for this cause doeth the Lord so afflict vs that our faith maie be tried exercysed and made manifest to the world that others also maie bee inuited and wonne to the same faithe by our example and wee at the last maie attaine vnto glorie For as wee praise God so will he againe also praise glorifie and honour vs when as those counterfait and liyng Hipocrites who haue contemned the right waie shall be subiect to shame and confusion The Scripture doeth often compare the crosse vnto fire so here Sainct Peter compareth gold which is tried with fire to the triall of faith whiche is made by the crosse and afflictions The fire doeth not diminishe Golde but clenseth and purifieth it that whatsoeuer drossie substaunce is mixed with it maie be separated from it After the same sorte layeth God the crosse vpon all Christians whereby thei maie be as it were scoured and polished And it was well saied of the Apostle That the trial of your faith c. That is your faith must be tried and purified euen as the Worde is pure whereunto alone ye must sticke and trust vnto nothyng els Now this purgyng scouryng and polishyng of vs by the crosse is daily very necessary for vs because otherwise that olde and dull Adam would still to muche hang vppon vs and dull the spirite and make our faith vnpure Suche then is the life of a true Christian that it continually becōmeth better and purer For when through the worde of the Gospell wee doe beleeue wee are iustified and beginne to be purged yet as long as we are in the fleshe we can not be altogither cleane and pure And therefore doeth God cast vs into the middest of the fire that is into affliction ignominie and trouble whereby wee are daily more and more purged vntill suche tyme as wee dye This purgyng wee can attaine vnto by no workes of our owne for how should the outwarde worke purifie the harte within Now when faith is after this sorte tried whatsoeuer was mixed with it or was feined and counterfait must needes bee remoued and separated from it Hereupon at the last when Christe shall appeare shall followe magnificent honour praise and glorie And reioyce with ioye vnspeakeable glorious Receiuyng the ende of your faith euen the saluation of your soules THE Apostle saieth they haue vnspeakeable and glorious gladnesse and ioye because it bringeth with it honour and glorie when as the worlde hath suche ioye whereof cometh ignominie and shame Sainct Peter speaketh here of true spirituall ioye more plainly then thou shalt reade almost in the whole Scripture yet could he not fully vtter declare the same Now these things which haue bin saied are part of the preface wherein the Apostle sheweth both what faith in Christ is and also how the same must be proued and purged by aduersities and afflictions whiche God doth sende It now followeth that this faith is contained and promised in the Scriptures Of the whiche saluation the Prophets haue inquired and searched whiche prophesied of the grace that should come vnto you Searchyng when or what tyme the Spirite whiche testified before of Christe whiche was in them should declare the suffrynges that should come vnto Christ and the glorie that should followe Vnto whom it was reueiled that not vnto them selues but vnto vs they should minister the thinges whiche are now shewed vnto you by thē whiche haue preached vnto you the Gospell by the holy Ghost sent downe frō heauen the which thinges the Angels desire to beholde HEre Sainct Peter calleth vs to the Scriptures wherein wee may see that God of his onely grace and by no merit of ours performeth those thynges whiche he hath before promised For hereunto tendeth the whole Scripture that withdrawyng vs from al confidence in our own works it maie bryng vs to faith and very needfull it is that we he very diligent in learnyng the Scriptures whereby wee maie bee certein and throughly confirmed in faith After the same sorte doeth Sainct Paule also call vs to the Scriptures when as in the first Chapter to the Romanes he saieth that God had promised his Gospel afore by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures Also when as he saieth Rom. 3. that the faith whereby wee are iustified was witnessed before in the Lawe and the Prophets We reade also in the 17. of the Acts that he did the same when he preached of faith to them of Thessalonica whō he called to the Scriptures and expounded the same vnto thē who also on the other side searched the Scriptures daily whether those thynges were so or no which sainct Paule did teach This it behoueth vs to doe also that those thynges whiche we reade in the newe Testament wee maie learne to confirme out of the olde Wherein wee shall see those promises concernyng Christ whereof Christ himself also hath admonished vs Iohn 5. Searche saieth he the Scriptures for they beare witnesse of mee And againe If ye did beleeue Moses ye would also beleeue me for he wrote of mee Those vaine ianglers therefore are not to bee regarded whiche contemne the olde Testament and presumptuously saie that wee haue no more neede thereof when as notwithstandyng out of it alone must be taken the foundation and grounde of our faith For to this ende God sent his Prophets to the Iewes that thei might testifie vnto them of Christe that was to come Wherefore the Apostles did euery where conuince and refell the Iewes out of their owne Scriptures prouyng Iesus to be Christ And for this cause the bookes of Moses and the Prophets are Gospels forasmuche as in them we reade the same thinges foretolde concernyng Christe whiche afterwarde beyng doeu and accomplished the Apostles did preache and write This difference onely there is that whereas the bookes of bothe were committed to writing yet is it not withstanding not so much requisite that the Gospel or new Testament should be contained in writyng as preached by the voyce whiche maie openly publishe and sounde it forth that it maie be heard euery where in the worlde Now whereas it was also written that was more then necessary For whereas the olde Testament doeth speake onely of Christ to come the Gospel is that liuely word and vocall preachyng of Christe who is alreadie come Betweene the bookes of the olde Testament moreouer this difference there is first the fiue bookes of Moses are the summe of the whole Scripture and are peculiarly called the olde Testament Then are there Histories also and Bookes wherein are described the deedes and diuers examples of them whiche obserued Moses lawe and also of them which transgressed the same Lastly there are Prophets whiche haue plaine relation to the writyngs of Moses and haue more largely and in plainer wordes expressed the same Howbeit there is one and the same meaning both of Moses and of al the Prophetes Now whereas it is wont to be saied that the olde Testament is abrogated and reiected it is thus
is to bee esteemed and also how to attaine to the certaine knowledge thereof FIrst of all is to bee noted that all the Apostles doe handle one and the self same doctrine and therfore is it not well done of some in that they say there bee onely fower Euangelistes and fower Gospels whereas all is one Gospell what so euer the Apostles haue left in writyng Now the Gospel signifieth nothing els then the preaching and publishing of the grace and mercie of God through Christ our Lorde purchased for vs by his death And to take it properly it is not that whiche is contained in bookes and comprehended in letters but rather the vocall preachyng and the liuely worde and voyce whiche soundeth in the whole worlde and is so openly vttered that it maie euery where bee heard Neither is it a booke that containeth the Lawe wherein are many points of good doctrine as it hath bin hitherto commōly beleeued For it draweth vs from all confidence and hope of any woorke of our owne whereby to become righteous and declareth vnto vs the riche graces of God freely and without any our owne merite giuen vnto vs teachyng vs also Christ who hauing by his intercession appeased y e wrath of God and satisfied for our sinnes hath quite abolished and blotted out our iniquities and by his works iustified and made vs righteous Now whosoeuer either preacheth or writeth these thynges he teacheth the true Gospell in deede whiche all the Apostles but especially S Paule and S. Peter haue done in their Epistles Whatsoeuer then is preached or published concerning Christe is one Gospell although one handle it after one sorce and in one kinde of wordes an other after an other sorce and in an other kinde For a thing may be handled either in many wordes or in fewe and may be described either briefly or at large Howbeit seeyng all tendeth vnto no other ende but to teache vs that Christ is our Sauiour and that we through faith in hym without any our owne workes are iustified and saued it is al one Word and one Gospell as there is one onely faith and one Baptisme in the whole Churche of Christ Thou readest then nothing written by any of the Apostles whiche is not also contained in the writynges of others that were as it were penners of the Scripture but thei that haue handled this poynt especially and with greater endeuour and studie then the rest namely that onely faithe in Christe doeth iustifie euen thei are the best Euangelistes of all Hereupon thou maiest more rightly call the Epistles of Paule the Gospell then those thinges whiche Matthewe Marke and Luke haue written For thei describe not muche beside the Historie concernyng the doinges and miracles of Christe as for the grace whiche Christe hath purchased for vs none doeth more fully and fitly entreate therof then S. Paule especially in his Epistle to the Romans Now seing the Word is of more importance then the actions and doynges of Christe and that if we should want the one of them it were farre better to be with out the deedes and Historie then the Wordes and Doctrine it followeth that those bookes are most highly to be esteemed whiche entreate especially of the doctrine and wordes of our Lorde Iesus Christe For asmuche as if there were no miracles of Christ and that we were altogether ignoraūt of them yet were his wordes sufficient for vs and without which wee can not so muche as liue Hereupon therefore it followeth that this Epistle of S. Peter is to bee accompted among the moste excellent bookes of the newe Testament and is the true and pure Gospell in asmuche as the Apostle herein teacheth nothyng els then that whiche Paule and the rest of the Euangelistes doe namely sincere faith and that Christe is freely giuen vnto vs who hauyng taken awaie our sinnes is our onely Sauiour as in the processe of this Epistle we shall see By this that is here saied wee maie likewise iudge of all bookes and doctrines what is the Gospell what is not For whatsoeuer is not either preached or written after this sorte and to this ende that maie wée boldly iudge not to bee the Gospell haue it neuer so faire and goodly a shewe This power to iudge haue al Christians and not the Pope or Councels alone whiche face and crake that thei and none but thei haue authoritie to iudge of doctrines And thus muche maie suffize for the argument let vs now heare the Epistle The first Epistle generall of Sainct Peter The first Chapter PEter an Apostle of Iesus Christe to the straungers that dwell here and there throughout Pōtus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia Elect accordyng to the foreknowledge of GOD the Father vnto sanctification of the Spirit through obedience and sprinckling of the bloud of Iesus Christ Grace and peace be multiplied vnto you Blessed be GOD euen the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ whiche according to his aboundant mercie hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead To an inheritaunce immortall and vndefiled and that fadeth not awaie reserued in heauen for you Whiche are kept by the power of God through faithe vnto saluation whiche is prepared to bee shewed in the last tyme. Wherein ye reioyce though now for a season if neede require ye are in heauinesse through manifolde tentations That the triall of your faith beyng much more precious then gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be founde vnto your praise and honour and glorie at the appearyng of Iesus Christ Whom ye haue not seene and yet loue him in whom now though ye see hym not yet do you beleue and reioyce with ioye vnspeakeable and glorious Receiuyng the ende of your faith euen the saluation of your soules Of the whiche saluation the Prophets haue inquired and searched whiche prophesied of the grace that should come vnto you Searchyng when or what tyme the Spirit whiche testified before of Christ whiche was in them should declare the suffrynges that should come vnto Christ and the glorie that should followe Vnto whom it was reueiled that not vnto themselues but vnto vs thei should minister the thinges which are now shewed vnto you by them whiche haue preached vnto you the Gospell by the holy Ghost sent doune from heauen the whiche thinges the Angels desire to beholde Wherefore girde vp the loynes of your minde bee sober trust perfectly on the grace that is brought vnto you by the reuelation of Iesus Christ As obedient children not fashioning your selues vnto the former lustes of your ignorance But as he whiche hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all maner of conuersation Because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy And if ye call him Father whiche without respect of persone iudgeth according to euery mans woorke passe the tyme of your dwellyng here in feare Knowing that ye were not redemed with corruptible thinges
and beleeue it Thei that beleeue it doe followe it and conforme their liues thereafter But the greater number whiche bee thei that beleeue not dooe construe and take the same Woorde in a false sense contrary to the true meanyng of the holie Ghoste and thereof it commeth to passe that there spryng and growe vp so many false Teachers But ful slenderly haue we heretofore harkened vnto this admonitioÌ„ For what dreames soeuer haue been obtruded and preached vnto vs wee rashely and without iudgement haue been readie to accept embrace and allowe the same And by this meanes wee haue rushed headlong into suche a brainsicke doltishenesse that wee haue verily thought the Pope with the rable of his Chapleins and MuÌ„kishe Clergie could not erre And thei whiche should and ought to haue kept vs from errour were the firste that taught this doctrine vnto vs. Here wee learne that wee are vnexcusable if wee beleue amisse or followe and allow any false and erroneous doctrines ignoraunce shall not excuse vs seeyng wee haue been so diligently warned aforehande And God hath expressely charged that euery one should bee able to iudge of that whiche is preached and to giue a reason of the doctrine whiche he hath receiued if wee neglecte or make small accoumpt thereof wee are in a forlorne case it shal not auaile vs I saie to plead ignoraunce The daunger is no lesse then the hazarde and losse of the saluation of our own Soules And therefore it behooueth eche one to knowe whiche is the true Woorde of God that he maie adhere and cleaue vnto it and whiche is false doctrine that he maie flee and eschue it Of suche kinde of admonitions that we should take heede of false doctrines wee haue in many places of the Scriptures greate store Sainct Paule in the laste Sermon that he made to the Ephesians when he tooke his leaue of theim and was now readie to departe toward Hierusalem forewarned theim of these thynges saiyng I knowe that after my departyng greeuous Woolues shall enter in among you not sparyng the flocke And of your owne selues shall menne arise speakyng peruers thinges to drawe Disciples after them Act. xx Christ also foresheweth no lesse to his Disciples Math. xxiiij When any shall saie to you Loe here is Christ or there beleeue it not For there shall arise false Christes and false Prophetes and shall shewe greate signes and wonders so that if it were possible thei should deceiue the verie electe Againe S. Paule j. Timo. iiij hath these woordes The Spirite speaketh euidentlie that in the latter tymes some shall departe from the Faithe and shall giue heede vnto Spirites of errour and doctrines of Deuilles whiche speake lyes through hipocrisie and haue their Consciences burned with an hote yron forbiddyng to marie and commaundyng to abstaine from meates whiche God hath created to be receiued with giuyng thankes c. As these premonitions were bothe vehemently and seriously vttered so ought we to haue taken more heede and to haue been the wiser in looking to our selues But we haue had no regard to theim thei haue little or nothyng auailed vs yea we haue suffred our selues still to be wilfully seduced and nozzeled in errour Let vs now see who these false Teachers are of whom S. Peter here speaketh Truely I doe thinke it was not without the singuler and hidden councell of God that our Popishe Prelacie were called and tearmed by the name and title of Teachers and Maisters to the ende euery one might plainly see who thei were whoÌ„ S. Peter meant For he vseth here the same verie woorde False Teachers or false Doctours and Maisters he saieth not false Prophetes or false Apostles Whiche priuilie shall bryng in damnable heresies HEresies Sectes vowed Orders and Professions of life he therefore calleth damnable for that who soeuer haltereth hym self into any of the same is in a damnable case and in the state of perdition Thei shall priuillie saith he bring in Heresies and Sectes For thei shall not openly detecte the Gospell and Scripture of falshood nor directly charge it with vntruthe for that were a cleane contrary course and would flatly altogether marre the drift of their malicious plat but thei shall vnder pretence of greate cloked holinesse still retain the names of God Christ Faithe Churche Baptisme Sacramentes and suche like and shall bee contente to suffer the same to bee honoured and reuerenced But vnder these names thei shall sâ—ilie creepe in and priuilie foiste in doctrines of their owne forgyng and stampe altogether discrepant and derogatorie from the right honour and worship that is due vnto God And therefore there is greate difference betweene preachyng directly against Christe and preachyng couertly and hypocriticallie vnder colour of truely worshippyng Christe As for example if I should thus preache Christe is the Soonne of God perfect God and perfect manne and he that beleeueth in hym shalbee saued this preachyng is true and aduouchable by the Gospell and Scriptures Now if another should come and preache thus Christe is not the Sonne of GOD neither was he euer incarnate and Faithe doeth not Iustifie this maner of preachyng were moste false and moste directly contrarie vnto all truthe But of suche plaine and palpable godlesse doctrine S. Peter doeth not in this place speake neither dooe our Papistes and Munkishe Mawmettes so grosselie deale but thei priuilie coigne a counterfaicte kinde of doctrine and foiste it in among vs in steede of true and sounde religion As when thei saie thus It is true that Christe is bothe perfecte God and perfecte Manne and that he suffred death for our sinnes in whom whosoeuer beleeueth not caÌ„ not be saued These and suche like Articles as thei affirme to bee true so doe thei holde that thei appertaine and serue for the vulgare and common sorte of people Lett vs therefore saie thei institute some perfecter waie and preciser trade of Life Let vs binde men by Vowe to Chastitie to Pouertie and to an Obedience to their professed Rules let vs teache them to builde Abbaies Monasteries Celles and Hermitages and lette vs flatly perswade them that if thei zelously and deuoutly doe the same thei shalbe sure assone as the breathe is out of their bodies to goe straight to Heauen When these and suche like dotages are preached and colorablie instilled into mennes myndes that there is nothing more excellent blessed then Virginitie nothing more meritorious then counterfaite feigned Obedience that MuÌ„kes and Freers liue a farre better and perfecter life then others Here in these poinctes there is no open defiaunce in flat woordes made against the sinceritie of Christian doctrine herein is neither Faithe nor Baptisme expresselie denied neither yet doe thei renounce or denie Christe to bee the Sauiour of the Worlde but yet neuerthelesse the doctrine of truthe is here couertly impugned and clouded with deuises of mannes owne inuention and menne are thereby drawen and seduced from the right waie and are brought to an ouerweenyng
to bee vnderstoode First this difference there is betwéene the olde and newe Testament as wee haue saied that the olde signifieth Christe to come and the newe doeth performe and exhibite present those thynges which in the old were promised and by figures shadowed forth and signified Wherfore those types or figures doe now cease forasmuche as that is accomplished and performed whiche thei did signifie and that fulfilled which thei did promise Neither ought there to bee obserued hereafter any choyce of meates apparell places and tymes thei are all in and by Christe to whom thei were referred made of an indifferent vse For these obseruaunces did not saue the Iewes neither were they giuen them to this ende that thei should thereby bee iustified but that thei should by them as it were set forth Christ who was to come Furthermore in the old Testament God had a double rule or gouermente the one inward the other outward For he gouerned his people bothe inwardly in harte and outwardly in bodie and externall affaires Therefore did he giue vnto theim so many Lawes and so mingled one with an other As where the househande might giue a bill of diuorcement to the wife if he would not keepe her but put her awaie from hym it pertained to outward rule or regiment But it belonged to Spirituall gouerment whereas God commaunded theim to loue their neighbour as themselues Howbeit now he ruleth onely Spiritually ouer vs by Christ corporally outwardly by the ciuill Magistrate Wherefore when Christe was come that externall or outward gouernment was taken awaie he doeth not commaunde vs to putte any more difference betweene the outward persones tymes or places but doeth so gouerne vs spiritually by his woorde that wee are Lordes of all thynges that are without vs and are bounde and tyed to no corporall thynges But those thynges whiche pertaine to spirituall administration or gouernment are not taken awaie but are still in force as are those thynges whiche thou readest in Moses concernyng the loue of God and thy neighbour These GOD will haue duely obserued for by the Lawe he will condemne all those that doe not beleue The figures also haue their place and sense Spiritually that is thei were Spirituall thynges which were signified by these outwarde figures Whiche outward thynges are now taken awaie as where the housebande did refuse his wife for adulteries sake and put her awaie from hym whiche was a figure and had a certaine spirituall signification whiche was afterward spiritually fulfilled For God did after the same sorte refuse the obstinate Iewes whiche would not beleeue in Christe and chose the Gentiles whiche he dooeth euen yet also prouidyng that when any refuseth to liue in the faithe he bee caste out of the Churche of Christ that he maie repente After the same sorte is that constitution also wherein it was ordeined that a woman should bee maried to the brother of her housebande beyng deade and to bryng forthe children by hym who must bee called by the name of hym that was deade and possesse his substaunce Albeeit this bee now abolished yet is it neuerthelesse a figure whiche signifieth somethyng concernyng Christe For he is our brother who hath died for vs and before his Ascention into heauen commauÌ„ded vs that we should by the Gospel make soules which are his spouses as it were pregnant and fruitefull hereuppon wee retaine his name and are named of hym to whose moste excellent riches we succeede Yet must we not boaste and saie that we haue conuerted and wonne men for all suche effectes must be onely attributed vnto Christ The same maie be saied also of other figures of the old Testament whiche it were too long and tedious seuerally to rehearse Whatsoeuer then in the olde Testament is not externall or outwarde is yet in force and efficacie as are all the saiynges of the Prophetes concernyng Faithe and Loue. Whiche Christ confirmeth Matth. 7. Where he saieth Whatsoeuer ye would that menne should doe to you euen so doe ye to â—hem for this is the Lawe and the Prophets Moreouer Moses and the Prophetes are witnesses of Christ beyng to come So that if I at any tyme preache of Christ that he is our onely Sauiour I shall doe very conueniently if takyng that place which is in the 22. Chapter of Genesis namely In thy seede shall all the Nations of the yearth bee blessed I dooe therevppon with a liuely voice inferre that by Christe who is that seede of Abraham all men must bee blessed Hereof now it followeth that in Adam we are all cursed and damnable and that therefore it is necessarie if wee desire to bee deliuered from damnation that we beleeue in that Seede Vpon suche seiynges as these wee muste grounde our Faithe wherefore wee ought duely to regard and reuerentlie to esteeme theim in as muche as thei testifie and beare witnesse of Christ so that our Faithe maie bee established and confirmed by them And this is that whiche S. Peter doeth in the woordes followyng Of whiche saluation the Prophetes haue enquited and searched whiche Prophesied of the grace that should come vnto you AFter the same sort sainct Paule also speaketh in the last Chapter of his Epistle to the Romanes By the reuelation of the mysterie whiche was kept secret since the worlde beganne but now is opened and published among all Nations by the Scriptures of the Prophetes Many saiynges thou maiest read in the newe Testament taken out of the Prophetes whereby the Apostles haue proued that all thynges were so dooen and accomplished as thet were foretolde by the Prophetes For Christe Matth 11. rehearseth that saiyng out of Esaie The blinde see the halt goe c. None otherwise then if he would saie Those things which ye there read written ye see here truely dooen and in verie deede performed The same we read also of sainct Paule Actes 9. and of Apolios Act. 18. How thei coÌ„uinced the Iewes and preued by the Scriptures that Iesus was Christe in whom whatsoeuer the Prophetes had foretolde was now accomplished and fulfilled More euill Actes 15. the Apostles did after the same sorte shewe that the Gospell must be preached to the Gentiles that thei also might bee brought to the Faithe Bee assured that all these thinges were therefore dooen by the common endeuour of all that the Iewes might be conuinced and as it were compelled to acknowledge that all thynges were then so dooen as thei reade them foretolde in the Scriptures Searchyng when or what tyme the Spirite whiche testified before of Christe whiche was in theim should declare the sufferynges that should come vnto Christ THe meanyng of sainct Peter is this Albeit the Prophetes did not plainly knowe any certaine and definite tyme yet generally thei did all signifie the circumstances bothe of tyme and place as how Christe should suffer what death he should dye and how the Gentiles should beleeue in hym so that by the signes whiche thei foretold it might bee certainly
knowne that the same time was come The Prophet Daniel came verie nere the matter neuerthelesse he spake thereof obscurely and darckly namely at what tyme Christ should suffer and dye and when this or that thing should come to passe So thei had an undoubted Prophecie that the Kyngdome of the Iewes should ceasse before Christe did come but the daie and certaine tyme when the same should bee fulfilled was not expressed forasmuche as it was sufficiente to knowe that when that tyme was come the commyng of Christe was not then farre of So Ioel in the second Chapter of his Prophecie fore shewed the time when the holie Ghost should come In the last daies I will powre out my Spirite vppon all fleshe Whiche Prophecie Sainct Peter in the seconde Chapter of the Actes rehearseth and thereby proueth that it was foretold of that his tyme and those his brethren whiche then liued Hereby thou seest with what diligence alwaies the Apostles rendered reasons of those thynges whiche thei preached and taught approuing theÌ„ same by the Scriptures but CouÌ„cels and the Pope would doe all thynges with vs without the Scriptures coÌ„maundyng vs by the obedience of the Churche and vnder paine of excommunication to beleue theÌ„ The Apostles were replenished with the holie Ghoste were certaine bothe that thei were sent of Christ also that thei did preache the true and vndoubted Gospell yet did thei humble and submit them selues thus farre that thei required to be beleeued in nothyng whiche thei did not proue soundlie out of the Scriptures to bee so as thei affirmed that the mouthes of Infidels might be stopped and be able to saie nothyng against theÌ„ with reason And shall wee beleeue these grosse and vnlearned Lubbers whiche neither preache the Woorde of God neither can doe any thyng but iangle and prate bauie and reuile It could not be y t the Fathers should thus erre so long is it since it was so concluded wherefore of these thinges there ought now no reason to be giuen to any man Wee are able to proue certainly out of the Scriptures that none shalbee saued but he that beleeueth in Christe so that these men are not able to speake any thyng there againste And also thei shall neuer bee able to proue vnto vs their childishe trifles by the Scriptures as namely that he is in a damnable ease whiche fasteth not this or that daie and suche like wherefore it is not meete neither ought wee at any hande to beleeue them Sainete Peter now saieth moreouer And the glorie that should followe That whiche is here spoken of the Apostle maie bee vnderstoode bothe of the afflictions whiche Christ him self suffered and also of those which wee Christians being his members doe suffer For sainct Paule calleth that the sufferyng of Christe whiche euery Christian doeth suffer As the affiance name worde and woorkes of Christe are myne forasmuche as I firmely beleeue in him so are my afflictions also his in asmuche as I am afflicted for his sake Wherefore the afflictions of Christ are daily accomplished in Christians euen vnto the ende of the worlde This now is no small comfort vnto vs that howsoeuer thinges fall out wee are certaine that all our afflictions are so common togither with Christe and vs that he counteth them no otherwise then his owne This also maie not a little encrease our comforte that glorie shall vndoubtedly followe these afflictions Howbeit wee must knowe this also that as Christ came not vnto glorie before hee had suffered so wee also must first beare the crosse with hym that we maie afterwardes reioyce togither with him All thinges therefore saieth the Apostle in effect whiche wee dode now preache the Prophetes haue long since manifestly declared and foretolde that thei should come to passe the holie Ghoste reuellyng the same vnto them Now whereas wee doe so little vnderstande the Prophetes the cause is for that wee are ignorant of the tongue wherin thei did write for thei haue written very plainly and manifestly Wherefore to them that are skilfull of the tongue and haue the Spirite of God whiche vndoubtedly all that beleeue haue it is not harde to vnderstande them for as muche as thei know where unto the whole Scripture tendeth But where bothe the tongue is not vnderstood and the spirite is wantyng it appeareth no otherwise then if the Prophetes were madde or dronken Howbeit if wee should want either of these it were farre better to haue the Spirite without the tongue then the tongue without the Spirit The Prophetes spake after an other sorte then did the Apostles yet did they signifie the same thinges which afterward the Apostles preached For bothe shewe many thinges of the afflictions aswell of Christe as of those that beleeue in his and also of the glorie that followeth the same So Dauid Psal 22. when hee speaketh of Christ in this sorte I am a woâ—â—e and no man 〈◊〉 doth he els declare but his exceeding debasing and 〈◊〉 whiche in his passion hee suffered Also Psal 44. he writeth of the afflictions of Christians sayng Wee are counted as sheepe appoincted to be slaine c. Vnto whom it was also reueiled that not vnto them selues but vnto vs they should minister the thynges whiche are now shewed vnto you by them whiche haue preached vnto you the Gospell by the holy Ghoste sent downe from heauen IT was sufficient for the Prophetes that they knewe these thynges but in that they left the same behinde them in writyng it was for out sakes makyng themselues herein as it were Ministers to 〈◊〉 as to the 〈…〉 and vnderstandyng hereof and that wee might learne the same of them as of our maisters And thus haue wee a sure helpe and strengthenyng of our faithe for our further and better instruction whereby wee maie bee able to defende our selues against all false doctrines Whiche thinges the Angels desire to beholde SO greate thinges haue the Apostles delared vnto vs by the holy Ghoste whiche came downe vppon them from heauen that euen the very Angels doe desire to beholde and see them Here wee muste with greate attention shut our eyes and see what the Gospell is wherein surely we can not but haue exceedyng delight ioye and consolation We can not yet see these thynges with our bodily eyes but wee must beleeue that wee are made partakers of righteousnesse truth saluation and of all good thinges which God hath For inasmuche as he hath giuen vnto vs Christe his onely begotten Sonne the fountaine and head of all good thinges how should hee not through and with hym giue vs also all his good thynges riches and treasures whereat the Angels in heauen doe take merueilous ioye and delight All these thynges are offered vnto vs by the Gospell so that if we beleeue we must needes likewise take merueilous delight and pleasure therein howbeit our delight and pleasure while wee liue on the earth caÌ„ not be so perfect as that of the Angels is For here
whereto I stedfastly trust Vnto you therefore whiche beleeue it is precious but vnto them whiche bee disobedient the Stone whiche the builders disalowe thesame is made the heade of the Corner And a Stone to stumble at and a Rocke of offence THis moste excellent and precious Stone is vnto some precious and moste highlie regarded Againe vnto no fewe it is not precious at all but rather a Stone of Offence and a Stone whereat many doe stumble And how commeth this geare to passe Forsooth the Scripture speaketh of the same in twoo sortes namelie there bee some that doe beleeue on hym And againe there bee many that dooe not beleeue on hym Now vnto them that doe beleue on hym he is precious and it can not be but their hartes hauyng still their hope trust and confidence in hym muste needes bee excedyngly cheared and made ioyfull And therefore it is that he saieth Vnto you whiche beleeue on hym he is precious that is to saie he is of you highlie esteemed For although he bee neuer so precious and excellēt of hymself and by himself yet would that without more nothyng at all auaile vs and therefore it behooueth that he muste bee precious vnto vs to the ende it maie enriche vs with many singuler good thynges Like vnto some precious Pearle or Gemme whiche keepeth and retaineth not his vertue to it self but vttereth and sheweth it foorthe to others and so totallie manifesteth hee his whole powers and vertues that we maie now both enioye and possesse whatsoeuer thesame is But vnto them whiche beleeue not this Stone is nothing precious for thei disalowe and caste it awaie and take offence and stumble at it whereby it falleth out that thei repose no assuraunce or trust in it and so vnto them it turneth vnto a greater detriment and maketh them worse albeit the same of his owne nature is wont rather to stirre vp in men a more strong hope and perfect trust Thei that thus stumble are not onely suche as are chained and clogged in those grosse and manifest synnes but suche hypocrites rather whiche heare themselues bold vpō their vizured sanctimonie and fained holinesse which trust vnto their owne Freewill to their owne Workes their owne Righteousnesse These fellowes can not choose but stūble and bee offended at this Stone Here now doeth God definitiuely set it downe that thei whiche come without workes must come by Faithe onely for their righteousnesse and that thei whiche come otherwise then by Faithe shall neuer speede of their purpose because thei goe about as sainct Peter saieth Rom. x. To stablishe their saluation by their owne righteousnesse And therefore saieth Sainct Peter here That he is made the Stone which the Builders disalowed and refused and here he conferreth certaine places of the Scripture together eftsoones cityng that text out of the 118. Psalme wherevnto he afore alluded The Stone which the Builders refused is the head of the Corner Who these builders bee wee haue afore sufficiently declared namely thei that teache and preach the Law and go about to iustifie men by their Works These Iusticiaries agree aswell with Christ as Winter with Sōmer and therefore it must necessarilie followe that these Meritemongers bee euen thei that reiect and refuse this Stone He further bringeth in an other place out of Esay Chap. viij wherein the Prophete foretelleth that the same thyng should come to passe whiche sainct Peter here in this place telleth is come to passe alreadie and is daily doen and put in practise His wordes are these Sanctifie the Lorde of Hostes and let hym bee your feare and let hym be your dread and he shall bee to you as a Sanctuarie but a stumblyng stone and as a Rocke to fall vppon to bothe the houses of Israell The meanyng of the Prophete is as though he should saie The Lorde shall be vnto you a Sanctification that is he ought to be sanctified in your heartes other Sanctification you neede none neither is there any other thyng required of you but that you beleeue in hym To all others he shall bee a Stone of offence and stumblyng And what is the sense and meanyng of hese wordes Offence and Stumbling Truely this when Christ is preached and that thou hearest these wordes Beholde he is the Stone that is laied for a foundation then art thou vtterly to dispaire distrust and renounce al helpe in thy self and to condemne and accoumpt as detestable all thine owne woorkes and all thyne owne Righteousnesse and onely to repose thy confidence vpō hym firmelie beleuyng that Christes righteousnesse is thine At these and suche like wordes these fellowes stand agast are offended and become worse then afore What saie thei darest thou auouche saie that Virginitie Single life Massing and suche like are nothyng worthe Thou speakest thus through the very instinct of the Deuill For nothyng but mere good deedes are accepted before GOD. Yea thei are not as they think without some strong places of Scripture for the maintenaunce of their assertion hauyng still in their mouthes that God hath commaunded vs to doe good Workes Therefore when wee reiect the same straightwaies wee heare at their handes Heretike Heretike to the Fier with him to the Fier with him And thus thei can not abide this Stone thei violently rushe and push at it and doe all thei can to pull it doune and are therein themselues so crushed and bruised that by the same very Stone thei are vtterly dashed in pieces Euen as in the xxj of Mathewes Gospell Christe himself saieth Haue you not read in the Scriptures The Stone whiche the Builders refused the same is made the head of the Corner And anone after it followeth Whosoeuer shall fall on this Stone he shall bee broken but on whomsoeuer it shall fall it will grinde hym to powder Take heede therefore what ye doe it is no game nor plaiyng matter that is spokē concernyng this Stone It is laied and shall for euer remaine in his place hee that wil rushe and bruise himself vpon it can not better escape but be dashed in peeces and grounde into pouder This is the stumblyng and offence taking at this Stone whereof the Scriptures speake muche Therefore the Iewes euen to this daie doe stumble at this Stone and still will continue till the ende of the worlde for then shall this Stone fall vppon all Infidelles and faithlesse Miscreauntes and grinde them vtterly to pouder And thus it commeth to passe that Christe albeit hee bee an elect and precious Stone is called without any fault of his owne a Stone of Offence and Stumblyng And as the Iewes did so also dooe wee and that continually For as thei greatly boasted of the name of GOD and vaunted themselues to bee the peculier people of God euen so fareth it now with vs for vnder the pretext of Christe and of the Churche of Christe wee renounce and renye the name of Christe and flatly refuse this precious Stone Hee came into
and retaine the same sincerelie and soundlie without addyng any thyng therevnto or myngâ—ng any false and erroneous doctrine therwith And therefore S. Peter now afterward addresseth hym self to write against humaine doctrines and newfangled deuises of mannes Idle and fonde imagination But for what cause dooeth he saie Wee haue a moste sure Woorde of the Prophetes Truely I am thus fullie perswaded that wee shall neuer hencefoorthe haue any suche Prophetes as in the old Testamente the Iewes had A Prophete properlie is hee that bringeth the glad tidynges of Iesus Christ and although many of the Prophetes in the old Testament prophecied also of other matters to come yet thei came and were sent of God peculiarly to this ende and purpose to preache and foretell of Christe All thei that beleeue in Christe are Prophetes For thei haue the chief head of that thing whiche Prophetes ought to haue although al of them haue not the gift of Propheciyng For euen as through the Faithe of one Iesus Christ wee are all Brothers Kynges and Priestes so also through Christe wee are Prophetes For wee can all vtter and declare those thinges that appertaine to the glorie of GOD and Christian life wee also so farre as is needefull and expedient for vs can foretell of thynges to come as that there shall bee a daie of generall Iudgement and that wee shall all rise againe from the dead and finally wee vnderstande the whole Scripture This witnesseth S. Paule saiyng You maie all Prophecie one by one j. Cor. xiiij Therefore saieth S. Peter thus We haue suche a worde of the Prophetes as is sure inough of it self Onely see ye that it bee firme and sure to you And ye dooe well if ye take heede vnto it As though he should saie It is verie necessarie and expedient for you to stande sure in it For it fareth with vs in this case of the Gospell muche like as it dooeth with a man that is taken and enclosed in a darke house at Midnight who had neede to haue Candlelighte till it bee daie light that hee maie see whiche waie to goe Euen so the Gospell is as a Candle at Midnight and in the darcke whereas all humaine reason and wisedome is nothyng but mere errour and blindnesse The Worlde is nothyng els but a Kyngdome of darkenesse In this darkenesse God lighteneth vs with his Candle to wit his glorious Gospell whiche directeth our steppes aright that wee maie see whiche waie to goe and walke in this Worlde till suche tyme as the Mornyng appeare and the daie dawne This place doeth also mainly oppugne and beate doune all the foolishe tromperies of humaine doctrines For seyng that the Woorde of God is the Candle and Lanterne that giueth light in darke corners and obscure places wee must necessarily therevpon conclude that al other thinges be mere darknesse For if there had been any other Light beside the Woorde S. Peter would not haue vsed these speeches Neuer consider and waigh therefore how skilfull and wise those menne bee that teache any other doctrine beside the Woorde of God neither let it any whit mooue thee how gloriouslie and galantly so euer thei couche their smothed reasons For where thou feelest and seest the Worde of God to bee absent doubt not but all which thou hearest is mere blindnes and erroneous darkenes Neither lette it any thyng mooue thee in that thei bâ—agge and saie that thei haue the holie Ghost For how can thei haue the Spirite of God which haue not the Word of God And therefore thei doe nothyng els but call Light darkenesse and darkenesse light as it is saied Esaie v. This Woorde of God is the Gospell whereby wee are through Christ redeemed from Sinne Death and Hell he that harkeneth and giueth eare therevnto hath a Linke or a Lampe lighted and kindled in his harte By the which we may see and are enlightened and taught what to our duties is appertainyng But where soeuer this Lampe is absent there wee fall into our owne rotten waies and seeke by Works Merites and deuises of our own Forge to bespeake forsooth make to our selues a nerer waie to Heauen Here now and in suche like cases thou maiest with the helpe of this Lampe iudge and plainly perceiue all these doatyng Inuentions and dreames to bee nothyng but mere darkenesse The aucthours whereof haue not the Light neither can thei abide the Light and therefore thei must needes remaine in darkenesse and continue in blindnesse For this is the Light that teacheth vs what we ought to doe and what thinges be needefull and necessarie to our Saluation whiche be poinctes farre differyng from the wisedome and skill of the Worlde Wee daiely stande in greate neede of this Light and we must giue heede vnto it euen till the laste daie Afterwardes we shall not neede the Worde any longer as a Candle is wont to be quenched and put out when the broad daie light is once appeared So that ye first knowe this that no prophesie in the Scripture is of any priuate interpretation For the prophesie came not in olde tyme by the will of man but holie men of GOD spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost HErein S. Peter beginneth to oppugne false and erroneous doctrines and of his words this is the meanyng Forasmuch as ye knowe that wee haue the Worde of God cleaue fast vnto it and suffer not your selues to bee seduced by false Teachers although thei come and saie that thei haue the holy Ghoste For know ye this first that no prophesie in the Scripture is of any priuate interpretation Note this saiyng therefore well and thinke not that ye shall euer bee able of your owne reason and industrie to expounde and explane the Scriptures Hereby are throwne doune to the grounde all the proper and priuate interpretations of all the Fathers and strait charge here giuen to the contrarie that no man should relye or leane to any suche explanations If either Hierome or Augustine or any other of the Fathers interprete and expounde any place of the Scripture of themselues or by any of their owne deuised gloses we are if the same be dissonant to the doctrine contained in other textes of the sacred Scriptures vtterly to refuse those their interpretations For S. Peter doth here forbidd any man to interprete and expound the Scripture by his own spirit The true explanation thereof is the woorke of the holie Ghost and he it is that must interprete and expounde the same or els it must be left without interpretation Therefore if any of the auncieÌ„t Fathers can auerre and iustifie his interpretation and exposition by the Scripture and can thereby prooue that the place whiche he expoundeth is so to bee taken and vnderstoode we are reuerently to accept and embrace his saiynges if no we are not bounden to beleeue hym Within the compasse of this Censure also wee maie see how S. Peter noteth and nippeth the spirites of those greate Rabbines Doctors that