Will not here define whether in this place S. Peter speake of an outwarde Incontinencie or no or whether he doe as Sainct Paules order is call all those thynges Fleshly whiche a man yet liuyng in this bodie and carnall life committeth and dooeth without Faithe But I am of opinion that S. Peter in this place vseth an other maner of reason Neither doe I thinke that he taketh this worde Soule in suche a sense as Sainct Paule doeth who taketh it for Spirite But that he somewhat more déepely as I suppose considered the proprietie of the Greeke Howebeit it is not greatly materiall whether a man vnderstande this place as meant of all carnall affections or els onely of an externall and outwarde intemperaunce This profitable lesson notwithstanding is hereby taught vs that no man in this life can be perfectly holie and throughly pure from sinnes This place the Schoole men haue grossely mistaken rouyng farre wide from the true meanyng thereof For thei thinke it to bee onely spoken and meant of theim that bee Sinners As though the holie ones were cleare without all euill lustes and carnall affections But he that will profitablie searche and read the Scriptures must with iudgement and discretion waigh and throughly sifte the nature sense and signification of euery woorde for the Prophetes vse sometymes so to speake of them that be holie as that thei seme to pronounce theim pure and altogether cleare from all maner of Sinnes Againe sometymes thei so speake of theim as that thei confesse theim yet to haue euill affections corrupt motions and to fight against Synne This diuersitie and varietie that in apparaunce seemeth to bee in theim marueilouslie grauelleth and offendeth these greate Rabbines and wonderfullie blindeth their Senses from rightlie vnderstandyng the true meanyng of the Scriptures Thus therefore staye thou thy self and for thy sure conceiuyng of this and suche like places bee at this resolution Thou oughtest to consider Christians after twoo sortes namely accordyng to their inwarde and hidden life to witte Faithe and also accordyng to their outwarde and open life that is to saie the Fleshe Now if thou consider and respecte a Christian accordyng to Faithe he is all pure and without all filthe and vncleannesse but after the flesh he is not so For the woorde of GOD can abide no vncleane thyng to reste in that harte where it is throughlie and faithfullie receiued so that the harte whiche faste cleaueth vnto the Woorde can not but thereby bee throughlie purged and entirely cleansed Therefore in faithe all thynges are perfecte accordyng to that saiyng afore wherein wee are sayed to hee Kynges Priestes and the peculier People of GOD. But for so muche as wee hauyng Faithe are as yet cladde in this fleshe and dwell on this Earth it can not bee but that now and then wee feele within our selues sundrie corrupt and Earthly affections as Impacience feare of Deathe c. And these bee the diseases remainyng yet of the old Manne For Faithe hath not yet here raught to hir perfection nor gotten a full power ouer the fleshe This maiest thou plainlie and euidentlie vnderstande by the Parable Luke x. of a certaine man Who goyng doune from Hierusalem to Hiericho fell among Theeues who robbed hym of his raimente and wounded hym verie sore and departyng lefte hym halfe dead on whom in the ende a certaine Samaritane tooke compassion boūd vp his woundes powred in Oile and Wine sett hym on his owne beaste and brought hym to an Inne and made prouision for hym Here thou seest that this man was cared for his cure prouided for anone after he was wounded and now beeyng out of daunger of Death was lefte sicke in deede but not vnto Death howbeeit he was not as yet fullie healed and cured His life is preserued and he left aliue but yet is he not come to his perfecte healthe he is lefte in the charge of the Phisitious to bee cured and dressed afterward Euen so wee that beleeue haue Christ all and entire and are assured of eternall life but our perfecte and consummate healthe wee haue not yet obteined for some reliques of the old Adam remaineth yet still within vs. To the same purpose serueth that other Parable mentioned by Christe Matth. xiij The Kyngdome of heauen is like vnto Leauen whiche a woman taketh and hideth in three Peckes of Meale till all bee leauened For when the Meale is begonne to bee kneaded the Leauen is all there but it hath not yet sowred and pearced the whole lumpe of Dowe the mixture is not yet fullie perfected yet the Meale is therein still till it bee fullie Leauened and more Leauen maie not bee put vnto it So also whatsoeuer thou oughtest to haue thou haste it alreadie by Faithe whereby thou haste taken holde of the Worde and embraced it but it hath not yet throughlie soaked and pearced into thee and therefore it needes must bee so long in woorkyng vntill thou be whollie renewed And in this sort oughtest thou to discerne and interprete the Scripture And not so to Iumble and mangle the textes thereof as dooe the Papistes Therefore when in the Scriptures thou readest of holie meime that are saied to bee perfecte thou must thus vnderstande it that accordyng to Faithe thei were altogether pure and without synne But all the reste was fleshe and therfore could not bee entierly cleane Wherevpon Christians in their praiers desire to bee dissolued and ridde of this bodie or fleshe that thei maie whollie attaine to an entire puritie Thei that other wise teache neither haue any feelyng nor yet any sounde taste of the same And therevpon it commeth to passe that thei speake euen as thei thinke within themselues and as thei can comprehende by their owne reason and therefore thei can not choose but bee deceiued This hath been a stumblyng blocke to many yea of them that haue been accoumpted worthie and famous for their holinesse and sanctimonie and who haue taught and written verie muche Origene speaketh not one worde hereof in his Bookes Hierome neuer vnderstoode thē Augustine also would haue had small knowledge thereof if he had not so much buckled with the Pelagians Some whē thei speake of holie men thei so muche extol and dignifie them as though either thei had been of some higher degree and excellencie then other Christians or els as though thei had had no feelyng of this Flesh or as though thei had not complained thereof aswel and as muche as wee Therefore saieth Sainct Peter You are all cleane and haue your full righteousnesse there now remaineth nothyng for you but y t you stoutly fight againste these wicked and naughtie affections And so also speaketh Christe Iohn xiij He that is washed needeth not sauyng onely to washe his feete For it is not enough that the heade and handes bee cleane and therefore albeeit he saie that thei are all cleane yet neuerthelesse he requireth theim to washe their feete But what meanyng hath Saincte Peter
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
of Christe but shall tremble and quake for feare and be loathe â—odye wishyng rather still in this life to lye be dred sicke and diseased then once to dye or exchaunge this life for any other Wherefore I will not bee negligent to put you alwaies in remembraunce of these thynges though that ye haue knowledge and bee stablished in the present truth OF this we haue oftentymes spoken afore Albeit GOD hath caused a great light to shine vnto vs in this so mercifull a manifestation of the Gospell so that we both now know what a Christian life is and also what Christian Doctrine meaneth and dooe also see the skope of the whole Scripture to tend to none other ende but this yet neuerthelesse it is expedient and necessarie still to perseuere and go forwarde in preachyng and teachyng without ceassyng and to â—terate inâ—â—lke the self same doctrine from daie to daie if not to learne yet to bee admonished and put in remembraunce of doctrine before learned and receiued For there are twoo Offices in the Church as S. Paule teacheth Rom. xij the one consisteth in Teaching the other in Exhorting He that teacheth let hym take heede to his teaching and doctrine and he that exhorteth to his exhortation Rom. xij Teachyng is where wee laie the foundation of Faithe and preache the Gospell to them that haue not yet heard any thyng thereof Exhortyng or admonishyng is as here sainct Peter saieth to preache to them that haue bothe heard and learned the same afore to encourage them manfully to proceede and continue in their well begonne enterprise and to awake and stirre vp their dull and drowsie natures to goe on forwarde from steppe to steppe and from degree to degree euery daie more and more We are all cladde and laden with this olde rotten Sacke our Fleshe and Bloud which stil pulleth vs doune and draweth vs the wrong waie whereby the Soule is easily â—ulled asleepe and brought into securitie And therefore it is very behâ—mâ—â—ful and necessarie for vs to bee continually exercised euen as a good householder keepeth his Seruauntes and Familie still occupied and calleth vppon them to looke to their businesse leaste they should growe into ydlenesse Now if the dulnesse of our nature bee suche that it must bee called vppon and put in mynde to dooe thinges expedient and behoouefull for externall foode and maintenaunce of the Bodie how muche more conuenient and meete is it that the same bee vsed and putte in practise in matters appertainyng to the Spirite and Soule For I thinke it meete as long as I am in this Tabernacle to stirre you vp by puttyng you in remembraunce SAinct Peter here calleth his Body a Tabernacle wherin the Soule for a time saiourneth and it is a muche like phraze to that whiche is vsed in the former Epistle wher he called the Body of the Woman a Vessell or Droun And after the like sorte speaketh S. Paule ij Cor. v. Wee knowe that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle be destroyed we haue a building giuen of God that is an house not made with haÌ„ds but eternall in the Heauens for the whiche we sigh desiryng to be clothed with our house whiche is from Heauen For so long as wee are in this Tabernacle wee sigh and are hurdened c. And againe But wee are comforted and are bold in this that wee knowe that whiles wee are in the bodie wee are absent from the Lorde But wee had leifer to remoue out of the Bodie and to dwell with the Lorde Here wee see S. Paule calleth this Bodie of ours an House makyng two maner of Dwellynges and twoo maner of Peregâ—inatioÌ„s or absences from home By which phraze of speeche Sainct Peter also here in this place calleth this Bodie a Tabernacle for the Soule to soiourne in by whiche name he doeth muche extenuate the reputation that is commonly made of it and also seth it lower then moste parte of men accoumpt of it for he doeth not call it an House but a Tabernacle 〈◊〉 poore Cotage such as seelie Sheepeheardes vse to dwell in The house is slender and contemptible but the treasure that is laied vp and kept in it is riche and precious Seeyng I knowe that the tyme is at hande that I must laie downe this my Tabernacle euen as our Lord Iesus Christ hath shewed me I will endeuour therefore alwaies that ye also may be able to haue remembraunce of these thinges after my departyng SAinct Peter here testifieth of himself that he is assured of eternall life and that by speciall reuelation from the Lorde he knewe when he should dye all which was doen for our sakes and to confirme and strengthen our Faith For it was very expedient and necessarie that there should bee some suche men that had in themselues a certain perswasion and sure knowledge of their electioÌ„ who might establishe laie the foundation of Faith in others whereby it might bee out of all doubt knowen that they preached not the dreames and fantasies of men but the true and sincere Worde of God Whiche men before thei came to that assuraunce and certaintie God throughly tryed and prooued Therefore saieth sainct Peter I will not onely with my liuely voyce admonishe and put you in remembraunce but I will also committ these my admonitions to writyng and leaue my exhortations written for your directions and instructions that after my death aswell as in my life tyme ye maie bee thereof put in minde by others and bee called vpon to obserue and put the same in vre practise Beholde here what a vigilant care this Apostle had for the safegarde and saluation of Soules and yet neuerthelesse wee see through the malice of Sathan what shamelesse shiftes and cogging marchaundize hath been and still is made of them For wee followed not deceiuable fables when we opened vnto you the power and commyng of our Lorde Iesus Christe but with our eyes wee sawe his Maiestie For he receiued of God the Father honor and glorie when there came such a â—oyce to hym from the excellent glorie This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased And this voyce we heard when it came from heauen beyng with hym in the holy mount HEre S. Peter bringeth in the hystorie of the transfiguration of Christe vppon the Mount written by the Euangelist Mathewe Chapt. xvij Wherein is declared how the Lorde Iesus tooke three of his Disciples viz. Peter Iames and Iohn into an high Mountaine and was there transfigured before them his face shinyng as the Sunne and his clothes beyng white as the Light where also there appeared vnto them Moses and Elias talkyng with hym till at length a bright Cloude shadowed them and a voyce comming out of the Cloude saied This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare hym Whiche when the Disciples heard thei fell on their faces and were sore afraide Then Iesus came and touched them and saied Arise be not afraide
how we ought to behaue our selues in our workes and dealinges towards our Neighbor The seconde Chapter WHerefore laiyng aside al maliciousnesse and all guile and dissimulation and enuie and all euill speakyng As newe borne babes desire that sincere milke of the worde that ye may growe thereby If so bee that ye haue tasted how bountifull the Lorde is To whom commyng as vnto a liuing stone disalowed of men but chosen of God and precious Ye also as liuely stones bee made a spirituall house an holy Priesthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture Behold I put in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect and precious and he that beleeueth therein shall not be ashamed Vnto you therefore whiche beleeue it is precious but vnto them whiche be disobedient the stone which 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 beeyng disobedient vnto the whiche thyng 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 that hath called you out of darkenesse into his merueilous light Whiche in tyme past wore not a people yet are now the people of God which in tyme past were not vnder mercie but now haue obtained mercie Dearely beloued I beseche you as strāgers pilgrims absteine from fleshly lustes whiche fight against the soule And haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they whiche speake euill of you as of euill doers maie by your good woorkes whiche they shall see glorifie God in the day of visitation Therefore submitte your selues vnto all maner ordinance of man for the Lordes sake whether it bee vnto the King as vnto the superiour Or vnto gouernours as vnto thē that are sent of him for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that doe well For so is the will of God that by well doyng ye maie put to silence the ignorance of the foolishe men As free and not as hauyng the libertie for a cloake of maliciousnesse but as the seruantes of God Honor al men loue brotherly fellowship feare God honour the Kyng Seruants bee subiect to your maisters with all feare not onely to the good courteous but also to the froward For this is thankeworthie if a man for conscience towarde God endure griefe sufferyng wrongfully For what praise is it if when ye bee buffeted for your faultes ye take it paciently but and if when ye doe well ye suffer wrong and take it paciently this is acceptable to God For hereunto ye are called for Christe also suffered for you leauyng you an ensample that ye should follow his steppes Who did no sinne neither was there guile founde in his mouth Who when he was reuiled reuiled not againe when he suffred he threatened not but committed it to hym that iudgeth righteously Who his owne self bare our sinnes in his bodie on the tree that wee beyng dead to sinne should liue in righteousnesse by whose stripes ye were healed For ye were as sheepe goyng astraye but are now returned vnto the sheepherde and bishoppe of your soules HEre beginneth he to teache vs the right works of a Christiā life the true fruites of the same Wee haue oftentymes afore shewed that in these two thinges Faithe towardes God and Loue towarde our neighbour doeth consist and is contained the whole life of a Christian Also that this Faith of Christe is not giuen to any but that there remaine neuerthelesse in our fleshe so long as wee here liue many naughtie concupiscences lustes and desires sithins that none here in this worlde can be so holie but that he liueth in the fleshe and whatsoeuer is in the flesh the same can not be perfectly cleane Therefore saieth sainct Peter be ye so instructed that ye may abstaine frō the Sinnes which as yet adhere and cleaue vnto you and against them see that ye continually fight for those be the most daūgerous and most pernicious enemies that we haue which lye within our owne bosomes and in the middest of our fleshe and bloud dooe watche sleepe and liue with vs as it were some troublesome Guest of whom when a man hath once harboured and taken hym into his house he can not againe be ridde Wherefore seeing that Christ through Faith is all and wholly yours and that you bee now possessed of his sauyng healthe and all other his benefites and graces knowe ye now that this charge and duetie lyeth vppon you that you laie aside all maliciousnesse or whatsoeuer is euill all guile that is that none deale with an other vnfaithfullie and dissemblinglie let there not bee seene any falshood in fellowshippe amōg you as the prouerbe is neither any craft and treacherie whiche God hee knoweth is now adaies too rise But as it becommeth vs that bee Christians in all poinctes towarde God to deale not feinedly and crookedly but directly sincerely and with a pure harte so also towardes men it is our partes to deale plainly simply and iustly that no man ouerreache or vndermyne an other in buying selling or suche like So saieth sainct Paule Ephes 4. Put awaie liyng and let euery man speake truthe vnto his neighbour The truthe is this that your speeche bee yea yea and naye naye Dissembling is when one sheweth him self an other maner of man outwardly then he is inwardly in minde affected It behoueth therefore and is required of euery man that he beare and shew hym self suche outwardlie as hee is in deede and in harte inwardlie A Christian ought so to liue that he maie not care though all men see and knowe what he thinketh in his harte as he that in all his conuersation and life seeketh nothyng els but to glorifie God and to be seruiceable vnto his neighbour not fearing any man at all For euery one ought to shewe hymself suche an one in the verie secretes of his minde as he is outwardly accoumpted and not vnder the visor of honestie to deceiue and bleare the eyes of the people Sainct Peter further saieth that wee must also laye aside Enuie and euill speakinges Wherein hee doeth very aptlie and well reproue those vices that among men are vsuall and common in their mutuall traffiques and dealinges This vice of euill speakyng is a sinne now adaies very common and rife quickly slipped into and sooner committed then a man would weene Therefore take heede to your selues saieth he of this fault yea although ye haue the Spirite to the intent that ye maie by proofe know what be the fruictes of the Spirite As newe borne Babes desire the sincere milke of the worde that ye maie growe thereby HEre hee bryngeth in a similitude and his meaning thereby is this ye now are newe borne by the worde of God and therefore so
Scriptures And therefore if thei should bee asked whether thei bee assured and out of all doubte that their profession and condition bee allowed of GOD thei will aunswere No. But if a man should aske any poore moilyng Kitchin drudge why she washeth Disshes and Platters or why the Milketh Kine she can yeelde reason and saie Sir I knowe that the thyng whiche I doe is acceptable and allowed of God For I haue the woorde of God and his expresse commaundemente for my warraunte that I ought to doe these thinges This is surelie a singuler comforte an excellente benefite and a right precious treasure of the whiche no man can well thinke hymself worthie The Prince maie thinke hymself an happie man and highlie in Gods fauour if vpon like confidence and truste of a sure commaundement of God he can throughly discharge and execute his waightie Office and Function And truelie he maie in his high callyng doe that whiche God hath commaunded Namelie if he punishe transgressours and malefactours But when alas yea how seldome happeneth it that he rightly and lawfullie is able throughlie to execute this his chargeable office But in this condition and state of seruage all thynges are in that sorte that poore Seruauntes certainly knowe and are throughlie assured that all the thinges whiche thei doe at their Maisters commaundementes are allowed and accepted before God For God respecteth not the basenesse and vilenesse of the woorke but regardeth the harte that in suche vile dradging labours is obedient vnto him But it happeneth and falleth out in this case as in al other matters it vsuallie doeth For looke what God commaundeth that is no man willyng to dooe But that whiche men establishe and commaunde and not God that I saie euery one seeketh after and followeth But here will some peraduenture saie what if I haue suche a frowarde testie waiwarde and angrie Maister whom no manne can please nor any seruice can content of whiche sorte there are not a fewe euerywhere Sainct Peter herevnto â—â—â—eth a plaine aunswere in effecte as if he should saie thus If thou bee a Christian and bee desirous to please GOD thou must not respecte how waiward and churlishe thy Maister is But consider rather and euer beare in mynde what the Lorde thy God commaundeth thee Therefore thinke this with thy self well in this my seruice I shall serue my Lorde Christe he requireth at my handes that I should bee obedient seruiceable and in eche respecte duetifull to my Maister bee he neuer so frowarde sullen and vnquiete If God should commaunde thee to wipe the Shoes of the errantest verlett or Deuelishest Rakehell in the worlde thou oughtest with a chearfull harte and willyng mynde to doe it and this woorke of thyne should bee bothe good and laudable before GOD and so is any other woorke whatsoeuer of the like sorte to bee accoumpted right excellent and commendable for that God hath commaunded it And therefore in this case respecte not the persone but consider onely the good will and pleasure of GOD and what he willeth to bee doen. Thy duetie and seruice in this sort truely and faithfullie performed shall before God farre surpasse and excell all the woorkes and merites of all Shauelyng Priestes and mumblyng Monkes in the worlde if thei were all layed together on one heape If there bee any that thinketh not this sufficiente in that it is so pleasaunte and acceptable a woorke before God it shall not muche auaile to vse any further reasons to perswade hym For there is nothing better if thou doe it nothyng worse if thou forslowe and omite it And therefore saieth saincte Peter this must with all feare bee performed and all thynges muste orderly and duely bee executed seeyng that it is the coÌ„maundement not of man but of God hymself And sainct Peter doubtlesse in this place peculierly speaketh of suche Seruauntes as many were in his tyme to wit Slaues suche as in some Countries yet to this daie are bought and solde like brute Beastes These were euill entreated and oftentymes whipped and beaten by their Maisters who safely and without any daunger of law when thei listed might kill and put them to death And therefore it was needefull that such Apostles as S. Peter was should diligently admonishe and comfort them to be contented duetifullie to serue their frounyng and waiward Maisters and to beare those iniuries where with thei were rigorouslie handeled For euery one that is a Christian must needes beare his Crosse and the more that he is pinched with iniuries the better fareth his case Therefore take vp this kinde of Crosse willyngly hartely thankyng God for the same for this is that verie true affliction that pleaseth GOD. For what should it profite or auaile thee if when thou arte buffered and shreudlie beaten for thy desertes thou shouldest boaste and bragge of sufferyng the Crosse And therevpon it is that saincte Peter here saieth If when ye doe well ye suffer wrong and take it paciently this is thanke worthie and acceptable to God that is a true obedience vnto God and a pleasyng worship Behold here plainly described and set out vnto thee those true and excellent woorkes whiche thou oughtest to doe and yet we foolishemen haue set at naught and troden vnder our feete this good and wholesome doctrine and in steede thereof haue deuised and founde out for our selues other good woorkes inuented by our owne braines and phantasies of whiche wee make suche speciall accoumpt that we thinke we can neuer sufficientlie and enough extoll praise and dignifie theÌ„ Wee therefore that are now deliuered out of this blindnesse and are taught againe whiche be the true and right woorkes that please God let vs with handes holden vp to heauen yeelde moste humble thankes vnto God for this so greate a benefite and let vs hartily and entirely reioyce in the Lorde for the same For herevnto ye are called for Christe also suffered for vs leauyng vs an example that ye should followe his steppes Who did no synne neither was there guile founde in his mouthe Who when he was reuiled reuiled not again wheÌ„ he suffered he threatened not but committed it to hym that iudgeth righteouslie Who his owne self bare our Synnes in his bodie on the Tree that wee beyng deliuered from sinne should liue in righteousnesse by whose stripes ye were healed For ye were as sheepe goyng astraie but are now retourned vnto the Shepeheard and Bisshoppe of your Soules HErevnto saieth Saincte Peter ye are called Vnto what is that Forsoothe to suffer persecution trouble and wrong euen as Christ him self afore you hath dooen As though he should thus further saie If thou wilte bee a true follower of Christe it is not fitte decent nor agreeable to thy profession when thou arte iniuried to brabble muche and repine thereat but pacientlie to beare it and to take it well in worth consideryng how innocentlie Christe suffered all thynges for our sakes He did neither exclame neither cried out for vengeaunce
at one woorde what soeuer is naturally to bee doen in this bodie and is fraile and transitorie To all these died Christe Saincte Paule calleth these the Naturall or Animall bodie for that all other Creatures haue the vse of all these actions as well as we But his fleshe died not in any other sorte but accordyng to the fleshe that is accordyng to those Naturall and corporall functions whiche are done and exercised by the bodie To this life I saie Christe died so that all these functions likewise died and ceassed in hym and hee hymself transported into an other life And beeyng quickened accordyng to the Spirite tooke vnto hym a life Spirituall and supernaturall comprehendyng and possessyng in it self all that life whiche Christe now possesseth as well in Bodie as in Spirite Who now hath not any longer suche a carnall Bodie as he had afore but a Spirituall bodie And thus doeth sainct Paule expounde this place The very same hope wee also at the latter daie to enioye to witt that our fleshe and bloud shall passe and bee altered in to a spirituall life wherein these our Bodies shal no more eate and drinke begette children digest concoct euacuate or any suche like but shall 〈…〉 in Spirite and this bodie shall bee as clearâ— as nâ—w the Sâ—nne is yea 〈◊〉 clearer Fleshe and bloud shall not thenceforth bee naturall there shall then be no suche function either 〈◊〉 or corporall suche as other Creatures now 〈◊〉 aswell as wee These bee in a maner the woordes whiche sainct Paule vseth j. Cor. xv The first man Adam saieth he was made a liuyng Soule and the last Adam was made a quicknyng Spirite And it there followeth That as we haue borne the Image of the earthie and naturall Man so shall we beare the Image of the spirituall and heauenlie From Adam wee haue all the offices and functions naturall euen as brute Beastes haue accordyng to our outwarde senses and faculties But Christe liueth in the Spirit and is fleshe and bloud but not so as he did afore all outwarde functions of bodily Senses are ceassed in hym he neither sleepeth nor watcheth and yet knoweth he all thinges and is in euery place Suche also shall wee bee for he is the first fruictes the oblation and first boxâ—re as S. Paule saieth of the 〈…〉 that is he is the first that arose from the dead and tooke vnto him a spiritual life Therefore Christ doeth now liue accordyng to the Spirite that is to saie He is still very perfect Man but he hath a spiritual Body And therfore that whiche is here saied is not so to 〈◊〉 taken as we vsually doe wheÌ„ we separate Fleshe and Spirite asunder the one from the other but that the Bodie and Fleshe are now spirituall and that the Spirite is bothe in the Bodie and with the Bodie For sainct Peters meanyng is not here that Christe was raised by the holie Ghost but he vseth this worde Spirite after a general maner 〈◊〉 if a man should saie the Spirit doth this or that In whiche wordes is not simplie meant the holie Ghoste but rather that inwarde working and effectuall force whiche worketh in vs by the operation of the holie Ghost By the whiche he also went and preached vnto the spirites that are in person Whiche were in tyme passed disobedient THis place I dooe take to bee as obscure and harde to bee vnderstoode as any in the newe Testament insomuche that I confesse my self not yet to haue founde out the certaine meanyng thereof First the words them selues doe sounde as though Christe had preached vnto Spirites I meane the Soules of them that would not beleeue in the tyme that Noah built the Arke The sense thereof beeyng somewhat harde to conceiue hath hitherto so entangled mee that neither can I aduouche any sounde interpretation of it neither any other as yet that hath takeÌ„ in hand the exposition thereof Some peraduenture will not sticke to take these woordes so as that Christe after his deathe on the Crosse went downe into Hell and preached to the Soules there with whiche vain opinion I meane not here to enter disputation But mee thinkes these wordes doe very well admit an other sense meanyng to wit that our Lorde Christ after his ascension into Heauen came in Spirite and preached albeeit not bodilie For hee speaketh not now with any bodilie voyce as he also vseth none of the other functions of corporall or bodily nature And therefore let vs take the wordes to signifie and meane accordyng as thei sounde that is in Spirite and that he preached to the Spirites in that his spirituall life Wherevppon it also followeth that his preachyng then was spirituall emplantyng the same in their hartes and Soules so that there was no neede for him to goe in bodie and preache with mouth for the same These words of sainct Peter proue not that after he dyed he went doune vnto the Ghosts that are in Hell to preache vnto them For he saieth thus In whiche he went c. Whiche is asmuche as if he had saied After he was deade accordyng to the fleshe and quickened accordyng to the Spirite that is after hee had laied doune and left his life in the fleshe and all other naturall workes and functions of his bodie and had now taken vnto him a spirituall life and conuersation as now he hath and doeth in heauen then hee went and preached to the Spirites c. Now it is most euident and certaine that Christ descended not eftsoones to Hell after he had receiued this his newe glorified life And therefore wee must vnderstande that he made this preachyng after his Ascension into Heauen Seyng therefore that the wordes doe well beare to be vnderstood of a Spirituall preachyng wee are to thinke that S. Peter in this place speaketh of the Office of Christe for that as the worde is outwardly preached by Voyce so worketh he inwardly in the harte Hee enioyned his Apostles to preache the Gospell bodily but yet is hee hymself present spiritually and whatsoeuer the Apostles vtter in outwarde speeche to the bodily eares of men that doethe he speake and preache into the hartes and myndes of them inwardlie And then preacheth hee to the Spirites whom the Deuill holdeth captiue and in thraldome so that wee take this worde went and these wordes preachyng to the Spirites that are in prison accordyng to the accoumpt and computation of God himself because in the sight of Christe thei that haue been long since are euen in the same state as thei bee that now presently liue For his Kyngdome reacheth to the deade aswell as to the liuyng In that life wherein hee now liueth the Beginning the Middle and the ende of the Worlde are conteined and reckened after one and the same accoumpt all as one although in this life these thinges bee not reckened so but eche thyng accordyng to his orderly succession as the Sonne after the Father and so of others All thinges
spightfull enuie and cancarde hatred am I not a greate deale the fitter to deale louingly and gentlie with my neighbour I haue oftentymes afore saied that although by Faith we bee fullie iustified and haue Christe with all his merites fullie our owne yet ought wee to applye our selues to good Workes and to seeke all that wee can the benefite and commoditie of our Neighbour For we are neuer perfectly purged and cleane so long as we dwell in this worlde there is no man but feeleth and findeth in his Bodie a Storehouse of many euill lustes and filthie desires For Faithe beginneth to mortifie Sinnes and to bryng with it an heauenly life but it is not as yet here perfect and strong enough to doe that which it would Euen as Christe reasoned of the Samaritan which was not yet wholly restored to health although his woundes were bounde vp and charge enough giuen for his curyng and looking to so fareth it with vs. For wheÌ„ we beleue our woundes are bound vp that is to saie the infection and disease which by propagation is deriued into vs from Adam is begonne to bee healed whiche is brought to passe as wee see in some remisselie and slowly in other some speedily and quickly accordingly as euery one chastiseth himself and represseth his flesh and hath a fuller measure of Faithe giuen vnto hym And therefore when we haue attained these two Faithe and Charitie our next studie and care ought to be euen vntill wee dye to skowre and pourge these reliques of Synne yet harboroughyng within vs. And therefore saieth sainct Peter Arme ye your selues likewise with the same mynde that is confirme your myndes and strengthen your hartes in this cogitation to dooe as Christ hath dooen afore you For if wee be right Christians wee ought thus to thinke with our selues My Lorde GOD hath suffred for me hath shew his precious blood for me and hath suffred Death on the Crosse for me why should I bee suche a bastarde to bee vnwillyng to suffer any kinde of affliction For if our Lorde hymself issue out into the brunte and breaste of the Battaile how muche more meete is it for vs beyng his poore Seruauntes ioyfully to abide and vndertake any daunger These cogitations would animate vs to pearce into and boldely to aduenture to giue the â—nsect vpon any daungerous assaies what soeuer This woorde Fleshe signifieth not onely the Bodie consistyng of Fleshe and Blood Skinne and Bones but all what soeuer commeth from Adam So saieth God Genes vj. My Spirite shall not alwaies striue with manne because he is but Fleshe And Esaie likewise Chap. xl All Fleshe shall see the sauyng health of God That is it shalbee manifest before all menne in the worlde So also saie wee in our Creed I beleeue the resurrection of the Fleshe that is that all mennesh all arise againe Fleshe therefore signifieth the whole and entire Manne euen as he liueth in this life Now the wâ—â—rkes of the Fleshe are in an excellent order reckoned vp and recoumpted by sainct Paule Gala. v. And not those grosse actions and workes of the Fleshe onely as Fornication but the chiefest and greatest vices that bee as Idolacrie and Heresies whiche bée resiauÌ„t not in the Bodie onely but rather in the Reason Note therefore that Manne together with his Reason Will and all inward motions Soule and Bodie is called Fleshe and that because with al his powers bothe inwardly and outwardly he pursueth and himteth onely for those thynges that are carnall and delightfull to the Fleshe Euen so saieth Saincte Peter in this place that Christ suffred in the Fleshe whereas it is certaine that his Passion was not onely in the Fleshe but in his Soule also whiche adode that moste extreme agoine whereof Esaie speaketh And after the same sorte must we also take this that followeth He whiche suffreth in the Fleshe ceaseth from Synne For this is not the meaning of it that he whiche hath his head chopped of or his bodie onely dismembred ceasseth from synnes but this suffryng in the Fleshe comprehendeth in it what soeuer it bee that aggreeueth and vtterly discontenteth Man or that whiche shalbee his happe willinglie to suffer and beare what Miserie Calamitie Vexation or necessitie so euer it bee For there are a greate sorte that beeyng sounde in bodie are notwithstandyng inwardly in mynde greatly perplexed and disquieted and in harte greeuously tormented Now if these grieues be laied vpon them for Christes cause it is good and commobious for them for he that is afflicted in the Fleshe saith he ceasseth from Synne For this purpose is the Crosse very profitable because thereby Synnes are qualified and greatly alaied For when a Manne once beginneth earnestly and from the verie bottome of his harte to repente it is wonderfull to see how soone and how quickely Luste Enuie hatred and other synnes doe vanishe awaie and ceasse Wherefore GOD hath laied the Crosse on vs thereby as it were to compell and pushe vs forwarde as well to beleeue in hym and to put our thirst in hym as also that wee should reache our helpyng hande one to an other through Loue. That he henceforthe should liue as muche tyme as remaineth in the Fleshe not after the lustes of menne but after the will of God OVr partes and dueties are as in the whole course of our life so by the Crosse and daiely chastifyng of our selues to conquere and subdue our Fleshe and to bryng it in subiection not with intent therby to merite any thyng toward our Saluation but to shewe our selues gratefull and duetifull vnto God Not after the lustes of menne saieth he that is We must not doe it to please either our selues or others thereby For wee must not fashion our selues like vnto this worlde as Saincte Paule writeth in the xij Chapter to the Romaines Whatsoeuer the worlde requireth of vs that must we refraine and forbeare For it is sufficiente for vs that wee haue spent the time paste of the life after the luste of the Gentiles walkyng in wantonnesse lustes drunkennesse in gluttonie drinkynges and in abhominable Idolatries WEE haue alreadie too muche cockered our selues and been too muche giuen to our owne waÌ„ton delites for before wee receiued the Faithe wee spente our tyme and bestowed our liues accordyng to our owne sensuall appetites in no better sorte then very Gentiles And therefore we must striue and endeuour our selues to consecrate and direct the residue of our life according to the will of God and to doe that whiche maie bee acceptable vnto him For we haue our Enemie within our owne bosome wee foster and nourishe hym within our owne fleshe there and from thence the craftie and moste Pestilent enemie as it were out of an ambushe priuily and secretly setteth vpon vs and that not with any grosse and apparaunt vices but rather with the credite iolitie and estimation of the Fleshe which is called by Sainct Paule The wisedome of the Fleshe j. Cor. j. This beeyng now
expectation reserued sorthe last daie and commyng of the Lorde whether the same come and approche with speede or staie yet somewhat longer And of all their cruell speakynges whiche wicked synners haue spoken against hym IN these wordes he both reprooueth their life and reprehendeth their saiynges and it is as much as if he should saie Thei speake presumptuously and malapertly against the Lord and against his commyng they bee impudent and tooto arrogant thei deryde and blaspheme hym as S. Peter also in his Epistle writeth of them He speaketh not here of their life as it is defiled and deformed with sinnes and iniquities but as it is giuen ouer and entierly addicted to woorke all impietie I call that Impietie when the life is led without Faith although the outwarde conuersation bee not altogether flagitious and damnable Euill works be in deede the fruictes of Impietie but Impietie it self is properly called that life whiche glittereth outwardly with a gaie shew of hypocriticall workes whereas the harte is vtterly voyde of Faithe Suche impious persons saieth he the Lord will reproue because the presumptuous doctrine whiche thei boldly teache thei stiflie defende and obstinately maintaine leanyng alwaies to their owne brainsicke glosses and constructions and not sufferyng themselues to bee conuerted and turned to the truthe but are harder then the Flint and will neuer desist from condemnyng and blasphemyng the doctrine of true godlinesse Here we see how liuely these wordes of Enoch paint out and describe these kinde of persons that are and should foyst themselues into the Churche towarde the latter ende of the Worlde whiche vndoubtly are y e Papistes as to euery man euidently appeareth These are murmurers complainers walkyng after their owne lustes whose mouthes speake proude thynges IF a man finde fault with their dealynges and reproue them as vnlawful and dissonaunt to the Worde of God he shalbee sure to bryng himself thereby into a pecke of troubles they will murmure repine and gnashe their teeth at him As for example if a man should but leaue out or omit any peece or parte of the Bishoppes ordinarie style and wonted tytle they straightwaies with open throates crye out Contempt and Disobedience There is no waie left to withstand their lawlesse lustes and selfwilled dealinges for thei bragge that they haue power bothe ouer our bodies ouer our soules thei haue gotten into their handes bothe the Swordes so that they can not bee compelled by Lawe to dooe that is iust and right and that any man should preache against them that can thei not at any hand abide They haue exempted thēselues and all theirs from all maner of taxe tribute and imposition so that no man dare once touche any thing that belongeth vnto them finallie thei are growen to that degree of tyrannie that no man dare presume to preache a worde contrarie to the order of their peeuish Proceedings To alledge any Scriptures against them it is altogether bootelesse for they saie that none maie expoūd or enterprete the same sauing thei themselues By which meanes it is come to passe that in all places and in all thinges they liue as licentiously as thei list For these saiynges can not bee wrested or applied against vs professours of the true Gospell for that wee reuerently and dutifully submitt our selues and yeeld our obedience aswell to the Scriptures as to the ciuile Power from bothe whiche thei wilbe free and not compellable by any Last of al their Decrees and Cannons be pestered and thwacked full of proude arrogant and swellyng wordes vtterly voyde of all good and godlinesse Hauing mens persones in admiration because of a vantage THis hitteth their natures and dispositions very iumpe for thei iudge all thinges accordyng to the person In all the whole Popes Canons ye shall not once finde it commaunded that the Bisshoppe should humble himself beneath the poore Parishe Priest nor any of the fruictes of a Christian life whatsoeuer But al thinges rather sounde thus Let the Curate bee vnder the Priest the Priest vnder the Bisshoppe the Bisshoppe vnder the Archbishoppe the Archbishoppe vnder the Patriarch and the Patriarch vnder the Pope Finallie how euery one should weare his Habite his Amyse his Weede and Cowle after what fashion he should clippe his hayre shaue his crowne and beard and make his apparaile how many Benifices and how many Prebendes he might keepe c. Thus thei brought all thinges to certaine externall Ceremonies and traditions of their own makyng and wholly occupied themselues in mere childishe foolish and friuolous trifles which thei had in greate accoūpt and estimation yea thei iudged it no lesse then deadly sinne if any man should refuse to adore reuerence these their boyishe toyes And therefore very well saieth Iude in this place Thei haue mens persons in admiratiō for thei lappe vp their lewd and loude lyes in vizardes of hypocrisie and only admire those gaie shewes that are visiblie obiect to the eye All this while thei neuer speake woorde neither knowe any thyng as they should knowe of Faith of Charitie or of the Crosse And yet the poore vulgare people suffer themselues still to be beesotted with these Popishe Bugges and thinke themselues to doe very acceptable seruice to God in giuing all their Goods Substaunce and Patrimonie to feede these filthie Swine in the Stye of this their lewd sensualitie But ye beloued remember the woordes whiche were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lorde Iesus Christ How that thei told you that there should be mockers in the laste tyme whiche should walke after their owne vngodlie lustes THis place also giueth some occasion to thinke that this Epistle was not written by Saincte Iude the Apostle because the Aucthour hereof reckeneth not hymself among the other Apostles but speaketh so of theim as though thei had preached long before his tyme whereby it maie well bee thought that this was rather written by some other godlie man that had read Sainct Peters Epistle and out of it culled and gathered these woordes and Sentences Who these mockers bee wee haue afore declared and who thei also bee that walke after their owne lustes not onely carnall and fleshely lustes but those rather that sauour of horrible impietie wherin thei liue in eche respect accordyng to their owne inordinate desires neither reuerencyng the Ciuile Magistrate nor obeiyng the Worde of God but liue so loosely and contemptuously that thei neither obediently acknowledge any externall nor yet internal Gouernement Al Lawes aswell Diuine as Humaine thei flatly despise and sette at naught and so flye in the Aire in the middle betweene Heauen and Earth euen as thei are hoised vp and caried aloft by their Maister the Deuill These are makers of sectes Fleshely hauyng not the Spirite HEre he alludeth to that whiche sainct Peter in his Epistle saied That there should come false Teachers whiche priuilie should bryng in damnable heresies These are thei that disobediently breake asunder the vnitie of Faithe and beyng not