chapter s. Paule biddeth wiues be subiecte to theyr husbandes as vnto our Lord master Christ for it is our lorde Gods ordinance that the man should be the head of the woman as Christ is the head of his spouse and wife the church or multitude of Christen people therefore like as the churche is subiect obedient and doth reuerence to Christ as the body to her head so ought the wyues to theyr husbands as to theyr head in all thinges that be good and according to Gods pleasure Of the contempt of due subiection and obedience of the wyfe to the husband I rede a notable story Hester .i. wher it is written that the great kynge and conquerour Assuerus king of the Medes and Persies ouer cxxvii prouinces and realmes made an exceding sumptuous feast to all the nobilitie and head officers of his Empery and dominions the preparation and prouision for the same with the inuitacion and accesse of his gests continued .ix. score daies the solempnitie of the feast continued .vii. daies There was such prouision such seruice of al officers and such delicates of meates drinks that wonder it is to heare of it And like as that king kept his feast in the solemne place prouided for the same so dyd Vasthi his Quene keepe her feast to all the quenes Ladies and noble women of the Emperye and that in the palace where Assuerus was wont to dwell for the kynges feaste was kepte in Haalys or tentes wonderouslye wroughte with costlye stuffe and stronglye staied by pyllers of fyne Marble after a gorgeous fashyon all of pleasure there the kynge kepte hys solempne banckettes and lefte hys palace for the Quene Vasthi wyth the other Ladyes On the .vii. daye of this feast when Assuerus the king had well dronke was well warmed with wyne he sent his Chamberlaynes to call Vasthi the quene to him willing her to put on her head her diademe or crowne and to come forthe after her goodliest maner because he would shewe to his kynges and lordes the beautie of his quene for she was very fayre and beautyfull but she refused to come at him and contempned the kinges commaundemēt sent to her by his chamberleins for this cause the king was sore dismaid waxed wondrous angrye and in a rage called all the great wisemen of his priuye counsayle that were euer at hande as the maner of kinges is to haue suche counsayle euer redy and by theyr counsayl he did al weighty matters because they knew the lawes of God and man he asked theyr counsayle what sentence shoulde be gyuen againste Vasthi the quene for her pride and obstinacie They aunswered all by the mouthe of Manucha one of the chiefe of the counsayle whiche after thys maner spoke to the king afore the princes of the coūsail Non solum regē lesit regina Vasthi c. The quene hath hurt not onely the kinges highnes but also all the people and princes and noble men that be wythin the dominion of kynge Assuerus for the woordes of the quene will go abrode amonge all women and make them to contempne theyr husbandes saying The noble and mighty king Assuerus bade Vasthi his quene come into his presence and she would not and no more will I but when me list And by this example gyuen of her all the wyues of the Princes of the Persies and of the Medes will sette little by the commaundement of their husbandes Wherefore the indignation and displeasure that your highnesse hathe conceiued againste her is iuste and not without a cause And therefore if it be your pleasure let a proclamation be sende frome your persone that quene Vasthi shall neuer more come in your presence but that an other better then she shall take her raigne that she hathe as one with you And let the same commaundemente be diuulled and proclaymed in all Prouinces and Realmes of your Emperie euen to the furthest parte therof that so all wiues as well of the great men as of the common and lower people maye geue honor and obedience to their husbandes This counsell pleased the Kinge and the princes that were present with him and the kinge according to the same sent furth his letters into all countreys of his emperye written in diuers languages and diuers letters that euerye man might reade and vnderstande them conteininge this argumente that the men be princes and greatest in their owne houses wherfore it foloweth that the wyues be subiecte and vnder obedience to them By this storie all good wiues may note and marke what commeth of contempte and disobedience of the wyues to their Husbandes She was deposed from her high estate and put away from her husbande because she list not to obey nor to be subiect to his commaundement Almighty GOD made the first woman for two vses or purposes one for to multiplye mankinde by generation an other cause for domesticall cohabitation and to dwell wyth the manne for his comforte And in bothe these two the woman was soore punished because shee tempted her husbande to eate of the forbidden fruite Firste where she shoulde haue borne chylde wythout payne she was deputed to exceadynge payne wyth manye throwes and panges while shee is wyth chylde and wyth muche more payne when shee is traueylynge to be deliuered Seconde to our purpose nowe where there shoulde haue bene none inequalitie betwixte the manne and the wyfe nowe for a punishement for her faulte shee muste be content to heare Sub viri potestate eris ipse dominabitur tui Thou shalte be vnder the power of thy husband and he shall be thy ruler And yet let vs consider the goodnes of god how he vseth mercy with the rod of correction in this soore beatyng of woman kinde with these two strokes of pain with childe and of subiectiō to the husband God hath prouided that the first is eased by the byrth of the childe into the world which so comforteth the mother that anone she hath forgotten all the former paine that she toke with her childe And the second is notably releued by this that by the dominion and rule of the husbande the wyfe is much eased of solicitude thought for outward prouisiō of necessaries for defence of her right and for aunswerynge to vniuste vexation and suche others And also specially by this that by the goodnesse and gentle behauiour of the wyfe husbande is manye tymes made much better thē he woulde els be And this saint Peter teacheth in this place saiynge Vt si qui non credunt verbo per mulierum conuersationem sine verbo lucrifiant He woulde specially that they should remember their subiection and gentlenes toward their husbandes that if there be anye of their husbandes that peraduenture beleueth not the woorde of God preached amonge theim whiche the wyues dothe beleue they maye be wonne and conuerted to Christes faithe by the holye conuersation of the women without preachinge When they consider your holye conuersation
Fortitude or manlines wherein it standeth and what it worketh in vs. fol. xxviii b. Foundation of our goostly buildinge is aboue in heauen therfore thither we must build vpwarde fol. clxiiii c. d Fomes peccati the nourse or breader of sinne is captaine of the warres with the deuyll fol. ccxxx d. Fautes be .vii. y t maketh a maÌ„s coÌ„uersatioÌ„ odious clxxviii d Fraternal loue is declared and his beginning and his perfection fol. cxl a b â–ª Feare of mind extended into the body is tremor fo clxxxiiii c Fastinge in Lent on Fridayes and in the rogation weke is vmbrayded mocked of noughty lyuers fo cclxxiii b G. GAlatia situation fol. cx d Gaminers be al churles w tout liberalitie cclxxxix a b Galilean Christ was called for despite fo cclxxiii a b Gentle birth requireth gentle maners bodelye and morallye fol. cxl d Giftes of the holy gost mai be had one w tout another xxiii d the .vii. Giftes of the holy gost be coupled why fol. ix b the Gift of vnderstanding is neuer taken from good men in thinges necessary to be knowen fol. xi a vii Giftes of the holy gost be compared to other vertues after diuers opinions fol. v. a b Gile and sutteltie counterfeteth science coninge xliii a Giuers ouer afore theÌ„d be like an ape w t a grene nut cxxii a Gile is described fol cxlvi a Gile that is good Eodem c Giue and you shal haue geuen to you is declared at large folio ccxii a Giuers of their owne shale be riche scratchers of other mens be euer at beggers state fol. cclxi c Glory of carnall kinred is poore and vyle Eodem a b Glad we ought to be bearinge parte of Christes passions folio cclxxi c Godly wisedome is declared fol viii b God wyll not suffre a good man finallye to wauer in errours fo xxxix c Good women how they should trim them selues liii c God repented is vnderstanded fol lix d Good spirite speaketh in catholike expounders of scriptures and in heretikes the bad spirite fol xcix b c Gloton the rich gloton buried in hell woulde not that his brothers should come thither why fo clxxviii a A Goyde is necessary to saue a man from maskinge moraliter fol. cxc a Good and yll be common as wel to il men as to good and why fol fi ccxli b. c. Godmen to be troubled with shrewes is no newes cclxx c Go about is the deuils vse fol-cccviii a Grace is diuerslye distributed and there of full of grace with a distinction fol. iiii a b Great sinners require great mercy fol. cxvii b. Growe to saluation fo cliii d Graues spoylers of mens graues of the brasen epitaphes be churles and worketh for shameful gaines cclxxxix b H. HArdnes of scripture is occasion of al heresies xxxvii d when Heretikes be seperate goddes minde in the scriptures is knowen fo xxxvii a Heresy of Nouatus Eodem b Herode the second was banished to Lions in FrauÌ„ce xvi c Heauen is diuersly spoken of in scripture and of the doctours fol. lxxv b without Heauen after Aristotle be thinges leadinge a most blessed and most sufficient life fol. lxxv b. Hellespont the streict and his breadth fol. cix a Heauenly ioyes be declared yea rather dreamed by negatiues fol. lxxxvii c Hearers of ill tales haue itchinge eares and what hurte they do fol. cxlix a b Heate of teÌ„ptatioÌ„ requireth a tree to shadow vs. clxxxviii b Heauen is a wildernes to many fol. cxcii a Heresies hath no strength but wheÌ„ they mete with a weak fayth fol. cccx d Heretikes euer wauering and vnconstaunt fo cccxii c Honour to our parentes wherein it standeth fo lii b Holy goost shewed his godhead specially reueling thinges to come fol. iii. a b Hope liuely and dead fol. cxix c Honours be like the fome on a runninge water like smoke lyke slepe fol. cxxii d Honor of a kinge fol. c.xci. d Honor hath diuers significations fo ccvi c Honour due to the wife by the husbande Eodem d Hospitalitie is of two maners fol. cclxii d Hospitalitie lokinge to be quit againe with the like is a spice of auarice fol. cclvii a Hospitalitie is rewarded aboundauntlye as appeareth by the scriptures fol. cclviii c Hospitalitie is vsed of very poore men and requireth no multitude of dishes fo cclxii a Humilitie hath two offices â–ª after one he was in Christ after the other it is in vs. fol. ccciii d. I. IAcob was loued Esau reproued withoute parcialitie folio cxxvi a. Idlenes slouth is most to be fered in the nobilitie clxxv b Idolatry foloweth of riotouse feastinge and bankettinge folio ccxxxiiii d Idoles men make their wyues children and theyr goodes folio ccxxxv b Idoles be nothinge fol. xli a Idolatry begonne by Ninus kinge of Babilon â–ª and greatly auaunced by Semiâ—amis his quene fo cccxv a Iezabelles shamefull ende and death notwithstanding her payntinge and trimminge fol. cci b. c Iewes to obstinately leaned to Moyses lawe in Christes time fol. xxx d Iesus was euer a sauiour fol. lxvi b Iesus and Christe signifieth one personne with a differeÌ„ce fol. lxxvi c Ionas shipwracke signifieth Christes temptation trouble fo cxxxviii d Iohn Baptist doubted nothinge of Christe wherefore his question was for his disciples learninge and not for his folio clxi c Iosue his shilde signifieth the armes of Christes passion folio ccxxxi b. Infirmitie maketh vertue stronger fo ccxl c. Iudas was both proditor and traditor fo cxci d IugemeÌ„t of god be of .ii maners secret manifest cclxxv a Iudas was chosen to be apostle not ignorantly cclxxxiii a Iudas Galileus error and destruction fol. xviii b. Iudas Galileus when he set forth his heresye and howe longe it continued fol. clxxxi d Iudgement generall is greatly to be feared fol. lxxxiii d Iudicial lawes be described fol. xc a Iudicial lawes as geuen by Moises bindeth vs not but the same enacted and stablished by Christian princes bindeth theyr subiectes fol xciii a Iudiciall lawes Christ lefte none fol. xcv c K. KInge Henry the .viii. encouraged great clerkes to trye out the mere truthes of the scriptures fo xix b. King Henry the .viii. by his foundations of cathedral churches conserueth diuine seruice to the honor of god cxx d Kinges spiritually they be that ruleth their affections folio clxviii a Kinges precellencie fo clxxx c Kissinges of diuers maners good and bad fo cccxv a Kissinge one another in the church at the masse time was vsed in the primitiue churche fol. cccxvi d Kissinge the pax at Masse and the reason why fo cccxvii a Knowledge of thinges to come hereafter men mooste desier fol iii b L LAzarus slepeth is vnderstanden fol xxii d Lacke of fear was a great cause of Noes floud lix b Lawes positiue made by man which bynde vnder payne of deadly sinne and which do not so binde xcvii a. b Lechery is colde without meat or drinke fol ccxxxiiii c
true by reason of the bodie The seconde is true by reason of the soule The soule is departed from the body the body lacketh his life therfore we saye the manne is deade The soule is immortall and cannot dye therefore by that reason Christe sayde Abraham is aliue So now because the bodies be out of pain we say the men rest or slepe in the slepe of peace And because the soules be departed in the state of grace and in the way of saluation which they haue not yet perfitly obtained we pray that thei may come to the place of refreshing to the place of light and to the place of peace euerlasting in heauen And thus we must take the woordes of the masse aboue rehersed as they were meaned and we shall gyue no handfast to the contrarye errour And I would they should not so rashely precipitate their sentence in such weighty matters except they had some better ground Thys precipitatio headlong shofyng out mens sentence without iudgement is contrarie to thys gift of the holy gost that we now entreate of the gyft of counsaile as I touched afore This was the faut of Iepthe Iud. xi which when he should procede to battell against the Ammonites he made his vow to God precipitāter headlong and rashly without counsel or aduisemēt y t what so euer came first against him to meete him at his dore after his cōming home he would kill it offer it vp to be burned in sacrifice to almyghtye God So it chaunced that when he came home after his victory his own doughter which he had and no mo children met him with timbers and such instrumentes of melodie as she had to welcome him home When he saw her he tore his clothes and cryed alas my doughter thou hast deceiued me and art deceiued thy selfe This precipitation hurt king Dauid notwithstanding his great wisedome and manyfolde vertues when he fled from the persecution and commotion that hys own sonne Absolon raysed against him one Seba that was seruant to Miphiboseth Ionathas sonne neuew to Saul the kyng came to kynge Dauid and brought him presents of such dainties as myght do hym pleasure and to hys seruantes in that distres and trouble As Asses for them to ride on breade and wine and fruites to refresh them in their iourny fleyng from the host of Absolon King Dauid asked him where is thy master Miphiboseth He made a lye on hys maister saying he tarieth behinde in Ierusalem trusting now to be restored to y e kingdome of Saul his graundfather King Dauid by and by rashly without iudgement or further aduisement the partie neither called nor heard precipitate thys sentence Tua sint omnia que fuerunt Miphiboseth ii Reg. xvi Take thee al that Miphiboseth had And so he gaue awaye to a lying knaue all that good gentlemans goodes whiche he was sorye for afterward when he knew the truth He shuld not a neded to haue be sory if he had auoided this precipitacion by the gift of counsell whiche the holy gost for then withdrew from him he had it not For such causes saith Ecclesiasticus Sine consilio nihil facias et post factum non penitebis xxxii Without counsell and aduisement do nothing after thy deede thou shalt not repent or be sorye ▪ These giftes of the holy ghost be not so coherent or linked together that who so euer hath one of them must neades haue all the other The Prophete Esay sayth that our sauiour Christe had them all and so he had superabundantly Et de plenitudine eius uos omnes accepimus Iohn i. and of his plentye all we take our giftes Of others we reade not that had them all continually but we finde that some that were excellent in sapience or iudgement in Godly causes and heauenly matters and coulde instruct and teach noblely well lacked the gyft of counsayle to direct and order hym selfe and others accordyngly and had nede of other mennes counsayle And contrarye he that is excellent in geuyng counsayle maye be weake in the speculation or iudgement of heauenly or Godly matters Exo. xviii It is writ of Moyses which had receiued of God the spirite of sapience by which he was able to geue vnto the people the lawes of God and to teache them the same yet he vsed to sit from mornynge to night hearynge causes and geuyng sentences and iudgementes betwixte parties amonge the people and so fatigated and weried him self and the people also Iethro his father in law consideryng how that labour was to great for any one manne to sustaine and also how the people were combred tariynge so longe for decision of their causes while they might haue bene soner sped that so they myght haue departed euery man to his owne and haue bene better occupied at home sayde playnelye to hym Stulto labore consumeris c. Both thou and thys people spende and waste your selues in a foolyshe laboure for thys busynesse is aboue thy power and myghte thou art not able alone to sustaine all this busie labour but heare my wordes and my counsayl and our Lord shalbe with thee Let this people haue the in suche thynges as pertayne to God that thou mayst shew vnto him what they saye and mayst shewe vnto the people againe the ceremonies and the rites and maner of worshipping God and the waye that they shall go and the workes that they shall doe And prouide among al this people men of power and that feareth God and that haue truth in them and that hate auarice or couetousnes and make of them officers some ouer a thousande of thys people some ouer a hundred some ouer fiftie some ouer ten which may iudge the people at al times and what so euer great matter ryseth among them let them referre it to thee and let them iudge the smaller matters and none other so thou shalt be more lightned and eased when thy burden is deuyded amonge other If thou doe thys thou shalt be able to fulfill Gods empery and authoritie and shalt be able to sustaine that God byddeth thee doe and all thys people shall returne with peace to their houses or lodgynge at tyme conuenient When Moyses had heard Iethroes counsail he did all thinges as he counseld hym Nowe to my purpose because no man shall be proude of the giftes that God hath gyuen hym we maye see here that Moyses hauyng so excellently the gift of sapience to iudge and discerne and also to teache and instruct in Godly causes yet as then he lacked the gift of counsail which this straūger Iethro an alien and not of the people of Israell tho as then he was conuerted to the faythe of one God had as appeareth by the holesome counsaile that he gaue vnto Moyses by which as well Moyses selfe as all his whole host were noblye releued of almightye God by the mouthe of Iethro his father in lawe geuyng hym that good counsail Therefore I shall most intierly desire you to
pray to God for this gratious gift of counsail and according to the same to procede in all your assembles consultacions deuisinges in al thinges that you shal go about euer auoyding precipitacion and rashe settinge on in anye of your doinges and so you shall not afterwarde repent your doinges or your sayings through the help of God to whom be al honour and glory for euer Amen ¶ The thirde sermon treating of the fourth gift of the holy gost called the spirite of fortitude GOod and worshipfull audience because it is long sith I preached among you of the giftes of the holye gost which heretofore I promised to declare vnto you as oportunitie would serue Nowe I trust you remember that in my last sermon that I preached of that matter I spoke chiefely of the gift of godly counsail which as I said is a supernaturall gift of deliberation or aduisement superadded to the gyft of prudence or policye that some men haue naturally or by exercise or worldly compasyng or casting for al these may faile and deceiue men if this gift of godly counsail be away as appeareth plainly by the couÌ„sail of the Iewes against Christ to put him to death for feare that els the Romaines would come vpon them and destroy their citie and driue al the people into captiuity and so vpon thys they rested not tyll they had slaine Christ vpon the crosse and then thoughte them selues safe inough til the Romaines came within a season after and destroyed the chief citie Ierusalem and toke the people that wer left to most miserable bondage as I said in my last sermon of that matter By thys it is moste euydentlye true that the wyseman saythe Non est sapientia non est prudentia non est consilium contra dominum Prouerb xxi There is no sapience there is no wyttines there is no counsaile agaynste oure Lorde God As longe as thy cast leaneth ouer much to mans imagination and setteth not god afore but rather worketh against God thys is not the counsail that is the gift of the goly gost No more is the counsail or confederacie of heretikes for they be euer grouÌ„ded on carnall lustes enmitie malice or some other carnalitie and nothing godly but inducing men to carnall lybertie as I declared of diuers heresies and specyallye of the heresye that denieth purgatorye settyng men at loose libertie spending theyr lyues in voluptuousnesse trustyng by one woorde of repentaunce to come to heauen as soone as they that haue lyued in vertue and penaunce all dayes of their lyues Then I declared that to shoofe furthe or shoote furthe mennes sentence vnaduisedly which is called precipitacion is contrarie to this godlie gift of counsail and howe that hurted king Dauid the Prophet and made hym to gyue awaye to a false lying wretche all the goodes of Miphiboseth whiche afterwarde he repented and was for Then fynallye I tolde you that Moyses lacked thys gifte of counsaile when he satte all daye longe hearing the causes of the people and geuing sentences on the same wearying him selfe and the people also when Iethro by the holye spirite of counsaile whiche he then had aduised hym to constitute and sette vnderofficers to beare part of hys paines and labours And then Moyses without anye disdayning without any obstinacye or sturdynesse lowlye and obedientlye dyd thereafter and constantlye by the spirite of Fortitude broughte that to effecte that Iethro hadde counsailed hym And lyke as thys counsailler Iethro had the spirite of GOD the spirite of counsaile so had Moyses the spirite of fortitude strength or manlynesse to sette thys order amonge the people as hys father in lawe hadde counsailed him It was no small enterprise among so vnruly wilfull and sturdye a multitude as that people were to bring such a newe rule and to set so ordinate a Ierarchie among rulers of which some should be lower some higher ordinatelye vntyll they came to Moyses in arduous matters and causes of difficultie and at the last to almightye God where the causes emergent were aboue Moyses capacitie For that people was so hye harted that they would not easely go to the fote but they would for euery trifle go to the head or els they woulde not be ruled nor pleased Fortitude is a morall vertue and fortitude is a gyfte of the holye goste That morall vertue maye be where this gift of the holy gost is away Fortitudo after Aristotle iii. Eth. Est virtus secundum quaÌ„ fortis sustinet timet audet que oportet cuius gratia oportet vt oportet quando oportet Fortitude is the vertue by whiche a manlye man or a verye maÌ„ susteineth or suffreth feareth auentureth on or dare do such things as he ought to suffer feare or adueÌ„ture on for that cause for which he ought so to do as he ought wheÌ„ he ought to suffer feare or auenture But the philosopher doth so exactlye trym and pare this vertue that he pareth almost all away And yet we Christen Philosophers muste pare away somewhat more of that he leaueth and so afore we haue al done we shall see that this morall vertue like as all other morall vertues withoute the assistence and grace of the holye goste be as Esaye sayth .lxiiii. Quasi pannus menstruatae omnes iustitiae nostrae be filthy and veâ—y vile in the sight of God All vertues consisteth in the meane and middle betwixt two vices and because the extremities somtime haue no name we expresse them by circumlocution sometime by two or three thinges for one and sometime by negatiues As here inpauidus wythout feare is one extremitie of this vertue fortitude such a one is he that nothing feareth neither earthquakes fire nor water but suche a one semeth rather insensate and mad theÌ„ bold Likewise in boldnes or venturousnes he that will auenture where is no likelyhoode to scape is in thys extremitie of fortitude and is called folishehardye and semeth to be proude and presumptuous rather then bold a fainer or couÌ„terfaiter of boldnes rather then truly bold or manly For comonly such men hath a certein feare of hart inwardly annexed to their boldnes begynning boldly and at the last will run awaye with shame He that excedeth in the other extremitye and contrary part that is feare is called comonly timidus a cowarde afrayde of his shadowe or where is no cause why he should feare Such be they that in all perils despayreth their hart fayleth them cleane contrary to fortitude or manlynes whyche hathe euer good hope to ouercome where by the iudgement of reason is any likelyhood to ouercome So that generallye fortitude is exercised about feares and boldnes or hardynes as it were to suppresse and correct feare and to moderate and measure hardines or boldnes Certein conclusions the Philosopher putteth in which we Christen men varie from him One is this He that desireth rather to dye then to sustaine aduersitie as pouertie shame reproche or rebuke is not manly for
was sayd in his name to synne and to hell Osee. xiii â–ª O death I will be thy death O hell I wyll bite the. He that eateth occupieth all that he eateth he that byteth taketh part and leaueth part so dyd the soule of Christ take that part of the prisoners in hell whiche dyed in charitie lefte behind him in tormentes and paynes with the deuylles â–ª all them that besyde oryginall synne hadde committed mortall synne and dyed without satisfaction for the same SAynt Thomas put the syxt article of our fayth sayinge The thyrde daye he rose agayne from death For on Sondaye earlye in the breakynge of the daye while it was somewhat darke he ioyned his soule vnto hys body and rose from death to lyfe and came forth of his chest or graue and oute of the monument or caue in the whiche the graue was beynge fast shutte with a greate stone rouled to it for a dore â–ª and surelye sealed And forthwith came the Aungell from heauen and remoued the stone that was rouled to the doore of the sayde caue and satte vpon it to declare that Chryste was rysen and gonne and anone came the thre Maries and they sawe and hearde the Aungels appearynge to theim lyke men whiche tolde theim that Chryste was rysen but they scarselye beleued the Aungelles rather thinkynge that his precyouse bodye was stolen and caryed awaye oute of the graue Notwithstandynge as they were bydde they wente to geue knoweledge to the Disciples whiche then kepte them selues together in greate pensifenes for the losse of theyr mayster and as close as they coulde for feare of shrewes Marye Magdalene made beste spede and tolde Peter and Iohn what she hadde sene and hearde and consequentlye the same day and other dayes folowinge as well the sayde holye women as the Apostles and other Disciples were by euidente and sensible signes well assured that he was bodelye rysen in dede and not fantasticallye nor faynedlye He was the fyrste that euer ryse to lyfe immortall neuer to die againe Other there were that were reised frome death to lyfe by the power of God but after certaine yeares they died againe Christe rose by his owne power and neuer died againe therefore the Apostles called him the beginninge and fyrste begotten amonge dead men Col. i. The beginner and cause of his owne resurrection whiche was by his owne power and also of oure resurrection that lyke as he died for oure sinnes and rose againe to iustifie vs so we shoulde mortifie oure selfe to sinne that we may rise againe with him and liue to God walkinge in a newe life whyle we be here that finallye we maye rise with oure bodies and soules glorified to immortall lyfe Oure olde manne was crucyfied with Christe that the bodye of synne myghte be destroyed that we shoulde no more doe seruice to sinne Oure olde man signifieth oure olde lyuinge in synne lyke Adam the fyrste manne that synned of whose offence descended to all his posteritie the nourishinge and feadinge of sinne the darte and pricke of death whiche the Apostle manye times calleth by the name of sinne this we must mortifie and kyll that so the bodye of synne maye be destroyed We lyue to synne when we lyue after the inclination of the sayde nurse and breder of synne so that synne reigne in our mortall bodies to obeye the desires of sinne And contrary we die to sinne when we do not the desires of sinne neither folowe the inclinations of sinne that so the body of sinne may be destroyed in vs the bodye of sinne is the whole rable and multitude of sinnes together like limmes of one body as fornication vncleanes auarice contention wrath gyle brauling dissension heresies enuye ryot or surfet and suche other when these be mortified in vs then we dye with Christ. And this mortification we must buselye and continually beare vpon vs and then we shal be sure to liue with him by renewinge of our liuinge contrarie to vice vsing iustice and vertue that so we may giue light of good example to all others that they may glorifie and laude God in vs that finally we and they with vs may ryse to immortall glorye THen foloweth the seuenth article whiche S. Barthelomew put to this gathering and it is this He ascended into heauen and sitâ—eth on the righte hande of GOD the father almightie That is to saye the condition of our nature whiche he toke of the virgin his mother he toke vp with him and set it on the ryght hand of his father aboue the skye and aboue all the orders of aungels and aboue al thinge that is named not only in this world but also in the world to come Therefore let vs ascende vp in deuoute heart with Christ while we be in this presente lyfe that when the daye of the generall resurrection shall come we may folowe him ascendyng in body thither as he is gone afore vs bodelye openinge the waye for vs. Mich. ii For lyke as he rose from death to life to make vs lykewise to ryse so he ascended to make vs to ascende For whiche purpose we must well knowe and remeÌ„ber that with Christ ascendeth not pryde nether couetousenes lechery or any other synne he was our phisition he cured vs and made vs once hole but he toke with him none of our malaÌ„ders therfore yf we come after him we must leaue all these and cast them of least they presse vs downe that we may not ascend to that glorious place wher Christ sitteth on the ryght hande of his father that is to saye equal with the father by his godhead and in the inheritaunce and highest wealth and glory of God by his humanitie to entreate for vs as our attourney towarde the father To sitte belongeth to a iudge because oure sauioure nowe beinge in heauen considereth and iudgeth all mens actes and at the laste shall manifestlye and openly come to iudge them and to geue sentence therefore it is sayd that he sytteth Saynt Steuen sawe him standing on the fathers right hande as one redy to fyght for hym and to helpe him constantlye to suffer the persecution of the Iewes where ye must not ymagine any materiall body or ryght hand or lyfte hande in the godhead or any material stoles to sit on in heauen it is a maner of speakinge of the scripture by a similitude rather then that there be any such partes there in dede And likewise to sitte or stande in heauen signifieth no more but there to be at his pleasure and to shewe hym selfe as it please his maiestie THe eyght article saint Mathew the Apostle and Euangelist sayd From thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade In the same body he wyl come to the iudgemeÌ„t in whiche he ascended into heauen to iudge all christen and hethen for all we that be hath be shall be shall stande afore Christes seat of iudgement that euery man maye receaue the duetie of his bodye as he hath
whom is no partialitie And knowynge the price that was paide for vs whyche was no corruptible metall as gold or siluer but the precious bloud of a pure Lambe our sauiour Iesus Christ and considering that the seede by whyche we wer regenerate is not corruptible as the sede of our parentes is by which men be goten to die but it is immortall as he is immortall that it commeth of almighty God The sede is the immutable gospell by which we come to baptisme that washeth vs from all our sinnes where I shewed you howe necessary that sacrament is to all sexes and to all ages as wel infants as other that lyke as they be kylled or hurte by an other mans sinne so they may be reuiued by other meÌ„s faith Now consequently in this second chapiter the blessed Apostle sainte Peter intreateth of the nursing or bringing vp of them that were by the saide holy sede goten and borne to Christ and so to life euerlasting This is a naturall order that saint Peter kepeth here for naturally the byrthe goeth afore the nourishinge And because he that hath a shrewd stomake filled with nociue and yll humors must first haue his stomake purged afore any meate shall do him good therefore saint Peter like a good Phisicion for the soule counseleth vs first to rid the stomaks of our soules our hartes or consciences from all malice or wyll to hurt our neighbours That is malice and he that hathe suche an appetite to hurt an other man or woman is called a malicious person otherwyse willing to do to others then he woulde an other should do to him which is contrarie to the law of nature to the iudgement of right reason for the iudgemeÌ„t of reasoÌ„ giueth that we should none otherwise wil intend or do to ani other theÌ„ we reasonably wold they shuld wil intend or do to vs. FroÌ„ this generalitie he descendeth to the particulers special vices saying that we must also rid oure soules from all gile and imaginacion to deceiue our neighbours vnder the pretence and colour of some honestie or goodnes as I rede Gen xxxiii When Dina doughter to Iacob and sister to the .xii. Patriarchs sonnes of Israell would walke abrode to see the women of the countrey and to be sene as the maner of maidens is specâ—tatuÌ„ veniunt veniunt spectentur vt ipse she came to the towne where Emor was Lorde and a great prince there whiche had a sonne called Sichem as soone as he hadde cast his eye vpon this faire damsell Dina he was enamored woulde nedes haue her and so had his pleasure of her whyther she woulde or not And yet his loue swaged not but euer still he loued her more and more In so muche that he prayed and required his father to be suter to Iacob father to the damsell and to be woer for him that he myghte haue her to wyfe mary with her and so did Emor this yong mans father but Iacob would make no graunt til hys sons came to the coÌ„municacion When they herd that Dina theyr sister was deflowred and rauished by force they chafed and tooke the matter very angerlye Notwithstanding after large offers and fayre promisses made to theim by thys good gentleman Emor and by the younge man Sichem hys sonne Responderunt filij Iacob Sichem patri eius in dolo seuientes ob stuprum sororis The sonnes of Iacob made answere to Sichem and to his father in gyle for they were in a rage for the raueshing of theyr sister Mark their answer and theyr intent and you shall perceyue the gile and what gile is This was theyr aunswer It is vnlawfull and a great offence for vs to mary our sister to a man that is vncircumcised but if ye will come to our religion and be circumcised as we be then it shall be lawfull for vs to mary together your men with our women our men with your women and so we may dwel together and liue like frendes and if you wil not then let vs haue our sister away and we wyll be gone This offer pleased Emor and hys sonne Sichem verye well Sichem made no tarying but did as they desired and forthwith was circumcised for the feruent loue that hee had to Dina and then the father and the sonne came into the towne perswaded all the people to agre and so thei did agre circuÌ„cised al the men of the town what age so euer thei were of But then folowed the subtile false intent of Dinays brothers soÌ„s of Iacob For on y e third day after the circuÌ„cising of the people wheÌ„ their wouÌ„des wer sorest y t thei might not wel stir in cam to the town with their swerdes in theyr hands Symeon Leui brothers to Dina bi father mother for Lya was their mother Gen. xxx they slew all theÌ„ that were circuÌ„cised and Emor lorde of the town and Sichem his sonne with al toke away theyr sister with theÌ„ And then came in the rest of Iacobs soÌ„nes with their bushmentes and made hauoke of all that was lefte Here you see that their pretence was good and godly but theyr intent was noughte this is dolus gile If there haue been anye suche gyle vsed by faire promisses and large offers to traine ani man or woman to be of sinister or false opinion or heresie to kill his soule vnder the pretence or colour of euangelicall truthe or libertye this muste be left and layde downe as saint Peter saith here The sutteltie and gile that is vsed in vttering of your wares by suche wiles as you vse for the colourable setting furth of theÌ„ must be left and layde downe and no more vsed Ther is an other gile whiche in comparison of thys is called bonus dolus good gile such as men of war feighting in a iust cause vseth to circumuent and deceiue their enemies Such gile Iosue â–ª viii vsed against the towne of Hay where his host were afore put to rebuke dryuen backe and loste xxxvi men Iosue vii At the second saute he set a strong bende of men to the nomber of fyue thousand in a stale at the West side of the towne of Hay And then the captaine with his armie shewed freshlye against the towne as thoughe they woulde haue fought with them The kinge there encouraged by the victorie at the former skirmige aduanced furth boldly against Iosue the captaine And Iosue reculed backe and ranne awaye as the other company had done afore and when by his reculing he had slocked the kinge of Hay a great wai out of the town he gaue a signe to them that lay in the stale which rose vp and got into the town then being without people for euerye manne and woman was runne oute to pursue Iosue and to get somewhat in the chase and they sette it on fyre and burned it and furthwith came forth on the backe of the kinge of Hay and his hoste and
chylde the father and if at the fyrst he haue not suche louinge feare of his mayster yet beware of his angre feare correctiō as the bondman or prentise doth by vsing thy self to do wel for suche seruile feare thou shalte find ease in wel doing shal begin to do well for loue so of a good seruaunt thou shalt be made a good sonne faithfull and louing to thy maister and by that thy maister shall loue the better thē any child he hath Prou. Si sit tibi seruus fidelis sit tibi tanquam anima tua Euen as him self you must do your seruice with simplicitie of hearte sayth S. Paule withoute doublenes so that as you shew your self outward to be diligent and true so you must be in hearte inwardlye euen as you should serue Christ that bought vs with whom it boteth no man to dissēble you muste not serue to the eye while your maister loketh vpon you as it were to please men but as the seruauntes of Christ doing the wil of God with good mind and with a good will as seruing our Lord God that hath geuen your maisters power ouer you and hath made you subiecte to them not as doinge seruice vnto men for the power that they haue ouer you cometh of God therefore if ye be false to theim you be false to God that wylleth you to be true to your maisters And S. Paule wylleth Titus his disciple byshop of Candy to commaund al seruantes to please their maisters in al thinges that is not contrary to Gods pleasure non contradicentes nō fraudātes alia littera nō responsatores non suffurantes no choplogikes that wil countersay their maisters geuing them thre wordes for one be it well be it yll be it true be it false that your maisters sayth you should be contēt geue thē no answer but let them say what it please thē you muste be no lurchers or priuey pykers or stealers but in al thing shewing good fidelitie that so you may adourne do worshyp to the doctrine of Christ in al thinges for y e good liuing of the scholer is the ornament worshyp of the maister But now I pray you yf the maister bidde his seruaūt to entre into religiō is the seruaunt bounde to obey his maister in that If his master bidde him take ordres and be a preist is the seruaunt bound to obey his mayster if his maister bidde him take a wife and be maried is the seruaunt bound to obey him in these cases or in suche other No verelye for where S. Paule or S. Peter biddeth the seruauntes obey theyr maisters in all thinges you muste vnderstande this in all thinges parteininge to bodelye workes and not spiritual workes in workes parteining to the administration guiding and orderinge of theyr maisters housholde and of his tēporall busines and not parteining to such a perpetuall yoke as is matrimonye Haec est enim gratia si propter Dei conscientiam sustinet quis tristitias patiens iniuste Because he had bydde seruauntes obey their maisters althoughe they were crabbed and out of the schole of Christes doctrine yf they were infideles or oute of the schole of discrete iudgement in correction In these wordes he geueth them spirituall and goostly counsayle and comforte saying This is a speciall gyfte of grace of the holy gooste if anye of you suffer sorowe and payne wrongfully propter conscientiam Dei hauing in his conscience a respect to the pleasure of God which would not the seruaunt to grudge against his maister and also remembring the reward that God will geue to al them that for his sake suffreth more then els thei were bound to suffre S. Paule sayth Phil. i. Vobis donatum est pro Christo non solum vt in eum credatis sed ut etiam pro illo paciamini It is geuen you for a speciall gifte of grace not onely to beleue vpon him i. Cor. xii Alij datur fidesin eodem spiritu by the holy spirite of God the holy gooste to one is geuen faith by whiche we beleue on Christ on his holy worde but also for Christ it is geuē you sayth Paule as a speciall grace to suffre for Christes sake as many holy Apostles and martyrs did for when the heat of the loue of God is inspired into the soule of man by the spirite of God the holy goost it geueth a certaine gladnes and a certain swetenes to a man which suffreth him not to be deiecte with anye aduersitie but maketh him bold and constant against all vexation Example we haue of the Apostles whiche after they had receiued the holy goost at this holy time of Whitsontide Ibant gaudentes a conspectu consilii quoniam digni habiti sunt pro nomine Iesu contumeliam pari Actu v. when they were reuiled threatned and well beaten for their settinge forth and preachinge Christes faith and were commaunded they shoulde do so no more they went with mery hartes from the counsayle of the Scribes and Phariseis that they were conuented and called afore because it had pleased God to thinke them worthye to suffre suche despites for Christes sake We se also by experience that heate causeth and maketh boldnes in man and beaste therefore the beastes that haue hootest hartes be moost bold and for this cause the lion is bolder then is the horse or an oxe because his harte hath in it a more feruente heate then the other haue in theyr hartes So when the holy goost inspireth the feruencie and heate of his loue into the hart of any man or woman it maketh that person wonderous bolde to suffer persecution and all maner of payne yea martyrdome propter conscientiam dei as S. Peter speaketh knowinge in his conscience that it is Gods pleasure he shoulde not reneige God but rather constantly suffre all aduersitie for Gods sake This feruent heate made S. Paule to say Rom. viii Certus sum quia neque mors neque vita c I am sure that nether death nor life nor the aūgels nother thinges presēt nor thinges to come nether any other creature maye disseuer or put vs a parte frome the charitie and loue of God whiche is in Christ Iesu our Lorde So the seruauntes that be tormented and beaten and vexed with bitter and feruent wordes must take it as a kynde of martirdome this they must suffre euer hauinge a timerouse conscience towardes God and surely theyr rewarde shall not be forgotten at length though they suffer for a tyme. Quae est enim gratia si peccantes collaphisati suffertis What thanke shall you haue yf you do noughtelye and play the sluggardes or the false bribers in youre maisters busynes and then for your noughtye doynge be well boxed beaten and canueste and so suffer as you deserue What thanke shal you haue for your suffering none at all Sed si benefacientes patienter sustinetis haec est gratia but if you do well and then suffer
be vnrewarded at the day of iudgemeÌ„t as Christ saith quod cuÌ„que supererogaueris cuÌ„ rediero ego reddam tibiâ— Luc. x. Whatsoeuer thou bestowest ouer head aboue thy dutie when I come I shall paye it thee The thyrd kinde of mercy consisteth in releuinge y e nede of thy poore neighbour with thy almes of such things as thou perceiuest him to haue nede of whether they be bodely or gostly Date et dabitur vobis giue charitably and there shal be gyuen you grace in this world and hereafter life euerlasting specially if you giue as S. Paule speaketh ii Cor. ix sic quasi benedictioneÌ„ et noÌ„ quasi auaritiaÌ„ as a blessinge and not as auarice that is to say abuÌ„dantly and not nigardly or against your wil. Chrisost. Qui elimosinam dat inuitus auare dat He that giueth his almes againste his will giueth it nigardly more couetinge to saue it for him selfe then to releue the poore folkes by it We must be liberal according to our power considering that qui parce seminat parce et metet he that soweth spareli and thin shal reape thin he that soweth in blessinges with a good wil and plentifully as blessinges be giuen shal reape gather in plenty at the time of reward euerlasting not vnderstanding by him y t sparely soweth him that litle hath litle giueth for if his minde be prompt redi to giue more if he had more mighte more spare god wil accept him among the large giuers and his good wil shalbe accepte according to that he hath and not after that he hath not ii Cor. viii as the poore widdowes offering of .ii. half farthings was better accept then the riche gifts of y e ryche meÌ„ that offred to the church stock in Ierusalem And amonge other poore and needye persons I praye you extende your mercie and charitable almes on the poore studentes of the vniuersityes of this realm which like as they were neuer fewer in nombre so they were neuer poorer of exhibicion to finde them necessaries by your aboundance and plentie of that goodes that God hath sent you mercifullye bestowe vpon theym that you may be parte takers of the graces that God hath giuen them and so betwixte you and theym there may be some equalitie as S. Paule speaketh exhorting y e Corinthers to do theyr almes on the poore Christen people at Ierusalem then lately conuerted to Christes faith so that wyth distributing part of your temporall substaunce among them you may receiue part of the learning and other graces that God hath giuen theym by which they may supply make vp that you lacke in spirituall giftes like as you supplye that they lack in temporal goodes Euen like as it is written in the story of Exo. xvi when the people of Israel should gather Manna that they were fedde w t in deserte he that gathered most had no more then he that gathered lesse they had but the measure called Gomor for euerye person and so God disposed that meate that they were equallye serued euery man had inough so according to S. Paules minde God will doe with your charitable almes bestowed on them with theyr giftes of grace that you shal haue inough and they shal haue inough you shal be neuer the poorer at the yeres end but the richer beside that you shal be encreased in grace goodnes by them by whiche al thinges shal go the better forwarde wyth you and they shal haue by you more temporal help for to sustaine them to theyr study theyr giftes of grace shal be neuer the lesse And moreouer that is most to be embraced and regarded Augebit incrementa frugum iustitiae vestre God wil augment the encrease of the corn of your iustice Iustice is holynes good liuing the corne frut that cometh of iustice is reward euerlasting which shalbe encreased enlarged bi your almes so y t you may now gather what is y e reward of merci pity almes dedes you shalbe rewarded here teÌ„porallye w t encrease of your riches gostly with encrease of grace finally with abundance of glorye and ioyes euerlasting in heauen And al this our sauiour Christ compriseth in fewe words data et dabitur vobis giue and all these afore said shalbe giueÌ„ you And I feare me that because men be so hard and streight laced that they wil not depart with theyr traÌ„sitorie worldly substance to them that might redub spirituall solace to theÌ„ by theyr praiers God withdraweth grace also suffreth you to decay not to come forward in temporal substaÌ„ce It foloweth in the text of s. Peters epistle Modesti Tully primo officioruÌ„ diffineth Modestia after the minde of the Stoikes Modestia est scientia earuÌ„ rerum que agentur aut dicentur loco suo col locandaruÌ„ it is a knowledge to set in theyr owne place al things that shalbe done or saide to place al our doings sayings according to the oportunitie of the time as occasioÌ„ shal serue It is a foul thing a great faut to bring in light language to speake gestingly as it wer in an alehouse wheÌ„ men be in coÌ„munication of an earnest sad matter Tulli bringeth example of Pericles Sophocles which wer felowes or brothers together in y e office of Pretura Thei wer Pretors together highest officers in the city of Rome next to the CoÌ„suls in so much y t in the absence of the Consuls they bear y e consuls authoritie They wer a mean betwixt the Consuls the comoÌ„ people so that they shuld refer vnto the comons such thinges as were decreed bi the Consuls the Counsel of the senate concerning the people of such things as the people had to do withal thei had the hearing of the causes of the people authoritie to giue senteÌ„ces and make lawes ordinances for the ordering quietnes of them to auance and to set theÌ„ forth to warre as nede required And as Marcus Varro primo de lingua latina saith of that the office had his name pretor dictê° ê™ periret exercitui because he should go afore the hoste guide them They should also speake for the people vnto the senate shuld defend theÌ„ froÌ„ wrong The said ii pretors were on a time in counsel together about a cause concerninge theyr office by chaunce there came by them a welfauored faire childe then Sophocles in the midle of theyr matter said O pueruÌ„ pulchrum Pericle O brother Pericles lo yonder is a fair child the other aÌ„swerd him pretoreÌ„ Sophocle decet non solum manus sed etiam oculos abstinentes habere It besemeth a Pretor not onelye to haue his handes abstaining from bribery but also hys eyes from waÌ„ton concupisceÌ„ce If Sophocles had said those wordes in a time when men wer about to chuse men to do a feate as is vsed with vs to play in an interlude to
al thinges considered we haue no cause to be proude at al but we haue manie causes to be lowlie consideringe our owne miserie first how miserably how vnclēly we were gotten as vnclenly borne then how wretched we be in our education nursing bringing vp where euery beast by and by as sone as he cōmeth into the worlde can make some shyfte for him selfe to finde the teete or other kinde of feedynge man canne make none suche shyfte but rather yf helpe were not should forthwith perysh Then in processe of our life how many infirmities we bee subiecte vnto Pockes Meesils Axes and Agues sweatinge Pestylence besyde troubles and vnquietnes of the mynde and how miserably we lyue in soule dayly offēdinge him that made vs almightie God by this vnthrifty and naughty breder of sinne the nurse of sinne which the Apostle calleth sinne remayning in our flesh as the dragges of our fyrst infection and corruption taken of Adam by whiche commeth gloteny lechery pride malice murder robbery and all other iniquitie whiche all peyseth and presseth vs downe to dampnation euerlasting Thē what cause I pray you haue we to be proude none god knoweth but cōtrari great cause to come alow and study to vse humility by frequentinge the same to gender in vs the habite or vertu of humilitie And by that vertu we shalbe inclined to the contēpt of the glory of thys world and to despise the exaltation the honour the worshyps welth pleasures of this presente life as thinges flux and fadinge inconstant and of no valure Christ teacheth vs the same speaking of him self Io. viii Si ego glorifico me ipsum gloria mea nihil est If I glorifie my self beside or contrary to the rule of goddes truth my glory is nothing Thē much lesse worth is our glory whiche cōmonly is vayne and in thinges contrary to his pleasure This considered s. Paule i. Timo. vi Diuitibus huius sec. pecip non sublime sap Neque sperare in incerto diuitiarū Willinge Timothe to speake to the riche men bid thē not to be proud nor to trust in the vncertenty of their riches but to put their trust in the liuing god Aug. Non expauit diuitias apostolus sed superbiā que est vermis diuitū The apostle was not afrayd of riches but rather of pride which is the moght the worme that eateth vp the riche men And he is worthy to be called a great man a riche man and a good man that hauing muche riches is not ouercome with that vice of pride And he that thinketh him self a great mā because he is riche he is a proud man he swelleth in the flesh is not ful but as a thing blowen vp redie to burst and yet is there no sure and permanent stuffe within him We must also come alow submittinge our selues to superiour powers lowlie obeinge them that be set in aucthoritie ouer vs considering that theyr aucthoritie commeth of God is giuen them of almightie God eyther by his wel pleased will or at the least wyse by his sufferaunce Non enim est potestas nisi a deo Itaque qui resistit potestati ordinationi dei resistit Qui autē resistūt ipsi sibi dānationē acquirunt Ro. xiii Ye may obiecte yea syr I put the case that they woulde persue me for my fayth or woulde compel me to reneyg anie article of my fayth must I obey them vnder payne of dāpnation No syr We must not vnderstande S. Paule y t he speaketh of tirrannes or persecutours of the faythe but of suche rulers or mē of aucthoritie as he speaketh of there Principes non sunt timori boni operis sed mali Of such princes or rulers y t make not men afrayed for well doinge but rather that lawde and prayse men for well doynge and of such as be terrible to malefactours and to ill doers them we must obey vnder payne of dampnation in all their iust commaundemētes and requestes not onlie for feare of punishment but also for conscience sake The other we may not obey in no cause but rather make some shift remouinge to some other place out of their daunger if it may be or by some other way to stay them selues for the time but yf there be no other remedie but y u shalt be vrged or constrayned to denie thou must rather offer thy self to die then to refuse god or his fayth S. Peter in the seconde chapter of this epistle biddeth vs Subiecti estote omni humane creature propter deū siue regi quasi precellēti siue du tāque ab eo missis ad vindictā malefactorū laudē vero bonorū And it followith deū timete regem honorificate On a time when there was a contentyon amōge his disciples not without some cause as it seemed because they perceiued by diuerse sayinges of our maister Christe that he woulde be gonne from them and that he should be betraied of one of them there presēt at supper with them and that he should be ill hādled of the Prelates and hie priestes and of the Scribes Pharisies such other they thought it meete to haue a presidēt a hed a ruler amonge thē to order them to prouide necessaries for them Christ hard their talke and first extolled the aucthoriti of princes saying Reges gētiū dn̄ātur eorū er qui potestatē habēt super eos benefici vocātur Luk. xxii Kinges of people be lordes ouer them and they that haue power ouer them be called souerayne lordes or gracious lordes But you must not do so I will haue no such lording or maistership among you but he y t is hiest or thinketh him self best of you let him be as the yōgest or as the least of you al. And he y t will go formest let hym be a seruitour take exāple of me Whether is he greater that sitteth at the borde at meate or he y t wayteth serueth at the table I am amōge you as a seruaūt at the borde euen so must you be you wyl be hie Then cōsidering y t that christ would so haue it amonge his disciples that prelacie amonge thē which were equalles should come by humiliatiō then much more his pleasure is that we should humiliate our selues to them that by Gods will be set in soueraygntie superioritie rule or aucthoritie ouer vs. And that is it that S. Peter sayth Humiliamini sub potenti manu dei vt vos exaltet in tempore visitationis Make your selues humble and lowlye vnder the mightye hande of God that he may exalte you set you vp in honour at the time of his visitacion at the generall iudgement when he shall for youre lowlynes here in earthe sorte you amonge the Angels in heauen wyth euery order of Angelles some men and women accordinge to their good liuing here as it shalbe seen good to his godly wysdom To whome be all glorie honour for euer Amen The