set in office ouer vs and to do vnto them oure due seruice and bounden duety frely Non solum propter iram sed propter conscientiam Rom. xiii That is to saye not for feare of strokes not for feare of prisonment nor for feare of death but freelye franckely with hearte and all and with a good wyll as fre men and not as bondemen but for discharge of your owne conscience as Goddes seruauntes consideringe it is Goddes pleasure you shoulde do so and not as the seruauntes of the fleshe or the worlde coueringe vices vnder the cloke of libertie It foloweth Omnes honorate As the Apostle Rom. xii sayth Honore inuicem preuenientes Euery maÌ„ thinking another better then him selfe for that vertue or good qualitie may be in an other that is not in the and by that thou maye take him for thy better and honoure him All this S. Peter speaketh to auaunce humilitie and to put it in euery mannes bosome as farre forth as he maye Fraternitatem diligite S. Paul sayth of the fame Ro. xii CharitateÌ„ fraternitatis inuicem diligentes Thoughe charitie extendeth to all men yet principally to christen people whiche be all our brothers in Christ regenerate and gotten agayne to Christ by the Sacrament of Baptisme as we be Deum timete scilicet Timore filiali as the chylde should feare his father and next after him Regem honorificate whiche is highest to be honoured of all powers temporall for euer the feare of God muste go afore so that doynge our duetie to oure kinge or to anye other potentate or aucthoritie we forget not the feare of God neither do any thinge contrarye to Goddes pleasure And then we must not onelye honour but honorifie him that is we muste do the best we can to make others to do him honor and theyr duetie to him And it is highlye to be noted howe intyerly to mennes hartes almighty God striketh the honour of a kynge and the reputation that he should be had in of al his subiectes sayinge by the mouth of the wyse man Eccles â–ª x. In cogitatione tua regine detrahas in secreto cubiculi tui ne maledixeris diuiti quia aues celi portabunt vocem tuam qui habet pennas annunciabit sententiam Where we be playnely monished and warned that nother in angre nor in sporte or lightnes we thinke any yl agaynst our kinge or against a great man for that a man rolleth in his minde it wyll burst forth one waye or another and many times when we thinke leaste vpon it and feare least it wyll come forth yea though we speake agaynst them in our bedde or in oure bedde chaumber the byrdes of the ayre the vtterers of counsell whether they be good aungels or bad wil vtter thy counsel to thy condemnation no man can tell howe but euen as thoughe the birdes of the ayre or the mouse pepinge in the hole in the walles of thy chambre vttered the and they that haue wynges wyll vtter the sentence a swyft iudge wyll sone geue sentence of thy condemnation Here the wyse maÌ„ playnely biddeth men beware that they dishonor not their kinge neither in dede in worde nor in thoughte Serui subditi estote in omni timore dominis non tantum bonis modestis sed etiam discholis After that the blessed Apostle heretofore hath instruct and taught generally and comonly al them that he wrote to and al others by them nowe he descendeth to the specialties geuinge certaine speciall lessons to speciall estates of men and women fyrst beginninge with them that be in seruile state as bondmen prentises and all other seruauntes men and women All suche S. Peter exhorteth to be obediente and subiecte to theyr lordes and maisters aswel to theyr lordes and maisters that be good vertuous and honest and measurable in all theyr doinges keping the meane in their actes and in correction according to the iudgement of right reason this is called modestie as to them that be discholi saith oure texte truandes michers that will not kepe the schole of Christes fayth and of his doctrine to them that were infideles and generally swaruing and going out of the schole and right learnynge of honesty and of measure in their liuinge and in theyr punishinge Some readeth it prauis crabbed croked and cumberous Some readeth it difficilioribus to hard sore and cruell So that this is the Apostles minde that what condition so euer your maisters be of you muste do youre duety and true seruice vnto them Seruitude coÌ„meth either of iniquitie or of aduersitie Of iniquitie came the bondage that Cham was cursed withal because he mocked his father lying bare he had his fathers curse Maledictus Chanaan puer seruus seruorum erit fratribus suis. He cursed Cham in his chylde and issue with perpetuall bondage And after this maner that is by iniquitie hath manye men geuen them selfe to perpetual bondage to saue theyr neckes Aduersitie made the people of Israell bonde vnto the Egiptians and after this maner they that be taken prisoners in battel be sometimes deputed to perpetual seruitude This is spoken of bondage or villanage in which state who so euer be set must be subiect obedient to his lorde And not onlye they but also al others as well prentises as couenant seruauntes what state soeuer their maisters be of that with al feare S. Paule sayth Eph. vi CuÌ„ timore et tremore with feare of mind lyke as you were your masters child reuerently fearing to offeÌ„d or displease their father so must you haue a louinge feare least you do the thynge that shoulde displease your maister Such feare had good Ioseph wheÌ„ his maisters tempted him to be naught with her he alledged his maysters goodnes toward him the benefits that he had done vnto hym beyng but his seruaunt and very bondeman sayinge Genes xxxix my mayster hath committed and deliuered to me all that he hath in his house so that he knoweth not what he hath in his house no more but the meat that he eaâ—eth and the drinke that he drinketh when it is set afore him there is nothing but it is vnder my hande and at my pleasure except onelye you that are his wyfe Then how may I do this faulte and synne agaynst my lord Fye for shame hold me excused I will not do it If his maister had ben his father he coulde not haue expressed more louinge feare toward him by this geuing example to al seruauÌ„tes to loue theyr maisters and to feare them and not onelye with feare of mynde but also that the feare that is in theyr hearte shulde extende into the body whiche S. Paule calleth tremor to make the seruauntes to quake for feare Albeit this quaking feare accordeth properly to the bondman that doth al thing for feare of strokes And S. Peter speaketh generally of al maner of fear saying in omni timore so that the seruaunt should cheifely feare his maister louinglye as the
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
thē loke smoth is of the deuils inuētiō neuer of gods teaching Therfore I must exhort al womē to beware of coūterfeting adulterating or chaūginge the fashion and fourme of Goddes worke ether by yelow colour blacke or redde pouder or by any other medson corrupt or chaūg y e natural lineamētes or fauour of man or woman because they that vse that maner of doinge semeth to go about to correcte or amende the thinge that god hath made and striueth against God violentlye settynge hande vppon his worke If there were an excellent Painter or a keruer that had made a goodly image of the best fashion that he could if a busye bodye woulde take a tole and take vppon him to amende the ymage so made shoulde he not do iniurye to the sayde gaye workeman and also dispite vnto hym Yes surelye For he shoulde seme to count the workeman but a fole nothing cunnyng Then cōsider almighty God the workeman of of all workemen he made the face and body of man and woman as he thought best then I praye you what arrogancy and presūption is it for man or woman to set to the pensile or tole to make it better Thinkest thou that God will not take vengeaunce on thee for thy striuinge wyth him to amend yea rather to mar that he hath made Therfore in that y t thou thinkest thy selfe that thou arte made fayrer thou art made fowler in dede beggynge of colours made with pouder of stones with rindes of trees or wyth ioyce of herbes the thing that thou hast not of thy selfe More ouer Christe sayth Mat. v. Non potes vnum capillum album facere aut nigrū Thou canst not make one heer of thy head white or blacke And yet thou by thy pride wylte proue him a lyer and make thy selfe a better workman then he paintynge thy heere or thy face not onelye blacke or white for women set little by such colours but also yelowe or redde malo praesagio futurorum sayth S. Cipriane with a shreude ossinge or prophecying of the colour that thy head shalbe of in the redde fyre of hel when thou shalt come thither Nowe I praye the that so paintest thy selfe arte thou not afrayde least when thou shalte appeare afore the iudge at the generall iudgemente he wyll not knowe the but wil put the away from the rewarde that is prouided for all good people in heauen sayinge what haue we here The figure of her face is steyned or polluted into a straunge countenaunce Howe canst thou see God with suche eyes as he made not but as the deuyls crafte hath died and steyned lyke the fyrye glistering eyes of the serpent with whome thou shalt burne for euermore The fyrst that I reade of that thus painted her phisnomy was the noughtye quene Iesabell the common butcher and murderer of all the preachers and prophetes of almightye God She was wyfe to Achab kinge of Israell that destroied Naboth for his vineyard when Hieu sometime seruaunt to Achab and to his sonne Ioram was anoynted kinge and had slayne his Lorde and maister Ioram by Goddes commaundemente he came into Iezraell where the kinges manoure was there to do vengeaunce on Iezabell that noughty quene she trustinge to haue grace and fauoure at his handes yf she might moue him to concupiscence paynted her eyes and her heare and her face after the best fashion But this woulde not helpe they that were aboue in the chambre with her were commaunded to pitche her downe at the wyndowe and so they did and there she was all to troden vnder the horse feete so that there was no more lefte but the scull of her head and her fete and the knockels of her handes whiche serued for the dogges accordinge to the prophecie of the blessed prophete Helye In agro Iezraell commedent canes carnes Iezabel iiii Reg. ix You see what payntinge serued for But nowe maried women wyll pretende and make an excuse by theyr husbandes sayinge that they take all the labours in payntinge and trimming them selues to please theyr husbandes and so doynge they make theyr husbandes partetakers of theyr offence and consequently of theyr dampnation for company sake And I shall aduertise all maried men and all them that haue doughters to kepe that whether the tyrynge or trimminge of your wyues and doughters be for to please you as they say or to please them selues as you say that you suffer not theym to vse it because it is not godlye as I haue tolde you and also because of the peryll that may come of it For when they set them selues forth so curyouselye and goeth abroade in the streates or sytteth in theyr shoppe windows or elles peraduenture at feastes and bankettes with vicious companye it is not you alone that they woulde haue to loke vpon them it is not you alone that is pleased with the sight of theim it is not you alone that casteth theyr eyes after theim or that draweth longe sighes of carnall loue after them this is not the waye to kepe theim for youre selues Beware therefore good husbandes that you set not youre wyues or doughters so to sale for feare least harme come of it And you good wiues beware of the daunger and peryll of youre honestye and specially beware of the peryll of your soules If you nouryshe the luste of concupiscence and sette on fyre the breadynge of sinne so beynge as a sword or dagger to stryke an other man to the hearte and as a verye poysonne to destroy others you knowe the perill of it Wo be to him or her sayth Chryste that geueth occasion of ruyne woo and sorowe euerlastinge in hell Beare not your selues proude of youre husbandes riches sayinge my husbande hath landes and rentes to mainetayne all the costes that I do vpon me my husbande hath golde inoughe in his coffers his riches commeth in and encreaseth dayelye The time shall comme that you shall saye wringinge youre handes and gnasshinge youre teeth in Hell Sapient v. Quid nobis profuit superbia aut diuitiarum iactantia quid contulit nobis Talia dixerunt in inferno qui peccauerunt c. They that haue synned shall saye after this manner in Hell What dydde oure pryde auayle vs Or what profitte hadde we by boastynge of oure ryches As whoo shoulde saye none at all but rather aggrauatethe oure dampnation If thou be riche lette the pouertie feele thy ryches helpe theim wyth thy riches and bestowe it not in superfluous ornamentes Study to dresse youre soules sayth S. Peter here and trymme the inwarde man qui absconditus est cordis homo that is hyd within you your soules whiche God seeth very well and do it so that your spirite be not corrupte or defouled with sinne but be quiete not troubled with inordinate concupiscence or desyre of the fleshe nor of the minde studyinge for to do displeasures or to do hurte And also that your spirite be modest kepinge a meane and measure in all your sayinges
he wyll requite moste comfortable thankes wheÌ„ he shal recken to you your good and charitable dedes and for them shall byd you venite benedicti patris mei Come you blessed children and receiue the kyngdome that is prepared for you in the glory of heauen Amen ⸫ ¶ The .xvii. treatise or sermon COnsequently foloweth in the text of Saynt Peters epistle Vnusquisque sicut accepit gratiaÌ„ a domino in aâ—terutrum illam administrantes sicut boni dispensatores multiformis gratie dei Experience teacheth that a great housholde wythout good officers is a troublous and an vnruly busines For where is no quiet order of the subiectes among them selues and of theym all in theyr degree toward theyr great mayster soueraygne or ruler euery man taketh his owne way and so foloweth strife brawling and variaunce and at the last destruction The housholder must be fain to breake vp houshold if his folkes amende not The great housholder almighti god hath a great a chargeable familie that is the vniuersal multitude company of al maÌ„kinde which thoughe he could rule at his plesure according to his own wil yet it hath pleased him to put an order in this houshold som head officers som mean som lower in auctoritie som subiectes seruantes diuisiones ministrationeÌ„ sunt ideÌ„ auteÌ„ dominus .i. Cor. xij There be diuers offices but one Lorde whiche would euery maÌ„ to do his office in his degre that he is called to euery one to helpe other like meÌ„bers or lyms of one body which be euer redy one to help cherish an other for the safegard of the whole bodie i. Cor. xij But in this there is a difference betwixt y e great housholde of God mans houshold that in maÌ„s houshold som ther be onelye ministers hauing charge ouer no more but of theÌ„ selfe in that houshold but as in y e great houshold eueri man womaÌ„ hath charge cure ouer another though som more som lesse cure therfore saith Ecclesiasticus .xvij. MaÌ„dauit illis vnicuique deo proximo suo Almightie God hath giuen such a commaundement in his houshould that euerye one shoulde care for his neighbour one for an other And for thys cause Sainte Peter in these wordes of hys epistle rehearsed exhorteth vs to bestowe suche giftes as God hath giuen vs not euery man vpon him selfe or for him selfe but euery one for an others profite like good stuards in a housholde He wylleth vs to be as good stuardes in gods house A stuard receiueth treasure or money of his lordes cofers and therewith byeth all necessaries for the houshold distributeth or bestoweth it to euery one of his lords seruantes as they haue nede And so we all receiue the treasure of our great maister almightye God he openeth his store house of grace and wealth and replenisheth vs all with the blessinges of his gracious gyftes more precious then golde or siluer To som he giueth knowledge and cunning in spirituall causes to some in temporall matters to some learning in phisicke to some in surgerye to som in handy craftes to some in marchandise or in such other occupiyng To some he sendeth landes by enheritaunce to som by purchase and generally looke how many waies God giueth a maÌ„ to liue by with so muche of his treasure he chargeth him withal and wilbe sure for a compt therof Ther is not the poorest begger that goeth froÌ„ doore to doore but he hath part of this treasure and is countable for it to almightye God and therefore faint Peter ful wel calleth vs al Gods stuardes willing all men like as he hath takeÌ„ grace of our Lord God so to bestowe the same one vpon an other like good dispensatours or stuardes of the many form graces of God Wher s. Peter speaketh of such graces as be frely giuen as well to good men as to the bad indifferently whych be called Gratie gratis date keepynge the general name of graces gyuen to the common vtilitye and profette of the Churche of the whole Congregacion of GODS folkes and Christen people The other grace is specially called gratia gratum faciens that grace that maketh the hauer acceptable to God and in his fauour whiche is by an other name called charitie Of the former graces the Apostle Saint Paule speaketh .i. Cor. xii Alij quidem per spiritum datur sermo sapientie alij sermo scientiae alterifides in eodem spiritu alij gratia sanitatum c. To one is giuen by the holy spirit of God the grace of sapience to speake in heauenly matters To an other science to discerne iudge in lower causes and so of others Nowe because that in the vsing and bestowing of al such gyftes receiued of Gods treasure the hauer oughte to haue a streight and a right intent Saynt Peter saith here that if any man speake the wordes of exhortacion according to any of the sayd giftes he should speake them as the words of God and not as his owne woordes counting himselfe but onelye as the minister or stuarde and not as the owner of the worde And likewise he that bestoweth any corporall subsidie or helpe vpon his nedye neighbour let him so do it as though it came of Gods sendyng to the reliefe of the poore and not of his owne strength or vertue Tanquam ex virtute quam administrat deus attributynge it to God that gaue him the wyll and the power so to do so that in all thinges God may be honoured through our Lorde Iesu Christ the mediatour betwyxt God and man And they that so vseth them selues among theyr neyghbours maye be called good stewardes where some others euer receyueth of theyr maisters treasure and neuer paieth nor bestoweth it An other sort of stuards payeth and dealeth but they pay shreud paymeÌ„t Of the stuarde that receiueth and neuer paieth and of the good and iust stuarde it is wryt in the psalme .xxxvi. Mutuabitur peccator non soluet iustus autem miseretur tribuet A synfull stuarde a fautie stuarde boroweth and neuer payeth euer receiueth of his maysters treasure neuer thanketh GOD for it nor bestoweth it on Gods seruantes and houshold mayny What treasure receiueth suche a synner of almightye God Aug. Accepit vt sit vt sit homo non pecus c. Hath receiued of god his being that he is somwhat and that he is a man and not a beast He hathe taken the shape of a mans bodye and the distinction of his fiue wits or senses eyes to se eares to heare nosethrils to smell the roofe of the mouth wyth the tonge to taste handes to handle and feete to go and walke and health of body with all But all these be comon to man and beast yet maÌ„ hath receyued more then all these the Minde that can vnderstand and may perceiue the truth and dyscerne the right from wrong and may search out secretes and may by the same prayse and laude God and loue
God But when he that hathe receiued all suche benefites at Gods hande lyueth not well but viciouslye hee payeth not that hee ought he giueth no thanke to the gyuer nor bestoweth these giftes to Gods honour nor to the profite of Gods poore people nor to the wealthe of hys owne poore neyghbours no more then other gyftes of grace that God hath gyuen hym The giftes of nature as bodelye strengthe must be bestowed not as an instrument of mischief to fighting quareling brawling or to theft or murder or such like but must be bestowed in good exercise auoyding of idlenes As the wisemaÌ„ saith Quicquid potest manus tua instanter operare nihil est enim apud inferos quo tu properas Whatsoeuer thy hand can worke do it buselye for there is no worke to do in hel whither thou makest haste by thy idlenes Likewise beutie of face in whyche most part of women excedingly glorieth shoulde not be vsed as an instrument of mischiefe to allure any person to concupiscence by curious and wanton trimming thy self like a staale to take y e diuell And so the gifts of grace as cunning learning perspicuitie clerenes of wyt shoulde euer do good to thy neighbour and not onely to please thy selfe And riches that God sendeth muste be so bestowed that in any wise we beware of couetousnes and of nigardnes as Christ biddeth vs. Luke xij Videte cauete ab omni auaritia quia non in abundantia cuiusquam vita eius est Take heede beware of all couetousnes for a mans life standeth not in the aboundaunce of hys possession Where our Sauiour Christe forbiddeth not onely desyre to haue but also desyre to saue Desyre to haue dampneth many a one as it is playne of robbers theues and brybers and of suche as deceyue men in byinge and sellynge and they that gyueth false euidence or beareth false witnes to wynne and gette a lyuing or to gette the greate mans fauour or els peraduenture to saue theyr owne liues For after Saint Austine this auarice and couetousnes to saue a mans owne life is an horrible auarice greatly to be feared that a man for hys mortall lifes sake wyll loose him which where he was imortal was made mortal to make the immortal and to giue the life euerlasting It were better to dye for truth and to saue the life of the soule by which thou mayst come to euerlastinge life then to loose that life and to be brought to death euerlasting we shoulde be content rather to contempne thys wretched lyfe then to commit any sinne we should be content to say with him Nudus egressus sum de vtero matris mee nudus reuertar illuc Iob grudged not in al hys calamitie but tooke it thankfullye and said I came out of my mothers belye al naked bare and so I wil returne thither agayne Naked he was without bodely aparel but he hadde plenty of rayment that would neuer rotte So better it were for vs to be brought to such myserye as Iob was yea and that oure enemye or a tormentour that thursteth mannes blood should slaye vs oute of hande then that wee shoulde by oure owne tounge for anye desyre of lyfe or of lucre or aduauntage slaye oure owne soules And where Christe sayde Cauete ab omni auaritia c. he speaketh specially agaynst thys couetuousnesse and desyre to saue as appeareth by the parable there of a ryche manne whose landes hadde broughte fourthe a ryche croppe of grayne In so muche that he studyed by hym selfe and sayde what shall I dooe nowo â–ª This will I doe I will take downe and breake mine old barnes and I will make them larger and there I wyll bestowe and laye vp myne encrease and all my goodes and then I wyl say to my self O my soul thou hast goodes inough laid vp for mani yeres now take thy rest eate drink make feastes and bankets at thy pleasure But God sayd to hym Oh thou foole this night thei wyll take thy soule from thy body and then the goods that thou hast gotten who shal haue theÌ„ And euen so and in like case is he saith Christ that hourdeth and storeth for himselfe and is not ryche to godwarde Generally all suche as doe not vse the giftes that God hath giueÌ„ them but drowne them and hide them all to theym selues and nothing to the wealthe of theyr neighbours theyr houshold felowes Gods folkes all such be slothfull stuardes and be like him that Christe spoke of Math. xxv in the parable of a greate man that went from home into a straunge countrey and left his goodes among his seruauntes to be employed and occupied for his profit in his absence To one he gaue fiue talentes to an other two to the third he gaue one talent and this man that had but one talent in stocke knitte hys maisters money in a cloute and hyd it in the earth and did no good vpon it When the mayster came home and shoulde syt in hys audite where euerye man had labored vpon theyr maysters stock and had gotten good encrease thys last man brought the mony whole again excused hym self laying the fault on hys maister saying I know that you be a rough man a sore cruell man a hard man you wil loke to gather wher you nothing cast abrod and you will reape wher you nothing sowed therfore I thought good to be sure without any los thus I haue hid it lo here it is you haue your owne good againe But for his slothe his talent was taken from him and he was cast into exteriour darkenes where shalbe weping gnashinge of teeth This was for his slothe and negligence in which he offended fearing vndiscretly his maisters sharpenes But other stuardes ther be that I spoke of afore that without feare of God payeth shrewd paymente abusyng Goddes gyftes to theyr owne lust and likinge and to hurt theyr felowes Gods seruantes Of such stuardes take example Math. xxiiij Si autem dixerit malus seruus in corde suo moram facit dominus meus venire ceperit percutere conseruos suos manducet autem et bibat cuÌ„ ebriosis veniet dominus seruiâ—llius in die qua non sperat hora qua ignorat et diuidet eum partemque eius ponet cum hipochritis illic erit fletus stridor dentium If the shrewd seruaunt say in his minde my mayster is long a comming vpoÌ„ that beginneth to strike and hurt his felowes to eate and drinke with drunkerdes his Lorde and mayster will come when he thincketh not â–ª will diuide his soule from his bodie and wil laye his part with hipocrites his soule with false christen people with such as beginneth well and end noughtely that semed good Christen men yet dissemblers they were and inwardly noughty liuers and dampnable into hell Luc xij readeth it Et cepit percutere pueros et ancillas and beginneth to strike the children
excellencie of the ministers of the newe testament to the glory and ryaltie of the ministers of the old testament That thing that floorished and was had in glorye and riallie esteemed was not glorified in this behalfe in respecte of the excellent glorye of the thinges of the new testament of Christe As the Apostle sayth a litle before Si ministratio mortis litteris deformata in lapidibus fuit in gloria ita vt non possent intendere filij Israell in faciem Mois◠propter gloriam vultus eius que euacuatur quo modo non magis ministratio spiritus erit in gloria ii Cor. iii. If the seruice of death described and written with letters in the stones of the two tabels was had in glory and reuerence so that the people of Israell coulde not looke vpon the face of Moyses which was the minister of that lawe for the glorie and shyning bryghtnes of his face which is sone taken away for it taried not How then can it be that the seruice of the spirite by the grace of the new Testament should not be in glorie muche more He calleth the ministration and seruice of the olde leuits priestes of Moyses law the ministration and seruice of death bycause that Moyses lawe was the occasion of death of the soule not of it self but by the malice and yll will of man whiche commonly laboreth and inclineth to the thing whiche is forbidden so runneth headlonge to breake the commaundementes of God whiche be set forthe by Moyses law and consequently to run headlong to death euerlasting And also Moyses law is full of the comminations and threateninges of the death of the body for the breakinge of it He that gathered stickes on the holy daye was put to deth he that missayde his father or mother should die for it and such other Yet the ministers of the same were had in glorie great reuerence whiche the Apostle declareth by the glory shyninge brightnes of the face of Moyses when he came downe from the mount from GOD bringinge downe with him the lawes then his face had certayne bright shining beames comming from it which appered to the people like hornes ascending vpward from his face so that the peoples eyes could not abyde the sight to loke vpon him but runne backe awaye from him in so muche that he was fayne to put a veyle or a couerynge ouer his face when he spoke to them and when he went vp to talke with God he vncouered his face and when he should declare Goddes pleasure to the people he couered his face agayne that they myght more easly aproche and looke vpon him and heare him as it is playne in the story Exo. xxiiii Of this the Apostle Saynte Paule argueth If the ministration and seruice of death whiche also is euacuate abolished and gon were had in glory and reuerence as it was in deede as appereth by the storie now rehersed then muche more the ministration and seruice of the spyrite of the new law and Testament in whiche the holye spiryte of GOD is gyuen to faythfull people whyche is also the seruice of loue and of libertie of the soule must needes be had in glory and in reuerence For in comparyson of the glory of the lawe of the Gospel and of the law gyuen by Chryst the former glory and clearenes of Moyses law is not seen but vanysheth awaye euen like as the light of the Moone or of the sterres is hyd and sheweth not by the light of the son in a clere day Then saith Chrisostome conuerting his contemplacion to our misteries of the new testament of Christ and to the ministers of the same Let vs consider among other thinges how it is cōmytted to them here dwelling on earth in thys mortall bodye to dispence and bestowe the treasure and riches of heauen for it is giuen to priestes to haue suche power as almighty God would neyther giue to the angels nor to any of the archangels or to any other angels of heauē For it was neuer sayd to any of them whatsoeuer thou loosest on earth shal be losed in heauen whatsoeuer thou bindest on earth shall be bounde in heauen This bonde toucheth the very soule of men and reacheth vp euen to heauen aboue so that whatuer the priest doth in this behalfe here beneth on earth almighty God doth ratifie and alowe the same aboue in heauen and he beyng the lord and mayster doth aproue the sentence of his seruāt Now what maye a man call this els but that in maner al the power in heauen is committed and graunted to the priest for Christ sayth whosoeuer sinnes you forgiue thei be forgiuen and who soeuer sinnes you restrayne or bynde they be restraint bound Tel me saith Chrisostom what power can be giuen greater then this one The father hath giuen to the sonne al power in heauē and earth But now I see saythe Chrisostome the same power the sonne hath giuen to the prest which the father hath giuē to him Imagyn that if a noble king had gyuen to one of hys faythfull and true seruauntes or subiectes power to caste into prison whom it pleased him and to take him out of prison againe or ani other prisoner that he thought wel to do such a man should be counted a marueilous man and in great fauour with his souerayne and worthy to be highly estemed of all the realme And it were a plaine madnes for anye man to despise such an auctoritye euen so it were a manifest madnes to despise or litle regard that authoriti without which we can not obtain our soule helth here in this world saith Chrisostom nor can obtaine the good promisses of the ioyes of heauē Here you must vnderstand Chrisostom that he speaketh of them that be of age and dyscretiō and hath time and oportunitie to vse the sacramentes which the priest ministreth For no man can come to heauen except he be regenerate by water and by the holy gost and he that eateth not the fleshe of Christ drinketh not his blood can not haue life euerlasting Al these thynges be performed and brought to passe by the priest thē how can it well be that without theyr helpe wee may escape the euerlasting fyre of hell or obtaine or wyn the reward of the eternall garlande and crowne of glorye These bee they these be they I say to whom the spiritual trauelyng and the byrthes or deliueraunce of soules to God be put to and they be put in credite and trust with thē By them we put on vs Christe for our garment when we be made Christen men by theym we be buried with Christ by baptisme as Saint Paul speaketh and be made the limmes and the members of hys blessed body For these consideratiōs we ought to feare them to do them more honour then to our carnall father for by our carnall parentes we be borne ex sanguinibus voluntate carnis of bloud the peasure of
Sermons very fruitfull godly and learned preached and sette foorth by Maister Roger Edgeworth doctoure of diuinitie Canon of the Cathedrall churches of Sarisburie Welles and Bristow residentiary in the Cathedrall churche of Welles and Chauncellour of the same churche With a repertorie or table directinge to many notable matters expressed in the same sermons ¶ Excusum Londini in aedibus Roberti Caly Tipographi Mense Septemb. Anno. 1557. Eccles. v. Esto mansuetus ad audiendum verbum dei vt intelligas cum sapientia proferes responsum verum The preface of the aucthor to them that shal rede these sermons folowinge IT is honourable and worthye praise to confesse and declare the woorkes of almightie GOD as the blessed Angell sayd vnto holye Thoby And therfore they that sawe the miracle done by our sauioure Christ vpon the man that was both deafe and dōme and was restored vnto his sight and also to his speach although they were bidde to make no wordes thereof yet they consideringe the excellencie of the miracle and perceiuinge the humilitie of the doer of the same as intendinge more the occultation of his facte for the auoidinge of worldlie praise to geue vs example of like humilitie then to hide his gratious cure as thinkinge they shoulde not haue done well to let suche a marueilous worke vanish to obliuion were the busier to diuulge and publishe not onelie that miracle but others withall sayinge Bene omnia fecit surdus fecit audire mutos loqui This man hath done all thinges wel he hath made the deafe to heare and the dōme to speake So I cōsidering that it hath pleased almightie God of his plentuous mercie and goodnes to open my mouth and to make me occupied in preachinge his holie worde nowe by the space of fortie yeares and more I thoughte it not good to permitte such matters as I haue throughe Goddes helpe set forth in my sermons vtterly to rotte and perishe and lest as the morall Poete saieth Deferar in uicum uendentē thus arhoma I haue therfore perusing yea rather superficiallie runninge ouer suche sermons as I haue preached in times past founde much good matter in them right worthie to be had in memorie and so compact and set together that nowe in my olde age I reioyce in God that gaue me his gratious gift so to trauayle in suche studie while I was yonge and lustie These my longe labours hath be in the mooste troubleous time and moste cumbarde with errours and heresies chaunge of mindes and scismes that euer was in this realme for so longe time together that any man can rede of VVhile I was a yonge student in diuinitie Luthers heresies rose and were scattered here in this realme whiche in lesse space then a man woulde thinke had so sore infected the christen flocke first the youth and consequentlie the elders where the children coulde sette the fathers to scole that the kinges maiestie and all the catholike clerkes in the realme had muche a do to extinguishe them which yet they could not so perfitlie quenche but that euer still when they might haue any maintenaunce by men or women of greate power they burste out a freshe euen like fire hidde vnder chaffe whiche sometimes amonge will flame oute and do hurt if it be not loked to Against such errours with their appēdeceis I haue inuehied ernestlie and oft in my sermons in disputations and reasoninge with the protestauntes vntill I haue be put to silence either by general prohibitions to preache or by name or by captiuitie and imprisonment of all whiche I thanke God I haue had my parte And yet euer whē I might haue any clere time I haue retourned to the same exercise more vehementlie then afore and so will do while I may haue strength to speake And because these sermons were made in Englishe and toucheth sometimes amonge suche heresies as hath troubled English folke I thought it best to set them forth in suche language as might presentlie best edifie the multitude Moreouer pleaseth you to be aduertised that when I shoulde preache in any solēpne and learned audience I euer fearinge the labilitie of my remembraunce vsed to pen my sermons muche like as I entended to vtter them to the audience others I scribled vp not so perfitlie yet sufficientlie for me to perceiue my matter and my processe And of these two sortes I haue kept as grace was a greate multitude whiche nowe helpeth me in this my enterprise of imprintinge a boke of my saide exhortations Moreouer I haue made innumerable exhortations at my cures and in other places where I haue dwelled and in the countreis there aboute and in my iourneis where it hath chaunced me to be on sondaies or other holie daies of whiche I haue no signes remaininge in writinge althoughe I thinke verelie some of them were as fruitfull as others in whiche I toke more labours I praye God they maye be written and registred in the boke of life euerlastinge And when I shoulde preache oftentimes in one place I vsed not to take euery day a distinct epistle or gospell or other text but to take some proces of scripture and to prosecute the same part one day and parte another daye and so you shall perceiue by my declaration of the .vii. giftes of the holy Gooste whiche I preached at Redcliffe crosse in the good and worshipfull citie of Bristow in sundry sermons although I was interrupted many yeares by the confederacie of Hughe Lathamer then aspiringe to a bisshopriche and after beinge bishop of worceter and ordinary of the greatest part of the sayd Bristow and infecting the whole And so by the exposition of the first epistle of S. Peter whiche I preached also in manye sermons at the cathedrall Churche there where I am one of the Canons in this also I was manie times and longe discōtinued by the odious scisme that was nowe lately and by the doers of the same And in like maner in the Cathedrall Churche of welles on the first and second sondaies of Aduent on Axe wednisdaye and others and there I lacked no trouble by bishop Barlowe and his officers of which suche as be not perfourmed I intend if it shall please God to perfourme and finishe hereafter Of all my saied sermons you shall now receiue in this boke as hereafter foloweth A Declaration of the seuen giftes of the holy gost in syxe sermons An homilie of the articles of our Christen faith An homilie of Ceremonies and of mans lawes A parfite exposition of S. Peters fyrst epistle in twentie treatises or sermons I haue besyde these many sermons made in verie solempne audiences on the dominicall epistles and gospelles some in the vniuersitie of Oxforde some at Paules crosse in London some in the courte afore my mooste honourable Lorde and Maister kinge Henry the eighte some in the cathedrall churche of welles where hath ben euer sith I knew it a solempne and a well learned audience whiche
w t loue cxciiii d The Wiues by their faith and good conuersation may conuert the husbande folio cccvii d Wyfe must be first taken and afterward proued otherwise then any other marchaundise fol cc b Wicliffes heresies when they troubled this realme xix a Vix saluabitur iustus is expounded fol. cclxxviii a Women when they woulde be sene to care leaste for their heare or lockes then they care moost fol. ccxviii d Womens heare is many times disgised fol. cxcix a Women whose honesty is light chepe be moste curiouse in disgisinge them selues Eodem c Woman is the weaker vessel is declared fol. ccvi b. Women of Rome in olde time knew not the vse of wine folio ccxxxiiii b. Worme of riches is pryde fo cccv b Women be no meet hearers of moral philosophy xxxiii a Women how they shuld lerne for their soul helth xxxiiii a Woman was last made and first in faute Eodem b. Women haue taught men witte fo xxxv b Worme and not a man why Christ was so called lxxviii b Worldly inheritaunce hath .iii. noughtye properties cxx c Wronges when we ought to remitte them and when we may redresse them fol. xcvi a Wronge there is none when the thinge commeth of mere grace fol. lxxv d Wyues deseruinge to be beaten reneige their wiues state and tourne to the seruauntes state againe fo cciiii b X. XAntippa Socrates wyfe cast a chamber vessell on his heade and what he sayd then fol. cciiii c. d Y. YOnge men be no mete hearers of morall philosophye folio xxxiii a. b. Yonge in age and yonge in maners Eodem clviii b Yonge men must gentilly do after their elders fo ▪ clvii d Finis ¶ The first sermon containing an introduction to the whole matter of the vii giftes of the holy goste And treatyng of the two first giftes called the spirite of sapience and the spirite of intelligence THe blessed euangelist sanct Iohn in the first chapiter of hys gospel after he had somewhat touched the ineffable coeternitie of the second person in trinitie the sonne of God with God the father cōsequently he descendeth to his temporall generacion in fewe woordes comprising the same verbum caro factum est et habitauit in nobis That worde of God the second person in trinitie was cōtent to come alowe and to take our mortal nature vpon him and to dwel among vs not with any diminutiō or decay of the godhead for the infinite glorye of God suffereth neither augmentacion or increase neither decreasyng or decay It is euer one after one maner though it pleased him to hyde the glory of his godhead for a season as condescending to the infirmitie of them that he should be conuersaunt withall and to teache vs the waye of humilitie and that is it that saint Paule sayth semetipsum exinaniuit formam seruiaccipiens He withdrewe his mightie power frō his operacion for if he had shewed it in his owne lykenes all the worlde had not been able to haue receiued him He kept a lower port euer vsing humilitie and lowlynes sufferyng the paynes of our mortalitie with all the despites that the Iewes did to him tyll in conclusion he came to his paynes on the crosse in his painefull passion And that he withdrewe his power from his operacion in the tyme of his bodily presence heare on yerth appeareth euidently by this that if it had pleased him he might aswel haue indued his disciples with the cōforte of the holy ghost whyle he bodily taried among them as to haue differred it tyll the commyng of the holy ghost by sensible signes at this holy tyme of whytsontide In a long sermon that he made to his disciples afore his passion among other holesome lessons he sayd thus vnto thē Expedit vobis vt ego vadā c. It is for your profite that I go from you for if I go not from you the holy ghost wyll not come to cōfort you I haue yet many thynges to teache you but as yet ye can not bear them away but when the spirit of truth the holy ghost cōmeth he shall teache you all truthes necessarye for you to knowe But good lorde what sayst thou Nowe we can not vnderstande suche thinges as we be to be taught than we shal vnderstand How may this be Is he greater of power then thou art Can he do more in teching vs then thou canst do thy selfe good maister Christ to auoyde this scruple doubt āswereth saying No syrs I do not say this for any impotencie in me or for any inequalitie betwixt the holy ghost and me for the thinges that he shall teache you shewe you he shall not speake them of him selfe but of me The cause why I say so is this Omnia quae habet pater mea sunt propterea dixi de meo accipiet annunciabit vobis All thinges that my father hath be myne all power all knowledge all connyng be equally and aswel in the sonne as in the father and in the sonne frō the father like as he hath his generacion production beyng of the father therfore sayth Christ the holy gost shall take of myne and shall shewe it you teach it you for when he shal sensibly come among you he shall shewe you my fathers pleasure which is all one with my pleasure All that he shal teache you he shall take and learne of my father and of me Like as he hath his beyng of my father and of me and as he is the infinite and ineffable loue of my father and of me Thus sayd Christ vnto his disciples for in very deede all the workes of the whole trinitie be al one vndiuidid outfurth among creatures Loke what one person doth the same thyng doth all thre persones likewise Therfore there was nothing that the holy gost taught y e Apostles but Christ could haue taught it them if it had pleased him But he reserued left this power of instructing and cōfortyng the Apostles and others by them vnto the holy gost the third person in trinitie lest if Christ had done all himselfe they would peraduenture haue thought there had be no holy ghost at all or els that the holy spirit had not been of equal power with Christ and with the father of heauen In very dede afterward there risse a pernicious sect of heretikes as Arrius and his faction whiche merueilously troubled al the world in their time saiyng that the seconde person in trinitie was but a creature and lesse of nature power then the father And that the holy ghost was also a creature and a minister and messager of the father and of the sonne and lesse of power then either of them both Because Christ would not haue his disciples to erre in this point he reserued the best porcion of learnyng of godly comfort from them that the holy spirit might teache it them for their comforte that so they might knowe the dignitie of the
or that he maye aske of them that be learned and so teache his wyfe least peraduenture if women shoulde haue resorte vnto learned men to reason matters or to aske questions for their learnynge by ouermuche familyarity some further inconuenience might mischaunce to bothe parties She muste not playe the reader she must not kepe the scooles but rather Mulier in silencio discat cum omni subiectione docere autē mulieri nō permitto i. Tim. ii Let a woman learne in silence without many words without clattering with al obediēce subiection For I will not suffer a woman to be a teacher least peraduēture taking vpō her to be a maistres she may wexe proude and malaperte She must consider her creation that a woman was last made and first in faulte and in sinne Wherfore it besemeth women to knowe their cōdicion to be subiect and not to refourme and teache menne Once she taught and marred all therfore Paule woulde haue her teache no more But here you must vnderstād as wel for the philosophers minde of the hearers of moral philosophy as for s. Pauls minde of the students in holy scriptures that although nether children in age neither in cōdicions all geuen to take their pleasures and to folowe their lustes be appropriate and most conuenient hearers of philosophye because they lacke experience of vertuous workes and by childishe plaiyng the boyes and plaiynge the wantons be customed in lewdenes yet thys notwithstandyng if they be vnder awe and feare of their parentes or of maisters or of officers they maye take profite by hearynge Philosophy in as much as if they be straightly holde to such learning they may be disposed to vertue and restraint from vice by the same And muche like it is of the studie of scriptures if such voluptuous persons be compelled to haunt sermons lessons and exhortations by suche meanes the folishnes and ignorance that is knitte in the hearte of the wanton and childishe persone maye be driuen away by the rodde of discipline And I reade of many blessed women that haue bene vertuously brought vp in youth and well exercised in holye scriptures as they that saint Hierome wrote to and many others whiche we worshyp for blessed saintes in heauen to whiche God gaue grace to subdue their affections and lustes and by that they were the more mete to receiue the gifte of science and cunnyng by the scriptures But I rede not that they were readers preachers or disputers of scriptures Manye wise questions they vsed to aske and were without countresaiyng satisfied with such answers as were giuen them by them that were learned I doubt not but they vsed to teache their maydes at home such lessons as might make them chaste and deuout For women may be exercised in teaching after that maner as appeareth by Saint Paul Tit. ii saying that aged womē among other vertues must be bene docentes vt ad castitatem erudiant adolescentulas well teaching that they may enforme their yonge women to chastitie and to loue their husbands and to loue their children to be cleane in countenaunce in woordes and in bodie to be good huswiues benignas et subditas viris suis boner boughsome to their husbands So farre blessed Saint Paule giueth women libertie to teache but not to teache men All beit saint Ierome in the preamble of his expositiō of the psalme Eructauit cor meū verbū bonū noteth that Ruth Iudith and Hester haue bookes intyteled to their names and that they taught men wit and so did the wyse woman of Techua conclude king Dauid with her wyse questions that she asked hym and taughte him by the subtyle riddles that she proposed to hym and mitigate hys anger wyth the pretye example that shee brought in .ii. Reg. xiiii but in dede muche of her wysedome in her so doing came of the wytte of Ioab that sent her to the kynge to intreate for Absalon that he myghte be restored agayne into hys countrey The blessed manne Aquila and hys wyfe Pryscilla when they hadde hearde Apollo preache Christe they called him asyde and better taughte hym in the faythe of Christe in some pointes then he was taught afore Act. xviii But here the scripture expresseth not whether the man Aquila or the wyfe Priscilla taughte Apollo And it maye well be that they bothe instructed hym For the holye spirite of God breatheth and inspireth his giftes where it pleaseth hym and by theym that it pleaseth hym whether it be men or women Therefore it maye so be that it pleased GOD to illuminate the soules of women and by theym for the tyme to teache menne Sometyme for the reproch and confusion of menne to make theym ashamed of their dulnesse and sleweth As it is wrytten Iudicum iiii that Delbora the Prophetesse iudged the people of Israell and aduaunced theym to warre agaynst Sisara captayne of the warres of Iabin kyng of Canaan in so muche that Barach a noble manne amonge the people durst not go to the battayle agaynste Sisara except thys good woman Delbora woulde go wyth hym And sometyme women haue instructed men for other secrete causes such as GOD onelye knoweth But thys is not to be taken for an argument because it is rare and syldome but of a common course it becommeth women to be subiecte and to learne in sylence and if they will teache then to doe it wyth modestye and secretlye and not openlye to dyspute and teache men and that is Saynte Paules mynde as I sayde afore Scripture is in worsse case then anye other facultye for where other faculties take vppon theym no more then pertayneth to theyr owne science as the Phisicion treateth of thynges partaynynge to the healthe of mans bodye and the Carpenter or the Smith medleth with theyr owne tooles and woorkemanshyppe Sola scripturarum ars est quam sibi omnes passim vendicant hanc garrula anus hanc delirus senex hanc sophista verbosus hanc vniuersi presumunt lacerant docent antequam discant as Saynte Hierome saythe in hys epistle ad Paulinum The facultie of Scripture onely is the knowledge that all menne and womē chalengeth and claymeth to them selfe and for theyr owne here and there the chatterynge olde wyfe the dotynge olde manne the bablynge Sophister and all other presumeth vppon thys facultye and teareth it and teacheth it afore they learn it Of all suche greene Diuines as I haue spoken of it appeareth full wel what learnynge they haue by thys that when they teache anye of their Disciples and when they gyue anye of theyr bookes to other menne to reade the fyrste suggestion why he shoulde laboure suche bookes is because by this say they thou shalt be able to oppose the best priest in the parish and to tel him he lieth Lo the charitie Suppose thou haue science or cunnyng by thy studie in scriptures yet thou hast not this gift of the holy gost of whych we nowe speake for it is not without charitie Scientia
nother to be without payne and to take thy ease or thy pleasure generallye as Epicure sayde But rather to saye and answere that we were made and brought forth into this world for to worshippe God whiche begote vs to doe hym seruice And this after Lactancius is called Pietas Dei parentis agnitio ▪ The knowlege of God our father and maker not speaking of bare and naked knowledge of GOD as they hadde Qui cum cognouissent deum non sicut deum glorificauerunt Roma .i. Whiche when they knewe GOD did not honour him as GOD nother thanked hym for his gyftes but played the fooles fallynge to Idolatrye makynge Goddes of menne birdes and beastes Therfore sayth s Augustine .iiii. ciui ca. xxiii Pietas vera est verax veri dei cultus And as he saythe .x. ci ca. i. it is called by the Greke word Latria which is properly that seruice that perteineth to the worshippyng of God may be called also by an other latine word Religio Religion which properly signifieth the worshippyng of God and taketh his name secundū Lactanciū li. iiii ca. xxviii A religando ▪ because that by the bonde of the seruyce and worshippe that wee owe to God GOD hathe bounde manne to hym to do hym seruice as to our Lord and master and to do him worshyppe honour and reuerence as to our father Thus he hath bounde vs to hym by the faythe that he infused and poured into vs at oure christenynge and wee haue bounde our selfe to hym by our promysse that wee there professed for hys sake to renounce refuse and forsake the deuyll and all hys pompe and proude workes and so all wee were there made religious persones applied and appoynted chiefelye to thys seruyce that I nowe speake of pietas that is to saie the true worshippynge of GOD or the inwarde habite qualitie or gifte of the soule by the holye Goste geuen to man or woman by whiche a manne or a woman hauing it is inclined to goodnesse and made well disposed well minded prompte and ready to serue GOD and to do hym worshippe But because it is playne by the Prophet Esay where my matter is grounded that all these gyftes rested in the manhode of our Sauioure Christe whom he called the flower that shoulde rise vp out of the rodde springynge forthe from the roote of Iesse Let vs searche the scriptures whether it do appere by his actes that he hadde this gift Luke ii when he was twelue yere olde and able to take some labours he wente wyth his mother and wyth his foster father to Hierusalem They casting no perylles wente homewarde after the solemnitie of the feast thinking that Christe hadde been in the companye of the neighbours that thē went together homwarde frō Hierusalem after the maner as Pylgrymes vsed to go in flockes togither Thus they passed the way a whole daies iourney afore thei missed him when thei missed him it was no nede to bid thē seke they had lost their greatest iewel They sought him among their frends acquaintance and coulde not finde him the nexte daye they returned backe to Hierusalem the thirde day they sought all aboute in the Citye the fourth daye that is post tridium after thre dayes they found him in the temple sittynge among the doctours hearynge them and askynge questions of them He first hearde them reade and teache and then asked questions and opposed them Woulde GOD our Bible clerkes woulde so do nowe adaies that they woulde firste heare and learne and afterward to oppose for so they should profite them selues and theim that they do oppose Where nowe when they do oppose it is wythout anye learned maner and more for a vayne glorie or for to publishe and open mennes ignoraunces rather then to instruct them and that appeareth for commonlye they be doinge most busie with theim that be vnlearned rather then with them that be learned Our sauiour Christe occupied not him selfe soe but gate him selfe amonge the verye beste of the doctours that were in the Temple firste geuinge good aduertens and audience to their saiynges and then opposynge them for their learnynge And after thys maner his Parentes founde him occupied hys mother saide vnto hym Sonne why haue you serued vs so your father and I with sorowe and care haue sought you And Christe said vnto them why sought you me Know ye not that I muste nedes be in those thinges that be my fathers Or aboute my fathers busines Where he called the resorting and commyng to the temple and there to be occupied in contemplation in preachinge readynge teachinge disputynge or reasonyng his fathers matters his fathers businesse And in this he declared this gift of pietie that I nowe speake of to be in him and that by this gifte he was inclined so to do and so to occupy him selfe in the seruice of his father and in the worshippyng of almighty God And after when s Iohn Baptiste was cast in prison then came our sauiour Christe abroade and preached his holye doctrine in Galilee and other places Luke iiii and in his progresse he came to Nazareth where he was nourced and brought vp in his childhode And there came into the churche on the Sabboth daie as he was wont to do and stode vp and redde a porcion of the scripture as the maner was The scripture was of the prophecye of Esay ca. lxi Spiritus domini super me propter quod vnxit me euāgelizare pauperibus misit me c. After he had redde it he clasped vp the booke deliuered it to the clerke or minister that hadde the kepyng of it and sate downe like a doctour ▪ or a reader in his chaire or on his stole and expounded and declared the same scripture appliyng it to him selfe as the true litterall sence of that scripture did pretende saiynge Hodie impleta est hec scriptura in oculis vestris Now this scripture is fulfilled afore your eyes The holye spirite of God was on him and did annointe him and sende him to preach to the poore people that be poore in spirite and lowlye in herte All this was the seruice of his father redoundyng to his worshippe and to his fathers honour he applied all his preachinge Ioh. xiiii The sermon that you haue hearde is not mine but it is my fathers that sende me Also Ioh. xv In this my father is glorified that you maye bringe furthe muche fruite and may be made my scholers He did not attribute or geue it to his owne glorye or prayse that his disciples increased in knowledge and in the fruite of good works comming of the same but to the glorye and prayse of his father Likewise that his disciples and we by them be Christes disciples he willeth vs to geue laudes and glorie therfore to the father although y e fathers glorie and his by reason of his Godheade were is all one Thus ye may well perceiue through the Gospels howe vehemently and earnestly he was
he was inhabitaÌ„t hearing that .iiii. kings with their hostes had inuaded the countrey about Sodom Gomor had spoyled the couÌ„trey takeÌ„ away many prisoners amoÌ„g which thei had taken Loth his brothers sonne he asseÌ„bled together all his retinue Expeditos vernaculos trecentos deceÌ„ octo folowed the chase ouertoke these kings beset theÌ„ about in the night season slew them recouered all their pray brought home againe Loth with all his substance He might haue sit still at home if the loue that he had to his countrey in which he was theÌ„ sustained for the time as DenisoÌ„ had not pricked him forward Iud. xi It is red of Iepthe which iÌ„ dede his brothers had banished out of his couÌ„trey yet afterward it chanced that the Ammonites inuaded the people of Israell wasted destroyed theÌ„ â–ª right sore specially that part beyond the riuer of Iordane called Galaad wher this Iepthe was born The people of Israel were sore discoraged their enmies so enhauÌ„ced y t the laÌ„d was almost destroied then came messagers to this Iepthe wher he was in his exile deâ—iriÌ„g his aide succour He vmbraided theÌ„ of their vnkindnes saiyng Be not you thei that hate me driued me out of my fathers family now ye be coÌ„pelled by very nede to come to me for helpe Notw tstanding he was moued w t that natural louing reuereÌ„ce y t he had to his couÌ„try said to y e messagers y t if thei wold make hiÌ„ their captain he woulde put him selfe in ieopardie for them and to do the best he coulde And so he did and destroyed their enemies and set the lande at rest In like maner did Dauid .i. Reg. xxiii When he was driuen out of his countrey by the furye and madnes of king Saule he hearde that the Philisties inuaded and destroyed Ceila a certayne towne in the dominion of Saule and prepared him self to battaile against them all his frendes and kinsfolke that were then wyth hym entreatynge him to the contrarie Where Pietas erga patriam the loue that he hadde to his countrey wrought more in him then all the carnal loue to his frends and kinsfolkes and also then the vnkindenes of Saule that hadde driuen him out of his countrey where he for yll repaid good again he fought with the Philisties he toke all their cattell and prouision for vittailes Percussit eos plaga magna saluauit habitatores Ceile He made a great murther amonge them and saued the inhabitauntes and people of the towne Ceila In like maner be all nacions bounde by the lawe of Nature and by Gods lawe to defende their countrey And wee for our realme In so much that if there woulde any foraine potentate as I saide or any other sedicious persons attempte to infringe or breake the lawes Godlye made for the conseruation and quietnes of thys realme we be bounde to do the vttermost of our power for the suppression and extinctioÌ„ of them yea though they were our naturall parentes or next of kinred that woulde so offende Likewise if any malefactours sedicious and rebellious persons woulde raise anie vnlawefull assembly commocion or insurrection againste the peace and tranquilitie and quiet cohabitation of the people in the countrey or realme where thou art inhabitaunt Yea though thine owne parentes and nexte of kinred were on that partye amonge such rebellions the pietie and reuerende honour and loue that thou owest to thy countrey should make thee to do the vttermoste of thy power to resist theÌ„ and suppresse their malice In so much that if there be any of our Englishe men in exyle or banished out of their countrey or such as for their offences dare not come into their countrey yet if they might perceiue in the couÌ„treys where they walke any murmuring or repliyng against the Godlie and lawdable lawes of this Realme or if they might perceiue anye perill or perturbation trouble or warre to be moued against vs the lawe of Nature shoulde moue them to staye all suche daungers and to the vttermost of their powers to resist them Yea thoughe they should put their liues in ieopardye for the sauegarde of their countrey Example ye haue now heard of the Ethnichs and also of the holy Patriarches Abraham Iepthe and Dauid And holy Moyses after the offence of his people in Idolatrye makinge the calfe tanquam Apin Egiptiorum deum praied to almighty God for mercy and pardon for their offence saiynge Aut dimitte eis hanc noxam aut si non facis dele me de libro tuo queÌ„ scripsisti Exo. xxxij A vehement pietie and loue that he had to his countrey men that he prayed saiynge Either forgeue them good Lorde or if thou wilte not then strike me out of that boke of lyfe that thou hast written in thy eternall predestination he was sure that GOD would not so do Therfore he was the bolder so to praye as who shoulde saye if you wyll nedes destroy them good Lorde why then dampne and destroy me wyth them He was bolde that God would not so doe therefore he thought in maner to inforce GOD to forgeue them for his sake and to saue them with him Such an ardent and burnynge loue to his countrey men had saint Paule as he testifieth of him selfe Roma ix Optabam ego anathema esse a christo pro fratribus meis qui suÌ„t cognati mei secundum carnem qui sunt Israelite I haue desired and wished to be seperate deuided from Christe for the loue that I haue to my brethren that be my carnall kinsmen the Israelites How deuided from Christe Origene Not by preuarication or transgressynge of Christes lawes or commaundementes He woulde do no synne for their sakes For that coulde not healpe them that coulde do them no good Also there was no vyolence or force that could pull him froÌ„ Christ as he sayth hym selfe But like as Christe being by reason of his Godheade in the fourme and nature of GOD yet he did so humiliate hym selfe hidynge hys Godlye power that he become manne and suffered death for our redemption and so semed for the tyme to forsake the father and was made as a thynge accursed to take awaye our malediction Gala. iii. Christus nos redemit de maledictione legis factus pro nobis maledictum quia scriptum est maledictus Omnis qui pendet in ligno Deute xxi And so saynte Paule by example of oure maister Christe wished to haue done that thinge in which he might seeme to be seperate from Christe by deuotion and not by preuarication or synne so that he myght saue his countrey menne and so he dyd when he was of all sortes to all menne that he myght wynne all maner of menne to Christe Sometymes vsynge the Ceremonyes of the Iewes to allure them in whiche the Gentyles thought he did nought and so to be deuided froÌ„ Christe And amonge the Gentylles he vsed suche meate as they did
euerlastynge And here because we speake of the workes of pietie or pitie verye pitie moueth me to exhorte you to mercye and pitie on the poore studentes in the vniuersities Oxforde Cambridge whiche were neuer fewer in number yet they that be lefte be ready to runne abrode into the world and to leaue their study for very nede Iniquitie is so aboundaunt that charitie is all colde A mā would haue pitie to heare the lamētable cōplaintes that I heard lately being among them whiche wold god I were able to releue This I shal assure you that in my opinion ye can not better bestow your charitie Our sauiour Christ sayth Math. x. Qui recipit prophetā in noie prophete mercedē prophete accipiet He y t receueth cherisheth or maintaineth a prophet in y e name of a prophet or as a prophet he shal receyue the rewarde of a prophete All true preachers be prophetes therfore he that cherisheth and maynteyneth a preacher because he is a preacher more then for anye other carnal occasion shal haue the rewarde of a preacher which is a wonderous reward Dan. xij Qui ad iustitiam erudiunt multos fulgebunt quasi stelle in perpetuas eternitates They that instructeth and teacheth many to iustice vertue shall shine like sterres into euerlasting eternitie As in example yf this exhortation and sermon whiche I nowe most vnworthy make vnto you do anye good to the soules of this audience I doubt not but my reward shall not be forgotten yf there be none other stoppe or impediment on my behalfe and my parentes that set me to schole in youth and my good Lorde Wylliam Smyth sometyme Byshop of Lincolne my bringer vp exhibitoure firste in Banbury to gramer scole with mayster Iohn Stanbrige and then in Oxforde tyl I was maister of Arte and able to helpe my selfe shall haue reward in heauen for the gostlye comfort that you receiue by this my labour S he or she that bringeth vp any studentes to anye good learninge by whiche they maye do good to Christes flocke whether the facultie be diuinite lawe phisicke rethorike or such other there is no doubt but they which found them mainteyned them to such learning shal haue reward of God for the good that cometh of theyr lerning Wherfore in contemplation of this good consideratiō and also for because that who so euer geueth so muche as a cuppe of cold water to any poore body of Christes seruauntes shall not lose his rewarde and wages I shal hartely pray you to extend your charitie toward the sayde scholers and studentes and by that ye shall shew your selues to be merciful and to haue this gifte of the holye goost the gifte of Pietie whiche after the mynde of the doctours is all one with mercy And that the holye gooste by this his gyfte rested vpon our Sauiour Christe it is playne by the cures that he did on them that were sicke of diseases vncurable and also by feeding the hungry somtimes fiue thousand at once And also it appeareth that he vsed to giue almes to the poore and had purses for the same intent whiche Iudas had the keeping of in somuch that when Christ said vnto him Quod facis fac citius That thou dost do it spedely some of the Apostles thought that Christ had bid him prepare for the feast cōmyng or els egenis vt aliquid daret Iohn .xii. that he shoulde giue some thyng to the poore people on which Christ was wont to haue mercy pitie and to bestow somewhat vpon them And thus much of this sixt gift of the holy gost shalbe now sufficient I pray God we may alwayes vse it to Gods pleasure to whome be al honour and glorye Amen ¶ The sixt sermon intreating of the feare of God THe seuenth gift of the holy gost is y e gift of the feare of God whiche rested in our Sauiour Christ as well as the other .vi. that I haue spoken of There be in the appetite or wyll of man .iiii. affections or perturbations or passions that moueth and draweth the wyll of man hither and thither and rather to yll then to good cupidite or desire to haue and ioye or gladnes for the hauinge of the thinge that thou hast desired The other .ii. be feare of hurte or displeasure and sorowe for the thinge that thou were afrayd of when it is chaūced or happened There was a sect of Philosophers called Stoici whose auctors were Zeno Chrisippus Epictetus and certayne other and they put the hieste felicite perfection and goodnes of man to be to liue according to vertue and to natural reason So that they put nothinge good in man but vertue whiche they call the very craft and way to liue well other thinges they sayd were commoda profitable for mā as lyfe helth and strength but none clerely good saue onely Iustice or vertue And because they saw these .iiii. affections or passions sore trouble mās reason bring a man to many enormities they said that they came of the corruption of the body were very nought and shuld be cleane reiecte and cast away neuer perceiued or sene in anye good man but that in all cases and chaunces of welth woo a man shuld kepe him self vpright take al thinges after one maner Nam perfectus Stoicus nihil mali patitur A perfit Stoike suffreth no il or harme how so euer the worlde go therefore they were called stupidi Stoici styffe or stubborne Stoikes Platonici and also Peripatherici of Aristotles scole for Aristotle was scoler to Plato they were al of one opinion thought likewyse that al these .iiii. affectiōs were very nought but yet they would not haue them cleane extinct and destroyed because they be naturall to man as it is natural for a heart to be fearful to an addre to be venemous to a spaniel to be gentle familiar so it is natural for mā to desire to be glad to be afeard to be sory or heuy They be vberras quedā animorū a certaine batilnes or frutfulnes of y e soul which shuld not be destroyed but rather wel husbāded bated as if a groūd or a gardē be to ranke it is not best clene to destroy y t rāknes but rather to bate it with sand or grauel or such like or els the herbes the graffes trees that be there set wil cāker be nought So it is of these iiii affectiōs after these Philosophers that they must not be cleane destroyed but moderate and kept subiect to reasō measured y t they rūne not to fast at large nor passe their bōdes that they peruert not the iugemēt of reasō but be ruled by reasō But surely here is not al for they be not vtterly vituperable vicious for if they were very nought thē no measuring could make thē good Pryde can not be good thoughe ye kepe him as short as ye can Enuye can not be good for
our faithe They haue euer bene impugned and persecuted by heritykes wilfully and grosselye leanynge to their carnall imaginations And yet God of his goodnesse turneth all to the best agaynste their expectation It is verye profitable and necessarye that our faythe shoulde be set to woorke for as sainte Ambrose saythe Fides inexcercitata cito languescit crebris ociosa tentatur incommodis super illud psal cxviii Iniqui ▪ persecuti sūt me adiuua me Our fayth when it is vnexercised anone waxeth sicke and faint And when it is idle it is tempted and tried with many discommodities Remissas excubias callidus insidiator irrumpit As we see that he that wililye and craftelye lieth in wayte will sone breke in to an Holde or Fortresse where the watches bee slacke and sleapye euen so when oure faythe the watche of oure Soule laye idle and was not exercised and tempted by contrary heresies spying howe to breake into the fortresse of our soules it was easye to sowe the sedes of errours in our soules to destroy our faith and our soules Fortye or fifty yeares afore this present yeare of Christ M.D.xlvi the common faithe of the churche was at rest and in maner idle without trouble And by that when the Germaynes suscitated and raysed vp all maner of heresies by Luther and that rable anone they were receiued in all countreys for pax fidei corruptele materia est Ambrosius The peace and rest of faith is the matter and cause of corruption of faith Mens wits wer vnexercised not cūbred with suche newes and coulde not forthwith by learning spye the falsitie of them therefore they were taken for truthes of all carnall and wilfull people and so beleued to the vtter confusion of manye a one The true rule of our beliefe is the whole booke of holye scripture but because it is to muche for euery parson to learne all that and to beare it way therefore the holye goste hath otherwise instruct his holye churche to gather the most necessary thinges for Christen people to beleue into .xii. articles according to the nomber of the .xii. Apostles which as the holy fathers wryteth as it is credibly thought after thei had receiued y e holy gost the gift of tonges by which they coulde speake all maner of languages and muste departe a sondre into dyuers countries to preache the faith of Christ. They thought it necessarye to make a gatheryng of the sayd articles and laye them together to be taught to all people that so they might by the same shotte or gatherynge knowe that as well they among them selues as all people of their teaching varied not but agreed in one faithe euen like as souldiours vnder one Capitaine vseth one badge and one watche word And according to the nombre and names of the sayde Apostles I shall in my processe diuide the said articles They be called articles that is to saye truthes of God and of hys gracious effects compact and knit into short sentences binding vs without ambiguitie or wauering to beleue them THe first article saint Peter layde to thys collation and shotte or gatheringe and it is this I beleue in God the father almightie maker of heauen and earth In whiche article ye must note the order of the words Fyrst it is said I beleue to declare that it is no point of our charge to discusse and reason the highe iudgement and secrets of God nor to require and aske these busye questions when how or why but plainelye and stedfastly to leane to our fayth beleuyng on one God It is not sufficient to beleue that there is one God for the deuils in hell beleue that and so did the Paynym Philosophers but they dyd not glorifie hym as God but played the fooles in theyr fansies as other idolatours did It is not sufficient to beleue GOD as thou beleuest thy neighbour or thy brother whē thou thinkest that hys saying is true for so doth manye a synnefull person and yet noughte wyll doe accordyng to Gods wordes which he beleueth to be true But we must beleue on God or in God that is to say ▪ with our beliefe we must extende and set fourth our selues with loue to God so to be incorporate to him and made one spirite with him and thys is the good and parfit faith adorned and decked with charitie which onely shall saue vs. And in case thou be in deadly synne out of charitye yet ceasse not to say this thy belefe in this gathering or shotte of the Apostles called the Crede for it is the belefe of the vniuersal church which doubtles is not without charitie and so by the merite of the whole congregation of Christen people thou as the vnfrutefull membre mayst labour to come to the beliefe of the whole then trulye to say that thou for thine own part beleuest in god which afore was not true but in the voyce of the whole church If thou beleue on God thou must beleue he is of infinite power but one no more for it is not possible twoo powers infinite to be Then the superstitious erroures of Paygnyms worshipping creatures as theyr gods as Iupiter Mars Venus Sunne Moone or anye element must nedes be false And the heresie of Maniche making twoo first causes or twoo Gods one of good thinges which after him were onely things inuisible and the other he put the causer and maker of all yll thinges He called all visible creatures yll and nought moued by a rude imagination because they may hurt or do yll as the fyre burneth him that cōmeth to nigh vnto it and is yll to hym therefore he sayde it was yll by kinde and made by the deuyll And water because it choketh hym that is drowned in it and so is yll to hym therefore he sayd it was nought by nature and the effecte of the naughtye God And all they that vse sorcery charmes wytchecraftes by inuocation and callynge on dampned spirites that first taught men and women to vse such folishnes and to giue faith to thē loking for reuelatiō of secrets or for knowledge of thinges to come or for healpe of the deuils whych they ought to looke for onely of God And generallye who soeuer obeyeth man more then God doing that for the pleasure of hys Lorde or mayster or for affection or carnall fauoure to hys worldlye frende or louer which he would not do to please God or doing for his louers sake that is cōtrary to Gods pleasure Al such maketh their frendes theyr God so do al they that labour to satisfie theyr carnall lust or theyr bellies more then to subdue them to Gods pleasure All suche make theyr flesh or bellies theyr Gods and do not beleue on one God as is afore declared It foloweth in this first article The father almightye in which is expressed the first parson in trinitie the original foūtain of the whole trinitie by whose frutefull memorye the second parson in Godhed the
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
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
chapter s. Paule biddeth wiues be subiecte to theyr husbandes as vnto our Lord master Christ for it is our lorde Gods ordinance that the man should be the head of the woman as Christ is the head of his spouse and wife the church or multitude of Christen people therefore like as the churche is subiect obedient and doth reuerence to Christ as the body to her head so ought the wyues to theyr husbands as to theyr head in all thinges that be good and according to Gods pleasure Of the contempt of due subiection and obedience of the wyfe to the husband I rede a notable story Hester .i. wher it is written that the great kynge and conquerour Assuerus king of the Medes and Persies ouer cxxvii prouinces and realmes made an exceding sumptuous feast to all the nobilitie and head officers of his Empery and dominions the preparation and prouision for the same with the inuitacion and accesse of his gests continued .ix. score daies the solempnitie of the feast continued .vii. daies There was such prouision such seruice of al officers and such delicates of meates drinks that wonder it is to heare of it And like as that king kept his feast in the solemne place prouided for the same so dyd Vasthi his Quene keepe her feast to all the quenes Ladies and noble women of the Emperye and that in the palace where Assuerus was wont to dwell for the kynges feaste was kepte in Haalys or tentes wonderouslye wroughte with costlye stuffe and stronglye staied by pyllers of fyne Marble after a gorgeous fashyon all of pleasure there the kynge kepte hys solempne banckettes and lefte hys palace for the Quene Vasthi wyth the other Ladyes On the .vii. daye of this feast when Assuerus the king had well dronke was well warmed with wyne he sent his Chamberlaynes to call Vasthi the quene to him willing her to put on her head her diademe or crowne and to come forthe after her goodliest maner because he would shewe to his kynges and lordes the beautie of his quene for she was very fayre and beautyfull but she refused to come at him and contempned the kinges commaundemēt sent to her by his chamberleins for this cause the king was sore dismaid waxed wondrous angrye and in a rage called all the great wisemen of his priuye counsayle that were euer at hande as the maner of kinges is to haue suche counsayle euer redy and by theyr counsayl he did al weighty matters because they knew the lawes of God and man he asked theyr counsayle what sentence shoulde be gyuen againste Vasthi the quene for her pride and obstinacie They aunswered all by the mouthe of Manucha one of the chiefe of the counsayle whiche after thys maner spoke to the king afore the princes of the coūsail Non solum regē lesit regina Vasthi c. The quene hath hurt not onely the kinges highnes but also all the people and princes and noble men that be wythin the dominion of kynge Assuerus for the woordes of the quene will go abrode amonge all women and make them to contempne theyr husbandes saying The noble and mighty king Assuerus bade Vasthi his quene come into his presence and she would not and no more will I but when me list And by this example gyuen of her all the wyues of the Princes of the Persies and of the Medes will sette little by the commaundement of their husbandes Wherefore the indignation and displeasure that your highnesse hathe conceiued againste her is iuste and not without a cause And therefore if it be your pleasure let a proclamation be sende frome your persone that quene Vasthi shall neuer more come in your presence but that an other better then she shall take her raigne that she hathe as one with you And let the same commaundemente be diuulled and proclaymed in all Prouinces and Realmes of your Emperie euen to the furthest parte therof that so all wiues as well of the great men as of the common and lower people maye geue honor and obedience to their husbandes This counsell pleased the Kinge and the princes that were present with him and the kinge according to the same sent furth his letters into all countreys of his emperye written in diuers languages and diuers letters that euerye man might reade and vnderstande them conteininge this argumente that the men be princes and greatest in their owne houses wherfore it foloweth that the wyues be subiecte and vnder obedience to them By this storie all good wiues may note and marke what commeth of contempte and disobedience of the wyues to their Husbandes She was deposed from her high estate and put away from her husbande because she list not to obey nor to be subiect to his commaundement Almighty GOD made the first woman for two vses or purposes one for to multiplye mankinde by generation an other cause for domesticall cohabitation and to dwell wyth the manne for his comforte And in bothe these two the woman was soore punished because shee tempted her husbande to eate of the forbidden fruite Firste where she shoulde haue borne chylde wythout payne she was deputed to exceadynge payne wyth manye throwes and panges while shee is wyth chylde and wyth muche more payne when shee is traueylynge to be deliuered Seconde to our purpose nowe where there shoulde haue bene none inequalitie betwixte the manne and the wyfe nowe for a punishement for her faulte shee muste be content to heare Sub viri potestate eris ipse dominabitur tui Thou shalte be vnder the power of thy husband and he shall be thy ruler And yet let vs consider the goodnes of god how he vseth mercy with the rod of correction in this soore beatyng of woman kinde with these two strokes of pain with childe and of subiectiō to the husband God hath prouided that the first is eased by the byrth of the childe into the world which so comforteth the mother that anone she hath forgotten all the former paine that she toke with her childe And the second is notably releued by this that by the dominion and rule of the husbande the wyfe is much eased of solicitude thought for outward prouisiō of necessaries for defence of her right and for aunswerynge to vniuste vexation and suche others And also specially by this that by the goodnesse and gentle behauiour of the wyfe husbande is manye tymes made much better thē he woulde els be And this saint Peter teacheth in this place saiynge Vt si qui non credunt verbo per mulierum conuersationem sine verbo lucrifiant He woulde specially that they should remember their subiection and gentlenes toward their husbandes that if there be anye of their husbandes that peraduenture beleueth not the woorde of God preached amonge theim whiche the wyues dothe beleue they maye be wonne and conuerted to Christes faithe by the holye conuersation of the women without preachinge When they consider your holye conuersation
vs as it were marueilynge whye wee shoulde thinke so saiynge who is he that will hurte you if you be the folowers of good dedes as Saynte Paule speaketh Tit. ii Sectatores bonorum â—peruÌ„â— Ensuers and folowers of good workes but rather wil fauour you cherish you And so wil all good men do Yea good s. Peter why askest thou that questioÌ„ Doest thou maruel of this I praye the why was Ieremye the Prophete stoned to death Why was Esay sawed to deathe Was it not for their good liuinge and for their Preaching And why wer thou thi self thy felowes y e apostles so bitterly thretened coÌ„mauÌ„ded y t you shold no more preach in christes name Was it not because you folowed the thing y t was good Why wer you cast into the coÌ„mon geyle at y t time when y e angel of god in the night time opened the prysoÌ„ dore bade you go and staÌ„d in the teÌ„ple and speak al the words of this christeÌ„ life Act. v. And afterward when Gamaliel had by his counsel somwhat stated the malice of y e officers yet you were wel beateÌ„ coÌ„mauÌ„ded to speake no more in Christes mane And also when Herode agrippa would haue slain thee as he hadde done Iames brother to saynte Iohn to gratifie the Iewes And finallye when Nero caused thee to be killed in dede was not all this because thou were Emulator boni et sectator bonorum operum A good doer Why was saynte Stephan martyred and likewise a great multitude in the Primitiue churche was it not for well doinge And in the Gospell of this present third sonday of Lent when Christ had cast out a deuil out of a man that was both dombe deafe blinde The people marueiled praised the miracle where others as the Scribes and Phariseis said he wrought that myracle by the power of Belzebub chiefe of the deuils So that where they durste not hurte hym wyth their handes they did the worst they coulde to hurt him wyth their malicicious tongues And you good neighbours here in Bristowe I trowe you learned of them that I haue spoke of If a man abstaine from whitemeate this holye time of Lente you will call him hypocrite and dawe fole and so rap at him and strike him with youre venemous tongues and vse him as an â—biecte excludynge him out of your companie where he ought rather to be afrayed of your company to abhorre it because of your carnal lust to please the mouth and the bealy and for your euill example geuing to others you be such as Iude speaketh of in his epistle In epulis suis macule conuiuantes When you be on your Ale benche or in your bankets at the whot and strong wine you spot your own soules and spotteth others by your euill tonges and yll examples teachinge youthe to be as euill as you bee Then haue at the preachers then they hurte men with their rayling tongues and more hurt they woulde do with their handes if it were not for feare of the kinges lawes You hadde nede to amend this maner you must be content to heare your fauts tolde you that you maie so ameÌ„d theÌ„ for feare lest the deuill leade you still in your affectate and blinde ignoraunce till he haue brought you to the blinde exteriour darkenes in hell where he woulde haue you Cherishe your Preachers as besemeth good men to do or at the lestwise if you will do them no good do theÌ„ no hurt lest God take their parte and execute his vengeance against you And then to the preachers and to al good liuers I saie that if the worst fal that you be troubled with euill persons that haue no respect to your good liuing but that will rather inuent matters againste you and pike quarels by whiche they maye vnquiete you and trouble you let your trouble gender patience and so you shall conuert necessitie vnto vertue makinge a matter of vertue of it Count your selues blessed in that you suffer for Iustice sake This lesson Sainte Peter learned of our maister Christe Math. v. Beati qui persecutionem patiuntur propter iusticiam quoniam ipsorum est regnum celorum Blessed be they saith Christe that suffer persecution for Iustice and good liuynges sake for their paine and sorow shall be recompenced with ioyes euerlastinge in Heauen the paine shall be but shorte but the pleasure shall neuer haue end Therefore feare you not any thing that semeth to them terrible and fearefull that woulde peruert and ouerthrowe a carnall worldly person and that you be not turned froÌ„ your vertue nor from any good purpose by their thunder boltes comminations threatenynges prisonmente or other punishement let none such trouble you Dominum autem Christum sanctificate in cordibus vestris But that you sanctifie our Lord and master Christes in your heartes Sanctus significat firmum sanctificare firmare Make Christe sure in your heartes so that he go not from your remembraunce nother out of your loue for fear of any trouble or payne Parati semper ad satisfactionem omni poscenti vos rationem de ea que in vobis est spe fide Euer being ready to satisfie euerye maÌ„ that asketh you the reason of the hope faith that is in you For they that be better learned more exercised in christen religion muste instruct them that be ignare not learned as charitably and soberly teaching theÌ„ by sensible plaine examples perswasions as they can And if they y t wold inquire of our faith be infidels or els peraduenture heretikes that haue swarued froÌ„ the coÌ„mon receiued faith of Christes churche If such wold be inquisitiue busy questioning rather to take vs in faut by our answers to put vs to rebuke theÌ„ for zeale or loue to learning as though our hope wer of things neuer like to be obteined or gotteÌ„ our faith wer w tout reasoÌ„ â–ª or of things vnpossible or vnlikely not worthy to be accept or receued of any wise maÌ„ yet thei may be answered reasonably That if the thinges y t we hope beleue wer not so obscure remoued froÌ„ our carnal senses as thei be our merit shold be but smal therfore because god wold reward vs abundaÌ„tly for our faith for our hope he wold vs to take more pain theÌ„ for to adheir stick to such things only as we se afore our face Many there be that be so addict wedded to their bodely senses that they will not beleue muche more then experience sheweth theÌ„ or then that they may attaine to by their owne grosse reasons by that shewing them selues not much better theÌ„ brute beastes And of such sturdy hardnes of hert coÌ„meth this diffideÌ„ce wauering about the veritie of Christes body bloud in the most reuereÌ„d sacrameÌ„t of the altar And about the state of souls after this preseÌ„t life w t many such other matters of our faith whiche be now adayes
doers you shold haue no thanke of god for you haue euen as you haue deserued Take exāple of our master Christ which once died for our sins the iust for the vniust a good man for shrewes and noughly liuers That so he might offer vs vp to god the father not being noughty as we were before for so we shoulde be no pleasaunt offerynge to almighty God but we must be by example of him Mortified in flesh and quickened in spirit Like as he died for our sinnes and roose againe for oure iustification so muste we be mortified and muste dye to all carnalitie and sinne so that there be none left aliue in vs. And we must be viuificate and made aliue in spirite so that our liuyng be all spirituall good and godly pliant to the inclination of the holy spirit This example of our maister Christ saint Peter brought in to teach vs that thei that being good and vertuous yet suffreth vexatiō and trouble they folow Christ whiche in like maner suffered iniuries paines and passion that he neuer deserued Some there be that by their vexation and trouble that they suffre amēdeth their liues leaueth their vices knoweth god cōmeth to goodnes And they maie be cōpared to y e blessed theife that was condēned to death for his former giltes faults yet in his paines hangyng on the crosse he came to the knowledge of Christe called for mercy had mercye came to paradice to saluation Others there be that for all the paynes and punishementes vexation and trouble that they suffer be neuer the better but bee rather worsse and worsse fretynge chafynge cursynge and blaspheming against God These be like the thiefe on the left hand which for his faults was hanged on the crosse and there hanginge rayled against Christe as others did and descended into hell to paynes euerlastynge The newe translation readeth this place Mortificatus quidē carne viuificatus autem spiritu speaking of Christ which was mortified in the fleshe bodely diyng for vs and was viuificate and euer aliue in the spirite for his soule neuer dyed in signe and token that by his example we shoulde likewise do gostly diynge to all carnalitie and euer liuinge spiritually as I saide afore In quo his qui in carcere erant spiritibus veniens predicauit This text is diuerslye expounded one way thus In which spirite bi which he was euer aliue Christ came and preached to the spirites that were in prison whiche once were harde of beleue when they loked for Goddes pacience and longe sufferance in the dayes of Noe while the Arche or greate shippe was a makinge in whiche shippe a fewe that is to saie viii liues were saued bi the water lifting vp the shippe a flote from the daunger of drowning Christ came in spirite and preached to the spirites that were in pryson The workes of the whole Trinitie be al one outwarde amonge the creatures as I haue manye times tolde you therfore in that that almighty God inspired the blessed patriarch Noe to preach vnto the people of his time penaunce and amendement of lyfe it maye be saide that the father in spirite preached to the people then beinge in pryson and that the sonne in spirite preached to the same prysoners and that the holy goste in spirite preached to the same people For the whole trinitie inspired Noe to preache therfore it is true that euery persone in trinitie did it And so it mai be said that Christ preached to theim for that is true of the seconde person in trinitie is true of Christe Per communicationem idiomatū As we say the sonne of god is a man and a man is the sonne of God And so we say that the sonne of god suffred death on the crosse that a man made the starres in the skye Because of the perfit vnion and knot of the godhead to the manhode in one person and the same person that now is incarnate and made man did it And he preached to the Prysoners that were dull in beleuyng Noe tellyng theim Gods commination and threatenyng to destroy the world wyth water except they would amende And yet they were hard of beleue and loked for more fauour at Gods hand and for longer pacience and forbearynge theim and so trifled tyll the floude came vpon thē and drowned them They were in pryson sayth s Peter whiche after this exposition must be vnderstande morally in as much as they were bounde as prysoners by the bondes of sinne as the prophet speaketh Funes peccatorum circumplexi sūt me The ropes of sins haue wrapt me in rounde aboute and likewise speaketh the wiseman Pro. v. Iniquitates sue capiunt impiū funibus peccatorum suorum constringetur His owne iniquities taketh the wicked persone and wyth the ropes of his owne sinnes he shalbe strayned knit And in that case were the people of Noes tyme for all mankinde had corrupt his way and the maner of his liuing Omnis caro corruperat viam suam Gen. vi All flesh all men left vertue and liued insolently viciously This is one exposition of this text of s Peter But this exposition though it be good catholike yet it semeth more moral then litteral because it taketh the name of the prison of them that were in pryson morally for the custome vse of sinne not for a place where a prisoner is kept in paine sorow to his displesure it taketh the prisoner for him that is intangled poluted defaced with the deformity of customable sinne This prisoner though he be in extreme peril daunger of soule yet not knowyng the case that he standeth in maketh merye fealeth no harme nor paine but counteth hym self most at liberty at hartes ease Therfore I thinke s Peter speaketh of the spirits or soules of thē that woulde not regard the exhortation of Noe made vnto thē for amendmēt of their liues tyll the very floude came vpon thē And then seing the water rise higher higher men and women and other liuynge creatures perishe in the same floude and that there was no place able to saue them from drownynge they toke remorse of conscience and repentaunce as well for their hardnesse of harte contemnynge Noes exhortion as for their owne naughty liuynge so callyng for mercy were receyued to mercy saued their soules Yet in asmuch as the gate to heauen was not opened bi Christ thei were staied in the skirt of hel a place prouided by GOD to receiue their soules that died in the state of grace and in Gods fauour in whiche if they hadde any thinge to be purged as for venial sinnes or for lacke of sufficient satisfaction for mortall offences done by their life tyme hadde first greuous paines for their purgation and then consequently were receiued into Abrahams bosome a place of tranquilitie rest and quietnes where they had no sensible payne They hadde none other paine but onlye the paine of
pasture and feedinge for them as shall be good and holsome not driuing them to ranke feeding that wil bane them to corrupte ground as to a certayne spire white grasse that growith in some grounde or to groundes that be morish maresh or otherwise vnholsome like to coothe the flocke for suche the flocke moste desyreth And yf they be let runne at their owne libertie to suche feeding they wyll draw rather then to holsome pasture Beware that you pasture not nor feede the people with sedicious lernynge or opynions of Heresy for suche semyth at the fyrste shew white fayre ond plesaunte yet baninge it is and shall vtterly destroye the flocke You must not also let them runne to muche to the ranke feedinge of carnall lyberty for that shall puffe them vp and make them swell vp to Pride and disobedience and consequently to take their pleasure by all carnall lustes and so shall rotte them and destroy them for euer Feede Christes flocke with holie doctrine of Gods word making them to obey their rulers that be set in aucthorite ouer them And here in this realme to haue in greate reuerence the kinges Maiestie and in all our doynges to be obedient vnto his lawes As well the Prelates and preachers in their sermons and exhortations as the subiectes in performinge and doinge the same For it is our parte to captiuate our wittes and to credite our superiors not thinking our selues ▪ better learned then any others be but rather thinking y t thing that is set forthe by his grace with the assent of his clergy of his honorable counsell to procede of higher knowledge thē our wits can attain to Nō coact◠their feeding prouision for gods folcke must be frāk and free without coaction For al the workes of our religion must come of a good wyl folowing the example that we haue of the old Testament In the makinge of the tabernacle and the ornamentes to the same belonginge all the people of Israel with deuout minde and with a free harte and wil offred theyr fyrst frutes and such iewels as they had to the furniture of the same and the workemen also offered them selues freely to doe theyr woorkes as a figure and signe and token that in the spiritual edifying of the spiritual temple of God which we be the doers and builders priestes and curates preachers teachers shuld do theyr labours of theyr owne accord withoute any gredy eye to gather riches by the same or to despise any others by theyr doings And yet thei shall not dye for defaut but according to Saynt Paules doctrine theyr audience that hath spiritual foode of them must be diligent and leberall to helpe them in al necessarie temporalites and to see that they lacke not Neque vt dominantes in cleris Beware of the lowring browes and proud lookes and hartes of the old Pharisies thei loke for dominion they wil be like lordes maisters they wil be had in reuerence they wil haue cappe and knee and not onely that but also wyll looke for presentes giftes and bribes and doe litle or nothing therefore Saint Peter would not that anye priestes shoulde so vse theym selues but rather to be in manner felowlyke humblye and lowelye behauynge theym selues amonge theyr brothers so giuyng to them as wel as to the lay see example of humilitie and lowlynes affabiliti and gentlenes Remember our sauiour Christes saying in the parable of the yl seruant Mat. xxiiij If the yll seruaunt saye or thinke in his hart my master tarieth very longe he commeth not home now all is in my hande all is in my gouernance then he beginneth to play the lorde then he beginneth to strike vex his felows as one that had forgettē him selfe also his lord or master geueth him self to eatyng drinking with dronkerds riatours thē wil come home his master at the time when he was not loked for And shal deuide him the soule from the bodie shall caste parte of him his soule firste and after the whole bodie and soule together with hypocrites that is to saie with false christen people reprobate damned there as shall be weping and gnashinge of teeth By this seruaunt spoken of in this parable be all euyll rulers vnderstanded which as thei folow the Lordly maners of this cruell seruaunt here mencioned so they shall haue like punishement and shal be likewise tormented in hell for euermore Beware therefore of plaiynge the Lordes amonge your brethren but be as one of them Examino with hart and all that they may likewise shewe thē selues to the people that they muste teach And thus doinge saieth saint Peter whē the prince of pastors our sauiour Christ shall come in his glory at the generall iudgment you shall receiue the crowne or garlande of euerlastyng glory and ioyes of heauen that shall neuer fade welowe or widder awaye but shall be euer fresshe and pleasaunte aboue that anye minde of mortall man can apprehende perceiue or vnderstand to our endlesse solace and comfort whiche c. It foloweth in the texte Similiter adolescentes subditi estore senioribus When he hathe fatherlye instruct and taughte the Presidentes the Prelates and Priestes that they should take paine and solicitude or care to feade their flockes and to prouide suche pastures for theim as shoulde bee most holesome and not infectuous coothinge or rottynge groundes too feade vppon for to bane theim And that thys they shoulde dooe with a good will and not by coaction or compulsion against their willes And that they shoulde not playe the Lordes and tyrantes among their cleargie but that they shold shewe theim selues as the fourme that patrone or fashion of their flocke and to be familiar with theim as one of theim that by their behauioure their neighbours maye learne to conforme and fashion theim selues to the maner that they see them vse promisinge theim that for their so doinge they shall receiue a rewarde inestimable that is to saye the freshe and vnfadinge crowne and garlande of eternall and euerlasting glorye when the prince of pastours our sauiour Christe shall appeare in his maiestie at the general iudgmēt to reward euery man after his deseruings Nowe consequently the blessed apostle teacheth yongelynges yongemen and women howe they shoulde behaue theim selues towarde their elders as to their betters and that they shoulde be subiecte and submit theim selues vnto theim and to obey theim similiter Likewise as youre Elders muste care and prouide for your Soule health without coaction euen from the bottome of their hartes so muste you euen from the hart with a good will without coaccion obeye them that so youre rulers maie doe their duties gladlye and comfortablie and not with sorowe or to their paine for that shall not profite you as Sainte Paule saieth Hebr. xiii Obedite prepositis vestris subiacete eis ipsi enim peruigilant quasi rationem pro animabus vestris reddituri vt cum gaudio hoc