ◠Iohn saw in his reuelation vision had .xii. foundations or foūdation stones and in thē were the names of the xii apostles of the lambe our sauiour Christe And on them equallye was founded layed and set the whole edifice and buildynge of Christes church Thus saith s Hierome expreslye Primo contra Iouinianum And vpon Christ as vpon the principall foundation and on them and their holy doctrine al Christes church the whole congregation of christen people and euery man an woman of the same must builde as spiritual houses apt and able for almightye God to inhabite and dwell in Saint Augustine deuiseth this edifice of Christes church on Christ and on his apostles nobly well saiyng that when the foundation is layed here on earth the walles be builded vppon it and the weyght of the walles presseth and weyeth downewarde because the foundation is beneath alowe but in asmuch as our foundatiō is in heauen we muste be builded vpwarde towarde heauen and thitherwarde we muste
their soules Here I shuld more largely demore and tarie on this sacrameÌ„t of penance but that I remember that here afore declaring those wordes of S. Peter in the fyrste chapter secundum misericordiam suam magnam regenerauit nos in spem viuaÌ„ I touched that matter sufficiently ¶ The .viii. treatise or sermon CHarissimi obsecro vos ranquam aduenas et peregrinos abstinere vos a carnalibus desiderijs que militant aduersus anâ—mam c. These wordes which immediately foloweth the processe that I preached of in my last sermon on Sainte Peters epistle be red in the church this present Sunday for the epistle in the Masse where in contemplation of that he had sayde immediately afore that they were sometyme not the people of God but rather Idolaters and the people of the dyuell and that nowe they were the people of God conuerted to the beliefe on one God and on our Sauiour Christ by hearyng the preachinge of Christes gospell and that sometyme they were without Gods mercye and that now they had obtayned his mercy By reason of this he calleth them very welbeloued and as his welbeloued children and friendes he entreateth theym to vse vertue and to giue to all them among whom they shuld be conuersant example of holy conuersation and liuing And afterwarde he exhorteth them to due subiection towarde theyr heades and rulers I beseche you sayth he as Straungers and Pylgrimes to kepe your selues from carnall desyres which fight against the soule This obsecration or beseching signifieth a certayne vehemencie in desiring as it wer for Gods sake or for the loue of our Lady or of al the sayntes of heauen or for their faithes sake by which thei trusted to be saued of which he had spoken much afore So he praieth them and not after the imperious commaunding of Bishops theyr officers which yet haue not al layd away the lowrynge browes of the phariseis Not that I deny but that bishops and theyr discrete officers may commaund them that be of theyr iurisdiction to do the thing that is conformable to Gods commaundement and if the contumacie sturdines of the partie proceede so far that they will not be reformed by reason by fayremeanes then to compel them by the sensures of the church to amend theyr liues as saynt Paule did by the notorious adulterer that kepte his own mother in law to paramour in Corinth And he bid Titus .ii. Hec loquere exhortare et argue cum omni imperio that he shuld rebuke them that be sturdy and fauty with al authority to coÌ„maund albeit when desiring or besechinge maye serue it doth best beseme a prelate or a curate therefore S. Paule writing to his scoler and louing friend Philemon saith Multam fiduciam habens imperandi tibi quod ad rem pertinet propter charitateÌ„ magis obsecro I may be bold to coÌ„manÌ„d the to do the thing that shalbe for the profit of thâ— soule but yet for the loue that I haue to thee I had leauer pray thee to be good to Onesimus thy seruant And euen so S. Peter might haue bene bold to coÌ„maund them that he wrot vnto but he had leauer desyre theÌ„ as straungers pylgrimes We call them straungers that dwell not in theyr owne countrey but in a straunge place So saint Peter wylleth vs to count our selues as not at home in our owne countrey because that by the faute of our fyrst parentes we be banished from Paradise which God gaue vs to dwel in and be come into this vale of misery and sorowe not to liue delicatelye and to take oure pleasure but to take paine and sorow and to do penance and not to settle our selues on worldly wealth and pleasures here but to go furth like pilgrimes or wai faring men considering that we haue no steddye and permanent citie here but that we seke for an other the citie of heauen aboue Like as Saynt Paule speaketh of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and others Heb. xi which abiding in the lande of CanaaÌ„ and had not receiued the promyses made vnto them confessinge that they wer Pilgrimes and straungers vpon earthe signifieth that they seke for a better habitacion and dwellinge place that is to say the countrey of heauen aboue An old vse hath peruerted the name of a Pilgryme because folke were woÌ„t to go from place to place to honour saintes in places dedicate for theyr honour and to kysse theyr images and they onelye in times past were callled Pilgrimes therefore nowe men thinke the proper signification of this worde Pilgrime to be none other but such as goeth about such deuocions but his significacion is more generall it signifieth a wayfaringe man or woman that abideth not still in one place but remoueth from place to place tyll at the laste he may come to his iourneys ende where he woulde be and in suche case we be neuer at rest but euer laboring through the troublous stormes of thys world to come to our inheritance and dwelling place that God hath made for vs and that our sauiour Christe by his blessed bloud is entred in afore vs to make vs roume And therfore let vs do as wise pilgrimes dooe when they intende to take a great iourney vppon theim They dispose such goodes as they haue and set theim in safe custodye and prouideth for their family or housholde We knowe not when we shal be called to take this farre iourney out of thys worlde into an other worlde as longe as we be here wee be euer onward and entred on this iourney Therfore it is necessary that we bestow our goodes on charitable workes so settyng them in safe custodye and that we order our family that is to say all the powers of our bodyes and of our soules prouidyng for them accordingly as the man did that toke his iourney into a farre couÌ„trey Mat. v. He called his seruauntes and deliuered theÌ„ his goods So muste we geue to some of our familye .v. talentes to be well occupied against our lordes returne when he shall come to the iudgemente to sitte on oure audite our bodye muste be charged with .v. senses which we cal our fiue bodely wits They must be well employed well spent well ordered So that we close theim vp agaynst all thinges that shall be contrary to Gods pleasure That our eare heare no yll wordes that our eye se no vnhonest thing â–ª that our mouth delight not in thinges that be to swete delicate nor speake any filthines neithâ—r any lyes And that we open the same our senses to all thinges perteynynge to Goddes pleasure that our eare do gladly hear the worde of God and diuine seruice and all coÌ„munication of honestye And that we conforme our eyes and our mouth likewise to such honesty â–ª To the seconde Seruaunt that is Reason wee muste geue science and knowledge in whiche he maye exercise it selfe and haue delection in that is good and maye detest and eschewe that is
because Christ in his parable saith that the shepherd cast the sheepe vpon hys shoulders gaudens being glad and mery but seyng all this concerneth his paineful passion on the crosse in which he suffred paines vntollerable how can it be that he with ioye and gladnes cast his straied shepe vpon his shoulders ▪ it was to his payne and not to his pleasure as it semeth In verye dede although he bore our sinnes that is to say the paines for our sinnes to his paines ache and smarting yet knowing what shoulde come of it he was gladde to take the paine and to saue hys shepe For in this you must vnderstande that the reasonable soule of Christe comprehending both wytte and wyll eleuate to the contemplation and fruition of almighty God is called the superioure hyghest parte of the soule The same soule applyed to inferiour and lower thinges is called the lower porcion or lower part of the soul As when the witte or will is applyed or inclined to the fiue wittes or to theyr sensuall appetites or to other lower worldly busines paines or pleasures all beit when the witte or will is exercysed aboute anye suche lower matters in an order to Gods pleasure they belong to the higher porcion and may be called the higher porcion of the soule largely or comonly speaking of the higher porcion To our purpose although the lower part of y e soule of Christ had sorowe paine wyth the sensible powers of the bodye that smarted and aked right sore with the flesh which was most tender in Christ because he was of most pure tender complexion In the higher part of his soule both wayes had euer ioy and gladnes As for the first way in the contēplacion and fruition of the godhead there is no doubt for it gaue Christes soule beatitude euen such ioy and gladnes as he hathe in heauen now After the second maner also whē Christe consydered hys paynefull passion as the meane appointed by the father to redeme mans soule to bring home the sheepe that was lost strayed away by sinne he toke the paines with a good will and very gladly We haue a like example of Saint Paule which by the higher part of his soule and by his deliberate and well aduised will desired to be dissolued and to be with Christ all beit the wyll vnite in amitie and loue to the sensuall appetite desyred to abyde styll in the fleshe and to lyue In lyke maner were the blessed Martyrs whyche in theyr bodyes suffered vnmeasurable tormentes and greuous paynes yet remembring Gods pleasure the rewardes that they should haue for the same they toke thē gladly with good chere And so it standeth together that Christ bearing y e paine for our sins vpō his backe on the crosse yet bore thē gaudens with ioy and gladnes in the higher porcion of his soul knowing that by his paines and bi his death mā shoulde be restored to fauoure agayne that afore was attainted out of Gods fauour And that where we were afore like straied shepe out of the blessed flocke of Gods faithfull people nowe we be conuerted and turned agayn to the pastor and bishop of our soules as S. Peter said to thē that he wrote vnto To the pastor the shepherde the feder of our soules our sauiour Christ whom afterward in his epistle .v. chap. He calleth the prynce of pastors maister of the craft the chief shepherd of the shepherds the chiefe feeder of the feeders the chiefe bishop of the bishops the chiefe curate of all curates and not onely of the flocke Him al pastors and curates aswel spiritual as temporal must folow Here I should speake more largelye of pastors and bishops but I shall deferre it vnto the .v. chapter of this epistle where God helping that matter shalbe more largely entreated Now I shal exhort you as well maisters as seruantes men and womē to consider that we haue a shepherd and an ouerseer in heauen our sauiour Christ therfore you maisters order your seruāts as you would Christ should order you with mercy and fauour And you seruantes so order your selfe to youre maysters as thoughe you serued Christ with simplicitie of harte without doublenes serue not onely to the eye whyle your maysters loketh vpō you playing the wantons while they be absent for if you doe so you are double harted which is cōtrary to simplicitie and plainnes serue as though you serued God and not mā and so being in bonde seruice you shal make your hartes free and at libertie and shall tourne bondage into libertie of hart and shal serue god and seruinge hym you raygne you bee lyke kynges ruling and cōmaunding and kepinge vnder your affections and wayward appetites of the body and so you maye come to suche fortune that you may be maisters ouer them that be free men yea and maye peraduenture be maisters ouer your maisters children Seruo sensato liberi seruiēt Eccle. x. And we haue hearde sometimes of seruauntes which in processe of time haue bought theyr maisters childrens inheritaunce or theyr goodes but these be no dastardes but wytty seruantes that come to such exaltacion And so you see that God euer requiteth rewardeth the true seruant eyther bodely and temporally is in this example rehersed or gostlye giuing him quietnes of minde by which he shall serue his maister truely and so doing he serueth Christe and shall come to hym for so is hys wyll that who soeuer serueth hym should finally be there as he is And that we all may so serue him in our calling in the seruice that god hath appointed vs to that we mai at the last com to him he graūt vs for his infinite mercye that for vs died Amen ¶ The .xi. treatise or sermon The third chapiter SImiliter et mulieres subdite sint viris suis vt si qui non credunt verbo per mulierum conuersationem sine verbo lucrifiant c. Here in the fyrste parte of this thirde chapiter the blessed Apostle ascendeth from the informacion that he gaue to them that be in seruile state of whiche I entreated in my laste sermon vnto them that be ioyned together in the yoke of mariage First speaking to the wiues and ordering them toward theyr husbandes also in theyr exteriour behauiour And consequently he teacheth the husbands theyr duties toward theyr wiues S. Peter saith Similiter et mulieres c. likewise womē must be subiect to theyr owne husbandes Likewise saith s. Peter as I haue spoken of the subiectiō of the seruantes to their maisters so I must aduertise counsel the wiues to obedience subiectiō according to their calling that thei do reuerence vnto theyr husbandes wyth feare as Saint Paule saith Ephe. v. Vxor autem rimet virum suum Let the wife feare her husbande wyth such louing fear as I haue spoken of afore more for loue fearing to displease him then for strokes or punishment And in the same
playe a virgins part or a woers part or suche like when men vse to chuse fayr and weâ—fauored yong men for their purpose the said Sophocles shoulde a deserued none suche cheeke but then in the middle of an earnest matter to speake of such light facions or fansies because his sayinge was not well placed he lacked Modestia that we speake of nowe and was to be blamed Likewise if a man in his studie or riding in his iourney would muse in makinge verses or how he should tell his tale afore a Iudge or if a diuine woulde muse or recorde his sermon by the way riding al this were good and laudable but if he would so do or would be in his dumps wheÌ„ he were among his louing friendes and good felowes at a feast or at a banket he should seeme to be a churle and to lacke good maners because he knewe not his time Or if a man woulde syng in the myddle of the market or in a court at the barre afore the iudge when ther be weighty matters in hand he should offend against modestie against al good humanitie so that he maye be called modest or manerly that in al his behauiour vseth good maner and measure and a meane Modestia cometh of modus a measure which is a vertue Nimietas as S. Iherome saith is his contrarye vice whiche is forbid by the comon prouerbe Ne quid nimis do in nothing to muche To muche passeth measure and passeth good maners suche as in theyr fare at theyr borde or in their apparel and rayment excedeth theyr substaunce spending and wasting more then theyr lands or occupying wil extend to or maintain they kepe no modesty no measure nor good maner they offend in Nimietie they come vnto to much How many thinke you of our neighbours now at the holye time of Christmas coÌ„ming wil excede modesty and good measure in theyr fare spending so much now for ostentacion pride that they shall fare the worse in theyr dishe til Easter It wer best to kepe such a measure now that you may haue somwhat left to helpe your selfe an other time As for modestie and measure in apparel was neuer lesse vsed veluet other silkes be as comoÌ„ly on the pore meÌ„s backe that liueth from hand to mouth as on the gentleman or as on the alderman of this citye The pride of the worlde is suche that it bringeth al men almost to the extremitie of nimietie vnto to muche Therfore S. Peter knowyng that pride is an aduersarie to modesti to manerlynes and to the meane he exhorteth vs as for to conserue and kepe modestie to vse humilitie Humiles saith he lowly of hart so that when god geueth you any of these giftes of goodnes aforesaid you be not proude of them but thank God for theim attributing al to God that gaue them to vs and may take them away when he list It is but a very folishnes for a man to be proud of that he hath not of him self but that may be taken froÌ„ him at euery twinckling of an eye if it please the gyuer Humilitas dicitur ab humo it hath his name of the earth of the grouÌ„d which is lowest most grosse element We must know our state our condicion whereof we come whereto we shal which if meÌ„ wold inwardly coÌ„sider they shuld neuer be proud of any gift that god hath giuen them whether it be kinred landes possessions office authority acquaintance with great men and to be in fauour with them If men would consider howe hardlye such giftes be obtained how sone God caÌ„ whip them awaye when it shall so please him as dayly experience teacheth men wold fal to the ground thei wold be humble lowly nothing proud but attribute al to God and take nothing as theyr own And so doing they should deserue more benefites of him hereafter Amen ¶ The .xiii. treatise or sermon NOn reddentes maluÌ„ pro malo nec maledictuÌ„ pro maledicto Nowe after this godlye instruction howe we shall order our selfe in wel doing beseming our byrth in Christ by baptisme Here consequently he willeth vs to leaue exchew such vices as shal not beseme a good christen man bidding vs that we shall not redub yll for il nor requite a shreud turn for a shreud turn neither an ill word for an il worde nor checke for check nor sclaunder for sclauÌ„der although after the iudgement of the world it may peraduenture seme lawful par pari referre to requite taunt for taunt or like for like but god wil none such retalliatioÌ„ in word nor dede but coÌ„trari that we shuld do good for il should blesse say wel for yl saying as â— Peter saith here and our sauiour Christ saith Mat. v. Diligite inimicos vestros benefacite hijs qui oderunt vos â—t orate pro persequentibus et caluniantibus vos vt sitis filij patris vestri A marueilous sanctimonie that Christ requireth of vs. ChristeÌ„ folk He biddeth vs loue our enemies to do wel to them that hateth vs to pray for theym that pursue vs and for them that vniustly vexe vs at the law that so we may be the children of our father in heauen We must loue our enemies not theyr enmitie or theyr vices sinnes for theÌ„ wee must hate but the nature the mankinde the person must be loued for euery man woman in asmuch as they be made after the ymage of God may receiue almightye God into theyr soules by knowledge and loue muste be loued charitablye for the loue of charity is founded vpon the coÌ„munion and indifferent receiuing of perpetual beatitude that is to say all creatures that nowe haue euerlasting ioyes in heaueÌ„ or that may hereafter come to that ioye receiue that glory be to beloued by the loue of charitie Now there is no man nor woman so bad while they be in this world liuing â–ª but they may be saued may come to glory Therefore our charitie loue shoulde extende to al men women to our enemies in asmuch as they may amend theyr maners may do away theyr malice may come to heauen by the same reasoÌ„ must be loued we be bound to extend our charitie vpon them And when Christe byddeth vs praye for theÌ„ that dothe vs hurt or woulde trouble or vexe vs we be bound to prai for theÌ„ to God to send them grace in this world glory in heauen at theyr end If we pray to god to encrese theyr substance or to send theÌ„ healthe or to sende theÌ„ honoure or worship thys is more then we be bound to do although if we pray so for them we do wel and we shal not loose our reward for our good wil for our praier It was the time of persecution wheÌ„ s. Peter wrote this epistle wheÌ„ christen people had much trouble vexation many il words And because y t men be more redye to
doers you shold haue no thanke of god for you haue euen as you haue deserued Take exāple of our master Christ which once died for our sins the iust for the vniust a good man for shrewes and noughly liuers That so he might offer vs vp to god the father not being noughty as we were before for so we shoulde be no pleasaunt offerynge to almighty God but we must be by example of him Mortified in flesh and quickened in spirit Like as he died for our sinnes and roose againe for oure iustification so muste we be mortified and muste dye to all carnalitie and sinne so that there be none left aliue in vs. And we must be viuificate and made aliue in spirite so that our liuyng be all spirituall good and godly pliant to the inclination of the holy spirit This example of our maister Christ saint Peter brought in to teach vs that thei that being good and vertuous yet suffreth vexatiō and trouble they folow Christ whiche in like maner suffered iniuries paines and passion that he neuer deserued Some there be that by their vexation and trouble that they suffre amēdeth their liues leaueth their vices knoweth god cōmeth to goodnes And they maie be cōpared to y e blessed theife that was condēned to death for his former giltes faults yet in his paines hangyng on the crosse he came to the knowledge of Christe called for mercy had mercye came to paradice to saluation Others there be that for all the paynes and punishementes vexation and trouble that they suffer be neuer the better but bee rather worsse and worsse fretynge chafynge cursynge and blaspheming against God These be like the thiefe on the left hand which for his faults was hanged on the crosse and there hanginge rayled against Christe as others did and descended into hell to paynes euerlastynge The newe translation readeth this place Mortificatus quidē carne viuificatus autem spiritu speaking of Christ which was mortified in the fleshe bodely diyng for vs and was viuificate and euer aliue in the spirite for his soule neuer dyed in signe and token that by his example we shoulde likewise do gostly diynge to all carnalitie and euer liuinge spiritually as I saide afore In quo his qui in carcere erant spiritibus veniens predicauit This text is diuerslye expounded one way thus In which spirite bi which he was euer aliue Christ came and preached to the spirites that were in prison whiche once were harde of beleue when they loked for Goddes pacience and longe sufferance in the dayes of Noe while the Arche or greate shippe was a makinge in whiche shippe a fewe that is to saie viii liues were saued bi the water lifting vp the shippe a flote from the daunger of drowning Christ came in spirite and preached to the spirites that were in pryson The workes of the whole Trinitie be al one outwarde amonge the creatures as I haue manye times tolde you therfore in that that almighty God inspired the blessed patriarch Noe to preach vnto the people of his time penaunce and amendement of lyfe it maye be saide that the father in spirite preached to the people then beinge in pryson and that the sonne in spirite preached to the same prysoners and that the holy goste in spirite preached to the same people For the whole trinitie inspired Noe to preache therfore it is true that euery persone in trinitie did it And so it mai be said that Christ preached to theim for that is true of the seconde person in trinitie is true of Christe Per communicationem idiomatū As we say the sonne of god is a man and a man is the sonne of God And so we say that the sonne of god suffred death on the crosse that a man made the starres in the skye Because of the perfit vnion and knot of the godhead to the manhode in one person and the same person that now is incarnate and made man did it And he preached to the Prysoners that were dull in beleuyng Noe tellyng theim Gods commination and threatenyng to destroy the world wyth water except they would amende And yet they were hard of beleue and loked for more fauour at Gods hand and for longer pacience and forbearynge theim and so trifled tyll the floude came vpon thē and drowned them They were in pryson sayth s Peter whiche after this exposition must be vnderstande morally in as much as they were bounde as prysoners by the bondes of sinne as the prophet speaketh Funes peccatorum circumplexi sūt me The ropes of sins haue wrapt me in rounde aboute and likewise speaketh the wiseman Pro. v. Iniquitates sue capiunt impiū funibus peccatorum suorum constringetur His owne iniquities taketh the wicked persone and wyth the ropes of his owne sinnes he shalbe strayned knit And in that case were the people of Noes tyme for all mankinde had corrupt his way and the maner of his liuing Omnis caro corruperat viam suam Gen. vi All flesh all men left vertue and liued insolently viciously This is one exposition of this text of s Peter But this exposition though it be good catholike yet it semeth more moral then litteral because it taketh the name of the prison of them that were in pryson morally for the custome vse of sinne not for a place where a prisoner is kept in paine sorow to his displesure it taketh the prisoner for him that is intangled poluted defaced with the deformity of customable sinne This prisoner though he be in extreme peril daunger of soule yet not knowyng the case that he standeth in maketh merye fealeth no harme nor paine but counteth hym self most at liberty at hartes ease Therfore I thinke s Peter speaketh of the spirits or soules of thē that woulde not regard the exhortation of Noe made vnto thē for amendmēt of their liues tyll the very floude came vpon thē And then seing the water rise higher higher men and women and other liuynge creatures perishe in the same floude and that there was no place able to saue them from drownynge they toke remorse of conscience and repentaunce as well for their hardnesse of harte contemnynge Noes exhortion as for their owne naughty liuynge so callyng for mercy were receyued to mercy saued their soules Yet in asmuch as the gate to heauen was not opened bi Christ thei were staied in the skirt of hel a place prouided by GOD to receiue their soules that died in the state of grace and in Gods fauour in whiche if they hadde any thinge to be purged as for venial sinnes or for lacke of sufficient satisfaction for mortall offences done by their life tyme hadde first greuous paines for their purgation and then consequently were receiued into Abrahams bosome a place of tranquilitie rest and quietnes where they had no sensible payne They hadde none other paine but onlye the paine of
within the territory of Sidon he found a woman gatheringe a few stickes to make her a fire he desiered her to geue him a little water to drinke and a morsel of bread She answered and said she had no bread I haue no more said she but a handfull of meale in a steen and a litle oyle in a gearre I gather nowe saide she duo ligna two stickes as a man woulde saie a fewe stickes to bake it and make breade for my sonne and me and when we haue eaten that we haue no more we will dye No saide Helye be not afraied Thus saith the God of Israel Thy steen of meal shal not faile or lack nor thy gearre of oyle shall be any thing lesse tyll the time when GOD shall sende rayne vpon the earth For in dede this fortuned in the time of the lōg famine that was in y t coūtrey for lack of rayne by the space of three yeres an halfe accordynge to the prayer and peticion of the same Prophete Helye for the correction and punishement of Achab the kyng and Iesabel his quene and of their false prophetes and of their people And as the Prophete promised so it proued in dede By this example you se howe the pore hospitalitie of the saide good woman exhibited and bestowed on Helye was recompensed with plentie sufficiente where all the countrey els was in greate penurye and neade And here you shall note that this meale in the Steen that was so longe reserued and continued by the word of the Lorde God of Israell was a figure and signified the most reuerende and blessed Sacrament of the Aultare The wydowe that was so longe susteined with this meal signified Christes holy church the whole congregation of faythful men and womenne whiche by that that Christe her spouse and husband was slayne and buried and then rose again and departed from her into heauen and hath left her viduate and without hys visible presence althoughe he hath left her hys blessed bodye and bloude in this blessed Sacrament whiche this wydowe all faiethfull folkes muste bake and digest with the sayde two trees signifiynge the remembraunce of his paynefull passion that he suffered on the crosse for a crosse is made commonlye of two trees acccordynge to Sainte Paules saiynge As oft as you shall eate this breade or drinke of this cuppe you shal shewe the death of our Lorde vntill he come and shall shewe him selfe in his glorious maiestie at the generall iudgemente which tyme thoughe it shall be a terible and an horrible time to sinners and to all damnable persons yet it shal be a time of grace of solace and comfort to al his true louyng seruauntes This was signified by y e raine that came from Heauen vppon the earth when Helye sayde that the Steen of meale should not fayle nor the gearre of oyle shoulde not be diminished tyll GOD sende rayne from heauen for the comforte of the countrey as his grace shall come for the comfort of vs all at that daye This meale and Oyle were continued so longe to sustaine .iii. persons not by any natural power but by the supernatural power of God And so is his bodye made of breade and wine by the worde of Christe and by his Godlye and infinite power aboue nature Therefore let not naturall reason cumber it selfe in the examination or triyng how it maye be but stedfastlye beleue that thus it is for so God saith And although it be called bread and the cuppe of wine as well in the Gospell as of S. Paule yet there is nother bread nor wine after the consecration but very fleshe and bloud Tell me how a handful of meale and a little oyle coulde continue so longe ▪ and to feade so manye persons and I shall tell thee howe of a little breade and wyne shall be made a perfect body of a manne and hys bloude Thou canst saye no more to the firste question but Hec dicit dominus Deus Israell As Helye sayde Thus sayth the GOD of Israell and thus it was in dede And euen so I saye vnto thee Thus sayeth the God of Israell our Sauiour Christe Thys is my bodye This is my bloude And therefore so it is and muste neades be so in dede And so shall continue Donec veniat vntyll he come to the generall Iudgemente in his visible maiesty amonge vs. And then shall cease this blessed Sacramente in whyche for the tyme wee see Christes bodye enigmatically and in a straūge similitude by our fayeth whiche maner of seinge hym shall then cease when we shall see him face to face in hys owne likenesse when he shall cast downe and treade vnder his feete all theim that nowe so despitefullye rayle and geste and mock his blessed bodye that he hath left vs in this blessed Sacramente for our comfort And nowe to returne to the storie In processe of tyme it chaūced that the sayde good wydowes childe dyed to her great discomforte And she desired the Prophet Helye to praye for hym that he mighte reuyue and lyue agayne And so the Prophete did the chylde reuiued the Prophete gaue him to his mother aliue agayne Loe here was another notable recompence for hospitalitie exhibited to this good man Firste the sauegarde of all their liues seconde the raysynge of the chylde from death to life agayne Likewise it is writ iiii Reg. iiii of the blessed Prophete Helise that he vsed to resorte to an honest house in the towne of Suna where a worshipfull woman maistresse of the house perceyuynge hym to be a holy man exhorted her husbande to make for the sayde Helise a Parloure wyth a bedde in it and a table and a cheare and a place to set hys candle on And so thei did The said prophet resorted thither diuers tymes and lodged in the same parlour and hadde good cheare on a time when he was minded to pay for his cheare he bade Giezi his seruaunt to aske of her whether she had anye matters to do with the kinge or with any of the counsaile or with anye great man in the courte or with the Capitayne in the Warres that hee might be suter for her and speake for her She aunswered that shee dwelled amonge her owne frendes and kinred and neaded none of his helpe in any such matters Then saide Giezi to his master you must vnderstande that she hath neuer a childe and her husbande is an aged man as who should saie it shuld be most comfort for thē both if they might haue issue by your praier wherupō the Prophete promised her that she shoulde conceiue a sonne by a certayne daie that he appoynted and so she did to the great comfort of the husbande and of the wife This was a notable reward for their hospitalitie bestowed vpon their gest that holye Prophet In processe of tyme the same childe fell sicke on a certayne disease that begōne with a feruent ache in his heade and died vpon the same Then
obprobrium sustinet filthye and vnhonest gaines or winning is when a man for small aduauntage susteineth shame or an ill name and he putteth example of disers and gameners and robbers of dead mens graues As we had amoÌ„gest vs these that steale plates of brasse with Epitaphies from mens graues or tombes or yron from the grates or partcloses and al such priuy pikers and also hoores and horehunters Al such saith the Philosopher lucri gratia negotiantur opprobria sustinent they laye forth theyr ware for aduauntage and getteth dispite and shame ther by and they be all illiberales churles without liberalitie or bountuousnes or gentle harte as it is plaine of these gameners which studieth to get win of theyr own friendes and louers to which they should rather do good then harme For amite and freendeshyp woulde that one freende should help an other rather then take from hym that he had or apayre his liuinge And these fylthy commen strumpets after they haue receyued theyr promise that they looked for careth cot thoughe his head were of that euen now she occupied with all Saynt Peters mynde is and also Saynt Paules that we shuld not apply our mindes nor our labours to worldly lucre by any kinde of marchandise or chafering and that we should not looke for gaynes by anye kinde of gamning or vnhonest exercise of our bodyes As it were sayinge to euery one of vs as well to priests as to religious meÌ„ or womeÌ„ where any be Labora sicut bonus miles Christi Iesu. Nemo militaÌ„s deo implicat se negotijs secularibus vt ei placeat cuise probauit .ii. Timo. ii Labour take paynes as a good Sadiour of Christ Iesu of Goddes retinue no man nor woman beinge a Souldier to God or of Gods retinue wrappeth or intangleth him selfe in seculare or worldly busynes or occupatioÌ„ we must not turne our spirituall profession that we haue taken vpon vs into worldly exercise for lucre that by Godlye exercise we may like good warriers please him to whome we haue geuen and promised our selues and for whome we haue tried and proued our selues as euery man must do that wyll take suche charge vpon him And some there be that maketh a marchauÌ„dise of the worde of God vsinge their preaching teaching all for lucre aduauntage turpiter affectantes lucrum vnhonestly gredy hongrie for mony lucre thinking all that lost that goeth beside their berdes or that they caÌ„not get it greeueth them that any men should open theyr mouthes in a pulpet but theÌ„ selues that so they might gather in their sermon nobles If a good man or woman by testament or other wayes wil or geue any money for to haue certayne sermons preached then they make shifte then they make freendes that they may be the doers of it more for the lucers sake then for zele to the soule health of their audieÌ„ce S. Paule ouer aboue y e properties afore rehersed reciteth many other necessary for a priest whiche were to longe to be declared euery one which doubtles declareth a maruaylous sinceritie purenes honesty required a prelate or a priest in al theÌ„ that haue gyuen theÌ„ selues to be Gods souldiers ministers of which coÌ„ditions qualities S. Iherom saith contra pelagi Li. i. Nullus aut rarus est qui omnia habet que habere debet episcopus either none therbe or very few or seldoÌ„ seen that haue al the qualyties that a bishop ought to haue Then it is our parte eueri one of vs to labour to be one of those few that so we may not only take honour worship by our orders but also may do worship to y e order S. Iohn Chrisost. de sacerdotio Li .vi. saieth FuÌ„ctio sacerdotalis angelicaÌ„ virtuteÌ„ requirit etenim sacerdotis animum solaribus radijs puriorem esse oportet ne quando spiritus sanctus desolatuÌ„ illum reliquat vt dicere illi liceat viuo ego non amplius ego viuit autem in me Christus The office of a priest requireth the vertue of an Angell for the priestes soule and minde must be more pure cleare then the sunne beames for fear leaft the holi gost leaue him desolate and without his help and assistence so that the priest may say with Saynte Paul I liue now no more I not as I was and not as I liued afore for Christ liueth in me And in the thirde booke he saithe Sacerdotium in terra quideÌ„ peragitur ceterum in rerum celestiuÌ„ classem ordinemque referendum est Priesthoode is occupied and vsed on earth but it must be referred taken as into the order of heauen and of heaueÌ„ly thinges And wel worthy saith he for no mortal man no angel nor archangell neither anye other creature but the very holy gost himself hath disposed this order for he was the auctour and causer that mortal men yet abiding in the fleshe shoulde conceiue in their myndes this ministery seruice and office of the angels Therfore a priest must nedes be of such pure sanctimony and holynes as thoughe he were set euen in the heauen stoode euen in the middle amonge the angels of heauen This Chrisostome declareth by a comparison of the misteries of the old law vnto our misteries secretes of the time of grace saying terribilia namque atque horrifica fuisse feruÌ„tur c. MeÌ„ say that the thinges that went afore the tyme of grace were terrible and honorable as no doubt they were in theyr time such were the smal belles and pomegranates about the skirttes of the priestes vestiments The .xii. rich precious stones curiously set in y e goldeÌ„ plate on the prestes brest And other precious stones set vpoÌ„ his shoulders his miter vpon his head and his riche and large gyrdle about his middle and his garment preciouslye brodred and wroughte downe side to hys feete Then to consider the honour of the tabernacle and afterwarde of the temple and speciallye of that moste and reuerend part therof called sanctum sanctorum the holyest part or place of al holy places and was diuided froÌ„ the larger part called sanctum by a riche veyle or curtain which at the time of Christes death was rent and torn down from the toppe to the neither part as it is playn in the gospel Then to consider the great wonderous quietnes and silence in the same temple vsed with other circuÌ„stances about the same ceremonies surelye it is a wonderous thinge to muse vpon and to be remembred But yet sayth Chrisostome if we conuert oure contemplacion to consider what thinges the time of graâ—e hathe brought to vs and woulde discusse and examyne them we should iudge all the sayd nobilitie and excellencie of the old testament to be light smal matters and might saye wyth Saynte Paule ij Cor. iij. Nec glorificatuÌ„ est quod claruit in hac parte propter excellentem gloriam Where S. Paule of purpose compareth the glory and the
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
al thinges considered we haue no cause to be proude at al but we haue manie causes to be lowlie consideringe our owne miserie first how miserably how vnclēly we were gotten as vnclenly borne then how wretched we be in our education nursing bringing vp where euery beast by and by as sone as he cōmeth into the worlde can make some shyfte for him selfe to finde the teete or other kinde of feedynge man canne make none suche shyfte but rather yf helpe were not should forthwith perysh Then in processe of our life how many infirmities we bee subiecte vnto Pockes Meesils Axes and Agues sweatinge Pestylence besyde troubles and vnquietnes of the mynde and how miserably we lyue in soule dayly offēdinge him that made vs almightie God by this vnthrifty and naughty breder of sinne the nurse of sinne which the Apostle calleth sinne remayning in our flesh as the dragges of our fyrst infection and corruption taken of Adam by whiche commeth gloteny lechery pride malice murder robbery and all other iniquitie whiche all peyseth and presseth vs downe to dampnation euerlasting Thē what cause I pray you haue we to be proude none god knoweth but cōtrari great cause to come alow and study to vse humility by frequentinge the same to gender in vs the habite or vertu of humilitie And by that vertu we shalbe inclined to the contēpt of the glory of thys world and to despise the exaltation the honour the worshyps welth pleasures of this presente life as thinges flux and fadinge inconstant and of no valure Christ teacheth vs the same speaking of him self Io. viii Si ego glorifico me ipsum gloria mea nihil est If I glorifie my self beside or contrary to the rule of goddes truth my glory is nothing Thē much lesse worth is our glory whiche cōmonly is vayne and in thinges contrary to his pleasure This considered s. Paule i. Timo. vi Diuitibus huius sec. pecip non sublime sap Neque sperare in incerto diuitiarū Willinge Timothe to speake to the riche men bid thē not to be proud nor to trust in the vncertenty of their riches but to put their trust in the liuing god Aug. Non expauit diuitias apostolus sed superbiā que est vermis diuitū The apostle was not afrayd of riches but rather of pride which is the moght the worme that eateth vp the riche men And he is worthy to be called a great man a riche man and a good man that hauing muche riches is not ouercome with that vice of pride And he that thinketh him self a great mā because he is riche he is a proud man he swelleth in the flesh is not ful but as a thing blowen vp redie to burst and yet is there no sure and permanent stuffe within him We must also come alow submittinge our selues to superiour powers lowlie obeinge them that be set in aucthoritie ouer vs considering that theyr aucthoritie commeth of God is giuen them of almightie God eyther by his wel pleased will or at the least wyse by his sufferaunce Non enim est potestas nisi a deo Itaque qui resistit potestati ordinationi dei resistit Qui autē resistūt ipsi sibi dānationē acquirunt Ro. xiii Ye may obiecte yea syr I put the case that they woulde persue me for my fayth or woulde compel me to reneyg anie article of my fayth must I obey them vnder payne of dāpnation No syr We must not vnderstande S. Paule y t he speaketh of tirrannes or persecutours of the faythe but of suche rulers or mē of aucthoritie as he speaketh of there Principes non sunt timori boni operis sed mali Of such princes or rulers y t make not men afrayed for well doinge but rather that lawde and prayse men for well doynge and of such as be terrible to malefactours and to ill doers them we must obey vnder payne of dampnation in all their iust commaundemētes and requestes not onlie for feare of punishment but also for conscience sake The other we may not obey in no cause but rather make some shift remouinge to some other place out of their daunger if it may be or by some other way to stay them selues for the time but yf there be no other remedie but y u shalt be vrged or constrayned to denie thou must rather offer thy self to die then to refuse god or his fayth S. Peter in the seconde chapter of this epistle biddeth vs Subiecti estote omni humane creature propter deū siue regi quasi precellēti siue du tāque ab eo missis ad vindictā malefactorū laudē vero bonorū And it followith deū timete regem honorificate On a time when there was a contentyon amōge his disciples not without some cause as it seemed because they perceiued by diuerse sayinges of our maister Christe that he woulde be gonne from them and that he should be betraied of one of them there presēt at supper with them and that he should be ill hādled of the Prelates and hie priestes and of the Scribes Pharisies such other they thought it meete to haue a presidēt a hed a ruler amonge thē to order them to prouide necessaries for them Christ hard their talke and first extolled the aucthoriti of princes saying Reges gētiū dn̄ātur eorū er qui potestatē habēt super eos benefici vocātur Luk. xxii Kinges of people be lordes ouer them and they that haue power ouer them be called souerayne lordes or gracious lordes But you must not do so I will haue no such lording or maistership among you but he y t is hiest or thinketh him self best of you let him be as the yōgest or as the least of you al. And he y t will go formest let hym be a seruitour take exāple of me Whether is he greater that sitteth at the borde at meate or he y t wayteth serueth at the table I am amōge you as a seruaūt at the borde euen so must you be you wyl be hie Then cōsidering y t that christ would so haue it amonge his disciples that prelacie amonge thē which were equalles should come by humiliatiō then much more his pleasure is that we should humiliate our selues to them that by Gods will be set in soueraygntie superioritie rule or aucthoritie ouer vs. And that is it that S. Peter sayth Humiliamini sub potenti manu dei vt vos exaltet in tempore visitationis Make your selues humble and lowlye vnder the mightye hande of God that he may exalte you set you vp in honour at the time of his visitacion at the generall iudgement when he shall for youre lowlynes here in earthe sorte you amonge the Angels in heauen wyth euery order of Angelles some men and women accordinge to their good liuing here as it shalbe seen good to his godly wysdom To whome be all glorie honour for euer Amen The