husbande but she is afrayde of her husbande least he punyshe her and cast her of The feare that she hath of her husbaÌ„d is onely because she loueth her wicked purpose and feareth leaste her husbande spye her with a faute more then for any loue she hath vnto hym The other wife in my case is a chast wife intendinge no nother but to liue in coniugall chastite accordinge to the lawe of matrimonye with her owne husbande and to refuse all other for his sake and for the loue of him Both of these wyues feare theyr husbandes but not after one maner the fyrst feareth leaste her husband come and take her with the faute the other feareth leaste her husband wil be gone or will be longe awaye from her and absent him self from her sight and out of her company The feare that the first wife hath of her husband is like the bondmans feare or the lewde seruauntes feare this hath muche perturbation trouble of minde and payne annexed whiche standeth not with charitie as S. Iohn sayth in his epistle for charitie expelleth suche feare of payne punishment But because my sermon is not onely to maried men to maried women ye shal vnderstand that almyghtye God hath maried vs all to his onelye begotten sonne our sauiour Iesus Christ by fayth Saint Paule the Euangelistes and preachers solemnised this mariage as S. Paule saith for his part desponsaui vos vni viro virginem castam exhibere Christo. I haue maried you to one man that ye kepe your selfe as a chast virgin vnto Christ the beutifullest spouse that euer was Speciosus forma pre filijs hominum The great loue and charitie that he had to vs dyenge for vs beynge his enemies is a very greate cause why we shoulde loue him agayne Then let all vs and euerye one of vs as his spouse and wife examine oure selfe and our consciences whether we be chast wiues or aduouterers Let euerye man aske his owne conscience this question wilte thou haue thy husband to come to the as yet or no but that he shall yet longer tary Now I haue knocked at the dores of your heartes but what the conscience of euerye one of you saith inwardly to your self I can not heare it cometh not to mine eares I am a mortal man know not the secrets of your hert but he y â— is absent bodely present by the streÌ„gth of his maiestie hath heard you what you think If a man wold say vnto you lo Christ is here now tomorow shalbe the day of iugement you wuld not say I feare me wuld god Christ were come would God to morowe were the daye of dome For they that so would say loueth God vehemeÌ„tly if it were said vnto theÌ„ he wil yet tary leÌ„ger they would be afrayd least he would tary away any longer and yf he came they woulde be afrayde least he would go from them agayne and would saye with S. Paule Cupio dissolui esse cum Christo. I woulde faine haue my soule losed from my body and to be with Christ. Yet againe I aske you another question â–ª If God him selfe woulde come and speake vnto you in his owne voice although he ceaseth not to speake vnto vs by his holye scripture and woulde saye vnto a man wylte thou sinne then sinne Do what soeuer thinge deliteth the or please the what soeuer thinge thou louest on earth let it be thine owne whosoeuer thou arte angry with all let him die whosoeuer thou wylt beate let him be beaten whosoeuer thou wylte iudge let him be iudged whosoeuer thou wylt condemne let him be condemned no man shall resist the no man shall say to the why doest thou so no man shall say whye hast thou done so no man shall say do no more as thy lyst thou shalt haue haboundaunce of all thinges that thou desyrest and thou shalte lyue in them and continue with them not for a season or for a litle space but for euermore onelye one thinge I warne the that my face thou shalt neuer se. If you mourne for this sayinge if youre heartes be sory to heare this it is a signe that the chast feare remaininge for euer is spronge vp in you But I saye to you ye shall neuer leaue these pleasures that I haue rehearsed ye shall euer continue with them and they with you what wyl you haue more Surely the chast fear wolde wepe and wayle and woulde saye I hadde leuer thou wouldest take awaye all these pleasures rehearsed and let me see thy face The chaste feare woulde crye out aloude with the prophete in the Psalme O Lorde God of powers conuert vs and shewe thy face and wee shall be safe One thinge I haue asked of our Lorde and that I shall require that I maye dwell in the house of our Lorde that I maye see the will of our God and visite his holy temple Nowe good frendes if euerye one of vs will examine our owne Consciences after this maner as I haue nowe spoken how many of vs shall we finde that hathe this chaste feare this louing feare of the chaste wife the holy feare that continueth for euermore I pray God there be many suche amonge vs. They that haue not such feare let theim begin at the least wise wyth seruile feare that I spoke of let them liue well for feare of the paynes of Hell that so with coÌ„tinuaunce they maye haue a swetenesse in well doinge and at the laste do well for loue For the sayde seruile feare is not vtterlye to be condempned for it is a good gift of GOD as faith vnfourmed or without fashion hope vnfourmed Sapience and science vnfourmed the giftes of tonges the grace to do cures and suche other as the Apostle speaketh of .i. Corin. xii Not decked nor garnished with charitie whiche is the fashion and beautye of all other gyftes of grace And the sayde seruyle feare is the very waye to bring in chaâ—itie lyke as when a manne soweth in cloothe the nedle goeth afore and maketh the waye for the threde to come after not because the nedle shall sticke there still in the clothe but shall passe and go throughe that the threde may come after and bide still there And when a man soweth in leather the threde hathe a bristle or a harde heere craftelye set and ioyned to the former ende of the threede After the Nall hathe made the waye then afore the threde the sayde heere goeth not because it shall there abide still in the hoole but because it shall leade and gyde the threade that commeth after and muste there remaine styll So dothe the feare of paynes of Hell prepareth awaye to loue in asmuch as by ofte doinge well for feare a manne shall fynde some ease in well doinge and at lengthe shall do well for verye loue and therefore the Prophete saide Initium sapienciae timor domini The feare of GOD is the beginnynge of wisedome whiche is true of the
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
And she stowped downe to him mockynge Anthiochus the Kinge and saide My sonne haue mercie on me that bare thee nyne monethes within my bodie and gaue thee milke of my brestes three yeres space and mirced thee and brought thee vnto the age that thou arte of I desire of thee my sonne that thou do loke on heauen and earthe and all thinges that be in them and do vnderstande that God made them all of nought and so it maye come to passe that thou shalt not fear this butcherly hangman but shalte be made worthy to haue such brothers as be gone afore thee Take thi death and such part as they haue done that in the time of gods mercy I may receiue thee againe with thy brothers While she was thus saiyng the yong man boldly cald vpon the tormentors saiyng that he wold not obey the coÌ„maundement of the kinge but he wold obey the coÌ„maundement of gods law geueÌ„ them by Moyses And after a sharpe lesson coÌ„mination geuen to the king the king was inflamed with anger was woode against him more then against al the other brothers so the good yong maÌ„ departed trusting on god in all points at the last the mother after her sons was speÌ„t put to death Of like fortitude maÌ„lines boldnes we read in the new testameÌ„t of s Steuen saint Iames other in the actes of the apostles we read also of saint Peter s Andrew Bartholomew Laurence Uincent many other whose passioÌ„s be red in Christes church of which al of others like thapostle Heb. xi saith Alii distenti suÌ„t non suscipientes redemptioneÌ„ vt meliorem inuenireÌ„t resurrectionem alii ludibria verbera experti c. Some were racked drawen in pieces not loking for any raunsome that so they might find a better resurrectioÌ„ some suffred mocks stripes more ouer fetters prisones were stoned to death some were cutte in pieces In al these and such other timiditie cowardnes was far away this gift of the holye gost fortitude manlines strong hert lacked not by which thei were so coÌ„stant in suffryng aduersitie for Christes sake in hope of reward euerlastyng Amen ¶ The fourth sermon treatyng of the fift gift of the holy gost called the spirite of Science THe fifte of these giftes of the holy gost is the spirite of science or the gifte of science or cunninge for whiche you shall vnderstaÌ„d the science is not so precisely taken here as y e logitions speaking of science callyng it the knowledge of a conclusion proued by demonstration but science as we nowe speake of it descendeth and commeth alowe and is properlye the iudgement in the articles of our faythe and in such other Godly verities as extendeth them selues to creatures and to mannes actes and doinges accordynge to saint Paules saiyng Faith worketh by loue And so doth all the whole holy scripture more consistyng in practise and exercise then in speculation This gift of science or cunnyng as we nowe speake of it extendeth also to hande craftes and occupations as I shall declare hereafter And it presupposeth the gift of counsaile that I spoke of lately by whiche we may with studie deliberacion and aduisement attayne to the knowledge of mans actes and to the knowlege of creatures But because that many times mennes wittes in their study and in their singuler or priuate counsailes be ready to inuent or imagine of mennes actes and of other creatures laiynge a parte the gifte of counsaile and good iudgement so commeth many times to mannes minde deception errour lolaâ—dye heresie contrary to true science and cunnyng geloâ—ie suspicion sclaunder and infamye contrarye to quietnesse of liuinge Example we haue of the people of Israell whiche hadde inbibed so muche of Moyses lawe and wedded their wittes so obstinately to that learnyng and leaned so carnally to the same that notwithstaÌ„dyng all Christes doctrine and all the preachinge of the Apostles thought no way to saluation but by obseruynge and fulfillyng the workes of the lawe of Moyses as except men were circuÌ„cised they thought menne coulde not be saued And after a manne had touched anye deade thinge or anye vncleane thinge excepte he should sequester him selfe .vii. dayes from the company of cleane people and except he were washed the thirde daye and the .vii. daye with a certayne water made for the same purpose he should dye with many such ceremonies and vsages which were then commaunded to be vsed and were no more but shadowes and figures of our sauioure Christe and of the time of grace that nowe is and they shoulde nowe cease when the veritye signifyed by theim is exhibited and perfourmed like as nighte ceaseth when the day commeth and darkenesse vanisheth awaye by the presence of lighte Thys they woulde not vnderstande nor learne for any mannes exhortacion but rather persecuted to death all them that instructed theÌ„ in this veritie In this case was sainte Paule firste before his conuersion and many of his contrey menne and kinsfolkes the Iewes of whiche he saith Testimonium perhibeo illis quod emulationem dei habent sed non secundum scientiam Roma .x. I beare them witnes that they haue a zeale and loue to folowe the learnyng that God hath geuen them by Moyses but they lacke science and cunnyng they folow not good vnderstandynge in that in whiche they thinke them selues cunnyng for the saide ceremonies were no more but Iustitiae carnis vsque ad tempus correctionis imposite Certaine obseruances laide on their neckes carnallye to be obserued and kept to occupy them and holde theÌ„ vnder obedience and to keepe theim from the rites and vsages that the gentyles vsed in theyr ydolatrye tyll the tyme of correction the tyme of reformacion whiche is the tyme of Christes commyng at whiche time they should surceasse and be vsed no more Such a zeale and loue to learnynge hathe manye nowe adayes And of their learnynge and knoweledge whiche they thinke they haue they wyll make as great glory and boast as did the Iewes of their learning And yet their zeale and learnynge shall be without that science that is this gift of the holy gost In this case be they that so arrogantly glorieth in their learnyng had by study in the englysh bible and in these sedicious Englisshe bokes that haue bene sent ouer froÌ„ our englyssh runagates nowe abidynge wyth Luther in Saxonie Of their studie you maie iudge by the effect When menne and women haue all studied and counte them selues best learned of their learnyng men ê‘ceiue litle els but enuie disdainyng at others mockynge and despisynge all goodnes raylynge at fastynge and at abstinence froÌ„ certaine meats one daie afore an other by custome or commaundemente of the churche at Masse and mattens and at all blessed ceremonies of Christes church ordeyned and vsed for the auancemente and settinge forthe of Goddes glorye not without profounde and greate misteries and causes reasonable By this effecte
wyll be as other affections be How necessary and good feare is the wyseman Prouer. xxviii sheweth Beatus homo qui semper est pauidus qui vero meÌ„tis est durae corruet in malum Blessed is the man that is euer afrayde specially of Gods displeasure and consequentlye of all other offeÌ„ces and excesses For he that is so hard and stiffe harted that he nothing feareth shal be sure to fall to mischiefe of synnes and of paines for the same And Ecclesiasticus cap. i. Timor domini expellit peccatuÌ„ qui sine timore est non poterit iustificari Feare of God moneth a man to penaunce and so putteth a waye sinnes past and already committed and it stoppeth a man from doing a mysse Et qui sine timore est non poterit iustificari He that lacketh feare can not be iustified can not be made a good manne acceptable to God for he that will be iustified muste be subiect to God that shall iustifie hym as to his superiour and better Which subiectioÌ„ commeth by feare by which a man taketh hymselfe as in the daunger of God where contrarye Iracundia animositatis subuersio illius est The anger of pride presumption is a mans owne destruction Cain had great knowledge of God by that he knew his dutie was to honour God with the increase of the frutes that God had sent him had sometime familiar communicacioÌ„ with God As wheÌ„ God bad him beware of the rage and passioÌ„ that he was in agaynste his brother Abell seyng hys brothers oblacions accepted and his own reiected but iracundia animositatis illius the passion and rage of his boldnes contrary to feare made him to kill his brother Abell to his own subuersion and destruction he gote Gods curse for hys labour Gene. iiii God sayd to him thou shalte be accursed on earth when thou hast laboured the ground it shal giue thee no frutes thou shalt be wauering and ruÌ„ning about from place to place vpon earth God put suche a marke in his face a nodding in his heade and trembling of his eyes that all men abhorred him and hated him And where he for lack of feare of God wrought mischief and murther he was punished for the same with feare fearing that euery maÌ„ that saw him woulde kill him But it was no godly feare but rather a frensye feare that he had in his braine The greatest cause of Noes floode was lacke of feare for whyche lacke the chyldren of Sethe whiche afore were relygious and vertuous persones according to the doctrine of their fathers at the last leauing their deuotion and religion to God or feare of God and seyng that the doughters of Cain were fayre wemen burned in concupiscence of them and maryed with them contrarie to Adams doctrine for he by his life time had seperate Cains broode farre of into far couÌ„tries â–ª from the issue of Sethe for the horrour of the homicide that Cain had committed slayinge his owne brother Notwithstanding in processe of time they drewe homeward toward the countrey that they came fro so the childreÌ„ of Sethe companying with them gendred betwixt theym giantes of an vnmeasurable stature and as vnmeasurable in mischiefe and yll conditions and so all the worlde which came of Cain and Sethe leauyng the feare of GOD proued mischeuous and very nought in all carnall lust yea agaynste nature and in all malice and mischiefe one agaynst another In so muche that God sayde he repented that euer he had made man Not for anye perturbation of minde in God but it is the maner of scripture to speake after the comon maner of speche of men Nowe we see that when a manne marreth that he hathe made it is a signe that he repeÌ„teth that euer he made it Such maner of speaking vseth almighty God intendyng to destroy maÌ„ that he had made Yet because non continebit in ira sua misericordias suas in his punyshing he wyll vse mercy with correction He sayd Non permanebit spiritus meus in homine ineternum quia caro est Genesis vi My indignation and displeasure shal not abide for euer in manne kynde I wyll not putte hym to perpetuall paynes as the deuyll is put to quia caro est because he is fleshe that is to say frayle and weake by the infirmitie of the fleshe which was not in the diuell he had none suche nourishynge of sinne as is in our fleshe he synned by hys own wylfulnes onely without any intisement or temptacion and therefore hys synne is irremissyble hys paynes shall be perpetuall they shall neuer haue ende But because man was tempted by the concupiscence of the eye and of the fleshe whych wil not be ouercome wythout great conflict and battell therefore GOD gaue vnto man a hundred and twentye yeares of repentaunce from the first warning gyuen to Noe to make hys shyppe vnto the time that the water came in deede In the whyche tyme manye a one mended theyr lyues yea and peraduenture some of them that were obstinate in yll afore amended euen when they sawe the water come and whyle they suffered in the water and were a drownyng Nemrothe Cham his neuewe whych begonne to be a myghtye manne on earthe and a stubburn and boystuous hunter afore God Genesis .xi. reiected the feare of GOD and contemptuousely buylded a Citye and a towre of bricke for the stones and suche pytche for the morter that woulde abyde all weathers they purposed to make theyr Towre so hie that it shoulde reache vppe to the skye because they woulde gette theym a gaye name and a parpetuall memorye And also because they woulde be sure no more to be drowned with suche a raging floode as was in the time of Noe which was fresh in mens remembraunce and in euery mans mouth til that time and long after Because he semed to conteÌ„d with God and to make himself and his subiects safe and sure whether God would or no thys is a manifest signe that he had forgoten Gods power and that he lacked feare of God And hys enterprise proued thereafter for almighty God diuided their tounges and languages that one man vnderstoode not an other so that when a worke man would call for his axe or for hys hamer his seruer woulde bring him morter or els wold stand muet bryng nothing at al because he knew not what was asked One neyghbour coulde not talk to an other for one could not vnderstand an other And so they ceased to buylde their citie and that famous towre and wer dispersed abrode into sondrie countries of y e world And where all the worlde was of one language afore nowe euery realme and region is of dyuers tonges and diuers languages And this diuersitie of tonges that mankynd was then fyrst strycken wyth al I take for one of the greateâ—t strokes that God euer stroke mankinde with al after the losse of originall iustice by the synne of Adam For where brute beastes
woulde consider hys former bondage whyle he was of the Iewes secte and woulde conferre it to this bondage that he must lyue in wyth Christen people he would thincke Christes law much more vntollerable thē Moyses law was to him For what with our iudiciall lawes and our ceremonials we haue more layd vpon our backs thē we can well awaye withall and but verye fewe daies passeth ouer vs but we breake a great many of them and not without peryl to our soules Then where is the swete promise of our sauiour Christ Come vnto me all ye that labour and be ouerburdened and I shall refreshe you and make you beare lighter for my yoke is sweete and my burden but light For this ye shall vnderstand that comparing the old law vnto the new law of Christe we may consider Christes lawe one way as giuē of Christ and so very true it is that Christes law is muche more easye then Moyses lawe For the iudiciall lawes be none left vs by Christe but he biddeth vs to leaue all plees and actions in somuche that he wylleth vs not to requyre eye for eye nor toothe for toothe as Moyses law wold but rather if a man would afore a Iudge claime thy coate thou shalt not sticke with him but rather giue him thy coate and thy cloke withal On a time there came one to Christ that had a matter in variance betwixte him and his brother about the diuision of theyr enheritance or londes and would haue had Christ to take the matter in hand and to call his brother to bid him deuide their possessions that either of them might know his own But Christ would none therof and refused to be their Iudge in that behalfe sayinge O man who made me your Iudge or the deuyder betwixt you I came not for that entent I wil not medle in such matters nowe therefore his good scholer S. Paule writeth to the Corinthiās that it was a great fault amōg them that they had such iudiciall causes among them why do not ye rather sayth he take wrong why doe ye not rather suffer to be begiled And this we be bound to do in case that by our extreme and gredie asking of our own there may be like to aryse some greater inconuenience or yl example to our neighbour but in case by our sufferance malicious or couetous persons may take a courage or boldnes to persist in theyr yll doing We be not bound so to refraine to aske our own but rather with modestie and sober behauiour we mai afore a competent Iudge redresse the iniury done vnto vs to require our right by iudiciall lawes as well ecclesiastical as temporal to which they that be subiect to the same lawes be bound to obey in asmuche as they be made by men whom God hath constitute set in power and authoriti or by his secret counsail permitted suffered to beare rule authoritie to haue the ministratiō execution of the lawes Of the authority of prelates successours to the Apostles saith Christe y t whosoeuer heareth thē hereth him whosoeuer despiseth thē despiseth him ▪ And generally of all rulers saith the Apostle cōmaunding euery man to be subiect to higher powers For ther is no power but of god the things that cōmeth of God be resonably disposed ordred therfore he that withstādeth superior powre withstādeth Gods ordinance they that so do procureth their own dāpnation And therfore of very necessitye they shoulde be subiecte to theyr heades not onelye for feare of theyr anger and punyshemente but also for discharge of mens cōsciences so that they shoulde do nothing contrarie to the princes and rulers of the people but that they should exercise the workes of Iustice and goodnes wyth tranquillitie and quietnes wythout tortures or compulsion Then consideringe that for our conscience sake we must obey the iust ordinaunces of our rulers it is plaine that if we do contrary we hurt our consciences with inobedience negligēce and contempt and so we sinne and deserue pain whereof it foloweth that to obserue kepe mās traditions constitutions and lawes made by our superiours hauinge authoritie ouer vs as well for obseruing and keping of the ceremonies other bound duties of the churche as for other lawes temporall godly deuised for the quietnes of the kinges subiectes spirituall and temporall is necessarie for our soule health And that to disobey and contempne them is pernitious and perelous as Samuel said Obedience is better thē sacrifice for disobedience repugnaunce and resistance is like the most detestable vice of sorcerye and idolatry But whether we be bound vnder payne of deadly synne to kepe all the reasonable lawes and traditions made by men or not it is doubtfull For this ye shal vnderstand that some lawes bindeth men to do suche thinges as be necessarye to obtayne the loue of GOD and of thy neighbour as this thou shalt worshyp one God ▪ thou shalt do none adultery And these also which be necessary because God hath commaunded thē Thou shalt be baptised thou shalt keepe holylye Gods holy day thou shalt be confessed to a priest with all such as be necessarily deriued of them agreing to them whether they be gyuen by God or by man edifying charitie and commaundinge to exchewe and not to do the thing that is contrarie to charitie Nowe because charitie is the life of the soule without which the soule is dead whosoeuer transgresseth and breaketh any suche lawes whether they be made by God or man killeth his owne soule and sinneth deadly So that charitye is the verye true myrrour or glasse by which thou maist trie and discusse haue a great euidence as well of thine owne dedes as of other mens dedes whither they be godlye or diuelyshe holy or sinnefull Some positiue lawes there be that binde not so sore as these do because the violation and breaking of them maketh not directly against the loue of God and of thy neyghbour As the positiue lawes of fasting the prescise obseruing of the ordinal in saying diuine seruice the lawes of humanitie or curtesie And thys Thou shalt make no lesynges with a great nomber of temporal lawes which a mā transgressing doth not euer synne deadly except there be concurrent a contempt or dyspisinge of the authoritie of the law which maye make the offence that els was but veniall to be mortall As in theym that wee haue heard of that for very frowardnes and despite of superiour authoritie haue eaten fleshe in Lent which after Easter woulde haue ben glad to haue eaten fishe if they coulde haue gotten it Penall lawes bindeth two maner of wayes one way because the maker of the lawes wold haue them kept and we be bounde to obey theym not onelye for feare of payne but also for our conscience sakes But they binde no way vnder payne of deadly sinne in asmuch as it appeareth by the mindes of the makers of the law that
hath no felowe in substaunce Kinges were annoynted and so were preistes and also prophetes euery one of them for diuers offices and with materiall oyle but Christ was oynted with spirituall oyntment of the holy gooste and also not onely for anye one of those three offices but for them all thre for he was and is kinge and preist and a prophete Therefore the prophet sayde full well pre consortibus tuis aboue al other men whiche was perfitly declared perfourmed and fulfylled when he was baptised in Iordan water the holy gost descended lyke a doue and lyght vpon him and abode in him Ioh. i. Now I must according to my promise declare vnto whome S. Peter wrote his letter or epistle He wrote it to the straūgers dispersed in Pontus Galatia Cappadotia Asia and Bithinia chosen by the prescience and foreknowledge of God the father Aduenae straungers were called among the Iewes suche as were gentils or paignims borne for deuotion to one God were conuerted to the rites and lawes of the Iewes were circūcised and kept their ceremonies as the Iewes did and these by the Greke worde were called proseliti Manye suche there were in olde time euen in Christes tyme of whiche verye many were conuerted to Christes faith by the preaching of the Apostles and by the wonderous miracles that they sawe wrought euerye daye by the power of Christes name like as an infinite number of the Iewes were conuerted to Christes fayth anone after the commyng of the holy Gost vpon the apostles by whose grace and comfort they preached boldly and Christe euer wrought with them confirmynge their preachynge with signes and miracles aboue mannes power to do Notwithstanding assone as s Stephā was slain for Christes faythes sake there rose such a persecution amōg these newe christen people that they fled were scattered dispersed abrode into diuers coūtreis all except the apostles And the same apostles after thei had made s Iames the lesse the sonne of Alphei bishop of Ierusalē they thought it necessary to go abrode among other naciōs to publish the faith of christ at which time there is no dout but s Peter went abrode among the gentils as wel as other for it was he that had first reuelation so to do by the vision that appered to hym in Ioppe vpon which he went to Cornelius captain in Cesaria to him and to his family company preached Christ as it is plaine Act. x. And many sure auncient auctours write that after thordination of s Iames bishop of Hierusalem S. Peter came to Antioche one of the chefe cities of Syria and there taried a while preachynge Christ and proceaded further into the countreys that be here spoken of in the Salutation at the begynnynge of thys Epistle pontus Galatiae Capadotia ▪ and other and occupied the tyme amonge them by the space of fyue yeares after some bi the space of .vii yeres after other and thē came backe to Antioche there cōtinued bishoppe and chefe instructour of Christes flock for the space of seuen yeres more and from thēce chased awaye Simon Magus and detected his errours And afterwarde hearde that the sayde Simon magus was come to Rome and had there diuine honours done to hym as to a GOD and had Images erected in his honour and that he made all the Citye to dote vpon hym like madde mē for this occasiō he came to Rome as Eusebius saieth Li. ii ecclesiastice historie ca. xiiii and there within a while quenched the blindnes of Simon Magus and of that deuillysh womanne that he had in his companye by whose disceitfull forcerye he allured manye to geue credence to hym And that Saint Peter beinge at Rome wrote this Epistle and sent it from Rome as well to such straungers as were dispersed and scattered abroade in the countreys of Pontus Galatia capadotia c. by occasion of persecution as to all others inhabitantes of the same coūtreys among whiche he had preached in his longe and paynefull progresse and had conuerted thē to Christes fayeth whiche all he counted as straungers to the worlde And so in the seconde chapter of this epistle he prayeth them to take them selues sayinge Obsecro vos tanquam aduenas peregrinos Euen like as we haue in the actes of the apostles xv That saint Paul after he had planted Christes Gospel in the countreys where he hadde laboured preachynge he vsed to take an oportunitie and conuenient tyme to go throughe agayne from place to place to visite them and to se whether they persisted and stode as firme and fast in fayeth as he had left them In like case Saynte Peter hauynge so busie a piece of worke and so great a charge on his hande as to teache al that huge and great citie of Rome then being lordes and rulers of the worlde in whiche then was in maner a confusion of all vices and synnes of all opinions of all supersticions and errours by cōcourse of all nacions resortynge thither for decisions of causes which doubtles brought wyth thē the supersticions and the vices ▪ and noughty liuynges of their countreys as wee se by experience where little cōcourse of straungers is there is playne maner of liuyng and after one maner but in port townes they be of an other sort The Germayns and Sarons brynge in their opinions The Frenchmen their new fashions Other coūtreis geuē to lechery runne to the open bars or stues And for such cōfusiō of the inhabitātes Saint Peter in the ende of this his first epistle calleth Rome by the name of Babilō as you shal heare by Goddes helpe when wee shall come to that place For this exceadyng charge that s. Peter had take vpon him he might not intende to go amonge them agayne to confirme theim and to make them more stedfaste in fayeth but sent to them this excellent and noble epistle ful of fatherly counsayle whiche they myght euery day read to make them remember their maister and to liue accordynge to hys doctryne that he hadde geuen theim But nowe riseth a doubt of no smal importaunce Saint Paule in his epistle to the Galatheis in the firste Chapiter saythe that after his conuersion he toke his iourney into Arabye and after he had laboured a season in that countrey he retourned agayne and came to Damascus the chiefe citye of Siria Esay vii Caput Syrie Damascus And then after three yeres of his cōuersion he came to Hierusalē to see Peter taryed there with him xv dayes there he sawe none other of the apostles at that tyme but onely saynt Peter and Iames the lesse called Christes brother whiche then was made bishop and ouerseer of Christes churche in Hierusalem For all the residue of the apostles were then dispersed abrode to preache the worde of GOD. After this Saynt Paule as he sayeth went abrode into the coastes of Siria and Celicia where he was brought vp in youth For he saieth of him self Act .xxii.
Esau or them that were noughty and yll of his issue and sauinge Iacob for his goodnes and vertue whiche God gaue hym Therefore by this obiection it semeth not true that Saint Peter sayth that God oure father iudgeth without parcialitie in as muche as it semeth he was partiall in these two personnes Iacob and Esau as well in the predestination and election of them afore they were borne as in the course of theyr lyues and in the maners of theyr lyuinges and fynallye in the saluation of the one and reprobation or dampnation of the other For aunswere to this obiection you muste vnderstand that when there be anye two personnes hauinge on theyr owne parte or in them selues equally the reason or cause why they shoulde be wylled loued or accepted then the will of him that accepteth or loueth the one rather then the other offendeth by acception of personnes or by partialitie As if we compare any two thinges to the wyll of a creature as to my will or to thy will if thou loue or fauoure one more then the other there is some iust cause or at y e lest wise some apparaūt cause why thou fauoreste the one more then the other for the goodnes in the thinge that is loued or els the apparaunte goodnes in it is the cause why we do loue it But speakinge of the will of God there is nothinge no goodnes in the creature that causeth or maketh the will of God to loue it For the thinge that is temporall transitory causeth not the thinge that is eternall as is the election predestination and fauour or loue in God but rather contrarywise the wil of God is cause of all goodnes in man And therefore God can not be partiall neither accepter of persons because in man or any other creature ther is no goodnes of our owne that shuld make god or cause God to loue vs but that he loueth vs as he loued Iacob before he had done other good or yll it commeth of Goddes mere grace and liberalitie and not of Iacobs deseruinge nor of ours and in this doinge he doth no wronge to the other partie that is reproued as Esau was for generallye iniustice or wronge hath no place where a thinge is geuen of mere grace if it be geuen to the one and not to the other for grace or fauour may be geuen to one and not to an other without any iniustice or wronge to the other partie As appeareth playnely Math. xx of them that were hyred to worke in the vineyarde of whiche some came to worke primo mane earlye in the morning and some at fiue of the clocke at night and yet they had equall wages they that came laste as much as they that came fyrst And when some that had laboured all day grudged therat and complayned to the maister and owner of the vineyarde because they had laboured all day ▪ and borne the burthen and the heate of the day and had no more wages then they that had laboured but one houre they were aunswered one for all Amice non facio ribi iniuriam tolle quod tuum est et vade He hadde no wronge that the other that came laste was made as farre forth as he that came fyrste because it stode in the mere libertie and grace of the mayster to bestowe his monye as it pleased him as he sayde An non licet mihi quod volo facere May not I do with mine owne as it pleaseth me As S. Paule saith Rom. ix An non habet potestatem figulus c. Hathe not the pitcher maker of cley power to make of one peece of cley one vessel to do honest seruice at the boorde and an other to do vyle offices so in oure purpose in as muche as it stode in Goddes mere libertie to minde or wyll to Iacob and to Esau as it pleased him Esau had no wronge by that that Iacob was electe neither almightie God was partiall in sauinge the one and not sauinge the other for there was no cause geuen of thone more then of thother And euen so sayth S. Peter that almighty God our father iudgeth without acception of persons or partialitie crowning his owne workes in vs rewardinge vs for the workes that he hath made vs to do indifferentlye to poore and to riche to Iewes and Gentils otherwise then the carnall father doth whiche vseth his owne chylde more partially and more fauourably then his bondmen or prentises But almightie God our father taketh to hearte and for his children the bondmen or drudges of this worlde yea and also them that were his enemies afore so that they wyll yelde and be obedient and they that afore were his chyldren maye for theyr misliuinge be excluded frome their inheritaunce in heauen for he will iudge vs according to oure workes as Saint Peter saith here secundum vniuscuiusque opus And this is playnelie against them that regarde not workes trusting so muche to theyr faith that lyttle they care what worke they do Here Sainte Peter sayth that we shall be iudged after oure workes And Christe in the Gospell declareth the same Esuriui dedistis mihi manducare c. I was hungry and ye gaue me meate I was thyrstye and ye gaue me drinke c. Therefore Saynt Peter biddeth vs vse a certaine feare in all oure conuersation while we be here abidinge And a lytle afore Sainte Peter willed vs to be holye in all oure conuersation and dealinge byinge and sellinge eatinge and drinkinge workinge and restynge speakinge and talkinge all these be workes and dedes after whiche we shall be iudged therefore in them we haue nede to vse feare of God and surely all the sinnefull liuinge of people cometh for lacke of feare Why doth one neighboure deceiue an other nowe in this fayre time by false weightes or measures by false lyghtes by false oothes because they feare not God that hath forbid vs so to do Likwise of adultry why doth a wedded man take an other mās wife or a wife another womans husband It is for lack of fear of God that forbiddeth vs to desire in minde to haue an other mans wife Likewise generally to all men and women he sayeth Non mechaberis Thou shalt do no lechery Men speake franckly and frely when they sclaunder their neighbour as though there were no hurte in so doinge and all for lacke of feare men fear not God that biddeth vs by the prophete Refraine thy tonge from ill and thy lippes that they speake no gile Psal. xxxiii And feare is so necessary that without feare no man can be iustified or made good in the syghte of GOD. Eccles. i. and if he can not be iustified then he can not be saued It foloweth in the text Scientes quod non corruptibilibus auro vel argento redempti estis de vana vestra conuersatione paterne traditionis sed precioso sanguine quasi agni incontaminati immaculati Christi Here Saint Peter reasoneth or
fruites of y e earth proueth largely when God maketh the sonne to shine vpon good bad men indifferently and sendeth rayne to the iust men as to the vniust these and such other pertaine to temporal lyfe prosperitie he that wil not loue god laud him for thē is very vnkind By this almighty god sheweth what he reserueth and kepeth in stoore for them that be good whyle he geuethe all suche pleasures to theym that be noughte Then yf thou haue plentye thanke GOD that gaue it thee or yf thou lacke yet thanke God for he is not taken from the that geueth all thinges thoughe his gyftes be withdrawen for a time Remember what holy Iob sayde when he was spoyled of al that he had Dominus dedit dominus abstulit sicut domino placuit ita factum est sit nomen domini benedictum This is verye true charitie towarde God that so laudeth God in prosperitie that yet it kepeth a man vp that he be not broken nor ouerthrowen in aduersitie And here is hyghlye to be considered the true sentence and mynde of holy Iob concerninge prouidence cure or prouision about thinges longinge to man whiche many of the paignim philosophers imputed to desteny or to fortune or to influence of the sterres or suche other causes For Iob sayth Dominus dedit GOD hath geuen it to me Where he confesseth that worldly prosperitie commeth to man not by chaunce nor by desteny nor by influence of the sterres nor onely by mans studye and laboure but of Gods dispensation disposinge And in that he sayth Dominus abstulit God hath taken it away he confesseth that aduersitie commeth to man also by Goddes prouidence meaninge by this that man hath no iust cause to cōplaine or grudge against God if he be spoyled of al temporal goodes gifts For the things that God geueth gratis without any deseruing of vs he may geue them for a time or els to a mās last ende as it pleaseth him Therefore when he taketh them away afore our end or when we haue most nede of thē there is no cause why we shuld complaine And when holy Iob sayth Si cut domino placuit ita factum est sit nomen domini benedictum He declareth that considering that if a mā be spoyled of all that euer he hath yet if he loue God he shuld conforme his wil to Gods wyll so not to be supped vp or ouercome with sorow but rather to be glad to geue thankes to God y t it hath pleased him to fulfil his will vpon hym as the apostles did Ibant gaudentes a conspectu consilii quoniam digni habiti sunt pro nomine Iesu contumeliam pati they went from afore the coūsell nother wepynge nor grudginge but with a mery heart that it had pleased GOD to repute thē worthy to suffre despites for Christes name and for his sake As if a sicke man take a bytter potion he should be glad so to do in hope of helth that he trusteth to receiue by the medicine And so if God visit his louer with aduersitie doubtles it is for some better purpose that he knoweth better then we Therfore although the flesh woulde grudge yet reason shoulde be contente glad of it Thyrd like as a garment couereth a mans secretes and vncleanly partes that a man would not haue sene so doth charitie couer the vnclenlines of the soule so that withoute it the soule goeth naked Therfore it is sayd Apo. xvi Beatus qui vigilat custodit vestimēta sua ne nudus ambulet videāt turpitudinem eius Blessed is he that walketh as one regarding caring for his owne saluation sauegard and that kepeth his raiment of vertues lest he walke naked at y e day of the generall iudgement that all the aungelles holy cōpany cōming w t Christ may se his filthines Fourth Charitie is the wedding liuery or garment without which no man can be alowed to sit at Christes feast but if he presume to come without it he shall be taken vp and bound hand and fote and cast into the darke dongeon of hel It is written Hester iiii that it was not lawfull for any man to entre into the court of kinge Assuerus beynge clothed in sackclothe or such vile rayment Assuerus by interpretation is as muche to saye as beatitude so it maye not be that anye man withoute charitie beynge as one wrapt in a sacke or vyle ragges of vices to come into the courte of euerlastinge beatitude in heauen This is the heauenlye vertue by whiche mortall men yet here liuinge be made lyke the inhabitauntes of heauen Of this vertue it is written Can viii Valida sicut mors dilectio Loue or Charitie is mightie and stronge as death The strength of Charitie coulde not haue ben more nobly expressed For who can resist or withstande death Fyre may be withstanden weapons may be withstanden kynges and men of greate power maye be withstanden but when death commeth it selfe alone who resisteth or withstandeth it There is nothing stronger then it and therefore charitie is compared vnto the strength of it And because that Charitie kylleth in vs that we were afore kylleth synne with whiche we were infect afore and maketh vs as we were not afore therfore it causeth in vs a certayne death suche as he was deade with that sayde Mihi mundus crucifixus est ego mundo The worlde is crucified kylled and deade to me and I to the worlde This is the vertue that neuer falleth nor faileth but in the highe and heauenly citie aboue is consummate and made parfit and set in highest perfection that here is feable and weake and abideth much trouble and hath many interruptiōs It foloweth in the text of this epistle Hospitales inuicem sine murmuratione You shall kepe hospitalitie and open householdes or your houses open one to another without yl wil or grudginge Saynt Paule commendinge the constancie and stedfast fayth of the holye patriarchs Abraham Isaac and Iacob and others amonge other vertues specially commendeth them Quod confessi sunt se hospites aduenas super terram declarantes se patriam inquirere Heb. xi because they confessed and toke them selues as gestes straungers or waifaring men in y e land whiche was promised thē as a peculier inheritaunce yet they setled not theyr mindes on it but euer had an eye to thinheritaunce that should neuer fayle which is heauen aboue signified by the sayd lāde that they were in then by this geuing vs exāple that while we be here how greate so euer welth and ryches patrimonie landes or reuenues God geueth vs yet we shoulde not setle our mindes to fast on them as in them to prefixe our ende our felicitie as men thinking none other heauē but that we should euer by example of such holy fathers set forwarde our selues to wyn the sure habitatiō of heauen y t neuer decaieth nor faileth taking our selues while we
he wyll requite moste comfortable thankes wheÌ„ he shal recken to you your good and charitable dedes and for them shall byd you venite benedicti patris mei Come you blessed children and receiue the kyngdome that is prepared for you in the glory of heauen Amen ⸫ ¶ The .xvii. treatise or sermon COnsequently foloweth in the text of Saynt Peters epistle Vnusquisque sicut accepit gratiaÌ„ a domino in aâ—terutrum illam administrantes sicut boni dispensatores multiformis gratie dei Experience teacheth that a great housholde wythout good officers is a troublous and an vnruly busines For where is no quiet order of the subiectes among them selues and of theym all in theyr degree toward theyr great mayster soueraygne or ruler euery man taketh his owne way and so foloweth strife brawling and variaunce and at the last destruction The housholder must be fain to breake vp houshold if his folkes amende not The great housholder almighti god hath a great a chargeable familie that is the vniuersal multitude company of al maÌ„kinde which thoughe he could rule at his plesure according to his own wil yet it hath pleased him to put an order in this houshold som head officers som mean som lower in auctoritie som subiectes seruantes diuisiones ministrationeÌ„ sunt ideÌ„ auteÌ„ dominus .i. Cor. xij There be diuers offices but one Lorde whiche would euery maÌ„ to do his office in his degre that he is called to euery one to helpe other like meÌ„bers or lyms of one body which be euer redy one to help cherish an other for the safegard of the whole bodie i. Cor. xij But in this there is a difference betwixt y e great housholde of God mans houshold that in maÌ„s houshold som ther be onelye ministers hauing charge ouer no more but of theÌ„ selfe in that houshold but as in y e great houshold eueri man womaÌ„ hath charge cure ouer another though som more som lesse cure therfore saith Ecclesiasticus .xvij. MaÌ„dauit illis vnicuique deo proximo suo Almightie God hath giuen such a commaundement in his houshould that euerye one shoulde care for his neighbour one for an other And for thys cause Sainte Peter in these wordes of hys epistle rehearsed exhorteth vs to bestowe suche giftes as God hath giuen vs not euery man vpon him selfe or for him selfe but euery one for an others profite like good stuards in a housholde He wylleth vs to be as good stuardes in gods house A stuard receiueth treasure or money of his lordes cofers and therewith byeth all necessaries for the houshold distributeth or bestoweth it to euery one of his lords seruantes as they haue nede And so we all receiue the treasure of our great maister almightye God he openeth his store house of grace and wealth and replenisheth vs all with the blessinges of his gracious gyftes more precious then golde or siluer To som he giueth knowledge and cunning in spirituall causes to some in temporall matters to some learning in phisicke to some in surgerye to som in handy craftes to some in marchandise or in such other occupiyng To some he sendeth landes by enheritaunce to som by purchase and generally looke how many waies God giueth a maÌ„ to liue by with so muche of his treasure he chargeth him withal and wilbe sure for a compt therof Ther is not the poorest begger that goeth froÌ„ doore to doore but he hath part of this treasure and is countable for it to almightye God and therefore faint Peter ful wel calleth vs al Gods stuardes willing all men like as he hath takeÌ„ grace of our Lord God so to bestowe the same one vpon an other like good dispensatours or stuardes of the many form graces of God Wher s. Peter speaketh of such graces as be frely giuen as well to good men as to the bad indifferently whych be called Gratie gratis date keepynge the general name of graces gyuen to the common vtilitye and profette of the Churche of the whole Congregacion of GODS folkes and Christen people The other grace is specially called gratia gratum faciens that grace that maketh the hauer acceptable to God and in his fauour whiche is by an other name called charitie Of the former graces the Apostle Saint Paule speaketh .i. Cor. xii Alij quidem per spiritum datur sermo sapientie alij sermo scientiae alterifides in eodem spiritu alij gratia sanitatum c. To one is giuen by the holy spirit of God the grace of sapience to speake in heauenly matters To an other science to discerne iudge in lower causes and so of others Nowe because that in the vsing and bestowing of al such gyftes receiued of Gods treasure the hauer oughte to haue a streight and a right intent Saynt Peter saith here that if any man speake the wordes of exhortacion according to any of the sayd giftes he should speake them as the words of God and not as his owne woordes counting himselfe but onelye as the minister or stuarde and not as the owner of the worde And likewise he that bestoweth any corporall subsidie or helpe vpon his nedye neighbour let him so do it as though it came of Gods sendyng to the reliefe of the poore and not of his owne strength or vertue Tanquam ex virtute quam administrat deus attributynge it to God that gaue him the wyll and the power so to do so that in all thinges God may be honoured through our Lorde Iesu Christ the mediatour betwyxt God and man And they that so vseth them selues among theyr neyghbours maye be called good stewardes where some others euer receyueth of theyr maisters treasure and neuer paieth nor bestoweth it An other sort of stuards payeth and dealeth but they pay shreud paymeÌ„t Of the stuarde that receiueth and neuer paieth and of the good and iust stuarde it is wryt in the psalme .xxxvi. Mutuabitur peccator non soluet iustus autem miseretur tribuet A synfull stuarde a fautie stuarde boroweth and neuer payeth euer receiueth of his maysters treasure neuer thanketh GOD for it nor bestoweth it on Gods seruantes and houshold mayny What treasure receiueth suche a synner of almightye God Aug. Accepit vt sit vt sit homo non pecus c. Hath receiued of god his being that he is somwhat and that he is a man and not a beast He hathe taken the shape of a mans bodye and the distinction of his fiue wits or senses eyes to se eares to heare nosethrils to smell the roofe of the mouth wyth the tonge to taste handes to handle and feete to go and walke and health of body with all But all these be comon to man and beast yet maÌ„ hath receyued more then all these the Minde that can vnderstand and may perceiue the truth and dyscerne the right from wrong and may search out secretes and may by the same prayse and laude God and loue
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