was sayd in his name to synne and to hell Osee. xiii â–ª O death I will be thy death O hell I wyll bite the. He that eateth occupieth all that he eateth he that byteth taketh part and leaueth part so dyd the soule of Christ take that part of the prisoners in hell whiche dyed in charitie lefte behind him in tormentes and paynes with the deuylles â–ª all them that besyde oryginall synne hadde committed mortall synne and dyed without satisfaction for the same SAynt Thomas put the syxt article of our fayth sayinge The thyrde daye he rose agayne from death For on Sondaye earlye in the breakynge of the daye while it was somewhat darke he ioyned his soule vnto hys body and rose from death to lyfe and came forth of his chest or graue and oute of the monument or caue in the whiche the graue was beynge fast shutte with a greate stone rouled to it for a dore â–ª and surelye sealed And forthwith came the Aungell from heauen and remoued the stone that was rouled to the doore of the sayde caue and satte vpon it to declare that Chryste was rysen and gonne and anone came the thre Maries and they sawe and hearde the Aungels appearynge to theim lyke men whiche tolde theim that Chryste was rysen but they scarselye beleued the Aungelles rather thinkynge that his precyouse bodye was stolen and caryed awaye oute of the graue Notwithstandynge as they were bydde they wente to geue knoweledge to the Disciples whiche then kepte them selues together in greate pensifenes for the losse of theyr mayster and as close as they coulde for feare of shrewes Marye Magdalene made beste spede and tolde Peter and Iohn what she hadde sene and hearde and consequentlye the same day and other dayes folowinge as well the sayde holye women as the Apostles and other Disciples were by euidente and sensible signes well assured that he was bodelye rysen in dede and not fantasticallye nor faynedlye He was the fyrste that euer ryse to lyfe immortall neuer to die againe Other there were that were reised frome death to lyfe by the power of God but after certaine yeares they died againe Christe rose by his owne power and neuer died againe therefore the Apostles called him the beginninge and fyrste begotten amonge dead men Col. i. The beginner and cause of his owne resurrection whiche was by his owne power and also of oure resurrection that lyke as he died for oure sinnes and rose againe to iustifie vs so we shoulde mortifie oure selfe to sinne that we may rise againe with him and liue to God walkinge in a newe life whyle we be here that finallye we maye rise with oure bodies and soules glorified to immortall lyfe Oure olde manne was crucyfied with Christe that the bodye of synne myghte be destroyed that we shoulde no more doe seruice to sinne Oure olde man signifieth oure olde lyuinge in synne lyke Adam the fyrste manne that synned of whose offence descended to all his posteritie the nourishinge and feadinge of sinne the darte and pricke of death whiche the Apostle manye times calleth by the name of sinne this we must mortifie and kyll that so the bodye of synne maye be destroyed We lyue to synne when we lyue after the inclination of the sayde nurse and breder of synne so that synne reigne in our mortall bodies to obeye the desires of sinne And contrary we die to sinne when we do not the desires of sinne neither folowe the inclinations of sinne that so the body of sinne may be destroyed in vs the bodye of sinne is the whole rable and multitude of sinnes together like limmes of one body as fornication vncleanes auarice contention wrath gyle brauling dissension heresies enuye ryot or surfet and suche other when these be mortified in vs then we dye with Christ. And this mortification we must buselye and continually beare vpon vs and then we shal be sure to liue with him by renewinge of our liuinge contrarie to vice vsing iustice and vertue that so we may giue light of good example to all others that they may glorifie and laude God in vs that finally we and they with vs may ryse to immortall glorye THen foloweth the seuenth article whiche S. Barthelomew put to this gathering and it is this He ascended into heauen and sitâ—eth on the righte hande of GOD the father almightie That is to saye the condition of our nature whiche he toke of the virgin his mother he toke vp with him and set it on the ryght hand of his father aboue the skye and aboue all the orders of aungels and aboue al thinge that is named not only in this world but also in the world to come Therefore let vs ascende vp in deuoute heart with Christ while we be in this presente lyfe that when the daye of the generall resurrection shall come we may folowe him ascendyng in body thither as he is gone afore vs bodelye openinge the waye for vs. Mich. ii For lyke as he rose from death to life to make vs lykewise to ryse so he ascended to make vs to ascende For whiche purpose we must well knowe and remeÌ„ber that with Christ ascendeth not pryde nether couetousenes lechery or any other synne he was our phisition he cured vs and made vs once hole but he toke with him none of our malaÌ„ders therfore yf we come after him we must leaue all these and cast them of least they presse vs downe that we may not ascend to that glorious place wher Christ sitteth on the ryght hande of his father that is to saye equal with the father by his godhead and in the inheritaunce and highest wealth and glory of God by his humanitie to entreate for vs as our attourney towarde the father To sitte belongeth to a iudge because oure sauioure nowe beinge in heauen considereth and iudgeth all mens actes and at the laste shall manifestlye and openly come to iudge them and to geue sentence therefore it is sayd that he sytteth Saynt Steuen sawe him standing on the fathers right hande as one redy to fyght for hym and to helpe him constantlye to suffer the persecution of the Iewes where ye must not ymagine any materiall body or ryght hand or lyfte hande in the godhead or any material stoles to sit on in heauen it is a maner of speakinge of the scripture by a similitude rather then that there be any such partes there in dede And likewise to sitte or stande in heauen signifieth no more but there to be at his pleasure and to shewe hym selfe as it please his maiestie THe eyght article saint Mathew the Apostle and Euangelist sayd From thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade In the same body he wyl come to the iudgemeÌ„t in whiche he ascended into heauen to iudge all christen and hethen for all we that be hath be shall be shall stande afore Christes seat of iudgement that euery man maye receaue the duetie of his bodye as he hath
thy goodes to healpe and to saue thy neadye brother and do it not of pride or boastynge but of thy mooste entier and inwarde swetenesse of mercye towarde hym Peraduenture thou wilt saye why shoulde I geue my money to saue him from harme He is none of mine let him perishe in his owne iniquitie noughtines I haue nothing to do with him If thou answer or think after this maner the loue of our father of heaueÌ„ abideth not in thee And if the loue of our father abideth not in thee thou art not borne or gotten of God then how canst thou glorye or be gladde that thou art a christeÌ„ man Thou hast the name but thou hast not the dede of a christian man Renati noÌ„ exsemine corruptibili sed incorruptibili c Borne again not by any corruptible sede but by an iÌ„corruptible sede bi the word of the liuing god that abideth for euer Here y e blessed apostle s. Peter reasoneth swadeth vs to cleannes of life to chastice our soules in obedient charitie in fraternal loue by reason of our spiritual birthe There is no naturall gentleman of birthe but if it soo chaunce that for the tyme hee be moued to dooe a myscheuous deede if a discrete man woulde moue hym to the contrarye recitynge hys Progenye and Auncestoures saiynge beware what ye do remeÌ„ber your blood distayn not your kinred shewe your self a gentleman not as a furious beast or a bawdy villaine or as a churle or a thefe least al your kinred and louers will be ashamed of you If there be anye gentlenes in the person such vmbrayding and rehersall shall make him to leaue hys naughtye purpose and to take a good way with him and not to defoule his kinred with any vilany Accordynge to that saith saint Peter much more you should dispose your selfe to goodnes considering your regeneration and second natiuitie which was not by corruptible seede of man and woman but by the vncorruptible sede that is to say by the word of God that abideth for euer It is but a pore glory to be proude of the filthie substaunce that man is gotten by nor of the bodies or bloode of theyr carnal fathers and mothers which fadeth and continually runneth to corruption As Esay the prophet saith Esa. xl Omnis caro vt fenum omnis gloria eius tanquam flos agri exaruit fenum et flos eius decidit verbum autem domini manet ineternum All fleshe is lyke grasse of the medowe and hys glori that is to sai carnal lust or pleasure is like the floure of the medow that maketh a pleasant shewe for the time and so doth carnall delectacion content and please for a while but euen as the floure within awhile withereth and falleth a way so doth carnall ioye fade and fall it abideth not but many times turneth to repentance but the worde of God that is the seede by which you were gotten and made the children of God by regeneration by your seconde getting abideth for euer giueth life euerlasting to theÌ„ that be gotten bi it And this is the holi word that hath â—en preached among you saith saint Peter by me by other Apostles By this holye woorde of God you were first instruct and taughte to leaue your old vaine errours and vices and to renounce the deuyll wyth all his pompe and all his naughtye workes And by the word of God concurrent and ioyned with the element of water you wer baptised goten to Christ made his children wher afore you were the children of Gods yre of dyspleasure as all they be that after that waye be not new borne to God by baptisme The former carnall generation or birthe saueth no man nor woman the seconde doth and therefore it is necessarie for all them that shal be saued what sexe kynde or age so euer they be of contrarye to the secte and heresy of the Anabaptists that woulde haue no man baptised till they were of yeares of discretion in so much that they baptise again al them that in childhoode were christened leauing all youth in dispeyre of saluation withoute anye way or helpe to be saued and in worse case then the infantes of the Iewes were which by Moises law should be circumcised on the eyght daye after they were borne and by that circumcision should not perish but be saued For as saint Paul saith Roma v. Si vnius delicto multi mortui sunt multo magis gratia dei donum vnius hominis Iesu Christi in plures homines abundauit Wher the Apostle compareth the offence of Adam to the grace of Christ for the grace of Christe is muche stronger and may extende and sprede it selfe further then the offence of one pure and frayle man might do therefore in asmuche as death crept in among men by one Adam then muche more by our sauiour Christ one man and God in one parson of power infinite the gift of grace is dilated and spred vpon all men that be made apte to receiue it which is onely by baptisme actuallye receiued or els in vowe or purpose And therefore in asmuche as the synne of Adam killed all infantes it must needes be that Christes grace in the sacrament of baptisme shal quicken the same infantes and make theym spirituallye alyue againe in Christe or els as I sayde it shoulde be weaker then Adams synne also because Christ saith Iohn iii. Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua et spiritu sancto non potest introire in regnum dei Except a manne be borne againe by water and the holye spirite he cannot entre into the kyngdome of heauen And euen lyke as they that were circumcised in theyr infansye knewe not what it meaned that they suffered with great paine neither perceyued anye thinge of the promysse that God made to them that suffred it In like maner baptysme saueth oure chyldren infauntes althoughe they perceyue nothynge what is done vnto them neyther the reason thereof But Christ that saide Sinite paruulos venire ad me Mathewe xix Let babes or children come to me hathe prouyded armes to beare theym to hym which be the armes of our mother holy church by whose eares also they be cathechised or instruct and by her mouthe they confesse their faithe and in her faith they be saued And this is very reasonable that other mens faith may helpe in thys sacrament of soule health as wel as other mens faith hath helped them that haue be bodely diseased in sicknes and sores of theyr bodie speciallye because God estemeth and regardeth more the health of the soule then of the bodye We haue in the gospell of the Canaan womans doughter that by the importune sute and prayer of her mother she was delyuered from the dyuell that she was obsessed with all O mulier magna est fides tua fiat tibi sicut vis Math. xv fides tua inquit non fides filie And also
in the noughty sorte of christen people deposirio sordium carnis a clensinge and wasshinge away of the filth of the flesh by the water of baptisme when they were christened but it preuayled not to eternall saluation because they lacked a faythfull conscience well instructed examined and tried towarde GOD by the resurrection of Christ from the dead that like as he rose from the dead so our consciences should ryse frome deade workes of synne to liuelye workes of grace and vertue no more to dye or synne agayne whiche is in the right hande of God swalowynge vp consuminge and destroyinge death that so we might be made inheritours of euerlastinge life That a man swaloweth he consumeth so that it shall no more appeare in the fourme and fashion that it was of afore so Christe made by his death that death shuld be consumed in as much as by his death the deuyl that is the auctor causer of death was ouercome his heart was burst He begilinge and deceiuyng oure fyrste parentes kylled them â–ª and made them and all theyr posteritie subiect to death but kylling the latter man the latter Adam our Sauioure Christe he loste the fyrste man oute of his snares whiche kylled his hearte and was verye death to him He had power to bringe all them to death that descended of Adam whome he hadde kylled yf they came of hym by carnall propagation takinge of him the spotte of sinne but abusinge his libertie and procuringe the death of our moost innocent Sauioure Christe that came not of the sede of Adam by generation betwixt two parentes nor had any spotte of sinne by Adam he was worthy to lose his libertie and so he loste an infinite numbre of them that he thought him self sure of and dayly loseth his expectation and none can gette but suche as wylfully wyll runne into his daunger After this victorye ouer the deuyll Christ went vp into heauen as S. Peter sayth here and had subiect vnto him Aungels potestates and vertues where S. Peter expresseth three orders of Aungels of heauen to be subdued and subiecte vnto Christ by them vnderstandinge al the residue of the Aungels which as S. Dionise in his boke de celesti Hierarchia writeth according to that he had learned of his maister S. Paule by whome he was baptised and also taughte in the catholyke fayth be diuided into .iii. Hierarchies Euery Hierarchie conteyninge .iii. orders of Aungels and so they make nine ordres in the whole Saint Dionise that wrytte his booke of these heauenly creatures was S. Paules disciple and scoler and learned of him that could best declare the truthes of theim in as muche as he was rapte into heauen and there sawe suche secretes as a man might not speake Notwithstandinge as muche as semed to agree to mortall mans capacitie for to knowe as was mete and profitable for men to learne he declared to this blessed S. Dionise and to others of his disciples that had theyr wittes illuminate aboue others whiche the sayde S. Dionise committed to writing in his boke rehearsed that the posteritie that shoulde come after him in Christes churche mighte be instructe by the same In the sayde boke he rehearsed the names of euerye order of aungels in euery one of the saide Hierarchies The fyrste and highest Hierarchie conteyninge the .iii. orders Seraphin Cherubin and Thronos The seconde conteyneth Dominationes virtutes potestares The thirde Hierarchie and lowest hath in it these thre orders Principatus Archangelos et Angelos As appereth by s. Dionise in the sayde boke Cap vi vii.viii .ix. And by S. Gregory Homil .xxxiiii. super Euangelia All these were subiecte and subdued to Christes manhod when he came to heauen by his marueilous ascension Of all these orders Saint Peter in this place rehearseth thre orders one of the loweste Hierarchie Angelis and two of the middle Hierarchie potestates et virtutes by them vnderstandinge all the other Aungels which though they were euer sith theyr fyrst creation subiecte and subdued to Christes Godheade yet here in this place he maketh speciall mention of theyr subiection to Christ that he might shewe that the humanitie of Christ was so exalted and set alofte by his ascension whiche Saint Peter here speaketh of that it was preferred and set aboue the excellencie of all the Aungels of heauen Accordinge to the sayinge of the Prophet Omnia subiecisti sub pedibus eius And Saint Paul phil Dedit illi no men quod est super omne nomen vt in nomine Iesu omne genu flectatur celestium terrestrium infernorum GOD the father hath geuen hym a name aboue all names that to his name all creatures in heauen in earth and of hel shall bowe the knee and be subdued and obediente vnto him To whome be all honour and glorye for euer Amen The .xiiii. treatise or sermon The fourth Chapiter CHristo igitur passo in carne vos eadem cogitatione armamini quia qui passus est in carne de siit a peccatis c. The blessed Apostle Saynt Peter in diuers places of this epistle that we haue in hande vehemently extolleth and coÌ„mendeth the most aboundant mercy of God by whiche he hath regenerate and gotten vs agayne to lyfe where we were afore by oure carnall parentes gotten to death And we see by experience that one that hath a greate affection or vehement loue to any thinge wyll be euer busie as it were one that coulde neuer haue done or that woulde be euer gladde to speake of it So Saint Peter coulde neuer geue thankes ynoughe he euer inculcateth bringeth in the remembrauÌ„ce of the benefyt of oure redemption because we shoulde euer haue it in minde And because it is not ynough to remember it but we must also in our liuinge conforme oure selues to the same holynes he geueth vs manye holesome morall lessons and fatherly exhortations teachinge vs to lyue vertuousely and holyly contrarye to vices and vicious liuinge And because our regeneration and sanctification coÌ„meth by baptisme whiche taketh his efficacitie and strength of Christes bloude shedde in his payneful passion therfore euer amonge he speaketh of the excellente mysterye of the sayde passion of Christe and of his gloryous resurrection by whiche as he sayd in the ende of the thyrde Chapiter whiche I declared in my laste sermon vpon the same he swalowed vp drowned and consumed death of the soule to make vs heyres of lyfe euerlastynge And in as muche as the worlde and the spyryte be aduersaries and euer at variaunce euen so be worldlye and carnall personnes enemyes to spirituall personnes Spirituall I call good lyuers that worketh accordynge to the inclination and styringe of the holye spyryte the holye gooste Then considerynge that the carnall people be the more sorte and the greater number and the good lyuers be fewer in number it is no maâ—ueyle that good people suffereth muche wo vexation and trouble in this worlde that were able to ouerthrowe a
euer beare with vs rocks stones or swerds to defend vs from the diuell but the signe of the crosse is soone made with a little mouing of our hand to saue vs from his falsehed This is the signe by which with his mighty woorde is consecrate the bodye of Christ the Fount is halowed priestes and other degrees of the churche take their orders and all thinges that be halowed by this signe of Christes crosse with inuocation of hys name be sanctified The crosse layd down on the grounde extendeth his partes towarde the foure partes of the worlde East West Northe and Southe and so did the body of Christ when he was nayled on the crosse lying on the grounde in signe and token that hys loue extended to all partes of the worlde and that for theyr sakes he suffered so great paines as he did whych doubtlesse very farre passed the paynes that any other man myght suffer by reason of the complexion of his body whych was excellently pure quick for it was made of the purest substaÌ„ce of a cleane mayde vndefowled not mixt of such vile matter as our bodies be and it was neuer mystempered by ingurgitacion or vncleane diet Therefore it must nedes be very pure and cleane And according to the proportion rate or maner of the disposition of the bodye is the dysposition of the sences of the body and specially of the touchyng or feling then it must nedes folow that hys touching or feling was exerceding pure quicke and liuely by which ye may be sure that the stroke or wounde that would litle agreued another man was great griefe to him Then consider howe his head was bobbed and beaten and pricked wyth sharpe thornes his handes feete â–ª bored through and torne with great nayles And after that the crosse he hanging on it hoysed vp let downe into the mortesse made for it and to be shogged and shaken hauyng no stay but his own sinowes fleshe and skynne rent and torne in his handes and feete Thys was a payne of all paines specially in that pure complexioned and tender body â–ª After this he suffered his soule to departe out of his body and so dyed bodely that he might delyuer vs from the death of the soule which coÌ„meth by synne for like as the soule giueth life vnto the bodye so God giueth life vnto the soule therfore like as when the soule is gone from the body the body is dead so wheÌ„ God is gone from the soule the soule is dead and that is euer wheÌ„ we synne for God and synne dwell not together no more then light and darkenesse â–ª Roma v. From thys danger we were reconsiled to God by the bloude of his sonne for he washed vs from our sinnes in his owne bloude and so deliuered vs oute of the diuels danger which had none other holde vpon vs but by the ropes and bondes of synne He was burled that so he might blesse the buriall and graâ—es of al good men for the consolacion of al them that shall be buried in the earth Of his graue Esay prophecied longe afore saying that hys graue shall be glorious Esay xi as in dede it was hewed out of a new stone intended for a worshipfull maÌ„ that prouided it for hymselfe but he was verye glad to bestow it on a better man He was wrapt in fyne â—lothes and powdred with costlye spyces The graue was honoured wyth the presence of Angels visited of holye women and of the disciples and afterward deuoutely soughte of noble Emperours and of other great men we Christen people in the remembraunce of the same vse a laudable ceremonie garnishynge after the best maner that we can in our churches euerye good fryday a goodly sepulture in whyche we repose the blessed body of Christ. COnsequentlye foloweth the fifth article added by saynt Phillip He descended into hell not hys bodye for it remayned in the sepulchre tyll hys resurrection but in hys soule wyth the Godhead for the pryncipall partes of Christes mannehoode whyche the Godheade once tooke to hym hee neuer lefte His Godhead was with the bodye in the graue with the soule in hell for the consolation of our first parentes and of all Patriarchs and Prophetes and of all good men and women that afore his comming remayned there without anye sensible paine but onely in the greuous payne of lacke of glory from which they were stopped as by a payne for originall synne because the raunsome was no rather payed Thyther it pleased him of his goodnes to descende for to confounde his enemies the diuels that lyke as he had ouercome them on earth by hys blood so he might at home amoÌ„g them selfes in hel triumphe ouer theÌ„ taking theyr prayes and prisoners out of theyr holdes agaynst theyr wylles The Prophet zachary sayd that Christ woulde thus doe by these wordes zacha ix Thou in the bloud of thy testament hast let fourth out of the lake or dongeon in which ther was no water or refreshing theym that were bounde there And the blessed Apostle saynt Peter confirmeth the same in hys first epistle thirde chapter saying that Christ came in spirite and preached to them that were in prison whiche some time were hard of beliefe when they loked for Gods patience in the daies of Noe while the shippe was a making in which a fewe that is to saye eighte lyues were saued by the water He came in spirite in his soule for his body remayned in the graue as I sayd and preached declaryng that the misterie of his incarnation and passion was performed by whyche hell shoulde be spoyled and the way to heauen should be opened to all good men and women whose soules were in captiuitie amonge whiche were manye of them that were alyue in that space of C. xx yeares that God gaue to the people to amende theyr lyues and to Noe for a warninge to prepare and make his shyppe readye of whiche some woulde not beleue Noe manye times and busely exhortynge them to amende theyr lyues yet at the last when they saw the waters ryse styll and encrease withoute any ebbyng they repented and were sorye for theyr synnes and so died penitente and descended to the skyrte of hell where were the soules of many Patriarches and Prophetes and of other holy men and women whiche by Christes presence had consolation inestimable as well as they that S. Peter speaketh of in this place for if they of whiche it semeth lesse had comforte by Christes descendinge to them then muche more they that were of higher perfection had such consolation comfort by his presence and by their delyuerauÌ„ce out of that pryson S. Basyl sayth on these wordes of the Psalme Dirupisti vincula mea Thou hast broken my bondes because thou hast set vs at libertie from the bondage of sinne and descendinge into hell hast losed from death mankinde there beinge captiue and holden in the vneuitable custodye of hel So it was verified that
swadeth that we oughte to be of cleane life and in all oure conuersation to liue in feare while we be dwelling as tenauntes at wil here in this worlde This he perswadeth by consideration of the price that was paid for oure redemption or raunsom out of the deuils dauÌ„ger out of our former conuersation noughtye liuing which price was neither gold nor siluer nor any such corruptible substauÌ„ce as is vsed amoÌ„ge men to redeme mens offeÌ„ces or to make ameÌ„ds for faultes or harmes done amoÌ„ge men but you were bought deliuered froÌ„ your noughty liuiÌ„g from your vaine and folish conuersation by the precious blud of Christ offred for vs on y e crosse like a moste pure and cleane lambe without spot or blemishe and neither groned nor grudged so sufferinge no more then the lambe doth when he is ledde to the slaughter house We must no more nowe thinke oure selues vile or little worth for once we pleased oure Lorde God so well that he chose rather to die for vs then he would lose vs it can be no smal thinge of valure that God was content to pay his owne bloude for By his precious bloud you were deliuered from your vaine and folysh conuersatioÌ„ that you learned by your fathers traditions by your fathers teachinge They that S. Peter writte to some were of the Iewes and some were of the Gentiles as I declared in the beginninge of this Epistle They that were of the Iewes had learned of their fathers to leaue the true vnderstandinge of the lawes of God and to folowe certaine precepts and rules of theyr traditions and teachinge as to let theyr owne parentes die for hunger to bestow theyr goodes in offeringe at the Church â–ª Mat xv not that Christe forbiddeth to helpe the ministers of the Churche but that when thou mayste helpe both thou shouldest so do but yf thou be not able to do both se that thou fayle not to do thy dutye to thy parentes cherysshinge and helpinge them for this is thy bounden duetie And also the curious and prescise obseruaunce of the Iewes ceremonies may be vnderstand by these fathers traditions whiche were but vayne and lytle good did to the soule for they gaue no grace to the soule but specially after the publyshing of Christes Gospell they seassed and did no good but muche hurte to the soule They that were of the Gentilles were brought vp as their fathers were in Idolatrye and taught to worshippe Idolles false Goddes whiche in dede be thinges of naught and verye nothinge as sainte Paule saieth .i. Cor. viij .x. Nowe to our purpose they were taught by their fathers and bringers vp to worshippe that for a god and to geue it diuine honour that was no God were brought vp in a folishe trade and in vayne conuersation by their fathers lore tradicions and teachynge froÌ„ such vayne conuersation wee were redemed not by money but by the precious blud of the lambe our Sauiour Christe most immaculate and vndefowled froÌ„ all sinne original actuall He was knowen sayeth saint Peter and appointed of God afore the worlde was made that he shold redeme vs And he was declared and knowen plainly now in the latter dayes And towarde the ende of the worlde for our sakes and to saue vs that by hys instruction published and spredde abrode among vs by the preachers of hys Gospell be made faithfull beleuers on almightye God whiche raised oure saide sauiour Christe from death to life againe and gaue him glorie at his resurrection and also at his glorious ascention because you shoulde truste to to haue like glorye by him And al this was not for anye indigence or neade that he hadde to be so exalted but for oure sake that so sayeth Sainte Peter your fayeth myght be on God and your whole hope and truste in GOD that you maye receiue like glorye of GOD. Because saint Peter sayeth that the misterye of Christes incarnation of his passion by whiche we shold be redemed was knowen afore and appointed afore the worlde was made You must vnderstaÌ„d that this that saint Peter saieth of the eternall predestinacion and foreknowledge of the second person in Trinitie the sonne of God to be incarnate was not onely for the redemption of man from the preuarication and offence of Adam but althoughe Adam hadde neuer offended yet notwithstandinge the sonne of GOD woulde haue be incarnate takynge the nature of man vppon him to beautifye in hym selfe the whole man aswell the outwarde man as the inwarde man that so mankinde Siue ingrederetur siue egre deretur pascua inueneret Whether he should come in by his wit or did go furth by exteriour senses he shoulde euerye waye finde pasture feadynge and refresshynge pasture within by knowledge and contemplation of the Godheade to the comforte of the reason pasture outwarde in the flesshe and bodye of our Sauioure to the comforte of the exteriour senses For if Adam hadde not sinned but hadde stande stedfast in the state of innocencye he shoulde at the laste haue bene translated from Paradyse into the glorye of Heauen and so shoulde all his posteritie wythout anye deathe by the onely wyll or desyre of mynde where his glorye shoulde haue bene verye leane and bare yf no exterioure sense shoulde haue hys owne delectation in the thing that he is exercised in as the syghte in seinge or the touchyng in felyng the eare is in hearing Therefore to satisâ—ye bothe the reason and the sensible powers it was necessarye that GOD shoulde haue a bodye and shoulde be made man that he myghte be perceyued by the senses as wel as by the wyt And to such beatitude ioye wee were appoynted and chosen in Christe afore the makinge of the worlde as the Apostle sayth Ephe. i. Benedixit nos in Christo Iesu sicut elegit nos in ipso ante mundi constitutionem God the father hath blessed vs in Christe as his lymmes or membres like as he hath choseÌ„ vs in him afore the makyng of the worlde so that the chosynge of Christe GOD and man in one persone was presupposed and went afore the chosing of vs hys membres to be incorporate vnite and ioyned to him by faith grace as one body with hym Like as the builder first intendeth a house of thys fashion or that fashion then intendeth to prouide tymber lyme and stone and workemenne to make his house Therefore sayeth the Apostle that GOD chose vs in Christe Firste chosynge Christe to glorye inestimable and then consequentlye and secundarily hee chose vs in him as hys membres to be glorified in hym and with him and by hym And therfore saieth our Sauiour vnto hys Father speakynge of his disciples Dilexisti eos sicur me dilexisti Ioh. xvii Thou haste loued them as thou haste loued me Aug. Because that he loued vs in hym lyke as he chose vs in him afore the making of the world for he y t loued his onely begotten sonne surelye
beleue vpon hym And beside that offendeth in wordes againste Christe and againste his blessed Sacramentes after the maner aforesayde our Sauiour Christe is Lapis offensionis petra scandali As sainte Peter sayeth here he is a stumblyng Stone such a one as men take harme of and be agreued withall not for occasion geuen of hym but by the pryde of mens hartes and sturdinesse or hardnes in not beleuynge The Iewes were offended and thought amisse of Christe because they sawe him in the infirmitie of his flesh They sawe him eat and drinke slepe and laboure as other men did They knewe his bryngynge vp in youthe and where he was nursed and who was his mother who were his kinsfolkes This made a great meyny of them to shake him of and in no wise to beleue vppon him and by that this stone fell vpoÌ„ them al to crasshed theÌ„ to naught Quia super quem ceciderit lapis iste conteret enim Math. xxi On whom so euer this stone falleth it wyl braye hym and crashe hym And in that place Christe sayeth that some men falleth on this stone and breaketh or hurteth theim selues on it And on others this Stone falleth and brayeth theim or crassheth them as corne or other grayne is brayed betwixt two mill stones or in a querne They that conseruynge and kepynge their fayeth yet falleth sometymes to synne They fall vpon the stone and taketh harme and be hurt by their fall As when a christen man or woman not erring in the articles of our fayth yet by infirmitie of the flesshe or by temptation of the deuill falleth to synne they fall on Christe this liuynge Stone and hurteth theim selues right sore bringynge them selues in daunger of death and damnation euerlastyng and makyng them selues more vnable to resist synne an other tyme for the oftener thou sinnest the more redy thou shalt be to sinne againe and the more vnable to resist temptation but when a man or woman falleth to infidelitie or to heresie then fare well For this stone falleth vpon them and breaketh theim to duste and to asshen euerlastynge Qui non credit iam iudicatus est He that beleueth not is iudged already The sentence is geuen and past in the mynde and foreknowledge of the iudge our Sauioure Christ. Because that saint Peter saith here that Christ was Lapis offensioÌ„is Petra scandali The stone that men shoulde take hurte by and that by him men shoulde take occasion to fall euen as the prophetes hadde saide of him afore And as the Gospels reherseth of hym likewyse I thinke it necessarye to demore and tarye in the declaration of that maner of speakynge of the Scriptures and what is meaned by the same Luke ii It is written that when Christes foster father and Mary his mother presented him in the temple as the lawe was The holye and well disposed man Symeon toke hym in hys armes with great ioye because he knew it was he that shold be the consolation and comforte of Israell And he knewe the tyme was then come or very neare hande when Christe shoulde come He knewe it also by reuelation of the holye Gooste that then moued hym to goe to the Temple as it is there sayde Et venit in spiritu in templum Where after great ioye of that he hadde seene he then desiered to be let go in peace to dye And among other thinges he saide this plainely to Marye the blessed Mayde and mother of Christe as a cordiall or rather a corosiue Ecce positus est hic in ruinam in resurrectionem multorum in Israel insignum cui contradiceretur Et tuam ipsius animam pertransibit gladius Loe sayeth he Thys childe is set to make men fall and to make many men to ryse among the people of Israel And he is set as a signe or a mark that folke wil couÌ„tersay speke against And as for your part said he to Marie his mother the sworde of sorowe shall pearce your harte which yet shall redound and turne to the comfort of manye others Here you see that this blessed man sayde that Christe shoulde be the ruyne of many a one and suche a one as should be countersaid and spoken against of manie others And. Mat. xi When sainte Iohn Baptist sente two of his disciples to Christe to aske him a question for their learnynge whether it was he that they loked for that aboute that time they knew shoulde come to saue mankinde or whether they should loke for another Because they shoulde not saye as the Iewes were euer ready and wonte to saye Tu de te ipso testimonium dicis testimonium tuum non est veruÌ„ Thou bearest witnesse of thy selfe thy witnesse is not true Christe referred them to his workes that by them he might allure them to beleue vpon him knowynge that the blinde were made to see The lame were made to goe The leprouse be made cleane the deafe to heare â–ª The deade were raysed to lyfe againe and that the poore were taughte the Gospell and good tydynges of lyfe euerlastynge And at laste he saied vnto theim Beatus est qui non fuerit scandalizatus in me Blessed is hee that by me taketh none occasion to fall or to offende In whiche wordes Christe touched the messengers and manye others by them They sawe hym a mortall man as other were they could scarce beleue any Godhed in him yet seinge that Christ knewe their wan and fainte beleue and the secretes of their hartes this made them to haue more affiance beleue vpoÌ„ him for it is aboue y e knowlege of a pure maÌ„ to knowe y e secretes of an other mans minde They knewe he spoke by theÌ„ he knew they wer offended by y t thei saw in him And not onely these messengers of sainte Iohn but also manie a thousand others be offended by Christe and by Christes woordes euerye daye Because men see not the bloud runne about the Priestes fingers in the masse at the fractions of the Sacrament they be so harde harted and so dul in beleue that thei wil not beleue that Christ saide true when he saide this is my bodye or my fleshe and bloude in the sacrament of the aultare because thei perceiue not by it as they do bi other fleshe and bloud in the Shambles not beleuing that Christe by his Godlye power causeth and maketh his owne fleshe and bloud there secretelye vnder the fourme of breade and wyne for to augment and encreace the merite of our fayeth which shold be smal or none if we saw that with our bodelye eyes that wee see by the fayethfull eyes of our christen hartes They that be addict and wedded to their carnall senses their fyâ—e wits be offended and agreued to here that they muste beleue that thinge that they see not And euen so they iudge by sacramentall confession of sinnes thinkynge men no more bounde nowe to be confessed nother anye otherwyse then to God because that
one feuer or 〈◊〉 other hed ache colick y e stone gowts runninge legges dropsye and palsye All these biddeth vs beware and geueth vs warninge afore But manye there bee that wyll take no warninge by these infirmities but be as maliciouselye disposed in blasphemy couetousnesse euen whyle they be subiecte to such diseases as thei were in healthe They neuer remembreth death till they be so taken that they can nother stirre hande nor foote and can scarsely speake or heare As we haue knowen of these hel houndes ruffrans and riatours that by their life time had neuer deuotioÌ„ toward god nether regarding masse nor other diuine seruice not her the sacrament of Christes churche which when they haue bene taken w t feruent sicknes y t they could not by the helpe of phisitions recouer haue fallen to raginge blasphemyng swearyng and so died desperatly After whych soden death foloweth and preuenteth the disposynge of a mannes Soule to GOD or of hys goodes to the worlde all the sayde messagers infirmities and diseases they bringe shrowde ridinges to the bodye and bee nothinge pleasaunte for the sensuall appetite in as muche as they putte menne to paine And healpe to drawe menne to the graue but to the reason they shoulde bee welcome for they be medicynable and holesome for the soul in as muche as they letteth menne and kepeth menne from synne and maketh theim more feruent to please GOD and to liue vertuouslye When mens infirmities be multiplyed and commeth one vpon an other men will make haste to know God and to come to God amending their lyues And s Paule consideringe that virtus in infirmitate perficitur .ii. Cori. xii vertue is made parfite in infirmitie in as much as sickenes and weakenes of body is the matter and occasion to exercise Pacience to exercise Temperaunce and Chastitye and also by syckensse knowynge a mannes owne infyrmitie he shall be made more lowlye and meeke and so stronge to exercise him selfe in vertue And also because that vertue is neuer so parfite as when it hath some infirmitie contrarye that it maye striue agaynste as Chastitie when it is not tempted by carnall concupiscence is not so parfite as when it is tempted and so pacience is moste excellent that is proued and tempted by vexacion of Shrowes and by displeasures and therefore Saynte Paule saith LibeÌ„ter gloriabor in infirmitatibus meis vt inhabitet in me virtus Christi I shall gladlye and wyth a good wyll reioyce and be proude in myne infyrmities that so I may be conformable to Christ hauing vertues in me more eminent and more excellent then els they woulde haue bene Propter quod placeo mihi in infirmitatibus meis in contumelijs in necessitatibus in persecutionibus in angustijs pro Christo. I please my selfe as a proud manne dothe when I am weake and sicke or diseased in bodye and when I am dispitefullye vexed and when I am in greate and extreame neade in persecution in distresse or in streictes Cum enim infirmor tunc potens sum When I am sicke and weake then I am strong and mightye Ambrosius Verum est quia tunc vincit christianus cum perdere putatur tunc perdit perfidia cum se vicisse gratulatur plaudit â—gitur cum illi insultatur surgit cum premitur It is true that the apostle saith for then a christen maÌ„ ouercoÌ„meth and hath the ouerhande when he is thought to lose and to haue the worse And then falshode loseth when he is glad of his winnyng or that he hathe ouercome and gotten the vpper hand And therfore saint Paule was most glad and proude in God when men kicked and wrought displesures against him and he rose vpward when men thought they pressed hym downe An other common messager of deathe is example of others that we see plucked away from vs euery daye of all ages of all states and degrees As well vnthrifts and noughty liuers as blessed meÌ„ of the best sort There is no daie but we heare of the death of one or other bi which we may assure our selues that we shall go after And almightie God many times suffreth blessed men and good liuers to dye sodainely and sometimes more miserably in the reputation of the worlde then tyrantes extorcioners and bribers and such other of the worst sort Temporall wealth and temporall penurye and pouertye is common as well to good folke as to the bad folke and so is that we call miserable death a faire deathe For the first S. Aug. i. ci dei ca. viii Temporalia bona mala vtrisque voluit esse coÌ„munia vt nec bona cupidius appetantur quo mali quoque habere cernuntur nec mala â—â—piter euiteÌ„tur quibus boni plerumque afficiuÌ„tur God woulde that good thinges and ill chaunces should be coÌ„men to good men and to bad because good things shold not be to gredely desired whiche we se noughty persoÌ„s to haue and enioy nor yll things should not be shamefully eschued and abhorred whiche moste commonlye good people hath and be combred with all The most diuersity is in the vse and occupiynge of prosperitie and of aduersitie For a good man is neuer the prouder for prosperitie nother ouercast broken or marde by aduersitie where contrary a noughty person in felicitie is corrupt by pride and arrogancy and with infelicitie with yll chaunces aduersite is sore vexed and punished many tymes brought to desperation yet besyde thys almyghty God showeth his meruelous worke in the distribucion or deuidinge of prosperite and aduersite as well as of a good death and a foule death in that that if GOD shoulde by and by correcte euerye synne wyth some manifest paine he should leaue nothinge to bee punished at the generall iudgemente â–ª and agayne if GOD did punyshe no no faulte nor synne nowe in this presente life menne woulde thynke there were no Godlye prouidence at all or that GOD cared not for the worlde or what that menne did in the worlde And lykewyse when menne praye for prosperitye or for sufficiencye herein thys world if God would not of his liberall goodnes graunt men somwhat of their peticioÌ„s somtimes among meÌ„ wold think that he had nothing to do with them or that worldly wealth pertained not to him and were none of his to bestow when he wolde and again if he should graunt theÌ„ to eueri man that wold aske for them meÌ„ wold serue god for none other thing but for them and the seruice of God should not make vs godly and deuout toward him but rather gredy and couetouse to the world Therefore although there be no dissimilitude betwixt the thinges that good meÌ„ naughtye men in differently suffereth yet there is great diuersitie and differeÌ„ce betwixt the sufferers As if a man chafe in his hand or els against the fyre talow or greace it giueth an horrible stinckynge smell where as if you likewise chafe by the same fyre a pleasant
haue in hande woulde haue vs to vse is spirituall prudence the wisedome of the spirite of the whiche S. Paule speaketh Ro. viij Prudentia autē spiritus vita et pax The wisedome of the spirite by which man worketh according to the inclination of the holi spirit is life and peace that is to saye it is the cause of life euerlasting and of peace and quietnes here to ioyn them together it is the cause of life with peace and quietnes euerlasting in heauen Thys wysedome no sinner hathe as appeareth manye wayes Fyrst because a sinner loseth a great inheritaunce for a little trifle of pleasure as Esau did for a messe of potage as I sayd afore And it is writte Iob. xxviij Sapientia non inuenitur in terra suauiter niuentium Wysedome is not founde in the londe or countrey of them that liueth delicatelye all at pleasure Seconde sinners lacketh prudēce for they little regarde to recouer theyr inheritāce againe where they might so doe with a little labour and payne like them that be spoken of in the psalme pro nihilo habuerunt terram desiderbilem The Israelites estemed not the delectable lande that was promised them but would rather haue turned backe agayne into Egipt euen so do synners desperately litle regarde the land of life euer lasting in heauen Thirde a synner lacketh prudence because he doth wilfully cast him selfe into the snares of him that will not fayle to draw him and strangle him to death euerlastynge Byrdes that bee meshede in a nette canne not gette out when they woulde wythout helpe but the more they stryue the sorer they be holden in the nette Euen so saythe the wyseman Prouer. v. Funibus peccatorum suorum vnusquisque cōstringitur Euerye synner is wrapt and streyned wyth the ropes of hys owne synnes and the more hee laboreth striueth and strugleth to saciate and content hys vicious appetite the harder he is holden and meshed in delectation and in custome of hys synne and so he prepareth and dresseth his owne death Sapi. i. Deus mortem non fecit impij manibus ac pedibus accersierunt eam God made not the death of sinne but wicked men with hand and foote haue called it in and pulled it to theym Fourth it is plaine that synners lacketh prudence and wysedome by that they be not afrayde of the iustice of God knowyng that he hath iustlye condempned so manye Angels for synne and that the Angels were made diuels for breakinge theyr obedience to God And that so manye men and women be dampned for transgressynge and breakynge hys commaundementes and that our fyrst parentes and all theyr posteritie were strycken wyth mortalitie and necessitye to dye for disobedience and for synne and that for synne all the worlde was destroyed with water and that for synne the fiue cityes Sodome Gomor and theyr neyghbours were destroyed wyth fyre brymstone and suche horryble stynckynge tempest And thus it is euident euerye waye that a synner lacketh the spirituall prudence and wysedome that we speake of Thys godlye prudence that we speake of hathe three operacions and woorkes of whyche commeth theyr effectes proporcionablye one is prouision the seconde is Circumspection the thyrd maye be called Caution or warynesse To prouision wee be moued by example of foure poore litle beastes that be spoken of Prouer. xxx Quatuor sunt minima terre ipsa sūt sapientiora sapientibus There be .iiii. of the least thinges breding on earth and they be wiser after theyr maner thē some wise men be And here we must take our examples of vnsensible thinges and of brute beasts and dumme creatures according to the counsayl of holy Iob. xii Ieterroga iumenta docebunt te volatilia celi et indicabunt tibi loquere terre respō debit tibi et narrabunt pisces maris Aske the beasts and they will teache thee and so of others Then it may be sayde that we aske these dumme creatures questions to learne witte by them whē we consider theyr naturall disposicions examinyng and discussing and searching out theyr naturall operacions and vertues And then they answer vs and teache vs when by consideracion of them we ascende and rise vp to the knowledge of god or to som learning to which we come by consideration of their properties As here in our purpose we be answered by the worke of the Emyt and taught to exchewe slouthe and to prouide for the time to come he is one of the foure that the wise man referreth vs to saying formice populus infirmus qui preparat in messe cibum sibi One is the poore Emytte or Pismyre which in haruest and in time of fayr weather prouideth meate to lyue by in winter of whose diligence and prouision he spoke afore Prou. vi Vade ad formicam o piger considera vias eius disce sapientiam O thou idle man or woman go to the Emytte and consider hys labours and payne that he taketh and learn witte He hath no ruler captayne or scolemayster but onely his owne naturall inclinacion and dysposicion where we be many waies taught to prouide as well by almighty God in his scriptures and by the preachers as by our maisters and by good example giuers and yet the said poore beast hath a cast of prouision that many of vs lacketh for he prouideth aforehand in fair weather meate to lyue by in winter and in fowle weather when he may not labour and so the slouthful man may learne by him In so muche as so little a worme lacking a captaine gide or scoolemaister taught onely by nature prouideth so handsomely for her selfe while she maye styrre about and laboure against the time to come Muche more we that be reasonable creatures made after the ymage of God and called to the sight of his glory and that be helped with so many maisters and teachers hauing him that made vs for our gyde and captayne ought and must nedes for shame gather together the graynes and frutes of good woorkes by which we may liue the euerlasting life in time to come Thys present life is like the sommer or the haruest time for nowe in the heate of temptacion and trouble is the tyme to gather y e merites of rewardes euerlastinge the good woorkes for which we shall be rewarded in heauen The daye of dome and the time after this life maye be called winter for then will be no time to labour for a mans liuing but euery man and woman shall be compelled to shewe furth that he hath layd vp in the barne or garnard of his former workes by his life tyme and vpon them he shall lyue or perishe for hunger for accordinge to theym he shall haue his rewarde Lepusculus plebs inualida qui collocat in petra cubile suum Here is som diuersitie of translations for that in our text is called lepus culus in other is called herinacius and hericius Mus. And in the psalm Ciii it is sayd petra refugi
the water drowneth both horse and man Another kind of prudence is Cautio warines lest we be begiled with vices cloked vnder the colour of vertues as Amasa was begiled of Ioab ii Reg. xx This Ioab fearing least Amasa shoulde haue ben made cheife captayne of the warres of kinge Dauid enuied him and dissembled with him and as thei were setting forward to a certaine batail met with him louingly saluted him and toke him by y e chin as though he would haue kissed him and said to him salue mi frater God spede my cosin for in dede they were sisters children he had a weapō by his side with whiche he stroke him in the side that his guttes fell out and so he died There is none so perilous gyle as that is hidde vnder the similitude and colour of frendship By this kinde of prudence we shal spie when pride disgiseth him self vnder the similitude name of clenlines and when lechery is cloked taken for loue and we shall perceaue that in great aboundaunce in worldly welth is hid much indigence nede lacke of vertue and grace and also that vnder the ignominie shame and sclaundre of Christes crosse is most excellent pulchritude and beautie that vnder the folishnes of preaching of Christ as many hath taken it is couered most godlye vertue and wysedome Our sauiour exhorteth vs to prudence wisdōe by example of a serpent Estote prudentes sicut serpentes Mat. x. Be you wise like serpentes The serpent to saue her heade wyll laye forth all the whole body in daunger and perill and so should we do to conserue and saue Christe in vs and to kepe his fayth and his graces in vs we shoulde lay al our bodies in daunger rather losing body goodes and all then him And therefore s. Paule saith Rom. viii who can separate or diuide vs from the charitie and loue of Christ I am sure that nother death nor life neither any other creature can parte vs frō the loue of god that we haue in christ Iesu thus soyth s. Paule in the name of euery good christen man woman Second we may learne prudēce by the serpent whiche when he casteth his olde slowe or skin he crepeth into some straite place as betwixt stones or blockes or rockes there stripeth him selfe cleane out of his olde scurfe into a new skinne And so must we do we must get vs into the strait waye of penaunce and by that stripe cleane away from vs our olde faultes and sinnes Eph. iiii Deponite vos secundum pristinam conuersationem veterem hominem qui corrumpitur secundum desideria erroris Put downe awaye from you your olde man your olde maner of liuinge in lustes of errours all oute of the righte waye of iustice and of good liuinge Thirde the serpent when he perceiueth a charmer aboute to charme him oute of his hole or denne he laieth one of his eares faste to the grounde and stoppeth the other eare with his taile By whiche propertie we be taught against the suggestions of oure goostly enemies to stoppe one eare with the earth that is the remembraunce of our own vilenes and infirmitie and the other eare with oure taile that is to saye with the remembraūce of our death and ende to whiche we drawe dayly Eccle. vii In omnibus operibus tuis memorare nouissima ineternum non peccabis In all thy workes remember thy last ende and thou shalte neuer sinne but shall euer haue a good and ready soule to god And that we all may so haue he graunt vs that by his painful passion redemed vs. Amen The xvi treatise or sermon ET vigilate in orationibus I haue sufficiently as I trust exhorted you in my former sermon to vse prudence and circumspection in all your affaires and doinges now I must aduertise you to beware of such thinges as may be impedimentes to hinder you and lette you from well doinge The Apostle S. Peter wylleth you to take good hede where aboute we go sayinge Et vigilate in orationibus And watche in prayers Slepe not in youre prayers for the deuill slepeth not but watcheth craftely to pull awaye your hearte from you and from the thinge that you intende to praye for Watche and take hede that your minde thinke on nothing els but vpon that you desire in your praier awaye with all carnall thoughtes out of your mindes lette the intente of youre minde be sincere and cleare towarde God and praye vnto him not so muche with the sound of your mouth as with the swetenes of youre minde and so both youre prayer of mouth and of hearte together shalbe mooste acceptable to him And thoughe praier be necessary at all times and in all places yet at this time when holye Churche readeth this processe that we haue nowe in hande for the Epistle of the Masse we shoulde be moost vigilaunte and diligent in prayer that we mighte be the more apte and mete to receiue into the hostrie of our soules the holie Goostes graces at this holye time of Whitsontide now comming And so did the blessed virgin Marye mother of Christe with other holy women and the Apostles after that they had sene Christes ascention they retourned to Ierusalem and got them into an hie halle or a lofte where they were perseuerantes vnanimiter in oratione continuinge in prayer withoute anye notable interruption Vnanimiter al of one mind knitte together by the bondes of Charitie for so must they be that do wait and loke for the holy Gost. For Spiritus discipline effugiet fictū Sap. i. The holy spirite that geueth learninge wyll flye from one that is fayned that fayneth him self or is a dissembler Therfore he that will haue that holy spirit let him continue in praier in vnitie concorde and charitie in hearte and minde And euen so S. Peter exhorteth vs here saying Ante omnia autem mutuam in vobismetipsis charitatē continuam habentes Afore all thinge you muste haue within your selues continual charitie euery one to another Quia charitas operit multitudinē peccatorum for Charitie couereth the multitude of synnes That you may obtaine and gette of almyghtye God that you praye for aboue all thynges be sure of Charitie by whiche you may do good to others as well as to youre selues Accordinge to this Saynt Iames sayth Iaco. v. He that causeth a synner to retourne from his errour shall saue his soule from death and shall couer the multitude of his synnes And the prophete sayeth Psalm xxxi Beati quorum remisse sunt iniquitates quorum tecta sunt peccata Blessed be they whose iniquities be forgiuen and whose sinnes be couered But for this you must vnderstande that oure sinnes may be couered two maner of wayes one waye is by the sinners owne dissimulation hydynge and clokinge But after this maner to hyde oure sinnes maketh vs not blessed but rather accursed in as muche as they styll remayne and liueth in the
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
God But when he that hathe receiued all suche benefites at Gods hande lyueth not well but viciouslye hee payeth not that hee ought he giueth no thanke to the gyuer nor bestoweth these giftes to Gods honour nor to the profite of Gods poore people nor to the wealthe of hys owne poore neyghbours no more then other gyftes of grace that God hath gyuen hym The giftes of nature as bodelye strengthe must be bestowed not as an instrument of mischief to fighting quareling brawling or to theft or murder or such like but must be bestowed in good exercise auoyding of idlenes As the wisemaÌ„ saith Quicquid potest manus tua instanter operare nihil est enim apud inferos quo tu properas Whatsoeuer thy hand can worke do it buselye for there is no worke to do in hel whither thou makest haste by thy idlenes Likewise beutie of face in whyche most part of women excedingly glorieth shoulde not be vsed as an instrument of mischiefe to allure any person to concupiscence by curious and wanton trimming thy self like a staale to take y e diuell And so the gifts of grace as cunning learning perspicuitie clerenes of wyt shoulde euer do good to thy neighbour and not onely to please thy selfe And riches that God sendeth muste be so bestowed that in any wise we beware of couetousnes and of nigardnes as Christ biddeth vs. Luke xij Videte cauete ab omni auaritia quia non in abundantia cuiusquam vita eius est Take heede beware of all couetousnes for a mans life standeth not in the aboundaunce of hys possession Where our Sauiour Christe forbiddeth not onely desyre to haue but also desyre to saue Desyre to haue dampneth many a one as it is playne of robbers theues and brybers and of suche as deceyue men in byinge and sellynge and they that gyueth false euidence or beareth false witnes to wynne and gette a lyuing or to gette the greate mans fauour or els peraduenture to saue theyr owne liues For after Saint Austine this auarice and couetousnes to saue a mans owne life is an horrible auarice greatly to be feared that a man for hys mortall lifes sake wyll loose him which where he was imortal was made mortal to make the immortal and to giue the life euerlasting It were better to dye for truth and to saue the life of the soule by which thou mayst come to euerlastinge life then to loose that life and to be brought to death euerlasting we shoulde be content rather to contempne thys wretched lyfe then to commit any sinne we should be content to say with him Nudus egressus sum de vtero matris mee nudus reuertar illuc Iob grudged not in al hys calamitie but tooke it thankfullye and said I came out of my mothers belye al naked bare and so I wil returne thither agayne Naked he was without bodely aparel but he hadde plenty of rayment that would neuer rotte So better it were for vs to be brought to such myserye as Iob was yea and that oure enemye or a tormentour that thursteth mannes blood should slaye vs oute of hande then that wee shoulde by oure owne tounge for anye desyre of lyfe or of lucre or aduauntage slaye oure owne soules And where Christe sayde Cauete ab omni auaritia c. he speaketh specially agaynst thys couetuousnesse and desyre to saue as appeareth by the parable there of a ryche manne whose landes hadde broughte fourthe a ryche croppe of grayne In so muche that he studyed by hym selfe and sayde what shall I dooe nowo â–ª This will I doe I will take downe and breake mine old barnes and I will make them larger and there I wyll bestowe and laye vp myne encrease and all my goodes and then I wyl say to my self O my soul thou hast goodes inough laid vp for mani yeres now take thy rest eate drink make feastes and bankets at thy pleasure But God sayd to hym Oh thou foole this night thei wyll take thy soule from thy body and then the goods that thou hast gotten who shal haue theÌ„ And euen so and in like case is he saith Christ that hourdeth and storeth for himselfe and is not ryche to godwarde Generally all suche as doe not vse the giftes that God hath giueÌ„ them but drowne them and hide them all to theym selues and nothing to the wealthe of theyr neighbours theyr houshold felowes Gods folkes all such be slothfull stuardes and be like him that Christe spoke of Math. xxv in the parable of a greate man that went from home into a straunge countrey and left his goodes among his seruauntes to be employed and occupied for his profit in his absence To one he gaue fiue talentes to an other two to the third he gaue one talent and this man that had but one talent in stocke knitte hys maisters money in a cloute and hyd it in the earth and did no good vpon it When the mayster came home and shoulde syt in hys audite where euerye man had labored vpon theyr maysters stock and had gotten good encrease thys last man brought the mony whole again excused hym self laying the fault on hys maister saying I know that you be a rough man a sore cruell man a hard man you wil loke to gather wher you nothing cast abrod and you will reape wher you nothing sowed therfore I thought good to be sure without any los thus I haue hid it lo here it is you haue your owne good againe But for his slothe his talent was taken from him and he was cast into exteriour darkenes where shalbe weping gnashinge of teeth This was for his slothe and negligence in which he offended fearing vndiscretly his maisters sharpenes But other stuardes ther be that I spoke of afore that without feare of God payeth shrewd paymente abusyng Goddes gyftes to theyr owne lust and likinge and to hurt theyr felowes Gods seruantes Of such stuardes take example Math. xxiiij Si autem dixerit malus seruus in corde suo moram facit dominus meus venire ceperit percutere conseruos suos manducet autem et bibat cuÌ„ ebriosis veniet dominus seruiâ—llius in die qua non sperat hora qua ignorat et diuidet eum partemque eius ponet cum hipochritis illic erit fletus stridor dentium If the shrewd seruaunt say in his minde my mayster is long a comming vpoÌ„ that beginneth to strike and hurt his felowes to eate and drinke with drunkerdes his Lorde and mayster will come when he thincketh not â–ª will diuide his soule from his bodie and wil laye his part with hipocrites his soule with false christen people with such as beginneth well and end noughtely that semed good Christen men yet dissemblers they were and inwardly noughty liuers and dampnable into hell Luc xij readeth it Et cepit percutere pueros et ancillas and beginneth to strike the children