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
chylde the father and if at the fyrst he haue not suche louinge feare of his mayster yet beware of his angre feare correctiō as the bondman or prentise doth by vsing thy self to do wel for suche seruile feare thou shalte find ease in wel doing shal begin to do well for loue so of a good seruaunt thou shalt be made a good sonne faithfull and louing to thy maister and by that thy maister shall loue the better thē any child he hath Prou. Si sit tibi seruus fidelis sit tibi tanquam anima tua Euen as him self you must do your seruice with simplicitie of hearte sayth S. Paule withoute doublenes so that as you shew your self outward to be diligent and true so you must be in hearte inwardlye euen as you should serue Christ that bought vs with whom it boteth no man to dissēble you muste not serue to the eye while your maister loketh vpon you as it were to please men but as the seruauntes of Christ doing the wil of God with good mind and with a good will as seruing our Lord God that hath geuen your maisters power ouer you and hath made you subiecte to them not as doinge seruice vnto men for the power that they haue ouer you cometh of God therefore if ye be false to theim you be false to God that wylleth you to be true to your maisters And S. Paule wylleth Titus his disciple byshop of Candy to commaund al seruantes to please their maisters in al thinges that is not contrary to Gods pleasure non contradicentes nō fraudātes alia littera nō responsatores non suffurantes no choplogikes that wil countersay their maisters geuing them thre wordes for one be it well be it yll be it true be it false that your maisters sayth you should be contēt geue thē no answer but let them say what it please thē you muste be no lurchers or priuey pykers or stealers but in al thing shewing good fidelitie that so you may adourne do worshyp to the doctrine of Christ in al thinges for y e good liuing of the scholer is the ornament worshyp of the maister But now I pray you yf the maister bidde his seruaūt to entre into religiō is the seruaunt bounde to obey his maister in that If his master bidde him take ordres and be a preist is the seruaunt bound to obey his mayster if his maister bidde him take a wife and be maried is the seruaunt bound to obey him in these cases or in suche other No verelye for where S. Paule or S. Peter biddeth the seruauntes obey theyr maisters in all thinges you muste vnderstande this in all thinges parteininge to bodelye workes and not spiritual workes in workes parteining to the administration guiding and orderinge of theyr maisters housholde and of his tēporall busines and not parteining to such a perpetuall yoke as is matrimonye Haec est enim gratia si propter Dei conscientiam sustinet quis tristitias patiens iniuste Because he had bydde seruauntes obey their maisters althoughe they were crabbed and out of the schole of Christes doctrine yf they were infideles or oute of the schole of discrete iudgement in correction In these wordes he geueth them spirituall and goostly counsayle and comforte saying This is a speciall gyfte of grace of the holy gooste if anye of you suffer sorowe and payne wrongfully propter conscientiam Dei hauing in his conscience a respect to the pleasure of God which would not the seruaunt to grudge against his maister and also remembring the reward that God will geue to al them that for his sake suffreth more then els thei were bound to suffre S. Paule sayth Phil. i. Vobis donatum est pro Christo non solum vt in eum credatis sed ut etiam pro illo paciamini It is geuen you for a speciall gifte of grace not onely to beleue vpon him i. Cor. xii Alij datur fidesin eodem spiritu by the holy spirite of God the holy gooste to one is geuen faith by whiche we beleue on Christ on his holy worde but also for Christ it is geuē you sayth Paule as a speciall grace to suffre for Christes sake as many holy Apostles and martyrs did for when the heat of the loue of God is inspired into the soule of man by the spirite of God the holy goost it geueth a certaine gladnes and a certain swetenes to a man which suffreth him not to be deiecte with anye aduersitie but maketh him bold and constant against all vexation Example we haue of the Apostles whiche after they had receiued the holy goost at this holy time of Whitsontide Ibant gaudentes a conspectu consilii quoniam digni habiti sunt pro nomine Iesu contumeliam pari Actu v. when they were reuiled threatned and well beaten for their settinge forth and preachinge Christes faith and were commaunded they shoulde do so no more they went with mery hartes from the counsayle of the Scribes and Phariseis that they were conuented and called afore because it had pleased God to thinke them worthye to suffre suche despites for Christes sake We se also by experience that heate causeth and maketh boldnes in man and beaste therefore the beastes that haue hootest hartes be moost bold and for this cause the lion is bolder then is the horse or an oxe because his harte hath in it a more feruente heate then the other haue in theyr hartes So when the holy goost inspireth the feruencie and heate of his loue into the hart of any man or woman it maketh that person wonderous bolde to suffer persecution and all maner of payne yea martyrdome propter conscientiam dei as S. Peter speaketh knowinge in his conscience that it is Gods pleasure he shoulde not reneige God but rather constantly suffre all aduersitie for Gods sake This feruent heate made S. Paule to say Rom. viii Certus sum quia neque mors neque vita c I am sure that nether death nor life nor the aūgels nother thinges presēt nor thinges to come nether any other creature maye disseuer or put vs a parte frome the charitie and loue of God whiche is in Christ Iesu our Lorde So the seruauntes that be tormented and beaten and vexed with bitter and feruent wordes must take it as a kynde of martirdome this they must suffre euer hauinge a timerouse conscience towardes God and surely theyr rewarde shall not be forgotten at length though they suffer for a tyme. Quae est enim gratia si peccantes collaphisati suffertis What thanke shall you haue yf you do noughtelye and play the sluggardes or the false bribers in youre maisters busynes and then for your noughtye doynge be well boxed beaten and canueste and so suffer as you deserue What thanke shal you haue for your suffering none at all Sed si benefacientes patienter sustinetis haec est gratia but if you do well and then suffer
in the noughty sorte of christen people deposirio sordium carnis a clensinge and wasshinge away of the filth of the flesh by the water of baptisme when they were christened but it preuayled not to eternall saluation because they lacked a faythfull conscience well instructed examined and tried towarde GOD by the resurrection of Christ from the dead that like as he rose from the dead so our consciences should ryse frome deade workes of synne to liuelye workes of grace and vertue no more to dye or synne agayne whiche is in the right hande of God swalowynge vp consuminge and destroyinge death that so we might be made inheritours of euerlastinge life That a man swaloweth he consumeth so that it shall no more appeare in the fourme and fashion that it was of afore so Christe made by his death that death shuld be consumed in as much as by his death the deuyl that is the auctor causer of death was ouercome his heart was burst He begilinge and deceiuyng oure fyrste parentes kylled them â–ª and made them and all theyr posteritie subiect to death but kylling the latter man the latter Adam our Sauioure Christe he loste the fyrste man oute of his snares whiche kylled his hearte and was verye death to him He had power to bringe all them to death that descended of Adam whome he hadde kylled yf they came of hym by carnall propagation takinge of him the spotte of sinne but abusinge his libertie and procuringe the death of our moost innocent Sauioure Christe that came not of the sede of Adam by generation betwixt two parentes nor had any spotte of sinne by Adam he was worthy to lose his libertie and so he loste an infinite numbre of them that he thought him self sure of and dayly loseth his expectation and none can gette but suche as wylfully wyll runne into his daunger After this victorye ouer the deuyll Christ went vp into heauen as S. Peter sayth here and had subiect vnto him Aungels potestates and vertues where S. Peter expresseth three orders of Aungels of heauen to be subdued and subiecte vnto Christ by them vnderstandinge al the residue of the Aungels which as S. Dionise in his boke de celesti Hierarchia writeth according to that he had learned of his maister S. Paule by whome he was baptised and also taughte in the catholyke fayth be diuided into .iii. Hierarchies Euery Hierarchie conteyninge .iii. orders of Aungels and so they make nine ordres in the whole Saint Dionise that wrytte his booke of these heauenly creatures was S. Paules disciple and scoler and learned of him that could best declare the truthes of theim in as muche as he was rapte into heauen and there sawe suche secretes as a man might not speake Notwithstandinge as muche as semed to agree to mortall mans capacitie for to knowe as was mete and profitable for men to learne he declared to this blessed S. Dionise and to others of his disciples that had theyr wittes illuminate aboue others whiche the sayde S. Dionise committed to writing in his boke rehearsed that the posteritie that shoulde come after him in Christes churche mighte be instructe by the same In the sayde boke he rehearsed the names of euerye order of aungels in euery one of the saide Hierarchies The fyrste and highest Hierarchie conteyninge the .iii. orders Seraphin Cherubin and Thronos The seconde conteyneth Dominationes virtutes potestares The thirde Hierarchie and lowest hath in it these thre orders Principatus Archangelos et Angelos As appereth by s. Dionise in the sayde boke Cap vi vii.viii .ix. And by S. Gregory Homil .xxxiiii. super Euangelia All these were subiecte and subdued to Christes manhod when he came to heauen by his marueilous ascension Of all these orders Saint Peter in this place rehearseth thre orders one of the loweste Hierarchie Angelis and two of the middle Hierarchie potestates et virtutes by them vnderstandinge all the other Aungels which though they were euer sith theyr fyrst creation subiecte and subdued to Christes Godheade yet here in this place he maketh speciall mention of theyr subiection to Christ that he might shewe that the humanitie of Christ was so exalted and set alofte by his ascension whiche Saint Peter here speaketh of that it was preferred and set aboue the excellencie of all the Aungels of heauen Accordinge to the sayinge of the Prophet Omnia subiecisti sub pedibus eius And Saint Paul phil Dedit illi no men quod est super omne nomen vt in nomine Iesu omne genu flectatur celestium terrestrium infernorum GOD the father hath geuen hym a name aboue all names that to his name all creatures in heauen in earth and of hel shall bowe the knee and be subdued and obediente vnto him To whome be all honour and glorye for euer Amen The .xiiii. treatise or sermon The fourth Chapiter CHristo igitur passo in carne vos eadem cogitatione armamini quia qui passus est in carne de siit a peccatis c. The blessed Apostle Saynt Peter in diuers places of this epistle that we haue in hande vehemently extolleth and coÌ„mendeth the most aboundant mercy of God by whiche he hath regenerate and gotten vs agayne to lyfe where we were afore by oure carnall parentes gotten to death And we see by experience that one that hath a greate affection or vehement loue to any thinge wyll be euer busie as it were one that coulde neuer haue done or that woulde be euer gladde to speake of it So Saint Peter coulde neuer geue thankes ynoughe he euer inculcateth bringeth in the remembrauÌ„ce of the benefyt of oure redemption because we shoulde euer haue it in minde And because it is not ynough to remember it but we must also in our liuinge conforme oure selues to the same holynes he geueth vs manye holesome morall lessons and fatherly exhortations teachinge vs to lyue vertuousely and holyly contrarye to vices and vicious liuinge And because our regeneration and sanctification coÌ„meth by baptisme whiche taketh his efficacitie and strength of Christes bloude shedde in his payneful passion therfore euer amonge he speaketh of the excellente mysterye of the sayde passion of Christe and of his gloryous resurrection by whiche as he sayd in the ende of the thyrde Chapiter whiche I declared in my laste sermon vpon the same he swalowed vp drowned and consumed death of the soule to make vs heyres of lyfe euerlastynge And in as muche as the worlde and the spyryte be aduersaries and euer at variaunce euen so be worldlye and carnall personnes enemyes to spirituall personnes Spirituall I call good lyuers that worketh accordynge to the inclination and styringe of the holye spyryte the holye gooste Then considerynge that the carnall people be the more sorte and the greater number and the good lyuers be fewer in number it is no maâ—ueyle that good people suffereth muche wo vexation and trouble in this worlde that were able to ouerthrowe a
the water drowneth both horse and man Another kind of prudence is Cautio warines lest we be begiled with vices cloked vnder the colour of vertues as Amasa was begiled of Ioab ii Reg. xx This Ioab fearing least Amasa shoulde haue ben made cheife captayne of the warres of kinge Dauid enuied him and dissembled with him and as thei were setting forward to a certaine batail met with him louingly saluted him and toke him by y e chin as though he would haue kissed him and said to him salue mi frater God spede my cosin for in dede they were sisters children he had a weapō by his side with whiche he stroke him in the side that his guttes fell out and so he died There is none so perilous gyle as that is hidde vnder the similitude and colour of frendship By this kinde of prudence we shal spie when pride disgiseth him self vnder the similitude name of clenlines and when lechery is cloked taken for loue and we shall perceaue that in great aboundaunce in worldly welth is hid much indigence nede lacke of vertue and grace and also that vnder the ignominie shame and sclaundre of Christes crosse is most excellent pulchritude and beautie that vnder the folishnes of preaching of Christ as many hath taken it is couered most godlye vertue and wysedome Our sauiour exhorteth vs to prudence wisdōe by example of a serpent Estote prudentes sicut serpentes Mat. x. Be you wise like serpentes The serpent to saue her heade wyll laye forth all the whole body in daunger and perill and so should we do to conserue and saue Christe in vs and to kepe his fayth and his graces in vs we shoulde lay al our bodies in daunger rather losing body goodes and all then him And therefore s. Paule saith Rom. viii who can separate or diuide vs from the charitie and loue of Christ I am sure that nother death nor life neither any other creature can parte vs frō the loue of god that we haue in christ Iesu thus soyth s. Paule in the name of euery good christen man woman Second we may learne prudēce by the serpent whiche when he casteth his olde slowe or skin he crepeth into some straite place as betwixt stones or blockes or rockes there stripeth him selfe cleane out of his olde scurfe into a new skinne And so must we do we must get vs into the strait waye of penaunce and by that stripe cleane away from vs our olde faultes and sinnes Eph. iiii Deponite vos secundum pristinam conuersationem veterem hominem qui corrumpitur secundum desideria erroris Put downe awaye from you your olde man your olde maner of liuinge in lustes of errours all oute of the righte waye of iustice and of good liuinge Thirde the serpent when he perceiueth a charmer aboute to charme him oute of his hole or denne he laieth one of his eares faste to the grounde and stoppeth the other eare with his taile By whiche propertie we be taught against the suggestions of oure goostly enemies to stoppe one eare with the earth that is the remembraunce of our own vilenes and infirmitie and the other eare with oure taile that is to saye with the remembraūce of our death and ende to whiche we drawe dayly Eccle. vii In omnibus operibus tuis memorare nouissima ineternum non peccabis In all thy workes remember thy last ende and thou shalte neuer sinne but shall euer haue a good and ready soule to god And that we all may so haue he graunt vs that by his painful passion redemed vs. Amen The xvi treatise or sermon ET vigilate in orationibus I haue sufficiently as I trust exhorted you in my former sermon to vse prudence and circumspection in all your affaires and doinges now I must aduertise you to beware of such thinges as may be impedimentes to hinder you and lette you from well doinge The Apostle S. Peter wylleth you to take good hede where aboute we go sayinge Et vigilate in orationibus And watche in prayers Slepe not in youre prayers for the deuill slepeth not but watcheth craftely to pull awaye your hearte from you and from the thinge that you intende to praye for Watche and take hede that your minde thinke on nothing els but vpon that you desire in your praier awaye with all carnall thoughtes out of your mindes lette the intente of youre minde be sincere and cleare towarde God and praye vnto him not so muche with the sound of your mouth as with the swetenes of youre minde and so both youre prayer of mouth and of hearte together shalbe mooste acceptable to him And thoughe praier be necessary at all times and in all places yet at this time when holye Churche readeth this processe that we haue nowe in hande for the Epistle of the Masse we shoulde be moost vigilaunte and diligent in prayer that we mighte be the more apte and mete to receiue into the hostrie of our soules the holie Goostes graces at this holye time of Whitsontide now comming And so did the blessed virgin Marye mother of Christe with other holy women and the Apostles after that they had sene Christes ascention they retourned to Ierusalem and got them into an hie halle or a lofte where they were perseuerantes vnanimiter in oratione continuinge in prayer withoute anye notable interruption Vnanimiter al of one mind knitte together by the bondes of Charitie for so must they be that do wait and loke for the holy Gost. For Spiritus discipline effugiet fictū Sap. i. The holy spirite that geueth learninge wyll flye from one that is fayned that fayneth him self or is a dissembler Therfore he that will haue that holy spirit let him continue in praier in vnitie concorde and charitie in hearte and minde And euen so S. Peter exhorteth vs here saying Ante omnia autem mutuam in vobismetipsis charitatē continuam habentes Afore all thinge you muste haue within your selues continual charitie euery one to another Quia charitas operit multitudinē peccatorum for Charitie couereth the multitude of synnes That you may obtaine and gette of almyghtye God that you praye for aboue all thynges be sure of Charitie by whiche you may do good to others as well as to youre selues Accordinge to this Saynt Iames sayth Iaco. v. He that causeth a synner to retourne from his errour shall saue his soule from death and shall couer the multitude of his synnes And the prophete sayeth Psalm xxxi Beati quorum remisse sunt iniquitates quorum tecta sunt peccata Blessed be they whose iniquities be forgiuen and whose sinnes be couered But for this you must vnderstande that oure sinnes may be couered two maner of wayes one waye is by the sinners owne dissimulation hydynge and clokinge But after this maner to hyde oure sinnes maketh vs not blessed but rather accursed in as muche as they styll remayne and liueth in the
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
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
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
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
oyntment it giueth a fragraunt and swete sauour And like as God seÌ„deth welth and wo indifferently to good men and to yl men for causes best knowen vnto his wisedome euen so he sendeth our end and death sometime to euil meÌ„ easy and worshipful in the sight of the world and to good men shameful and vilenous as men taketh it Many men desireth a good death and a fayre death and feareth and abhorreth a fowle deathe And yet to saye the truthe all maner of death is a good death to them that be good and to sinneful persons almaner of deathe is a fowle death as Saint Austine declareth in his booke de disciplina Christiana Therfore if thou be afraid of a fowle death thou muste feare a fowle and a sinneful life for if thou loue a fowle and a sinnefull life and wouldest haue a fair end thou louest better thy death then thy life which I declare after this maner All things that a man loueth he would fayne haue them fayre and good as in example If thou loue thy coate or thy gown thou wouldest fayne haue it fayre and good Thou louest thy friende thou wouldest fayne haue hym good Thou louest thy sonne or thy childe thou wouldest be glad he were good Thou louest thy house or thy chamber thou wouldest fayne haue it fayre and good Then how is it that thou woldest fayn haue a fayre and a good death at thine ending Is it not for like causes that thou hast a speciall loue to it And therfore thou praiest God consideringe that thou must once dye that God woulde sende thee a fayre deathe and that God would saue thee from a fowle deathe Thou art afrayd to dye yll but thou art not afrayde to liue yl therfore thou louest thy death better theÌ„ thy life Amende thy yll lyfe and neuer feare an yll death For noÌ„ potest male mori qui bene vixerit he can not die ill that hath liued well But agaynste this you will peraduenture obiect thus hath not mani good meÌ„ ben drowned by tempest or by ship wraâ—k in y e seas lost theyr liues w t their goodes al Hath not many good men ben slain amoÌ„gest theyr enemies in battell Hath not theues kylled mani good men in theyr own houses or els bi the hie way side â–ª Hath not some good meÌ„ bene killed with wilde beastes yea many al to torne in peces with such wild beasts and haue you not herd of som innoceÌ„ts y t haue ben hanged on y e galowes as felons murderers or like malefactours Be not al these yl deathes be thei not fowl deathes Aske the eyes of the carnal and fleshly maÌ„ they will say they be fowle deathes ill deathes But examine aske the eyes of our faithe they wyll iudge theÌ„ and cal theÌ„ fayre deathes because that God saith by the prophet preciosa est in conspectu domini mors sanctoruÌ„ eius The death of the holye good men is precious of great price estimacion in the sight of our lord Be not such deathes as I haue spoken of the veri deathes that blessed Martyrs whose martirdomes we kepe highe holy in Christes churche haue suffered for Christes sake Therfore let vs endeuour our selues to haue a good life while we be here then whatsoeuer occasioÌ„ we haue to die we shal go out of this world to rest quietnes that shall be without al feare of trouble shal neuer haue end The riche glotoÌ„ y t is spoke of in the gospel y t went eueri day in purple soft silkes fared euery dai delicately it is to be thought that he died in a soft bed in fine shetes costly couÌ„terpoints or couerlets but streight out of theÌ„ he was cast into hell where he begged one drop of water to cole his tong to refresh him could not get it Pore Lazar the begger died in his maÌ„gie cloutes ful of matter of his sores amoÌ„g the dogs that licked his scabs w tout meate or drink in huÌ„ger thurst he could not get the cruÌ„mes scraps that fel froÌ„ y e rich maÌ„s bord yet out of al this miseri he weÌ„t streight into Abrahams bosom a place of rest quietnes without any disteÌ„perance to trouble him or to disease hym Take hede of theyr ende and by that consideracion iudge whiche was the better death eyther the ryche gloton which died into hel or the deathe of poore Lazar which dyed into health rest quietnes I dout not but your minde giueth you that poore Lazar dyed the better deathe excepte you would wyshe to dye in riche clothes to be powdred with costly spices and your soules to stynke in hell and to begge water and none to haue gyuen you What profeit got the riche gloton by his gaye tumbe of fyne marble or of touche stone or els of some costly mettal more then the pore man by his homely buryal litle or none Therefore to conclude thou shalt learne to dye well and to dye a fayre death if thou wilt learne to liue wel Our sauiour Christ led the most blessed and vertuous life that euer any man liued and therfore though his death semed to his enemies the cruell Iewes moste vile and vilanous yet it was the marueylous death that killed deathe and killed also the auctour and causer of all death Therefore finallye consideringe that the ende of vs all is come at hande as saint Peter saithe here let vs take example of Christ and of his holy word and also of holy men and women that hath taken paynes to folow his steps and let vs conforme our lyuinge vnto their liues and let vs arme our selues with the coÌ„sideracion and busie remembrance of Christes life and of his passion his death as I sayd at the beginning of this exhortacion then there is no doubte but whether we dye by lande or by water we shall dye a precious and a good death that shalbe the meane and high way to quietnes rest and ioyes in euerlastinge life with Christe Estote itaque prudentes et vigilate in orationibus therfore be you prudent and watch in praiers These wordes of sainte Peter with certaine that foloweth be red in Christes churche for the epistle of the day on the sunday within the octaues of the ascension which is the sunday next afore Whit suÌ„day Saint Peter considering the manifold troubles of this world that vertuous faithful people be euer cumbred with al and also considering the shortnes of our abode here that it wil away and is come to an ende therefore he saithe be you prudeÌ„t and watch in praiers Be you prudeÌ„t he saith there be diuers maners of prudence The Philosopher saithe that omnia naturaliter bonum apperunt Al things naturally desyreth the thing that is good for theym and so doth the thinges that lacketh theyr senses after theyr maner for they naturally desireth to come to theyr natural quaÌ„titie
sinne or to the increase of his damnation Another maner of couerynge oure synnes is when they be so couered that God seeth them not and that is to saye that he imputeth them not to vs nor leyeth them to our charge for after the maner of speakinge of scripture then he seith sinnes and loketh vpon them when he punisheth them and then he seith them not when he doth not punisshe them And therefore the prophet sayde in another place Auerte faciem tuam a peccatis meis Tourne awaye thy face from my sinnes As who shoulde saye with the eyes of thy mercy loke vppon me and se me but see not my synnes but as it were one that had forgotte theim punysshe theim not knowe theim not but forgeue them and impute theim not to me nor laye them to my charge And in this case be they that wythoute gyle or dissimulation vttereth theyr synnes Of suche it is sayde Nec est in spiritu eius dolus In suche a mans spyryte there is no gyle where contrarywyse they that vseth gyle and clookynge theyr faultes howe muche the moore they laboure in defence of theyr synnes boastynge their owne merites and their owne well doinges and seith not their owne iniquities nother speaketh of theim so muche their goostlie fortitude and might decaieth and waxeth weaker And therefore againste proude men that trusted muche in their owne good dedes and would not be a knowen of their faultes Christe putteth a parable of the proude Pharisei and the humble publicane The Pharisei praised him selfe of his vertues but he spoke nothinge of his faultes The publicane cloked not dissembled not vsed no gyle but toke vpon him as he was and therefore the one was iustified and iudged for a good man where the other was condempned Christe defended the Publicane and gaue sentence acquitinge him as not giltie and couered his sinnes not any more to impute them to him or to laye them to his charge where the proud Pharisei euen in the temple in the Surgions shoppe and vnder the Surgions hande shewed forth his whole limmes where he was not sicke nor soore declaringe his vertues but his sinnes he couered and hidde from the Surgion and therfore he was not cured he might haue sayd Quoniam tacui inueterauerunt ossa mea dum clamarem tota die Because I helde me styll my bones wexed olde and decayde to noughte while I cryed al day longe The bones of the soule be vertues for as the bones of the bodye maketh the bodye stronge so doth vertues make the soule stronge These bones these vertues decayeth and draweth to nought whyle we be styl and cry al day longe A straunge maner of speakinge of the scripture It is euē of the same maner that I spake of nowe The Pharisei was styll and helde his tounge and yet cried to loude he was styll clokinge and hidinge his faultes with scilence and yet he was loude ynough bosting and praysing him selfe of his vertues and of his well doinges of whiche he shoulde haue spoken not a worde and therfore his vertues auailed him not to saluation of his soule but decaied to nought as his soule did So good neighbours there be inough and to many of vs that crye loude inough boastynge and praysinge our well doinges yf anye be but to speake and confesse our faultes we be styll ynough and holde our tonges As manye men of their glottenye of drinkinge men vnder the borde of ryottinge and surfettinge and of wastfull bankettinge and of theyr pryde malicious taunting of pore men of sclaunderinge and backebiting they take no remorse or grudge of conscience but rather reioyce in mind make much boasting outwarde of the same They vse not to reuele vtter such faultes to theyr goostly father and to almighty God with contrition and sorow for them but rather glorieth in their ill doinges to the increase of theyr owne dampnation If they woulde with a lowly heart vncouer them to the surgion he woulde make them whole where as if they be hidde they wil rankel and fester to euerlastinge corruption Pryde maketh a man to hide his faultes to his dampnation Charitie putteth awaye Pryde Charitas enim non inflatur Charitie is not proude and therfore it disposeth a man to humilitie making him contente to shewe him selfe as he is to the surgion and so he shall be cured and well at ease before God Beatus enim cui non imputauit dominus peccatum He is blessed to whose charge oure lorde God hath not layde any sinnes but geuing him charitie couereth his synnes S. Peter cōsideringe this exhorteth vs aboue all thinges to haue charitie for it couereth the multitude of sinnes And therfore it may be called a holesome and healthfull garment for the soule for diuers necessarye properties of a garment Fyrste like as a garment conserueth and kepeth a mannes lyuelye and naturall heate within him so doeth charitie conserue the lyfe of the soule so that he that lacketh it lacketh lyfe and is dead i. Ioh. iii. Qui non diligit manet in morte He that hath not loue or charitie abideth in death he is all colde and stiffed This liuely heate of the soule is conserued and saued by kepinge the commaundementes of god which be al comprehēded in loue or charitie accordinge to Christes aunswer to a certayne learned man that apposed him saying maister what shall I do to haue euerlastinge life Christ apposed him again in his owne learning what is written in the lawe howe reade you He aunswered Thou shalte loue God aboue all thinges with thy whole hearte with thy whole soule with all thy strength and with all thy mynde And thy neighbour as thy selfe Thou sayest wel sayeth Christ Hoc fac uiues do that and thou shalt liue And all this is done by kepinge the ten commaundementes of God In the thre fyrste commaundementes we be taught howe to order our loue towarde God and in the seuen last howe we shall extende our loue to our neyghbours And yf we perfourme and fulfyll these for loue we shall please God and deserue heauen by them where as yf we kepe them onely for feare we would do the contrary if we might and be no thanke worthye Albeit better it is to fulfyll the commaundementes for feare then not to fulfyll theim at al for by oft doyng wel for feare we may gendre a loue to wel doing so at last we shal do wel for loue and shall haue a swetenes in wel doinge Second charitie is compared to a garment for like as a garmēt defēdeth a man in external heat in colde in wet drie wether so doeth charitie award defend the soule in prosperitie in aduersitie For as s. Paule saith Diligentibus deum omnia cooperantur in bonū To them that loueth God al thinges worketh to good for both prosperitie aduersitie God is to be lauded thanked when al thinges that man liueth by cōmeth plētifully whē the