was Baptized or that his sinnes were forgiuen hym and so becommeth he vnthankfull Idle and vnfruictfull without any consideration of his profession liuyng loosely without any remorse of Conscience Hauyng neither feelyng neither yet so muche as any taste of so greate Graces giftes and benefites And this is an exhortation wherin Sainct Peter exhorteth and stirreth vs vp whiche beleeue to the practise of Good woorkes thereby to declare and shewe foorthe that wee haue a true sincere and sounde and not an Hypocriticall or feigned Faithe Neuerthelesse he stil earnestly vrgeth and prooueth this that Faithe onely doeth iustifie and that where soeuer this Faithe is true Good woorkes doe also necessarilie ensue That whiche now followeth maketh for our confirmation herein Wherfore brethren giue rather diligence to make your callyng and election sure THe ElectioÌ„ and eternall predestination of God is so sure in it self that there is no nede to make it surer And so also is our calling firme and stable For he that heareth the Gospell beleeueth and is baptized is doubtlesse called is sure of his Saluation yea hee alreadie hath it Seeyng therefore that wee are called to these thynges wee ought to giue all diligence saieth S. Peter to approoue and assure our Callyng and Election to our selues in our Consciences as the same is alreadie assuredlie knowen with God And this is a phraze or maner of Speeche vsuall in the Scriptures as Ephes lj Ye were strangers from the couenauntes of promise and had no hope and were without God in the world For although there bee no man whether he bee good or hadde but God hath the rule ouer hym sith hee is the Lorde of all Creatures yet neuerthelesse S. Paule saieth that hee is without GOD whiche dooeth not acknowledge hym loue hym and truste in hym Euen so here although in it self the Callyng and Election of God wherewith he hath called and elected vs bee sure and vndoubted yet is it not sure and stable to thee so long as thou dooest not certainly beleeue and vndoubtedly assure thy self that the same belongeth vnto thee And for this cause doeth S. Peter exhorte vs that wee should make our Callyng and Election sure through good Workes And here againe thou seest how muche the Apostle ascribeth and attributeth vnto the Fruites of Faith For albeit thei appertaine and seene to doe good with thy neighbour withall yet also are thei profitable vnto thée because thereby thy Faith is streÌ„gthened and confirmed 〈◊〉 stirred vp more and more to the practise of Good woorkes Wherein also thou seest a farre other vertue and qualitie then is in the faculties of the bodie For the powers of the bodie the more thei bee exercised and vsed the weaker and freebler thei be and in th'ende vtterly decaie whereas contrariwise this Spirituall vertue if it bee not exercised decaieth and fainteth But with muche vse and practise it is strengthened and greately encreased And this was the cause why God at the beginnyng did leade the Christian Churche through hard and rough waies vexed it tourmoiled it and throughlie exercised it in diuers conflictes of Faithe through Ignominie Persecution and Death For he knewe that hereby it should receiue strength and encrease and become the mightier because the more that it was oppressed the more it flourished And this is that whiche Sainct Peter here meaneth when he faieth that wee should not suffer our Faithe to be Idle or vnfruictfull seeyng that the nature thereof is suche that it groweth and encreaseth by vexation and persecution so long till bee fullie assured and certaine of the Callyng and Election of God so that it can not bee deceiued This is the marke that wee must shoote at touchyng Predestination There are many light Spirites who beeyng endued with verie small piâ—â—aunce of Faithe will yet rashelie presume to despute vpon this poincte and curiouslie scare he in what place thei bee reckened and accepted with God But doe not thou entermeddle with such scrupulous curiositie for thou shalt neuer by this waie attaine to that whiche thou seekest If thou desire to bee sure of thy Saluation treade that 〈◊〉 and followe that course whiche Saincte Peter hath 〈◊〉 shewed thee for if thou take any other waie thou â—â—â—iuest thy self and shale bee sure to misse thyne entente Thyne owne experience must teache it thee and that shalte thou certainly knowe and bee assured of when thy faithe is throughly cried and enâ—â—ed For if ye doe these thynges ye shall neuer fall YE shall stande firme and stedfaste ye shall neither stumble fall nor synne but walke without offence all thynges shall goe well with you and frame to the beste whereas if ye leane and trust to your owne foolishe cogitations and rotten deuises the Deuill will quickely and easily hurle you headlong into desperation and hatred of God For by this meanes an entryng shall bee ministred vnto you abundantlie into the euerlastyng kyngdome of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe THis is the highwaie to Heauen and none other And therefore let no manne thinke by dreames and deuises of his owne making touching Faithe to come thither there needeth nothyng therevnto but a liuely Faithe that is throughlie tried and exercised But alas what repugnant doctrines to this hath there but foisted into the Church of GOD by our seducyng teachers while thei affirmed and taught that if a man hauyng runne headlong in wickednesse all his life and at the laste pinche of his death haue but a seelie pittaunce bee it neuer so small and as it were but a verie sparke of Faithe in hym that he should bee sure thereby of saluation But if thou putte of and deferte thy repentaunce and Faithe till then thinkyng and presentyng that thou shalt then euen presentlie and vpon the sodaine haue the gifte of suche a iustifyng Faithe thou trustest to a broken Reede and shalte seeke after Faithe and Saluation when it shall bee too late Dooest thou not heare that euen thei whiche bee strong shall scarcely be saued Howbeit wee ought not to despaire of them that bee weake because there is hope that thei maie bee called although it hardly and not vsuallie so commeth to passe But he whiche in this life throughlie and effectuallie exerciseth and strengtheneth his Faithe in dooyng good shall haue abroade and easie passage or waie with chearfulnesse and assured confidence to enter into the life to come Suche a one maie dye with courage and gladnesse suche a one maie not esteemyng this present life depart hence in the peace of Conscience And as it were with mirthe and ioye take possession of the kyngdome of Christe Whereas on the other side thei that haue a languishyng fainte weake and vnexercised Faithe and haue not enured and acquainted themselues to good and godly exercises shall not with like confidence and ioye as the others enter into eternall life And if thei doe enter yet shal thei not find the doore so open nor the entraunce so easie into the kyngdom
this holinesse of thy self or by thine owne merite but that thou art therefore Holie for that thou haste the worde of GOD for that the kyngdome of heauen is thine and for that thou art become entirely righteous and holy through Christ These thinges must thou confesse if thou wilte bee a Christian For this were extreme ignominie blasphemie to the name of Christ if we should so denie this honour to his blood as not to beleeue that by it onely our synnes are cleane washed awaie and wee sanctified Thou must beleeue therefore and confesse that thou art holie yet by the blood of Christe not by thine owne righteousnesse and this thou must doe with suche certaintie and constancie that in this cause thou maiest not sticke if neede be to spende euen thy life and boldly to abide and looke for whatsoeuer maie herevpon come vnto thee Through obedience and sprincklyng of the blood of Iesus Christe AFter this sorte saieth the Apostle commeth it to passe that wee bee holie when wee beleeue and obey the Woorde of Christ and are sprinckled with his blood And here sainct Peter hath vsed somewhat an other maner of speeche then sainct Paule Yet is it in effecte as muche as when S. Paule saieth wee are saued through Faithe in Christe because it is Faithe whiche maketh that wee bee attentiue and obediente to Christ and his holie Worde Wherefore to obey the Word of God is as muche as to bee subiect to Christ to bee sprinckled with his blood and to beleeue For it is verie greeuous to Nature to bee so wholie subiecte to Christe as altogether to forslowe and ceasse from our owne matters altogether to neglect our owne causes and to counte all that we doe to be synnes Nature therefore stoutly resisteth and striueth againste this doctrine and yet neuerthelesse it must at the laste stoupe and yeeld it self thereunto Of Sprincklyng we read in the 51. Psalme Sprinckle me with Hysop O Lorde and I shalbe cleane He alludeth to the Lawe of Moses from whence saincte Peter tooke this kinde of speeche thereby to reuele Moses vnto vs and as it were to bryng vs into the kynges highwaie of rightly vnderstandyng the Scriptures For whē Moses had builded the Tabernacle he tooke the blood of Goates and therewith sprinckled bothe the Tabernacle and all the people Now this sprincklyng did not inwardlie sanctifie in spirite but onely outwardlie and in externall thinges and therefore is there neede of a Spirituall clensyng forasmuche as that sanctification was outward and carnall whereof there is no regarde before God yet did God thereby as it were by a Type or figure signifie this spirituall sanctification That then whiche S. Peter here saieth is thus muche in effecte The Iewes please them selues in outwarde holinesse wherby thei are thought righteous and of a good life before men but thei counte you emong the reprobate howbeit you haue a sprincklyng farre better for ye are sprinckled in spirite and are clensed inwardlie The Iewes sprinckle them selues with the blood of Goates outwardlie but ye are sprinckled in your consciences inwardly so that your harte is cleane and therefore herein you haue greate cause to reioyce Hereof it is that the Gentiles bee no more Gentiles euen as those righteous Iewes are no more righteous by their sprincklyng for these thynges are now chaunged and altered None other sprinklyng is required but that whiche maie conuert vs and make vs Spirituall Now to sprinkle after this sort is nothyng els then to preache that Christe hath for this cause shed his blood onely to make intercession for vs vnto his Father and to saie Moste deare Father thou seest here my blood whiche I haue shedde for this synner Here if thou doe beleeue thou art truelie sprinkled And thus thou seest what is the true maner of sprinklyng Now if all the Popes Monkes and sacrificyng Priestes should at once iumble together and bryng all their trashe rifferaffe and baggage thei are not able either to teache or doe so muche as S. Peter doeth here in these fewe woordes And this is the subscription of the Epistle wherein he declareth his office what that is whiche he preacheth Wherefore that whiche is here taught is the onely Gospell all other kindes of doctrine if men accoumpt theim any waie necessarie to saluation whiche sounde not after this sorte are to bee troden vnder our feete reiected forsaken refused and abandoned Yea all those bookes are to bee loathed and misliked whiche hauyng gaie titles of good Woorkes Praiers Indulgences Pardons and suche like are not plainlie directlie and soundlie grounded vpon this foundation Grace and peace be multiplied vnto you HEre S. Peter obserueth that maner whiche the Apostle Paule in his salutyng vseth although not in euery respect And that which he saith is in effect thus much Ye haue now peace grace but not perfectly therefore must ye continually profite vntill that olde Adam bee wholy killed and mortified in you Grace is the fauour of God here hath it his beginnyng in vs but needefull and requisite is it that it alwaies become daily more and more effectuall in vs and take encrease euen till our diyng daie He that acknowledgeth beleeueth and is fully perswaded in his cōscience that God is fauourable vnto him is assuredly possessed of this grace and his hart comfortably enioyeth peace so that he feareth neither the world nor Deuilles For he knoweth that God who hath power ouer al thinges is fauourable and mercifull vnto him and that he will deliuer him from death hell and al incommodities whatsoeuer hereupon his conscience is at peace within it self and is ioyfull and glad This doeth Sainct Peter here wishe vnto the faithfull which is a true Christian salutation wherewith all Christians ought to salute one an other Thus haue wee the inscription with the salutation and now beginneth he the matter of his Epistle Blessed be God euen the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ whiche accordyng to his aboundant mercie hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead To an inheritance immortall and vndefiled and that fadeth not awaie reserued in heauen for vs Which are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation whiche is prepared to be shewed in the last tyme Wherein ye reioyce though now for a season if neede require ye are in heauines through manifolde tentations That the triall of your faith beyng much more precious then golde that perisheth though it bee tryed with fire might be founde vnto your praise and honour and glorie at the appearyng of Iesus Christ Whom ye haue not seen and yet loue hym in whom now though ye see him not yet do you beleeue and reioyce with ioye vnspeakeable and glorious Receiuing the ende of your faith euen the saluation of your soules IN this Induction or Preface we see the wordes and nature of a true Apostolicall Pastor suche a beginnyng I saie wherein wee maie plainly
perceiue and note that to be true which was said afore namely that this Epistle amōg all the reste is of moste singuler excellencie For in the verie entraunce hee beginneth to declare what Christe is and what benefite wee receiue by hym when as hee saieth that wee are begotten againe of God vnto a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ Also that all giftes are bestowed vpon vs of the Father of his mere mercie without any our deserte These are in deede true and right Euangelicall phrazes these are comfortable speeches moste meete to bee published and preached But alas what small stoare of suche kinde of preachyng is there to bee founde in the Bookes euen of them that are accoūpted the best The written workes euen of Hierome and Augustine what small consonancie and agreement haue they with these wordes And yet must Iesus Christ bee thus preached that he died and rose againe and why hee died and did rise againe that men beeyng throughly moued with this kinde of preachyng maie beleeue in hym and beleeuyng maie obtaine saluation This it is to preache the true Gospell in deede Whatsoeuer is not preached after this sorte is not the Gospell whosoeuer hee bee that preacheth it The very summe then and effect of these woordes is this that Christ by his resurrection hath brought vs to his father and hereby also Sainct Peter goeth about euen by our Lorde Iesus Christe to bring vs to the Father and to set hym a mediator betweene GOD and vs. It hath bin hitherto preached that wee must call vpon Saincts to bee our intercessors with God Hereupon wee haue runne to the holy Virgine Marie and haue made her our Mediatour leauyng Christe in the meane season as an angrie Iudge So doeth not the Scripture it commeth and approcheth nerer it giueth this glorie to Christ our Lord that he is our onely mediator by whom alone we must come vnto the Father O inestimable treasure which is giuen vs by Christe namely that wee maie goe to the Father and aske the inheritance wherof Sainct Peter here speaketh These wordes doe moreouer plainly shewe what mynde the Apostle had why that so earnestly and with such vehement ardencie he began to praise the Father and will haue vs also to praise and blesse hym for the incomparable riches which he hath giuen vnto vs in that he hath begotten vs againe and that before we could euen so muche as thinke thereof muche lesse preuent hym so that here is nothing remaining to preach and praise but the onely mercie of God And therefore can we boaste of no workes at all but must confesse that we haue all through his onely mercie whatsoeuer wee haue Here is now no more Lawe no wrathe as in tyme past there was when it made the Iewes to flée beyng striken with terror so that they durst not goe vnto the Mount God doeth not now still vrge and strike vs but handleth vs as fauourably as maie be fashionyng and makyng vs anewe neither giueth hee vs grace to doe one good woorke or twoo but frameth in vs a newe creature and a newe life so that wee bee now an other thyng then wee were before when wee were the sonnes of Adam namely wee are translated from the inheritance of Adam to the inheritance of God that hee maie bee our Father and we his children and therein his heires euen of all good thynges that he hath See what excellent thinges are in the Scripture handled concernyng this matter Now inasmuche as wee are regenerate and the sonnes and heires of God wee are equall in dignitie and honor with Sainct Paule Sainct Peter the holy Virgin Marie and all the Saincts For wee haue the same treasure from God and all good thynges as largely as they They were no otherwise regenerate then we wherefore they haue no more then all other Christians Vnto a liuely hope OUr life here vpō the earth is for none other cause but that we should help others otherwise it were best that God should euen straight after our baptisme and the receiuyng of faith ende our daies and suffer vs to dye Howbeit he permitteth vs to liue here to this ende that we maie bring others also vnto the faith which he him self hath doen to vs before Nowe while wee liue here on the earth wee liue in hope For albeit wee be certaine that through faithe wee haue all the good thinges of God for faith as it assuredly bringeth with it regeneration so doeth it bring also adoption and inheritance howbeit we see not this as yet and therefore doeth it as yet consist in hope beyng somewhat remoued from our sight that wee can not see and beholde it Now this the Apostle calleth the hope of life which is an Hebrewe kinde of speeche as is this The man of sinne Wee call that a liuely hope wherby we certeinly hope assuredly looke for eternall life whiche is now hid as it were with a veile that it can not bee seene neither is it presently perceiued but in the harte through faith as Iohn in his first Epistle Chap. 3. writeth Now are wee the sonnes of God and yet doeth it not appeare what wee shalbe but we knowe that when he shal appeare we shalbe like hym for we shall see hym as he is Because the life present and the life to come can not be together neither can it bee that wee should eate drinke sleepe watche and doe other workes of Nature which this life bringeth with it and bee therewith also blessed therefore can wee not attaine vnto this to liue for euer vnlesse wee first dye and forgoe this present life Wherefore while wee here liue wee must still stande in hope vntill it please God to call vs hence to beholde and see those good thinges which we now hope after And how maie we come vnto this liuely hope By the resurrection saieth the Apostle of Iesus Christ from the dead I haue oftentymes saied that none can rightly beleeue in God and come vnto hym without a meane for asmuche as wee are all the children of wrathe and of our selues can doe nothyng that is acceptable before God wee haue therefore neede of an other by whom we maie appeare before hym who may make intercession for vs and reconcile vs vnto hym Now there is none other mediator then the Lord Christ who is the Sonne of God It is therefore no true faithe whiche the Turkes and Iewes haue who saie and beleeue that GOD is the maker bothe of heauen and earth for thus doeth the Deuill also beleeue and yet doeth this beleefe nothyng at all profite hym Thei presume to come into the sight of God without Christe the mediator Thus saieth Sainct Paule in the fift to the Romanes Wee haue accesse vnto God through faithe not by our selues but by Christ Wherefore wee must haue Christe with vs wee must come with hym wee must satisfie God by hym and doe all thinges with God by hym and in his name
The same is this in effect whiche Sainct Peter saieth in this place for it is asmuche as if he had saied we certeinly looke for eternall life although wee liue here on the earth yet no otherwise then by the resurrection of Christe that is to saie euen therefore because he is risen againe ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hande of his Father For this cause did hee ascende that he might giue vnto vs his spirit whereby beyng regenerate we might bee bolde to goe to the Father and saie Behold I come before thee O mercifull father and praie vnto thee not that I putte any trust or confidence in any praier of myne owne but for that my Lorde Christ doeth make intercession for me and is myne Aduocate All these wordes carie an ardent efficacie and fierie force where there is a harte that beleeueth where the harte beleeueth not there all suche words are colde neither doeth the conscience feele any comfort thereby Wee maie here also iudge and knowe whiche is syncere doctrine and true Christian preaching and which is not For hee that is a Preacher of the Gospell must moste zelously and diligently preache forthe the resurrection of Christ whiche he that doeth not is no Apostle For this is the Summe of our faithe And those Bookes of all other are the best and the excellentest whiche teache and treate vpon this poincte principally and chiefly as before hath beene declared This article of our Faith is of most waightie importaunce For if Christ had not risen againe all our comforte and hope were in vaine and all whatsoeuer Christ hath either done or suffred should be to vs in no steede And therefore this maner of teaching is moste requisite Beholde Christ hath dyed for vs and taken vpon him to satisfie for vs to the iustice of his Father against Sinne Death and Hell with whom he had a moste sharpe and bitter encountrie yet could none of them ouercome hym but were by hym all conquered and subdued for that he was the stronger He rose again mawgre the forces of them all brought them in subiection to himself and that for none other cause but to set vs free and at libertie out of the daunger and thraldome of them This if wee stedfastlie beleeue wee haue a perfect assuraunce and full possession of all these benefites whiche beyng eche waie impossible to bee brought to passe by our selues or any strength that is in vs it behoued that Christ should performe the same Otherwise there had been no cause why he should haue descended from heauen hither among vs vile wretched and sinfull men And therefore when men in preachyng attribute any of these thinges to our woorkes thei doe nothyng els but cause that these so necessarie pointes of doctrine cannot afterwards take any place in the hartes of the hearers nor be rightly vnderstood of them O how well ought these thinges to be knowen to vs Christians how throughly ought this Epistle to be vnderstoode of vs To an inheritaunce immortall and vndefiled and that fadeth not awaie WEE hope not for suche a substaunce and inheritaunce as is not present but wee liue in hope of an inheritaunce whiche is present in deede and is immortall is also vndefiled and fadeth not awaie This inheritaunce wee haue perpetually and without ende howbeit wee doe not as yet â—ee the same These are wordes forcible and of wonderfull efficacie and he in whose minde thei are firmely fixed will be as I thinke little mooued with desire of riches and pleasures of this worlde For how can it bee that one should so set his minde vpon these transitorie riches and delightes if he beleeue those thynges whiche bee here spoken For when worldlie wealthe and terrene treasures bee compared to these thinges it appeareth straight how those thinges of the worlde endure but a small tyme and doe sone passe awaie but these thinges continue for euer and doe neuer faile nor fade Moreouer all the thynges of the worlde are vnpure and doe defile vs for there is no man here so godly but in one respect or other he is caried away and defiled with the vanities and pleasaunt thinges of this life but this inheritaunce is vndefiled and pure and he that possesseth the same remaineth for euer immaculate Finally this inheritance doeth not fade doeth not decaie neither is euer subiect to any corruption but euery yearthly thyng although it bée as hard as Iron and Stones is neuerthelesse chaunged and continueth not still As soone as man also becommeth old his beautie is gone and he becommeth lothsome and vnamiable Howbeit this inheritance is farre from mutation or chaunge it alwaies remaineth it is alwaies freshe and floorishyng There is no pleasure so greate on the yearth whiche will not by continuance become lothsome and tedious as we see there is at the laste a tediousnesse in all thynges but our good thynges here spoken of are otherwise whereof there is not sacietie for euer All whiche we obtaine in Christ through the mercie of GOD when we firmely beleeue that thei are freely giuen vnto vs. For how should we miserable men by our owne workes merite those so greate good thynges whiche no reason or vnderstandyng of man is able so muche as to comprehende or by imagination of harte once to conceiue Reserued in heauen for you THis inheritaunce immortall vndefiled and that fadeth not awaie is vndoubtedly ours it is onely for a little while remoued and kepte from our sight vntill these eyes bee closed vpp and this mortall life ended Then shall we certainly finde and see the same vnlesse wee bee vnbeleeuyng And because wee should not doubte of the certaintie thereof the Apostle here addeth that this inheritaunce whereunto no corruption can cleaue is reserued for vs in heauen Whiche are kepte by the power of God through faithe vnto saluation WE in hope saieth the Apostle looke for this excellent inheritance whereunto wee come by faithe For these doe in this sorte followe one an other By the Woorde is wrought in vs Faithe by faithe that newe birth and by this newe birthe wee come vnto hope so that wee certainly looke for these thynges and are throughlie assured thereof Wherefore sainct Peter fitly here saieth that these thynges must be doen by faithe and not by our workes The Apostle here expressely saieth Ye are by the power of God kepte vnto saluation There are many who hauyng heard the Gospell how that faithe onely doeth iustifie without woorkes doe by and by burst forthe and saie Wee also doe beleeue thinkyng that that bare opinion whiche thei feine vnto theim selues is right faithe Wee haue alreadie taught and that out of the Scriptures that it is not in our power to dooe euen the least good woorke that is without the especiall assistaunce of Gods Spirite how then shall wee by our owne strength arrogate that whiche of all other is moste excellent namely to beleeue These cogitations therefore are a mere dreame
for this cause doeth the Lord so afflict vs that our faith maie be tried exercysed and made manifest to the world that others also maie bee inuited and wonne to the same faithe by our example and wee at the last maie attaine vnto glorie For as wee praise God so will he againe also praise glorifie and honour vs when as those counterfait and liyng Hipocrites who haue contemned the right waie shall be subiect to shame and confusion The Scripture doeth often compare the crosse vnto fire so here Sainct Peter compareth gold which is tried with fire to the triall of faith whiche is made by the crosse and afflictions The fire doeth not diminishe Golde but clenseth and purifieth it that whatsoeuer drossie substaunce is mixed with it maie be separated from it After the same sorte layeth God the crosse vpon all Christians whereby thei maie be as it were scoured and polished And it was well saied of the Apostle That the trial of your faith c. That is your faith must be tried and purified euen as the Worde is pure whereunto alone ye must sticke and trust vnto nothyng els Now this purgyng scouryng and polishyng of vs by the crosse is daily very necessary for vs because otherwise that olde and dull Adam would still to muche hang vppon vs and dull the spirite and make our faith vnpure Suche then is the life of a true Christian that it continually becōmeth better and purer For when through the worde of the Gospell wee doe beleeue wee are iustified and beginne to be purged yet as long as we are in the fleshe we can not be altogither cleane and pure And therefore doeth God cast vs into the middest of the fire that is into affliction ignominie and trouble whereby wee are daily more and more purged vntill suche tyme as wee dye This purgyng wee can attaine vnto by no workes of our owne for how should the outwarde worke purifie the harte within Now when faith is after this sorte tried whatsoeuer was mixed with it or was feined and counterfait must needes bee remoued and separated from it Hereupon at the last when Christe shall appeare shall followe magnificent honour praise and glorie And reioyce with ioye vnspeakeable glorious Receiuyng the ende of your faith euen the saluation of your soules THE Apostle saieth they haue vnspeakeable and glorious gladnesse and ioye because it bringeth with it honour and glorie when as the worlde hath suche ioye whereof cometh ignominie and shame Sainct Peter speaketh here of true spirituall ioye more plainly then thou shalt reade almost in the whole Scripture yet could he not fully vtter declare the same Now these things which haue bin saied are part of the preface wherein the Apostle sheweth both what faith in Christ is and also how the same must be proued and purged by aduersities and afflictions whiche God doth sende It now followeth that this faith is contained and promised in the Scriptures Of the whiche saluation the Prophets haue inquired and searched whiche prophesied of the grace that should come vnto you Searchyng when or what tyme the Spirite whiche testified before of Christe whiche was in them should declare the suffrynges that should come vnto Christ and the glorie that should followe Vnto whom it was reueiled that not vnto them selues but vnto vs they should minister the thinges whiche are now shewed vnto you by thē whiche haue preached vnto you the Gospell by the holy Ghost sent downe frō heauen the which thinges the Angels desire to beholde HEre Sainct Peter calleth vs to the Scriptures wherein wee may see that God of his onely grace and by no merit of ours performeth those thynges whiche he hath before promised For hereunto tendeth the whole Scripture that withdrawyng vs from al confidence in our own works it maie bryng vs to faith and very needfull it is that we he very diligent in learnyng the Scriptures whereby wee maie bee certein and throughly confirmed in faith After the same sorte doeth Sainct Paule also call vs to the Scriptures when as in the first Chapter to the Romanes he saieth that God had promised his Gospel afore by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures Also when as he saieth Rom. 3. that the faith whereby wee are iustified was witnessed before in the Lawe and the Prophets We reade also in the 17. of the Acts that he did the same when he preached of faith to them of Thessalonica whō he called to the Scriptures and expounded the same vnto thē who also on the other side searched the Scriptures daily whether those thynges were so or no which sainct Paule did teach This it behoueth vs to doe also that those thynges whiche we reade in the newe Testament wee maie learne to confirme out of the olde Wherein wee shall see those promises concernyng Christ whereof Christ himself also hath admonished vs Iohn 5. Searche saieth he the Scriptures for they beare witnesse of mee And againe If ye did beleeue Moses ye would also beleeue me for he wrote of mee Those vaine ianglers therefore are not to bee regarded whiche contemne the olde Testament and presumptuously saie that wee haue no more neede thereof when as notwithstandyng out of it alone must be taken the foundation and grounde of our faith For to this ende God sent his Prophets to the Iewes that thei might testifie vnto them of Christe that was to come Wherefore the Apostles did euery where conuince and refell the Iewes out of their owne Scriptures prouyng Iesus to be Christ And for this cause the bookes of Moses and the Prophets are Gospels forasmuche as in them we reade the same thinges foretolde concernyng Christe whiche afterwarde beyng doeu and accomplished the Apostles did preache and write This difference onely there is that whereas the bookes of bothe were committed to writing yet is it not withstanding not so much requisite that the Gospel or new Testament should be contained in writyng as preached by the voyce whiche maie openly publishe and sounde it forth that it maie be heard euery where in the worlde Now whereas it was also written that was more then necessary For whereas the olde Testament doeth speake onely of Christ to come the Gospel is that liuely word and vocall preachyng of Christe who is alreadie come Betweene the bookes of the olde Testament moreouer this difference there is first the fiue bookes of Moses are the summe of the whole Scripture and are peculiarly called the olde Testament Then are there Histories also and Bookes wherein are described the deedes and diuers examples of them whiche obserued Moses lawe and also of them which transgressed the same Lastly there are Prophets whiche haue plaine relation to the writyngs of Moses and haue more largely and in plainer wordes expressed the same Howbeit there is one and the same meaning both of Moses and of al the Prophetes Now whereas it is wont to be saied that the olde Testament is abrogated and reiected it is thus
〈◊〉 admitted whom againe vpon iust occasion the same Churche maie displace Now these shauelyng Priestes haue erected and 〈◊〉 among themselues a certaine proper state and condition as though they were so appoincted and constituted by GOD by meanes whereof thei haue gotten here suche large priuiledges that now adaies euen among vs our selues here in the middest of Christendome there is more diuersitie and greater difference then is betweene vs and the Turkes When thou wilte consider and looke into thē that beare the name of Christians thou oughtest not to make of them any respect or difference as that thou shouldest saie this is a man and that is a woman this is the maister and that is the seruaunt this is a young man and that is an olde man as sainct Paule saieth to the Gala. Chap. iij. For thei are all one and a spirituall people and therefore thei are all Priestes together and all bothe may and ought to shewe forthe the Worde of God Sauyng that in the Church women ought not to speake but to referre that to men to teache and preache there because of the commaundement of God who hath commaunded that women ought to bee subiect to their housbandes as Sainct Paule teacheth j Cor. xiiij This order doeth God in deede permit and allowe of But for this he dooeth not admit any difference of power But in places where none are allowed to be but women and no men as in Nunneries there might a woman well bee appoincted to preache to the rest Therefore this is the two Priesthood which as we haue saied consisteth in these three poinctes namely in spirituall oblation in praiyng for the Churche or Congregation and in teachyng and instructyng the same with the pure Woorde of God He that can do this is a Priest and whosoeuer are such vpon them also lyeth the charge to preache the Word to pray for the Congregation and to sacrifice themselues vnto God Forsake therefore and renounce the opinion of those Doltes which call the common raskall sorte of Clergie men or Clerkes as thei terme them onely Priestes whiche kinde of persons you euidently sée to execute no other office but to bragge out their lewdnesse with a shauen croune and greasie fingers If this shauyng and anoyntying dooe make Pristes then truly can I aswell make an Asse to bee a Priest by shauyng and clippyng of certaine of his haires and by annointyng and beesmearing his hoofes Last of all sainct Peter wisseth vs to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable vnto God by Iesus Christ Now if Christ bee that corner Stone vppon whom wee are builded it must needes bee that all our cogitations to Godward ought to bée furthered administred and doen by and through him alone as hath afore been sufficiently declared For God although I should pine awaie and consinne my self euen to death would neuer a whit regard or respect my death but he respecteth and regardeth Christe by whom it cōmeth to passe that my workes are regarded and had in price with God which otherwise he would not accoumpt worth a rushe Greate cause therfore there is why the Scripture tearmeth Christe a precious corner Stone seeyng that he communicateth and imparteth his vertue and power vnto all them that by Faithe are built vpon him Therefore teacheth S. Peter in this place how Christe is that liuyng Stone whereby plainly appeareth what also Christe is to vs. For it is a very apt similitude whereby wee maie easily vnderstande how and in what sorte wee ought to beleeue in Christe Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture Beholde I put in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect and precious and hee that beleeueth therein shall not be ashamed Vnto you therefore whiche beleeue it is precious but vnto them whiche bee disobedient the stone whiche the builders disalowed the same is made the head of the corner And a stone to stumble at and a rocke of offence euen to them whiche stumble at the worde beyng disobedient vnto the which thing they were euen ordeined But ye are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy nation a people set at libertie that ye shoulde shewe forthe the vertues of hym tha◠hath called you out of darkenesse into his merueilous light Whiche in tyme past were not a people yet are now the people of God whiche in tyme past were not vnder mercie but now haue obtained mercie I Haue tolde you afore how notably S. Peter hath confirmed and fortified this his Epistle with Scriptures at whiche marke all preachers generallie ought to aime and leuell to wit that thei settle and grounde all their speeches vpon the Worde of God So doeth he here in this place inferre and bryng fower or fiue places of the Scripture together The first whereof he hath taken worde for worde out of the Prophete Isaiah to wit that Christe is that precious fundamentall or Corner stone Whiche place is the very same that wee euen last of all entreated of and accordyng to our abilitie expounded The firste and chiefe place is the Doctrine of Faithe whiche ought to bee first set downe as the Foundation if a man were to preache in any place where Christ aforetyme had not been preached For here and hence must we take our beginnyng that Christ is that Stone vpon whom Faith ought to be builded to rest That the Prophete speaketh not of any corporall or materiall Stone it is most plainly proued by that which next followeth He that beleeueth in him shall not bee ashamed If I ought to beleeue in him then it followeth that he must needes hee a Spirituall Stone For how or why should I beleeue in Stones or Woodd Againe hee must needes bee the true God for because in the firste Commaundement of the first Table wee are expressely forbidden to beleeue in any other thyng sauyng in him Seyng therefore that suche a Stone is couched and saied in the foundation vppon whom wee ought to beleeue it consequentlie followeth that he the same is God Againe he can not onely be God but he must also bee Man withall because he is to bee partaker of the building and not onely partaker but also the head thereof Now where any house or building is set vp or reared there it behooueth that one Stone bee agreable to an other that eche one maie frame and bee couched and squared in the same condition nature and forme that the other stones are Therefore seeyng that wee ought to bee builded vppon Christe it must needes bee that he bee like vnto vs and altogether of the same nature that other stones are of whiche are builded and laied vpon him that is to saie very perfect and true Man as we are After this sorte in plaine and common wordes the Scripture expresseth suche high Mysteries and waightie matters to wit the Summe of our Faithe and in suche short and brief sentences comprehendeth more then by any mortall man can possiblie by vttered What Buildyng or edification is wee haue
the same Chapter he addeth If any manne haue Prophecie let hym Prophecie accordyng to the proportion of Faithe If he haue an office lette hym waite on his office Or he that teacheth on his teachyng After suche an order and course doeth he teache in other of his Epistles as namely j. Cor. xij And Ephes iiij And this is the cause why God hath diuersely distributed his giftes vnto menne namely to the intent wee should vse them to the benefite and mutuall helpe one of an other specially and chiefly thei that bee in any maner of publique office or function whether it bee in the ministerie and preachyng of the Woorde of God or in any other To the office of preachyng that properly belongeth whiche here sainct Peter prescribeth namely vnto whom soeuer the office vocation and charge of preachyng the Woorde of GOD is allotted let hym speake As the woordes of GOD. Whiche caueat and lesson ought moste carefully to bee taken heede vnto that no man presume to preache or teache any thyng whereto he hath not the expresse Woorde of GOD for his warraunt and except he bee moste certaine that the same bee directly to bee auouched out of the sacred Scriptures Whiche beeyng so what maie bee thought of the Pope and of his dirtie Dregges traditions Doe wee not see his mouth with this one worde notably stopped This I saie to the intent euery one maie manifestly see how shamelesly and ridiculously he braggeth and vauÌ„teth him self to bee sainct Peters Heire and Successour not makyng any accoumpt at all of that whiche saincte Peter in this place prescribeth and willeth If any man minister let hym doe it as of the abilite whiche God ministreth WHo soeuer executeth any function in the Churche or hath the cure of Soules committed vnto hym maie not deale as be liste hymself or to ouerrule matters accordyng to his owne sensuall will â—â—â—ither maie he saie Tushe I am a Prelate the people muste all listen to that whiche I saie and obserue my Lawes Ordinaunces and Iniunctions without gainsaie For God requireth this that no manne minister or doe any thyng contrarie or repugnaunt to that whiche he commaundeth and appoineteth A Prelate or Bisshoppe I saie ought to dooe nothyng in the Churche vnlesse he be certaine and sure of the warrantise thereof by Gods Woorde For God can not abide to haue his seruice iumbles and mingled at pleasure with euery foolishe guegawe and light tromperie And therefore he ought to haue an assuraunce and certaintie in his mynde and conscience that euen GOD bothe speaketh and worketh in hym and to stande vpon so sure a grounde for the veritie thereof that his Faithe dare boldlie witnesse with hym and saie Whatsoeuer I haue spoken and what soeuer I haue doen or dealt herein I am so out of doubt that the same in eche respect is consonant to the Worde will of God that I am readie and dare to seale the same with my blood to confirme it with my death For other wise if I wauer and totter this waie and that waie not knowyng whose cause and businesse I haue in hande my Faithe is builded vppon the Sande so that the Deuill myne aduersarie is able to shake and tumble it whiche waie be liste And therefore we are here straightly forbidden not to relye vnto nor to allow what soeuer decree or constitution these Bisshoppes liste to obtrude and enioyne vnlesse thei stande vppon a sure grounde that the thynges whiche thei doe are allowed of God yea doen of God hymself and vnlesse thei bee able to saie Doe this for it is the will and commaundement of GOD and we haue his expresse Woorde and Commaundement for our warrant If thei bee not able to saie thus thei ought to bee accoumpted as Lyers and deceiuers muche lesse ought any Christian to yeelde vnto them therein any obedience or subscriptioÌ„ For the Lorde hath so appoincted that our Consciences should not elsewhere bee staied but vpon the moste sure and infallible Rocke And thus muche for publicke functions wherein it is not lawfull for vs at any hande to followe our owne wilfull deuises and sensuall conceptes nor to prescribe any role or order to bee embraced vnlesse wee bee vndoubtedly assured that it standeth with the will and Worde of God Wherein wee euidently see how cleane againste the Kyngdome of the Pope and his Mitred Bisshopps as thynges therein are now handled Sainct Peters mynde and Iudgement was long before any Pope were knowen in the worlde to rule the roste in suche Pontificalitie as since thei haue doen. That God in all thinges maie be glorified through Iesus Christe to whom is praise and dominion for euer and euer Amen I Would haue you so sure and certaine that that whiche you speake and doe God hymself speaketh and dooeth that ye maie therein glorifie God as the aucthour thereof humbly thanking him for his bounteous gift whiche thing ye can not doe when ye doe any thyng whereof ye bee not sure whether God allowe it or no. But beeyng sure and certaine thereof how can ye choose but with moste humble thankes to praise and extoll so good so gracious and so bounteous a Lorde who vouchsafeth to giue his blessed Woorde to speake in you and he hymself to doe his owne woorke in you Whom otherwise ye should but mocke and skorne and lye vnto hym so long as ye pretende to giue thankes vnto hym for his good gifte beeyng not sure whether it were his gifte or some idle deuise and imagination of your owne braines And therefore there is nothyng so pernicious nothyng so monstruous nothyng so beastlie as to goe about to gouerne the Churche of God without the warrant of Gods owne Woorde and Woorke and therefore sainct Peter sawe greate reason to adde this muche therby to teache how the Churche ought to be gouerned Dearely beloued thinke it not strauÌ„ge concernyng the firie triall which is emong you to proue you as though some straunge thing were come vnto you HEre againe he vseth a phraze or forme of speech where with our tongue is not acquainted But Sainct Peter therefore vseth it to putte vs in minde of sundrie is textes and places of the Scriptures whiche many tymes tearmeth Persecution and Affliction by the name of a fierie Furnace After whiche sort Sainct Peter hymself afore in the first Chapter of this his first Epistle hath these words That the triall of your Faithe beyng muche more precious then gold that perisheth though it bee tried with fire might bee founde vnto your praise honour and glorie at the appearyng of Iesus Christe Likewise we read in the Prophete Esaie Chap. xlviij that the Lorde speaketh these woordes Beholde I haue tried thee in the furnace of affliction And in the xxvj Psalm Trie me O Lorde prooue and examine my reines and my harte Againe Psal lxvj Wee passed through fire and water To bee short it is an vsuall phraze in the Scripture to call affliction Fier and triall
of fire And herevnto alludeth Saincte Peter willyng vs not to thinke it straunge or a thyng vnmeete and vnexpediente for vs though this fierie triall happen vnto vs to prooue and trie vs euen as golde is tried in the Fire For as soone as wee haue vowed our sincere Faithe vnto God and haue giuen our names to serue hym God lingereth not long neither maketh any delaie but presently withall laieth his Crosse vppon vs to trie and confirme vs in our profession and to make our Faithe the more strong and effectual The holie Gospell is a Worde of wonderfull power and therfore can not shewe out his proper force and might otherwise then in Temptation and Affliction And no manne is euer able to declare or to knowe what the mightie power and vertue thereof is vnlesse he haue experimented and tasted the same in Tribulation Wheresoeuer the Crosse and Affliction bee there namely doeth the glorious Gospell of GOD bothe displaie and exercise his force might and vertue It is the worde of life and therefore can not declare out his mightie operation and power otherwise then in Death And therefore where there is not a Death and affliction there is no manne that can tell or trie what the force and power thereof is and how farre stronger it is then either Sinne or Death And therefore it is that he saieth Whiche is kindled among you to proue you that is to say GOD neuer sendeth vnto you any Affliction or fire that is any Crosse or tribulation to make a fierie triall of you but he doeth it to prooue whether you will sticke vnto hym and depende vpon his holie Woorde and Prouidence or no. In the x. Chapter of the Booke of Wisedome it is written of Iacob that GOD gaue hym an hard conflict to the intent be might by triall knowe that the feare of God is stronger then all thynges And this is the cause why GOD laieth the Crosse vppon all theim that bee beleeuers that thei might taste and feele what the power and might of GOD is whiche by Faithe thei haue embraced But reioyce in asmuch as ye are partakers of Christes suffringes SAinct Peter doeth not here require that we should feele and sustaine the same afflictions of Christe wherewith he hymself was persecuted and so to be made partakers of his suffringes but his meanyng is this Christe was afflicted and persecuted and therefore thinke not you to escape scotfree without persecution When ye are thus afflicted ye partake with Christe For if wee will liue with him wee must dye also with him If wee will raigne with him wee must also suffer with him as sainct Paule saieth Rom. vj. Col. ij Ephe. iiij Hebr. xij.j. Cor. vj.ij. Tim. ij and in many other places That when his glorie shall appeare ye maie bee glad and reioyce WHen ye fall into any suche tribulation and Crosse ye haue cause to reioyce And this ioye must bee no lesse in the Spirite then the torment is in the bodie if so bee that ye aspire to eternall ioye For this maner of ioye in afflictions hath his beginnyng here but his continuaunce is euerlastyng Whereas on the other side hee that kicketh and repineth at the affliction whiche the Lorde sendeth vnto hym and is as it were displeased and angrie with GOD for the same that person shall suffer double torture that is both here in this worlde and perpetually in the worlde to come Wee reade of certaine holie Martirs how they went to their torment and suffred death with moste cherefull and merie myndes as of sainct Agatha who shewed more ioye and alacritie when shee was haled and drawen into Prison then if shee had gone to any pleasaunt melodie and daunsyng So also did the Apostles returne with ioye from the Counsell yeeldyng earnest thankes to Almightie God who had vouchsafed to make them worthie to suffer persecution for Christes cause who now are in blisse and eternall ioye in Heauen When his glorie shall appeare CHriste sheweth not forthe himself visiblie as Lorde but as yet laboureth and is in trauaile with vs. As concernyng himself he is alreadie Lorde of all thynges but wee that bee his members are not as yet become so But wee shall bee so when his domination and glorie shall be manifested and shine brighter then the Sunne If ye be rayled vpon for the Name of Christe blessed are ye CHriste is to the world an oâ—ious and hatefull name of whom when thou once beginnest to preache thou must not thinke but that thei whiche on Earth be of highest calling and greatest countenaunce wil both blaspheme and speake euill of hym And in this Age wherein wee now presently liue this further mischief is growen that thei which be our persecuters are those which pretend y t name of Christians and would deare vs in hande that thei bee the true professors of his name whereas in their deedes thei vtterly denye renounce and persecute Christe and yet forsooth thei will bee called Christians gloriyng and vauntyng themselues for that thei bee baptized So that our case now is bothe more daungerous and also more troublesome and greeuous then others afore hath been For is not that conflict and Battaile more then twise lameÌ„table wherin our Enemies and aduersaries against whom wee fight carie the same tytle beare the same Standardes and pretende to maintaine the same quarell that wee doe And therefore if this comfort and consolation of sainct Peter were euer necessarie for any people trulie it is in these tymes moste expedient and needefull for vs that wee maie constantly stande in our profession and cherefully perseuere in maintenaunce of the truthe againste those that persecute vs those I saie whiche in the eye of the worlde are accoumpted the best and the wisest For the spirite of glorie and of God resteth vppon you which on their parte is euill spoken of but on your parte is glorified YE haue among you saieth he the Spirite whiche is the Spirite of God and the Spirite of Glorie that is to saie the Spirite whiche maketh vs glorious but not here in this worlde but in the laste daie when the glorie of Christe shall appeare and bee reueiled Furthermore he is not onely the Spirite of Glorie for that he maketh vs glorious but also for that wee agnize and acknowledge hym to bee glorious and attribute that honour as peculier vnto hym stedfastly beleeuing that he will also glorifie and dignifie vs euen as he hath alreadie glorified dignified Christ and brought hym into the glorie of his Father And therefore wee ought not to be aggreeued or much disquâ—eted although we be both blasphemed and accursed sith this Spirite resteth vpon vs whereof we maie bee sure for that the name of Christ resteth vpon vs. For that Blasphemie redoundeth vnto him that is the Spirit of Glorie and not vnto vs and he will in his good tyme bee reuenged thereof and will bryng vs out of it into glorie This is a notable comfort
therefore looke diligently and warely to hymself and he shall finde all this to be most true as thei that haue been tempted can not bee ignoraunt And therefore wee are more then twise miserable that liue here so carelesly and retchlesly For if we would enter into coÌ„sideration with our selues of this our life present we should see good cause for vs to crye out and call for help none otherwise then if wee were beset with a nuÌ„ber of murtherous Theeues This caused Iob to saie that the life of man on Earth is a mere Warfare and a continuall temptation or fight But why then will ye saie doth God place vs in this life beeyng so full of miseries Truely for this cause that our Faith maie be exercised and encreased and that we should be the gladder and willinger to departe hence and further that Death might become more sauoueie vnto vs and bee the earnestlier of vs desired Whom resist stedfast in the Faithe WEE must bee sober and watche but yet to this ende that our bodies maie bee fit and readie for the conflict and battaile and yet this is not sufficient to ouercome the Deuill withall These weapons are onely auaileable for this respect that the bodie maie bee the lesse occasioned to sinne But the true weapon wherewith wee must giue the ouerthrowe and foyle to our Eenemie is Faithe For if wee take sure holde of GOD in his Worde and in harte constantly cleaue therevnto by Faithe the Deuill shall neuer bee able to vanquishe vs but like a daunced Cowarde straight waies runne out of the fielde If thou canst saie This hath my Lord my God spoken this I do stedfastly beleue hereupon I staie my self hereunto doe I leane thou shalt see the Deuill quickly like a Micher sneake awaie and departe with whom all beautinesse all ill concupiscence and iuste all wrath all couetousnesse all faint-hartednesse and desperation vanishe and packe awaie also But suche is the â—uctletie and craft of the Deuill that he will hardlie suffer thee to come to that poynct but will vse all the meanes that hee can to plucke this weapon out of thy hande Whiche he easily bryngeth to passe when he hath once ensnared thee in a drowsie slothfulnesse and made thy bodie vtterly vnapt for the battaile and giuen to nothyng els but to lasciuious wantonnes For by that meanes with little adoe he wringeth out of thy hande the Sworde of the Spirite which is the Worde of God as he did by our firste Graundmother Eue. She had the Word of God wherevnto if she had firmely and stedfastly adhered shee had not fallen But when the Deuill sawe her negligently and carelesly to regarde the Worde he easilie pulled it out of her harte and so obteined that whiche he would haue Sainct Peter therefore hath here sufficiently warned vs that wee should striue and fight against the Deuill To which battaile and encountrie it nothyng auaileth to runne vp and doune hither and thither for any good Worke whiche thou of thy self canst doe but this onely must thou haue care vnto that thou constantlie sticke and stedfastly by faithe embrace the Worde of God If the Deuill then approache thee and goe about to hurle thee into pensiuenesse of minde and desperation by reason of thy manifolde sinnes and transgressions before committed betake thou thy self straightwaies to the Word of God wherein remission of all thy Synnes is promised commit thy self wholly thereunto and thou shalt see that he will quickly packe awaie and be gonne from thee Knowyng that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren whiche are in the worlde MEruaile ye not that ye must suffer temptatioÌ„s of the Deuill let this rather comforte you that you suffer not the same alone For there bee a greate many of you and ye are all Brethren and ye must all suffer and endure the same All they take your partes and in this conflict are aiders and helpers vnto you Thus hast thou this former Epistle of S. Peter somwhat largelie expounded In the whiche thou art taught euen fullie and abundauntly the whole summe of Christian doctrine and wherein also thou maiest see Faithe Loue and the Crosse right aptly and copiouslie described and maiest also read many godlie instructions and necessarie premonitions how to wage battaile and continue fight with that greate Dragon the Deuill Whiche Epistle who so euer hath rightly and throughlie learned hath no doubte a riche Storehouse of all suche thynges as any waie concerne sincere and true Christianitie In somuche that he shall not neede any other doctrine or helpe beside this as in deede there is none other Sauyng that God of the aboundaunte store of his mercie and bountie teacheth the same doctrine in sundrie and many other places of the Scriptures For other then this that is here sett doune by sainct Peter there is nothyng that can be taught or that needeth to bee displaied sith he herein hath omitted nothyng of all those thinges whiche are expediente and behoouefull for a Christian to knowe Finallie he here deliuereth the partes of a faithfull Preacher and good Pastour to witte that he should accoumpt it his bounden duetie not onely to feede the Sheepe but also to bee carefull for them and to praie for theim that God maie graciouslie encrease theim in goodnesse and strengthen theim in Faithe whereby thei maie bothe receiue and heare the Word and also digest vnderstande and bryng forthe the fruites therof And thus with a praier in the ende he concludeth saiyng And the GOD of all grace whiche hath called vs vnto his eternall glorie by Christe Iesus after that ye haue suffred a little make you perfect confirme strengthen and stablishe you IN this Praier he commendeth them to God The God saieth he who aâ—â—de is the giuer of all Grace and that not pinchyngly or in parte but who moste liberally and aboundauntly as it were by full heapes powreth all his Graces vpon you who hath called you through Christe that ye should enioy and be partakers of eternal glorie that not for any merite of your own but by through Christ Whom if ye haue ye also haue through Faithe in him not for any merite of your owne eternall life and felicitie He it is that shall make you perfecte that you beeyng by hym strengthened maie growe and stande faste readie to woorke all good woorkes He also shall confirme and stablishe you that you shalbee able to suffer and abide all thynges To hym bee glorie and Dominion for euer and euer Amen THis praise is that Sacrifice whiche the duetie of all vs which bee Christians is to offer He addeth yet a fewe woordes moe By Syluanus a faithfull brother vnto you as I suppose haue I written brieflie exhortyng and testifiyng how that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stande ALthough I am not ignoraunte that ye haue heard and learned these thynges afore so that ye greatlie neede not to bee taught the same againe at my
And when thei lifted vp their eyes thei sawe no man saue Iesus onely And as they came downe from the Mountaine Iesus charged them saiyng Shewe the Vision to no man vntill the Sonne of man rise againe from the dead This therefore whiche here Sainct Peter writeth hath this meanyng That Gospell which I haue preached and shewed vnto you of Christ and of his commyng I haue not sucked out of myne owne fingers endes nor feigned out of myne owne braine neither yet receiued I the same from vaine and Sophisticall Pratlers and Ianglers that can roundely and readily talke and tattle of matters such as the Greekes were Whereas in truthe all that which thei with finenesse of EloqueÌ„ce and galantnesse of phrazes painted out thinkyng them selues therein greate Wisemen was nothyng els but mere toyes trifles and vanities These and suche like persones wee neither haue giuen eare vnto neither followed and sought after that is wee dooe not preache vnto you the doatyng dreames and foolishe fantasies of Men But we are moste sure of our doctrine and of the certaintie thereof that it is of GOD because we haue bothe heard it with our eares and seen it with our eyes To witte when wee were present with Christe in the Mounte and there bothe sawe and heard his glorie from heauen proclaimed Whose glorie was suche that his face shined as the Sunne and his clothes were white as Snowe and wee also heard a voice from the high Maiestie of the Father saiyng This is my beloued Sonne heare hym Therefore euery Preacher ought to be so sure and so farre from any doubtyng of the certaintie of his doctrine and of the Woorde whiche he preacheth that he should not feare to scale and confirme the same with his death seyng it is the Woorde of Life whiche he hath in hande The Apostles therefore were certainly assured of the truthe of the Gospell whiche thei preached and were out of all doubt that it was the true and infallible Worde of GOD and withall that the Gospell is none other thyng then the preachyng of Christe And therefore none other preachyng is to bee heard because the Father will not haue any other This is my beloued Sonne sâ—â—th he heale hym Let hym be your Schoole maister and your Teacher as if he should saie when ye heare hym ye heare me And therefore saieth S. Peter wee haue preached and made knowen vnto you that Christe â—s â—e Lorde and Ruler of all thynges and that all power is deliuered ouer vnto hym whiche power he also hath whiche faithfullie beleeueth in hym These thynges haue not wee deuised and forged by our owne imaginations but wee haue bothe seen and heard them by the Reuolation of God who hath commaunded vs to heare this Christ alone But what is the cause that S. Peter here seuereth the Power of Christ from his Commyng His Power is in that he is Almightie and able to dooe all thynges And againe in that he hath all thinges in subiection vnder his feete This his Power shall perpetually continue and stande in force so long as the worlde hath continuaunce and so long as Fleshe and Bloud hath any beeyng vpon earth This entire power of the Kyngdome of Christe shall haue continuaunce and force till the laste daie and then shall an other worlde begiane when as Christe shall deliuer vp his Kyngdome vnto God his Father whereof is spoken by S. Paule j. Cor. xv Christe is the firste fruictes then thei that are of Christe whiche shall bee at his commyng and then shalbee the ende when he hath deliuered vp his Kyngdome to GOD euen the Father c. And againe When all thynges shall bee subdued into hym then shall the Sonne also hymself bee subiecte vnto hym that did subdue all thynges vnder hym And whereto tendeth all this Is not the Kyngdome of God the Father now at this presence and are not all thynges now also subdued vnto hym I aunswere S. Paule in the self same place expoundeth hymself yeldeth a reason of his wordes saiyng That God maie be all in all that is what soeuer a man longeth after what soeuer he desireth to haue that shall God bee vnto hym that as S. Peter saied afore we maie bee partakers of the Diuine Nature And therefore what GOD hath the same shall we haue and what soeuer is needefull and necessarie for vs shalbee ministred vnto vs what soeuer any manne requireth as Wisedome Righteousnesse Fortitude and Life it shalbe giuen to vs which wee now beleeue by hearyng with our eares and truely possesse in the Worde of God But then shall the Woorde ceasse and our Soules shall open and displaie themselues and shall see and feele all thynges present And this is it that bothe S. Peter and S. Paule meane that now in this while the power of Christes Kyngdome beareth all the aucthoritie now dooeth the Woorde raigne and exercise his Empire by whiche Woorde he now raigneth in his humanitie ouer Deuilles Synne Death and Helle. And all these thynges shall not till the laste daie bee plainly manifested For although God doeth raigne for euer alwaies yet is not the same manifestly to vs apparaunced He seeth vs but we see not hym And therefore it behooueth that Christ should resigne his Kyngdome ouer vnto hym that wee also maie see and then shall wee truely bee the Brothers of Christe and the Soonnes of God In this sorte Receiued he of God the Father honour and glorie as here S. Peter saieth when as the Father subiected all thynges vnto hym and made hym Lorde of all glorifiyng and dignifiyng him with these woordes This is my beloued Soone in whom I am well pleased And in these woordes S. Peters meanyng is to confirme his Doctrine and preachyng that it might bee knowen from it wheÌ„ce it was Besides this seyng of the Maiestie of Christ and hearyng of the voice of the Father concernyng Christe it was needefull also that the holie Ghoste must woorke withall and confirme him in that he had bothe seen and heard the more to make hym to beleeue it and that he might bothe boldelie preache and zelouslie confesse the same to others Wee haue also a moste sure worde of the Prophetes to the whiche ye doe well that ye take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place vntill the daie dawne and the daie starre arise â—n your hartes HEre commeth S. Peter nerer to the matter and of that whiche he here saieth this is the verie meanyng All that I preache vnto you is to this ende that your Consciences maie bee surely settled strengthened in the truthe and that your hartes maie be firmely fixed vpon the same not suffryng your selues to bee caried a ware from it by any meanes because wee are out of all doubte that wee haue the verie pure and sincere Worde of GOD. For the Gospell is a matter of greate waight and importaunce and therefore we ought to be most diligent carefull and precise that wee keepe
for thei haue followed the waie of Cain and are caste awaie by the deceipt of Balaams wages and perisheilâ— the gainsaiyng of Core These are spottes in your feastes of Charitie when thei feast with you without all feare feedyng themselues cloudes thei are without water caried about of windes corrupâ—trees and without fruit â—wise dead and plucked vp by the rootes The late the ragyng waues of the Sea fomyng out their owne shame Thei are wandâ—yng Staires to whom it reserued the blacknesse of darkenesse for euer And Enoch a so the seuenth from Adam prophesied of suche saiyng Behold the Lorde commeth with thousandes of his Sainctes To giue Iudgement against all men and to rebuke all the vngodlie emong them of all their wicked deedes whiche thei haue vngodlie committed and of all their cruell speakynges whiche wicked synners haue spoken against hym These are murmurerâ— complainers walkyng after their owne lustes whose mouthes speake proude thynges hauing mennes persones in admiration because of avantage But ye beloued remember the woordes whiche were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lorde Iesus Christ How that thei told you that there should bee mockers in the laste tyme whiche should walke after their owne vngodlie lustes These are makers of sectes Fleshely hauyng not the Spirite But ye beloued edifie your selues in your moste holie Faithe praiyng in the holie Ghoste And keepe your selues in the loue of God lookyng for the mercie of our Lorde Iesus Christ vnto eternall life And haue compassion of some in puttyng difference And other saue with feare pullyng them out of the fier and hate euen the Garment spotted by the fleshe Now vnto him that is able to keepe you that ye fal not and to presente you faultlesse before the presence of his glorie with ioye That is to God onely wise our Sauiour bee glorie and Maiestie and Dominion and Power bothe now and for euer Amen IVDE a seruaunt of Iesus Christ and brother of Iames to them whiche are called and sanctified of God the Father and reserued to Iesus Christ Mercie vnto you and peace loue be multiplied THis Epistle is attributed vnto S. Iude the Apostle brother of Iames the lesse and Symon Mark vj. Luk. vj. Whose mother was Marie the wife of Cleopas and Sister of the blessed Virgin Marie the mother of Christ Ioh. xvj But it appeareth not expressely to bee written by that Iude who was the Apostle because heerein hee speaketh and maketh mention of the Apostles as though hee were but one of their Disciples and had written certaine yeares after them Neither conteineth it any speciall or peculiar matter in it other then that maie well and fullie bee gathered out of the afore going second Epistle of S. Peter vnto the which it hath entier reference and out of which al his reasons and saiynges are in a maner taken To conclude this is nothing els but an Epistle directly painetyng and poinctyng out the abuses fleightes and treacheries of our Papisticall Clergie Beloued when I gaue all diligence to write vnto you of the common saluation it was needefull for mee to write vnto you to exhorte you that ye should earnestly contend for the maintenaunce of the faith which was once giuen vnto the Sainctes THE effect of his meanyng is this I could not choose but write vnto you to admonishe and exhorte you to persist and manfully gooe forwarde in that Faithe whiche hath now once been preached vnto you As if he should saie It is needefull and necessarie that I should put you in remembraunce to striue and with al your endeuour to continue and perseuere in the right waie The cause why it is so needefull and necessarie here followeth For there are certaine men crept in whiche were before of olde ordained to this condemnation THis is the cause why I haue taken in hande to admonish you to perseuere and continue in that Faith whiche ye haue heard because euen now there are creepyng in and alreadie are entred certaine false seducers and deceiptfull Preachers whiche goe about to teache and sowe among you other counterfaite Doctrines contrarie to those rules of Faith whiche ye haue soundly learned take ye heede therfore for they be suche a mischieuous and flye generation that thei will suttlie and sodainly steale a waye mens consciences and with their erroneous tromperie seduce and eatie them out of the right waie of truthe before they can perceiue it or bee a ware of their fetchyng collusions So saied S. Peter afore There shalbee among you false teachers c. And S. Iude here saieth they were long agoe foreordained to this coÌ„demnation iudgement Which thing is easie for vs to vnderstande which knowe that no man is iustified by any of his owne Woorkes but by Faithe onely in Christe in whom who so assuredly and faithfully beleeueth and staieth as vpon his chief buttresse and onely piller of safetie is made partaker of al his benefites all Christes Workes by Faith are become his After this sure groundworke of Faith once layed all our workes that wee are able to doe ought to tende to the benefite and commoditie of our Neighbour What workes so euer are wrought to any other ende then this are Deuilishe and damnable Let a man therefore diligentlie take heede how he dealeth and lette hym direct his woorkes as fruictes of his liuely Faith to the helpe and benefite of his Neighbour for al other be odious and abhominable in the sight of God of which sorte are these vowed Professions and meriting Woorkes of Massyng Priestes and mumbling Munkes He therfore that carieth men from the ankerholde of faithe to the â—â—â—she bables and lowsie Ceremonies of these greasie Votaries and their woorkes is a deceiuer and a seducer and draweth men with them into the like daunger of condemnation Vngodlymen they are whiche turne the grace of our God into wantonnesse THE preachyng whiche is opened vnto vs of the grace of God and wherein Christ is set foorth and commended vnto vs and how hee with all his good benefites is exhibited and freely giuen vnto vs so that wee are now cleerely freed and deliuered from Sinne Death Hell and all miserie This free grace and gift I saie thus offred vnto vs in the Gospell these seducyng and false deceiptfull Hypocrites dooe abuse to the maintenaunce of themselues in all lasciuious wantonnesse That is they beare themselues bolde vnder the name of Christians and they bâ—ast and prate muche of the Gospell but they liue so dissolutelie and disorderlie that they dooe all thynges accordyng to the pitche of their owne wilfull affections and lawlesse lustes spendyng the tyme in ryâ—t banquettyng carowsing and Gluttonie They vaunt and bragge saiyng that thei haue taken vpon them in a spirituall kinde of life and vtterly renouÌ„ed the delightes of the seculer state and worldly dealynges whereas vnder the vizarde of this pretended simplicitie thei haue inuaded and raked into their handes in a maner all the wealthe delites and dignities in the