The same is this in effect whiche Sainct Peter saieth in this place for it is asmuche as if he had saied we certeinly looke for eternall life although wee liue here on the earth yet no otherwise then by the resurrection of Christe that is to saie euen therefore because he is risen againe ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hande of his Father For this cause did hee ascende that he might giue vnto vs his spirit whereby beyng regenerate we might bee bolde to goe to the Father and saie Behold I come before thee O mercifull father and praie vnto thee not that I putte any trust or confidence in any praier of myne owne but for that my Lorde Christ doeth make intercession for me and is myne Aduocate All these wordes carie an ardent efficacie and fierie force where there is a harte that beleeueth where the harte beleeueth not there all suche words are colde neither doeth the conscience feele any comfort thereby Wee maie here also iudge and knowe whiche is syncere doctrine and true Christian preaching and which is not For hee that is a Preacher of the Gospell must moste zelously and diligently preache forthe the resurrection of Christ whiche he that doeth not is no Apostle For this is the Summe of our faithe And those Bookes of all other are the best and the excellentest whiche teache and treate vpon this poincte principally and chiefly as before hath beene declared This article of our Faith is of most waightie importaunce For if Christ had not risen againe all our comforte and hope were in vaine and all whatsoeuer Christ hath either done or suffred should be to vs in no steede And therefore this maner of teaching is moste requisite Beholde Christ hath dyed for vs and taken vpon him to satisfie for vs to the iustice of his Father against Sinne Death and Hell with whom he had a moste sharpe and bitter encountrie yet could none of them ouercome hym but were by hym all conquered and subdued for that he was the stronger He rose again mawgre the forces of them all brought them in subiection to himself and that for none other cause but to set vs free and at libertie out of the daunger and thraldome of them This if wee stedfastlie beleeue wee haue a perfect assuraunce and full possession of all these benefites whiche beyng eche waie impossible to bee brought to passe by our selues or any strength that is in vs it behoued that Christ should performe the same Otherwise there had been no cause why he should haue descended from heauen hither among vs vile wretched and sinfull men And therefore when men in preachyng attribute any of these thinges to our woorkes thei doe nothyng els but cause that these so necessarie pointes of doctrine cannot afterwards take any place in the hartes of the hearers nor be rightly vnderstood of them O how well ought these thinges to be knowen to vs Christians how throughly ought this Epistle to be vnderstoode of vs To an inheritaunce immortall and vndefiled and that fadeth not awaie WEE hope not for suche a substaunce and inheritaunce as is not present but wee liue in hope of an inheritaunce whiche is present in deede and is immortall is also vndefiled and fadeth not awaie This inheritaunce wee haue perpetually and without ende howbeit wee doe not as yet â—ee the same These are wordes forcible and of wonderfull efficacie and he in whose minde thei are firmely fixed will be as I thinke little mooued with desire of riches and pleasures of this worlde For how can it bee that one should so set his minde vpon these transitorie riches and delightes if he beleeue those thynges whiche bee here spoken For when worldlie wealthe and terrene treasures bee compared to these thinges it appeareth straight how those thinges of the worlde endure but a small tyme and doe sone passe awaie but these thinges continue for euer and doe neuer faile nor fade Moreouer all the thynges of the worlde are vnpure and doe defile vs for there is no man here so godly but in one respect or other he is caried away and defiled with the vanities and pleasaunt thinges of this life but this inheritaunce is vndefiled and pure and he that possesseth the same remaineth for euer immaculate Finally this inheritance doeth not fade doeth not decaie neither is euer subiect to any corruption but euery yearthly thyng although it bée as hard as Iron and Stones is neuerthelesse chaunged and continueth not still As soone as man also becommeth old his beautie is gone and he becommeth lothsome and vnamiable Howbeit this inheritance is farre from mutation or chaunge it alwaies remaineth it is alwaies freshe and floorishyng There is no pleasure so greate on the yearth whiche will not by continuance become lothsome and tedious as we see there is at the laste a tediousnesse in all thynges but our good thynges here spoken of are otherwise whereof there is not sacietie for euer All whiche we obtaine in Christ through the mercie of GOD when we firmely beleeue that thei are freely giuen vnto vs. For how should we miserable men by our owne workes merite those so greate good thynges whiche no reason or vnderstandyng of man is able so muche as to comprehende or by imagination of harte once to conceiue Reserued in heauen for you THis inheritaunce immortall vndefiled and that fadeth not awaie is vndoubtedly ours it is onely for a little while remoued and kepte from our sight vntill these eyes bee closed vpp and this mortall life ended Then shall we certainly finde and see the same vnlesse wee bee vnbeleeuyng And because wee should not doubte of the certaintie thereof the Apostle here addeth that this inheritaunce whereunto no corruption can cleaue is reserued for vs in heauen Whiche are kepte by the power of God through faithe vnto saluation WE in hope saieth the Apostle looke for this excellent inheritance whereunto wee come by faithe For these doe in this sorte followe one an other By the Woorde is wrought in vs Faithe by faithe that newe birth and by this newe birthe wee come vnto hope so that wee certainly looke for these thynges and are throughlie assured thereof Wherefore sainct Peter fitly here saieth that these thynges must be doen by faithe and not by our workes The Apostle here expressely saieth Ye are by the power of God kepte vnto saluation There are many who hauyng heard the Gospell how that faithe onely doeth iustifie without woorkes doe by and by burst forthe and saie Wee also doe beleeue thinkyng that that bare opinion whiche thei feine vnto theim selues is right faithe Wee haue alreadie taught and that out of the Scriptures that it is not in our power to dooe euen the least good woorke that is without the especiall assistaunce of Gods Spirite how then shall wee by our owne strength arrogate that whiche of all other is moste excellent namely to beleeue These cogitations therefore are a mere dreame
that is in thee or if thou shouldest haue nothyng to saie but that thou beleeuest and wilt beleeue as the Councelles as the Pope and as thy forefathers haue beleued For the Deuill will by and by replie againste thee and saie What if thei haue erred Whereby he will driue thee to haue neuer a woorde to saie and so hale and drawe thee into Helle. And therefore it standeth vs vpon to bee certainly perswaded and grounded in those thinges whiche we beleue namely that the Woorde of God is not that whiche the Pope or whiche our holie Fathers doe either beleeue or saie For wee must not depende vpon nor trust vnto any persone whatsoeuer but onely vpon the verie expresse and onely Woorde of God And therefore when thou art rebuked reprehended or as though thou were an heretique demaunded any questions concernyng thy Faithe or why thou beleeuest that by Faithe onely thou shalt be saued let thine aunswere bee thus Because I haue the expresse Worde of God for my warraunt and euident textes of the Scriptures that so teacheth me as namely sainct Paule Rom. j. The iuste shall liue by his Faithe And againe the woordes afore alledged by sainct Peter out of Esaie Chap. xxviij as touchyng the liuely Stone Christe where he saieth He that beleueth on hym shall neuer be confounded These sure groundes doe I sticke vnto and in so doyng I am certaine and sure that I cannot be deceiued But if thou wilte wilfully as many foolishe mynded persones vse saie Sir we will relie and adhere to what soeuer the Generall Counsell in this or in that poinct shall define and determine and whatsoeuer is there concluded wee will stande vnto and maintaine I tell thee who soeuer thou bee that so saiest thou art a forlorne persone and in a moste miserable case Let this rather bee thy saiyng what is it to me what either this man or that man either beleeueth or decreeth For if he bryng not the sincere and true Woorde of God wherewith to direct and perswade me I will neither heare hym nor beleeue hym Peraduenture thou wilt saie All thynges are now so perplexed and so intricate that no man certainly knoweth what to beleeue and therefore we must staie till suche tyme as it bee concluded what we must obserue and what we must followe I saie againe that if thou dwell vpon that poinct thou shalte in the meane season goe straight to the Deuill For when thou art come to the laste pinche of life and seest thou must dye and yet knowest not what thou art bounden to beleeue then canst thou neither bee holpen and relieued by me nor yet by any other And therefore it behooueth thee to knowe perfectly what thou art to beleeue and not herein to depende vppon the determination and appoinctment of any other manne But firmely and stedfastly to cleaue vnto the woorde of GOD if so be that thou desire to escape the paines of hell It shall also bee verie expedient and necessarie for suche as be vnlearned perfectly to learne and faithfully to beare in memorie some plaine and euident places of Scripture and some such certaine and infallible sentences whereon as vpon a fouÌ„dation thei maie leane trust Among the which this maie be one where the Lord saied vnto AbrahaÌ„ Gen. xij In thy Seede shall all nations of the earth bee blessed This place beeyng firmely fixed in memorie thy surest Auckerholde and state is stedfastlie to beleeue it and strongly to relie vnto it with this perswasion in thy self Beholde although the Pope and all his Cardinalles and all Councelles mainteined the contrarie and would affirme anything otherwise then is here set downe yet will I vnmooueablie confesse and sticke vnto this because I certainlie knowe this to bee the Woorde of God whiche abideth fast for euer and can neuer deceiue mee Nothyng can be blessed but through this Seede And to bee blessed is nothyng els but to bee freed and deliuered from all curse that is from Sinne Death and Hell Wherevpon it necessarily followeth that hee whiche is not blessed by and through this Seede is a damned Soule and a member of Sathan and that therefore our own Works and Merites are nothyng at all auaileable to vs towarde our Saluation The verie same thing is meant vp that afore mentioned place of Sainct Peter He that beleeueth in that Stone shall not bee ashamed Therefore if thou be appreached by any and asked a reason of thy Faithe aunswere out of this place and saie This is the foundation and groundworke of my Faithe which I knowe can not deceiue me and therefore I little care what Pope or Bishoppe either teacheth or defineth If they were true Bishoppes as thei ought to bee thei should so zealouslie so painfully and so continually preache this foundation of Faith that none among the Christians should be ignorant of it Whereas thei contrari wise crye out and saie that it is not lawfull for the Laie people to reade the Scriptures And therefore if thou bee asked whether thou wilt consent and beleue that the Pope is the head answere thou Yea and safe that thou so takest hym to be to witt the head and ringleader of all ruffianlie Veâ—lettes and bloudie Tyrauntes in the worlde because thou hast a place out of sainct Paule j. Tiâ—â— illj teaching thee That there should come some in the latiâ—e tyme that should teache the doctrines of Deuilles forbiddyng to marie and commaunding to abstaine from meates which God hath created to bee receiued with thankesgiuyng of them whiche beleeue and knowe the truthe c. These thynges hath the Pope forbidden whiche is so generally well knowen that none can denie it and therefore he is Antichrist For what soeuer Christe either teacheth or commaundeth against that hee bothe kicketh and endeuoureth all that euer hee can eche waie to infring it and to establishe the contrarie That which Christe hath left free the Pope bindeth and that which Christ plainly saieth not to be Sinne that doeth the Pope affirme to bee Sinne. After this sorte therfore thou must learne to yeeld a reason of thy Faith For of this bee assured that a reason thereof thou muste yeelde if not in this life doubtlesse in the tyme of thy death thou shake bee charged there with Thyne Enemie the Deuill will bee readie at thy elbowe to saie Why haste thou called the Pope Antichrist Now if thou bee not fullie furnished with sufficient reasons to yeeld vnto hym the cause why thou didst so he will triumph ouer thee and goe away with the victorie And therefore sainct Peters meanyng is here to premonishe vs thereof That seeyng wee haue beleeued in Christ Iesus wee must make our reckonyng to bee exercised with diuers temptations and sundrie kindes of persecutions in all whiche wee must bee strongly armed and comfortably shielded with the hope and expectation of eternall life And therfore when wee shalbe asked why we so hope it shall moste needefully stande vs vppon to bee
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
〈◊〉 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
furnished and instructed with the Worde of God and therevnto onely to sticke Furthermore the crabbed and Sophisticall Schoole men haue vtterly peruerted wrested and misconstrued this place as thei haue in a maner all the reste of the Scripture mainteyning and holdyng that Heretiques are to be confused and conuinced by Reason and by the light of Nature by Aristotle and suche like because in the Latine texte it is tearmed rationem reddere As thaugh sainct Peter meane that this should bee doen by humaine Reason Wherevpon thei grewe so farr in their dreamyng dotage that in the ende thei were not ashamed to saie that the Scripture was too weake to refell and confute Heretiques and therfore that the defectes therof must be supplied by Reason and that the right triall of true Faithe must bee fetched out of the wisedome of mans braine Whereas our Faithe farre passeth all reason as that whiche is the greate power and vertue of God Therefore wheÌ„ thei wil not beleeue thee it shall be best for thee to holde thy peace and to rest thy self inwardly satisfied that thou canst and doest drawe all the foundation and ground woorke of thy Faithe out of the pure and liuely Woorde of God But some of them will here steppe forthe and saie What Saiest thou that wee ought not to obserue the doctrines of men Were not Peter and Paule yea and Christe himself Men When thou meetest with any such shamelesse and impudent persons so blinded obstinate as either to denye or to doubte whether that whiche thou preachest out of the Worde of God be the Woorde of God or no giue them no answere haue neither speeche 〈◊〉 communication with them but refraine them giuyng this reason 〈◊〉 them for a farewell that thou wilt and art readie to giue sufficient reason of that whiche thou preached out of the sacred Scriptures if that they will beleeue and giue credite to the Scriptures thou doest a good deede so to winne and confirme them if thei will tooke for other helpes besides deale not with them But here will some saie So shall the Worde of Godlie open to confusion and bee troden doune Commit thâ—â— that is God whose quarell it is and who is beste able to defende his own cause It shall therfore be very expedient 〈◊〉 throughlie to acquaint our selues with the sacred Scriptures whereby wee shalbe able to stoppe the mouthes of 〈…〉 because the number of theim that vsually make these and suche like obiections is now adaies very rise And that with meekenesse and reuerence WHen ye are questioned withall asked 〈◊〉 touching your Faithe answere ye not with any opprodrâ—â—â—s or malaperâ—termes neither with so 〈◊〉 strugling distemperaunce as though you would howe downe a mayne Tree but doe it with suche in idlnesse and submission as if ye should stande to answere euer before the Iudgement of God For it maie be that it thou 〈…〉 to answere concernyng thy Faithe before Kinges and Princes and that thou hardest a certaine time afore very well prepared and furnished thy frâ—t for the same purpose with sufficient floâ—â—e of sundrie places of the Scriptures and 〈◊〉 thinkest with thy self I am now readie for all my 〈…〉 shall be very well able to 〈◊〉 their 〈…〉 their obiections it maie bee I 〈◊〉 that the Deuill 〈…〉 waâ—te to â—rippe thee will bee 〈…〉 thy 〈◊〉 and of thy hande and by thee meanes so 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and dismaie thy courage 〈…〉 be able to doe that whiche thou pretendedst but discredite the cause and thy self and so thy former furniture nothyng auaile thee For he is so enured with malicious skill that hee knoweth well enough how to wring from thee as it were thy fighting sword out of thy hands those places wherwith thou chieflie haddest armed thy self to buckle with thyne aduersaries and to maintaine the cause that thou haddest in hande and so thy good purpose should come to none effect For he knoweth aforehande thy purposed deiuses and God suffreth it so to come to passe thereby to represse and pull downe thy pride and insolencie and to make thee to humble thy self Therefore if thou wouldest not that suche a foyle should happen vnto thee it behdoueth thee to take it ill hande with tremblyng and reuerent feare and not to repose any maner of trust in thyne owne strength abilitie but onely in the Word of GOD and promise of Christ Matth. x. When ye shall be brought before Kynges and Rulers for my sake take ye no thought how or what ye shal speake for it shal be giuen you in that houre what ye shall saie for it is not ye that speake but the Spirite of your Father which speaketh in you Thou doest very well at suche a tyme when thou must in suche case answere to furnish thy self with sufficient stoare of textes and sentences of Scripture but this withall thou must take speciall heede vnto that thou doe not trust too much in the same or insolently deale therin least God take aswell out of thy mouth as out of thy memorie that place or Texte wherewith thou diddest purpose moste speciallie and strongly to assaile and encounter thyne Enemie although thou were afore armed and stoared with all the places and textes within the Scripture Therefore thou haddest neede to tremble and feare Wherewith if thou together with the sentences of Scripture be furnished thou shall be able to defende thy self and the cause that thou haste in hande before Princes and Magistrates yea before the Deuil himself Onely take heede that the staffe whervnto thou leanest be the pure Woorde of GOD and not the dreggie deuises of mans fantasticall imagination And haue a good conscience that wheÌ„ thei speake euill of you as of euill dooers thei maie bee ashamed whiche blame your good conuersation in Christe OF this spake Sainct Peter afore For we can not escape if we sticke fast to the profession of the Gospell but be euil spoken of reuiled yea and condemned of the worlde in somuche that we shalbe accoumpted no better then the lewdest fellowes and naughtiest persones that liue And therefore we must arme our selues paciently and willyngly to beare all these thynges and onely before GOD to stande in reuerent feare and to haue within vs the testimony of a good conscience And then let the Deuill rage at vs and all the worlde stamps and stare at vs let them bothe backbite reuile and slaunder vs as muche as euer thei liste in the ende thei must be put to confusion and shame for so falsely and slaunderously accusyng vs. For when the Lorde God in the daie of visitation as Sainct Peter saieth shall laye all thynges open and manifeste then shall we stande in safetie before hym with a good conscience These excellente and pithie sentences are sufficiently able to confirme and strengthen vs and also to keepe and conserue vs in awe and feare For it is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well doyng then
lye naked to the sight of GOD and are as now present vnto his eyes and he in one moment or minute of tyme ouerlooketh and surueigheth all that is was or shalbee A thousande yeeres with hym are but as one daie as saincte Peter in his seconde Epistle declareth And therefore the first man is as present vnto him as the man that shalbe last borne for with one glaunce he beholdeth at once the whole Worlde Let this therfore be the meanyng of this place that Christ now preacheth not any more corporallie but is present in his Woorde and thereby preacheth to the Spirites in their hartes And here wee must note that Saincte Peter vseth a Figure named Synecdoche which is when the whole is taken for a parte and contrariwise when the parte is taken for the whole For hee preached not altogether vnto them alone but vnto all that are like vnto them and of semblable disposition to theirs As if a mā for example sake should now saie This man preached among the Heluetians who sometymes were vnder the gouernement of the Dukes of Austria It herevppon by and by followeth not that hee preached to theim that sometymes were Vassalles to the Dukes of Austria and are now long since dead but it sufficeth to saie that he preached to the people dwellyng now in that Countrie which afore liued in suche subiection And thus vnder the name of the parte the whole is many tymes vnderstoode and the whole againe oftentymes is put to signifie the Parte And after this sorte must we by this life haue respect and consideration of the other life This is the beste interpretation in my Iudgemente that can bee for this place howbeit if any manne bryng a better I will bee glad as meete it is to allowe of it But to be plaine I can not at any hande bee perswaded to beleeue that Christe beeyng quickened in Spirite that is hauyng now taken vnto hym a Spirituall life did descende into Helle and preache to the Soules there speciallie seeyng the Scripture is flatte againste any suche matter affirmyng that when thynges are brought to that poinct euery one shall receiue accordyngly as he hath dooen and beleeued Againe it is not certaine in what state the dead remaine To conclude the woordes themselues are against any suche meanyng for the deade Now this is vndoubtedly true that Christe is presente and preacheth in the harte when as the faithfull Minister or vocall Preacher with fruite vttereth and instilleth the Woorde of God into the Eares and therefore wee maie boldly and without daunger admit and embrace this interpretation of this place He to whom God hath reueiled and opened a better exposition I wishe to be followed The verie summe therefore of this our Interpretation is this Christe beyng now quickened in Spirite that is after he was ascended into Heauen preached afterwarde vnto the Soules of menne who afore vsed to preache to their bodies emong whiche Soules there were many Vnbeleuers in the daies of Noah When once the long suffring of God abode in the daies of Noah while the Arke was preparyng where in fewe that is eight Soules were saued in the water HEre againe persisteth Sainct Peter in alledging and insertyng the Scriptures in whiche his purpose is to drawe vs to enure and exercise our selues And out of theim he bryngeth the figure of Noah his Arke whiche be also explaneth It is verie cōfortable and proper to fetche Similitudes from suche maner of Examples as this whiche order Saincte Paule also followed Gala. iiij where he recordeth the mysterie of the twoo Sonnes of Abraham and also his twoo Wiues and afterward expounded the same And Christe also Ihon. iij. speaketh of the Brasen Serpent whiche Moses lifte vp in the wildernesse Num. xxj Suche pithie Similitudes are easily learned and willyngly hearkened vnto and menne commonly take greate delight in the hearyng of theim And therefore Saincte Peter here bryngeth in by waie of comparison the Similitude of the Arke of Noah whereby he briefly and in fewe woordes and yet with a certaine pleasure setteth doune a sure lesson to confirme Faithe And that whiche he here setteth doune to haue come to passe when Noah made the Arke after the same sort standeth the case now that as he and his euen eight Soules were saued in the Arke whiche was caried vpon the Waters so must wee also bee saued through Baptisme that Water did then once saue bothe menne and all Creatures beside and so Baptisme beyng receiued in Faithe drouneth in vs whatsoeuer is carnall and naturall and maketh vs Spirituall And this commeth to passe when wee betake our selues into the Arke whiche signifieth and figureth our Lorde Christ or the Churche of Christ or the Gospell whiche Christe preached or the Bodie of Christe in whiche wee all hange together by Faithe and are deliuered from all euilles euen as Noah by the Arke was saued from beeyng drenched in the Waters Gene. vij Thus we see how this example by hym here brought comprehendeth as it were compendiously and briefly bothe what Faithe is and what the Crosse is what is Life and what is Death Now where soeuer there bee men that whollie depende vpon Christ there certainly is the Churche of Christ and there is vtterly drouned and killed what soeuer is in vs that is euill and that issueth and commeth from our old Adam To the whiche also the figure that now saueth vs euen Baptisme agreeth not the puttyng awaie of the filthe of the fleshe but in that a good conscience maketh request to God YE are not hereby satted in that the filth of your bodies is cleane washed awaie and nothyng els cleansed but the Bodie as the Iewes precisely obserued and vsed to doe for suche kinde of purifiyng is of no moment nor force but it is a good Conscience makyng request to God that saueth you When as ye feele within you a good Conscience chearfullie and confidently daryng to shewe it self and to appeare before God as though there were a couenaunt or bargain betwéene theim and therevppon dare boldly saie This hath my Lorde God promised me and I am sure he will performe it for he is suche a one as can not deceiue If ye thus stedfastly cleaue vnto his Woorde and whollie depende vppon hym you can not misse but bee saued And the Meane whereby we thus obtaine Saluation is Faithe and not any outward Worke that we our selues are able any waies to doe By the resurrection of Iesus Christe THis small portion of woordes hath Saincte Peter purposely added to that whiche went before to shewe a reason of the Faithe that is grounded herevpon because that after Christe died and descended into the lower partes he staied not still there but anone arose againe from the deade For if he had continued still in Death we had remained still in our miserable estate forlorne as wee were afore But because he is risen againe from the deade and now sitteth on the right hande of his
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
was Baptized or that his sinnes were forgiuen hym and so becommeth he vnthankfull Idle and vnfruictfull without any consideration of his profession liuyng loosely without any remorse of Conscience Hauyng neither feelyng neither yet so muche as any taste of so greate Graces giftes and benefites And this is an exhortation wherin Sainct Peter exhorteth and stirreth vs vp whiche beleeue to the practise of Good woorkes thereby to declare and shewe foorthe that wee haue a true sincere and sounde and not an Hypocriticall or feigned Faithe Neuerthelesse he stil earnestly vrgeth and prooueth this that Faithe onely doeth iustifie and that where soeuer this Faithe is true Good woorkes doe also necessarilie ensue That whiche now followeth maketh for our confirmation herein Wherfore brethren giue rather diligence to make your callyng and election sure THe ElectioÌ„ and eternall predestination of God is so sure in it self that there is no nede to make it surer And so also is our calling firme and stable For he that heareth the Gospell beleeueth and is baptized is doubtlesse called is sure of his Saluation yea hee alreadie hath it Seeyng therefore that wee are called to these thynges wee ought to giue all diligence saieth S. Peter to approoue and assure our Callyng and Election to our selues in our Consciences as the same is alreadie assuredlie knowen with God And this is a phraze or maner of Speeche vsuall in the Scriptures as Ephes lj Ye were strangers from the couenauntes of promise and had no hope and were without God in the world For although there bee no man whether he bee good or hadde but God hath the rule ouer hym sith hee is the Lorde of all Creatures yet neuerthelesse S. Paule saieth that hee is without GOD whiche dooeth not acknowledge hym loue hym and truste in hym Euen so here although in it self the Callyng and Election of God wherewith he hath called and elected vs bee sure and vndoubted yet is it not sure and stable to thee so long as thou dooest not certainly beleeue and vndoubtedly assure thy self that the same belongeth vnto thee And for this cause doeth S. Peter exhorte vs that wee should make our Callyng and Election sure through good Workes And here againe thou seest how muche the Apostle ascribeth and attributeth vnto the Fruites of Faith For albeit thei appertaine and seene to doe good with thy neighbour withall yet also are thei profitable vnto thée because thereby thy Faith is streÌ„gthened and confirmed 〈◊〉 stirred vp more and more to the practise of Good woorkes Wherein also thou seest a farre other vertue and qualitie then is in the faculties of the bodie For the powers of the bodie the more thei bee exercised and vsed the weaker and freebler thei be and in th'ende vtterly decaie whereas contrariwise this Spirituall vertue if it bee not exercised decaieth and fainteth But with muche vse and practise it is strengthened and greately encreased And this was the cause why God at the beginnyng did leade the Christian Churche through hard and rough waies vexed it tourmoiled it and throughlie exercised it in diuers conflictes of Faithe through Ignominie Persecution and Death For he knewe that hereby it should receiue strength and encrease and become the mightier because the more that it was oppressed the more it flourished And this is that whiche Sainct Peter here meaneth when he faieth that wee should not suffer our Faithe to be Idle or vnfruictfull seeyng that the nature thereof is suche that it groweth and encreaseth by vexation and persecution so long till bee fullie assured and certaine of the Callyng and Election of God so that it can not bee deceiued This is the marke that wee must shoote at touchyng Predestination There are many light Spirites who beeyng endued with verie small piâ—â—aunce of Faithe will yet rashelie presume to despute vpon this poincte and curiouslie scare he in what place thei bee reckened and accepted with God But doe not thou entermeddle with such scrupulous curiositie for thou shalt neuer by this waie attaine to that whiche thou seekest If thou desire to bee sure of thy Saluation treade that 〈◊〉 and followe that course whiche Saincte Peter hath 〈◊〉 shewed thee for if thou take any other waie thou â—â—â—iuest thy self and shale bee sure to misse thyne entente Thyne owne experience must teache it thee and that shalte thou certainly knowe and bee assured of when thy faithe is throughly cried and enâ—â—ed For if ye doe these thynges ye shall neuer fall YE shall stande firme and stedfaste ye shall neither stumble fall nor synne but walke without offence all thynges shall goe well with you and frame to the beste whereas if ye leane and trust to your owne foolishe cogitations and rotten deuises the Deuill will quickely and easily hurle you headlong into desperation and hatred of God For by this meanes an entryng shall bee ministred vnto you abundantlie into the euerlastyng kyngdome of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe THis is the highwaie to Heauen and none other And therefore let no manne thinke by dreames and deuises of his owne making touching Faithe to come thither there needeth nothyng therevnto but a liuely Faithe that is throughlie tried and exercised But alas what repugnant doctrines to this hath there but foisted into the Church of GOD by our seducyng teachers while thei affirmed and taught that if a man hauyng runne headlong in wickednesse all his life and at the laste pinche of his death haue but a seelie pittaunce bee it neuer so small and as it were but a verie sparke of Faithe in hym that he should bee sure thereby of saluation But if thou putte of and deferte thy repentaunce and Faithe till then thinkyng and presentyng that thou shalt then euen presentlie and vpon the sodaine haue the gifte of suche a iustifyng Faithe thou trustest to a broken Reede and shalte seeke after Faithe and Saluation when it shall bee too late Dooest thou not heare that euen thei whiche bee strong shall scarcely be saued Howbeit wee ought not to despaire of them that bee weake because there is hope that thei maie bee called although it hardly and not vsuallie so commeth to passe But he whiche in this life throughlie and effectuallie exerciseth and strengtheneth his Faithe in dooyng good shall haue abroade and easie passage or waie with chearfulnesse and assured confidence to enter into the life to come Suche a one maie dye with courage and gladnesse suche a one maie not esteemyng this present life depart hence in the peace of Conscience And as it were with mirthe and ioye take possession of the kyngdome of Christe Whereas on the other side thei that haue a languishyng fainte weake and vnexercised Faithe and haue not enured and acquainted themselues to good and godly exercises shall not with like confidence and ioye as the others enter into eternall life And if thei doe enter yet shal thei not find the doore so open nor the entraunce so easie into the kyngdom
and beleeue it Thei that beleeue it doe followe it and conforme their liues thereafter But the greater number whiche bee thei that beleeue not dooe construe and take the same Woorde in a false sense contrary to the true meanyng of the holie Ghoste and thereof it commeth to passe that there spryng and growe vp so many false Teachers But ful slenderly haue we heretofore harkened vnto this admonitioÌ„ For what dreames soeuer haue been obtruded and preached vnto vs wee rashely and without iudgement haue been readie to accept embrace and allowe the same And by this meanes wee haue rushed headlong into suche a brainsicke doltishenesse that wee haue verily thought the Pope with the rable of his Chapleins and MuÌ„kishe Clergie could not erre And thei whiche should and ought to haue kept vs from errour were the firste that taught this doctrine vnto vs. Here wee learne that wee are vnexcusable if wee beleue amisse or followe and allow any false and erroneous doctrines ignoraunce shall not excuse vs seeyng wee haue been so diligently warned aforehande And God hath expressely charged that euery one should bee able to iudge of that whiche is preached and to giue a reason of the doctrine whiche he hath receiued if wee neglecte or make small accoumpt thereof wee are in a forlorne case it shal not auaile vs I saie to plead ignoraunce The daunger is no lesse then the hazarde and losse of the saluation of our own Soules And therefore it behooueth eche one to knowe whiche is the true Woorde of God that he maie adhere and cleaue vnto it and whiche is false doctrine that he maie flee and eschue it Of suche kinde of admonitions that we should take heede of false doctrines wee haue in many places of the Scriptures greate store Sainct Paule in the laste Sermon that he made to the Ephesians when he tooke his leaue of theim and was now readie to departe toward Hierusalem forewarned theim of these thynges saiyng I knowe that after my departyng greeuous Woolues shall enter in among you not sparyng the flocke And of your owne selues shall menne arise speakyng peruers thinges to drawe Disciples after them Act. xx Christ also foresheweth no lesse to his Disciples Math. xxiiij When any shall saie to you Loe here is Christ or there beleeue it not For there shall arise false Christes and false Prophetes and shall shewe greate signes and wonders so that if it were possible thei should deceiue the verie electe Againe S. Paule j. Timo. iiij hath these woordes The Spirite speaketh euidentlie that in the latter tymes some shall departe from the Faithe and shall giue heede vnto Spirites of errour and doctrines of Deuilles whiche speake lyes through hipocrisie and haue their Consciences burned with an hote yron forbiddyng to marie and commaundyng to abstaine from meates whiche God hath created to be receiued with giuyng thankes c. As these premonitions were bothe vehemently and seriously vttered so ought we to haue taken more heede and to haue been the wiser in looking to our selues But we haue had no regard to theim thei haue little or nothyng auailed vs yea we haue suffred our selues still to be wilfully seduced and nozzeled in errour Let vs now see who these false Teachers are of whom S. Peter here speaketh Truely I doe thinke it was not without the singuler and hidden councell of God that our Popishe Prelacie were called and tearmed by the name and title of Teachers and Maisters to the ende euery one might plainly see who thei were whoÌ„ S. Peter meant For he vseth here the same verie woorde False Teachers or false Doctours and Maisters he saieth not false Prophetes or false Apostles Whiche priuilie shall bryng in damnable heresies HEresies Sectes vowed Orders and Professions of life he therefore calleth damnable for that who soeuer haltereth hym self into any of the same is in a damnable case and in the state of perdition Thei shall priuillie saith he bring in Heresies and Sectes For thei shall not openly detecte the Gospell and Scripture of falshood nor directly charge it with vntruthe for that were a cleane contrary course and would flatly altogether marre the drift of their malicious plat but thei shall vnder pretence of greate cloked holinesse still retain the names of God Christ Faithe Churche Baptisme Sacramentes and suche like and shall bee contente to suffer the same to bee honoured and reuerenced But vnder these names thei shall sâ—ilie creepe in and priuilie foiste in doctrines of their owne forgyng and stampe altogether discrepant and derogatorie from the right honour and worship that is due vnto God And therefore there is greate difference betweene preachyng directly against Christe and preachyng couertly and hypocriticallie vnder colour of truely worshippyng Christe As for example if I should thus preache Christe is the Soonne of God perfect God and perfect manne and he that beleeueth in hym shalbee saued this preachyng is true and aduouchable by the Gospell and Scriptures Now if another should come and preache thus Christe is not the Sonne of GOD neither was he euer incarnate and Faithe doeth not Iustifie this maner of preachyng were moste false and moste directly contrarie vnto all truthe But of suche plaine and palpable godlesse doctrine S. Peter doeth not in this place speake neither dooe our Papistes and Munkishe Mawmettes so grosselie deale but thei priuilie coigne a counterfaicte kinde of doctrine and foiste it in among vs in steede of true and sounde religion As when thei saie thus It is true that Christe is bothe perfecte God and perfecte Manne and that he suffred death for our sinnes in whom whosoeuer beleeueth not caÌ„ not be saued These and suche like Articles as thei affirme to bee true so doe thei holde that thei appertaine and serue for the vulgare and common sorte of people Lett vs therefore saie thei institute some perfecter waie and preciser trade of Life Let vs binde men by Vowe to Chastitie to Pouertie and to an Obedience to their professed Rules let vs teache them to builde Abbaies Monasteries Celles and Hermitages and lette vs flatly perswade them that if thei zelously and deuoutly doe the same thei shalbe sure assone as the breathe is out of their bodies to goe straight to Heauen When these and suche like dotages are preached and colorablie instilled into mennes myndes that there is nothing more excellent blessed then Virginitie nothing more meritorious then counterfaite feigned Obedience that MuÌ„kes and Freers liue a farre better and perfecter life then others Here in these poinctes there is no open defiaunce in flat woordes made against the sinceritie of Christian doctrine herein is neither Faithe nor Baptisme expresselie denied neither yet doe thei renounce or denie Christe to bee the Sauiour of the Worlde but yet neuerthelesse the doctrine of truthe is here couertly impugned and clouded with deuises of mannes owne inuention and menne are thereby drawen and seduced from the right waie and are brought to an ouerweenyng