But the true obediences is alwaye by loued and euer herde graciously accouÌted of Christ hym selfe nat onely as his seruaunt or frende â buâ also as his brother / syster / mother loue ãâã therâfore obedience / and auoyde and fle disobedience ¶ Of a breue or shorte recount or reherse of the premysses by order of scripture The .xxiiii. Chapitre THat al religious persones shulde the rather loue the excellent vertue of obedience / and the more fere ordred / hate and abhorre or loth this abominable synne of inobedience or disobedience we haue here setforthe a breue or short Epiloge / recapitulacion or recounte of the sayd incoÌmodites or punisshement and peynfull rewardes of disobedience after the order of scripture Fyrste than we maye begynne at the example of the fyrste Angell Lucifer that hy disobedience loste the pleasaunt place of heuens blesse / and whan therby the peynfull pitte of hell / there to remayne for euer / in wo and peyne / in shame and rebuke perpetuall Gene. 3. The exaÌple also / of our fyrst pareÌtes Adam Eueâ that by the same vice loste the possession of paradyse / and where they were in possibilite neuer to deyene suffer disease and in moste hyghe honoure end dignite they fell into the misery of all maner of sekenes and dethe infamous vnto the daye of dome and excepte the redeÌption of our sauiour Dampned Gene. 4. for euer Cayn also theyr eldest sone / lost the coÌtre of his natiuite and byrthe / the company and presence of his parentes / outlawed and put to flyght as a renegate / euery where in shame and rebuke / in continuall feare and drede of his lyfe / and at the last slayne in his body / and dampned in soule for euer / and all that came of hym / by whose syn al the worlde was drowned except .viii. persones Gene. 7. And yet after the distruction flode one of those .viii. persones by disobedience in dishonoure and vnreuerence of his father fell in lyke vengeaunce in hym and his Ge. 9. D. Gen 11. B. For the presumpcion of disobedience in byldyng of the toure of Babylone the people were deuided vnto diuerse tonges Ge. 12. A. And all they fell into ydolatry and forsoke our lorde god excepte AbrahaÌ and his wyfe and Loth and his / whome our lorde caled frome among the other people / and put them into the lande of beheste And yet of al the chyldren that Abraham had none dyd folowe our lorde by theyr fathers steppes in obedience but Isaac alone The great cites of Sodome and Gomorre with other Gene. 19. dyd synke for disobedience And Lottes wyfe was tourned in a salt stone The eldest sone of Isaac was cast out of the fauoure of god / for disobedience For whan he knewe the pleasure and wyl of his father he dyd wylfully there agaynst And the chyldren of Iacob had great trouble and sorowe for disobedieÌce Gel. 28. B. Ibid. 44. Fx. 7. et aliis Exodi 21. Exo. 32. F. Leui. 8 G. The disobedience of kynge Pharao was punisshed by many plages And many punisshementes bene set forth vnto the chyldren of Israel for disobedience In one daye were slayne of them by theyr owne bretherne .xxiii. thousande men Payne of deth was assigned vnto the prestes if after theyr consecracion they went forth among the people wtin Leu. 10 A. vii dayes Nadab Abiu / the childreÌ of Aaron for disobedieÌce were sodenly stryken vnto deth with fyre from heuen Leui. 17. The coÌmune people that of theyr owne auctorite / without the prestes wolde take vpon theÌ to do sacrifice / or to make oblacions were cursed of god for theyr inobedieÌce IbideÌ 18. And likewyse of theÌ / the coÌtrary vnto the coÌmaundement of god wolde abuse them selfe in the synne of the flesshe with suche persones as there were prohibite forboden These êsones also that misuse theyr bodies in the synne of the flesshe / coÌtrarie vnto nature ben cursed / and so bene they that done leyne folowe wychecrafte charmes by disobedience IbideÌ 19. et 20. Peyne of deth was appoynted vnto them that by disobedieÌce dyd approche or come nere vnto the tabernacle of testimonie in the olde lawe excepte onely the tribe of Leui. Numeri 1. G. None other persones shulde touche ne yet curiously loke vpon the vesselles ne vpon the ornamentes apparell of the sanctuarie Nu. 4. B. vnder payne of deth for theyr disobedience If any persones also by disobedience wolde nat kepe the feste of Ester / accordyng vnto the coÌmaundemeÌt they shulde be excoÌmunicate and accursed Ibi. 9. B. Ibi. 11. A. And the fyre of the vengeaunce and wrathe of our lorde destroyed many of the people / that by disobedience murmured and grudged with the laboures that he had assigned appointed them And of theÌ that by coÌcupiscence and gloutonous desyre to eate flesshe dyd murmure agayne the Manna heuenly meate of goddes sendyng IbideÌ G. many were slayne by the plage of god And Marie the syster of Moyses for her in obedience Nu. 12 D. was stryken and made lepre and so remayned .vii. dayes as accursed out of all the other company Ibi. 14. D. All the chyldren of Israel that came out of Egipte / excepte tweyne deyed in wyldernes for theyr disobedieÌce Ibi. 15. E. That soule sayth our lorde that by pryde disobedience doth breake despise his coÌmauÌdement shall perysshe and be loste Dathan and Abiron for disobedience dyd synke into hell / with all theyr housholde and substauÌce and fyre froÌ heuen destroyed Chore all his company Ibi. 16. E. Those êsones that wolde nat be obedieÌt Nu. 18. D. duely to pay theyr tythes were iuged by our lorde vnto deth Moyses and Aaron the great seruauntes of god for theyr in obedience Ibi. 20. B. lost the great honoure of the ledyng and bringyng of the chyldren of Israel into the lande of byheste And for inobedience Nu. 21. B. our lorde sende amoÌg the chyldren of Israel venemous serpentes that destroyed and slewe many of the people And in a nother place our lorde coÌmaunded Moyses to hange vp the prynces of the people agayne the sonne Ibi. 25. B. And xxiiii thousande were slayne also for disobedience Moyses shewed vnto the people / that if they wolde be disobedient whaÌ they shuld come vnto the lande of byhest Deu. 4 D. et 8. D. et Ibi. 11. D they shulde be shortly destroied and come vnto nought If you kepe true obedience sayth our lorde you shall haue benediction and blessyng and if you be disobediente you shall haue contrarie malediction and curse / and throughout all the boke of Deutronomie ben meruaylous thretes or thretynges of our lorde set forthe vnto the breakers of obedience And after the dethe of Moyses all the people dyd bynde them selfe vnder peyne of dethe Iosue 1 D
/ perfourme and kepe indede / after suche maner as thou hast promised vnto thy lorde god For of thine owne êper wyll with thyn owne mouthe hast thou spokeÌ the worde whiche can nat be caled backe And our sauiour in the gospell as byfore is rehersed sayd Luce. 9. Nemo mittens manum ad aratrum c. No maner of persone that hath bouÌde hym selfe by full consent of soule vnto any diuine or godly werke / after doth loke backe / forsake that enterprise can be apte / or mete for the kyngdome of heuen Act. 5. A. And iÌ the actes of the Apostles saynt Petre sayd vnto Ananie a êsone that of his owne mynde offred hiÌ selfe to liue iÌ coÌmune as the other christianes dyd / after brake the êmyse whan thy house lande sayd he was in thy possession was it nat thyne owne likwise the money therof at thyn owne êper wyl in thy lybertie byfore thy êmyse / as thoughe he sayd it was so / and why than sayd he woldest thou after that promyse made deceyue and falsely make a lye or leasinge vnto the holy ghoste For as there is shewed in the letter he made a lye and his wyfe Saphira confirmed the same / for the whiche bothe were stryken sodeynly vnto deth by the vengeaunce of god / for brekynge of theyr vowe and êmyse So dothe folowe as a playne coÌclusion that syth the parentes haue lawfull power to put theyr chyldren to religion / and if they iÌ lawfull age done after make profession they muste nede perseuer in the same Syr say they if they so continue it shal be vnto theyr great peyne and affliction / let them saye I take pacience For our lorde may ryghtwysely punisshe the synnes of the parentes / by the temporall paynes of the chyldren For the parentes done many tymes put theyr chyldren vnto religion with out due consideracion / as some to be so discharged of theyr bodely fyndynge Some to the ende purpose so to prouyde for the teÌporall lyuynge of theyr chyldren And some in hope and truste to be succoured and holpen be thyr chyldren And some to haue them in honoure / dignitie / and degree / with many other lyke causes / nothiÌge spirituall / whiche thyng well considered shulde in suche persones be a reasonable occasion of more depe and perfecte pacieÌce / and in lyke maner do I saye of them that in sodeyn passion / or that by dissimulacion haue entred in religion For of suche haue we herde Some êsones bycause they were disappoynted of suche makes as they desired to haue had in mariage haue iÌ the passioÌ forsakeÌ the worlde Some other sodeynly after the dethe of theyr maried makes / or of theyr souereygnes / or of theyr dere frendes / haue done in lyke maner / that after hath repented them / and wolde haue ben glad to be at libertie agayne I haue herde also of some persones that haue dissimuled theyr entre / that were neuer mynded to take the religioÌ for any perfection / ne euer gaue consent there vnto / but by a maner of curiosite / wolde do as theyr felowes dyd And some haue entred of ignorauÌce / that neuer knewe / ne herde speke of any rule / ne of any such statutes / and ceremonies / as after they êued were theyr bonde and duety / whiche if they had knowen byfore they wolde neuer haue taken the religion Surely all these do I put in one case with theÌ that haue nat well and ryghtly receyued religion And yet natwithstandynge they may nat after theyr solempne profession loke backe / ne forsake the same For no creature can tell by what dispensacion our lorde god suffred them so to do For I thynke veryly it was for to auoyde theyr more yuell at the least or els of more depe mercie vnto theyr helth and saluacion A similitude that was a true story A certeyne man was vnryghtwisely committed and put in prison / and within a lytle space after whyle he there remayned certeyne persones that were his enimies came vnto his house with full purpose and mynde to haue slayne hym / and whan they had broken vp the house / and herde that he was in prison they retourned voyde of theyr purpose / whiche thing whaÌ the man knewe he thanked our lorde of his wrong full prisonement / and had great pacience therwith So shulde these persones haue byleuynge verely that almyghty god workethe all vnto theyr best For that is an happy pryson or punishemente / that dothe restreyne the persone from his hurte / and specially from dethe / and also that dothe put hym vnto surety of lyfe and saluacion But yet syr saye they these persones be nat sure of saluacioÌ / bycause they ben there agayne theyr mynde and wyll and therfore the religion shall nothynge profyte ne auayle them Here vnto I saye they may tourne that wyll as a man may tourne a horse with a brydell For the thynge that is to may and haue power there vnto Almyghty god by speciall grace hathe put in the libertie of the selfe persone Sub te sayth our lorde erit appetitus tuus Gene. 4. et tu domina beris illius The appetite of thy sensualitie shal be vnder the and in thy power And thou shalte haue dominacioÌ lordshyp / and gouernaunce therof If the êsones than of mis entre wolde be sory and discoÌtent with that maner of intent or mysbyhauiour or of any default iÌ theyr entre and wolde wysshe and wyl in theyr herte and mynde that theyr entre had bene good and lawfull / and that for the tyme to come they wolde applie theyr mynde / and dispose them selfe in the religion accordynge vnto the same our lorde god wyll accept theyr good wyll / and nombre them as the other coÌpany / yet here they done go forther saynge Syr some of these persones in case can nat bringe theyr herte mynde / and wyll / in any wyse to be contente with the state and religion that they haue takeÌ / but euer they thinke / and wishe vnto god / that they had neuer ben professed / and if they were at liberte / they wolde neuer come into any religion / and ouer that if they myght lawfully they wolde departe and forsake theyr religion They knowe in concience they entred nat lawfully they remayne and byde in religion as persones in prison agayne theyr minde and wyll And yet forther they can nat refourme the wyll / what remedy nowe Surely they ben iÌ harde case / natwithstandynge yet is there remedy For as man hathe two principall partes a soule and a body / so hathe he two wylles the wyl of the spirite / and the wyll of the flesshe The one is reasonable the other is sensuall Gal. 5. C. And these tweyne be euer contrarious / euer at warre / and continuall batayle / neuer wyll they be accorded in the chylde of god I call those êsones the
of Iacob / that in rydynge towarde her mariage ware clothes for her coÌmodite and ease / but as sone as she sawe the honorable persone of Isaacke and knewe by informacion that he was her spouse vnto whome she shulde be maried / she lyght downe and couered her selfe saythe the scripture with a pall / or mantell / a garment of honoure and honesty Gene. 24. Our lorde god hymselfe / put difference of clothynge and araye bytwene the spirituall parte of his people of Israel / whiche was the tribe of Leui. Exod. 28. And the temporall parte of the same people all the other tribes And yet whan Aaron / or any of those spiritual persones shulde do sacrifice / or ministre vnto god they dyd chaunge those coÌmune garmentes vnto other / ordeyned for the same ministerie Here the heretikes make obiection / saynge that the ceremonies of the olde lawe ben ceassed and ended / and of all other Obiection the ceremony specially ended by the acte of our sauiour Christ in the consecracion of his holy sacred body / whiche acte he dyd in his coÌmune clothes or garmeÌtes Answere Yet saye I therof dothe nat folowe the vniformite / of clothynge or / oraye as they requyre in vs / but rather maye we take of the gospell that the habite or garmente of the Christe was notably different from the Apostles Marci 14. E. For whan Christe was taken saynt Iohan fled saythe the gospell naked that was in his cote / and left his pall or mantel behynde hym Matth. 1â D. And the garment of Christe was / de super contexta knytte or wouen all ouer and ouer So was it notable and yet religious and honorable So that it was nat deuided / but lot se caste therfore / moche set by And where they saye that Christe dyd consecrate in his coÌmune / and dayly clothes that was so for that tyme conuenient For he dyd than consecrate in a priuate and secrete maner amoÌge his disciples alone / where he made his Apostles preestes / and gaue theÌ the same auctorite to consecrate wtout any appoyntemeÌt of aparell / or clothynge there vnto And so dyd they after many daies / of loÌge time consecrate after the same maner priuely secretely / bycause the tyme were but fewe êsones of the feythe byleue / yet had they many enemies But afterwarde whaÌ they had goten / gadred moche people thaÌ dyd they coÌsecrate in open maner / dyd ordeyn make preestê / diacons / other ministres / with vestimentes clothynge therto accordynge And yet no man dothe say that any clothynge is so necessary vnto the coÌsecracioÌ that no preestê may coÌsecrate wtout suche clothes For if a pÌste duely ordred / wolde pÌsume or els by ignorance dyd say masse / consecrate in any maner of clothes / yet shulde he verely coÌsecrate the very sacrameÌte of the aulter / natwithstaÌdyng that he shulde therin by disobedience vnto the churche greuously offende Furthermore also / the sacrameÌt that Christe hym selfe dyd than coÌsecrate was nat the full sacrifice final oblacion for the redempcion of maÌ / but a memoriall for euer to endure of that sacrifice / and oblacion / that was that tyme to come / that afterwarde was êfourmed fully accompleshed fulfylled offred vp vpon the aulter of the crosse by the deth resurrexion of our sauioure for the redeÌpcion of all mankynde / whiche complete and hole sacrifice is nowe dayly represented iÌ the masse / by the consecracion and oblacion of the holy sacrament / wherfore if they wolde as they do contende and holde that we shulde folowe our sauiour as well in all his maner of sacrifice / as in vesture araye / we muste thaÌ be all naked vpon a crosse / whan so euer we shulde consecrate You may se therfore what wyse reasons these men done make / and of what strengthe yet here done they saye Obiection Syr althoughe there be moche variety and difference in the clothynge or araye of the seculer persones yet thynke we it were moche conuenient that all religious persones that done êfesse the same vowes shulde accordynge vnto the sexe or kynde be of one and lyke habite ¶ Of reason why in religion / diuerse orders haue diuerse habites The .xxiiii. Chapitre Answere THese heretikes done take for inconuenience that religious persones accordynge vnto theyr orders ben diuerse in habite and yet shewe they no reasoÌ therof / but that bycause they done êfesse the same thynges / that is the vowes caled / esseÌcials It were conuenieÌt they saye they shulde be of one and lyke habite And I saye that by that reason it were conuenieÌt that all christianes shulde be of one and lyke habite For they ben all of one essenciall profession / and that se they well is nat so / and yet accounte they none inconuenience therin / we shall natwithstandynge shewe it is none inconuenience but rather of good and conuenient reason / that the habite be accordynge vnto the order different where vnto moche maye auayle to remembre that byfore we haue shewed of the effectes and causes of garmentes / that is to saye necessite / coÌmodite / and conueniency For as vnto curiosite we leue out of this treaty or draught Some holy fathers of religion than dyd thynke and ymagyne bycause our fyrste parentes / Adam and Eue / had but one maner of habite / one garment alone / whiche dyd serue theÌ for all the sayd effectes / that is to say to couer the nakednes of body / to garde and defende them frome the noyance of weders were content to deuise and ordeyne an habite of the same maner / that shulde be also coÌmodious and profitable / comely and honest / and of smale price without curious coloures / as nature brought forthe So done the reuerente fathers of the obseruauntes after the institucion of theyr patrone saynt Franciske And so done diuerse other orders Some other fathers / consideryng they had red in scripture of certeyne persones / that for great sorowe and for penauÌce to be done for theyr synnes dyd for the tyme vse and were garmeÌtes therafter harde / rough / and sharpe And some for the deth of theyr frendes and other chaunces dyd were garmeÌtes of mournyng as yet ben vsed in these dayes / caled mournynge clothes 2. Re. 12. Ionas 3. As of kynge Dauid for the sekenes of his chylde And of the Niniuites that ware sackes and heere / and dyd caste asshes dust vpon theyr hedes and bodes For these or lyke occasions some holy fathers accountynge them selfe as perpetual mourners and persones of perpetuall penaunce dyd deuise theyr garmentê and habite there after / as the fathers of saynt Benettes order and other Some other holy fathers consyderynge that maner of habite or garment by the example of holy scripture was conuenieÌt by significacion for some degrees of êsones dyd ordeyne for theyr disciples habite
to be obediente vnto Iosue / whome our lorde had appoynted to be in the stede of Moyses as they were vnto Moyses And sone after for the disobedience of one maÌ the chyldren of Israel were sore disconfytte of theyr enemies / put to flyght and many slayne / and that man him selfe after Iosue 7. ê totum stoned to dethe with his wyfe and all his housholde and goodes Iosue 22. B. In a nother place is shewed where the chyldreÌ of Israell were gadred by one assent to sle and destroye certeyne of theyr owne bretherne for supposed disobedience / but whaÌ they knewe the trouthe they were appeased And after Iosue that was nexte capitayne after Moyses IbideÌ 23. D. et 24. shewed the chyldren of Israel that they wolde kepe obedience they shulde êspere in all thynges / and if nat they shulde all be destroyed and come to nought Iudi. 2. D. et 3. B. et 4. A. et 6. A. After the deth of Iosue the people of god for theyr inobedieÌce were put into the haÌdes and power of theyr enemies and solde as bonde caytiues / and put vnto great miserie / and euer whan they retourned vnto obedieÌce they were delyuered Iudi. 8. B. Gedeon for disobedience destroyed the prynces of Socoth and Phanuel / and yet agayne the chyldren of Israel for disobedience IbideÌ 10. B. et 13. A. Ibi. 20. G. 1. Reg. 2. et 4. C. were put into captiuite of the Philistines All the chyldren of Israel went hooly againe the tribe of Beniamyn and destroied nerehande all that tribe for disobedience Helâ the prest and his two sones Ophni Phinees were slayne and dishenerite for disobedience The children of Samuel were deposed for disobedience and dyd nat succede theyr father / but for them came in the kynges although vnto the displeasure of god natwithstandyng yet dyd he suffre it Ibi. 8. A. et 9. et 10. The fyrste kynge was Saul / choseÌ by the reuelacion of god / the people that were rebellious and disobedient vnto hym shulde haue ben slayne 1. Re. 11. D. but for the prohibicion of the Prophete Samuel / Ibi. 12. D. whiche Prophetâ dyd openly declare vnto the people / that if they wold kepe truely obedience they sholde prospere / if nat they shulde peryshe and theyr kynge also Whiche kynge natwithstaÌdyng the sayd monicion fell forth with into disobedience Ibi. 13. C. and lost therby the tytle of his kyngdome in hym and in his for euer Ibi. 14. G. And yet the same kynge wolde haue put his owne sone and heyre vnto deth for disobedience coÌmitted by ignorauÌce And yet forthw t the same kynge Ibi. 15. F. was againe disobedient therfore put out of the fauoure of god and forsaken of the selfe prophete and than was Dauid oynted kynge in his sted and rowme an yuell spirite entred into Saul / and he ended his lyfe in disobedience Ibi. 16. C. Ibi. 28. C. Ibi. 31. B. And slewe hymselfe vpon his owne swarde Byware of disobedienceÌ 2. Re. 1. C. And the fyrst persone that brought worde vnto Dauid of the deth of Saule was put to deth / bycause that by disobedience he slewe Saul a kynge oynted as he sayd hym selfe yet was it fals in dede / for Saul as is sayd dyd slee hym selfe 1. Re. 31. B. And yet agayne Dauid put theÌ to deth that by disobedieÌce dyd slee his enimy 2. Re. 4 D. Oza was strykeÌ to deth / bycause he pÌsumed by disobedience to touche the Arke of god Ibid. 6. B. And Dauid him selfe was put vnto great afflictioÌ bycause that by disobedience IbideÌ 11. et 12. he abused a nother mans wyfe caused hiÌ vniustly to be slaine And Absalon the sone of Dauid / for disobedience was hanged by his owne herre or faxed / thrylled through the herte with iii. lauÌces or iauelynes Ibi. 18. D. Ibi. 20. F. 3. Re. 2. D. et F. et G. And Siba the sone of Bochri / for his rebellion and inobedieÌce was / slayue by a woman Adonias the eldest sone of Dauid for his presumpcion and disobedieÌce was slayne / and so was Ioab / that byfore besyde that tyme had many tymes broken obedience / and Semei in lyke maner And whan Salamon was in his glorie our lorde sayd / if he wolde folowe and kepe due obedience Ibi. 9. B. et 11. B. C. he shulde êspere / if nat he and all his shulde be destroied come to nought / and agayne after many troubles / he had the same thret and was for disobedieÌce in great ieoparty of daÌpnacion / and his realme and kyngdome diuided and broken so that his sone Roboam bycause he was inobedient vnto the couÌsayle of the seniores 3. Re. 12. lost all the tribes of the chyldreÌ of Israel / excepte one tribe alone And the kynge HieroboaÌ for disobedience vnto the prophete of god lost his arme that he streached forth agayne hym / but yet by his prayer Ibi. eo E. it was restored / yet the same prophet was after inobedient hym selfe And therfore was slaine of a Lion And great vengeauÌce was taken vpon the kynge HieroboaÌ vpon all his kynne for his inobedience / and his sone after hym in lyke maner / many of the kingê were sore punisshed for disobedieÌce Ibi. 14. Ibi. 15. And Ochozias the kynge of Samarie had tydyngê of deth by Helias the êphete 4. Re. 1. A. B. for disobedience And two of his capitaynes were deuoured brent with fyre that came from heuen for the pÌsuÌpcion of disobedience / where the thyrde for his meke obedience had his peticion Certeyn chyldren by disobedience dyd mocke the prophete Helisei / .xlii. of them were destroyed and woried with wylde Beares / forthwith Naaman by obedience was cured and healed Ibi. 2. D. And Giezi the seruaunt of the êphete Helisei for disobedience was stryken sodeynly with the same lepre all his posterite and linage for euer Ibi. 5. G. 4. re 9. E. Kynge Ioram for disobedience was slayne of his owne seruaunt And Iezabell his mother IbideÌ F. eaten with dogges And the chyldren of Achab. lxx in nombre were al slayne for the disobedience of theyr father Ibi. 10. C. Ibi. 11. D. Ibid. 15. C. Athalia was slayne also for her treason and disobedience And kynge zachary the sone of Hieroboam was slayne for disobedience by the treason of his owne seruauÌt caled Cellum that after hym vsurped the crowne / for his treason and disobedience was also slayne Ibi. eodeÌ Ioacun for disobedience and for the disobedieÌce of his auncestoures was with all his people brought vnto the bondage of Egipte Ibi. 24. A. And Sedechias his sone also / was taken prisoner by the kynge of Babilon his chyldreÌ were slayne byfore his face / and his eyes were put out and he made blynde