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
it beginneth in vs so that by faith wee haue a certein feelyng thereof but in heauen it shall bee so greate that the harte of man is not able to comprehende it yet shall we enioye the same when we come thither Thus thou seest how Saincte Peter teacheth vs to arme and prepare our selues by the Scriptures For hitherto hath he described what it is to preache the Gospell and how it was foretolde by the Prophetes that it should bee after this sorte preached and taught Now hee proceedeth and hereafter exhorteth vs by faithe to embrace and by loue to followe suche preachyng of the Gospell saiyng Wherfore girde vp the loynes of your mind bee sober and trust perfectly on the grace that is brought vnto you by the reuelatiō 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 Bee ye holy for I am holy THis is an exhortation to faith the meaning wherof is this Forasmuche then as so greate thynges are preached and giuen vnto you by the Gospell whiche euen the Angels doe desire with pleasure to beholde see that ye faithfully cleaue vnto them and with an assured trust and affiance repose your hope therein that your faithe maie bee sincere and sounde and not any fained opinion or dreame Girde vp the loynes of your mynde SAinct Peter speaketh here of the spirituall girdyng of the mynde like as if a man should corporally girde a sworde vppon his loynes Of which girdyng Christ maketh mention Luke 12. where he saieth Let your loynes be girded about In some places of the Scripture Loynes signifie carnall lust or concupiscence But sainct Peter speaketh here of Spirituall Loynes Whereas the Scripture speaketh of the bodie and calleth that part the Loynes from whence from the Father proceedeth naturall generation according as we read Gen. 46. that Christ should spring out of the Loynes of Iuda Wherefore corporally to girde the Loynes signifieth nothing els then chastitie as it is in Esay Chap. 11. Righteousnesse shall be the girdle of his Loynes and faithfulnesse the girdle of his reynes that is by onely faithe filthie and vnlawfull lust is restrained and brideled But the spirituall girdyng whereof the Apostle here speaketh is after this sorte As a Virgin is in bodie chast and entire so the mynde through faithe whereby it is espoused to Christ is spiritually sounde and sincere Howbeit as sone as it reuolteth from faithe to false and erroneous doctrine it is violate and corrupted wherevppon the Scripture commonly calleth Infidelitie and Idolatrie by the names of adulterie and fornication namely when the mynde sticketh to the doctrines of mē and forsaketh faithe in Christ From this Sainct Peter here dehorteth when hee biddeth to Girde vp the loynes of the mynde which in effect is asmuche as if he should saie Ye haue now heard the Gospell attained vnto faithe see then that ye persist therein and suffer not your selues to be defiled corrupted with false doctrine waueryng in vncertentie now this waie now that waie The Apostle sainct Peter vseth here a certen peculiar and proper kinde of speeche not suche as sainct Paule vseth when he saith Gird vp the loynes of your mynde Hee calleth that the Mynde which we otherwise call the thought as when I saie I thinke thus that this is right and as sainct Paule saieth so dooe wee thinke suche is our opinion so it seemes vnto vs. And by this meanes doeth the Apostle here moste properly signifie Faith meanyng thus much in effect Ye haue now attained to a true thought and are setled in a right perswasion that wee are iustified by faithe onely persist strongly herein girde it fast vnto you and valiauntly sticke thereunto let no man pull these sounde opinions out of your hartes and then shall yee prosperously persener and stande There will many false teachers arise who will forge doctrines of men thereby to corrupte your mynde and looze this girdle of Faithe wherefore in harte receiue this admonition whiche I giue you aforehande that the Doctrine of Truthe maie be well fixed in your mynde and that you maie valiauntly persiste therein Those Hypocrites whiche truste to their woorkes and liue an honest and vertuous life as it appeareth outwardly dooe verily thinke and are fully perswaded that God muste needes receiue theim into heauen because of their woorkes This maketh them proude presumptuous and glorious in their owne conceiptes As that Pharisey mentioned in the 18. of Luke and whereof also Marie maketh mention in her song commonly called Magnificat where she vseth the same woorde whiche thou readest here in Sainct Peter He hath scattered the proude in the imagination of their hartes that is he hath ouerthrowne and brought them to confusion in the deuises of their owne myndes and thoughtes Bee sober THis Sobrietie perteineth outwardly to the bodie and is an especiall woorke of Faithe For although manne bee iustified yet is he not free from euill desires In deede Faithe hath begonne to restraine and bridle the fleshe notwithstandyng the same doeth continually striue against it and assaulteth it with sondrie sortes of desires whiche goe aboute accordyng to the concupiscence thereof againe to burst forthe and preuaile Wherefore the Spirite hath daiely muche adoe to bridle and restraine them and it must therefore without intermission haue continuall fight with them and alwaies take greate heede of the fleshe least that at any tyme suche is the craftinesse thereof it vndermine and supplant Faithe By the premisses it appeareth how farre thei deceiue theim selues whiche boste that thei haue Faithe and coumpt that sufficient liuyng in the meane season according to their owne lustes and desires For where true Faithe is there muste needes bee an earnest endeuour to keepe the bodie vnder and to holde it as it were with a bridle from outragyng and doyng what it listeth herevpon it is that sainct Peter here exhorteth vs to bee sober Howbeit he biddeth vs not as it were to destroye our bodie or to weaken it more then is meete as some haue doen whiche haue made them selues mad by ouer muche fastyng yea some haue quite pined and consumed themselues a waie In this fonde error for a tyme was sainct Bernard although he was otherwise an holy man For he afflicted his bodie with so great abstinence that by reason of noysome breathe whiche hee gott thereby no man could abide to stande neere hym or bee in his companie But hee was at length deliuered from this error and willed his brethren that thei should not too much pine and pinche their bodies For he well sawe that by that vndue abstinence he had made himself vnfit to serue his brethren Wherefore Sainct Peter requireth no more then that wee be sober that is that wee doe so muche and so farre restraine the fleshe as wee feele the wantonnesse and vnrulinesse thereof
stabished in the present truth For I think it meete as long as I am in this tabernacle to stirre you vp by puttyng you in remembraunce Seyng I knowe that the tyme is at hande that I must laie doune this my tabernacle euen as our Lord Iesus Christ hath shewed me I will endeuour therefore alwaies that ye also maye be able to haue remembraunce of these thinges after my departyng For wee followed not deceiuable fables when wee opened vnto you the power and commyng of our Lorde Iesus Christ but with our eyes wee sawe his maiestie For he receiued of God the Father honor and glorie when there came suche a voyce to hym from the excellent glorie This is my beloued Sonne in whō I am well pleased And this voyce we heard when it came from heauen beyng with hym in the holy mount Wee haue also a moste sure worde of the Prophetes to the whiche ye doe well that ye take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place vntill the daie dawne and the daie starre arise in your hartes 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 holiemen of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost Simon Peter a Seruaunt and an Apostle of Iesus Christ to you whiche haue obteined like precious Faithe with vs by the righteousnesse of our GOD and Sauiour Iesus Christ AS in the former Epistle so in this wee haue bothe a Subscription and an Inscription That wee maie knowe bothe who writeth it and to whom it is written namelie to them that zealously heare the Woorde of GOD and constantly stande by Faithe in the sincere profession of the same But what Faithe meaneth he Euē that saith he whiche is by the righteousnesse of God In whiche woordes he ascribeth Iustification to Faithe onely euen as S. Paule Roma j. saieth In the Gospell the righteousnesse of GOD is reueiled from Faithe to Faithe as it is written The iuste shall liue by Faithe Sainct Peter therefore warneth them to stand readie not to be beguiled nor to suffer the doctrine of Faithe whiche thei had receiued and learned to slippe awaie from thē And whereas he here peculierly speaketh of the Righteousnesse of God he thereby excludeth and putteth backe all humaine Iustice For it is Faithe onely that iustifieth vs before GOD and therefore Faithe is called the Righteousnesse of God For before the worlde it is nothyng accoumpted of nay it is rather persecuted and flatly condemned Grace and peace bee multiplied to you by the knowledge of God and of Iesus our Lorde THis is an vsuall Salutation wont to bee prefixed at the beginnyng of Letters and Epistles The meanyng whereof is thus I wishe vnto you the encrease of Grace and peace and that ye maie bee therewith enriched euery daie more and more Whiche grace issueth and floweth from the knowledge of GOD and of our Lorde Iesu Christ as if he should saie This Grace no manne can haue vnlesse he haue withall the knowledge of God and of our Lorde Iesus Christ Of this knowledge of GOD aswell the Apostles as the Prophetes dooe verie often and almoste continually make mention in the holie Scriptures as Esaie the xj In all my holie hill thei shall not hurte nor destroye for the Earth shalbe full of the knowledge of the Lorde as the waters that couer the Sea That is The knowledge of God shall bee as plentifull and abundaunt as the waters of the swellyng Sea when it breaketh out and surroundeth some whole Countrey And here hence shall suche peace and tranquillitie presently ensue that no man shal seeke to molest or damnifie an other But this is not to knowe God if thou dooe but onely beleeue that God is Almightie and that he hath created and made all thynges and that Christ was borne of the virgine Marie suffred death and rose againe for thus muche doe the Turkes Iewes and Deuilles beleeue But the true knowledge of GOD is this That thou haue a feelyng of hym in thyne harte conscience and that thou be certainly perswaded that God and his Christ is thy God and thy Christ whiche belief the Deuilles and false counterfaite Christians haue not neither can haue Therefore the knowledge of God is nothing els then a sounde and entire Faithe in Christ For when thou thus fullie knowest GOD and Christe thou wilte moste gladlie resigne and committe thy self vnto hym and firmely beleeue and trust in hym aswell in aduersitie as in prosperitie in death aswell as in life This settled confidence and sure trust can not bee in theim that haue euill consciences that is in theim that want true and sincere Faithe For thei knowe GOD none otherwise but that he is the God of S. Peter and of all the Sainctes in Heauen But for their God thei dooe not knowe hym neitheir haue any feelyng of hym but haue hym and take hym rather as their heauie tormentour and angrie Iudge To haue GOD is to haue all Grace all Mercie and all goodnesse that can bee named To haue Christe is to haue a Sauiour and a Mediatour who hath brought vs vnto God and made hym now all ours and at whose handes he hath obtained for vs all Grace and Blessyng All these thynges thou muste drawe and applie to thy self and not doubte but that Christ is thyne and thou Christes And this is the true knowledge of Christ An vmnaried woman seyng a man maie saie this is a Manne but she can not saie this is my Manne or my Housebande In like sort all of vs can saie This is God But all of vs can not saie that he is our God because wee dooe not all of vs beleeue and trust in hym and comfort our selues onely in hym and by hym This true knowledge of GOD the Scripture tearmeth the face and Countenaunce of the Lorde whereof the Prophetes speake verie copiouslie For thei that see not his face and knowe hym not doe see but onely his hinder partes that is doe see hym as their angrie and displeased God whereas if thei sawe his face that is if thei had the true knowledge of hym by Faith thei should behold and see nothing but Grace and Mercie Wee see here how sainct Peter in this his seconde Epistle purposely entreateth not of Faithe for he largelie discoursed therevppon in his former Epistle but his purpose is in this to write an Exhortation to them whiche beleeue that thei should shewe forthe their Faithe by Good workes For he would not haue Faithe to bee without Good woorkes nor Good woorkes without Faithe But firste he requireth in vs Faithe and Faithe beeyng once surely grounded to shewe foorthe Good woorkes And therefore he addeth According as his godlie power hath giuen vnto vs all thynges that pertaine vnto life and godlinesse WHen wee throughlie knowe God by Faithe wee are possessed of the franke gift of all
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
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
thee Vaine therefore are al those thynges whiche hitherto haue been obtruded and preached vnto vs by the Schoolemen insomuche as thei were without this knowledge of Christ and entred commonly no further in consideration thereof but onely to thinke how muche sorrowe and greef our Lorde Christ sustained in his passion as though that now he sitteth idle in heauen takyng no further care for vs but ioiyng with hym self whereby the peoples hartes remaine vtterly drie without the right vse of that heauenly dew and water of their soules so that no liuely faithe can growe or take roote in them Now Christe ought not thus to bee preached as that he liueth and raigneth for hym self but that he is ours For other wise what neede was it for hym to descende into the worlde and to shedde his precious blood Sith then he was sent into the worlde that by hym the worlde might bee saued as be hymself in the third of Ihon declareth needefull it was that he should accomplishe and performe that selfsame thyng for the whiche he was sent of his Father For this woorde sent or commyng is not to be vnderstoode of the diuine Nature of Christe onely but rather of his humaine Nature and office whiche he bore and executed Immediately after he was Baptized he beganne to deale in this his office and to doe that wherevnto he was sent and for whiche he came into the worlde Namely to shewe and declare the truthe vnto menne that as many as beleeued in hym should bee saued After this sorte therefore hee openly published hymself woorkyng the meanes that he might be knowne and offring Grace by his owne self vnto vs. As obedient children SO behaue your selues as becommeth obedient children Obedience in the Scriptures signifieth Faithe but the Pope with his Doctorlie Schoolemen and Cloistered Diuines hath with their Gloses mangled this woorde and wrested it to the maintenaunce of their lyes and trifles as thei haue dooen whatsoeuer els is reade in the Scriptures concernyng this obedience As namely that notable saiyng 1. Reg. 15. Obedience is better then Sacrifice after that thei sawe how highlie Obedience was commended in the Scriptures thei haled and forced the same as proper vnto theim selues thereby to blinde the worlde and to bryng menne into this errour to thinke that the Obedience so greatly commended in Scriptures is nothyng els then to embrace and allowe what soeuer thei should enioyne and laie vppon theim And by this meanes doe thei drawe vs from the Woorde of God to their liyng Legendaries and Deuelishe obedience Whereas in deede he is the obedient child of God that heareth the Gospell and woorde of GOD and with Faithe embraceth the same Therefore whatsoeuer is not the Woorde giue no eare vnto it but rather stampe and tread it vnder thy feete Not fashionyng your selues vnto the former lustes of your ignoraunce BEE not of those maners that you were of before neither haue you suche conuersation as aforetyme you haue had let no man see that life in you whiche heretofore you haue ledde and liued Heretofore you were Idolaters and liued in luste Surphette Drunkennesse Couetousnesse Pride Wrathe Enuie and Hatred whiche was an euill and Heathennishe life yea rather mere infidelitie and in this desperate and forlorne conuersation you walked as blinde and ignoraunt not wottyng what you did Now therefore put ye awaie these euil desires Here thou seest how he imputeth all these mischeeues vnto Ignoraunce as vnto the Spring out of whom thei procede and flowe For where perfect faithe and true knowledge of Christ is lackyng there can be nothing els then Errour and blindnesse so that menne liue vtterly ignoraunt what is right or what is wrong and thereby runne headlong without stoppe or staie into all mischeeues and inconueniences After this sort hitherto haue wee been dealt withall when as Christe was darkened and almoste abolished and banished out of the worlde when in steede of truthe wee were nozzeled in Errour and in place of the sincere knowledge of the Truth wee were fast chained and clogged in Ignorance in so muche that within a while this question was mooued and debated all the worlde ouer how and by what meanes wee might attaine felicitie This was an infallible signe of Blindnesse and ignoraunce and that the sincere knowledge of Faithe was extinct and taken awaie Herevpon it grewe that the worlde was pestered with suche a number of Sectes and all thynges torne a sonder and disordered while euery manne framed after his owne imagination a peculier and seuerall waie for hymself to heauen And out of this Euill sith wee are not able any waie to helpe our selues wee can not choose but alwaies bee drowned deeper and deeper in the gapyng gulphe of vtter blindenesse And therefore sainct Peters woordes here are as if he should saie You haue long inough walked in foolishnesse now caste the same awaie from you as beeyng wise and hauyng raught vnto the true knowledge But as he whiche hath called you is holie euen so bee ye holie in all maner of conuersation Because it is witten Bee ye holie for I am holie HEre doeth Sainct Peter alledge a place out of the old Testament in the 19. of Leuitie where the Lorde saieth Bee ye holie for I am holie that is to saie Because I am your Lorde and God and you my people meete it is that you should bee as I am For he that rightly and throughly plaieth the parte of a Lorde in deede bendeth his care to make his people like vnto hymself dutifully in eche respect to behaue them selues towardes hym and frame theim selues seruiceable to his will Herevpon it falleth out that as our Lorde and God is holie so also should his people bee holie and that is when we walke in faithe Verie little mention is made in the Scriptures of any Sainctes or holie men departed out of this life but alwaies in a maner it speaketh of those holie menne that as yet were aliue as the Prophet Dauid pronounceth himself holie in the 86. Psalme saiyng Preserue thou my Soule Lorde for I am holie But our smatteryng doctorlie Diuines and Schoolemen haue also misconstrued peruerted the true sense of this place saiyng that the Prophete hath a peculier reuelation in that he calleth himself Holie Wherein thei flatly bewraie themselues bothe to lacke Faithe and also to be vtterly vnacquainted with this reuelation of Christ for if thei had any thei might easely by the effect feele in them selues the power therof For he that is a Christian hath a feelyng of suche reuelation in his conscience and he that hath no feelyng of it the same is no Christiā For he that is a Christian commeth into a Communion with Christ and is partaker with him of all his goodnesse and therfore seyng that Christ is holie his members must also needes be holie or els deny that Christe is holie For if thou bee Baptized thou haste put on the garment of holinesse whiche is Christe
behaue your selues as newe borne Babes are wont to doe that is thei desire and couet after nothyng but Milke As thei therefore desire the Dugge and Milke euen so ought ye to desire the Woorde and to haue your whole delight in the same accoumpting that all delicacies and dainties are therein readie for you so loÌ„g as you may sucke that Milke whiche is sincere and without deceipt Againe these wordes bee figuratiue For he speaketh neither of bodily Milke neither of any corporal kinde of sucking nor yet of any naturall birthe and natiuitie But hee speaketh here of an other kinde of Milke whiche is Spirituall whiche is drawen by the Soule sucked with the Hart. This Milke ought to bee without deceipte and not guilefull as it many tymes nowadaies happeneth y t much paltring and deceiptfull wares are retailed and vttered in sale Truly it is moste necessarie that Christians beyng new Borne and yet Infantes should be nourished with sincere pure and perfect good milke Now this Milke is nothyng els then the Gospell whiche is the Seede whereof we be conceiued and newe borne as afore we declared thesame also is our meate wherwith after we be come to growth we are fedde it is also our Armor wherwith we bee fenced cladde and armed and to speake all at once the self same Gospell is all thynges vnto vs. Now whatsoeuer is thereunto myngled or corrupteth and infecteth the sinceritie thereof is the doctrine of men Therefore doth the holie Ghost here warne vs that euery one of them whiche bee regenerate and newe borne in Christ should carefullie looke about hym and take heede what Milke he sucketh and learne to bee able to iudge of euery doctrine The Dugges or Teates distilling and draynyng out this milke and out of whom Infantes doe sucke are thei whiche preache and teache the pure Worde in the Churche of Christ So speaketh the Bridegroome to his Spouse in the Cantic Chapter 4. Thy two Breastes are like two twinnes of yong Roes Betwene these ought there to hang a buÌ„dell of Myrrhe as the Spouse there saieth Canti 1. A bundell of Myrrhe is thy Louer vnto mee whiche lyeth betweene my breastes The meanyng whereof is that Christ onely is alwaies to be preached This Bridegrome alwaies ought to lye in the middle betweene our breastes Otherwise if Christ be not purely preached the Milke is corrupted and al thinges are preposterous noysome and contagious Purely preached I call that when it is first taught how that Christe hath dyed for vs and by his death hath rescued and deliuered vs from Synne Death and Hell this doctrine is in hearyng very pleasant and like as it were sweete Milke But withall anone after must the Crosse also bee preached to wit that wee must euen so suffer as he hymself hath suffred this is a vehement strong drinke and mightie Wine Therefore to suche as are but newly wonne and begotten in Christe gentle meate that is to saie Milke must bee first giuen whiche can no waie be so conueniently doen as first and formost by preachyng and shewyng vnto them Christe who is nothyng at all sharpe and bitter but rather euen sweetenesse it self both pleasaunt in relishe and toothsome in taste without any maner of harshnesse or harme And this is that very sincere and Spirituall Milke without all deceiptfulnesse And here againe hath sainct Peter by Milke comprehended and glaunced at other places of Scripture as his order and custome is often and very plenteously to doe namely that in the 23. of Exod. and Deut. 14 The Lorde gaue this commaundement saiyng See that thou seeth not a Kidde in his mothers Milke For what purpose I praie you willed God this to be written what matter is there in it that a Kidd must not bee killed so long as it sucketh Doubtlesse for none other cause but to signifie the same thyng whiche sainct Peter here teacheth For it is nothyng els then if hee should saie Looke that ye preache gently and softlie to those Christians that bee as yet Infantes and Weakelinges let them be well fedd and fatted in the knowledge of Christe ouercharge them not with strong learnyng for their weakenesse and age can not awaie with it nor yet digest it But after that thei bee growen and waxen strong then see them to bee killed and sacrificed with the Crosse The same sense and meanyng hath that Lawe whiche we reade Deuter. 24. That a man takyng a newe wife shall not be compelled to goe a warfare the first yeare least he should be slaine but shall be free at home and reioyce with his new wife whiche he hath taken Whereby assuredly there is none othâ—â— thyng ment but that wee are to allowe and graunt vnto those that as yet be children in the Schole and faith of Christ their conuenient tyme and space to grow vp and in the meane season that we ought to deale with them and handle them geÌ„tlie and curteously whom afterwarde being waxed strong and of sufficient growth the Lorde will bryng to the Crosse and make to be slaine as he doth other Christians And then is the Kidde killed Whereby ye maie growe if so bee ye haue tasted how bountifull the Lorde is IT sufficeth not once onely to haue heard the Gospell It must continually bee inculked that we may daiely thereby grow accordyngly as we see one endued with strongnesse of faithe so ought he to be prouided for and so to bee fedde Now do not thinke that this is spoken or ment to such as yet haue not heard of the Gospel for thei neither know what Milk is nor what Wine meaneth Therefore added he these woordes If so bee you haue tasted how bountifull and gracious the Lorde is As though he should saie He that hath not tasted this geare to hym is it neither perceiued with the harte neither hath it any pleasaunt or sweete sauour But thei that haue tasted it doe long after it and are euer desirous of this meate to theim the Woorde relisheth and sauoureth euen as it is in deede and of theim is it with wonderfull sweetenesse receiued and taken And this I call Tastyng when I dooe with my very harte beleeue that Christe hath giuen hymself vnto me and that I haue my full interest in hym that he beareth and aunswereth for all my Sinnes trangressions and harmes and that his life is my life When this perswasion is throughly settled in my hearte it yeeldeth wonderfull and incredible good taste For how should not I herewith bee euen rauished with ioye and pleasure seeyng I am so glad and so ioyfull of a small temporall commoditie as if a freende should giue vnto me but onely an hundreth peeces of gold But he that feeleth no tast of this thing in his harte can not hereof conceiue and take any ioye or pleasure Furthermore thei beste taste these thynges that are drawyng neere to the agonies of Death or are any waie disquieted with remorse of conscience In those cases
hunger is as the Prouerbe saieth the beste sauce those pinches maketh this meate meruailous sauorie For the harte and conscience when thei once beginne to haue feelyng of their miserie and wretched state can heare nothyng that is so pleasaunte as the Gospell thei whollie rely vnto it thei smell afarre of the delicacie and toothsomnesse thereof and can not bee fullie satisfied therewith So was the song of the blessed virgine Marie He hath filled the hongrie with good thinges In the meane season those stiffe mynded persones that trust to their owne holinesse and leaue to their owne woorkes and righteousnesse haue neither any feelyng of their Synnes and wickednesse neither enioye any tast of these thynges here spoken of As for example when any that is hungrie sitteth at a table eche kinde of meate sauoureth well and hath a good relishe in his mouth whereas to hym that is full stomacked nothing sauoreth well but all meates yea the beste and daintiest dishes seeme loathsome Therefore vseth the Apostle these woordes If so be that you haue tasted how bountifull the Lorde is as though he should saie If you haue not as yet tasted this my preachyng to you is but in vaine To whom comyng as vnto a liuyng stone HEre againe taketh he holde of Scriptures afore tyme written and bryngeth in the xxviii of Esaie saiyng thus Heare the woorde of the Lorde ye mockers because ye haue saied wee haue made a couenant with Death and with Hell are wee at an agreement and haue made falshood your refuge Therefore thus saieth the Lorde Beholde I will laie in Zion a Stone a tried Stone a precious corner Stone a sure foundation c. This place doeth saincte Paule also alledge and it is one of the principallest places of the Scripture For Christe is that precious Stone whom God hath laied for the foundation and vppon whom wee are to bee builded And here beholde how S. Peter taketh these wordes and interpreteth them of Christ Again that which Esaie calleth Trustyng in hym that saieth S. Peter to be the same that to bee builded vpon hym is And this is truely and aptly to expounde the Scriptures Thei that builde laie their foundation in suche a place where it maie continue faste and remaine firme so that it may beare vp the whole house and frame that is builded vpō it And euen so doth this liuyng Stone which is Christ vphold and beare all this spirituall buildyng And to be builded vpon hym is nothyng els but that we all together repose our trust confidence and hope whiche wee haue in our selues whollie vpon hym Disalowed of men but chosen of God precious HEre againe he alledgeth a place out of the Cxviij Psalme of the Prophete Dauid The same Stone whiche the builders refused is become the hedde Stone of the corner and it is merueilous in our eyes Whiche place Christ hymself also citeth in the xxj of Matthewes Gospell and is repeted in the fourth of the Actes The Stone whiche you builders reiected and set nought by You saieth he are the builders For thei taught the people preached many thynges enacted sondrie ordinaunces and Lawes but thei made men nothyng thereby but Meritemangers Hypocrites Wherevpon Christe pronouncyng sentence vppon them calleth them plaine Hypocrites and the generation of Vipers and pronounceth many terrible sentences vpon theim reckonyng theim among Synners and not for suche greate holie men as thei would faine haue semed This can thei not abide but reiect hym and saie Hereticke forbiddest thou to doe good woorkes Thou shalte dye the death for thy so saiyng And therefore saieth saincte Peter here This same corner Stone vpon whiche you must be builded is euen likewise refused and set at naught This as the Prophet saieth appeareth merueilous in our eyes and seemeth verie straunge and so wonderfull that vnlesse the Spirite did teache it vs no man by reason could conceiue in Therefore saith he before God this Stone is chosen and precious and of so high price and value that it taketh awaie Death recompenseth for Synnes deliuereth from Hell and laste of all giueth also vnto vs the Kyngdome of Heauen Ye also as liuelie Stones be made a spirituall house HOw and by what meanes are wee builded Euen by the Gospell and preaching of the Woorde The Builders are thei that preache Thei that are builded are suche Christians which heare the Gospell thei are the Stones whiche must be laied and couched vpon this corner Stone so that wee repose our whole truste vppon hym and that out harte leane onely vpon hym and so bee at reste Now it followeth that wee must so directe and frame our selues that wee maie expresse shewe forthe and imitate that course of life that he ledd For it is verie meete that I who am builded and laied vpon hym by faithe should freme my self to the same workes that he did and shewe forth the same conuersation Which order all menne generally and ioyntly ought and are bounde to resemble And this issueth forth and proceedeth frō Faithe and is the woorke of Loue that we should mutuallie bee morteised and ioyned out into an other that we all together maie make one buildyng The same reason hath sainct Paule also j. Cor. iij. Howbeeit not altogether after the same maner that this is You are saieth he the Temple of God It is not the materiall house made of woodd and stone which is his House a Spirituall house is that whiche he requireth whiche is the Churche of Christe in whiche wee are all through one Faithe equall That whiche one is an other is all builded together within our selues mutuallie and emong our selues cemented couched framed and knitte together by Loue without al maliciousnesse guile hypocrisie enuie and euill speakyng as afore hath been declared An holie Priesthood HEere taketh he awaie that outwarde and corporall Priesthood whiche was in the old Testament as also that outward Temple all whiche he quite remooueth and saieth thus That outwarde and externall pampe of Priesthoode is now cleane ceassed now therefore beginne yea newe Priesthood and offer other Sacrifices but so that all thynges be Spirituall Here haue we had somewhat adoe for that wee haue mainteined and affirmed that these persones whiche commonlie of late yeres haue been called and tearmed by y e name of Priestes are not Priestes before God at all and that assertion prooued we cheeflie out of this place And therefore vnderstande it aright and beare it well in mynde That if any should bee so wilfull in suche sorte to wreste and teare in peeces for I will not call it expounde this place as that the same were to be meant of a double Priesthoode whiche some blusteryngly and boldly haue auouched that is to witte bothe of a Spirituall and also of a Corporall Priesthoode will hym to cleare his eyesight and a little better to awake his senses For sainct Peter saieth thus Be ye builded into a Spirituall or holie Priesthood Now demaunde of
〈◊〉 admitted whom againe vpon iust occasion the same Churche maie displace Now these shauelyng Priestes haue erected and 〈◊〉 among themselues a certaine proper state and condition as though they were so appoincted and constituted by GOD by meanes whereof thei haue gotten here suche large priuiledges that now adaies euen among vs our selues here in the middest of Christendome there is more diuersitie and greater difference then is betweene vs and the Turkes When thou wilte consider and looke into thē that beare the name of Christians thou oughtest not to make of them any respect or difference as that thou shouldest saie this is a man and that is a woman this is the maister and that is the seruaunt this is a young man and that is an olde man as sainct Paule saieth to the Gala. Chap. iij. For thei are all one and a spirituall people and therefore thei are all Priestes together and all bothe may and ought to shewe forthe the Worde of God Sauyng that in the Church women ought not to speake but to referre that to men to teache and preache there because of the commaundement of God who hath commaunded that women ought to bee subiect to their housbandes as Sainct Paule teacheth j Cor. xiiij This order doeth God in deede permit and allowe of But for this he dooeth not admit any difference of power But in places where none are allowed to be but women and no men as in Nunneries there might a woman well bee appoincted to preache to the rest Therefore this is the two Priesthood which as we haue saied consisteth in these three poinctes namely in spirituall oblation in praiyng for the Churche or Congregation and in teachyng and instructyng the same with the pure Woorde of God He that can do this is a Priest and whosoeuer are such vpon them also lyeth the charge to preache the Word to pray for the Congregation and to sacrifice themselues vnto God Forsake therefore and renounce the opinion of those Doltes which call the common raskall sorte of Clergie men or Clerkes as thei terme them onely Priestes whiche kinde of persons you euidently sée to execute no other office but to bragge out their lewdnesse with a shauen croune and greasie fingers If this shauyng and anoyntying dooe make Pristes then truly can I aswell make an Asse to bee a Priest by shauyng and clippyng of certaine of his haires and by annointyng and beesmearing his hoofes Last of all sainct Peter wisseth vs to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable vnto God by Iesus Christ Now if Christ bee that corner Stone vppon whom wee are builded it must needes bee that all our cogitations to Godward ought to bée furthered administred and doen by and through him alone as hath afore been sufficiently declared For God although I should pine awaie and consinne my self euen to death would neuer a whit regard or respect my death but he respecteth and regardeth Christe by whom it cōmeth to passe that my workes are regarded and had in price with God which otherwise he would not accoumpt worth a rushe Greate cause therfore there is why the Scripture tearmeth Christe a precious corner Stone seeyng that he communicateth and imparteth his vertue and power vnto all them that by Faithe are built vpon him Therefore teacheth S. Peter in this place how Christe is that liuyng Stone whereby plainly appeareth what also Christe is to vs. For it is a very apt similitude whereby wee maie easily vnderstande how and in what sorte wee ought to beleeue in Christe Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture Beholde I put in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect and precious and hee that beleeueth therein shall not be ashamed Vnto you therefore whiche beleeue it is precious but vnto them whiche bee disobedient the stone whiche the builders disalowed the same is made the head of the corner And a stone to stumble at and a rocke of offence euen to them whiche stumble at the worde beyng disobedient vnto the which thing they were euen ordeined But ye are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy nation a people set at libertie that ye shoulde shewe forthe the vertues of hym tha◠hath called you out of darkenesse into his merueilous light Whiche in tyme past were not a people yet are now the people of God whiche in tyme past were not vnder mercie but now haue obtained mercie I Haue tolde you afore how notably S. Peter hath confirmed and fortified this his Epistle with Scriptures at whiche marke all preachers generallie ought to aime and leuell to wit that thei settle and grounde all their speeches vpon the Worde of God So doeth he here in this place inferre and bryng fower or fiue places of the Scripture together The first whereof he hath taken worde for worde out of the Prophete Isaiah to wit that Christe is that precious fundamentall or Corner stone Whiche place is the very same that wee euen last of all entreated of and accordyng to our abilitie expounded The firste and chiefe place is the Doctrine of Faithe whiche ought to bee first set downe as the Foundation if a man were to preache in any place where Christ aforetyme had not been preached For here and hence must we take our beginnyng that Christ is that Stone vpon whom Faith ought to be builded to rest That the Prophete speaketh not of any corporall or materiall Stone it is most plainly proued by that which next followeth He that beleeueth in him shall not bee ashamed If I ought to beleeue in him then it followeth that he must needes hee a Spirituall Stone For how or why should I beleeue in Stones or Woodd Againe hee must needes bee the true God for because in the firste Commaundement of the first Table wee are expressely forbidden to beleeue in any other thyng sauyng in him Seyng therefore that suche a Stone is couched and saied in the foundation vppon whom wee ought to beleeue it consequentlie followeth that he the same is God Againe he can not onely be God but he must also bee Man withall because he is to bee partaker of the building and not onely partaker but also the head thereof Now where any house or building is set vp or reared there it behooueth that one Stone bee agreable to an other that eche one maie frame and bee couched and squared in the same condition nature and forme that the other stones are Therefore seeyng that wee ought to bee builded vppon Christe it must needes bee that he bee like vnto vs and altogether of the same nature that other stones are of whiche are builded and laied vpon him that is to saie very perfect and true Man as we are After this sorte in plaine and common wordes the Scripture expresseth suche high Mysteries and waightie matters to wit the Summe of our Faithe and in suche short and brief sentences comprehendeth more then by any mortall man can possiblie by vttered What Buildyng or edification is wee haue
the worlde among them to the intent thei should reiect and renounce their owne workes which thei not abiding reiected and refused hym Euen to them whiche stumble at the Woorde beyng disobedient vnto the whiche thyng thei were euen ordeined WHen it is saied that their workes are not good nor any thyng accoumpted of with God thei neither can neither will abide the hearing therof Now God hath put Christ for a foundatioÌ„ vpon whom thei ought to bee laied and placed and by hym attaine al their Saluation For to thende that thei should bee founded and laied vpon hym he hath caused hym by preachyng of the Gospell to bee notified and declared vnto the whole Worlde Hym will not thei receiue but reiect so persiste in their owne fleshlie sense and woorkes For if thei could abide themselues to be placed and couched vpon Christ their high pompe dignitie wealthe and power would soone quaile and be abated But ye are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood a holie Nation a people set at libertie HEre hath he dignified them that bee Christians with their true titles and this place hath he takeÌ„ out of the vij of Deuter. Where it is thus saied to the Iewes Thou art an holie people vnto the Lorde thy God the Lord thy GOD hath chosen thee to bee a precious people vnto hymself aboue all people that are vpon the Earth And in the xix of Exod. he saieth Ye shalbee my cheef treasure aboue all people ye shalbee vnto me also a kyngdome of Priestes and an holie Nation Here thou seest of whom Peter speaketh As I saied afore so saie I still that wee must acquaint our selues so to speake of Priestes as the Scripture speaketh of theim Let it not trouble thee who thei bee that the vulgar and common sorte tearmeth Priestes Let euery man in Gods name tearme them as he liste but cleaue thou faste vnto the woorde of God and whomsoeuer thou seest by hym to be tearmed and called Priest lette the same also bee likewise tearmed and called by thee We giue good leaue to the greasie Rable of those whom the Bisshoppes and Pope do consecrate and annoint to tearme theim selues Priestes or by what other name thei will so that thei call not themselues the Priestes of God For thei are not able by one woorde out of the Scriptures to approoue theim selues so But when thei will stiffely mainteine that this place also is to be vnderstoode as spoken of them answere thou vnto theim as afore I haue taught thee and aske them to whom Saincte Peter here speaketh and thou shalte quicklie see theim laye theim selues open vnto shame and impudencie For it is moste manifest and plaine that he speaketh to all the people of Christe and the whole Congregation of Christians when as he saieth You are a chosen generation and an holie people Againe hitherto he hath spoken of none other persones their of them that are builte vppon that Corner stone and doe beleeue And therefore it euidently and certainly followeth that he whiche doeth beleeue is no Priest Again when as thei shall saie that these woordes are so to bee taken as the auncient Fathers haue interpreted and expounded theÌ„ Therevnto make thou this aunswere Lette the Fathers or any other whatsoeuer interprete what thei will but sainct Peter dooeth thus speake vnto me who hath a farre better testimonie and warrant from God then thei haue and also is elder then thei and therefore I will subscribe and yeelde vnto hym Finallie this place needeth no interpretation at all sâ—â—â—e it in suche plaine tearmes and woordes speaketh of theim that beleeue Now who is he that seeth not how monstruously these Polleshorne greasie Popelynges erre and faile in the Article of Faithe And therefore wee entrie not the name that thei call themselues by whether it be Priestes or otherwise For wee make not any care what and how thei call theim selues but herein standeth the question whether in the Scriptures thei be called Priestes and whether God doe so name and call theÌ„ There maie some bee chosen and appoincted by the Churche to execute the charge and office of Ministers of the Worde to feede the Congregation by preachyng and to administer the Sacramentes and yet neuerthelesse wee are all Priestes as many of vs as are Christians For seeyng that we be founded and couched vppon that Stone whiche is the highest Prieste before GOD wee also must needes be Priestes also for that whatsoeuer he hath we haue and thesame is ours Wherefore I would wishe that this worde Priest as well as this name Christian should bee common to all For these names Prieste Christian and Baptized are all one Now as I can not abide that these Popishe Shauelynges should thus presume and take vpon them onely to be good Christians or onely Baptized So neither ought I to suffer this that thei would onely haue them selues to bee Priestes Although notwithstandyng thei haue violently haled and pulled this worde as pertinently and properlie spoken vnto theim euen with the like presumption and brainlesse boldnesse as thei haue called that onely the Churche whiche the Pope with his Mured Crewe hath hitherto concluded and decreed But the Scripture teacheth vs an other maner of lesson And therefore diligentlie note and marke these thynges to the ende thou maiest throughly discerne betweene theim whom God calleth Priestes and theim that so call theim selues For by this meanes after a long mistakyng of it wee must at length recouer and reduce this woorde Prieste to his right sense and proper meanyng that it maie bee as common a name as the name of Christian For to bee a Priest is not the name of any outward or externall office but it is suche as is exercised onely towarde God and that in Spirite And euen after the self same maner it is that wee are all indifferently called Kinges For euen as Priests so also Kinges are in this place Spirituall vocables or woordes like as also these names are Christian Holie and Churche And euen as thou doest not cal any man a Christian because he hath muche money and wealthe but because he beeyng builte vpon the aforesaied Stone beleeueth in Christe So likewise art thou not therefore called Prieste because thou haste a shauen Croune and iettest the streates in a long Goune but because thou darest appeare and shewe thy self in the sight of God offryng vp thy self vnto hym and praiyng for the whole Churche vnto whom thou bothe canst and vsest to preache Christe And after the verie same maner altogether thou arte not therefore a Kyng because thou wearest a Croune of golde and hast large Dominions and many people vnder thee in subiection but because thou art Lorde of all thinges yea ouer Death Sinne and Hell For thou art aswell a Kyng as Christ hymself is a Kyng if so bee that thou beleeue on hym Now he is not a Kyng in suche sorte as the Kynges of the worlde are For he neither weareth any Croune of
with stoare of muche godlie and wholesome doctrine and therefore to bee accoumpted as golden and among the beste and moste absolute Epistles that are Not rendryng euill for euill neither rebuke for rebuke â—ut contrariwise blesse knowyng that ye are theâ—eunto called that ye should bee heires of blessyng YEt he continueth his exposition of Loue more at large instructyng vs further how we should behaue our selues toward them that hurte and persecute vs. The meanyng of the Apostle is this when thei persecute trouble moleste and hurte you dooe not you the like againe vnto them but for the euill that thei doe vnto you require ye good vnto them againe When thei ceuile and slaunder you take heede that ye doe not the like vnto theÌ„ but contrariwise blesse them praie for them and wishe well vnto them And this is a moste excellent point and office of Loue But O Lorde how fewe is the number of suche Christians But why must wee not render euill for euil but contrariwise good for euill Doubtlesse saieth he because ye are herevnto called that ye should bee heires of blessyng Whiche ought bothe to admonishe and to inuite and allure you herevnto In the Scripture we Christians are called a blessed people blessed euen by God hymself For God saied vnto Abraham Gene. xij In thy Seede shall all Nations of the Earth be blessed Seeyng therefore that God hath so bountifully powred this blessyng vpon vs that he might take a waie from vs all the curse and malediction whiche we had drawen from our first Parents which Moses denounced vnto all those that did not beleeue it is verie meete and requisite that wee beeyng thus graciouslie blessed should so vse and behaue our selues in eche respecte as that this maie be saied and verified on vs behold this is a blessed people And therefore sainct Peters meanyng herein is as though he should haue saied Consider with your selues and behold GOD hath infused and bestowed this his gracious fauour vpon you to take awaie all curse and malediction from you and hath not imputed nor laied to your charge the blasphemie where with ye haue dishonoured hym neither hath he for the same punished you as ye haue well deserued but contrariwise hath moste liberally and franckly bestowed the richesse of his grace and benediction vppon you who in respecte of your continuall blasphemie were worthie of al maner of malediction and curse for where stedfast Faithe wanteth there can the harte none otherwise doe but still curse and blaspheme God Now therefore endeuour your selues so to deale with others as it hath been dealt with you Curse not reuile not but doe good and speake well yea although others raile on you and speake all maner of euill against you and paciently suffer when iniurie and wrong is offred vnto you And now he bryngeth a place out of the xxxiiij Psalme where the Prophet Dauid saieth thus For if any man long after life and to see good dayes let hym refraine his tongue from euill and his lippes that thei speake no guile HE that would enioye a pleasaunt and delightsome life and not dye the Death but see good daies that all thynges maie prospere and goe well with hym lette hym refraine his tongue from speakyng euill and that not onely against his freendes whiche is a moste viâ—e qualitie and resemblyng the Nature of verie Serpentes and Vipers but his meaning is thus muche more let hym carie aboute with hym an honest and good meanyng mynde let hym refraine his tongue from speakyng any harme euen against his Enemies yea when hee is thereto prouoked and hath greate cause ministred vnto hym to reuile and speake amisse Yea lette hym restraine his lippes also saieth he that thei vtter no guile For there be not a fewe whiche outwardly in mouthe speake well and bidde their neighbour freendly Good morowe whiche inwardly in harte thinke cancardly and spightfully euen wishyng them at the Deuill These men are thei that haue no right nor interest in the inheritaunce of blessyng Thei be euill fruites of an euill Tree And thus dooeth Saincte Peter fitly referre the place whiche he alledged concernyng Woorkes vnto the roote inwardly namely vnto the Harte And this is the verie true and proper interpretation hereof There followeth alâ—o afterward in the afore alledged place of the Psalmist these woordes Let hym eschue euill and doe good let hym seeke peace and followe after it THE worlde thinketh the beste waie to purchase this peace is to require wrong with wrong and one displeasure with an other But this is not the right waie to attaine vnto it For there was neuer yet any Kyng that by this meanes could winne peace at his Enemies handes The Romaine Empire grewe to suche might and Maiestie thâ—â— it subdued and ouerthrew all that againstoode it and yet could it neuer retaine the people that were Subiecte vnto theim in their due obeisaunce And therefore this course and order of repressyng our Enemies with force is not the beste waie to purchasse and confirme stedfast peace emong vs. For if we ouercome and suppresse one Enemie there will arise vp tenne yea twentie till we our selues bee brought to confusion But hee taketh the right and orderly waie to seeke after peace and shall surely finde it whiche refraineth his tongue escheweth euill and rendreth good for il This is another maner of waie then the Worlde taketh or hath skill of Now to decline from euill and to doe good signifieth to refraine either from hearyng or speakyng any wordes of spight and malice and not to seeke requitall of iniuries Seeke after peace this waie and thou shalt bee sure to finde it For when thyne enemie hath serued his owne mynde and fullie satisfied his angrie humour in doyng what he can against thee if thou againe replie not againste hym with bitter and bityng wordes neither storme and fret at his iniuries thou shalt ouerthrowe hym in his owne turne and get the vpperhande of hym in the swaie of his owne maliciousnesse For in this sort did Christ ouercome his Enemies vppon the Crosse and not with any sworde or materiall weapon Requitall of one iniurie with an other and one shrewde turne with an other encreaseth furie and setteth parties at further iarre then thei were afore wheras pacience and suffraunce procureth quietnesse and ease But some will saie how can this so bee it standeth not with manhood neither can flesh and bloud abide so to deale I confesse it is more then is simplie in man thus to dooe but beeyng assisted with supernall grace and thus paciently tolerating iniuries without desier of actuall reuenge thou shalt be sure to speede as this next sentence purporteth to wit For the eyes of the Lorde are ouer the righteous and his eares are open vnto their praiers and the face of the Lorde is vpon them that doe euill IF thou thy self seeke not priuate reuenge neither recompence euill for euil there sitteth one in the Heauens euen the Lorde
for euill doyng IT can not possibly bee that thei to whom heauen is appoincted for their enheritaunce should here in this worlde liue in quiet state according to the desire of Nature seeyng the same happeneth not to those that be of the worlde and which haue neither parte nor portion in the kyngdome of heauen It is an Iniunction indifferently appertainyng and equally alike liable vnto all Adams children and posteritie whiche was denounced to Adam by the mouthe of God hymself Gene. iij. In the sweate of thy browes shalt thou eate thy breade And vnto Eue In sorrowe shalt thou bryng forthe Children Seyng therefore that these externall incommodities are indifferently and alike inflicted vpon all persones how muche more meete is it for them to beare the Crosse vpon their shoulders who shortly after shall bee translates hence into the heauenlie kyngdome there to enioye endlesse blisse and life euerlasting Therefore saieth he if the will of God bee so it is better that ye suffer for well doyng Thei whiche suffer for euill dooyng and deseruedly cary aboute with them an euill conscience and are tormented with a double punishemente Whereas true Christians abide onely but she one haste of that paine because although thei suffer outwardly muche paine grief anguishe smarte vexation tribulation and torment in their Fleshe yet haue thei inwardly in their Spirite and conscience greate ioye and consolation But here he hath set doune certaine limited boundes how we should submit our selues to affliction And in that he saieth If the will of God bee so he giueth vs a profitable lesson and warnyng that none should bee so madde to imitate the custome and maner of the Donatistes of whom Saincte Augustine maketh mention who snatching certaine textes and places of the Scripture touchyng suffryng and affliction killed themselues and wilfully threwe themselues headlong doune into the Sea GOD hath no pleasure in seeyng vs to doe any kind of harme vnto our selues or to seeke any newâ—angled deuise of bodily annoyance Let this bee our drifte and shoote anker sincerely to wâ—lke in Faithe and brotherly loue and then if it please the Lorde to laye the Crosse vpoÌ„ vs lett vs ioyfully embrace it as it please hym to exempte vs from trâ—â—ble let vs not wilfully and willyngly 〈◊〉 it And therefore 〈◊〉 preposterous course doe those 〈◊〉 hâ—â—te Spirites take whiche vse to whippe and perâ—e yea many tymes to 〈◊〉 themselues with beatyng thinkyng by that meanes to 〈◊〉 and winne Heauen This kinde of newe founde Religion and wilfull counterfaite humilitie and affliction in this outward punishement of the bodie S. Paule forbiddeth to be vsed Coloss iij. We must mortifie our bodie and subdue our members that thei growe not wanton â—r waxe â—aseiâ—iâ—â—s but wee maie not violently destroye them This is the meanyng of these wordes If the will of God bâ—â— so whiche is as muche to saie as if God bee pleased to 〈◊〉 any kinde of Crosse or persecution vnto vs For then it is better to suffer and them therein out the happier and blessedder if for well doyng thou abide and suffer afflictioÌ„ For Christe also hath once suffred for sinnes the iuste for the vniuste HEre againe doeth sainct Peter propounde and sette before vs for a paterne to imitate our Lorde Christe and his bitter Passion after the rule whereof wee ought to frame our selues and not presume to prescribe vnto our selues any newe deuised singularitie For as Christe is a Patterne to all Christian Beleeuers and to them all is sette doune for an Example so ought all men in generalitie to imitate his steppes and in all their actions professions and functions of life what soeuer betide to haue respect vnto him and after his dealynges semblablie to conforme themselues And Sainct Peters woordes in effecte sounde thus Christ was iuste and suffred for well dooyng for our sakes that were vniuste But he sought not to sayng the Crosse vpon hym but taried the tyme till the will of GOD did so appoincte that he should drinke of the Cuâ—â—e of his painfull Passion Hym now ought wee to take is by Example and in the whole course of our life diligeÌ„tly â—â—â—â—presse and resemble And this example Saincte Peter here namely setteth doune vnto vs because he hath alreadie taught euery sorte of persones in what trade soeuer thei liue their seuer all offices and dueties concludyng the same with this example of Christes Passion And this is here to bee noted that he saieth that Christ suffred once which is as much to saie as that Christ suffred and satisfied once for al euen for all the sinnes of the whole worlde and not that he should for euery seueral sinne seuerally die By which his death once for all he hath cleane taken awaie al the Synnes of so many as in Faithe approche nexe vnto hym and faithfully beleeue in hym All which are now deliuered froÌ„ the daunger of Death as surely and as certainly as he hymself is now deliuered and freed from the power of Death The iuste for the vniuste AS though he should saie How muche more ought we to bee willyng to suffer beyng so sinfull and so many waies deseruyng it seeyng that Christ was content to suffer death for our sakes beeyng hymself moste iuste for vs that were vniuste and clogged with the chaines of so many moste horrible Sinnes wickednesse and transgressions That he might bryng vs to God ALL this is spoken onely to instructe and teache vs in what sorte the Passion of Christe was to witte suche that he died not for any cause of his owne but to the intent to reconcile and bryng vs to GOD. How can that bee wilt thou saie Did he not offer vp hymself I aunswere True it is that he offred vp hymself on the Crosse for so many of vs as beleeue in hym In whiche his offryng and oblation he offred vs vp also so that so many of vs as stedfastly beleeue on hym must also with hym accordyng to the fleshe suffer and be killed euen as he suffred and died God hath here in such estate placed vs that wee liuyng in the Spirite might yet due in the fleshe as afterwardes sainct Peter declareth But as we are offred vp with Christ that is as we dye with Christ euen as he accordyng to the fleshe truely died so doe we liue with hym in Spirite euen as he hymself doeth Spiritually liue And was put to Death concernyng the fleshe but was quickened in the Spirite THis woorde Fleshe in the Scripture is a common vsuall woorde as also this woorde Spirite is whiche twoo vocables the Apostles doe euer in a maner set the one against the other Now the meanyng of these woordes is this Christe in his Passion died and was taken out of this life whiche is fleshe and blood suche fleshe and blood as manne here in this worlde is cladd withall the offices and functions whereof are these Goyng Standyng Eatyng Drinkyng Sleapyng Watchyng Seeyng Hearyng Touchyng Feelyng and to speake all
the same Chapter he addeth If any manne haue Prophecie let hym Prophecie accordyng to the proportion of Faithe If he haue an office lette hym waite on his office Or he that teacheth on his teachyng After suche an order and course doeth he teache in other of his Epistles as namely j. Cor. xij And Ephes iiij And this is the cause why God hath diuersely distributed his giftes vnto menne namely to the intent wee should vse them to the benefite and mutuall helpe one of an other specially and chiefly thei that bee in any maner of publique office or function whether it bee in the ministerie and preachyng of the Woorde of God or in any other To the office of preachyng that properly belongeth whiche here sainct Peter prescribeth namely vnto whom soeuer the office vocation and charge of preachyng the Woorde of GOD is allotted let hym speake As the woordes of GOD. Whiche caueat and lesson ought moste carefully to bee taken heede vnto that no man presume to preache or teache any thyng whereto he hath not the expresse Woorde of GOD for his warraunt and except he bee moste certaine that the same bee directly to bee auouched out of the sacred Scriptures Whiche beeyng so what maie bee thought of the Pope and of his dirtie Dregges traditions Doe wee not see his mouth with this one worde notably stopped This I saie to the intent euery one maie manifestly see how shamelesly and ridiculously he braggeth and vauÌ„teth him self to bee sainct Peters Heire and Successour not makyng any accoumpt at all of that whiche saincte Peter in this place prescribeth and willeth If any man minister let hym doe it as of the abilite whiche God ministreth WHo soeuer executeth any function in the Churche or hath the cure of Soules committed vnto hym maie not deale as be liste hymself or to ouerrule matters accordyng to his owne sensuall will â—â—â—ither maie he saie Tushe I am a Prelate the people muste all listen to that whiche I saie and obserue my Lawes Ordinaunces and Iniunctions without gainsaie For God requireth this that no manne minister or doe any thyng contrarie or repugnaunt to that whiche he commaundeth and appoineteth A Prelate or Bisshoppe I saie ought to dooe nothyng in the Churche vnlesse he be certaine and sure of the warrantise thereof by Gods Woorde For God can not abide to haue his seruice iumbles and mingled at pleasure with euery foolishe guegawe and light tromperie And therefore he ought to haue an assuraunce and certaintie in his mynde and conscience that euen GOD bothe speaketh and worketh in hym and to stande vpon so sure a grounde for the veritie thereof that his Faithe dare boldlie witnesse with hym and saie Whatsoeuer I haue spoken and what soeuer I haue doen or dealt herein I am so out of doubt that the same in eche respect is consonant to the Worde will of God that I am readie and dare to seale the same with my blood to confirme it with my death For other wise if I wauer and totter this waie and that waie not knowyng whose cause and businesse I haue in hande my Faithe is builded vppon the Sande so that the Deuill myne aduersarie is able to shake and tumble it whiche waie be liste And therefore we are here straightly forbidden not to relye vnto nor to allow what soeuer decree or constitution these Bisshoppes liste to obtrude and enioyne vnlesse thei stande vppon a sure grounde that the thynges whiche thei doe are allowed of God yea doen of God hymself and vnlesse thei bee able to saie Doe this for it is the will and commaundement of GOD and we haue his expresse Woorde and Commaundement for our warrant If thei bee not able to saie thus thei ought to bee accoumpted as Lyers and deceiuers muche lesse ought any Christian to yeelde vnto them therein any obedience or subscriptioÌ„ For the Lorde hath so appoincted that our Consciences should not elsewhere bee staied but vpon the moste sure and infallible Rocke And thus muche for publicke functions wherein it is not lawfull for vs at any hande to followe our owne wilfull deuises and sensuall conceptes nor to prescribe any role or order to bee embraced vnlesse wee bee vndoubtedly assured that it standeth with the will and Worde of God Wherein wee euidently see how cleane againste the Kyngdome of the Pope and his Mitred Bisshopps as thynges therein are now handled Sainct Peters mynde and Iudgement was long before any Pope were knowen in the worlde to rule the roste in suche Pontificalitie as since thei haue doen. That God in all thinges maie be glorified through Iesus Christe to whom is praise and dominion for euer and euer Amen I Would haue you so sure and certaine that that whiche you speake and doe God hymself speaketh and dooeth that ye maie therein glorifie God as the aucthour thereof humbly thanking him for his bounteous gift whiche thing ye can not doe when ye doe any thyng whereof ye bee not sure whether God allowe it or no. But beeyng sure and certaine thereof how can ye choose but with moste humble thankes to praise and extoll so good so gracious and so bounteous a Lorde who vouchsafeth to giue his blessed Woorde to speake in you and he hymself to doe his owne woorke in you Whom otherwise ye should but mocke and skorne and lye vnto hym so long as ye pretende to giue thankes vnto hym for his good gifte beeyng not sure whether it were his gifte or some idle deuise and imagination of your owne braines And therefore there is nothyng so pernicious nothyng so monstruous nothyng so beastlie as to goe about to gouerne the Churche of God without the warrant of Gods owne Woorde and Woorke and therefore sainct Peter sawe greate reason to adde this muche therby to teache how the Churche ought to be gouerned Dearely beloued thinke it not strauÌ„ge concernyng the firie triall which is emong you to proue you as though some straunge thing were come vnto you HEre againe he vseth a phraze or forme of speech where with our tongue is not acquainted But Sainct Peter therefore vseth it to putte vs in minde of sundrie is textes and places of the Scriptures whiche many tymes tearmeth Persecution and Affliction by the name of a fierie Furnace After whiche sort Sainct Peter hymself afore in the first Chapter of this his first Epistle hath these words That the triall of your Faithe beyng muche more precious then gold that perisheth though it bee tried with fire might bee founde vnto your praise honour and glorie at the appearyng of Iesus Christe Likewise we read in the Prophete Esaie Chap. xlviij that the Lorde speaketh these woordes Beholde I haue tried thee in the furnace of affliction And in the xxvj Psalm Trie me O Lorde prooue and examine my reines and my harte Againe Psal lxvj Wee passed through fire and water To bee short it is an vsuall phraze in the Scripture to call affliction Fier and triall
assailed and shaken that it euen trembleth and quaketh how can he stande that is voide of Faithe And therefore he concludeth Wherefore lett theim that suffer accordyng to the will of God committe their soules to hym in well doyng as vnto a faithfull Creator THei vnto whom God sendeth affliction beyng vnsought for vndesired and vnprocured by themselues lette them committe their Soules vnto hym that is their Creatour Thei still continue in well dooyng thei perseuere and goe forwarde in good Woorkes thei shrinke not backe for afflictions but committe and commende their Soules to hym that created them and is faithefull In whiche Woorde is contained moste plentifull store of heauenly consolation For seeyng that God hath created thy Soule without any care labour or helpe of thee when as thou was not as yet any thyng shall not be also easily preserue and saue it And therefore committe it onely to hym but yet so that thou muste not thinke thy self exempted and priuiledged from good Woorkes for thou must not thinke that thou must bye idle thou must striue and endeuour thy self to accomplish and be eche waie aunswerable to the name of a Christian witnessyng thy Faithe by thy good Workes But if thou liue here carelesly and rechlessely thou shalt in the ende doubtlesse finde that thou haste foulie deceiued thy self This is the laste admonition of saincte Peter vnto them that must suffer affliction for the will of GOD. ¶ The fifth Chapter THe Elders which are emong you I beseeche whiche am also an Elder and a witnesse of the suffrynges of Christe and also a partaker of the glorie that shalbe reueiled Feede the flocke of GOD whiche dependeth vpon you caryng for it not by constraint but willingly not for filthie lucre but of a readie mynde Not as though ye were Lordes ouer Gods heritage but that ye maie bee ensamples to the flocke And when the chief shephearde shall appeare ye shall receiue an incorruptible croune of glorie Likewise ye yonger submit your selues vnto the Elders and submitte your selues euery man one to an other decke your selues inwardly in lowlinesse of mynde for GOD resisteth the proude and giueth grace to the humble Humble your selues therefore vnder the mightie hande of God that he maie exalt you in due tyme. Cast all your care on hym for he careth for you Bee sober and watche for your aduersarie the Deuill as a roaryng Lion walketh aboute seekyng whom he maie denoure Whom resist stedfast in the Faithe knowyng that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren whiche are in the worlde And the GOD of all grace whiche hath called vs vnto his eternall glorie by Christe Iesus after that ye haue suffred a little make you perfect confirme strengthen and stablishe you To hym bee glorie and dominion for euer and euer Amen By Syluanus a faithfull brother vnto you as I suppose haâ—e I written briefly exhortyng testifiyng how that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stande The Churche that is at Babylon elected together with you saluteth you and Marcus my sonne Greete ye one an other with the kisse of Loue. Peace be with you all whiche are in Christ Iesus Amen The Elders which are among you I beseech which am also an Elder and a witnesse of the suffringes of Christ HEre sainct Peter teacheth those that haue any charge of feedyng the Flocke of Christe how thei ought to behaue theÌ„selues In the Chapiter afore he tolde that none should presume to teache or preache any thing vnlesse he were certeine and assured that the same was the syncere and pure Worde of GOD vppon whiche as vpon a firme and strong Rocke our Consciences maie boldly staie For this in dutie is required of vs Christians that wee should bee certaine and knowe throughly what thing is allowed of Christe and what is not for thei that wauer in vncertaintie of this knowledge are not to bee taken as Christians He addeth also thus much that whosoeuer entreth into any office or functioÌ„ should so behaue himself therein in eche respect as that he should not doubt but that God was the Authour therof But what he here saith peculierly belongeth to Bisshops and Ecclesiasticall Pastors wherein he teacheth them how they are to demeâ—ne themselues in the administration of their dueties and charges and what maner of persons thei ought to bee Wee must here further be acquainted with the phraze and proprietie of the tongue wherein this Epistle was written that wee bee not deceiued through ignoraunce of the signification and force of the Woorde For this Greeke name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which S. Peter here vseth doeth signifie An Elder by whiche worde thei also are called that bee Senatours that is Meuiexcellyng in age grauitie vertue wisedome and experience After the same sorce doeth Christ call his Disciples Ministers and Senate to whose office it belongeth to ouersee and gouerne his Spirituall Empire that is to preache and to take care of the Christian Congregation by the name of Elders And therfore meruaile not awhit neither let it any thing moue thee though thei which bee Elders â—e nowadaies called by other Titles or names whereof the Scripture maketh no mention at all But not respectyng the order wherein thinges presently stande weigh and conceiue the mater thus When S. Peter or any other of the Apostles came into any Citie wherein Christians were thei ordeined some one or other of theim suche as liued honestly and vnblameably and had wife and children and also skilfull in the Scriptures of GOD to haue the superintendencie and charge ouer the rest And them thei called Seniors or Elders whom afterward bothe sainct Peter and also Saincte Paule called Bishopps whereby wee maie note that Bishoppes were none others then the verie same that were Elders Touchyng this purpose wee reade in the historie of sainct Martine how a ceirtaine man came vnto a place in Apbrica and there in a poore Cotage found an elderly man whom thei thought to haue been some plaine Countrieman Within a while thei sawe many people come flockyng to hym to whoÌ„ he preached and expounded the Woorde of God whereby thei perceiued that he was their Pastour or Bishopp For in those daies there was no difference either in apparaile or maners betweene the Bishoppes and the residue of Christians The Elders saieth S. Peter vppon whom the charge lieth to feede the flocke of Christ with the Worde of GOD and to haue care ouer them in the Lorde I exhort whiche am also an Elder Whereby it manifestly appeareth that thei whom he here nameth Elders were suche as laboured in the ministerie of the Woorde and diligently preached the glad tidynges of the Gospell For suche as he was that calleth hymself their fellowe Elder suche also appeareth it that thei were And here we see how farre he humbleth and abaseth hymself in that he taketh not vpon hym the name of a Prelate which in respecte that he was an Apostle of the Lorde he
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
sawe their obstinate perseueraunce in Sinne My Spirite shall not alwaies striue with Manne because he is but fleshe his daies shalbe an hundreth and twentie yeres Genes vj. And a little after in the same Chapter I will destroye from the Earth the Man whom I haue created from Man to Beast to the creepyng thyng and to the Foule of the Heauen c. These wordes did Noah in his daiely Sermons preache and beate into their heades withall also buildyng the Arke accordyng as God had commaunded hym and that in the full space of an hundreth yeres But thei were so senselesse of their estate and so frozen in the dregges of their accustomed Synnes that thei laughed him to skorne and grewe still more and more obstinate and rebellious The Sinnes wherefore God brought the Floud vppon the Worlde as it appeareth in the same sixte Chapter of Genesis were that the Soonnes of God that is the Children of the holie Fathers degenerated from the Faith and knowledge wherein thei had been trained taught For seing the daughters of MeÌ„ that thei were faire thei tooke them wiues of all that thei liked Of whom were borne mightie Gyantes and lawlesse Tyrantes whiche did all thynges accordyng to their owne lustes and as beste liked themselues This was the cause why God punishing their sinnes drouned the whole Worlde And tourned the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrhe into ashes condemned them and ouerthrewe theÌ„ and made theim an ensample vnto them that after should liue vngodly THis third example is of the fiue Cities whiche God destroied as we read Genes xix Ezechiel also in his xvj Chapter speakyng hereof in the persone of God and appliyng his woordes by waie of vpbraidyng to Hierusalem saieth This was the iniquitio of thy Sister Sodom Pride fulnesse of Bread abundauÌ„ce of Idlenesse both in her and in her daughters neither did she strengthen the hande of the poore and needie but thei were hautie and committed abhomination before me therefore I tooke theim awaie as pleased me Sodome and Gomorrha and the Territories thereof till the Lorde destroyed them were as Moses witnesseth Genes xiij as the Paradise or gardein of the Lorde aboundyng and flowyng with plentie of Wine and Oile in theim all thynges that to the life of man were either necessarie delightfull or commodious were in moste aboundaunce to bee had in so muche that the common sorte beleeued that God hymself had chosen it for his owne peculier habitation and dwellyng And therefore as Moses in the same Chapter saith the people thereof were wicked and exceeding sinners against the Lorde leadyng their liues accordyng to the leuell of their owne leude lustes Whiche inordinate beastly and wicked lustes their owne vaine curiositie and the greate plentifull aboundaunce and Idlenesse whiche thei enioyed procured and brought vnto them As wee at this daie by experience doe set that the wealthier aâ—y Cities be the wantoner and dissoluter life the people therein lead but where Famine Penurie or other extremities pinche there the Citezeins are nothyng so muche giuen to loosenesse and Sinne. And therefore God vseth to exercise and enure those that be his and whom he loueth with hard cheere and slender pittaunces because they maie the better walke in integritie of life These therefore are the three dreadfull Examples wherewith S. Peter threateneth the vngodlie whiche he here aptly alledgeth and bringeth in as fitlie hittyng the persones of whoÌ„ he here speaketh who he saieth liued euen as these Sodomites and Gomorrheans did whose greeuous punishement is heere laied before them for their greater terrour And therefore these thynges agree in eche respect and verie fittly are to be applied namely and specially vnto the Pope with his Cardinalles Bisshoppes Munkes Friers Nunnes and all the rest of his filthie Spiritualtie and rumpwood retinue For thei beyng appoincted to be as it were Angels in the places of Apostles truely to preache and expounde the Woorde of God in steade of beyng suche Angelles for the name Angell is a worde of Office and not of Nature signifiyng a Messenger or an Embassadour wherevppon all Preachers of the Truthe who are the Messengers of GOD are called in the Scriptures Mala. ij j. Cor. xj by y e name of Angels thei do cary vs headlong with themselues into the dungeon of error and quite reuolte from their loyall allegiaunce to GOD by mere Pride and Apostacie like these of whom S. Peter here speaketh aduauncyng theimselues aboue God and will haue no Lorde ouer them but bee Lordes themselues and of them selues And yet will thei bee called Apostolicall hauyng nothyng in theim but onely a vaine braggyng shewe of the bare name and title as heere afore in this Chapter thei are named by the name Angelles who properly are not so This blasphemous route therefore of Pope and Popelynges for that thei haue conspired with the Deuill against God and denied hym that is their Creatour are kepte faste fettered in Chaines of darkenesse vnto damnation whose Iudgement as he saied afore ceasseth not neither dooeth their damnation sleepe although as yet it bee not fullie and completly come vpon them Againe thei bee herein also like vnto the old Worlde who although thei haue the Prophetes and the Woorde of GOD preached vnto them yet did thei blaspheme and as it were defy hym and as Moses writeth of them tooke to theim selues Wiues accordyng to their owne lustes and likynges and became mightie Tyrauntes and Gyantes in the earth Gen. vj. Now a little let vs see whether all the properties and dealynges reported by Moses to be in those men of the old World bee not nowe moste manifestly resiaunte and inuested in our Popishe Clergie For thei now be greate mightie and dreadfull Tyrauntes thei liue of all menne moste delicately moste riotouslie and euen as thei liste theimselues thei haue moste aboundaunt store and plentie of all thynges thei oppresse the Worlde and with their tyrannous exactions and bloodie cruelties ouercrowe all Christendome and yet maie no manne speake one woorde or once open his mouthe against them no not Kynges and Princes Againe if thei bee disposed to take a waie a mannes Wife or his daughter from hym thei maie with suche impunitie dooe it that no man maie dare so muche as complaine of their violence and if any doe complaine yet are thei themselues the iudges of the matter and so it shall be euen as good to saie nothyng at all for amendes hee shall haue none at all Finallie by all the shiftes and driftes by all the waies and meanes that thei can possibly deuise to pill and poll robbe and spoile rake and scrape by cosonage pillage exaction tribute commaundementes licenses depredations and al other suttle trickes whatsoeuer thei hale and pull thei catche and snatche vnto theim without hoe without measure without conscience without shame And if any manne in any sorte laye his lawfull claime or touche any thyng whiche thei pretende to be theirs and whiche thei haue in theirs
heard and God is moste humbly to bee desired and praied vnto to turne his heauie wrath and plague from vs. For this calamitie and wretchednesse commeth not vpon vs by chaunce or blinde fortune but it is sent vnto vs from God as a plague for our wickednesse and impietie as S. Paule witnesseth ij Thes ij Because saieth he they receiued not the Loue of the truth that they might bee saued therefore shall God sende them strong delusion that they should beleeue lyes For if this punishment and reuenge of God had extended no further but to the perishing onely of these false counterfaite and seducing Teachers thēselues it might haue seemed very tollerable but now they hauyng maistered and ouerruled the whole Worlde at their own pleasures they haue caried with them to hell whole multitudes of people that haue beene bewitched and enchaunte◠with their spirituall sorceries There is no remedie therefore for vs to recure this mischiefe but to prostrate our selues before the mercie seate of almightie God in all feare and humilitie moste penitently confessyng our faultes and suppliauntlie imploryng his diuine grace and assistaunce◠that it might please him to vouchsafe to remoue and take awaie this plague from vs. It is earnest and hartie praier wherewith wee must impugne and withstande these false and deceiptfull Teachers for Sathan our Aduersarie the Deuill will not bee driuen awaie with any other weapons ¶ The third Chapter THis seconde Epistle I now write vnto you beloued wherewith I stirre vp and warne your pure myndes To call to remembraunce the wordes whiche were told before of the holie Prophetes and also the commaundement of vs the Apostles of the Lorde and Sauiour This firste vnderstande that there shall come in the laste daies mockers whiche will walke after their lustes And saie Where is the promes of his comming for since the Fathers died all thynges continue alike from the beginnyng of the creation For this thei willyngly knowe not that the Heauens were of olde and the Earth that was of the water and by the water by the woorde of God Wherefore the worlde that then was perished ouerflowed with the water But the Heauens and Earth whiche are now are kepte by the same Woorde in store and reserued vnto fire against the daie of Iudgemente and of the destruction of vngodlie men Dearely beloued bee not ignoraunt of this one thyng that one daie is with the Lorde as a thousande yeres and a thousande yeres as one daie The Lorde is not slacke cōcernyng his promise as some men count slackenesse but is pacient toward vs and would haue no man to perishe but would all men to come to repentaunce But the daie of the Lorde will come as a Thief in the night in the whiche the Heauens shall passe awaie with a noyse and the Elementes shall melte with heate and the Earth with the woorkes that are therein shalbe burnt vp Seeyng therefore that all these thinges must bee dissolued what maner persones ought ye to bee in holie conuersation and godlinesse Lookyng for and hastyng vnto the commyng of the daie of God by the whiche the Heauens beeyng on fire shal be dissolued and the Elementes shall melt with heate But we looke for newe Heauens and a newe Earth accordyng to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnesse Wherefore beloued seyng that ye looke for suche thinges bee diligent that ye maie bee founde of hym in peace without spot and blamelesse And suppose that the long sufferyng of our Lorde is saluation euen as our beloued brother Paule accordyng to the wisedome giuen vnto hym wrote to you As one that in all his Epistles speaketh of these thinges emong the whiche some thynges are harde to bee vnderstande whiche thei that are vnlearned and vnstable peruert as thei doe also other Scriptures vnto their owne destructiō Ye therefore beloued seeyng ye knowe these thynges before beware least ye be also plucked awaie with the error of the wicked and fall from your owne stedfastnesse But growe in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to hym bee glorie bothe now and for euermore Amen This secōd Epistle I now write vnto you beloued wherwith I stirre vp and warne your pure mindes To call to remembraunce the wordes which were tolde before of the holy Prophets and also the cōmaundement of vs the Apostles of the Lorde and Sauiour IN this Chapter wee are admonished to bee in a readinesse and euery minute of an hower to looke for the last daie And first S. Peter declareth vnto them how that he hath not written this Epistle to theim purposely and with intent to laye doune vnto them the foundation of Faith for that had he laied doune very substancially effectually and sufficiently afore but to excite and stirre them vp and to admonishe and put them in remembraunce that thei forgett not those thinges whiche thei had afore heard and receiued but rather that thei should perseuere in that sinceritie of mynde and vnderstandyng whiche was requisite fitte expediente and appertinent vnto true Christianitie For the office and duetie of all true Preachers is not onely to teache but also continually to admonishe and exhort Because so long as wee bee clad with this fleshe and bloud wee haue greate neede to haue the Worde of God to dwell plentifully in vs to raigne beare soueraigne authoritie in vs whereby wee maie resist the motions suggestions delites and concupiscences of the Fleshe and with faithfull constancie valiantly subdue resist and striue against the lustes thereof This first vnderstande that there shall come in the last dayes mockers whiche will walke after their lustes And saie Where is the promise of his commyng for since the fathers dyed all thynges continue alike from the beginnyng of the creation THere bee some yet at this daie very waueryng and ficklemynded being caried awaie through certaine reasons sette downe in a Booke entituled and written of Antichrist in whiche Booke is declared that before the latter daie men should fall into suche grosse and Deuilish errour as to denye God and to mocke deryde all that thei heare preached of Christe and of Domesdaie And this saiyng is true from whence soeuer it was borowed But it ought not so straictly to bee taken as though the whole World should fall into suche a generall Apostacie and so vniuersally blaspheme God but that the greater parte and portion thereof should fall awaie For we see it now plainly come to passe and more and more dailie will it burst out that when and where the Gospell shall be published and openly preached among men many wicked shall be wraie themselues and the inward hartes of many shalbe openly detected whose wickednesse and impietie now secretly lurketh is dissimuled And the number now adaies is not small that beleeue little or nothyng of the latter daie neither thinke that euer it will come Of suche mockers and skorners S. Peter here forewarneth vs tellyng vs that there should be
sundrie whiche would think there were none other life after this and therfore would passe their daies lewdely inordinately and accordyng to the deuises of their own sensuall lustes In deede at Rome and in Italie this Prophesie is long ago fulfilled and thei that come from thence to vs bryng with them this opinion that what filthie and wicked life they leade there the same doe they teach vs and those Countries where they chaunce to inhabite But a little before the latter daie suche maner of men must needes bee as Christe himself foretolde Matth. xxiiij As the dayes of Noah were so likewise shall the commyng of the soonne of man be For as in the daies before the floud thei did eate and drinke marie and giue in mariage euen vntill the daye that Noah entred into the Arke and knew nothing till the floud came and tooke them all awaie so shall also the commyng of the sonne of man be And a litle after in the same Chapter Bee ye readie for in suche a tyme as ye thinke not will the sonne of man come Againe Luc. xxj As a snare shal that day come vppon all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth Againe Luk. xvij As the Lightening that lighteneth out of the one parte vnder Heauen shineth vnto the other parte vnder Heauen so shal the sonne of man be in his daie That is it shall come merueilous sodainly and moste vnlooked for when as the Worlde shall liue in moste senselesse securitie and the Woorde of God altogether deryded and contemptuously skorned This therefore shalbee a signe and a token of the neere approchyng of the latter daie when as menne shall loosely liue accordyng to their owne wilfull lustes and pleasures and whē as thei shall presumptuously aske Where is now the promise of his commyng The Worlde hath continued thus long and euery thyng is in the same case as it hitherto hath been what straunge thyng shall there now happen Sainct Peter therefore forewarneth vs that we bee not lightly caried awaie with these wicked speeches but rather knowe that thei bee vndoubted signes and tokens that this daie will come and that verie shortlie For this they willingly knowe not that the heauens were of old and the earth that was of the water and by the water by the woorde of God Wherefore the worlde that then was perished ouerflowed with the water THei are suche peruerse and frowarde persones saieth he that thei disdaine and grudge to bestowe any tyme or labor in learnyng the truth in so muche that with a flearyng disdaine thei resiste and can not be brought so muche as euen to reade the Scriptures Yea thei are so wilfull and obstinate that thei will not seeme either to thinke or know how that the same thyng came to passe also in the olde worlde when Noah builte the Arke Namely how that the Earth beeyng separated frō the water was in the beginnyng made by the Woorde of God and how againe the same Earth was whollie ouerflowed and drouned with water and how that menne liued then so secure and carelesse that thei looked for no harme to come vnto theim neither thought of any destruction at hande And yet sodainly the Floud couered theim all Of all whiche these peruerse and froward persones are willyngly and wilfully ignorant The plaine meanyng of his woordes is as if he should saie If God then destroied the Worlde with water and by a terrible example declared that he was able to droune it vniuersallie how muche more will he destroie it now hauyng so muche and so often in plaine and sundrie wordes and in so many seuerall places threatened and promised thesame Heauen and Earth had their Beginnyng and Creation by the Woorde of God thei were not from euerlastyng And the Waters that rested aboue in the Cloudes were by a Firmament separated from the Waters whiche were in Seas and Riuers vpō the Earth belowe So that the Earth which was ouerwhelmed and surrounded with the Deepe was by the Worde of GOD parted from the Waters and became drie lande standyng and beeyng hemmed in by the Waters And that whiche Moses at large describeth is by Saint Peter here but lightly touched By the same Worde of GOD whereby thei were made and created are all thynges therein preserued and gouerned For it is not there Nature so to stande or to remaine in suche situation and therefore if God by his vnspeakable power did not vpholde preserue and gouerne theim all thynges would quickly come to a wrecke and ruine and bee sonedrenched couered and wholly ouerflowed with Water But mightie is thee Worde whiche God spake whē he saied Lette the waters vnder the heauens bee gathered into one place and let the drie lande appeare That it let the Waters depart aside and giue place that the drie lande maie bee seen and that menne maie dwell thereon for otherwise as I saied afore by Nature the water would ouerflowe and couer the whole Earth Whiche that it so commeth not to passe is as straunge a miracle as any is among all the woorkes of God Now saieth Sainct Peter These wilfull flouters and stiffe-necked deriders are so peruerse and incōsiderate that thei maliciously thinke skorne to shewe this honor to the holie Ghost to reade the Scriptures and therein to see how God keepeth preserueth and gouerneth the worlde within the water wherby thei might well perceiue and see that all thynges are in the handes of GOD and therefore sithe he hath once alreadie destroied the world by bringing therevpon the general Deluge so also when it pleaseth him can he doe vnto vs. For the example thereof ought so greatly to mooue eche one of vs that as he then performed that whiche afore he threatened so we should now none otherwise think but that he will surely abide by his woordes and doe that whiche he hath spoken concernyng vs. But the Heauens and Earth whiche are now are kepte by the same Woorde in stoare and reserued vnto fier against the daie of Iudgement and of the destruction of vngodlie menne IN the old tyme when God drouned the whole Worlde in the generall Floude the waters in moste abundaunce gushed out of the Cloudes aboue spouted out of the bowelles of the Earth belowe and on euery side suche streames encreased that nothyng was now to bee seene but Waters the Earth accordyng to her Nature beyng all drouned and couered vnder the Waters But God promised that hee would neuer thence forthe destroie the Worlde with waters any more makyng a couenaunt and giuyng his Rainbowe in the Cloudes for a signe thereof Genes ix Therefore he will nexte consume and destroye it with Fire so that there shall then nothing appeare but Fire as aforetyme there was nothyng seene but water Hereof also S. Paule ij Thess j. When the Lorde Iesus shall shewe hymself from heauen with his mightie Angells in flamyng Fier rendryng vengeance to them that doe not knowe God and whiche doe not obeye vnto the
Worlde This is alreadie saieth Iude begunne to bee put in practise For wee reade that this mischiefe of Bishoppes seeking Lordly authoritie and higher prerogatiue then other Christians beganne aboue a thousande yeares agoe whiche thyng in the Epistles of Hierome is euidently to bee seen And deny GOD the onely Lorde and our Lorde Iesus Christ SO also writeth Sainct Peter in his Christs But that Deniyng as it is there and here in 〈◊〉 is not with the mouthe for outwardly in woordes thei confesse that GOD is the Lords but in their woorkes and dealynges thei flatly deny the Lorde Christ not acknowledgyng hym to bee their Lorde but chalenge rather a Lordinesse and predenimation vnto themselues For when as thei Preache that Fastyng Pilgrimage buildyng of Abbaies Chastitie Obedience Pouertie and suche like is the right high waie to felicitie thei thâ—reâ—â— miserablie seduce and drawe men from the truthe to them wretched Workes vtterly suppressyng concealyng and keepyng Christ doune Which is no lesse then if thei should saie Christ auaileth that nothyng neither can his woorkes and 〈◊〉 fires any whitte helpe thee Thou must needes trust to thy self and merite Heauen with thyne owne Workes And thus thei â—â—ny the Lorde who hath bought and redeemed vs with his owne precious bloud as S. Peter afore declared I will therefore putte you in remembraune for as muche as ye onto knewe this how that the Lorde after that he had deliuered the people out of Aegipt destroied them afterward whiche beleeued not The Angels also whiche kept not their first estate but left their owne habitation he hath reserued in euerlastyng chaines vnder darknesse vnto the iudgement of the greate daie As Sodome and Gomorrhe and the Cities aboute them whiche in like maner as thei did committed Fornication and followed strange fleshe are sett forthe for an ensample and 〈◊〉 the vengeaunce of eternall Fier HEre he inferreth three seuerall examples whereof the two last are meÌ„tioned why S. Peter One onely he here addeth more and 〈◊〉 it of the children of Isral whom God by many wonders brought out of the Lande of Egipt and who for their vnbelief dyed in the Wildernesse and were destroyed so that of sixe hundreth thousande men beside women and children vnder twentie yeares that came out of Egipt there were left no moe but onely twaine Num. xj This example he bringeth for an admonition and terrour as if hee should saie let those that are called by the name of Christians and vnder colour thereof turne the grace of God into wantonnesse take heede and looke well to themselues least that happen vnto them whiche light vppon the Israelites And truely since the tyme that blind Poperie beganne and the clere light of the Gospell was couered and restrained from beeing publiquely preached one plague hath still fallen in the necke of an other whereby GOD hath still from tyme to tyme taken reuenge of the vnbeleeuers and giuen them ouer into the very Iawes of Sathan Likewise notwithstandyng these Dreamers also defile the fleshe THese Doctors Teachers he calleth Dreamers because that as when one dreameth he thynketh himself to haue somewhat and to see many thynges whiche in truth are but vaine phantasies and when he awaketh and seeth himself to haue nothyng then perceiueth he all to bee but a dreame so maketh he no accoumpt thereof So whatsoeuer these iuggling Rabbines and Lordly maisters doe saie is nothyng but mere dreames whiche they shall one daie when their eyes shalbee opened well finde and know to haue been nothyng at all And namely when thei goe about to perswade men that their shauen crounes their forked Cappes their wilfull Pouertie their counterfaite Chastitie their vowed Obedience suche like trashe and guegawes are thinges very acceptable vnto God Herein they merueilouslie bleaâ—â— themselues in their owne imaginations and thinke themselues to see that whiche in deede is but false and phantasticall and no better then a very fonde and foolishe dreame as in truthe all this their trashe and tromperie is before God nothyng els but mere dreames and lyes Therefore in callyng them Dreamers he did very wel and hit them home with their right name for that with their dreames they seduce and beguile bothe themselues and the Worlde This vice of liuyng looselie and wantonlie the Apostles doe peculiarly attribute and ascribe to those whiche bee greazed Priestes and marked Baalamites God long agoe foretolde vs that they should bee a Sect liuyng without Wiues And Daniell also prophecying of the kyngdome of the Pope foretolde long agoe that their lust should be vpon women Dan. xj because he foresawe that thei would be suche as could not abide to bee linked in lawfull mariage with any women but burne in lust and wicked concupiscence And this is one of the outwarde iolie vertues not muche vnlike to that their other inwarde properties namely that they are dreamyng Sleepers And despise gouernemente and speake euill of theÌ„ that are in aucthoritie THeir third qualitie is that thei refuse to bee subiecte to the Temporall Sworde and Ciuile Magistrate But wee knowe and so teache that so long as wee liue vppon Earth wee are bounde by the Worde of GOD to yeeld our obedience vnto Magistrates For the Faithe of Christe doeth not violate infringe and disanull externall Pollicie and therefore it is not lawfull for any man to exempt hymself from his obedience toward them Wherevpon we see it plainly and consequently prooued that the Popes Canons and Decrees touchyng Ecclesiasticall Immunitie bee nothyng but verie deuises and inuentions of Sathan Yet Michael the Archangell wheÌ„ he stroue against the Deuill and disputed about the bodie of Moses durst not blame hym with cursed speakyng but saied The Lorde rebuke thee THis is one of the places for the whiche this Epistle was of the old Fathers not allowed and receiued for Canonicall because he here alledgeth an example whiche is not read els where in any place within the whole bodie of the Bible Namely that Michaell the Archangell contended with the Deuill about the bodie of Moses This contention some thinke grewe herevpon because there are so many notable stories written of Moses namelie in the laste of Deuter where wee reade that the Angell of God buried hym but that no man knoweth of his Sepulchre where it is vnto this daie Againe because the Scripture testifieth of hym in the same Chapter that there arose not a Prophete in Israell like vnto Moses whom the Lorde knewe face to face c. Seyng therefore in what greate estimation and reuerence Moses was among the Iewes some of the Interpreters and Expositors that write vpon that same laste Chapter of Deut. saie that Moses was buried by God and that his Sepulchre was neuer hitherto knowen or founde by any man Whiche God did to the intente the Iewes should bee kept from all occasion of committyng Idolatrie whereinto thei might easily and quickly haue slipped if thei had had the bodie of so noble and renoumed a
the Christian Congregation whereas in deede thei be but the Spotts and Wennes of the Common wealth the Skumme and Filthe of the people and the detestable vizardes of hypocriticall holinesse thei keepe iolie cheare and fare moste deliciously accordyng to the old Adage or Prouerbe whiche calleth delicate and daintie cates morselles for a Priest Finallie thei are without feare and care verily thinkyng that Sathan hymself is not able to ouerthrowe them The flocke thei feede nothyng at all but are rather themselues the rauenous Wolues that deuoure and eate vp the Sheepe Thei are Cloudes that are caried on high and swaied alofte in the Aire For thei haue enstalled themselues in the chiefest places and beste roumes and carie all the credite and countenance in the Churche thei ought to teache others but thei care nothing at al for that suffryng them to bee caried hither and thither into the Foggie miste of errour and ignoraunce by the Deuill the professed enemie of mankinde Thei are also fruitlesse and naked Trees such as are in the beginning of Winter bearing neither fruite nor leaues yet thei occupie a roume as other Trees doe Thei beare a shewe of the Bishopps of Christ but thei haue in them no peece nor parte neither of hym nor yet of his Woordes or Workes but are dead at the rootes They are also ragyng waues of the Sea that is euen as the windes in the Sea do tosse and stirre the waues this waie and that waie so are thei also caried whither soeuer Sathan driueth them They foame out their owne shame euen as a pot that hath a greate heate vnder it thei are so full of malice that it runneth ouer at the brim thei are so nozzeled in spightfulnesse and crueltie that their swellyng and cankered stomackes can not holde it but must needes cast vp and vomite out all their beastly filthinesse and therwith also defile and pollute others They are wandryng Starres such as they call planetes retrograde hauyng their motion backwarde in like maner these fellowes whose life and doctrine is nothyng but errour seduce and beguile bothe themselues and all those that followe them And therefore there is reserued for them the mist of darkenesse for euer In these wordes and examples Iude hath depaincted and set out our Massyng mates and pollshorne Prelates who vnder the name of Christ and of the Churche doe bring in a Sea of moste lewde and execrable maners and yet neuerthelesse vnder pretence thereof dooe catche and rake vnto themselues all the wealth of the Worlde and bryng all mens heades vnder their girdles And Enoch also the seuenth from Adam prophecyed of suche saiyng Behold the Lorde commeth with thousandes of his Sainctes to giue iudgment against all men THis place is not any where read in the Scripture which is an other reason why some of the auncient Fathers would not admitt receiue this Epistle as canonicall howbeit this is no sufficient cause whereby to disallowe or reiect any Booke for S. Paule also ij Timot. iij. nameth Iannes and Iambres two aduersaries of Moses whose names notwithstandyng are not read in the whole Byble beside Howsoeuer mens iudgements haue béen or bee we will not presently stande vpon that poinct But this is true that God from the beginnyng of the Worlde hath euer reueiled his Woorde to some wherein to the beleeuers grace and saluation is promised but to the vnbeleeuers iudgement and damnation is threatened and so it still continued euen till the Ascension of Christ from whiche tyme the Word of God hath been openly and generally preached ouer all the Worlde But before the natiuitie of Christ GOD still chose some to himself whom he vsed as it were a certaine threede from hande to hande to deliuer the manifestation and publication of his Word first from Adam to AbrahaÌ„ then from him to Dauid and so to the Virgin Marie the mother of Christe and others moe to whom he reueiled and deliuered his truth The Gospell therfore was alwaies preached in the world but neuer so openly as now in these latter daies After this sorte did this Patriarch Enoch preache and publish the Word of the Lorde whiche vndoubtedly he had learned of his Father Adam by influence from the holy Ghost For it is recorded of hym in the Scriptures Gen. v. that he led an vpright and godly life and therefore was taken vp of God and was no more seen Wherevppon sprong that fable that hee should come againe before the daye of Iudgement whiche thing is not to bee looked for vnlesse wee will vnderstand it in this sense that he shall come againe in spirite namelie for that his preachyng dooeth fitly iumpe and agree to the tyme next afore the generall Iudgement as here this present place very truely agreeth thereto wherein he speaketh so certainly of the laste Daie as if he had presently seene it with his eyes The Lorde saieth he commeth with thousandes of his Sainctes that is with an infinite multitude For these words must needes be vnderstood onely of the last Daie wherein the Lorde will come to Iudgement with all his Saintes For when he first came into the Worlde he came not with many thousandes of his Sainctes but alone and that not to iudge but to giue Grace And to rebuke all the vngodlie among them of all their wicked deedes whiche they haue vngodlie committed THis place doth Iude not vnaptly here inferre directly sounding against false Guides and counterfaite Teachers whiche he knewe in greate swarmes should come a little afore the last Daie but it seemeth also very aptly to beare this interpretation and signification that the Lorde at his comming will first destroye and quight ouerthrowe the Pope with al his imperious PoÌ„tificalitie For to such a great mischieuous euill there is none other helpe or remedie for the vtter abolishyng and quite takyng of hym awaie For so long as the Worlde endureth there will neither bee ende of hym neither can there any reformation and amendment in hym be hoped for And truely this place can not bee vnderstoode of any other then of our Papistes who so miserably and lamentablie seduce the Worlde For a more forlorne desperate and wicked life then that of the Papistes can not possiblie be imagined wherein as thei impiously alreadie wallowe so wil thei still continue worse and worse pretending notwithstanding greate sanctimonie and holinesse vnder the name of Christe whom thei vse as a cloke to contriue and hide all their villaynous treacherie Vnder the name of Papistes wee may vnderstande both them and all the rable of seducyng Imposters and deceiuers beside which shal come a little before the last Daie and all suche as embrace and followâ— their godlesse impietie This place therfore that he here alleâ—geth is to be vnderstood of the last daie of Iudgement Wee see of whom he speciallie meaneth that the saied Iudgement is to be looked for Whervpon wee conclude that our tyrannous Shauelinges and shauen Tyrauntes are with tremblyng