the maides By the youth of the children by the womankinde vnderstaÌ„ding theÌ„ that be fraile that easely and sone taketh occasion to do nought In the saide exterior darknes shalbe weping for smoke heate gnashing of teethe for cold It is said in the verse of the psalme aboue rehersed Iustus autem miseretur triâ—uet The iust man the true seruant and stuard to God is merciful lendeth al the gifts of nature and of grace that God hath giuen him he applieth to Gods honour and to do good to hys neighbour and such welth riches as god hath lent him he parteth with his needie neyghbour and bestoweth on workes of mercye pitie And if he be trueli a iust man although he be but pore in worldly riches yet he is riche in soule Loke in his cofer thou shalt finde it voyd and empty but loke consider his soule and thou shalt fynde it full of charitie He hathe no stuffe nor substaunce outward but inwardly he hath charitie passinge all worldlye treasure And if he finde nothing to giue outward yet he giueth and lendeth beneuolence good will he gyueth counsell yea and he helpeth by prayer and is soner heard of God and doth more good then he that giueth breade and meate He hath euer somwhat to giue that hathe his brest ful of charity The very poore people leÌ„deth gyueth among theÌ„ selues one to an other of the treasure of theyr good wylles they be not al baren and vnfruteful The blinde man is led by him that seeth whych lendeth his eyes because he lacketh mony to lend because y t with in him he had a good wil which is the treasure of y e poore Holye Iob saithe .xxix. Oculus fui ceco pes claudo I was an eye to the blinde the foote to y e lame helping theÌ„ not onely with my goodes but also if nede required settinge to my helpynge handes without any attourney or proctour Of the bestowing of the goodes of fortune he sayth Pater eram pauperum In which woordes for the vehemencie of his mercy and pitie he leaueth the name of a dispensatour or stuarde and vseth the name of a father conuerting the office of charity into the affection and ferueÌ„t loue natural vsing them on whom he bestowed his charitie pitye almes as intierly and louingly as a father vseth the childe as though he did his charitie not only for dread of God but also for fatherly loue vnto his neighbours Would God al we ChristeÌ„ people in which there should abound more plenty of grace then was in men of the old time would bestow vse our lords tresure the gifts of nature of grace of fortune after the example of thys blessed father that so we might be counted good dispensatours stuards of the maniform graces of god as blessed S. Peter willeth vs for to be Charissimi nolite peregrinari in feruore qui ad teÌ„ptationem vobis fit quasi noui aliquid vobis coÌ„tingat My very welbeloued frends be not dismayde or troubled in your mindes in the feruencie heate of persecutioÌ„ vexation y t now is so hot agaynst you which heate almighty God suffreth to com vpon you for your trial to trie you proue you Meruel not be not troubled I sai as though any newes or straunge thing betide you or chauÌ„ced vnto you for it is the old maner that good meÌ„ susteine harme and displeasure by shrewes wher afore in the processe that I declared in my laste sermon the Apostle Saint Peter had exhorted them that he wryt to to communicate louingly to bestowe vpon theyr neighbours such giftes as God had giuen them Now consequentlye he teacheth them to take payne and to abide sorow and affliction yea euen to death martirdome if y e case requyre saying Nolite peregrinari as our text hath it maruel not saith the other text But in asmuch as when a man is sore dismaid troubled his wits seme to be fro home straying and not close together therefore it is sayd here noliâ—e peregrinari be not you in that case as men out of them selues in such hot and perilous times but consider that such perturbacion and trouble coÌ„meth vnto you to tempt you not by temptacion that shall condempne you for God so tempteth no man but to trye you and proue you whether you be stedfast or wauering in your faith and in all other goodnes as he sayde afore in the fyrste chapiter Now you must be sory in diuers temptacions that the triall and proofe of your faythe much more precious then golde that is tryed by the fyre may be found worthy to haue land glorye and honour at the reuelation and shewynge of Iesus Christ at the day of iudgement Thys is no newes for so suffered Christ for vs all and so must they suffer that wyll liue a true Christen life and so in the primitiue church suffred many a one martirdom for Christes sake of which thing they that Saint Peter wryt to had good knowledge and experience In a feruent and a cruell battel the souldiers perceiueth and taketh an excellent comfort by the manlynes of theyr captain and by examples of mightye men that haue bene praysed for theyr noble actes It is verye vnfytting vnmete for a souldier to sit at ease in hys hale or tent or in his lodgynge at hys pleasure while his captayne laboreth sore and is in peryll in the battell among his enemies and it is as vnseming that where the captaine is sore hurt and wouÌ„ded the souldier studieth to slepe in a whole skin and beareth neuer a skar in his bodye Our sauiour Christ is our chiefe captayne in our dayly battel against our gostly enemyes let vs take example of him and folow his steppes after the counsell of saynt Peter in the beginning of thys chapiter where he wylleth vs to be armed with the remembrauÌ„ce of Christes passion that he suffred in his fleshe And Sainte Paule biddeth vs lay away al the burden of sinne that is about vs and with pacience run to the battel that is sette furth agaynst vs like as the Apostles and Martirs other blessed saintes suffred theyr bodyes to be torn rent and mangled loking vpoÌ„ Christ the authour of our faith and perfourmer maker perfite the same and inwardly considerynge his paynes that he suffered for vs all whyle hee might haue had ioy and pleasure yet he suffered death on the crosse and dispised shame he regarded not the shame that his enemies thought thei put him to Let vs remember him that suffered such contradiction and countersayinges against him and let vs not be weary nor shrinke in oure mindes considering that if we be felowes and partakers of his paines we shalbe likewise partakers of comfort with him .ij. Cor. i. And therfore if it be coÌ„fort for vs to hear of the abundant reward that we shal receiue for our paines taking let not the pain of
Fortitude or manlines wherein it standeth and what it worketh in vs. fol. xxviii b. Foundation of our goostly buildinge is aboue in heauen therfore thither we must build vpwarde fol. clxiiii c. d Fomes peccati the nourse or breader of sinne is captaine of the warres with the deuyll fol. ccxxx d. Fautes be .vii. y t maketh a maÌ„s coÌ„uersatioÌ„ odious clxxviii d Fraternal loue is declared and his beginning and his perfection fol. cxl a b â–ª Feare of mind extended into the body is tremor fo clxxxiiii c Fastinge in Lent on Fridayes and in the rogation weke is vmbrayded mocked of noughty lyuers fo cclxxiii b G. GAlatia situation fol. cx d Gaminers be al churles w tout liberalitie cclxxxix a b Galilean Christ was called for despite fo cclxxiii a b Gentle birth requireth gentle maners bodelye and morallye fol. cxl d Giftes of the holy gost mai be had one w tout another xxiii d the .vii. Giftes of the holy gost be coupled why fol. ix b the Gift of vnderstanding is neuer taken from good men in thinges necessary to be knowen fol. xi a vii Giftes of the holy gost be compared to other vertues after diuers opinions fol. v. a b Gile and sutteltie counterfeteth science coninge xliii a Giuers ouer afore theÌ„d be like an ape w t a grene nut cxxii a Gile is described fol cxlvi a Gile that is good Eodem c Giue and you shal haue geuen to you is declared at large folio ccxii a Giuers of their owne shale be riche scratchers of other mens be euer at beggers state fol. cclxi c Glory of carnall kinred is poore and vyle Eodem a b Glad we ought to be bearinge parte of Christes passions folio cclxxi c Godly wisedome is declared fol viii b God wyll not suffre a good man finallye to wauer in errours fo xxxix c Good women how they should trim them selues liii c God repented is vnderstanded fol lix d Good spirite speaketh in catholike expounders of scriptures and in heretikes the bad spirite fol xcix b c Gloton the rich gloton buried in hell woulde not that his brothers should come thither why fo clxxviii a A Goyde is necessary to saue a man from maskinge moraliter fol. cxc a Good and yll be common as wel to il men as to good and why fol fi ccxli b. c. Godmen to be troubled with shrewes is no newes cclxx c Go about is the deuils vse fol-cccviii a Grace is diuerslye distributed and there of full of grace with a distinction fol. iiii a b Great sinners require great mercy fol. cxvii b. Growe to saluation fo cliii d Graues spoylers of mens graues of the brasen epitaphes be churles and worketh for shameful gaines cclxxxix b H. HArdnes of scripture is occasion of al heresies xxxvii d when Heretikes be seperate goddes minde in the scriptures is knowen fo xxxvii a Heresy of Nouatus Eodem b Herode the second was banished to Lions in FrauÌ„ce xvi c Heauen is diuersly spoken of in scripture and of the doctours fol. lxxv b without Heauen after Aristotle be thinges leadinge a most blessed and most sufficient life fol. lxxv b. Hellespont the streict and his breadth fol. cix a Heauenly ioyes be declared yea rather dreamed by negatiues fol. lxxxvii c Hearers of ill tales haue itchinge eares and what hurte they do fol. cxlix a b Heate of teÌ„ptatioÌ„ requireth a tree to shadow vs. clxxxviii b Heauen is a wildernes to many fol. cxcii a Heresies hath no strength but wheÌ„ they mete with a weak fayth fol. cccx d Heretikes euer wauering and vnconstaunt fo cccxii c Honour to our parentes wherein it standeth fo lii b Holy goost shewed his godhead specially reueling thinges to come fol. iii. a b Hope liuely and dead fol. cxix c Honours be like the fome on a runninge water like smoke lyke slepe fol. cxxii d Honor of a kinge fol. c.xci. d Honor hath diuers significations fo ccvi c Honour due to the wife by the husbande Eodem d Hospitalitie is of two maners fol. cclxii d Hospitalitie lokinge to be quit againe with the like is a spice of auarice fol. cclvii a Hospitalitie is rewarded aboundauntlye as appeareth by the scriptures fol. cclviii c Hospitalitie is vsed of very poore men and requireth no multitude of dishes fo cclxii a Humilitie hath two offices â–ª after one he was in Christ after the other it is in vs. fol. ccciii d. I. IAcob was loued Esau reproued withoute parcialitie folio cxxvi a. Idlenes slouth is most to be fered in the nobilitie clxxv b Idolatry foloweth of riotouse feastinge and bankettinge folio ccxxxiiii d Idoles men make their wyues children and theyr goodes folio ccxxxv b Idoles be nothinge fol. xli a Idolatry begonne by Ninus kinge of Babilon â–ª and greatly auaunced by Semiâ—amis his quene fo cccxv a Iezabelles shamefull ende and death notwithstanding her payntinge and trimminge fol. cci b. c Iewes to obstinately leaned to Moyses lawe in Christes time fol. xxx d Iesus was euer a sauiour fol. lxvi b Iesus and Christe signifieth one personne with a differeÌ„ce fol. lxxvi c Ionas shipwracke signifieth Christes temptation trouble fo cxxxviii d Iohn Baptist doubted nothinge of Christe wherefore his question was for his disciples learninge and not for his folio clxi c Iosue his shilde signifieth the armes of Christes passion folio ccxxxi b. Infirmitie maketh vertue stronger fo ccxl c. Iudas was both proditor and traditor fo cxci d IugemeÌ„t of god be of .ii maners secret manifest cclxxv a Iudas was chosen to be apostle not ignorantly cclxxxiii a Iudas Galileus error and destruction fol. xviii b. Iudas Galileus when he set forth his heresye and howe longe it continued fol. clxxxi d Iudgement generall is greatly to be feared fol. lxxxiii d Iudicial lawes be described fol. xc a Iudicial lawes as geuen by Moises bindeth vs not but the same enacted and stablished by Christian princes bindeth theyr subiectes fol xciii a Iudiciall lawes Christ lefte none fol. xcv c K. KInge Henry the .viii. encouraged great clerkes to trye out the mere truthes of the scriptures fo xix b. King Henry the .viii. by his foundations of cathedral churches conserueth diuine seruice to the honor of god cxx d Kinges spiritually they be that ruleth their affections folio clxviii a Kinges precellencie fo clxxx c Kissinges of diuers maners good and bad fo cccxv a Kissinge one another in the church at the masse time was vsed in the primitiue churche fol. cccxvi d Kissinge the pax at Masse and the reason why fo cccxvii a Knowledge of thinges to come hereafter men mooste desier fol iii b L LAzarus slepeth is vnderstanden fol xxii d Lacke of fear was a great cause of Noes floud lix b Lawes positiue made by man which bynde vnder payne of deadly sinne and which do not so binde xcvii a. b Lechery is colde without meat or drinke fol ccxxxiiii c
proude in their own conceiptes neither to trust in the vncertaintie of their riches but to be riche in good woorkes and good deedes to geue gentlely without frowardnes c. The other wisedome called beastly wisedome they haue that be ouer muche geuen to the pleasure of their bellies and consequently to the pleasure of the flesh and lechery For of glotony foloweth lecherye and this is the wisedome of them that studieth nothinge so muche as howe they may please their bellies as where to get a delicate cup of wine and good chere These S. Iude in his epistle calleth spottes for they spotteth and defouleth thē selues by ebrietie and surfets and spotteth other mē by their yll examples and euill occasions geuing Hi sunt inquit in epulis macule conuiuantes sine timore seipsos pascētes Against al these speaketh our sauiour Christ. Luc. vi Ve qui saturati estis quia esurietis Wo be to you that be farced stuffed and full fed for you shall be a hungred at your iudgement when ye shall beg refreshing and none shalbe giuen you and this paine with which Christ doth threaten voluptuous persones is inflict and laid on mens neckes somtimes here in this world as we haue seen by many men which hath mispende all that their fathers left them goodes and landes and all and haue be ready to begge or steale for very nede and for very lack of their accustomed fare Much like vnto Esau whyche for a messe of potage sold his first frutes Gene. xxv et Contempsit quod vendidisset And he litle estemed yea rather despised that he had so sold them So these yong ruflers be not sory but rather doth maligne and freate and chafe and be readye to fighte when a man would vmbrayde them for so mispendynge all their substance worse then the prodigall and wastefull sonne that is spoke of in the gospel which after that he had scattered and wasted by his lose liuing all the goodes that his father left hym yet at the last he tooke remorse and repentaunce and returned home to his father againe The third euill wisdome is called diuellishe wisdome which they haue that be wise and wittye inough to do mischief but good they cā do none They be wylye to circumuent men and to deceiue them in all busynes exchaunges bargayning bying and selling and such other exercyse And such be they also that by oppression leapeth vpon mens shoulders like Apes as muche as in them is keeping them downe that they shall neuer come vppe a lofte to anye thrifte or ryches and that wyll be gladde to wayte men a shreud turne so that no man shall espye them or knowe that they do it and many times when they haue done a man a shreude turne will make a man beleue that they be their best frendes All these be carnall wysedomes and worldlye wysedomes that bringeth a man to death euerlasting Rom. viii prudentia carnis mors est And it is counted very folyshenes afore God Of suche wisedome speaketh Christe Luc. xvi The chyldren of thys wicked worlde all sette in malignitie and myschiefe be wyser then the chyldren of light the children of grace the children of God And he geueth laude and prayse to the father because he hath hid the misteries and secretes of the trewe faith of Christ from them that be worldly wyse and farre casting and hath reueled vttred and declared them to suche as be chyldren that is to saye small and little in malice humble and lowlye in harte and spirite For on suche the holye goste wyll spredde hys gyftes and on none of theym that thyncke theym selues so worldlye wyse whyche be verye fooles afore God The apostle Saynte Iames capit iii. declareth what is this godlye sapience or wisedome commynge from almightye GOD aboue by the effectes and properties of it Firste saithe he it is chaste in deedes and in exteriour behauiour for where the filthynesse of lecherye is there is no vertue that can please God and thys is contrarye to beastlye wysedome Then it maketh peace as wel wythin a mannes selfe or in a mannes owne conscience as outwarde to others dyrectlye agaynst dyuellysh wysdome that is euer quarelyng and waytyng shrewd tournes It keepeth a measure and good manner in worde and deedes And so doth nother beastly wisedome nor diuellish wisedome Easye to be counselled or intreated where earthly wisedome according to the properties of the earth is hard to be perswaded agaynste his lucre or aduauntage Agreing with good men as none of the other three wisedomes doth And full of mercy in hart and dede And full of good fruites that is to say good workes wheras of the other wisedomes cōmeth no goodnesse but it be colourable vainglorious or for some sinistre purpose Iudging without simulacion or faining Not shewing iustice and indifferencye outward bearing indignacion and parciality in hart inward Such an humble hart had Salomon when he made his supplicacion and peticion to God in Gabaon .iii. Regum .iii. where he offered to God a thousand hostes or beastes to be all burned in Gods honour as the maner was then sayinge I am but yonge and knowe not how to beginne nor how to procede or make an ende of my matters Therfore giue vnto me thy seruaunt O good Lorde a disciplinable hart ready and apt to learne what and howe I ought to doe that I maye iudge thy people and dyscerne or put difference betwyxte good and yll wythoute whyche no man can be able to iudge these people they be so many in nomber Thys desyre and prayer of thys yonge kynge Salomon pleased GOD wonderouselye well And because he asked not long life nother riches nother the death of his enemies but onely wisdome to geue discrete iudgement Almighty god said to him I haue done as thou hast said Dedi tibi cor sapiens intelligēs in tantū vt nullus ante te similis tui fuerit nec post te futurus sit I haue geuē thee a heart indued with Sapience and intelligence in so muche that among all the kinges of Israell that haue bene afore thee or that shall come after thee there was neuer none like thee Here ye haue expresse mencion of the two firste giftes of the holy gost Sapience and Intelligence wittines or fine and cleare vnderstandyng Of the which Sapience properly serueth for iudgement in speculatiue causes chiefely concernyng almighty God and celestiall creatures and verities or truthes about the same iudgyng and determining that to them a mā shold surely adhere leyne to refuse the contraries as false repugnant to the truth And I must nowe speake vnitely or ioyntly of the gift of sapiēce of y e gift of intelligence or vnderstandyng as the prophet Esay rehearseth them coupled and linked together because one of them adourneth and helpeth another For Sapience is much the lesse if it lack Intelligence or wittines And wittinesse without discrete iudgement of Sapience is very vnprofitable
and kepte companye wyth theim to wynne theim to Christe where the Iewes that were conuerted to Christ thought he did nought and so they toke him as deuided from Christe by occasions geuen of theim wyth whiche he was conuersaunt thoughe he did all for Christes sake and to wynne al maner of menne to Christe Nowe as for pietas in parentes the worshipfull loue and honour that we owe to our fathers and mothers nature teacheth vs the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes of God as an exposition or declaration of the law of nature teacheth vs the same This honour coÌ„sisteth not only in cap knee for â—hi parents might sterue for defaut for al thy curtesy but it staÌ„deth iÌ„ ministratioÌ„ of necessary helpe coÌ„fort in their nede But this kind of pietie or loue due to our pareÌ„ts doth not so sore binde vs but that we maie diminishe of it for to do seruice vnto God Etiam in operibus superero gatioÌ„is in thinges y t we be not bouÌ„d to do but take them of deuotion whiche be now ralled will workes As saint Hierome declareth in diuerse places and speciallie in his firste pistle Ad heliodorum exhortinge him to solitarye lyfe and religion to leaue the yonge babies his nephewes collinge him and hanginge on his necke to leaue his mother though she would with wepynge eyes shewe him the brestes that gaue him sucke in his childehode though his father would lye prostrate ouerthwart the dore to stoppe him the waye he shoulde not sticke for all suche for Solum pietatis genus est in hac re esse crudeleÌ„ It is a kind of reuerend honor of God by it self in this thing to be cruell He saieth likewise ad rusticuÌ„ Monachum in like case Crudelitas ista pietas est This crueltie is reuerende honour to God And in a pistle ad MarcellaÌ„ de egrotatioÌ„e blesille He briÌ„geth in exaÌ„ples of the gospel Iohn Iames left their father Zebede in the boate patchyng his nettes folowed Christ. Mathewe y e customer left his countynge borde whereby he was wont to gette his liuynge and his wiues liuynge and his childrens and folowed Christe An other Luke .ix. was bid folowe Christe Christe so bade him he answered Sir I praye you let me firste go home and burye my father Christ bade him let other menne alone with buriynge the deade Come thou with me learne to preach the word of GOD. Tu autem vade annuncia regnum dei Another said he wold folow Christ but he wold fyrst bestow his riches that he had at home vpon his parentes or kinsfolkes or such other Christ bad him come on forward loke not backwarde like a noughty plowman for such shall not come to heauen Of these sayth S. Hierome there Pieâ—atis genus est impiuÌ„ esse pro domino It is a kinde or one maner of Goddes worship impium esse to be cruell sore or vnlouinge for Christes sake as he meaned perswadinge to religion or solitarye life Of the same in an epistle Ad fabiolaÌ„ de vestitu sacerdotuÌ„ vpon these wordes Superpatre suo et matre sua noÌ„ inquinabitur S. Hierome saith Multa noâ— facere cogit affectus duÌ„ propinquitateÌ„ respicimus corporuÌ„ corporis anime offendimus creatoreÌ„ Qui amat patrem aut matrem super Christum non est Christo dignus discipulus ad sepulturam patris ire desiderans saluatoris prohibetur imperio Quanti monachorum dum patris matrisque miserentur suas animas perdiderunt But maysters yf in Saynte Hieroms time religion had ben lyke to religions as they be nowe a dayes trowe ye that Saynte Hierome woulde so earnestly haue exhorted men to them no no oure religiouse men they be but parietes dealbati very counterfect appearing and not beynge religious no more lyke the religion in Saynt Hieromes time then an apple lyke an oyster as is playne by his writinges and by the Ecclesiasticall stories of Eusebius and the Tripartite story and suche other Yet one word more de pietate Another way it is taken for benignitie mercy pitie or coÌ„passion on our indigent poore and nedy neighbours and thus takinge it we vse to call the workes of mercy workes of pitie that we do on our poore neighbours And thus Paule .i. Tim. ii taketh it when he teacheth good and honeste wemen how they shoulde araye and trimme them selfe without golden riche and costly abilimentes fruntlets or bracelettes without pearles or precious stones not platting or settyng abrode theyr lockes like stales or baites to take the deuyll withall but rather in theyr apparell to vse a certayne bashfulnes and sobernes not like commen wemen that studieth how gloriously and disgysedly they maye make a shewe and set forth theyr fleshe to sale and to be vttered but rather as good wemen shuld aray them selfe vt decet mulieres promittentes pietatem per opera bona as besemeth wemen promising or shewinge pitie by good workes Therefore in the same epistle he exhorteth Timothe to the same sayinge Exerce teipsum ad pietatem Exercise thy self to pitie to do men good For that is profitable for all thinges and hath promyse of the lyfe that is now present and of the life to come That mercy and pitie is rewarded in this worlde it is sayd Prouerb .iii. Da pauperibus implebuntur horrea tua saturitate vino torcularia redundabunt Geue vnto the pore people and thy barnes and store houses or ware houses shalbe made full and thy wyne presses shall ouerflowe with wine And .ii. Corin. ix it is sayde Qui administrat semen seminanti et pauem ad manducandum prestabit multiplicabit semen vestrum angebit incrementa frugum iustitie vestre vt in omnibus locupletati habundetis in omnem simplicitatem He that sendeth sede to the sower wyll also geue breade to eate and wyll multyplye your sede and wyll encrease the gaynes of the grayne of your iustice that you maye be made riche in all thinges and maye habounde into all simplicitie and playnes of lyuinge And that the workes of pitie or mercye hath promise of the lyfe to come it is playne in the Gospell Math. xxv when the sonne of man shal come in his maiestie and all his aungels with him then he shall sitte on the seate of his maiestie and all nations shall be gathered afore him and he shall deuide them aparte euen as the shepehearde parteth the shepe from the goates and he shall set the shepe on his righte hande and the rancke and stinckinge goates on the lift hande And then that kinge wyll saye to theim that be vpon his righte hande O ye children of my father come take possession of the kyngedome that is prepared for you for I was an hungred and you gaue me meate I was a thirste and you gaue me drinke I was harbourlesse and you harboured me and so forth of other workes of mercye for whiche he wyll geue to the mercyfull man or woman lyfe
dwelleth dawes and crowes the vawtes and rouffes be so ruinous that no man dare well come vnder them Where is Troye where be the olde Emperies and monarchies of the Assirians of the Caldeis Medes Persies and of Rome whose Emperours had vnder them in maner all the worlde for theyr tyme Where is the deuotion that noble men and ryche marchauntes hath had to magnifie and encrease Goddes seruice to his honoure If God had not preserued our mooste gratious Soueraigne Kinge Henry the eyght whiche by his princelie zele loue and deuotion to God hath erecte this Cathedrall Churche of Bristowe and manye other suche within this Realme God knoweth what case diuine seruice should haue bene in All thinge waxeth olde and decayeth in processe of time so that corruption and decayeth in processe of time so that corruption and deathe is the ende Seconde how frequēt and many infirmities raigneth we see dayly infections of pestilence pockes great and small these new burninge agues and innumerable others more then the Phisicions haue written of in their bookes These contaminate and defowleth mens bodies by infections aches and paines euen to death And what corruption and infection of maners commeth to the soule by euill examples ill wordes and suche other occasions it were to long to be spoken of nowe Thirde the comon sterilitie and barennes of the grounde the great scarsitie of all maner of vitall and of fruites of the earth we feele it so many times to our great paine and discomfort that it nede not to be declared But the inheritance that as saint Peter saith here is kept for vs in heauen hath thre proprieties cōtrarie to these thre rehersed ther is no rotting ruine corruptiō or decay but immortalitie cōtrarie to all feare of death There is no feablenes of sicknes ther is none infection of body by corrupt ayre nor of soule by temptacion or by euill example for into that glorious citie and dwelling place can no vncleane thynge enter or come Thirde there shall nothing welow or wyther away but shall euer be kept freshe and floorishing by that well of life almighty God Ther shall be no lothesomnes or werynes by long vse and continuaunce as there is in all worldly plea pleasures there shall all good men and women shine like the sonne Math. xiii Oh good Lorde what beutie and brightnes shal our soules haue when our bodies shall be as bright as the sunne There shal be no heauines no labour no payne no sorowe no feare no death but euer still shall continue health of bodye and minde There shall neuer rise discentiō or debate betwixt neighbour and neighbour no miserie no nede or necessitye no hunger no thurst no cold to hurt the ne heate to enflame thee no faintnes for fasting no sluggardie for much eating no temptacion of oure gostly enemies The fleshe shal not resist against the spirite ther shal be no wil to sinne nor possibilitie to offēd But our sauiour Christ wil giue vs suche pleasure with the companye and felowship of the glorious angels as no hart can think nor any tonge expresse This ioyfull inheritaunce is conserued and kept in store in heauen saith sainte Peter for you that by vertue and power of god be kept by faith vnto saluation whiche is readye to be shewed in the last time at the generall iudgement Here he saithe that this inheritaunce is kepte in store not for all men that be regenerate by baptisme but onely for suche as perseuer and continue in goodnes to the ende by Gods speciall preseruation For perseuerance commeth principallye of God and of our selfe but secundarelye and is necessary for all them that will be saued Nam in cassum bonum agitur si ante terminum vite deseratur saith saint Gregory Good workes be done but all in vayne if they be left and giuen ouer afore the ende of a mans life For he that gyueth ouer and ceasseth to do wel afore he haue proued the vttermost of it or be come to the ende is lyke an Ape whose condition is when he tasteth the vtter hull or huske of an nutte and perceiueth it sowre and bitter casteth awaye the nutte afore he hathe tasted the swetenes of the curnell And cur Sauiour Christ saith in the parable of hym that woulde borowe breade of hys neyghbour Luke xi Si perseuerauerit pulsans c. If he continue still knockyng if hys frende wyll not giue it hym because he is his frende yet for hys importunitie continuall crauynge he wyll ryse and gyue him as manye as he hath neede of And he telleth vs what is the instrument or meane by which God dothe preserue vs and make vs to perseuer and continue in grace and good liuynge It is faithe and suche lyke faithe as I spoke of hope euen nowe sayinge that God hath regenerate vs by hys greate mercye into a lyuelye hope and so the faythe by whyche GOD keepeth vs is a lyuelye faithe adorned with Charitie and with good woorkes accordinglye By faithe Christe abydeth in oure hartes by whose presence wee ouercome all assaultes of oure gostlye enemyes Fayth maketh vs to vnderstande the fylthe and vncleanenesse of synne that so wee maye abhorre synne and flee from it Hec est victoria que vincit mundum fides nostra i. Iohn v. Thys is the victorye that ouercommeth the worlde oure faythe saythe Saynte Iohn it ouercommeth the pleasures of the fleshe tellynge vs that the fleshe is lyke a fellon giltye and most worthly condempned to mortalitie and death and euer still resisting and feighting against y e spirite wherfore it deserueth rather tortures paine and punishment then delicates or plesures Faith also maketh vs to know that the Apostle saith Si secundum carnem vixeritis moriemini if ye liue after the pleasures of the fleshe ye shall die wherefore if ye haue folowed your carnall pleasures eating and drinking reuealing and rioting in this holye time of Christmas lately past which ye should haue spent in deuotion and holynes ye muste repent your faulte and do penaunce therefore Faith maketh vs to contemne and dispise worldly wealth and riches as the dyuels mowse snatch and snare that maketh a man to catche hold others mens goodes so long till the diuell hath caught them and hold them in his danger Saint Paule saith i. Tim. vi Qui volunt diuites fieri incidunt in tentationes et in laqueum diaboli c. They that wil be made riche falleth into temptacions and snare of the dyuell and into many desires vnprofitable and noysom which drowneth men into death and destructiō therefore he biddeth the sayde Timothe to commaunde the riche men of the worlde not to be to highe in their own conceite nor to trust in the vncerteintie of their riches but in the liuinge God which giueth vs all thinges abundantly aswell to bring vs to the eternall fruition of the glorious Godhed as to liue by in this worlde Fayth contempneth despiseth honours
done whether it be good or yll .ii. Cor. v. And so Christ sayde that when he shoulde come in his glory with his aungels then he shall pay euery one accordinge to his dedes These wordes are greatlye to be feared for he sayth not that then he wyll geue after his mercy to euery one but after theyr owne dedes here he is mercifull there he wyll be all rightuous therfore the longer that he loketh for oure amendemente here so muche more greuouselye he wyll do vengeaunce yf we wyll not amende This iudgemente is greatelye to be feared for the hyghe wysedome of the iudge and for the cleare knowledge that he hath for al thinges be naked bare and opened to his eyes as well the secrete thoughtes of mynde as open deedes there shall nede no wytnes to accuse the synners for theyr owne consciences and theyr thoughtes shall be the accusers and wytnesses of theyr owne iniquitie accusinge or excusynge in that terrible daye Roma ii His fyrste comminge to take oure nature vpon him was in infyrmitie weakenes and pouertie but his seconde cōmynge that shall be to this merueilous iudgemente shall be in myghtye power and maiestie His power is almightye in it selfe and besyde that all the worlde wyll take his parte and fyghte wyth hym agaynste lewde synners there shall be no man to speake or to entreate for them and then he wyll be verye terrible and angrye to reproued synners in so muche that they shall wysshe the mountaynes and hylles to fall vpon them and to hyde them from the angre of the Lambe Oh merueylous agonye and furye of mynde that they shall be cumbred wyth to be so afrayde of a Lambe He wyll shewe him selfe very amiable pleasaunte and comfortable to his electe people and therefore to theym he wyll be as a Lambe and to the others wonderous sore and greuous THe nynth article of oure fayth is of the thyrde personne in Trinitie the holye Gooste expressed by Saynte Iames the sonne of Alphey called Iames the lesse because he came later to be CHRISTES scholer then the other Iames the Sonne of Zebede of whome I spoke in the thyrde Article This is the article I beleue in the holy Gost. Like as we must beleue on the father on the sonne so must we beleue on the holy Goost for he that beleueth not on all three persons taketh no profite beleuinge on one or twayne of them for this is the catholike and common fayth to beleue one God in Trinitie and a Trinitie of persons that is to saye thre persons in one Godhead The holy Goost the thyrde person is brought forth by the fruitefull will of the father and of the sonne as the equall wyll and loue of them both of equall mighte and power and maiestie with the father and with the sonne on whome we muste beleue After the article of beleuinge on the holy Goost conuenientlye foloweth two other articles concerninge the workes of grace of the holy Goost One is of the worke of grace in gettinge that thinge that is good the other in amouing and auoydinge that is yll OF the fyrst grace Symon the Apostle called Chananeus and Zelotes putteth the tenth article of oure crede saying The holy catholike Churche the communion of sainctes After the myndes of some holy doctors we may not saye properlye that we beleue in the holye Churche or on the holy Churche for the Church is not God on whom we beleue as is aforesayd it is the house of God Albeit if we say so it may be allowed as S. Paule praysed the Collossen i. for the fayth and charitie that they had in Deo in omnes sanctos on God and on all holy persons because that by theyr fayth and charitie they extended theim selues to God and all good men So in as much as we extende and set forth oure selues to conforme our selues to the vnitie of all holy churche and to the communion and company of all holy folkes by our fayth adourned with charitie mouinge our selues to suche conformitie in perfection of life we may by that reason saye that we beleue on the holye Churche and on the communion of sainctes This Churche is called holy as for a distinction and difference from the Churche that the prophete speaketh of saying I hate the churche of imaginers of mischiefe dissention and debate For suche Churches be not holy but rather yll and very noughte It is also called holy because the people and company of the same be washed from the vncleanes of sinne by the holy Sacramentes of the church takinge their efficacitie and strength at the bloude of our Sauiour Christ. It is called catholike that is to say vniuersall or whole ouer all the world not mutteringe in sundry corners or countreys as heretikes haue imagined theyr Churches There can be no greater treasure no greater honour gottē then to haue the grace of the lyuely fayth of this vniuersall churche This fayth saueth sinners worketh miracles ministreth Sacramentes who so euer he be or in what state or condition so euer he be yf he be not in this fayth of the catholyke churche he is no true christen man neyther can be saued lyke as there was no man nor woman saued aliue in the great floude that was in the tyme of Noe but onelye they that were within his great shippe The communion of sainctes or of holy persons that is to saye like as I beleue the holy churche to be one and holye and that yf I will be saued I muste conforme my selfe to that vnitie not swaruinge from it by heresies or dissention so I muste in perfection of lyfe conforme my selfe to the felowship and companye of holy persons as well of them that be nowe aliue as of them that be departed to God afore vs. For if we wyll haue communion or felowship with the sainctes or holye men in euerlastinge life we muste studye to folowe them in liuinge for they muste perceaue in vs somwhat of theyr vertues that so they may vouchesafe to pray for vs to almightie God And although we can not suffre martirdome as some of them did yet at the lest wise we must by example of them repugne and resist yll and vnlawfull concupiscence and the rather by their prayers that so we may obteyne forgeuenes of oure sinnes hauinge a merueylous good helpe thereto by the holy Sacramentes of this catholike churche whiche sacramentes all holye men and women commoneth and vseth felowlike pore and riche all together And by the vnitie and communion in the fayth and Sacramentes of this holye churche we receaue as well the merite of Christes passion and of his holy lyfe as of the good liuinge and good dedes of all holye people beynge all one knitte together by the liuelye fayth of the sayde catholike Churche according to the prophetes sayinge I am partaker of al them that feare the O Lorde And therefore euerye true lymme of the sayde Churche is partaker of all the good
be so prone and headstronge to all actuall Synnes as to pride couetuousnesse anger enuye and such other whyche all make agaynste saluation and worketh to dampnation euerlastynge All these miseries and wretchednes considered it is playne that mankynde hath nede of greate mercy and manifolde and abundant mercy to releue hym And therfore Saynt Peter sayde that almightye God by his greate mercye regenerate vs and gote vs again to life agaynst al these mortal deadly miseries The regeneration new begettyng is by the water of baptisme wyth y e words the cooperation and working of the holy spirit without whiche no man maye see the kyngdome and glorye of God By this the dutye or debt of originall iustice is washed away so that GOD will require it no more of vs but he geueth vs in the stede of the sayde originall Iustice an other gyfte equiualent and as good to helpe vs to heauen as it was whiche is the grace that maketh vs in the fauoure of God againe and acceptable to hym This gifte God sendeth into our soules with fayth at our Baptisme and will still at all tymes require it of vs lyke as afore he required the saide originall iustice so that the former debt and dutye of originall Iustice is chaunged into this latter debte and dutie to conserue and kepe the grace geuen vs at our baptisme And yet the mercy of God is so great toward miserable mā that if it mischaunce vs to lose the same baptismall grace by sinne he hath prouided vs an other helpe the seconde table a seconde remedy by penaunce to washe awaye our sinnes and to make vs cleane againe that we may recouer his grace and fauour So that like as originall iustice after it was lost was recompensed by the grace of baptisme so the grace of baptisme after it is lost by actuall sinne is recompensed by grace geuen vs with remission of our sinne bi penance And so loke how necessary baptisme is to wash vs frō the deformitie of originall sinne and to restore vs to grace so necessary is penāce to clense vs frō the deformitie of actual sinne cōmitted after baptisme to restore vs to grace fauour of god And euē like as God requireth originall iustice of al men that be not baptised as of Turkes Saracens Paignims and Infidels which all receiued it in Adam and as for lacke of it they remayne the children of anger of damnation so of al that be christened he requireth the said grace geuē with baptisme they that haue lost it by deadly sinne remaine the children of damnation except thei be healed by penaunce whiche shal geue them grace equiualent to the baptismal grace like as I said that baptisme geueth grace equiualent to originall iustice Al be it the disobedience and rebellion of the powers of our soules for lacke of the foresayde originall iustice dothe remayne in vs as a payne for Adams synne and as a nours◠and a breader of actuall synne and because almightye GOD while he dothe scourge vs doth not forgette to be mercifull he leaueth the sayde disobedience and rebellion of the powers of our soules as a matter of vertue if we will labour and striue against it to ouercome all vices that it woulde incline vs to By this regeneration also all actuall synnes mortall and veniall be cleane forgeuen when anye manne or woman dothe worthelye receiue it He hathe begotten vs againe sayeth saynt Peter into a liuelye hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christe By whiche the Apostle meaneth that lyke as there be two maner of fayethes a deade fayth and a liuelye fayeth so there be two maners of hope a deade hope and a lyuelye hope Hope is the expectation and lokynge for euerlastyng beatitude and ioye throughe grace and our merites Then the hope of hym that will hope and loke to come to heauen and wyll doe no good thynge to brynge him thither is a deade hope and a presumption rather then hope Thys considered the blessed manne Iob whose hope on God was so firme and sure that he sayde Etiam si occiderit me in ipso sperabo Iob. xiii Althoughe he wyll kyll mee yet I wyll hope and truste vppon hym Yet he sayeth there Veruntamen vias meas in conspectu eius arguam ipse erit saluator meus Non enim veniet in conspectu eius omnis ypocrita I wyll discusse my lyfe accuse myne offences afore hys face And then he wyll be my Sauioure For there is no Hypocrite none that wyll shewe oute warde more hope deuotion or holinesse then they haue in deede that shall come in hys sight Therfore lyke as wee haue powred into vs at our regeneration or Baptisme a liuelye fayeth so wee haue a liuynge or liuelye Hoope that lyke as Christe rysse from deathe to a lyfe immortall so shall wee dooe for the father of heauen so disposed and ordeyned for vs that hys sonne shoulde dye for vs that when hee hadde destroyed deathe by hys resurrection he myghte geue vs good example and lyuelye Hope that wee shoulde lykewyse ryse agayne from death to lyfe For lyke as he dyed for to shewe and geue vs Example not to feare Deathe so he roose agayne because wee shoulde surelye hope lykewyse to ryse agayne Into an inheritance that is vncorruptible vndefowled and neuer fadynge conserued and kepte in store in heauen The inheritaunce of Heauen as the Apostle saythe here hathe three excellente properties whyche wee maye ymagine by three contrarye properties whiche no purchaser wyll haue in anye Patrimonie manour or Lordshippe that he shoulde bye or purchase for him selfe to inhabite or dwell in Firste if it bee a rotten grounde where all thynge anone moulleth the tenauntes and mortises of tymber buyldynge rotteth oute and loseth their pynnes The walles or rouffes gathereth a mosse or a wylde Fearne that rotteth out the Lyme and Morter from the stones And where the Sea or freshe water weareth out the ground so that all thinges that there is in shorte space commeth to nought Hee is not wyse that wyll bestowe hym selfe or hys money on suche a grounde Second if there bee in the Lande or House any infectyue or pestylente Ayre disposynge menne to manye infirmityes and genderynge adders snakes or todes or these stingyng scowts or gnats that will not suffre men to slepe a man shoulde haue litle ioye to dwel in such a manour Third if it be suche a grounde where all thinge withereth and dryeth awaye for lacke of moysture where hearbes proueth not and trees groweth not to theyr naturall quantitie where the leues waxeth yelowe and falleth at Lammas tyde where men soweth a busshel and reapeth a peck and for redde wheate reapeth like rye or otes that is bestowed on suche a purchase is but cast awaye The inheritaunce of this transitorye worlde hath all these noughty properties rehersed and manye worse townes and towres castels and manours decayeth continuallye and where noble men haue dwelled nowe
victorie that ouercommeth the worlde oure faith for our fayth on God and on his holy worde telleth vs that no manne shall desyre to haue an other mans wyfe neither any woman to haue an other womans husband nether anye man beside her own husbaÌ„d Likewise if thou se another mans good lye by the negligentlye so that thou maist conuey it awaye and no man to se the yf thou take it awaye or consent thereto here thy fayth is tryed and proued noughte for thy fayth telleth the that thou shalt take awaye none other mans goodes Lykewise in thy occupyinge if for couetousnes to get the penye thou sell false or noughty ware or by false weightes or measures deceiue thy neighbours so doynge thou shewest thy self to forget thy faith to God and to his holy worde Statera iusta equa sint poÌ„dera Leuit. xvii Let thy balance be iuste and thy weightes equall And. Ezech. xlv Statera iusta ephi iustum and also byddinge the do none otherwyse to an other man then thou wouldest an other man should do to the. And coÌ„trary wise wheÌ„ thou art tempted to suche vnlawfull Lecherye as I spoke of or to false pyckinge stealynge or robbinge or to deceiue any man or woman by false occupiynge if thou sticke stedfastlye to thy fayth doing accordinglye to Gods holye worde then thy faith by this teÌ„ptation is proued good and muche better in the sighte of God then if it had neuer bene so tried And by this it is lyke to golde tryed by the fyre and shall be founde worthy to receiue praise glory and honour wheÌ„ Christ shall shewe him selfe in his glory at the generall iudgemente then he wil geue to the blessed children of his father whiche then shall be set vpon his right hand disseuered from the refuse deputed to dampnation on the lift hande to all them I saye that hath theyr fayth tried by temptation and proued sounde and pure as golde â–ª Christ wyll geue laude and praise sayinge to you I was an hungred and you gaue me meate I was a thirste and ye gaue me drinke I lacked clothes and ye gaue me clothes and so he wyl saye I had nede of such ware as you occupied and you serued me faythfully and trustely and my wife was in thy sight and in thy companye where thou mighte haue had occasion to tempte her to yll and yet thou dyddeste not And to the honest wyfe wydowe or mayde he wyll geue like laude and praise sayinge that where they were sore tempted to incontinencie yet they didde strongely and stedfastly resist and withstande for Goddes sake and for his holye wordes sake for suche workes of iustice and honestye the iudge wyll praise vs as well as for the workes of mercye whiche be namelye expressed in the Gospell because we shall by them thinke lykewise to be praysed for all lyke good and godlye workes And when he or she that haue this prayse shall saye I neuer serued the of anye ware and I neuer sawe thy wyfe for whom thou geueste me these thankes he wyll saye That you didde for the least of my seruauntes that you didde to me occupyinge with my seruauntes iustelye withoute gyle or deceite thou occupied iustelye with me and abstayninge from my seruauntes wife doughter mayde or seruaunte thou didde shewe thy selfe honest towarde my wife doughter or seruaunt Nowe what ioye and pleasure and comforte it shall be for a Christen man to haue suche laude and praise of the highe iudge at that terrible day when folke shall haue nede of comforte iudge who can It passeth my braine Oure fayth so tryed by trouble or temptation shall be founde worthye to haue glorye when the iudge shall say to vs Venite benedicti patris mei possidete paratum vobis regnum Math. xxv Come you blessed chyldren of my father and take possession of that glorious kyngedome that was prepared for you frome the beginninge of the worlde in whiche we shal be no more seruauntes but coparteners and coinheritours with our sauiour Christe and with all the gloryous Aungelles and glorious companye of heauen where we shall haue the graâ—e that GOD gaue vs here consummate perfourmed and in his hygheste perfectyon whiche wee call glorye whyche honoure we shall haue as Saynte Peter sayeth when we shalbe set a lofte and in highe estate whiche shall appeare more euidentlye by the deiection and ouerthrowinge of others of which Esa. xxvi saith Tollatur impius ne videat gloriam Dei Take awaye the wycked synner that he se not the glorye of GOD And also Christ sayth Go frome me you wicked persons into fier euerlasting when the dampned men and women wepinge and waylinge and cryinge oute when they se the exaltation of good men shall say Nos autem insensati c. Sap. v. we dastardes estemed and counted their liues but folishnes or madnes lo nowe howe they be counted amonge the children of God All this shall redounde to the honoure of them that shalbe saued This sayde prayse glorie and honoure we shall be indued wyth all by Chryste when he shall shew hym selfe in his glory Therfore though you do not nowe se him yet ye loue him For as Saint Augustyne sayth we maye loue thinges that wee se not so that we haue knoweledge of them for no man can loue that that he hath no knowledge of We know Christe by heare saye by readinge and hearinge his holy gospelles declaringe his gratious goodnes for whiche we muste nedes loue hym And although you se him not yet you do beleue vppon him for whiche beleife you shall be merye and haue suche ioye as no tounge can tell for it shall be the ioye of the glorye of heauen when you shall receaue for youre rewarde the ende and perfection of youre faith whiche is the health of your soules Nowe here you knowe by Saint Peters wordes what is the ende of youre faith it is the helth of your soules whiche health shall exclude al sicknes payne and miserie for none suche can come into that glorye of heauen where you shall haue the sayde health and saluation and neuer afore for here is no ioye but it is contaminate defouled and interrupted by discomforte payne and trouble And here you muste vnderstand perfect faith garnished and adourned with charitie and good workes accordinge for none other wyll serue vs to come to that glorious rewarde of health euerlastinge De qua salute exquisierunt atque scrutati sunt Prophetae Here Saynte Peter styrreth vp oure deuotion and loue that we shoulde haue to oure soule health that we shall obteyne and gette by the triall and profe of our fayth as he sayde afore He taketh an argumente of the olde fathers holye prophetes that in olde tyme prophecied of the grace that should fall vpon vs by the comminge of our Sauiour Christ which they vehemently desired to see in their time but they coulde not As Christe saith Math. xiii Multi prophete et iusti
such after him haue a certain feare in them and worketh rather of a tendernesse or nashnes of hart then of fortitude or manlinesse Contrary to this we rede of Iudas Machabeus the valiant captaine that whē Lisias protectour of that huge part of Asia betwixt the riuer of Euphrates and the ryuer of Nilus in the absence of Anthiocus the king had send by the commaundement of the sayde kyng into the land of Iuda .xl. M. footemen and .vii. M. horsemen to inuade that land and to destroy it handsmothe so that there should remayne no memorie of the Iewes in all that lande Then this noble captain Iudas Machabeus gathered his people together and after fasting that daye with feruent and deuout prayer to God made a solempne exhortacion to hys people where he saide to my purpose Melius est nos mori in bello quam videre mala gentis nostrae et sanctorū .i. Mach. iii. It is better for vs to dye in battail then to se the trouble paines of our nacion of holy mē Wher he preferred death temporal to experience of misery chosed rather to dye then to sustaine the calamitie wretchednes shame that they should come to if their enemies shoulde haue the ouerhand ouer them yet the true fortitude manlines in Iudas Machabeus passed the mālines of al the paignim cōquerours that Aristotle could recite Aristotle saith also fortis quanto est virtuosior felicior tanto fit in morte tristior ▪ A manly man the more that he hath of that vertue the more felicitie that he hathe the more heuy sorowful he is at his death because that by death he is depriued disapointed of y e greatest felicitie benefit goodnes that may com to man which felicitie after him maye be gotten in this world For though they put an immortalitie of the soule yet of the state of soules after this present life they litle determine but leaue it so ragged that a man can not tell what to make of it But where the Philosopher saith for a conclusion fortis quanto est c. his faithe was no better but we by our faith know that the life to come is much more excellent then this presēt life full of misery and wretchednes euer mutable and vnconstant Notwythstandyng for the naturall amitie betwixt the soule and the body they be ful lothe to departe asundre naturally feareth such departure therefore in the ouercōming of this feare in the contempt of this life in ieopardinge on great perils for equitie and iustice sake for the faith of Christ and for the life to come standeth principally our fortitude this gift of the holy gost by which the holy goste moueth our soules setteth vs furth to obtain come to the end of euery good worke that we begin and maketh vs to escape passe al perils that maye let our good purpose And where the paines of death or the fear of death many times ouerthroweth turneth the fraile minde of mā that mā of him selfe can not ouercome the perils of this world come to y e reward of his labors but gyueth ouer hys good purpose afore it be parfite and perfourmed Here the holie goste helpeth mans minde giuyng a certain boldnes and trust to come to rewarde euerlasting in heauen as to the most parfite ende of all good woorkes and the very escape of all perils To this end the true fortitude this gift of the holy gost hath hys principall eye and respect This excellent gifte of fortitude or manlynesse rested in our Sauiour Christ as Esay speaketh and made him to put away and shake of the passions of our fraile mortalitie which made him to feare death and to be pensyfull and heauye when he sweat water and blood in his agonie remembring the death that he should to But anone he cōsidered hys fathers pleasure by fortitude went fourth to mete thē that were sent to take hym and consequentlye suffred his painfull passion on the crosse as he was determined for to doe Wherefore God the father exalted him and gaue him a name aboue all names and that is had in reuerence of al creatures Many we rede of in the olde testament and in the new that boldlye contempned deathe for iustice sake whyche had euer their principall respect and eye to reward euerlasting As Esaye which wyth a sawe was deuided in two partes Ieremye the Prophet was stoned to deathe for preaching to the people the word of God And .ii. Mach vii is writtē a marueilous story of a mother her .vii. sōnes in which this gift of the holy gost the gift of fortitude or mālines appereth excellently When she with her .vii. sonnes were conuented afore the kinge and the iudges they were required to eate certaine meates that were prohibited and forbidden by the lawe and to fal to the rites of gentilitie which they refused constantlye and therfore were condemned to dye were brought to execution the eldeste sonne had first his tonge cut out of his heade then the heere and skinne of his head striped of together his fingers and toes cutte of and when he was almost spent yet he was cast into a great vessell like a friynge panne and fire put vnder there he was broyled and fryed vntill he was deade His mother his brothers lokynge on him and one comfortynge another manfullye to dye in Gods quarell and for the kepynge of his lawes saiynge Deus aspiciet veritatem consolabitur in nobis God will loke vppon the truthe and will haue comforte among vs. The second was likewise serued sauinge that his tonge was not cut out and at his laste ende saide to the kynge Tu quidem scelestissime c. O thou moste mischeuous manne thou destroyest vs in this presente life but the king of all the worlde will raise vs vp againe in the resurrection of life euerlastyng that dyeth for his lawes The thirde shewed furth his handes and his tonge and said I haue the possession and vse of these thinges from heauen aboue but now I despise them for the lawe of God because I hope and trust to receiue them of him againe And euen so all the brothers were arayed vntil they came to the seuenth And that marueilous mother comforted them euerye one saiynge I can not tell howe you did appeare within my bodye for I gaue you not spirite and lyfe and I did not ioyne together the limmes of euerye one of you but the creatoure and maker of the worlde that fourmed and fashioned mannes natiuitie and that founde the originall beginnynge of all thinges wyll restore vnto you agayne with hys mercy both spirite lyfe euen as you now despyse your selues for hys lawes sake Antiochus the kinge thinkinge him selfe to be dispised and set at nought counsayled the mother that she shold entreate geue good counsail to the youngest sonne and to saue his life if it might be
And she stowped downe to him mockynge Anthiochus the Kinge and saide My sonne haue mercie on me that bare thee nyne monethes within my bodie and gaue thee milke of my brestes three yeres space and mirced thee and brought thee vnto the age that thou arte of I desire of thee my sonne that thou do loke on heauen and earthe and all thinges that be in them and do vnderstande that God made them all of nought and so it maye come to passe that thou shalt not fear this butcherly hangman but shalte be made worthy to haue such brothers as be gone afore thee Take thi death and such part as they haue done that in the time of gods mercy I may receiue thee againe with thy brothers While she was thus saiyng the yong man boldly cald vpon the tormentors saiyng that he wold not obey the coÌ„maundement of the kinge but he wold obey the coÌ„maundement of gods law geueÌ„ them by Moyses And after a sharpe lesson coÌ„mination geuen to the king the king was inflamed with anger was woode against him more then against al the other brothers so the good yong maÌ„ departed trusting on god in all points at the last the mother after her sons was speÌ„t put to death Of like fortitude maÌ„lines boldnes we read in the new testameÌ„t of s Steuen saint Iames other in the actes of the apostles we read also of saint Peter s Andrew Bartholomew Laurence Uincent many other whose passioÌ„s be red in Christes church of which al of others like thapostle Heb. xi saith Alii distenti suÌ„t non suscipientes redemptioneÌ„ vt meliorem inuenireÌ„t resurrectionem alii ludibria verbera experti c. Some were racked drawen in pieces not loking for any raunsome that so they might find a better resurrectioÌ„ some suffred mocks stripes more ouer fetters prisones were stoned to death some were cutte in pieces In al these and such other timiditie cowardnes was far away this gift of the holye gost fortitude manlines strong hert lacked not by which thei were so coÌ„stant in suffryng aduersitie for Christes sake in hope of reward euerlastyng Amen ¶ The fourth sermon treatyng of the fift gift of the holy gost called the spirite of Science THe fifte of these giftes of the holy gost is the spirite of science or the gifte of science or cunninge for whiche you shall vnderstaÌ„d the science is not so precisely taken here as y e logitions speaking of science callyng it the knowledge of a conclusion proued by demonstration but science as we nowe speake of it descendeth and commeth alowe and is properlye the iudgement in the articles of our faythe and in such other Godly verities as extendeth them selues to creatures and to mannes actes and doinges accordynge to saint Paules saiyng Faith worketh by loue And so doth all the whole holy scripture more consistyng in practise and exercise then in speculation This gift of science or cunnyng as we nowe speake of it extendeth also to hande craftes and occupations as I shall declare hereafter And it presupposeth the gift of counsaile that I spoke of lately by whiche we may with studie deliberacion and aduisement attayne to the knowledge of mans actes and to the knowlege of creatures But because that many times mennes wittes in their study and in their singuler or priuate counsailes be ready to inuent or imagine of mennes actes and of other creatures laiynge a parte the gifte of counsaile and good iudgement so commeth many times to mannes minde deception errour lolaâ—dye heresie contrary to true science and cunnyng geloâ—ie suspicion sclaunder and infamye contrarye to quietnesse of liuinge Example we haue of the people of Israell whiche hadde inbibed so muche of Moyses lawe and wedded their wittes so obstinately to that learnyng and leaned so carnally to the same that notwithstaÌ„dyng all Christes doctrine and all the preachinge of the Apostles thought no way to saluation but by obseruynge and fulfillyng the workes of the lawe of Moyses as except men were circuÌ„cised they thought menne coulde not be saued And after a manne had touched anye deade thinge or anye vncleane thinge excepte he should sequester him selfe .vii. dayes from the company of cleane people and except he were washed the thirde daye and the .vii. daye with a certayne water made for the same purpose he should dye with many such ceremonies and vsages which were then commaunded to be vsed and were no more but shadowes and figures of our sauioure Christe and of the time of grace that nowe is and they shoulde nowe cease when the veritye signifyed by theim is exhibited and perfourmed like as nighte ceaseth when the day commeth and darkenesse vanisheth awaye by the presence of lighte Thys they woulde not vnderstande nor learne for any mannes exhortacion but rather persecuted to death all them that instructed theÌ„ in this veritie In this case was sainte Paule firste before his conuersion and many of his contrey menne and kinsfolkes the Iewes of whiche he saith Testimonium perhibeo illis quod emulationem dei habent sed non secundum scientiam Roma .x. I beare them witnes that they haue a zeale and loue to folowe the learnyng that God hath geuen them by Moyses but they lacke science and cunnyng they folow not good vnderstandynge in that in whiche they thinke them selues cunnyng for the saide ceremonies were no more but Iustitiae carnis vsque ad tempus correctionis imposite Certaine obseruances laide on their neckes carnallye to be obserued and kept to occupy them and holde theÌ„ vnder obedience and to keepe theim from the rites and vsages that the gentyles vsed in theyr ydolatrye tyll the tyme of correction the tyme of reformacion whiche is the tyme of Christes commyng at whiche time they should surceasse and be vsed no more Such a zeale and loue to learnynge hathe manye nowe adayes And of their learnynge and knoweledge whiche they thinke they haue they wyll make as great glory and boast as did the Iewes of their learning And yet their zeale and learnynge shall be without that science that is this gift of the holy gost In this case be they that so arrogantly glorieth in their learnyng had by study in the englysh bible and in these sedicious Englisshe bokes that haue bene sent ouer froÌ„ our englyssh runagates nowe abidynge wyth Luther in Saxonie Of their studie you maie iudge by the effect When menne and women haue all studied and counte them selues best learned of their learnyng men ê‘ceiue litle els but enuie disdainyng at others mockynge and despisynge all goodnes raylynge at fastynge and at abstinence froÌ„ certaine meats one daie afore an other by custome or commaundemente of the churche at Masse and mattens and at all blessed ceremonies of Christes church ordeyned and vsed for the auancemente and settinge forthe of Goddes glorye not without profounde and greate misteries and causes reasonable By this effecte
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