is meruayle And surely if thou prospere and go forwarde for a season thou shalte haue one mischaunce or another that shall set thee further backewarde in a daye then two or three good yeares hath sette thee forwarde Nowe let vs see whether this good mannes saiyng be not consonant and agreynge to the scriptures He imputeth much of his thrift to the feare of God to the seruice of god accordyng to this sayth the prophet Psal. xxxiii Non est inopia timentibus eum They that feare God haue no pouertie for eyther they be ryche â–ª or at the leaste wyse be verye well pleased wyâ—â— that little that they haue which passeth all goâ—d and precious stoones Est autem questus magnus pietas cum sufficientia i Timo. vi i. est Animâ— sua sorte contento Pietie or mercie with a hart content wyth that a manne hathe is a greate gaynes and winnynge Et psal â–ª Beatus vir quitimet dominum in mandatis eius volet nimis â–ª Gloria diuitie in domo eius Blessed is the manne that feareth God his will shall be verye muche in his commaundmentes Royaltie wealthe and riches shall be in his house Dispersit dedit pauperibus He shall be able to distribute and geue to the poore people where he that lacketh such fear of GGD shall be ready to begge and borowe of his neighbours Sainte Ambrose Li. ii devocatione gentium ca. ix sheweth that the grace of God by the meanes of feare prepareth and maketh readye the will of man to receiue the giftes of God makinge oure willes to consente to the inclinacion of grace mouinge vs to goodnesse for there is no vertue in him that wyll not consente to take vertue There muste be a consente of the will or els vertue will not bee there no more then thou canste make a horse to drinke of the water if his appetite be not to drinke This consente of the wyll is caused diuers wayes sometime by the exhortation of the Preacher sometyme by lectures lessons or instruction and sometyme by feare and yet amonge al these feare is most of efficacitie to make the wil of maÌ„ to enclyne or consente to Goddes pleasure and to receyue hys Grace Did not feare make Pharao Kinge of Egypte after seuen terrible plages that he and all hys Lande excepte the countrey where the people of Israell dwelled were punished wyth all to saye Peccaui etiam nunc Dominus iustus est ego populus meus impij Exod. ix I haue offended and done noughte nowe againe Oure LORDE is righteous I and my people be wycked Feare made him somewhat to relent bende and stope if he had so continued it hadde be better for hym he moughte peraduenture a receyued grace at lengthe And all sainte Stephans longe Sermon whiche sainte Paule hearde afore the Iewes stoned sainte Stephan to deathe at which tyme sainte Paule was presente and kepte the tormentours clothes All the preachinge of the Apostles and all the good examples of the good people newly conuerted to Christes sayth wrought not so muche in hym to make hym leaue his obstinacie and malyce agaynste christian people as did the feare that he tooke in that terrible strooke that he hadde commynge towarde the citie of Damascus where he woulde haue take vp all the christian menne and women that he could there haue founde would haue brought theÌ„ to Hierusalem to be put to martirdome accordynge to the commission that he had for that purpose And I doubt not but one shipwracke or peril on the sea or to haue a shippe taken with the Frenchmen now in this tyme of warre shuld make a marchauntmanne to remember GOD and to feare GOD and to mollifye his hart to consente and to receyue suche gyftes of grace as God woulde inspire into hys hearte and to serue GOD and to drawe to Godly wisdome more then all the Sermones that hathe bene made here all thys Wytsontyde whers as for lacke of feare of GOD they little regarde God or his giftes but take all thinges as thoughe they came of them selues and not of GOD for the more they haue the lesse Godlye they bee And for these considerations saithe the Prophete and also Salomon Inicium sapientiae â—imor domini The feare of God is the beginnyng of wisdome what vertue can make a maÌ„ so blessed as this feare for it is the begynner and getter of Godlye wisdome and also the maister or teacher of Godlie wisedome And euen lyke as by suche feare the soule of man obteyneth wisedome so by the same it proceadeth and profiteth more and more in wisdome so that it dothe conserue and kepe wisedome and concurreth wyth wisedome so necessarily that if feare of GOD once go awaye Godly wisedome will not tarye but thy wisdome will vanishe away to very folly to sinne mischiefe and all vnhappines Damascen orthodoxe fidei Libro ii ca. xv deuideth feare into sixe membres In cunctationem verecundiam erubesceÌ„tiam stuporem terrorem agoniaÌ„ whyche shoulde be to longe particularlye to declare but thys I shall aduertise you that euerye one of them maye be mundane seruyle or filiall Mundane or worldelye feare whiche is called humane feare or mannes feare that commonlye troubleth the minde of worldly men coÌ„meth of worldelye loue and of carnall loue For all feare presupposeth a loue to the thing that he feareth to lacke or to lose if a man loued it not he would not feare to lacke it or loose it August lxxxiii questi Nowe because that worldly loue leaneth and cleaueth faste to the worlde to worldly welth and to carnall ease and to carnal lust as to the ende in whiche he putteth his felicitie it can not be good but must nedes be verye nought Therfore when a man feareth to lose his temporall riches honour aucthoritie office or pleasure familiarite mastership or frendshyppe delicate fare or swete morsels in so much y t rather than he would lose them he woulde be redy to swarue from the rectitude and stregthnes of iustice and to be a flatterer and to encorage his mayster in his iniquitie rather then to lose his maysters fauour telling truth This is a worldly and carnall feare and very nought and damnable and suche was the feare that the Scribes and Phariseis had sayinge Si dimittimus eum sic c. If we let him scape thus then all the people wyll beleue vpon him and then the Romains wyll come and take our place and our people into captiuitie And Adam oure fyrste father for ouer muche loue that he had to his newe wyfe and for feare of discomfortynge her if he shoulde not haue eaten with her of the sayde forbydden frute broughte vs all to the calamitie miserye and wretchednes that we be in And how many haue we hearde of that for feare least they shuld lose promotion fauour or frendshippe that they haue loked for hath fallen to preache and teache pernitious heresies and many others to speake agaynste reason
Leuaunt sea stayeth at the bay of Issus Eastward cvii d. Leuaunt and myddle earth sea is described and his courses fol. Eodem Litle sinnes must be kylled ccxxxi c Libertie of the Gospell fo xix d Liue to sinne fol lxxxii c Life of a good christen man is desier fol clxxiiii a Libertie not to be vsed as a cloke for malice or my sliuinge folio clxxx d Loue the man hate the vyce fol ccxv c d Loynes of our mynde what they be and that they must be tucked vp fol cxxx a Liberall men be best beloued fol â–ª ccxli d M MAnda remanda c. Esa xxviii is expounded clxii a Maniche is heresy fol lxxiii a Maried we be to Christ by fayth fol. lxviii a Mary was full of grace how fol iiii b Maries prerogatiue fol lxxviii c. Mary was deliuered w tout any aperture of her body Ibid Mans traditions or mans lawes which binde vnder paine of deadly synne and which not fo xcvi d Makers of lawes be Gods helpers and muste beware of certaine faultes fol. xcvii c Make not our bodies more precious then Christ made his body fol â–ª ccxxix Malice fol cxlv d Maried men must laye awaye their swellinge and poyson when thei company with their wiues that is euer ccvi a Make a diner meritoriously fo cclvii b Messias Christus vnctus be all one fo ci d Men be princes greatest in their owne houses fo cxcvi b Mercie of thre maners fol. cccxi c Mithridates kinge of Ponius kept open warre wyth the Romans .xlvi. yeres fo c.x. b Milke signifieth playne doctrine of the plentie of milke folio cl a. b. Milke sowre and crudded fo c.liii a. b Modesty is described fol. ccxiii b Moyses had fortitude performing the counsell of Iethro folio xxvi b. Moyses wyshed to be striken out of gods booke is vnder stande fol. li. b. a Mother and her .vii. sonnes manfullie suffred death folio xxviii d. Mourning vndiscrete is taken away beleuing on the article of resurrection of the body fol. lxxxvi c. Morale lawes what they be fol. lxxxix c. Moral laws byndeth all men fo lxxxx a Murmuringe and grudginge is the propertye of a swyne folio cclxiiii c N. NArrations yf they be sobre doeth good to the audience folio lxi d. Narration of .ii. craftes men of whiche the better witted thriued worse fo lxii a. b. Name a good name is a treasure highlye to be regarded and he that taketh it away cannot be forgiuen withoute restitucion that the restitucioÌ„ is verie hard fo cxlvii c Numbre of prisoners taken in the siege of Ierusalem and of them that were slayne and died by mortyn fol. xvii a. O. OBey our rulers not tyrannes fol. cccv c. d. Obedience not coact but with charitie is required fol. cxl a. Obsecracion signifieth a vehemeÌ„cy in desyre for an others sake fol. clxxi d. Obedience of Sara is an example to all wiues fo cciii c Obseruaunces of the olde law fol. lxxxxi b Obseruauncee in Christes churche fo lxxxxiiii d Offer thy self to die rather then renege god or his faythe folio cccvi a. Offended men be by Goddes longaâ—imite and longe suffraunce and so it was in olde time fo clxâ— d Oyle signifieth the holy gost fo iii. d Old man signifieth our olde liuing fol. lxxxii b. Originall iustice is declared fo cxvii c. d. Originall sinne fol. cxviii â–ª a. Orders of Angels were all subiecte to Christ. fo ccxxvii d Orderinge of priestes and the ceremonies aboute the same folio cli d. clii a. b Our lord why Christ is so called that our lorde agreeth to God better then the Lorde fo lxvii a Ore dunge to stone the slewthfull is vnderstand clxxiiii d P. PArcialite when it is vsed fo cxxxiiii a Paule wyshed to be seperate from Christ for loue to hys countrey men is vnderstande fol. li. c Paule was very obstinate at the first in kepinge Moyses lawe fol. xxxi b Passions many Christ suffred fo cxxviii c Paule and the worlde were crucified one to an other folio ccxxxii b. Paine that christ suffred for vs we must take as our owne by compassion fo cxc a. b Payntinge thy heere with red or bright colours is a prophecienge of the flaminge fire of Hell whiche thou shalte come to fol. cc. d. Penaunce is the moste paynfull Sacramente of Christes churche with comforte to ease the same fo lxxxxiiii b. Penaunce is necessarie is declared fol. cxix a Penall lawes how they bynde fo xcxvii b. c Peter was bysshop of Antioche and how longe he taried there and that he came from thens to Rome fo cv c. d Penaunce the Niniâ—ites shall condemne them that wyll not do penaunce fo clx c. d Peace must be sought and runne after els the worlde wil haue it awaye fo ccxvii b. Pilate how he dyed fo xvi c. d Piete or pitie is diuerslie taken in latyn and also in Englyshe fo xliiii b Pietas is diffined after lactance and after Saynt Aug. folio xlv c Pietas is called latria in greeke and in Latin Religio folio â—odem Piete or reuerende worship we owe to God to our countrey and to our parentes and the order of these folio xlviii b. c. Pietas signifieth mercie pitie and compassyon fo lv a b Pitie on studentes of the vniuersities is best bestowed folio liiii c. d Pilgreme what it signifieth and how that vocable hath ben vsed fo clxxii d. Pylgrems must obserue .vi. thinges in theyr iourney folio clxxiii a. b Plato and Aristotels scole that the .iiii. affections must be moderate fol. lvi a. Preachers must haue sapience and the heares intelligence folio xi d. Prosperite and aduersytie good and yll be coÌ„mon to good and yll and why fo ccxli b Preachers may not ceasse perceyuinge that their audience profitteth not fo xii c. Preachinge profeicteth manie maner of wayes fo xiii b Priestes rayment different from lay mennes rayment is a necessary ceremony fo lxxxxiiii c Precipitacion of sentence is contrarie to the gyft of counsell fol. xxiii a. Prophecye necessarie at the orderynge of Pryestes folio cclxxxv a Priesthoddes excellencie fo cliiii d. Prelates and Priestes must not be lordly nor lowringe folio clvii a Proufe of man by trouble and by flatteryng fol. cxxiiii b. Prayse the iudge shal gyue vs for the woorkes of Iustice and honesty like as for the workes of mercye folio cxxv c. d Preachynge of the Gospell is called a smell or a sauoâ—r folio cxxx b. Precious is the stone our sauiour Christ and layde in the foundacion fo clxiiii a. b. Priestes and kinges we be all men and women how wyth a distinction of priesthod fol. clxvii a. b. Priestes spiritually be they that offreth to God acceptable sacrifice fo clxviii d. Priesthod the Sacrament and of his excellency fo clxix c. Prophecie in the orderinge of a priest what it signifieth fol. clxx b. c. Precellent is a higher terme then excellent fo
geuen to the true seruice and honour of god seking the glory of God and not his owne glory or the glory of his manhode Ego non quero gloriam meam est qui querat iudicet Ioh. viii which is the verye exercise and practise of this sixt gift of the holy gost called in latine pietas in englyshe the worshipping of God or the gifte of grace by whiche we be prompte and ready and glad to worshippe God And when we be so disposed taking example at our Sauiour Christe commynge to his holye Temple or churche dedicate to Gods honour where his holy word is redde and song expounded preached and declared and there occupie our selfes in contemplation and prayer like good christian people it is a great signe that we be partakers of his plenty hauynge this gifte of the holy goost deriued vnto vs by our Sauioure Christe And this I thinke is one proper signification of pietas and is as saint Ambrose i offi xxvii sayth the firste and principall parte of our iustice and the beginnynge of wisdome to know of whom we haue our wit and al other goodnes and to do him seruice accordynge to his benefite Albeit if we should extend and enlarge the name of pietas of reuerende worshippe we shall finde that wee owe seruice or reuerende worshippe to our countrey also to our parents that brought vs into this world and nursed vs cherished vs and helped vs when we could not helpe our self and also to thē that be nye of kinred to vs. So that this vocable pietas semeth now to haue .iii. significations to whiche he agreeth secundum analogiam quandam as the Logition speaketh After a certaine order likewise as there is an order betwixt the thynges signified we owe a reuerende seruyce and worshippe to almyghty GOD as to our maker mainteyner and redemer as I haue sayde Wee owe also a reuerende seruice and worshippe to our countrey Wee also owe a reuerende honoure and worship to oure fathers and mothers to thē that be to vs nexte of kinred But we be not so bounde to serue our countrey as wee be to serue God nor so straightly bound to our parētes kinred as to our coūtrey If the whole countrey or the whole realme in whiche thou were borne would moue thee to do that facte or that thinge that shuld be contrarye to Gods pleasure and contrary to his holy scriptures forsake thy countrey esteme it not take no parte with them but cleaue faste to Gods holye worde and resiste euen to death the malice and frowardenesse of suche miscreantes as would moue thee to the contrarie Did not the Apostles so Were they not al Iewes borne was not all the whole countrey bended to extinct the remembraunce of Christe Howe oft were they commaunded they shoulde not once Preache or speake of his name vnder paine of stripes yea vnder paine of deathe But all this would not serue all this could not disseuer them frō Christ nor from publishyng of his fayth and of his holy name nother trouble nor perplexitie or distres nor honger nor nakednesse nor peryll nor persecution nor sworde axe or anye weapon Ro. viii Seconde we be more bounde to our countrey then to our parentes or kynred in so muche that if there woulde anye foreine Potentate or alien power attempte to inuade the Realme where thou art inhabitant of the nacion yea though thine owne father vncle brother all thy kinred that thou hast were on that partye so irrupting into thy coūtry thou oughtest to forsake thē al to fight against thē al for the defence sauegard of thi coūtrey yea that goeth nere to the then so to forsake thy selfe and thine owne lyfe and healthe and to put thy selfe in ieopardy for thy countrey sake The paynim capitayns did so the holy men that scriptures doth commende and repute theim in Catalago sanctorum in the rolle and number of saintes did so likewise Codrus king of Athens in a battaile against the Peloponensis perceiued by an aunswere that the deuill had made speakinge in an ydole to the said Peloponensis that they shoulde haue the victorye if thei killed not the capitaine of the contrary parte Wherfore the whole hoste was commaunded to saue Codrus the kinge of the Athenensis in anye case This was not so secretelye done but it came to Codrus eare which for the pietie and loue that he hadde to his countrey disgised him self like a poore labourer with his sith on his backe and so came amonge the host of his enemies and what with shrowde wordes and misbehauiour and with his sithe he displeased the souldiours and hurte one of them with hys sithe whiche turned to him and with his speare staffe killed him When this was knowen the Peloponensis fled and so the Athenensis had the victorie without anye more bloudsheading In a certaine cōtrouersie betwixt the Carthaginensis the people of Cyrene a certayne citie in Libia of which it is touched Act. ii Et partes Libie que est circa Cyrenem it lieth eastward from Carthage now I trow called Tuneis toward Egypt bothe in Affricke In a contrauersie I saye betwixte those two parties for the meyres or boundes of their territoryes and dominions which cōtinued long to the great murther destructiō of the people of both parties At the last it was agreed betwixt bothe that at a certaine time appointed betwixt both y e cities there shold certayne curriers be send furth where so euer they met there to be meyre stones pitched such markes made whereby it myght be knowen for euer howe farre bothe lordshippes dyd extende they that were sente out of Carthage were twoo brothers Phileni called but so it was that these brothers were come a great waye further then the other partye thought they should And so the Cyrenensis pretended some fraude to be in the setting forth of these mē But they for theyr coūtreys sake and for the auoydaunce of further trouble of the same for to assure the contrarye partie that the thing was done without collusion offred them selfe there to be buryed quick that theyr tombes or graues might be the verye meires in this purpose with whyche the other partie thinking no man woulde make suche an offer for the defence of a false matter was content and so ceased that controuersie In holye scriptures we haue examples abundaunt how that neither father nor mother wyues neyther mens own naturall children coulde withdrawe men from the loue of their countreys in so much that when some of theim were banisshed and driuē out of theyr coūtrey yet whē thei herd that theyr countrey was in daunger distresse they sticked not to forget al displeasures and vnkindnes to do the best they could to saue their coūtreys It is writ Gen. xiiii That y e holy patriarch Abrahā being but a straunger in the land of Canaan now called the holy lande had such reuerend loue to the coūtrey wher
among themselues one perceiueth the voyce of an other and by suche voyces as they haue they come together or runne a sonder Rauens and other fowles knowing theyr owne voyces flyeth to theyr feedynge together and change their places together But man a reasonable creature little vnder the angelles in the excellencie of his nature yet perceyueth not what another reasonable creature saith except he be of his owne countrey An Englyshe dogge perceyueth a walshe dogge and yet the Englishe man vnderstandeth not a walshe man The lacke of the feare of GOD in this vsurper and verye tyraunte and extorcioner Nemroth brought vs to this calamitie wretchednes If I woulde runne throughe the holye scriptures declaryng what mischiefe hath fallen to men for lacke of the feare of GOD I should soner lacke time than matter And yet good and worshipfull audience let vs consider the maner of oure neighbours here in this citye And I fear me we shall finde this gyfte of the holye Gooste that is to saye the feare of GOD farre awaye from a great meynye of vs. Wee haue knowen some Marchauntes and other occupiers that in their prentishippe and while they were iourneymen or seruauntes haue serued God deuoutlye and the worlde busilye And when they haue set vp and occupied for theim selues haue growen to muche riches in a little space In so muche that within seuen or eight yeres they haue bene able to be shyriffes of the Citye but when they were fatte that their prouender pricked theim they haue begon to kycke agaynste GOD and to do noughtelye nother doynge their dutye in their tythes and offerynges to God of whom they had their thrift nother to their owne soules kepyng them selues in the feare and awe of God nother towarde their neighbours liuynge charitablye They haue take their pleasures moste voluptuouslie and haue contemned all others dispitefullye whiche is a signe that the feare of GOD was cleane gone for as the wise manne sayth Qui timet deum faciet bona He that feareth God will do good dedes and will eschue the contraries and his thrifte shall come accordinglye for exāple hereof I reade a narration of two crafts menne But yet because I heare that some yonge menne be daungerous and will peraduenture contemne or dispise such narrations as wel as some other thinges whiche they canne not aamende somewhat to comforte theim that woulde heare examples for theyr learnynge you shall note what the Apostle saith Ephe. iiii Omnis sermo malus ex ore vestro non procedat sed si quis bonus ad edificationem fidei vt det gratiam audientibus Let no yll speache or talkinge passe out of your mouthe but if you haue anye good talkynge to edifie and healpe our fayeth that it maye geue a grace to the audience Sainte Ambrose expoundinge the same wordes saieth Bonae enim sobriae fabulae dant gratum exemplum audientibus Good sober tales geueth pleasant examples to the hearers Sober tales he saith suche as be neither wilde nother wanton But suche as a manne maye take good and pleasant examples of as Esopes fables and suche other Quid est enim aliud scira fabula quam amena veritatis inuolucio ad hominum vsum atque oblectationem comparata A feete or proper tale is no more but a mery wrappyng in or coueryng of some truth inuented and sette foorthe for mennes profite and for their plesure to allure them better to remēber the matter that is spoken of And for this purpose harkē you vnto mynarration These ii craftes men that I speake of came to the towne to be prentises about one season they came forth to libertie together and set vp their occupatiōs aboute one time the one was more experte in his occupation then the other more quycke more liuelye and more pregnant of witte and he laboured as soore bothe earlye and late as the other did and yet he coulde not come forwarde but euer almoste in beggers estate The other althoughe he were not so lyuelye nor quicke of naturall wytte and in practise of the worlde as the other hys frende was yet he prospered and grewe to greate richesse and to good estimation amonge hys neyghbours I woulde euerye manne shoulde imagyn thee two men to be of their owne occupacion if thou be a marchaunte thinke they were two marchaunt menne if thou be a Grocer or a Draper Tayler or Shomaker thinke they were of thy occupation In processe of tyme this manne that was so farre behinde fell in familiar communication with his olde acquaintaunce and made hys complaynte vnto hym marueylynge of the chaunce of theim boothe considerynge sayth he that when we were yong I was more likely to come forwarde then thou And that I labour and studie saith he as many waies to haue the world and to come to welthines and more then euer diddest thou yet it wil not be the more I laboure yet neuer the nere I trowe thou haste founde some bagges or treasure trouy some hid riches that bringeth thee alofte Well saith the other man I do remember our bringyng vp very well I know thy witte I I knowe thy cunnynge thy feete in thy facultie and occupation and I do lament thy penury and that thou commest no better forwarde And where thou imputest to me layest to my charge that I haue founde some hydde ryches It is verye true And for our olde frendshippe I am contente to brynge thee there as thou mayeste finde like riches And appointed to mete together on the morowe at a certayne houre to go to seke the sayde treasure When they mette at the time appointed this riche manne brought his frende to the churche and there he fell on hys knees and saide his prayers deuoutly as he was wonte to do The other man called busilye on him to shewe him this treasure Tarye a while sayde he we shall anone haue a Masse or some diuine seruyce compiled or gathered of the word of God or some sermon or exhortation that may do vs good Anone a prieste was readye wente to masse After masse this poore mannes minde was on the money and called vppon his frende whiche at the laste aunswered after this maner Frende thou haste hearde and sene parte of the treasure that I haue founde Here in this place haue learned to loue GOD heare I haue learned to feare God Heare I haue learned to serue GOD. And when I haue done my duetye to God home I go to my woorke about suche businesse as I haue and all thinge goeth forward and so I am come to this honeste Almes that GOD hathe lende me wyth whiche I am well contented and do thanke God for it it commeth of God and not of my deseruynge I see thy fashion thou little regardest God or his seruice and lesse regardest his ministers Thou haddest leuer goe to the market then to Masse And on the holye daye to idle pastimes then to heare a Sermon if euer thou thriue it
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
places of the gospels calleth God hys father and hym him selfe the sonne of God he is true and verye truthe and cannot lye he is the onelye begotten sonne in the fathers bosome euerlasting as the father is He was afore Abraham was made afore all other creatures not made but begottē of the substaunce of the father very God of God the father Not two Gods but one God and one light and of one substaunce with the father By whom as by his wysedome and craft the father made all creatures as saint Iohn saith al things were made by him he is our Lorde which ye must here vnderstand bi his humanitie manhod for by reason of the Godhed we may sai so of the father and of the holy gost although it be not so expressed in the Apostles Creede For God is oure Lord so we should cal him by reason of his vniuersal dominiō ouer al mankind ouer al other creatures The Lorde importeth a vage dominiō and vncertain power but there is no power dominiō or authoritie so certain as the power that God hath ouer vs wherefore it semeth we may not conueniently call him the Lorde And moreouer we vse to saye the Lorde speaking of suche Lordes as haue nothing to doe with vs as the lorde of Dale the lord of Kilmayn and such like whereas if we were theyr tenauntes or otherwise held of thē we woulde say my lord of Dale or our Lord of Dale and so of others Wherfore professing our due subiection to almightye God we shoulde in common speeche cal him our Lord not dimissing our selues from our allegeaunce to his highnes And I haue knowen verye honest mē that in cōmunicatiō long afore the new translations of the bible came abrode vsed sometimes to sweare by the Lord no more intending or meaning to sweare by God then by any Lorde in the isles of Orchadie so thynking to sweare by they could not tell what or by nothing albeit lest thei should offend them that be addict to the new gise I haue aduertised them to leaue suche sayinges tyll men may be better informed But to my purpose now because all power in heauen and earth was giuen to Christ and all thyng was subiecte vnder his fete and he in his manhood taught his Apostles and all vs by them and in his manhode redemed vs and in the same shall iudge vs therfore we maye iustlye by that reason call hym our lord and maister as it is expressed in this article THe third article was added by S. Iames brother to saint Iohn the Euangelist son of zebedi called Iames the more That was conceiued by the holy gost and borne of the virgine Marie the authoure and doer of this conception was the whole trinitie the father the sonne the holy gost for the workes of the trinitie outwarde amonge creatures be vndyuided so that what so euer one persō doth the same thing doth all three persons But in asmuch as thys blessed incarnation of Christ came of the mere goodnes grace mercy and loue of God whiche is appropriate to the holy gost as power to the father wisedome to the sonne Though all these agreeth to all three persons therefore the scripture sayth as very true it is that the holy gost was the deer thereof but how it was performed done we can better beleue thē declare it faith may do very muche in this article and in all other articles of our faith speche can do very litle Saint Austine faith that lyke as by the heate and influence of the sunne a worme is gēdred of the moyst earth so by the inspiration of the holy goste santifyinge the hart of the virgin the flesh of Christ was cōceiued formed facioned of the flesh of y e virgin without the worke of any sede of man workyng to the same and therefore Christ sayd of himself by the mouth of his prophet that he was a worme and not a man because he was not conceyued as other men be In this marueilous conception the profite and whole nature of man soule and bodi together was vnite and ioyned in one person vnto the sonne of God and neither to the father nor to the holy gost because there should be no confusion but that he that was the sonne of god shuld also be the sonne of man Borne of Mary the virgin he that came to renew the nature of man cankered with sinne chose a new maner to be borne of a mayde and not of a corrupt woman And whē the God of maiestie tooke hys bodye and was borne of a vyrgine hee was no more polluted nor defowled then when he made manne of the earthe as when the Sunne or fyre woorketh on the claye he amendeth and hardeneth that he toucheth and fyleth not it selfe And it is as possyble credyble and lykelye that hee was borne of a virgine as that he made Adam of earth and Eue the first woman of the rybbe of Adams side all is the woorke of God to whom nothing is impossible Great was the prerogatiue of that virgine Mary and the loue that god had to her in that that his onely begottē son by whom he made all the worlde he gaue vnto her to be the fruite of her wombe and her naturall sonne God that made all thyng was made man of her purest bloud to renewe mankinde that by synne was brought to nought While the sonne of God was in his fathers glory not descending to our infirmitie he was vnknowen but when that worde of God was made man and dwelled amongest vs he was seene and knowen on earthe and was conuersaunt with menne for whose sakes he that is Lorde of all the world is made our brother comming forth being borne of the blessed virgine euer close and cleane with out any aperture or diuision of her blessed body euen like as after his resurrection he came into the chambre among the disciples the doores beyng shut and like as the sunne beames commeth through the glasse and breaketh it not SAint Andrewe layde his portion to thys shotte or gathering by these woordes of the fourthe article That suffered vnder Ponce Pilate was crucified dead and buried Thys Ponce Pilate was president and ruler of the countrey and highest iudge there set in his authority by Tiberius the Emperoure of Rome to whom the most part of the world was then subiecte he is here named not for any honestie to his parson but for to declare the time when Christ suffred The death on the crosse he those and neyther to haue his necke broken nor his bones burst as being cast downe from a hyll as his neighbours were aboute to serue him in Nazereth Luke .iiii. where he was brought vp in youthe neyther to be stoned to death as the Iewes would haue killed him when he hid him self and went out of the temple Iohn .viii. And al was for our health and for to saue vs for as saint Austine saith we can not
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
in manye pointes they be very ciuill and holsome rules to direct comonalties or particuler persons wher Christen princes and noble counsaâ—les thynketh it good to take any of the saide iudiciall lawes of Moyses and to stablishe theym to order theyr subiectes then the sayd subiectes be bounde to obserue and kepe them not as giuen of Moyses but as newlye made by their owne superiours and rulers But as for the Iewes ceremonies because they were the very figures and onelye significations of Christ to come and of some sacraments ceremonies to be vsed in Christes church in the tyme of grace now alredy exhibited and performed giuen vs by our sauiour Christ. They must needes surceasse for when the veritie of the sygnes and fygures be put in execution the shadowes be of no efficacitie It is mortal sinne now to vse them putting any trust of saluation in them for in so doing we shoulde shewe oure selues to be of the Iewes faith thinkinge that our redemption by Christ is not yet sufficiently performed whych is plaine false and dampnable to be beleued Notwithstanding Christes churche is not clearelye without ceremonies some ordeined by Christ by his Apostles and holy fathers by the comon consent of noble princes and commonalties for the adorning aduauncing and settyng furthe of Christes religion For we haue sacrifices sacramentes sacred or halowed thinges and obseruaÌ„ces proporcionably to the foure that as I tolde you were vsed in Moyses law one most excelleÌ„t sacrifice is the busy and dayly sacrifice and offering in the masse of the blessed bodye and bloude of our sauiour Christ in the forme of breade and wine This sacrifice we be taught and commaunded to vse by the eternall priest after the order of Melchisedech our sauiour Iesus Christ at hys last supper sacrificing vnto his father bread and wyne turned by the vertue of his holy and mighty worde into hys owne bodye and bloude And in this doyng most deuoutly is called to mans remembrance his blessed immolation on the crosse and is presented vnto hys father for health and grace to theym that be a lyue and for reast and quyetnes for all them that be departed in fayth A contrite and a troubled hart for a mannes sinnes the Prophet in the psalme calleth a sacrifice which almighty God will not despise And in an other psalme God sayth by the same prophet the sacrifice of laude and praysing shal do me honor kyll the wantonesse of thy wyll and the ranknes of thy fleshe in the loue of him and so thou shalt set vpon Gods aulter that is to say on Christes crosse the most acceptable sacrifice vnto him and who so euer voweth and payeth to God all that he hath all that he lyueth all that he vnderstandeth as the Apostles did he offereth to God an holocaust that is to saye an alburned sacrifice For generally euery dede that we do by whych we shewe our selues to cleaue and stickefast vnto God referred to an heauenlye ende maye be called a sacrifice ¶ Sacramentes we haue also seuen in nomber taking their efficacitie and strengthe at oure sauiour Christ and left in the church as holesom medicines against the manyfold infirmities and diseases of our soules â–ª These be the very few and manifest sacraments in which the mercy of god woulde haue his churche free and at lybertie as saynt Austine writeth in his boke of the customs of the churche to Ianuarye And yet all these be not necessary for euerye man that shall be saued For euery man taketh not holye orders neyther euery man contracteth matrimony many a man is saued without confirmation and also wythout the blessed sacrament of the aulter and with out extreme vnction that we cal Inoyling Baptisme is necessary and to theym that after baptisme haue fallen to mortall sinne penance must nedes be had And this seemeth to be the hardest Sacrament or ceremonie that Christe lefte in hys Churche specially for that part of it that is confession in whyche we reueale and vtter to a mortall manne the synnes that afore were priuye and secrete betwyxte GOD and vs. But to mitigate thys confusion or shame wee must inwardly consider the losing of our synfull bondes and by that to be set at libertie oute of the deuils danger this shall make vs not to be ashamed to tell the truth for our soules sake Let vs with all consider that he to whom we be confessed is most straitly bound to keepe our counsayl vnder a more priuie seale then we be our self bounde and so we shall not neede to stycke nor shrinke to make a plaine confessioÌ„ Sacred or halowed thinges we haue very manye as churches and Churchyardes Chalice Corporas Cruets Uestimentes and other ornamentes of the ministers doynge seruice in Christes churche besyde their daily rayment shewing distinction of them froÌ„ the laife which is a veri honest ceremony necessary to be vsed albeit a great many of vs priestes litle regard it going in our apparell lyke the lay men by that declaring that we be ashamed of our order and woulde be glad to pull our heade out of that yoke if we might We haue also obseruances of holye dayes as sondayes and other solempne feastes by course succedynge after the reuolucion of the yere We obserue also certayn solempne times of fastinge as the faste of Lent the Embre daies and in the remeÌ„brance of Christes passion we punish our bodies with abstineÌ„ce and fasting euery fridai The deuout ceremonies on Palme sondayes in processions and on good fridaies about the laying of the crosse and sacrament into the sepulchre gloriouslye arayed be so necessary to succour the labilitie of mans remembrance that if they wer not vsed once euery yere it is to be feared that Christes passion wold sone be forgotten the crucifixes erected in churches crosses by the highe wayes were intended for the same purpose although some pestiferous persoÌ„s haue ouerthrowne them and destroyed them for the very contempt of Christes passion more then to finde money vnder them as they haue pretended We obserue as a necessary ceremoni likewise a sober silence in the church in time of preachyng the worde of God and also while diuine seruice is a doyng with manye suche other ceremonyes which were to long here to be rehersed ¶ And finally to speake of the iudiciall lawes the Iewes were neuer yoked nor troubled wyth halfe so manye gyuen to them as we be pressed withal what with ecclesiastical lawes and other statutes and actes aboue nomber So that as Sainte Austine in the booke of the customes of the church saith the condition of the Iewes seemeth more tollerable and easye to be borne then the case that ChristeÌ„ people be in For the Iewes neuer knewe the tyme of lybertie and yet they were not bouÌ„d but only to the burdens expressed in Gods lawes and not to mens presumptions as we be in somuche that if a Iewe well learned in Moyses law and conuerted to Christes faith
owne daughters whiche he woulde neuer haue done if he had kepte sobernes Sobernesse is conseruer of frendship amitie of peace where dronkennes breaketh theÌ„ Spes iubet esse ratas Ad prelia trudit inermem Horac It maketh all thinge sure y t a man wold haue If the dronken maÌ„ wold kil the deuil surely he wil thinke he caÌ„ do it while his cups be in He will fight though he lack both weapon and harneâ—s and wyll breake a loueday and fall to variaunce wyth his best frende yea thoughe it be his owne brother Where contrary sobernes excheweth suche rashenes and auoydeth perils Sobernes requiteth one good turne for an order and abhorreth pride and arrogaÌ„cy and kepeth his housholde in measure with honestie and kepeth fidelitie trustely with euery man that putteth trust in hym Where dronkenes by pride of harte bringeth furthe vnkindenesse as pride dothe euer for a proud manne thinketh all thinges done of dutye that a man doth for hym so neuer regardeth to do good for good againe The sober man kepeth his housholde in measure where the dronkarde is euer in extremities Finally Sobernes may be called the mother of all vertues and dronkennesse mother of all vices Therfore without lothsome excesse y e belly wold be filled for what profite doth it to take to much of that that thou shalt lose by and by Nature is coÌ„tent with a very litte Therfore if thou charge it ouer much either thou shalt by that thou hast taken haue little pleasure or els greate hurte Therfore Saint Peter saieth we must be sober and generally we muste be perfect in all workes of vertue and so shall boldely hope to see the glorye of Christe Where contrary he that no good doth and liueth viciously may be sore afrayed of that glorious commyng lest he come to shortly and to soone for hym Quasi filij obedientie non coÌ„figurati prioribus ignorantiae vestre desiderijs As childreÌ„ of obedieÌ„ce or obedient children vnto the monicion and holesome lessons of your father not forgettynge that I haue taught you Shew not your selues like vnto your olde blindenes in carnall vyces and in all other inâ—quitie to which you were geuen afore you were called out of the darkenes of ignoraunce vnto the light of faythe by your spirituall fathers the Preachers of the worde of GOD among you but conforme your selues to that holye one that called you whiche was chieflye our sauiour Christe by whose word published amonge theim by the Preachers and speciallye by Sainte Peter that hadde laboured amonge them they were reduced and broughte to the light of knowledge that so sayeth Saint Peter you may be holy firme and fast in goodnesse agaynst vyce againste trouble and vexation for that is the signification of this woorde Sanctus firme faste and sure in goodnes that is holye in all your conuersation and dealyng lyke as he that called you is holie To confirme that Saint Peter alledgeth the saiynge of almighty GOD in the .xix. Chapter of Leuiticus coÌ„maundynge the people of Israell and by them all vs faythfull and true Israelites christian people Sancti estote quoniam ego sanctus sum dominus deus vester Be you holye for I your Lorde GOD am holye And our Sauiour Christe in the Gospell hath a like saiynge Mat. v. Estote vos perfectisicut pater vester celestis perfectus est Be you perfect as your heauenly father is perfecte Where this worde sicut As importeth not equalitie but a certaine imitation or folowinge as Saint Paule biddeth Estote imitatores dei folowe God as nigh as mannes fragilitie wil permitte or suffer though no creature can attayn to be equall with God in holines or perfection And here good neighbours I should by these wordes of S. Peter exhorte you to be fast sure and stedfast in the good opinions that you haue bene reduced vnto by catholike preachers where afore by pseudapostles and leude preachers you were seduced and broughte into sinistre opinions in whiche you walked darkely and blyndely contempninge the sacramentes and ceremonies of Christes churche and so vsinge a leude libertye you fell to all desires of darke ignoraunce liuing carnally nother regardinge prayers fasting abstinence nor chastitie For surely this is the effect of suche lewde libertie as some men would vendicate and claime by the Gospell where there is nothinge more contrary to the Gospell Et si patrem inuocatis eum quae sine personarum acceptione iudicat c. In these wordes the Apostle perswadeth and reasoneth that we oughte to be of cleane lyfe sobre and perfecte that we maye obediently and reuerently hope and loke for glorye at the reuelation and comminge of Christ in his glory sayinge If you call him your father that iudgeth without parcialitie according to euery persons worke see that you be conuersaunt in feare and in your conuersation haue feare for the time that you be here abidinge in this worlde In which wordes he willeth vs to considre almightie God as oure father and also as our iudge In that he is oure iudge we owe vnto him feare as to oure Lorde and maister that maye do with vs what shall please him and in that he is our father we owe vnto him loue as to oure maker and regeneratour Accordinge to the saying of Malachi i. Si pater ego sum vbi est honor meus si dominus ego sum vbi est timor meus If I be youre father as you call me Pater noster qui es in coelis where is the honour that you owe to me If I be youre lorde where is the feare that you owe to me Saynte Peter ioyneth them both together meaninge that we owe vnto almightie God loue as to our father and feare as to our lorde and iudge and specially because he iudgeth withoute parcialitie or affection to any partie hauinge respecte to a mannes workes and not to the personne But yet here riseth a doubte vppon Saynte Peters wordes â–ª that God iudgeth without parcialitie it semeth contrary by the wordes of Malachye the Prophet aforesaid where the worde of God sayd by that Prophet in the fyrst Chapter Nonne frater erat Esau Iacob dicit dominus dilexi Iacob Esau autem odio habui They had done nother good nor yll as S. Paule sayth Roman ix therefore not for any thinge of their parte God sayde I loued Iacob and I hated Esau and then in verye dede for that that God loued Iacob Iacob proued a good man and for that he hated Esau Esau proued nought and all his posteritie for the mooste part And Iacob for his goodnes and for good workes folowinge of the same was saued where Esau or they of hys issue for theyr noughtie liuinge were reproued and dampned therefore of this it semeth that God was partiall in his election because there was no cause in the parties wherfore one shuld be electe rather then the other and also in the sequele that came thereof dampninge
whom is no partialitie And knowynge the price that was paide for vs whyche was no corruptible metall as gold or siluer but the precious bloud of a pure Lambe our sauiour Iesus Christ and considering that the seede by whyche we wer regenerate is not corruptible as the sede of our parentes is by which men be goten to die but it is immortall as he is immortall that it commeth of almighty God The sede is the immutable gospell by which we come to baptisme that washeth vs from all our sinnes where I shewed you howe necessary that sacrament is to all sexes and to all ages as wel infants as other that lyke as they be kylled or hurte by an other mans sinne so they may be reuiued by other meÌ„s faith Now consequently in this second chapiter the blessed Apostle sainte Peter intreateth of the nursing or bringing vp of them that were by the saide holy sede goten and borne to Christ and so to life euerlasting This is a naturall order that saint Peter kepeth here for naturally the byrthe goeth afore the nourishinge And because he that hath a shrewd stomake filled with nociue and yll humors must first haue his stomake purged afore any meate shall do him good therefore saint Peter like a good Phisicion for the soule counseleth vs first to rid the stomaks of our soules our hartes or consciences from all malice or wyll to hurt our neighbours That is malice and he that hathe suche an appetite to hurt an other man or woman is called a malicious person otherwyse willing to do to others then he woulde an other should do to him which is contrarie to the law of nature to the iudgement of right reason for the iudgemeÌ„t of reasoÌ„ giueth that we should none otherwise wil intend or do to ani other theÌ„ we reasonably wold they shuld wil intend or do to vs. FroÌ„ this generalitie he descendeth to the particulers special vices saying that we must also rid oure soules from all gile and imaginacion to deceiue our neighbours vnder the pretence and colour of some honestie or goodnes as I rede Gen xxxiii When Dina doughter to Iacob and sister to the .xii. Patriarchs sonnes of Israell would walke abrode to see the women of the countrey and to be sene as the maner of maidens is specâ—tatuÌ„ veniunt veniunt spectentur vt ipse she came to the towne where Emor was Lorde and a great prince there whiche had a sonne called Sichem as soone as he hadde cast his eye vpon this faire damsell Dina he was enamored woulde nedes haue her and so had his pleasure of her whyther she woulde or not And yet his loue swaged not but euer still he loued her more and more In so muche that he prayed and required his father to be suter to Iacob father to the damsell and to be woer for him that he myghte haue her to wyfe mary with her and so did Emor this yong mans father but Iacob would make no graunt til hys sons came to the coÌ„municacion When they herd that Dina theyr sister was deflowred and rauished by force they chafed and tooke the matter very angerlye Notwithstanding after large offers and fayre promisses made to theim by thys good gentleman Emor and by the younge man Sichem hys sonne Responderunt filij Iacob Sichem patri eius in dolo seuientes ob stuprum sororis The sonnes of Iacob made answere to Sichem and to his father in gyle for they were in a rage for the raueshing of theyr sister Mark their answer and theyr intent and you shall perceyue the gile and what gile is This was theyr aunswer It is vnlawfull and a great offence for vs to mary our sister to a man that is vncircumcised but if ye will come to our religion and be circumcised as we be then it shall be lawfull for vs to mary together your men with our women our men with your women and so we may dwel together and liue like frendes and if you wil not then let vs haue our sister away and we wyll be gone This offer pleased Emor and hys sonne Sichem verye well Sichem made no tarying but did as they desired and forthwith was circumcised for the feruent loue that hee had to Dina and then the father and the sonne came into the towne perswaded all the people to agre and so thei did agre circuÌ„cised al the men of the town what age so euer thei were of But then folowed the subtile false intent of Dinays brothers soÌ„s of Iacob For on y e third day after the circuÌ„cising of the people wheÌ„ their wouÌ„des wer sorest y t thei might not wel stir in cam to the town with their swerdes in theyr hands Symeon Leui brothers to Dina bi father mother for Lya was their mother Gen. xxx they slew all theÌ„ that were circuÌ„cised and Emor lorde of the town and Sichem his sonne with al toke away theyr sister with theÌ„ And then came in the rest of Iacobs soÌ„nes with their bushmentes and made hauoke of all that was lefte Here you see that their pretence was good and godly but theyr intent was noughte this is dolus gile If there haue been anye suche gyle vsed by faire promisses and large offers to traine ani man or woman to be of sinister or false opinion or heresie to kill his soule vnder the pretence or colour of euangelicall truthe or libertye this muste be left and layde downe as saint Peter saith here The sutteltie and gile that is vsed in vttering of your wares by suche wiles as you vse for the colourable setting furth of theÌ„ must be left and layde downe and no more vsed Ther is an other gile whiche in comparison of thys is called bonus dolus good gile such as men of war feighting in a iust cause vseth to circumuent and deceiue their enemies Such gile Iosue â–ª viii vsed against the towne of Hay where his host were afore put to rebuke dryuen backe and loste xxxvi men Iosue vii At the second saute he set a strong bende of men to the nomber of fyue thousand in a stale at the West side of the towne of Hay And then the captaine with his armie shewed freshlye against the towne as thoughe they woulde haue fought with them The kinge there encouraged by the victorie at the former skirmige aduanced furth boldly against Iosue the captaine And Iosue reculed backe and ranne awaye as the other company had done afore and when by his reculing he had slocked the kinge of Hay a great wai out of the town he gaue a signe to them that lay in the stale which rose vp and got into the town then being without people for euerye manne and woman was runne oute to pursue Iosue and to get somewhat in the chase and they sette it on fyre and burned it and furthwith came forth on the backe of the kinge of Hay and his hoste and
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
alyue but kyll theim all for els as longe as one remaineth in vs we can not be counted iuste and good men afore God SaÌ„ctificate belluÌ„ et pugnate pugnaÌ„ domini Ioel. iii. Then we sanctifie a batayle and make an holye batayle when we kyll all the enemies of the soule that is to saye all sinnes and when we mortifie oure fleshe and cutte away al ill concupiscence of the same that we may be holye in bodye and spyrite and thus playinge the victours and conquerours we maye saye wyth the Apostle Gala. vi Mihi absit gloriari nisi in cruce Domini nostri Iesu Christi per quem mihi mundus crucifixus est ego mundo Where the pseud apostles agaynste whiche Saynt Paule speaketh there reputed trouble and payne suffred for Christes sake to be nothinge profytable as many pseudapostles and false gospellars sayeth nowe a dayes or yf they saye if not with theyr tounges yet they shewe it in theyr workes Saynte Paule contrary gloryed in nothyng â—o muche knowynge the greate rewarde that he shoulde obteyne for the same euen lyke as other of the apostles when they were conuented afore the counsell of the Iewes and there rebuked and sore beaten for speakynge in Christes name Ibant Apostoli gaudentes a conspectu consilii quo niaÌ„ digni habiti sunt pro nomine Iesu coÌ„tumeliaÌ„ pati Actu v. they wente awaye with myrthe and gladnes that God hadde estemed them and taken them as worthye to suffer for Christes sake paynes and despytes So dydde Saynt Paule glorye communicatynge and takinge parte of Chrystes paynes on the Crosse knowynge as Saynte Ambrose sayeth that the loue of the Crosse causeth lyfe and the loue of the worlde bryngeth death and destruction Inuicem sibi mortui sunt dum nihil concupiscit Apostolus mundi dum nihil habet mundus suum quod agnoscat in Apostolo sicut Dominus â—it ecce venit princeps mundi huius in me inuenit nihil Ioh. xiiii The Apostle and the worlde were one crucified to another sayeth Saynte Ambrose whyle the Apostle hadde no concupiscence or desyre of worldelye pleasures and whyle the worlde hadde nothynge that he coulde knowe for his owne in that blessed Apostle Euen as oure Sauioure Christe speaketh loo the Prynce of the worlde commeth and findeth nothinge in me that he maye claime for his owne And who so euer hathe soo doone by remembraunce of Christes paines and passion so maceratinge his fleshe so punysshing subduyng quenchinge his carnall concupiscence he shall so doynge conforme him selfe to Christes paynes and shall be mortified and made deade to synne and shall lyue to Chryste Nam qui passus est in carne desiit a peccatis In whyche wordes Saynte Peter geueth vs an excellente lesson and a general rule that he that suffreth and taketh paynes in the fleshe ceaseth from synne and leaueth synne as it maye be declared discurrynge generally thoroughe all synnes When a manne or woman is tempted to lechery by ouermuche farcinge or fyllinge the bellye with meates and whote wines lette him take paine to punysshe the bellye with abstinence and anone the pange wyll swage And if it be by wantonne company or communication then sequestre thy selfe from that occasion thoughe it be paynefull to the soo to do and with all occupie thy minde aboute thy occupation or in some honest and vertuous meditation and soo thou shalte not be ouercome with temptation but shall scape it and leaue it and conuerte thy selfe to vertue Likewise in anger whiche is a certaine kindelinge or inflamynge of the bloude aboute thy harte suffer in thy bodye take paine in thy bodie lette not the occasion of that heate comme to thy harte stoppe thy mouth geue faire words thoughe it greue thee and anone thy anger wyll swage and so thou shalt make a frende of hym that thou were moued agaynste afore and shalt make a matter of vertue of that whyche if thou had folowed woulde haue turned to murther or mischiefe and to thy dampnation Likewyse of enuy of which it least semeth when thou seest an other man prospere and go forwarde in honestie in substaunce in reputation and estimation amonge the people If peraduenture thy carnall mynde woulde thinke thy sayde neighbours preferment and thrift to be derogatioÌ„ and hinderaunce to thy state and to thy estimation and woldest be sorye to se hym so to prospere but wouldest rather be glad to saye or do that might pull hym backe This is playne enuy cleane contrary to charitie and most odious to God What remedye Paâ—iaris in carne desines etiam ab hoc peccato Suffer in thy fleshe and in thy carnall fancye striue with thy passion be not so folishe as to thinke that his thrifte hyndereth thee but rather take thou payne in thy bodye to thriue and to go forwarde in honestye and in riches as well as he compell thy minde to consider that thou shouldest loue thy neighbour and consequentlye that thou shouldest be glad of hys auancemente and reioyce in it as one louer should do in an other And so thou shalte cease from that synne of enuye And euen so you shall leaue all other vyces if you wyll by imitation and example of Christe take payne in youre bodyes punysshe your bodyes and stryue wyth your carnall affection accordynge to Sainte Peters saiynge Qui passus est in carne defiit a peccatis He that hath suffered in hys bodye hath done wyth carnall vyces and synnes that so for the reste of hys life tyme while he shall lyue in the flesshe in his bodye here in this worlde hee maye liue not after the flesshe of carnall manne whyche hathe pleasure communely in voluptuous pleasures of the flesh but accordynge to the wyll of GOD in sinceritie and cleannesse of lyfe Sufficit enim preteritum tempus ad voluptatem gentium consummandam his qui ambulauerunt in luxuriis For the tyme paste is inoughe for to fulfill the wyll of Paynyms and Gentyles that haue walked that is to saye haue ledde their liues in all maner of Lecherye and pleasures of the fleshe You knowe that as I haue ofte saide Saint Peter writte to the newe christened people newely conuerted some from the Gentility and some frome the Iewes ceremonyes also nowe he speaketh speciallye to theim that afore were Gentyles whiche were moste blinde and lest knewe GOD. To theim he sayeth be you contente nowe no more you haue inoughe and to muche of that voluptuousnesse that you haue vsed like Paynyms that knewe not God And liued in all kynde of Lecherye outwarde by exteriour filthye exercise of your bodyes Desideriis and in vncleanly and wanton appetites in minde inwardlye and as it were runnynge in Reprobumsensum as Sainte Paule speaketh Rom. i. desierynge nothyng that is good for their soules in dede but rather contrarye desierynge that thinge for good whiche is naught in dede Euen as it were one that in a feruente Feauer hadde his mouthe infecte wyth
twenty treatice or Sermon OMnem solicitudinem vestram proiicientes in eum Where Saint Peter considerynge that the worlde dothe vnquiete manye a man and dothe alâ—enate his mynde from the exercise of humilitie towarde GOD and of other Godlie vertues by ouermuche cumberaunce of minde with solicitude carke and care of the worlde exhorteth vs to caste all our solicitude thought and care vppon almightye God for he hath cure ouer vs and careth for vs. The world doth euen as Christe speaketh of the sede sowen amonge the bushes thornes or briars it can not proue for y e thornes suffocate it stiful it hinder it and marreth it Solicitude and care of the worlde is the thinge that the worlde combreth vs with To exclude this saint Peter here counseileth vs to cast vppon God all our care all our solicitude and cumberaunce of minde let him alone with it Yea sir shall I do so This is a good easie waie if it woulde serue I haue father and mother a great charge of housholde to care for shall I let God alone with theim go play and make merie Shall I loke whether he will send them meate by the birdes as he did to Helie by the crowes and rauens or to bake a cake vnder a panne c. No that were to tempt God c. But I muste do that partaineth to mannes industrye and to mans laboure and diligence and then no further to cumber my minde or to weare away my self with carke but then to cast all the rest of my care vpon him euen as the mariners cast theyr anker vnto the lande to more set fast their shyp to stay it fast for there is sure holde when we haue done our diligence let vs laye all the rest in his lap for he careth for vs as a mercyfull father for his children So that moderate sollicitude is not reproued but solicitudo obrueÌ„s confundens intellectuÌ„ suche solicitude as doeth ouer whelue and confounde a mans witte And because that Mundus par immoderantiam sauciat The worlde woundeth man by excesse and superfluite therfore Saynt Peter byddeth vs be sobre contrarie to glotenie whiche killeth more theÌ„ doth the sweard And this sobriete is y e same vertue that we call temperaunce whiche is one of the .iiii. cardinall vertues of whiche the wise man Sapi. viii speaketh amoÌ„ge the praises of sapience sayinge that the godly sapience Sapientia increata The wysdome of the father the seconde parson in Trinitie of whose wysedome euerie man and woman hath a sparke that lighteneth and inclineth him to goodnes and to eschew yl This heauenly Sapience and wisdome sayth the wyse man Sobrietatem et prudentiam docet et iustitiam virtutem quibus vtilius nihil est in vita hominibus heaueÌ„ly wisdom the increate wisdome of the father of heauen teacheth a man sobrenes that is teÌ„peraunce and prudence iustice and vertue or power that is fortitude And these be the .iiii. cardinall vertues vnto which all morall vertues be reduced et vigilate watche take hede that you fall not to sinne beware for you haue a shrewde whelp to bite you to bringe you to sinne yf he may A duersarius vester diabolus tan quam leo rugiens circuit quereÌ„s queÌ„ deuoret Where s. Peter vseth the diuels owne terme a worde of his owne coÌ„fession CuÌ„ venissent filij dei vt assisterent coram deo affuit inter eos etiaÌ„ sathan cui dixit dominus vnde venis Qui respoÌ„densait circuiui terram et peraÌ„bulaui eaÌ„ Iob. i. WheÌ„ the children of god the good angels came to staÌ„de afore god our lord the aduersarie the dyuel was also among them The good Angels be called here the children of God â–ª in as muche as they be made like vnto him by participation of his glorie for the gracious fauour and loue that he hath toward them and they towarde him The yll Angels were not yll by creation or by name but of theyr owne frowarde wyll declyninge and goynge away from the fauour of god To shew that as wel all good thinges that men do inclined by the good Angelles as also all yll vnto whiche they be moued by the yll spirites be openlie knowen to almightye GOD as also the spirites good and bad the ministers of the same workes for it is said Cum assisterent coram deo filij dei affuit inter eosetiaÌ„ Sathan Sathan the Diuel was amonge them not so takinge that sayinge of holie Iob as that Sathan was one of the good Angelles that contynuallie and styll behelde the glorye of GOD. For so onlye the good Angelles and blessed spyrytes that be associate wyth them hath that ioyful and glorious sight but it is so sayd of SathaÌ„ in as much as his actes and deedes be seen and knowen to almightye God And because the good Angels do nothing but according to Gods pleasure and to his commaundementes therfore the Scripture taketh theyr actes as wel knowen and therfore it is not said that God asked of them any questioÌ„s but of the Deuyll because his actes agre not to gods pleasure but be in maner straunge to him for he doth not aproue them nor alow theÌ„ but asketh of hys doinge as of a straunge thinge like as he asked of Cayn where is thy brother Abel and quid fecisti What hast thou done Euen so in our purpose Our lorde God spoke to Sathan that is to saie made him to vnderstande that he knoweth all thinges And euen so you muste vnderstande the other saiynge that Sathan answered God againe not that he gaue anye knowledge to almighty God that he had not afore But it is as much to saie as that Sathan coÌ„sidered and vnderstode that all his doinges were plaine and open to the sight of God Let vs consider his answere Circuiui terram perambulaui cam I haue compassed or gone aboute the earth and haue walked through it By thys circuite or goynge aboute the worlde of SathaÌ„ is vnderstand hys callidyte wylines and sutteltie to serche whome he may disceyue and brynge into his snares And this is it that saynt Peter meaneth Aduersarius vester diabolus tanque leo rugiens circuit querens queÌ„ deuoret Wily persons goeth compasse aboute the bushe Psal. in circuitu impij ambulant in a compas like as in all croked thinges Medium exit ab extremis The middel or meane goeth out from the extremities like as in thinges that be streyght the middel wrieth not nother goeth oute from the extremities as appereth playnlye in a streyght line in whiche euery part lieth streight and none swarueth aside out of course so they that be iust and streight when they entende a thing or say it in their doinges setting forward toward that ende or purpose they swarue not by wrenches and wyles bypathes but goeth as streyght as they maye to the thinge that they intende or promise and to bringe their purpose to passe and to good effecte But the wylie