w t loue cxciiii d The Wiues by their faith and good conuersation may conuert the husbande folio cccvii d Wyfe must be first taken and afterward proued otherwise then any other marchaundise fol cc b Wicliffes heresies when they troubled this realme xix a Vix saluabitur iustus is expounded fol. cclxxviii a Women when they woulde be sene to care leaste for their heare or lockes then they care moost fol. ccxviii d Womens heare is many times disgised fol. cxcix a Women whose honesty is light chepe be moste curiouse in disgisinge them selues Eodem c Woman is the weaker vessel is declared fol. ccvi b. Women of Rome in olde time knew not the vse of wine folio ccxxxiiii b. Worme of riches is pryde fo cccv b Women be no meet hearers of moral philosophy xxxiii a Women how they shuld lerne for their soul helth xxxiiii a Woman was last made and first in faute Eodem b. Women haue taught men witte fo xxxv b Worme and not a man why Christ was so called lxxviii b Worldly inheritaunce hath .iii. noughtye properties cxx c Wronges when we ought to remitte them and when we may redresse them fol. xcvi a Wronge there is none when the thinge commeth of mere grace fol. lxxv d Wyues deseruinge to be beaten reneige their wiues state and tourne to the seruauntes state againe fo cciiii b X. XAntippa Socrates wyfe cast a chamber vessell on his heade and what he sayd then fol. cciiii c. d Y. YOnge men be no mete hearers of morall philosophye folio xxxiii a. b. Yonge in age and yonge in maners Eodem clviii b Yonge men must gentilly do after their elders fo ▪ clvii d Finis ¶ The first sermon containing an introduction to the whole matter of the vii giftes of the holy goste And treatyng of the two first giftes called the spirite of sapience and the spirite of intelligence THe blessed euangelist sanct Iohn in the first chapiter of hys gospel after he had somewhat touched the ineffable coeternitie of the second person in trinitie the sonne of God with God the father cōsequently he descendeth to his temporall generacion in fewe woordes comprising the same verbum caro factum est et habitauit in nobis That worde of God the second person in trinitie was cōtent to come alowe and to take our mortal nature vpon him and to dwel among vs not with any diminutiō or decay of the godhead for the infinite glorye of God suffereth neither augmentacion or increase neither decreasyng or decay It is euer one after one maner though it pleased him to hyde the glory of his godhead for a season as condescending to the infirmitie of them that he should be conuersaunt withall and to teache vs the waye of humilitie and that is it that saint Paule sayth semetipsum exinaniuit formam seruiaccipiens He withdrewe his mightie power frō his operacion for if he had shewed it in his owne lykenes all the worlde had not been able to haue receiued him He kept a lower port euer vsing humilitie and lowlynes sufferyng the paynes of our mortalitie with all the despites that the Iewes did to him tyll in conclusion he came to his paynes on the crosse in his painefull passion And that he withdrewe his power from his operacion in the tyme of his bodily presence heare on yerth appeareth euidently by this that if it had pleased him he might aswel haue indued his disciples with the cōforte of the holy ghost whyle he bodily taried among them as to haue differred it tyll the commyng of the holy ghost by sensible signes at this holy tyme of whytsontide In a long sermon that he made to his disciples afore his passion among other holesome lessons he sayd thus vnto thē Expedit vobis vt ego vadā c. It is for your profite that I go from you for if I go not from you the holy ghost wyll not come to cōfort you I haue yet many thynges to teache you but as yet ye can not bear them away but when the spirit of truth the holy ghost cōmeth he shall teache you all truthes necessarye for you to knowe But good lorde what sayst thou Nowe we can not vnderstande suche thinges as we be to be taught than we shal vnderstand How may this be Is he greater of power then thou art Can he do more in teching vs then thou canst do thy selfe good maister Christ to auoyde this scruple doubt āswereth saying No syrs I do not say this for any impotencie in me or for any inequalitie betwixt the holy ghost and me for the thinges that he shall teache you shewe you he shall not speake them of him selfe but of me The cause why I say so is this Omnia quae habet pater mea sunt propterea dixi de meo accipiet annunciabit vobis All thinges that my father hath be myne all power all knowledge all connyng be equally and aswel in the sonne as in the father and in the sonne frō the father like as he hath his generacion production beyng of the father therfore sayth Christ the holy gost shall take of myne and shall shewe it you teach it you for when he shal sensibly come among you he shall shewe you my fathers pleasure which is all one with my pleasure All that he shal teache you he shall take and learne of my father and of me Like as he hath his beyng of my father and of me and as he is the infinite and ineffable loue of my father and of me Thus sayd Christ vnto his disciples for in very deede all the workes of the whole trinitie be al one vndiuidid outfurth among creatures Loke what one person doth the same thyng doth all thre persones likewise Therfore there was nothing that the holy gost taught y e Apostles but Christ could haue taught it them if it had pleased him But he reserued left this power of instructing and cōfortyng the Apostles and others by them vnto the holy gost the third person in trinitie lest if Christ had done all himselfe they would peraduenture haue thought there had be no holy ghost at all or els that the holy spirit had not been of equal power with Christ and with the father of heauen In very dede afterward there risse a pernicious sect of heretikes as Arrius and his faction whiche merueilously troubled al the world in their time saiyng that the seconde person in trinitie was but a creature and lesse of nature power then the father And that the holy ghost was also a creature and a minister and messager of the father and of the sonne and lesse of power then either of them both Because Christ would not haue his disciples to erre in this point he reserued the best porcion of learnyng of godly comfort from them that the holy spirit might teache it them for their comforte that so they might knowe the dignitie of the
holy ghost and might haue cause to glorifie and honoure him likewise as they honoured the sonne and the father by the doctrine of Christ whiche euer attributed and imputed all his lore instruction preaching miracles doyng vnto the father as it is plaine in many places in the gospels Therfore in as muche as they had heard muche of the power of the father and had heard many holesome exhortacions of their maister Christ had seen many merueilous woorkes miracles done by Christ the very soÌ„ne of God the father and knewe very litle manifestly plainely of the holy spirit third person in trinitie therfore as at this tyme by the high wisedome and counsell of the godhead the holye ghost shewed himselfe lighting vpon the Apostles in firie tongues geuing them suche instruction and knowledge suche comfort boldnes as they neuer had before And againe because they should not thinke the holy ghost greater of power then the father or the sonne he warned them afore saiyng Quaecun ê™ audiet â—â—quetur All that he shall heare he shall speake to you As who should say tho the giftes that he shal inspire you withall shall be wonderous yet like as he hath his beyng of my father and of me so al cunning knowledge and other giftes he hath of vs and equally with vs like as he is equal and one in substaunce with vs. And in signe and token of his godhead and godly power it foloweth there Et quae veÌ„tura sunt annunciabit vobis In this he shall specially shewe his godhead because it accordeth most cheifly to God â–ª to knowe secretes to come after and of his godhead it coÌ„meth that men haue suche knowledge reueled vnto them therfore Esaie sayth .xli. Annunciate quae ventura sunt in futuruÌ„ sciemus quia dij estis vos Tell vs what thinges shall come after and so wee shall surely knowe that you bee goddes This quickned their spirites that our sauiour Christ tolde them that the holy ghost should instruct them of thynges to come after for there is nothing that mans mynde desireth more then to knowe what world shalbe hereafter and what shall fall after our daies And the Apostles were verye inquisitiue in suche thinges therfore many tymes they asked of Christ whether he went and which was the way and when he would come to the iudgement and when Ierusalem should be destroyed and not one stone left on another And when he would come to take his kyngdome vpon him and what signe therof they shuld haue with many suche other questions concernyng thinges to come Of this thought carke of mynde our sauiour Christ dispatched them when he tolde theÌ„ that the holy ghost should teache them instruct them of all thynges to come that were mete and conuenient for them to knowe Nowe this presupposed of the godly power of our sauior Christ by whiche he might haue made his disciples as parfite in all giftes of grace as y e holy ghost did and the cause why he did not so descending to my principal purpose I will speake according to this holy tyme and solemne feast of the aboundance plentie of grace with whiche his manhode was indued aboue al other men and wemen that euer had grace And which he deriueth distributeth to all his faythfull people that receiueth grace Of him the Prophet sayth Psalmo .xliiii. Vnxit te deus deus tuus oleo letitiae prae consortibus tuis Kynges and preistes whiche bore the figure of Christe were annoynted with material and corruptible oyle but Christ was annoynted of god the father w t the oyle of gladnes that is to say with the holy ghost which was figured and signified by the sayd material oyle With this oyle of gladnes he was enbrued aboue al his felowes more excellently then any man whiche he is content to take and vse as his felowes coinheritors and copartners of the ioyes of heaueÌ„ They haue graces distributed to them seuerally by partes and the graces that one man hath another man lacketh and men hath them after a remisse and slacke maner not fully nor perfitely And they that haue graces of one kynde yet some hath theÌ„ more fully and perfitely then some other hath But Christes manhode had all graces after the highest maner that could bee geuen to any creature He was full of grace not by measure but aboue measure Saint Stephan was full of grace Stephanus plenus gratia Act. vi But howe He had as much grace as was sufficient for him to preache Christ and to suffre persecution and martyrdome paciently for Christes sake And so is euery good maÌ„ and woman full of grace after a certaine sufficiencie according to their nede and as it is profitable for them The blessed virgin Marye was called in Gabriels salutation plena gratia full of grace by a special prerogatiue or afore others in asmuche as it pleased him of whoÌ„ commeth all grace and goodnes to take her in so gracious fauoure as to take his fleshe and bloud of her most pure virginal body But the maÌ„hode of Christ had all the giftes of grace after a certaine excellencie and superaboundance by which he might deriue and distribute grace to all faithfull people euen like as the head in vs geueth influence to al partes of the body in the vse and exercise of all sensible mouinges as appeareth for when the head is a slepe or mortified with Palseies or suche diseases all other partes of the body be astonied and can do litle or nothing And contrary when the head is of good temperature and well at ease al the body is the better more apt in euery membre to do his office by reason of suche influence as is deriued from the head vnto them Suche influence of grace doth our sauior Christ geue to all christen people for he is oure head and we his lymmes or membres and that godly liuelynes of grace that we haue we haue it of his store and plentie of grace Of this store and plentie of Christes grace the blessed prophet Esay maketh mencion speaking of the misterie of Christes incarnation saiyng capi .xi. There shal a slyppe or rodde spryng out of the rote of Iesse and a floure shall ascende out of his rote and on him shall rest the spirit of God the spirite of sapience and of vnderstanding the spirite of counsell and of fortitude the spirite of science and of pietie and the spirite of the drede of God shall replenishe him By this slyppe or rodde is vnderstaÌ„d the humble virgin Mary very flexible and plyant by humilitie The floure ascending out of that rote signifieth the swete floure of our redemption our sauiour Iesus Christ whiche rose and sprong out of the stocke and roote of Iesse otherwise called Isai kyng Dauids father by the sayd slyppe or rodde Mary disceÌ„ding lyneally of Iesse by Dauid and by other holy patriarkes And on this floure shal the holy ghost rest with
the mynde here he calleth it the spirite Wee vse not to call the minde anye thinge els but the reasonable porcion and parte of the soule And sometime the Apostle ioyneth them bothe together Ephesians iiii Renoua mini spiritu mentis vestre be you renewed in the spirite of your mynde whiche is noughte els but your minde as in an other place hee vseth lyke manner of speakinge Collossians ii In expoliatione â—dip oris carnis The bodye of oure fleshe that is to say the fleshe and suche maner of speakinge we vse in the Englysh tounge the citye of Brystowe whiche is no more to saye but Bristowe The Citye of London is but London The towne of Wells is no more but Wells And nowe to my purpose I thinke that Sainte Peter in this present salutacion taketh the spirite for the whole soule of man comprisynge reason and the sensible powers wyll and sensualitie whiche all together is sanctified by the holye Goste infusinge and powring faith and charitie into our soules when we came to the grace of Christendome and by thys as I sayde wee be made obedient to Christes faythe and readye to fulfill his commaundementes Et aspersionem â—anguinis Iesu Châ—isti And you be electe accordinge to Goddes knowledge to haue the bloode of Iesu. Christe sprinckeled and cast vppon you The bloode of Abell the fyrst Martyr was shedde and sprinckeled on the grounde wheÌ„ Cain his brother kylled him but this blood sprinckelinge cried for vengeaunce Genesis iiii Vox sanguinis fratris tui clamat ad me de terra saieth almighty GOD the voyce of thy brothers bloude cryeth vnto me from the grounde as thoughe GOD sayde Thy deede is so manyfest that it neede none accuser the verye bloude shedde on the grounde declareth thy manslaughter cryeth for vengeance Nunc igitur maledictus eris super terram que aperuit os suum suscepit sanguinem fratris tui de manu tua Therefore saythe almyghtye GOD thou shalte be cursed vppon the grounde whyche hath opened her mouthe and hathe receyued the bloode of thy Brother from thy hande The bloude of Christ cryed for mercie and forgyuenes yea for theym that crucified hym Pater ignosce illis quia nesciunt quid faciunt Father forgyue theym saythe Christe for they knowe not what they do Therfore Saynte Paule comparynge these twoo aspersions together saythe Accessistis ad sanguinis aspersionem melius loquenteÌ„ quaÌ„ Abel Heb. xii ye become to the sprinckling of blood that speaketh better then Abels bloud spake To this aspersion we come by baptisme in which the efficacitie and strengthe of Christes passion commeth vpon vs putteth away â—ynne blame takinge his strength 〈◊〉 to do at the bloode of Christ shed for our redemption that they that be sprynckled with the bloode of Christ might auoyde and escape from the power of the diuel as the people of Israel by the bloude of the Lambe escaped and went out of the bondage of Egipt We see also in Moyses lawe that euery thing that should be â—anctified were wont to be sprinckeled wyth the bloud of the sacrifices killed for that purpose signifying the clensing and halowing of our soules by the bloude of Christ. Gratia vobis pax multiplicetur This is the conclusion of Saint Peters salutacion or recommendacion in whiche he gyueth them his blessing of grace peace Origene vpon a like blessing saith I think that this blessing of peace grace which is giueÌ„ to Gods welbeloued seruaÌ„ts to whoÌ„ the Apostels writeth is no lesse of strength theÌ„ the blessyng that the holy Patriarch Noe gaue vnto his sonnes Sem and Iaphet which was fulfylled by the holye Goste vpon them that were so blessed And lykewyse no lesse strength then the blessing that Abraham had of Melchisedeche or then the blessynge that Iacob had of his father Isaac or then the blessing that the twelue Patriarches hadde of theyr father Israell Then I saye that thys blessynge that Saynt Peter gaue theym that he wrytte vnto was no lesse then the sayde blessinges for he had in hym selfe the holye spirite and in the holye spirite he wryt hys letter and in the same spirite he gaue his blessing Then by the same holye spirite they shall take theyr blessynges that be blessed of the Apostles or of theym that haue the holye spirite wythin them speciallye if they be founde worthye and in whom the blessynge maye fall or els the sayinge of Christe shall bee brought to passe that he saythe in the Gospell Si fuerit ibi filius pacis pax vestraÌ„ veniet super eum sin autem pax vestra ad vos reuertetur If there be the chylde of peace your peace shall fall vpon hym and if no your peace shall retourne to you agayne And that is wrytte of peace is lykewyse to be vnderstande of grace for Saynte Peter ioyneth together grace and peace for peace is neuer withoute a speciall grace of GOD nor grace without peace Therefore where is lacke of grace there canne be no peace and where wee haue no peace wee maye be sorye that wee lacke grace This grace and peace the Apostle prayeth that it maye be multiplyed vppon them that he wrytte vnto that is to saye that it maye growe and encrease euer more and more from daye to daye And because hys meanynge was not onelye by theym that he had seen wyth hys bodelye eyes in the countries where he hadde laboured but also to all other nations that shoulde heare or see thys hys blessed Epistle It is not to be doubted but thys blessyng of grace and peace he wysheth also to vs speciallye if we may saye wyth the Prophet Aduena egosum apud te peregrinus sicut omnes patres mei Psalm â–ª xxxviii I am as a straunger with thee good Lorde and a Pilgrame or wayfaring man as all my forefathers haue beene he wrytte his letter to suche straungers therefore if we counte oure selfe as such straungers not setlyng our mindes to much in the worlde but countynge oure selues not to haue anye citie or stedfast abiding here but stretching and settinge fourthe our selues to the euer lastinge citye of heauen and to the glory to come Then let vs take heede to his blessed doctrine in this Epistle take it said vnto vs aswell as vnto them that al we may by his instruction come to such grace as may bring vs to glory euerlasting through the help of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ The seconde sermon BEnedictus deus et pater dnÌ„i nostri Iesu Christi c. After his salutacion here the apostle proceedeth to hys matter and processe in this Epistle or letter remembring hys pastorall office and dutie aswell to them that he writ vnto as to vs and all Christen people that shall come after vs specially if we take our selues as straungers and wayfaring people in this world He entended by his writing to confirme theym and vs by theym in the faithe that they
a. Church of christ builded on y e xii apostles equally clxiiii b Christ suffred his paines with ioy and gladnes in the higher part of his soule but by the lower portion he was in greatest payne fol clxxxxiiii a. Christes faith was first set forth by homly rude fishers and was reproued and pursued by the mightiest people of the world and yet it preuailed fol. ccxx b Christ preached in spirit to the spirites that were harde of beleif in Noes time is vnderstand .ii wayes fo ccxxiiii d Circuit or compasse about the deuill vseth fol. clxii d. Cleanes of life is necessary for receiuing of grace fo cxxx a Codrus king of Athenis died for his couÌ„treis sake fo xlix a Couetous men be like molles fol. vi c Counsel or policie worldly many times lacketh the spirite of counsell fol xv d Counsell of Gamaliel fol. xviii c the gifte of Counsell was in Iethro whiche Moises lacked fol. xxiiii c d Christen man winneth when he is thought to lose falshead loseth when he is glad of his winninge fol. cxxxiii b Consubstantiall that word is not founde in scripture yet it must nedes be vsed fol. xx d Conception of Christe in the virgins bodye is somewhat like the generation of a worme of the moist earth by the heate of the sonne fol. lxxviii a. and .ccxxi. c Communion much mutabilitie in ministring the communion amongest the heretikes fol cccxii d CommunioÌ„ of saintes is conformite to the coÌ„pany of holy men women as wel quicke as dead fol. lxxxv c â— Commaundementes of God be moral lawes oughte to be red in churches on sondaies holydaies lxxxx a Coueringe of sinnes is of two maners fol cclii a Correction beginneth at the churche fol. cclxxvi c Colchis where it is sayd the golden flece was is in Ponto fol. cx b. Counsell Nicene was kept in Bithinia Eodem d. Comming to Christ is by fayth fol. cliiii c Corner stone the Hebrues tale of that stone fo clv c. d new Conuerses to Christ suffreth much wo and persisteth in goodnes fol. ccxxxviii d. the Companie in Bristowe brought the common gaines into the handes of a fewe fol. ccxi b CoÌ„messatioÌ„s be al extraordinary banketings fo ccxxxiiii c Crime is described fol. cclxxxv c in Croked thinges the midle swarneth from the extremities fol. cccviii d Creation what maner a thinge it is fol. lxxv a. Crosses by the high wayes deuoutlye erecte maliciouselye cast downe fo lxxxxv a. Cure we haue euery one of his neighbour fol. cclxv d. Curiositie about new knackes and new learning is reproued with remedy against the same fol. clxxv b. c Cuthbert Sainte Cuthberte receiued an anngell for his gest fol. cclxi b. c D. DArke sayinges of Christe made manye to erre euen in Christes time fol. xxxvii d Dampned bodies how they shal euer endure fol. lxxxvii a the Deuils sinne is irremissible why fol. lx a Desire of the holy fathers to se Christ. fol. cxxvii a b Death of a faire death and of a foule death fo ccxli b Diuine productions fol. ix c Difference betwixt the minde of a fole and of a wise man about the affections fol. lvii c. Diuision of tongues was the greatest stroke that euer man was striken withall after the losse of originall iustice lx d Differ not to beleue why by example fol. lxxi c Die to sinne fol. lxxxii b. Discretion of spirites is necessary for him that shall studye scriptures fol. xcix b. c. Dowries or giftes of a glorified body fo lxxxvi c Dowries or giftes of a glorious body declared fo cclxxxi a Detraction and a remedy against detractours fol. cxlvii b Desier to haue is couetousnes and so is desire to saue folio cclxviii b. c Dukes Captaines and officers dueties vnder the kinge folio clxxxi b the Deuill killinge the latter Adam lost the first Adam and all his posteritie fol. ccxxvii a the Deuil medleth not with some walketh through some and compasseth about some fol. cccix d E. EArth is diuersly vnderstand folio lxv d Election of two maners fol. cxii c Elia the newe citie of Ierusalem fol. cxxviii b Embringe dayes fasted with prayers for orderinge of preistes fol. cclxxxiiii b Enuy is described is mete for no place but for hel cxlvii d Enuy commeth of vayne glory fol. cc. lxiiii d. Enuy how it may be put away by sufferinge in the fleshe folio ccxxxiii a. d Enuied and disdained is al new conuersion as wheÌ„ Saul prophecied fol. ccxxxvi c d Epicures felicitie fol. xlv c Epictetus determination of the affections fo lvii d Ephesus is a citie in the countrey of Asia the lesse fo cxi a Eue the first woman was made for two vses and in both she was excedingely punished fol. xcvi c Extremities of fortitude fol. xxvii a Examples of the gospels to forsake our parentes for to folow Christ in religion fo lii d Exhortation to seruauntes to their maisters fol xliii v Example of Christes paines in his most tender body shuld be our armour and defence fo ccxxx c Example of concord betwixt man and wife the lampraye with the veuemous viper geueth fo ccv c. Examples declareth and easeth our faith fo ccxxi b. F. FAbles pleasauntly couereth truthes fol. lxi d Faith is diffined and that it is necessarye for mans saluation fol. lxxi a b Faith hope and charitie be presupposed to the .vii. giftes of the holy goost fol v b Faith helpeth intelligence and contrary wise fol x. d Faith at rest and vnexercised anone decayeth fo lxxii c Faith is the instrumente by whiche God preserueth vs in goodnes fol. cxxii a Faith ouercommeth all worldlines and sinne is declared generally Eodem b Fear is necessary fol. lviii d Fear is deuided into sixe members after Damascen lxiiii d Fear is deuided into mundane seruile filial or chast EodeÌ„ Feare presupposeth a loue fol lxiiii d Feare seruile of god though it be not sufficient yet it doth good fol lxvi c Feare seruile and chast feare be like the feare of an adulteres wife and of a chast wife fol. lxvii c d Fear seruile is like the heare or bristel that leadeth bringeth in the threde fol lxix b Feare that is one of the seuen gifte of the holy goost is humilitie fol lxx b the rule of oure Faith is the whole booke of holye scripture fol. lxxiii a the Father in trinitie is neither elder nor more of power then the sonne or the holy Goste fol. lxxiiii d Flatterers of their lordes beleue not on one God properlye Eodem c Flateringe proueth a man fol. cxâ—iiii â— c Flattering hostes and tapsters that wil let vs in our iourney to heauen fol. clxxiiii b Fleshe desireth ease new inuentions and swetenes of tasting and touchinge Eodem c Flesh desireth against the spirite and the spirite against the flesh is vnproperly spoken fol. clxxvii a Feblenes of our wittes to vnderstande the holye scriptures fol. lxxxxix a Felowes to Christ. fol. ciiii c.
they wold not so sore charge the consciences of theyr subiectes but that wheÌ„ they breake the said lawes whether it be with contempt or withoute they shoulde suffer the temporall paines determined ordained for them that offende the said lawes And so they binde the seconde way by the payne to be inflicte on the breakers of the same Thys due obedience of the subiectes to theyr heades rulers and other premisses considered al noble Princes and Prelates and all others that commonly be called to high counsels to make lawes had nede maturely to consider that in their offices they be Gods helpers and the mean betwixt God and hys people and to be well ware that they make none such humane traditions as maâ— barre or deface the law of God as they dydde to whoÌ„ Christ vmbraideth that they for their own lucratiue traditions disswaded from the law of the honour of theyr parentes Math. xv And that they doe not binde suche heauye and vnportable burdens vpon their subiects backes as they wil not set one finger to to helpe men to beare Math. xxiii as the Scribes and Pharisies did whych then had the aucthoritie both temporall and spiritual vnder the Romaines And that they haue no malicious eye towarde anye partie diuisyng lawes for theyr neyghbours destruction or excogitating lawes for the impouerishynge of other men alleuiatyng theyr owne charges and making others fal down vnder their burdens The Prophet sayth to them that be constitute and set in suche authoritie Psa. lvii O ye children of men if ye speake truelye of iustice and ryghteousnesse then se that ye iudge streightly neither declining on the right hand by affection to your selfe or to your friende neither on the leaft hand by malice or displeasure to your foes or to them that you fauour not Considering that the iust iudgement of God shall be against them that measureth the power that they haue receiued of God after their owne wickednes not according to Gods lawes Wher they that iustly and charitably haue vsed their authority shall haue suche reward prepared for them in heaueÌ„ as no â—ong can tel nor hart can think Of whiche that we may be partakers he graunt vs that for vs dyed Amen An expositioÌ„ of the first epistle of Saynt Peter the Apostle set fourth in traictises or Sermons preached in the Cathedral Churche of Bristow by maister Roger Edgeworth Doctour of diuinitie one of the canons of the same Cathedrall church THe gret wise maÌ„ king SalomoÌ„ y t by his wit searched out the natures kinds of all creatures on erth as far as any man might and dysputed reasoned of all the trees in the wood from the highe Ceder tre growing in Libanus where â—uch trees be abundant vnto the poore and lowe I sope that groweth out of the walles and that write and reasoned of beastes and birdes wormes and fishes and to whom resorted people of all nations and from all kinges of the world to heare hys wysedome yet he confesseth Ecclesiastes i. Cuncte res difficiles et non potest ea homo explicare sermone All thinges be hard to be knowen no man can perfitely expresse them by mouth For as the Logition speaketh we knowe not the substantiall and perfite dyfference and distinction betwyxte creatures of the world that we se afore our faces euery day Therfore it is no merueil though our wits be very thin feable and weake to vnderstaÌ„d the holy scriptures For the faire beuty of godlye truth comprised and contained in the scriptures lyeth so priuely hid like a heauenly treasure layd vp in them that it wyll not appeare but onely to them that seeke and searche for it wyth a whole minde and with a clere hart And in asmuche as mans reason is grosse and combred wyth many ydle thoughtes and with muche busynes of the worlde running in mans minde this maketh vs the more blinde vnmete to finde the sayd treasure specially because that in spirituall and heauenly matters as Saint Paule saith we se but as it were in a glasse obscurelye and as a thyng farre of vnperfitelye And beside this I knowe that the thinges that be spoken of in Gods holye and liuely worde be endited by the holy spirite of God Wherefore it is not for euery man to examine theÌ„ and discusse them after his own iudgement for no man may worthely medle wyth hys doyâ—ge but he that hath the holy spirite and specially that gift of the holy spirite that S. Paule speaketh of .i. Corin. xii Discretio spirituum where he sayth that to some man is giuen the spirit of sapience to iudge and reasoÌ„ of celestial matters to other the gift of scieÌ„ce in lower exercise to som is giuen faith by the same spirite To som power to discerne spirites to know when the good spirite speaketh and when the bad and noughtye spirite speaketh In catholike and true expounders of scriptures speaketh the good spirite in heretikes speaketh the bad and noughty spirite And in the holy scripture which is the worke of the holy spirite of the holy gost for he inspireth all the writers of the holye scriptures he is the chiefe author of holy scripture and they that be named the doers thereof as Mathewe Marke Luke Iohn and S. Peter whom we haue now in hand be but as the Scribes Notaries Scriueners and as it were the very quils or pennes of the holy goste Lingua mea calamus scribe saith the Prophet In the holye scriptures I saye when a texte maye haue diuers expositions and may be diuersly taken and euery way good and catholike yet to attaine to the verye prescise and true meaning of the holy gost is no small grace this is the grace of DiscretioÌ„ of spirites or of putting difference betwixte spirites And withoute this gift no maÌ„ shal be able to pas fafely through the scriptures without a foyle Nowe who shall haue this gift and who shall lacke it it standeth chiefely in Gods handes and not in our merites and deseruing For these considerations it is no merueil that it be perilous to speake of almighty God of heauenly or godly causes far aboue our reache In somuch that many wise and wel learned men haue rather chosen silence to hold their tonges then to take labours in expouÌ„dinge or preching y e scriptures But this is not inough for theÌ„ to whom the office of teaching is coÌ„mytted As to bishops to whoÌ„ is coÌ„mitted the whole cure of their dioceses To Archdeacons persons vicars al other hauing cure of soules to al such it is very hurtfull noysome to kepe silence as s. Paule full well considered saying .i. Corin. ix Ve mihi est si non euangelizauero I am sure of wo euerlasting if I do not preach Christ biddeth scruramini scripturas search labour in y e scriptures he biddeth vs also seke and we shall finde Therefore we must search seke least we heare the reproche that Christe gaue the
doers you shold haue no thanke of god for you haue euen as you haue deserued Take exāple of our master Christ which once died for our sins the iust for the vniust a good man for shrewes and noughly liuers That so he might offer vs vp to god the father not being noughty as we were before for so we shoulde be no pleasaunt offerynge to almighty God but we must be by example of him Mortified in flesh and quickened in spirit Like as he died for our sinnes and roose againe for oure iustification so muste we be mortified and muste dye to all carnalitie and sinne so that there be none left aliue in vs. And we must be viuificate and made aliue in spirite so that our liuyng be all spirituall good and godly pliant to the inclination of the holy spirit This example of our maister Christ saint Peter brought in to teach vs that thei that being good and vertuous yet suffreth vexatiō and trouble they folow Christ whiche in like maner suffered iniuries paines and passion that he neuer deserued Some there be that by their vexation and trouble that they suffre amēdeth their liues leaueth their vices knoweth god cōmeth to goodnes And they maie be cōpared to y e blessed theife that was condēned to death for his former giltes faults yet in his paines hangyng on the crosse he came to the knowledge of Christe called for mercy had mercye came to paradice to saluation Others there be that for all the paynes and punishementes vexation and trouble that they suffer be neuer the better but bee rather worsse and worsse fretynge chafynge cursynge and blaspheming against God These be like the thiefe on the left hand which for his faults was hanged on the crosse and there hanginge rayled against Christe as others did and descended into hell to paynes euerlastynge The newe translation readeth this place Mortificatus quidē carne viuificatus autem spiritu speaking of Christ which was mortified in the fleshe bodely diyng for vs and was viuificate and euer aliue in the spirite for his soule neuer dyed in signe and token that by his example we shoulde likewise do gostly diynge to all carnalitie and euer liuinge spiritually as I saide afore In quo his qui in carcere erant spiritibus veniens predicauit This text is diuerslye expounded one way thus In which spirite bi which he was euer aliue Christ came and preached to the spirites that were in prison whiche once were harde of beleue when they loked for Goddes pacience and longe sufferance in the dayes of Noe while the Arche or greate shippe was a makinge in whiche shippe a fewe that is to saie viii liues were saued bi the water lifting vp the shippe a flote from the daunger of drowning Christ came in spirite and preached to the spirites that were in pryson The workes of the whole Trinitie be al one outwarde amonge the creatures as I haue manye times tolde you therfore in that that almighty God inspired the blessed patriarch Noe to preach vnto the people of his time penaunce and amendement of lyfe it maye be saide that the father in spirite preached to the people then beinge in pryson and that the sonne in spirite preached to the same prysoners and that the holy goste in spirite preached to the same people For the whole trinitie inspired Noe to preache therfore it is true that euery persone in trinitie did it And so it mai be said that Christ preached to theim for that is true of the seconde person in trinitie is true of Christe Per communicationem idiomatū As we say the sonne of god is a man and a man is the sonne of God And so we say that the sonne of god suffred death on the crosse that a man made the starres in the skye Because of the perfit vnion and knot of the godhead to the manhode in one person and the same person that now is incarnate and made man did it And he preached to the Prysoners that were dull in beleuyng Noe tellyng theim Gods commination and threatenyng to destroy the world wyth water except they would amende And yet they were hard of beleue and loked for more fauour at Gods hand and for longer pacience and forbearynge theim and so trifled tyll the floude came vpon thē and drowned them They were in pryson sayth s Peter whiche after this exposition must be vnderstande morally in as much as they were bounde as prysoners by the bondes of sinne as the prophet speaketh Funes peccatorum circumplexi sūt me The ropes of sins haue wrapt me in rounde aboute and likewise speaketh the wiseman Pro. v. Iniquitates sue capiunt impiū funibus peccatorum suorum constringetur His owne iniquities taketh the wicked persone and wyth the ropes of his owne sinnes he shalbe strayned knit And in that case were the people of Noes tyme for all mankinde had corrupt his way and the maner of his liuing Omnis caro corruperat viam suam Gen. vi All flesh all men left vertue and liued insolently viciously This is one exposition of this text of s Peter But this exposition though it be good catholike yet it semeth more moral then litteral because it taketh the name of the prison of them that were in pryson morally for the custome vse of sinne not for a place where a prisoner is kept in paine sorow to his displesure it taketh the prisoner for him that is intangled poluted defaced with the deformity of customable sinne This prisoner though he be in extreme peril daunger of soule yet not knowyng the case that he standeth in maketh merye fealeth no harme nor paine but counteth hym self most at liberty at hartes ease Therfore I thinke s Peter speaketh of the spirits or soules of thē that woulde not regard the exhortation of Noe made vnto thē for amendmēt of their liues tyll the very floude came vpon thē And then seing the water rise higher higher men and women and other liuynge creatures perishe in the same floude and that there was no place able to saue them from drownynge they toke remorse of conscience and repentaunce as well for their hardnesse of harte contemnynge Noes exhortion as for their owne naughty liuynge so callyng for mercy were receyued to mercy saued their soules Yet in asmuch as the gate to heauen was not opened bi Christ thei were staied in the skirt of hel a place prouided by GOD to receiue their soules that died in the state of grace and in Gods fauour in whiche if they hadde any thinge to be purged as for venial sinnes or for lacke of sufficient satisfaction for mortall offences done by their life tyme hadde first greuous paines for their purgation and then consequently were receiued into Abrahams bosome a place of tranquilitie rest and quietnes where they had no sensible payne They hadde none other paine but onlye the paine of
lacke of glorye which doubtlesse was a greuous payne for theim that daylie and hourely loked for it as the wisemanne saithe Pro. xiii Spes que differtur affligit animam The hoope that is prolonged and put of vexeth and punisheth the minde Amonge these were manye of them that were swalowed vp in the water at Noes floude Yet diynge penitent as I sayd of which saint Peter here maketh special mencion vnderstandynge by them all the rest of the holye fathers that were in the same pryson and in the paine of lacke of glory To these spirites or souls of theim thus beinge in that painefull Prison where they were payned with the hōger thirst of eiger and gredy desire to see the glorie of God Christe came in spirite in his soule while his bodye laye stil in the sepulchre and preached declared and reueiled vnto them that the high misterie of his painful passion was exhibited and perfourmed and mans raunsome payed by the price of his precious bloude and there he was conuersaunt with them to their greate consolation and comfort and to the confusion of all the deuyls in hell tyll the time when it pleased him to vnite and ioyne his soule to his body againe agaynst the time of his glorious resurrection and then toke away with him suche as were to his pleasure as he sayde afore that he woulde do Ego si exaltatus fuero à terra omnia traham ad meipsum If I be lyft vp from the grounde I shall drawe all thinges to me as well in hell as in earth for of both he drewe a great part to him According to this speaketh the increate wysedome of God the seconde person in Trinite Eccle. xxiiii Penetrabo omnes inferiores partes terre inspiciam omnes dormientes illuminabo omnes sperantes in domino I shall pearce and entre into all the lower partes of the earth and I wyll loke on all theim that be a slepe whose bodies rest in their graues in the slepe of peace and I wyll geue light to all them that hope in theyr Lord God And Saint Augustine in the .cxxvii. sermon sayth Omnia ab stulit vtique electa electi quamuis in tranquillitatis sinu tamē apud inferni claustra tenebantur Non enim infideles quosque pro suis criminibus aeternis suppliciis dedicos ad veniam dominus resurgendo reparauit sed illos ex inferni claustris rapuit quos suos fide actibus recognouit Christ toke awaye with him all that were electe and chosen for suche althoughe they were in the bay or bosome of tranquillitie ease and reste yet they were kepte and holden within the clausures of hell For our lord Christ when he rose did not repaire or restore to pardon and forgiuenes all infideles and such as for theyr crimes or mortall sinnes were deputed to euerlastinge paynes and punishmentes but them he plucked out of the cloysters and clausures of hell whiche he knew for his owne by their fayth and by their dedes For the soule of Christe ioyned to the Godhead from whiche it was neuer separate descended into the said darke place gaue light to thē that were ther kept in prison By occasion of that he spoke of Noes shyppe in whiche a fewe lyues were saued by the water that is to saye the liues of Noe and of his wife and the liues of theyr three sonnes and of theyr thre wiues .viii. personnes in all the blessed apostle Sainte Peter declareth the allegorye of the same fygure sayinge that like as the sayde .viii. personnes or liues were saued from drowninge beynge lifte vppe in the shippe a flote aboue the grounde euen so sayth he In like fourme and maner you be saued by baptisme from dampnation euerlastinge Non carnis depositio sordium sed conscientiae bone interrogatio in Deum The water alone is not the thinge that doth it althoughe his propertie be to washe away the filth and vncleanes of the body but it is the examination and discussion of a good cōscience toward God saith S. Peter because that in the water the worde doth make cleane the soule as S. Augustin speaketh tract .lxxx. in euangel Iohan. Uppon these wordes Iam vos mundi estis propter verbum quod locutus sum vobis Ioh. vx Take away the holy sacramentall wordes from the water and what is the water but bare water Accedit verbum ad elementum fit sacramentum The worde ioyned to the element of water maketh the sacramente For the water can nor of it selfe haue suche strengthe as to touche the body and withall to clense the soule but onely by the worde And by the worde not because it is soūded or said by him or her that doth christe but because it is beleued According to that S. Peter had said Act. xv Fide purificans corda eorum God clensith theyr hartes by fayth the water and the worde concurringe with the same fayth Then this clensing of the soule must not be attribute to the water excepte we put to the worde and then ioyne theim both together and they shall be of suche strength that they may purge and make cleane the least chylde that euer was borne whiche as I haue sayde in tymes past beleueth in the fayth of the churche lyke as he or she that is of discretiō beleueth by his own faith Al these circumstances S. Peter speaketh in few wordes Conscientie bone interrogatio in deum the examination or discussion of a good wel beleuing conscience toward God comprehending as wel the cathechisation or instruction going afore the baptisme where y e party may haue such oportunitie as the Sacramentall wordes with the water with faith and all together According to this saith S. Paul Eph. v. Christus dilexit ecclesiam et seipsū tradidit pro ea vt illā sancti ficaret mūdans eā lauachro aque in verbo vite Christ loued his churche deliuered him self to sinfull mennes handes that he mighte make her holye clensynge her with the lauer of water in the worde of lyfe This blessed Sacramente of baptisme by whiche we be regenerate and gotten agayne to God was signified by the water that drowned the earth and earthly carnall people and saued the eyght liues that then were saued And that the water of the sayde flud saued none that were out of the shippe signifieth that all heretikes that be out of the common receaued fayth of the churche althoughe they were in the water although they be christened and glorieth to be called christen men yet by the same water they shall be drouned into hell by which the ship the catholike churche was lifte and borne vp into heauen and saued as the materiall shippe of Noe was lifte vp into the ayre aboue grounde and saued by water And lyke as they that were drowned in Noes floude had theyr corpsis wasshed from exterior fylth of theyr bodies whiche preuayled them not against drowninge so there was
the seuen giftes of grace whiche be there called seuen spirites because thei be the giftes of the holy spirite by appropriation thoughe they come of the whole trinitie as is afore sayd Of these vii giftes of grace that were so excellently in oure sauiour Christ and by him were distributed and diuided to all them that be apt to receiue them I purpose God helping to intreate partly this day differring vntil another tyme or tymes when it shall please God them that I shall not haue leysure or oportunitie to speake of nowe And here is to be noted for them that be learned that the scholastical doctours be of diuers opinions in conferryng and comparing these seuen gyftes of the holye gost to the seuen principal vertues thre theological Fayth Hope and Charitie foure cardinall Prudence Iustice Fortitude and Temperaunce And also to the viii beatitudes that Christe speaketh of Matth. v. And to the fruites of the spirite spoken of Gala. v. So that by many diuisions and subdiuisions they reduce al these seuen giftes of the holy gost vnto the seuen principal vertues aforesayd also to the sayd beatitudes and fruites And contrarywise they reduce all the sayd seuen principal vertues beatitudes and fruites vnto these seuen gifts of the holy gost cōsidering the scriptures expressing all one thing in substance expresseth it in diuers places by diuers wordes And now with more words now w t fewer And in some place omitting that they expresse in other places Other sayth ful reasonably that Fayth Hope and Charitie be presupposed to all these seuen giftes as the rote in a tree or in a plant is presupposed if the tree shall bryng furth leaues blossons or fruites And as we see that the Carpenters axe or tole can do no worke except it be handled of the workeman and ioyned to him by such handeling or touchyng euen so our soules be not moued to the exercise of any of these seuen gifts except they be after some maner ioyned to the holy gost which must be by faith hope charitye These be the very meanes to ioyne man to god to al godly exercise therfore wher these be not there the holy goste doth not inspire anye of his seuen giftes Example we haue of S. Paule which though he were a vessel chosen to be replenished with grace yet he had not hys gyftes of grace furthwith after his stroke that he had as he was commyng vnto Damascus but he was three dayes starke blinde and sore astonyed and afrayd by this feare with praier fasting he was prepared to faith hope and charitie consequently to aboundance and plenty of grace superadded to the graces of faith hope charitye Then seing that these three most necessary vertues be presupposed to the other gifts of the holy gost if I should do quēadmodum sapiens architectus like a wise maister of the works I should first intreate of them as to lay the foundation a fore I begin to garnish the ouer and hier part of our spirituall building But because I dout not but ye haue oft and many tymes heard of them at large omitting them as presupposing the foūdacion to be alredy sufficiently layd I will descend to my principal purpose aduertising you that who so euer lacketh the said graces of faith hope and charitie and will not dispose hym selfe by prayer to obtaine them he shall vnprofitably heare any preaching of the foresaid seuen giftes of the holy goste Then supposing the best that euery one of vs hath them let vs prosecute procede to intreate of these seuen giftes and first of the first gift that is the spirite of sapience or the gift of sapiēce And because that after the minde of the Logicions where is anye equiuocation first we must make a distinctiō afore we giue definitions therfore it is to be noted that sapience or wisdome is takē foure maner of waies as appeareth Iacob .iii. where the apostle asketh this question Is there anye one amonge you wise or wellearned If ye will say yea then sayth the apostle let him shew that by his workes In mansuetudine sapientiae curteisly tractably or gentlely ordering his wysedome Where contrarye if ye haue bitter zeale and enuye in your hartes with striuing and brawling you nede not to be proud deceiue not your selues for thoughe you thincke your selfe neuer so wise and iolye fellowes and thou scolding woman neuer so iolye a dame yet this is not the wisedome that commeth from aboue from God almighty the giuer of all goodnes But this is earthly wisedome beastly wisedome and diuelish wisedome where ye haue expressed foure maner of wisdomes wisedome that commeth from heauen of Gods gift and three other wisdomes that commeth of our gostly enemies Let vs exclude these three and we shal the soner perceyue vnderstande and beare awaye what the godly wisedome is One of these three noughtie wisdomes S. Iames calleth earthlye wisedome and that is it that couetous men be combred with all whych be euer like wantes or Moles moiling in the grounde and when they shuld ascēd aboue such worldlines to godly meditacions as to here sermons or diuine seruice they be as blinde as the Molle Either they cannot perceiue any thing of godly or heauenly coūsail or if they perceiue it yet they haue no swetenes in it but down they would headlong to their lucre and aduauntages againe like as a Molle if a man would feede her with wine and wastel she will none thereof but downe againe to the ground she will and there she is more strong thē a Lion and after her maner wiser then anye other beast Example of this earthlye wisedome we haue in the gospel Luc. xvi when Christ said No man can serue two masters and ye cannot serue God and your riches it foloweth the Phariseis that were riche heard al these thinges laughed Christ to scorne So if a man do preach or exhort the couetous men not to put to muche affiaunce and confidence in the vncerteinty of their riches a mā shall haue a mocke or a shrewd word But let thē beware of the comminacion that is writ Luk. vi Ve vobis diuitibus qui habetis hic cōsolationem vestram Wo be to you riche men whiche haue your consolation and comfort here in this world Ve is a comminacion of payne euerlasting whyche shall fall vpon theym beside the temporall woe and pain that they haue in keping their goodes ▪ for they be rather possessed and holden of theyr goodes then possedeth and holdeth them And they haue their goodes as we say a man hath a paire of fetters or shackels vpon his legges more to his paine then to his pleasure This considered S. Paule writing to Timothe .i. Timo. vi diuitibus huius saeculi precipe nō sublime sapere neque sperare in incerto diuitiarum sed diuites fieri operibus bonis facile tribuere c. Commaund the rich men of this world not to be
proude in their own conceiptes neither to trust in the vncertaintie of their riches but to be riche in good woorkes and good deedes to geue gentlely without frowardnes c. The other wisedome called beastly wisedome they haue that be ouer muche geuen to the pleasure of their bellies and consequently to the pleasure of the flesh and lechery For of glotony foloweth lecherye and this is the wisedome of them that studieth nothinge so muche as howe they may please their bellies as where to get a delicate cup of wine and good chere These S. Iude in his epistle calleth spottes for they spotteth and defouleth thē selues by ebrietie and surfets and spotteth other mē by their yll examples and euill occasions geuing Hi sunt inquit in epulis macule conuiuantes sine timore seipsos pascētes Against al these speaketh our sauiour Christ. Luc. vi Ve qui saturati estis quia esurietis Wo be to you that be farced stuffed and full fed for you shall be a hungred at your iudgement when ye shall beg refreshing and none shalbe giuen you and this paine with which Christ doth threaten voluptuous persones is inflict and laid on mens neckes somtimes here in this world as we haue seen by many men which hath mispende all that their fathers left them goodes and landes and all and haue be ready to begge or steale for very nede and for very lack of their accustomed fare Much like vnto Esau whyche for a messe of potage sold his first frutes Gene. xxv et Contempsit quod vendidisset And he litle estemed yea rather despised that he had so sold them So these yong ruflers be not sory but rather doth maligne and freate and chafe and be readye to fighte when a man would vmbrayde them for so mispendynge all their substance worse then the prodigall and wastefull sonne that is spoke of in the gospel which after that he had scattered and wasted by his lose liuing all the goodes that his father left hym yet at the last he tooke remorse and repentaunce and returned home to his father againe The third euill wisdome is called diuellishe wisdome which they haue that be wise and wittye inough to do mischief but good they cā do none They be wylye to circumuent men and to deceiue them in all busynes exchaunges bargayning bying and selling and such other exercyse And such be they also that by oppression leapeth vpon mens shoulders like Apes as muche as in them is keeping them downe that they shall neuer come vppe a lofte to anye thrifte or ryches and that wyll be gladde to wayte men a shreud turne so that no man shall espye them or knowe that they do it and many times when they haue done a man a shreude turne will make a man beleue that they be their best frendes All these be carnall wysedomes and worldlye wysedomes that bringeth a man to death euerlasting Rom. viii prudentia carnis mors est And it is counted very folyshenes afore God Of suche wisedome speaketh Christe Luc. xvi The chyldren of thys wicked worlde all sette in malignitie and myschiefe be wyser then the chyldren of light the children of grace the children of God And he geueth laude and prayse to the father because he hath hid the misteries and secretes of the trewe faith of Christ from them that be worldly wyse and farre casting and hath reueled vttred and declared them to suche as be chyldren that is to saye small and little in malice humble and lowlye in harte and spirite For on suche the holye goste wyll spredde hys gyftes and on none of theym that thyncke theym selues so worldlye wyse whyche be verye fooles afore God The apostle Saynte Iames capit iii. declareth what is this godlye sapience or wisedome commynge from almightye GOD aboue by the effectes and properties of it Firste saithe he it is chaste in deedes and in exteriour behauiour for where the filthynesse of lecherye is there is no vertue that can please God and thys is contrarye to beastlye wysedome Then it maketh peace as wel wythin a mannes selfe or in a mannes owne conscience as outwarde to others dyrectlye agaynst dyuellysh wysdome that is euer quarelyng and waytyng shrewd tournes It keepeth a measure and good manner in worde and deedes And so doth nother beastly wisedome nor diuellish wisedome Easye to be counselled or intreated where earthly wisedome according to the properties of the earth is hard to be perswaded agaynste his lucre or aduauntage Agreing with good men as none of the other three wisedomes doth And full of mercy in hart and dede And full of good fruites that is to say good workes wheras of the other wisedomes cōmeth no goodnesse but it be colourable vainglorious or for some sinistre purpose Iudging without simulacion or faining Not shewing iustice and indifferencye outward bearing indignacion and parciality in hart inward Such an humble hart had Salomon when he made his supplicacion and peticion to God in Gabaon .iii. Regum .iii. where he offered to God a thousand hostes or beastes to be all burned in Gods honour as the maner was then sayinge I am but yonge and knowe not how to beginne nor how to procede or make an ende of my matters Therfore giue vnto me thy seruaunt O good Lorde a disciplinable hart ready and apt to learne what and howe I ought to doe that I maye iudge thy people and dyscerne or put difference betwyxte good and yll wythoute whyche no man can be able to iudge these people they be so many in nomber Thys desyre and prayer of thys yonge kynge Salomon pleased GOD wonderouselye well And because he asked not long life nother riches nother the death of his enemies but onely wisdome to geue discrete iudgement Almighty god said to him I haue done as thou hast said Dedi tibi cor sapiens intelligēs in tantū vt nullus ante te similis tui fuerit nec post te futurus sit I haue geuē thee a heart indued with Sapience and intelligence in so muche that among all the kinges of Israell that haue bene afore thee or that shall come after thee there was neuer none like thee Here ye haue expresse mencion of the two firste giftes of the holy gost Sapience and Intelligence wittines or fine and cleare vnderstandyng Of the which Sapience properly serueth for iudgement in speculatiue causes chiefely concernyng almighty God and celestiall creatures and verities or truthes about the same iudgyng and determining that to them a mā shold surely adhere leyne to refuse the contraries as false repugnant to the truth And I must nowe speake vnitely or ioyntly of the gift of sapiēce of y e gift of intelligence or vnderstandyng as the prophet Esay rehearseth them coupled and linked together because one of them adourneth and helpeth another For Sapience is much the lesse if it lack Intelligence or wittines And wittinesse without discrete iudgement of Sapience is very vnprofitable
malicious Iewes Erratis nesciētes scripturas neque virtutē dei You er you go out of the way for ignorance of the scriptures because you know not the vertue power of god S. Paule calleth our sauiour Christ the vertue and power and the wisdome of God Christū dei virtutē et dei sapientiā i. Cor i. Thē cōsidering that Christ is the vertue power of god who so euer knoweth not the scriptures knoweth not y e power vertue of God it foloweth that he that knoweth not y e scriptures knoweth not Christ the more knowledge that you haue of the scriptures the better you know Christe the lesse knowledge that you haue of the Scriptures the lesse you know Christ to be ignorant or not to know the scriptures is to be ignorant not to know Christ. An other occasion I haue to labour in the scriptures to expound them to you which is cōmen to me with master Deane of this churche and to all my brothers Canōs here Not speakynge of my Lorde oure byshoppe whyche I doubte not but he full well consydereth hys dutye to GOD and to hys flocke The occasion is this although I be neither parson nor vicare nor curate of this good and worshipfull flocke yet there is an other yoke layd as well vpon my necke as vpō other of my brothers here by which I feare least there wyll come wo to vs afore God except we preach the scriptures vnto you performing the thing that we haue taken vpon vs byndyng our selues to the statutes that the Kynges moste gratious Maiestye hath deuised for the ordering of all vs the ministers of this his church in which it is prouided that maister Deane and euerye Canon shall preache or cause to be preached certayne Sermons yearely at this church Therefore I wyl forget my owne imbecilitie weakenes and vnhablenes and according to the porciō and measure of that talent and litle knowledge that God hath giuen me I wyll auenture vpon the exposition and declaration of this first epistle of the blessed Apostle S. Peter after my best power helping and settynge fourth the veritie repelling and reprouing falsity Trusting to Gods helpe which neuer fayleth thē that trust vpon him that my sayd labour shall be as wel profetable to me as fruteful to them that shall heare me The matter is harde as all scripture is but it is full of good learning and of fatherly counsell very mete for a Christen soule to learne and to folowe therefore my labour shall not lacke hoping and trustyng in Christes helpe and in hys holye spirite whych I shall muche the rather obtayne if you wil vouchsafe to buttresse me helpe me and comfort me with your praiers Petrus Apostolus Iesu Christi electis aduenis dispersionis Ponti Galatiae Cappadociae Asiae Bithiniae ▪ secundum prescientiam Deipatris c. Petre Apostle of Iesu Christe vnto the straungers dispersed in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithinia electe accordinge to the foresyghte of God the father to haue your spirit sanctified to haue obedience and to haue the bloude of Christe sprinkeled vpon you Grace and peace to you be multiplied This is the salutation that this blessed Apostle Saynt Peter begynneth his letter with all As the maner is when one frende wryteth to an other fyrst he beginneth with recommendatiōs that be salutations consequentlye procedeth to his purpose Accordinge to the same maner I wyll fyrste declare these recommendations vnto you whiche done when I shall come to his processe I shall tell you his principal purpose in his epistle and prosecute the same perticuletlye and in percels as it lyeth in the letter Fyrst we must considre who wrote this letter Seconde to whome he wrote it Thyrde frome whence he wrote it Fourth for what purpose and intente he wrote it For the fyrst it appereth that Saint Peter Christes Apostle writte it whiche was fyrst called Simon Christ turned his name and where afore he was called Simon Christ called him Peter Ioh. i. Blessed S. Andrew one of S. Iohn Baptists disciples after he had diuers times heard his maister geue excellent testimonye and commendations of Christ and on a time S. Iohn and two of his disciples of which S. Andrew was one stode together and sawe Christe go by and then sayd S. Iohn Lo the lambe of God the sayde disciples made no more tarienge but lefte theyr olde maister supposinge he was content they should do so and folowed Christe and taried with him where he abode al that day vndoubted with most heauenly lessons and godly learning although the scriptures expresse not what they were In this appeareth the excellent prerogatiue of this blessed Apostle S. Andrew in as much as he was the fyrst taken to acquaintaunce with Christe of all the disciples and also his aboundaunt charitie in as muche as he dyd not kepe to him selfe the treasure that he hadde founde but would not rest tyll he had made his brother Peter partaker of the same As sone as he found his brother then called Simon he said to him we haue foūd Messias whiche is as much to say in English as anointed We cal him Christ after the greke word for Messias in the Hebrew ▪ Christus in the greke vnctus in the latin anointed in the englysh is all one Saynt Andrewe as I sayde broughte him to Christe whiche looked vpon hym and sayde Tu es Simon filius Iona tu vocaberis Cephas Thou arte Symon the sonne of Iona thou shalte be called Cephas in the Hebrewe whiche is as muche to saye in the Greke and in the latyn as Petra Hieronimus super epistolam ad Galath capit ii Non quo aliud significet Petrus aliud Cephas sed quod quam nos Latinae Grecae Petram nominemus hanc Hebraei syri propter lingue inter se viciniam Cepham nuncupent And by this nowe by the waye is confounded the ignoraunce and erroure of certayne summalistes takynge for one of theyr strongest reasons for the supremitie of the pope of Rome this text spoken to Peter Tu es Simon tu vocaberis Cephas whiche they interpretate caput a heade as thoughe Christe sayde thou shalte be called the head concludynge of that hym to be the heade of the Apostles and consequently his successors the popes of Rome to be heade of all the churche of all countreys whiche thoughe it be very true yet this texte proueth not so muche for in the texte it is sayde expresselye Cephas quod interpretatur Petrus Cephas by interpretation is as muche to saye as a stone or of stone yf it be an adiectiue Here such summalistes would plainlye destroye the texte of S. Iohns Gospell to make for theyr purpose which nede not for ther be as well holye Scriptures as aunciente wryters whiche proueth abundauntly the sayd primacye of the pope Therefore lette vs take the texte as it is meaned for the chaungynge of Simons name into Peter whiche soundeth
cupierunt videre quae vos videtis et non viderunt et audire quae auditis et non audierunt Esay lxiiii prayed and wysshed Vtinam dirumperes coelos et descenderes Woulde God thou wouldest break the heauens and wouldest come downe to be incarnate And the Prophet Dauid Psal. lxxix Excita potentiam tuam et veni vt saluos facias nos Wake rayse and stirre vppe thy olde power whiche thou were wonte to shewe by wonderous myracles shewed in olde tyme in Noes time in Moyses time This power of thine semeth nowe a siepe vntill thou renewe it againe declaringe the veritie and signification of the saide myracles by thy blessed comminge into oure nature by thy incarnation And he coūteth almightie God angrie with him because he came not Quousque irasceris super orationem serui tui in whiche he declareth the vehemencye of his earnest loue and desyre to see Chryst and sayde Shewe thy face and we shalbe safe And yet not doubting but that he would come he sayth in an other Psalme Inclinauit coelos descendit caligo sub pedibus eius Where for the certentie and surenes of his Prophecie he vseth the pretertēce for the future tense speaking of the time to come as thoughe it were past in dede because he was as sure of it as though it had be past as we vse to saye in common speach of one that is past remedye or sure to dye he is but a deade man He hath inclined the heauēs and came downe and trode darkenes that is to say sinne downe vnder his feete Damasc. li. iii. Cap. i. Hoc est inhumiliabilem eius altitudinem in humilitate humiliauit descendit ad seruos suos The highnes of his Godhead whiche can not be made lowe by nature he broughte a lowe by his humilitie and gentlenes whiche is the newest the straungest and most wonderous worke that euer was wroughte Of whiche sayth Ieremie Cap. xxxi Creauit Dominus nouum super terram foemina circundabit virum Oure Lorde hath wrought a newe thinge or a straūge thinge vpon the earth a woman shall enuyron or compasse aboute a man that is to saye the blessed Uyrgyn Marye for she compassed about and closed within her vyrgynall bellye oure Sauyoure Christe a perfecte man in connyng knoweledge and vertue euen frome the fyrst instante of his incarnation And Daniel that holye Prophete Vir desideriorum a man ful of desires because he was so desirous to knowe of the retourne of his people of Israell from the captiuitie of the Medes and Persies and of the comminge of Messias and what shoulde betide his people at the later ende he was asserteyned by an aungell sent from GOD not onelye of the retourne of the people from captiuitie but also of the mistery of Christes incarnation and of his passion and at the last of the final desolation and abhominable destruction of the newe citie of Ierusalem by the Emperours Uespasian and his sonne Titus and at the last by Elius Hadrianus whiche of the ruynes of the olde citie destroyed by Titus made a towne there and called it Elia after his owne name Of these blessed prophetes that laboured and searched so diligently for to knowe of the time of grace that the spirite of Christe proceading from the sonne and from the father and therefore he is called the spyryte of Chryste as he is called the spirite of the father that inspyred the sayde holye Prophetes and spoke in theym woulde tell them when it shoulde be within howe manye yeares after them in quale tempus into what manner of time it should be differred as whether tyll time of peace or of warre Iacob the blessed patriarch said it should come when there should be no kinges and rulers as of the linage of the Iewes so it proued for our sauiour Christ come whē He rode an alien and straunger was made kinge by the aucthoritie of Augustus then Emperoure of Rome And Esay sayde of that time Et conslabūt gladios suos in vomeres et lanceas suas in falces ca. ij It should be in time of peace when all the world liued in rest and peace and had no warre but lyued quietlye vnder the rule of the Romaines so that all men mighte blowe their swordes into plowe yrons and their speare heades and moris pikes into sithes hokes and sickles to cut their hay or corne Then Christ should come saith S. Peter suffer paines and passions prenuncians eas quae in Christo sunt passiones speakinge in the plurell number for he suffred in soule and in his body and also in his limmes or members as he doth now daylie in his elect people and true seruauntes and should haue for the same futuras glorias two speciall glories he had after his passion that is to say the glory of his resurrection the glory of his assention All they sayth S. Peter had knowledge by reuelation that they labored not for them selfe but for vs not to haue thē perfourmed in their time nor vpon them selues but vpon vs according as they be nowe taught you by the ministers of the word of God y t haue preached to you continually sith the holy gooste was sente from heauen vpon the Apostles in sensible signes as fierye tongues wyth diuersitie of languages geuen by the holy Goste On whom the blessed Angels in heauen desire to beholde and loke on Not that they lacke that glorious sighte at anye tyme but Saint Peter vseth this maner of speakynge because the ioyfull contemplation and sight of the Godheade euer beinge presente with them dothe saciate them and perfectly content them and yet so that they be neuer wearye of it but euer desire to continue in that contemplation For Christe sayth Math. xviii Angeli eorum in celis semper vident faciem patris mei qui in coelis est The angels see and desire to see desiereth to see and seeth For lest there shoulde be anye doubt in their desire they be saciate and content and assured whyle they desireth And leste there should bee anye lothinge or fulsomenes or wearines in their sacietie or fulnes while they be full yet they desire Therefore they desireth to see and that without laboure or payne for contentation foloweth their desire and they be content without lothsomenesse for their fulnesse is inflamed by their desire And euē so wee shal be when we shal come to that well of life there shal be printed in vs a delectable thirste or desire and fulnesse of contentation withall but there shall be in the thirste no necessitie nother in the fulnes anye lothesomenesse for while that we be desierous to see that glory of GOD we shall be full of that sight and whyle we be full yet we shall desire to se it styll after such a maner as we can not now perfectly perceiue tyll we come to that state in which we shalbe like the angels and then wee shall knowe it by experience as