that is done thoroughe all the worlde and he that is excommunicate and caste oute of this vnitie looseth his parte of all the sayde good workes THen foloweth the eleuenth article expressed by Iude otherwise called Thadeus the brother of Iames the lesse aforesaid The forgiuenes of synnes It concerneth the amotion and puttinge awaye the thinge that is yll and moost noysome to man that is synne whiche by the auctoritie that Christe gaue to the Apostles and by them to theyr successours ministers of the Churche and by the vertue of the Sacramentes is losed and taken awaye For while we be in this worlde howe greate so euer oure sinnes shall chaunce to be they may be all wasshed awaye by the strength that Christ left in his Sacramentes THen foloweth the twelfth and laste article of the Crede layde to this shot or gatheringe by S. Mathy that was chosen to make vp the perfite number of the .xii. Apostles after that Iudas the traiter was gone frō them had hanged him selfe it is this The resurrection of the bodye and life euerlastinge that is to saye glorye rialtie and ioye euerlastinge of bodye and soule It is verye necessarye for vs stedfastly to beleue this article to take from vs the feare of death for if we thoughte there were no lyfe hereafter we might well feare death as a thinge most horrible whiche nowe we take as a necessary meane and highe waye to eternitie and life euerlastinge Therefore we shoulde not vndiscretely mourne or cry for feare of our owne death neither for the death of our frende consyderinge that it maketh for the profyt of oure bodies and of our soules for euer stil from the time of mannes conception in his mothers body tyll he be buried he maye take hurt and may be corrupt but he shall rise agayne vncorruptible by the dowrye or gyfte of impassibilitie neither fyre weapon syckenes neyther anye other thinge can hurte him Lykewise in this life mannes body is dymme and darke and geueth no lyghte but it shall rise in glorye clearenes and brightnes by the gyft of clearnes Mannes body is nowe dull and heauy and longe a mouinge and not able to styrre it selfe withoute laboure but it shall ryse nymble and quicke able to moue from place to place how farre distant soeuer they be in a twinkelinge of an eye by the will and commaundement of the soule and this shall be by the dowry or gifte of Agilitie Our body is now grosse and no more able to be present with an other bodye then the body of a brute beaste but it shall rise so spirituall fine and pearsing that it may goo thorough an other body and be present in one place with an other body by the gifte of Subtilitie euen like as I said afore that the body of oure Sauiour Christ came from the wombe of the vyrgyn Marye and as he came amonge his disciples when the doores were shutte so that his fleshe bones and bloude were present with the ooken boordes and yren twistes of the doore or with the walles withoute any diuision of his body or of the dore or of the yren workes or of the walles These wōderous indumentes dowries and gyftes of a body glorified were shewed in oure Sauiour Christes body at his transfiguration for our comforte declaringe that like as he shewed them in him selfe then so we shoulde assure our selfe to haue them in vs when we shall rise to life euerlastinge Where contrary they that shall be dampned shall haue theyr bodies vncorruptible for they shall euer endure passible and subiecte to all paynes of extreme heate extreme colde without any meane besyde the worme and grudge of minde frettinge and gnawinge theyr owne consciences whiche shal neuer cease Their bodies shall be dimme darke heuy and shal supplye the rowmes of cheynes fetters and stockes to kepe them downe in that detestable pryson of hell Then fynally to speake of life euerlastinge of body and soule in heauen what tonge is able to tell or what wytte can compasse how greate the ioyes of that high citie be to be amonge the companies of blessed spirites and holy aungels and to beholde the countenaunce of the Godheade euer presente with them and not to be dismayde with feare of death and to reioyce of the gyfte of euerlastinge incorruption withoute disease or sickenes for there shall be no paine sorowe nor mourninge There shalbe no feare of pouertie no feablenes of sickenes there no man shall be hurte no man shall be angry no man shall enuy or disdaine an other there shall be no couetousnes no hunger no gaping for promotion or honoure no feare of the deuill there shal no diuels lie in waite for to tempt vs no feare of hel there shalbe no death of body or soule but a life full of pleasure indued with immortalitie there the blessed folke shal shine like sterres and they that teacheth other to liue wel shalbe like the brightnes of the firmament Wherfore there shalbe no night no darkenes no cloudes no sharpenes of colde or heate but there shalbe such temperature and measure of all thinges as no eye hath sene no eare hath hearde neither any mans hert hath comprehended or attained to but onely of them as haue be worthie or shalbe founde worthy to haue the same pleasures whose names be written in the boke of life euerlastinge In whiche boke that we maye be registred he graunte vs for his infinite mercy that for vs died Amen An homilie or sermon intreatinge of Ceremonies and mannes lawes GOod Christen people forasmuch as now of late manye mē hath so litle fauored the Ceremonyes of Christes churche also mannes traditions or lawes made by man reputing them inualide and of no strength to bynde Christen people to obserue and kepe them that they haue runne into so greate peruersitie as to despise as wel such laudable vsages as hath ben vsed among christen people continually sith the time of the Apostles vnto our dayes as also to reiecte the very Sacramentes of God the principal Ceremonies of oure faith to the extreme daunger of their owne damnation and of all thē that haue geuen faith to theyr doctrine because you shal not erre in like opinions but rather shal know how necessary Ceremonies be that so you may haue a loue to thē ye shal first hear the aūcientie of Ceremonies then the necessitie of Ceremonies And consequentlye somewhat I shall speake of mannes traditions and lawes and of the strength that they haue to bind men that be subiect to the same lawes to kepe them For the first ye shall vnderstande that this vocable or latyn worde Ceremonie as Valerius Maximus wryteth in the fyrst booke of his stories hath his name of a towne in Italy called Cerete into which towne whē the citie of Rome was taken by the frenchmen the preist of Quirinus and the professed maidens called Vestales virgines with theyr Idolles and other sacred thinges after their maner that they could
I purpose God willinge to set forth hereafter as I maye haue oportunitie A repertorie or table directinge to manye notable matters expressed in this booke folowinge A. ABraham is dead and Abraham is alyue Fol. xxii d Abraham Iepthe and others what they didde for loue to their countrey fol. lii a Absteine from their wiues men must because of prayers fol. ccvii c Actes of parliament in our time hath pretended godlines but in effecte turued to priuate lucre with the impouerishinge and vndoinge of many others fol. cccix b. Adam by his life time had seperate the issue of Cayn from the issue of Seth. fol lix c Adam though he had not offended yet Christ woulde haue ben incarnate and howe fol. cxxxvii c. d. Adulteringe womens heare with strange colours c. is coÌ„trolinge of Gods handy worke fol. cc b. c. Affections of mannes wyll fol. lv c. Affections about good godly thinges be laudable lviii b Age crepeth vpon vs manye wayes and speciallye by studie fol. ccxxxviii b c Almightines of God geueth vs a great light and comforte to beleue all the articles of our fayth fol. lxxv a. Almes geuen againste a mannes will is nigardelye geuen fol. ccxii a b Almes geuen to the studentes of the vniuersities is best be stowed Eodem c. Anaxagoras felicitie fol. xlv a An Ape or counterfetter against euery vertue fol. xliii a Andrewes prerogatiue and his charitie fol. ci c Angels euer seeth the glory of God and euer desireth to se it and so shall we do fol cxxix a. b Apostle is the name of an office fol. c.ii d Apostles be of iiii maners fol. ciii b Arrius heresy fol ii c. Arrius heresy how it rose fol. xix c. Articles of our faith be .xii. according to the number of the Apostles and why they be called articles fo lxxiii b. Asia the lesse is full of pleasures fo lvi d Asia Affrick and Europ how they be deuided fo cviii c. As importeth not euer equalitie fo cxxxii d. Auctors of the Stoikes and their opinion of the .iiii. affections fol. lv d Aulus Gellius story concerning the .iiii. affections fol. lvi c Auctoritie of prelates successors to the apostles fol. xcvi b Auarice wexeth yonge in age fol. clxvii c Aucthoritie of the maister geueth the scoler a courage to learne in all faculties fol. cclxxix c. d. Aulters pulled downe and birdes put vp for the coÌ„munioÌ„ with much mutabilite about the same fol cccxii d. Aulters pulled downe by heretikes of Arrius secte in saint Basilles time fol. cccxiii d B. BAbilon was build .cxxxi. yere after Noes flud by Nembroth fo cccxiiii d Baptisme of infantes contrary to the Anabaptistes cxlii a Baptisme clenseth all sinnes fol. cxix b. Bezeleel had the spirite of science fo xlii c to Beleue there is one god or to beleue god is not sufficient but we must beleue on one god fol lxxiii d Beleue on the holy churche may be saied fo lxxxv a Beleue the resurrection c. is necessarye to take awaye the feare of death fol. lxxxvi b. c Bithinia lieth ouer y e streictes against CoÌ„stantinople cx c Better it is to shine with laboure then to rouste for idlenes fol. clxxiiii c. Bearing one with another easeth the burden so doth coÌ„passion in infirmities of the soule fol ccx a Beutie of face must not be vsed as an instrumente of mischeif fol. cclxvii c Bilders bad and good fol. clvi c. d. Bishoppes must not be to easy or rasshe in orderinge preistes and their perill in so doinge fo clxx d Bishops and preistes were al one in old time fo cclxxxvi c Bishoppes may commaund and compell when clxxii a b Bloud of Abell cried for vengeaunce the bloud of Christe cried for mercy fo cxiiii a Blessinge is diuersely vnderstande and taâ—en fol. cxvi b Blessinge and well sayinge by our neighbours shalbe requited with blessinge euerlastinge fo ccxvi a Blessed be they that suffreth for iustices sake fol. ccxix b Blessed be they that god correcteth and why fol. cclxxv c Bodily members applied to the soule fol cxxx a Bondage came other by iniquite or by aduersitie clxxxiiii a Body of sinne fol lxxxii c d Bristow was ful of diuersitie of errours fo ccix c d Brotherhed is to be loued and not only the brothers ccx c Brotherhead of heretikes and scismatikes is but a canâ—ell or patche of the very true brotherheade and like a rotten bowe broken of from the tree Eodem c C. CAre and solicitude we muste caste vpon god fo cccvii b Calling or election of two maners fol. cxii c. d. Cain for lacke of Goddes feare was punished with feare folio lix b. Calis Malis is called in latin Calpe and why it is called ill Calis fol cvii. b c. Capadotia situation fol. cx c. Carnal in liuing and carnal in knowledge fo cli c. d Carnal and wanton company must be left thoughe it be to thy paine fol. ccxxxii d Ceremonies were layde on the Iewes to kepe them frome Idolatrie fol. xxxi c. Cephas and his interpretation fol. cii a Ceremonie hath his name whereof and what they be folio lxxxviii c. d Ceremonies haue bene vsed frome the begynninge folio lxxxix a b Ceremonies whiche semeth to be of small reason and profitte why they were commaunded fol. lxxxxii b Ceremonies of the olde tyme were of foure manners folio lxxxx c. Ceremonies of the Iewes were .vi. c. or more and verye painefull and chargeable fol. lxxxxii b c. Ceremonies of Christes church be of iiii maners sacrifices Sacramentes halowed thinges and obseruaunces fol. lxxxxiii c Christ hid the glory of his godhead and why fol. i. b c Christ might haue geuen to the apostles as great comforte as the holy gost did and why Christ reserued the best part of learninge for to be taught by him fol. ii a b c Christen men varieth from the Philosophers in certayne conclusions of fortitude fol. xxvii b c Children be no mete hearers of diuinite why fo xxxiii a Christ had the true gift of pietie fol. xlvi b Christ firste heard the doctours read and teache and afterwarde asked questions of them Eodem c Christ reasoned not with the ignoraunt as many doth but with the very best of the doctours Eodem d. At Christes supper s. Peter begon to vnderstande Christes wordes except ye eat the flesh of a man c. fol xxxviii c Christ feared to comfort them that feaâ—eth fol. lxv c. Chast spouses to christ how they mai be knowen fo lxviii b Christe signifieth an office as a kinge a preiste or suche like fol lxxvi c Christ why he chose the death on the crosse fol lxxix a Christ was of most pure complexion therfore his woundes were moost painefull fol lxxix b. Christ descended into hel in soul why he descended lxxx c Charitie is compared to a garment fol ccliii c. d Christ is a stombling stone to whome fol clviii a b Christ is called a stone why fo clv.
womans sacrifices that wyll shewe them selues to be of Christes faith and beliefe and these be made acceptable to God by the merites of our sauiour Iesus Christe on whom we beleue By this you may iudge how far wide from this generall laye presthoode and from the sinceritie of theyr Christendome they be that wil neither sacrifice to God iustice or rightuous dealing but vseth al oppression extorcion theft and bribery neither will giue to God the sacrifice of laude praise and thankes but rather blasphemy to Gods reproche and to his dispite and wil not vse prayers in the church nor in other places but rather with their babling in the church and mocking of diuine seruice letteth and hindreth other men from theyr praiers and from attending and hearing gods seruice They giue not theyr bodies as a holy sacrifice to God but rather as a stincking sacrifice to the fleshe to the diuel not liuely but sinfull and deadly not pleasant but as an instrument of mischiefe displeasant to God and man There is an other priesthode whiche is one of the seuen sacrameÌ„tes called the order of presthode farre aboue the foresayd lay priesthoode in dignitie and in authoritie This order and dignitie of priesthode our sauiour Christe gaue to hys disciples after his last supper wheÌ„ he toke breade in his handes and conuerted it into his bodye by these words saying This is my body And taking the cuppe with wine in his handes he sayd This is my blood And consequently he sayd to his disciples Hoc facite in meam comme morationem do you this that I haue done and so doing remember me where he gaue theim authoritie to consecrate bread and wine into his blessed bodye and bloode as he had done And in this he gaue them power on him selfe and on his owne verye bodye and bloode in which consisteth the chief office of a prieste and giuing theym power to consecrate that most reuerend sacrameÌ„t of the alter he made them priestes and wyth all in so doinge he instâ—tuted and ordeyned the sacrament of order And after hys gloryous resurrection 〈◊〉 gaue vnto the sayde Apostles power and iurisdiction vpon hys misticall body that is the churche or multitude of Christen people When he came in amonge the Apostles the doores of the chaumber beyng fast shutâ—â— and sayde vnto them Pax vobiâ— peace be amonge you and then he breathed vpon them and sayde Take you the holye Gost whose synnes you forgiue shall bee forgiuen and whose synnes you retayne and not forgiue shall be retayned and not forgyuen And as the Apostles tooke theyr order of priesthoode at Christes handes giuing them the holy gost by which they had authoritie on his own body and also on his misticall body which is the church and the multitude of Christen people so the Apostles by imposicion and layinge their handes on suche as they chose for to be priestes or bishops made theym priests geuing theÌ„ authoritie to consecrate Christes bodye and bloode and to minister the sacrament of penaunce forgiuyng sinnes and retayâ—ing sinnes as they see it necessary and likewise to minister all other duties of a priest The holye Goste spoke to the ministers of the churche that were in Antiochia Segregate mihi Saulum et Barâ—â—â—am in opus ad quod assumpsi eos Act. xiii And it foloweth tunt ieiunantes orantes imponentes â–ª que eis manus dimiserunt eos With fasting praying and leyng theyr holy hands on Saule afterward called Paule and on Barnabas they ordred theym priestes and sent them furthe to execute priestes offices Saint Paule writeth vnto his scoler Timothe Noli negligere gratiam que in te est que data est tibi per propheciam cum impositione manuum presbiterij i Timo. iiii Be not neglygent in the grace that is gyuen thee by prophecye wyth leynge the Priestes handes vpon thee Prophecye he called here after Saynt Ambrose the election by whyche he was chosen as one that shoulde bee a meete Minister and teacher in Christes Churche And suche prophecye is vsed or shoulde bee vsed to thys daye in makynge of Pryestes where the Byshoppe or his sufficient depute sitteth vpon opposicions of them that shall be made priests wher he ought to haue mature and discrete examinacion aswell of his maners and conuersation as of his leaâ—ning oportet autem illum testimonium habere bonum ab hijs qui foris sunt i. Timo. iii. He ought to haue good report of the infidels saythe Saynte Paule then much more he ought to haue good reporte of the layfe that be neither priestes nor ministers of the church vpon which examinaâ—ion if the bishop and his officeâ—s thinke him meete to be a priest they set him furth to the bishops handes to take orders This allowing of his lyuing and of his learning with hope that he will so continue and increace in goodnes is it that S. Paul in this place calleth prophecie Imposition of the bishops handes hath with it concurring certeine holy wordes by which wordes he as I sayde afore is confirmed made strong and able to exercise that he was chosen to takinge authoritie by which he may be bolde to offer sacrifices to God in Christes steede And because of the perill that is in making vnworthy priestes S. Paule warneth Timothe .i. Tim. v. Manus cito nemini imposueris neque coÌ„municaueris peccatis alienis Wher s. Paule with a contestacion as Timothe shuld answer afore God and our sauiour Christ and hys elect Angels of heauen coÌ„maundeth him that he be not to easy and light to set his holy handes on any man to promote him to that ecclesiastical dignitie of priesthode because he will nothing to be done in giuing orders without a foresight and a fore iudgement lest peraduenture if he be found reproueable and vicious the bishop that promoted him may repent his dede and also least he be contaminate partaker of the vices of hym that he hath ordered because he hath suffered hym so lightly to passe his handes without sufficieÌ„t trial of his liuing Manye other authorities of scripture and specially of S. Paule I could reherse in which it doth euidently appeare howe prescise he is in the sayd order of priesthoode and howe it doth surmount the other common anointing by which all they be anoynted that be christened as I sayde for thoughe all they that be anoynted at theyr baptisme be enbrued with the holye goste yet by imposition of the bishops handes on hym that is ordered with the holy wordes concurrent with the same the holy goste is giuen to a prieste for to giue him authoritie an higher office that euery maÌ„ may not attain to As for to consecrate the body and bloud of our sauiour Christe in the most reuerend sacrament of the aulter to minister other sacramentes and specially the sacrament of penance which in this holy time all well disposed good christen people run to as to the necessary remedy to saue
places of the gospels calleth God hys father and hym him selfe the sonne of God he is true and verye truthe and cannot lye he is the onelye begotten sonne in the fathers bosome euerlasting as the father is He was afore Abraham was made afore all other creatures not made but begottē of the substaunce of the father very God of God the father Not two Gods but one God and one light and of one substaunce with the father By whom as by his wysedome and craft the father made all creatures as saint Iohn saith al things were made by him he is our Lorde which ye must here vnderstand bi his humanitie manhod for by reason of the Godhed we may sai so of the father and of the holy gost although it be not so expressed in the Apostles Creede For God is oure Lord so we should cal him by reason of his vniuersal dominiō ouer al mankind ouer al other creatures The Lorde importeth a vage dominiō and vncertain power but there is no power dominiō or authoritie so certain as the power that God hath ouer vs wherefore it semeth we may not conueniently call him the Lorde And moreouer we vse to saye the Lorde speaking of suche Lordes as haue nothing to doe with vs as the lorde of Dale the lord of Kilmayn and such like whereas if we were theyr tenauntes or otherwise held of thē we woulde say my lord of Dale or our Lord of Dale and so of others Wherfore professing our due subiection to almightye God we shoulde in common speeche cal him our Lord not dimissing our selues from our allegeaunce to his highnes And I haue knowen verye honest mē that in cōmunicatiō long afore the new translations of the bible came abrode vsed sometimes to sweare by the Lord no more intending or meaning to sweare by God then by any Lorde in the isles of Orchadie so thynking to sweare by they could not tell what or by nothing albeit lest thei should offend them that be addict to the new gise I haue aduertised them to leaue suche sayinges tyll men may be better informed But to my purpose now because all power in heauen and earth was giuen to Christ and all thyng was subiecte vnder his fete and he in his manhood taught his Apostles and all vs by them and in his manhode redemed vs and in the same shall iudge vs therfore we maye iustlye by that reason call hym our lord and maister as it is expressed in this article THe third article was added by S. Iames brother to saint Iohn the Euangelist son of zebedi called Iames the more That was conceiued by the holy gost and borne of the virgine Marie the authoure and doer of this conception was the whole trinitie the father the sonne the holy gost for the workes of the trinitie outwarde amonge creatures be vndyuided so that what so euer one persō doth the same thing doth all three persons But in asmuch as thys blessed incarnation of Christ came of the mere goodnes grace mercy and loue of God whiche is appropriate to the holy gost as power to the father wisedome to the sonne Though all these agreeth to all three persons therefore the scripture sayth as very true it is that the holy gost was the deer thereof but how it was performed done we can better beleue thē declare it faith may do very muche in this article and in all other articles of our faith speche can do very litle Saint Austine faith that lyke as by the heate and influence of the sunne a worme is gēdred of the moyst earth so by the inspiration of the holy goste santifyinge the hart of the virgin the flesh of Christ was cōceiued formed facioned of the flesh of y e virgin without the worke of any sede of man workyng to the same and therefore Christ sayd of himself by the mouth of his prophet that he was a worme and not a man because he was not conceyued as other men be In this marueilous conception the profite and whole nature of man soule and bodi together was vnite and ioyned in one person vnto the sonne of God and neither to the father nor to the holy gost because there should be no confusion but that he that was the sonne of god shuld also be the sonne of man Borne of Mary the virgin he that came to renew the nature of man cankered with sinne chose a new maner to be borne of a mayde and not of a corrupt woman And whē the God of maiestie tooke hys bodye and was borne of a vyrgine hee was no more polluted nor defowled then when he made manne of the earthe as when the Sunne or fyre woorketh on the claye he amendeth and hardeneth that he toucheth and fyleth not it selfe And it is as possyble credyble and lykelye that hee was borne of a virgine as that he made Adam of earth and Eue the first woman of the rybbe of Adams side all is the woorke of God to whom nothing is impossible Great was the prerogatiue of that virgine Mary and the loue that god had to her in that that his onely begottē son by whom he made all the worlde he gaue vnto her to be the fruite of her wombe and her naturall sonne God that made all thyng was made man of her purest bloud to renewe mankinde that by synne was brought to nought While the sonne of God was in his fathers glory not descending to our infirmitie he was vnknowen but when that worde of God was made man and dwelled amongest vs he was seene and knowen on earthe and was conuersaunt with menne for whose sakes he that is Lorde of all the world is made our brother comming forth being borne of the blessed virgine euer close and cleane with out any aperture or diuision of her blessed body euen like as after his resurrection he came into the chambre among the disciples the doores beyng shut and like as the sunne beames commeth through the glasse and breaketh it not SAint Andrewe layde his portion to thys shotte or gathering by these woordes of the fourthe article That suffered vnder Ponce Pilate was crucified dead and buried Thys Ponce Pilate was president and ruler of the countrey and highest iudge there set in his authority by Tiberius the Emperoure of Rome to whom the most part of the world was then subiecte he is here named not for any honestie to his parson but for to declare the time when Christ suffred The death on the crosse he those and neyther to haue his necke broken nor his bones burst as being cast downe from a hyll as his neighbours were aboute to serue him in Nazereth Luke .iiii. where he was brought vp in youthe neyther to be stoned to death as the Iewes would haue killed him when he hid him self and went out of the temple Iohn .viii. And al was for our health and for to saue vs for as saint Austine saith we can not
woulde consider hys former bondage whyle he was of the Iewes secte and woulde conferre it to this bondage that he must lyue in wyth Christen people he would thincke Christes law much more vntollerable thē Moyses law was to him For what with our iudiciall lawes and our ceremonials we haue more layd vpon our backs thē we can well awaye withall and but verye fewe daies passeth ouer vs but we breake a great many of them and not without peryl to our soules Then where is the swete promise of our sauiour Christ Come vnto me all ye that labour and be ouerburdened and I shall refreshe you and make you beare lighter for my yoke is sweete and my burden but light For this ye shall vnderstand that comparing the old law vnto the new law of Christe we may consider Christes lawe one way as giuē of Christ and so very true it is that Christes law is muche more easye then Moyses lawe For the iudiciall lawes be none left vs by Christe but he biddeth vs to leaue all plees and actions in somuche that he wylleth vs not to requyre eye for eye nor toothe for toothe as Moyses law wold but rather if a man would afore a Iudge claime thy coate thou shalt not sticke with him but rather giue him thy coate and thy cloke withal On a time there came one to Christ that had a matter in variance betwixte him and his brother about the diuision of theyr enheritance or londes and would haue had Christ to take the matter in hand and to call his brother to bid him deuide their possessions that either of them might know his own But Christ would none therof and refused to be their Iudge in that behalfe sayinge O man who made me your Iudge or the deuyder betwixt you I came not for that entent I wil not medle in such matters nowe therefore his good scholer S. Paule writeth to the Corinthiās that it was a great fault amōg them that they had such iudiciall causes among them why do not ye rather sayth he take wrong why doe ye not rather suffer to be begiled And this we be bound to do in case that by our extreme and gredie asking of our own there may be like to aryse some greater inconuenience or yl example to our neighbour but in case by our sufferance malicious or couetous persons may take a courage or boldnes to persist in theyr yll doing We be not bound so to refraine to aske our own but rather with modestie and sober behauiour we mai afore a competent Iudge redresse the iniury done vnto vs to require our right by iudiciall lawes as well ecclesiastical as temporal to which they that be subiect to the same lawes be bound to obey in asmuche as they be made by men whom God hath constitute set in power and authoriti or by his secret counsail permitted suffered to beare rule authoritie to haue the ministratiō execution of the lawes Of the authority of prelates successours to the Apostles saith Christe y t whosoeuer heareth thē hereth him whosoeuer despiseth thē despiseth him ▪ And generally of all rulers saith the Apostle cōmaunding euery man to be subiect to higher powers For ther is no power but of god the things that cōmeth of God be resonably disposed ordred therfore he that withstādeth superior powre withstādeth Gods ordinance they that so do procureth their own dāpnation And therfore of very necessitye they shoulde be subiecte to theyr heades not onelye for feare of theyr anger and punyshemente but also for discharge of mens cōsciences so that they shoulde do nothing contrarie to the princes and rulers of the people but that they should exercise the workes of Iustice and goodnes wyth tranquillitie and quietnes wythout tortures or compulsion Then consideringe that for our conscience sake we must obey the iust ordinaunces of our rulers it is plaine that if we do contrary we hurt our consciences with inobedience negligēce and contempt and so we sinne and deserue pain whereof it foloweth that to obserue kepe mās traditions constitutions and lawes made by our superiours hauinge authoritie ouer vs as well for obseruing and keping of the ceremonies other bound duties of the churche as for other lawes temporall godly deuised for the quietnes of the kinges subiectes spirituall and temporall is necessarie for our soule health And that to disobey and contempne them is pernitious and perelous as Samuel said Obedience is better thē sacrifice for disobedience repugnaunce and resistance is like the most detestable vice of sorcerye and idolatry But whether we be bound vnder payne of deadly synne to kepe all the reasonable lawes and traditions made by men or not it is doubtfull For this ye shal vnderstand that some lawes bindeth men to do suche thinges as be necessarye to obtayne the loue of GOD and of thy neighbour as this thou shalt worshyp one God ▪ thou shalt do none adultery And these also which be necessary because God hath commaunded thē Thou shalt be baptised thou shalt keepe holylye Gods holy day thou shalt be confessed to a priest with all such as be necessarily deriued of them agreing to them whether they be gyuen by God or by man edifying charitie and commaundinge to exchewe and not to do the thing that is contrarie to charitie Nowe because charitie is the life of the soule without which the soule is dead whosoeuer transgresseth and breaketh any suche lawes whether they be made by God or man killeth his owne soule and sinneth deadly So that charitye is the verye true myrrour or glasse by which thou maist trie and discusse haue a great euidence as well of thine owne dedes as of other mens dedes whither they be godlye or diuelyshe holy or sinnefull Some positiue lawes there be that binde not so sore as these do because the violation and breaking of them maketh not directly against the loue of God and of thy neyghbour As the positiue lawes of fasting the prescise obseruing of the ordinal in saying diuine seruice the lawes of humanitie or curtesie And thys Thou shalt make no lesynges with a great nomber of temporal lawes which a mā transgressing doth not euer synne deadly except there be concurrent a contempt or dyspisinge of the authoritie of the law which maye make the offence that els was but veniall to be mortall As in theym that wee haue heard of that for very frowardnes and despite of superiour authoritie haue eaten fleshe in Lent which after Easter woulde haue ben glad to haue eaten fishe if they coulde haue gotten it Penall lawes bindeth two maner of wayes one way because the maker of the lawes wold haue them kept and we be bounde to obey theym not onelye for feare of payne but also for our conscience sakes But they binde no way vnder payne of deadly sinne in asmuch as it appeareth by the mindes of the makers of the law that
so they saye it was at the consuÌ„mation ending of the teÌ„ple that Salamon builded And of this reuelation they say y e prophet had occasioÌ„ to say LapideÌ„ queÌ„ reprobauerunt edificantes hic factus est in caput an guli But because this narratioÌ„ hath no euideÌ„ce of scripture it is not best to grounde anye scripture vpon it and specially this scripture that is so oft in mouth with our sauiour Christ with the euangelistes and in the Apostolical epistles But we must take the said wordes of the psalme Lapidem quem repro c. spoken originally and to the lettre of our Sauiour Christ selfe and so he alledgeth the same wordes Mat. xxi as spokeÌ„ by him selfe after the parable of the good man that made a vineyard and set it to labourers to dresse it and kepe it and when time came to gather the fruytes he sent his seruauÌ„tes to gather the fruites fyrst one coÌ„pany and after an other company and these rude felowes the labourers in the vyneyarde toke some of them that were sent to them and beate them and â—lewe some of them so that at the last the good man was fayne to sende his owne sonne thinkinge that the vnkynde churles yet woulde be afrayde to medle with him yet notwithstandinge him they caste out of the vyneyarde or garden and killed hym also as they had done others that were sente amonge them afore Now sayth Christ what wyl the sayd goodman the owner of the vyneyarde do to these fermers and labourers in the vineyarde that haue done this mischiefe They answered The yl and noughty wretches he muste destroy put them to death must set forth his vineyarde to other tenauntes And then because they shuld ê‘ceiue vnderstaÌ„d more by this soÌ„ne that y e goodmaÌ„ sent among theÌ„ he allegeth this of the psalme makinge for his purpose sayinge dyd you neuer reade The stone whiche the builders reproued and caste by was made the heade stone for the corner of the buyldinge meaninge that the goodmannes sonne that was caste out of the vineyarde to be slayne and the stone that the buylders reproued and caste by for noughte was all one He was the onely and derest sonne of the father of heauen whome the vnkind Iewes cast oute of the citie of Ierusalem and led him to the mount of Caluary the place of execution without the citie and there killed him and euen he was the stone that the buylders cast by and despised for a thinge of noughte and yet afterwarde the same stone ioyned the two walles together as one wall the Iewes and the Gentyles in the vnitie of one churche The buylders that be here spoken of were the scribes and the phariseis and learned men amonge the Iewes whiche knewe by the Scriptures that they had redde that Christ was the verye anoynted that was so longe afore promised of almightie God by the mouthes of his holy Prophetes for they sawe all thinges that were spoken of afore to be performed in the anointed that they loked for performed in Christ in very dede They saw the time that Iacob in y e blessing of his soÌ„ne Iudas apointed also Daniel the prophet spoke of to agre theÌ„ put in effect come in dede that wheÌ„ y t holy one of al holy ones shuld come ther shuld be no more kinges anointed of y e linage of Iude. For y t time y t christ came Herode was their king an alien an Idumey desceÌ„ding of Esau not of They sawe also his wonderous workes and miracles aboue the power of anye pure man to do Their learnynge and the experience that they had of Christes Godlye power and of hys wisedome shoulde haue moued them to edify the people in the fayth of Christe they should haue beleued on hym them selfe and should haue perswaded the people likewise to beleue vpon hym and to take hym for the true Messias but they did cleane contrarye peruertynge and misexpoundyng the scriptures that speake of him and swadynge the people that he was but a dissembler and that he was a tauerne hunter a wyne drinker a quaffer a companion wyth the Publicans wyth whores naughty liuers Like as a builder gathereth and ioyneth together stones and other matter or stuffe to make a house euen so shoulde they haue gathered and layed in frame together the textes of Moyses and of the Prophetes and suche other Scriptures of the olde Testament appliynge them to Christ of whom and by whome they were intended and spoken that they so doyng myght haue buylded the people as spiritual houses on Christ as on the firme and sure rocke or stone Whiche they did not but rather dissipate and scattered abroade the buildynge deuidynge the people into scismes and diuers opinions of hym and rather not to be stablisshed on hym but to be cleane shaken awaye from hym The blessed apostles Euangelistes and holye doctours gathered together the texts and saiynges of the holy scriptures as stones or timber or stuffe to make vp their audience and buylde theim as spirituall houses on Christe And so dothe Sainte Peter in this his letter that we haue now in hande by the aucthoritie of Dauid and Esay declarynge Christe to be the precious and best beloued stone that GOD had chosen althoughe men hadde reproued him and set little by hym whiche yet notwythstandynge he shoulde be the hedstone to ioyne together the Iewes and Gentyles in one churche And not onelye then he was reproued of the builders of that tyme the Scribes and Phariseis and their audiences and Scholers the carnall Iewes but as well nowe adayes he is reiecte and dispised of manye Buylders and Preachers blasphemynge and missaiynge hys godlye and myghtye power in manye pointes as farre foorthe as they dare for feare of the Kinges lawes And of this it commeth that so manye miscreauntes and misbeleuers so little regarde the blessed and mooste reuerende Sacramente of the Aultare and also the Sacramentall confession of synnes vnto a Prieste as thoughe Christe were not able by his Godlye power to make of breade and wine his owne fleshe and bloude and to geue power to a priest by his wordes to dooe the same likewise Or as thoughe GOD were not able by his officer to deliuer men from the prison and boÌ„dage of their synnes They that by their preachynge readinge or teachinge sowe suche heresies among the people they be naughtye builders they cast away the bindinge stone our Sauiour Christe that he maie not ioyne together all people in the vnitie of one faieth they scatter the stones the aucthorities of the scriptures by their misunderstandinge and false interpretation more then gathereth theim to edifie and builde their audience on the liuelye and liuynge stone oure Sauiour Christ. To all theÌ„ that beleue not well theÌ„ selues on God In quo positi sunt in whome wee liue and moue and be as Sainte Paule speaketh God hath made vs and set vs and ordeyned vs to
theim because they be partakers of lyke glorye as you be And all this muste you do sayth Saint Peter Vt non impediantur orationes vestrae that youre prayers be not lette and hindered frome their effecte by the contrarie for if there be rancoure malice and stryfe betwixte you GOD will not heare your prayers for he is the GOD of peace and not of discention and debate Therefore he that wyl be hearde muste be peaceable and no brawler If you be not cleane of conuersation absteininge for causes aboue mencioned but folowe youre luste lyke beastes you shall hindre youre prayers that they shall not be hearde There be dayes appointed for fastinge and holye dayes appointed for prayer and holines if you will not at such times abstaine but please the flesshe your prayers will be let and hindred by fleshlye luste that God will not heare them And therfore S. Paul i. Corin. vii biddeth the man and the wife by one assent to abstaine that they may attende to their prayers You maye see howe both the Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paule agreith in this hauinge good occasion by the aucthoritie of the olde testamente for there was commaundement geuen to the people of Israell two daies before they shoulde haue the lawe geuen theim in the mount of Sinai amonge other pointes of cleanes Et ne appropinquetis vxoribus vestris Exo. xix that they should not come nigh their wiues For though the acte of matrimonie be lawfull yet it hath some vncleannes annexed and concurrente with it and speciallie it depresseth and pulleth downe the witte frome contemplation of heauenly thinges because of the vehement carnall pleasure in the acte Nowe both these muste be remoued when you shall geue your selues to god in fastinge keping holy daies and suche holines ▪ and likewise receauinge the Sacramente of the aulter and that was signified i. Reg. xxi Si mundi sunt pueri maxime a mulieribus manducēt where kinge Dauid and his companie were sore a hungred they came to Achimelech the highe preiste then dwellinge in Nobe where the tabernacle and the Arche of GOD was he desired meate this preiste Achimelech had none but the twelue holy loues of breade that stode afore the Arche by a certaine ceremonie of their lawe whiche Achimelech was contēt to geue them so that they were cleane from women And then you may be sure that suche cleanes and muche more is required to them that shall worthelye receiue that holy and gratious breade that came downe from heauen oure Sauioure Christ vnder the fourme of breade and his precious bloude vnder the fourme of wine To whiche moste reuerende body and bloude be all honour and worshippe for euer Amen The twelfth treatise or sermon IN fide autem omnes vnanimes compatientes fraternitatis amatores These wordes be redde in Christes churche for the epistle in the masse the fifte Sonday after Trinitie Sondaye and be wrytten in this thyrd Chapiter of Saint Peters fyrste Epistle where after he had afore geuen fruitefull and holesome exhortations and lessons to speciall estates of men and women as to them that be in bondage and to all prentises and seruauntes and to all seruinge mē and women and afterwarde to wyues and to maryed men of whiche I entreated in my laste sermon Nowe the blessed Apostle retourneth to generall lessons to all men and women vsing vs as good scholemasters and gouernours of noble mens children ordreth them that be vnder theyr gouernaunce fyrst exercisinge them in the thinges that shal beseme their byrth and consequently howe they shall exchewe and auoyde the contraries and such thinges as do not beseme a gentilman so doth S. Peter first exercise vs in weldoynge and seconde in auoidinge ill doing that so we may be conformable to oure byrth of God by baptisme and maye vse oure selues according to that gentle noble and gratious new natiuitie and byrth In fide autem omnes vnanimes He byddeth vs be all of one mynde in oure fayth and in all matters concernynge our fayth The new translation hath In summa omnes vnanimes In conclusion to be short be al of one minde and in the epistle of the said fift sundaye after the trinitie it is read Omnes vnamines in oratione estote Be you all of one minde in your praiers whyche might seme to haue some coherence to that went immediatlye afore where he bade the man and wife to agree lest by the contrary by theyr dissension and variaunce theyr prayers mighte be lette and hindred And then accordinge to the same he willeth all men and women to be of one minde in theyr praiers for if there be discord among them theyr prayers wil not be heard But let vs take this text of Saint Peters epistle as it is writ in the common translation In fide omnes vnanimes Be all of one minde in your faithe as they were that be spokē of Act. iiii Multitudinis credentium erat corvnum et anima vna The multitude of thē that beleued in the primitiue churche hadde one hart and one soule one will and one minde And therfore it foloweth Et gratia magna erat in omnibus illis there was greate grace in them all For where is concord and vnitie there the holye gost spreadeth his grace aboundantly and contrarye where be scismes and diuersitie of errours and opinions God withdraweth grace and then mē runne without brydell from one opinion to an other from one heresie to an other tyll men be set all on a rore and out of quietnes as it appeareth euidently in Germany wher be almost as manie heresies and diuers waies in theyr faith as be cities or townes euery citie taking his own wai his own fashiō in their sacramēts ceremonies This confusion S. Paule greatly feared to com among his disciples the Corinthers whē he praied them for gods sake for the name of our lord Iesu Christ vt idipsum dicatis omnes et non sint in vobis scismata .i. Cor. i. That they should say al one way so that there should be no scisme or diuision among them but that thei shuld be parfite in one minde as wel in theyr doinges as in theyr knowledge or learning He would not they shuld varye so much as in thought or minde Here amōg you in this citie som wil heare masse some will heare none by theyr good wils som wil be shriuen som wil not but for feare or els for shame some wyll pay tithes offeringes som wil not in that wors then the Iewes which paid them truly and fyrst frutes many other duties beside Som wil prai for the dead som wil not I heare of muche suche discension among you I will not descende to the specialties but with s. Paule with s. Peter I pray you accord you good maisters frends for feare least the anger of God fall vpon this citye which God forbidde it should Compatientes we must one suffer with an