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
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
I purpose God willinge to set forth hereafter as I maye haue oportunitie A repertorie or table directinge to manye notable matters expressed in this booke folowinge A. ABraham is dead and Abraham is alyue Fol. xxii d Abraham Iepthe and others what they didde for loue to their countrey fol. lii a Absteine from their wiues men must because of prayers fol. ccvii c Actes of parliament in our time hath pretended godlines but in effecte turued to priuate lucre with the impouerishinge and vndoinge of many others fol. cccix b. Adam by his life time had seperate the issue of Cayn from the issue of Seth. fol lix c Adam though he had not offended yet Christ woulde haue ben incarnate and howe fol. cxxxvii c. d. Adulteringe womens heare with strange colours c. is coÌ„trolinge of Gods handy worke fol. cc b. c. Affections of mannes wyll fol. lv c. Affections about good godly thinges be laudable lviii b Age crepeth vpon vs manye wayes and speciallye by studie fol. ccxxxviii b c Almightines of God geueth vs a great light and comforte to beleue all the articles of our fayth fol. lxxv a. Almes geuen againste a mannes will is nigardelye geuen fol. ccxii a b Almes geuen to the studentes of the vniuersities is best be stowed Eodem c. Anaxagoras felicitie fol. xlv a An Ape or counterfetter against euery vertue fol. xliii a Andrewes prerogatiue and his charitie fol. ci c Angels euer seeth the glory of God and euer desireth to se it and so shall we do fol cxxix a. b Apostle is the name of an office fol. c.ii d Apostles be of iiii maners fol. ciii b Arrius heresy fol ii c. Arrius heresy how it rose fol. xix c. Articles of our faith be .xii. according to the number of the Apostles and why they be called articles fo lxxiii b. Asia the lesse is full of pleasures fo lvi d Asia Affrick and Europ how they be deuided fo cviii c. As importeth not euer equalitie fo cxxxii d. Auctors of the Stoikes and their opinion of the .iiii. affections fol. lv d Aulus Gellius story concerning the .iiii. affections fol. lvi c Auctoritie of prelates successors to the apostles fol. xcvi b Auarice wexeth yonge in age fol. clxvii c Aucthoritie of the maister geueth the scoler a courage to learne in all faculties fol. cclxxix c. d. Aulters pulled downe and birdes put vp for the coÌ„munioÌ„ with much mutabilite about the same fol cccxii d. Aulters pulled downe by heretikes of Arrius secte in saint Basilles time fol. cccxiii d B. BAbilon was build .cxxxi. yere after Noes flud by Nembroth fo cccxiiii d Baptisme of infantes contrary to the Anabaptistes cxlii a Baptisme clenseth all sinnes fol. cxix b. Bezeleel had the spirite of science fo xlii c to Beleue there is one god or to beleue god is not sufficient but we must beleue on one god fol lxxiii d Beleue on the holy churche may be saied fo lxxxv a Beleue the resurrection c. is necessarye to take awaye the feare of death fol. lxxxvi b. c Bithinia lieth ouer y e streictes against CoÌ„stantinople cx c Better it is to shine with laboure then to rouste for idlenes fol. clxxiiii c. Bearing one with another easeth the burden so doth coÌ„passion in infirmities of the soule fol ccx a Beutie of face must not be vsed as an instrumente of mischeif fol. cclxvii c Bilders bad and good fol. clvi c. d. Bishoppes must not be to easy or rasshe in orderinge preistes and their perill in so doinge fo clxx d Bishops and preistes were al one in old time fo cclxxxvi c Bishoppes may commaund and compell when clxxii a b Bloud of Abell cried for vengeaunce the bloud of Christe cried for mercy fo cxiiii a Blessinge is diuersely vnderstande and taâ—en fol. cxvi b Blessinge and well sayinge by our neighbours shalbe requited with blessinge euerlastinge fo ccxvi a Blessed be they that suffreth for iustices sake fol. ccxix b Blessed be they that god correcteth and why fol. cclxxv c Bodily members applied to the soule fol cxxx a Bondage came other by iniquite or by aduersitie clxxxiiii a Body of sinne fol lxxxii c d Bristow was ful of diuersitie of errours fo ccix c d Brotherhed is to be loued and not only the brothers ccx c Brotherhead of heretikes and scismatikes is but a canâ—ell or patche of the very true brotherheade and like a rotten bowe broken of from the tree Eodem c C. CAre and solicitude we muste caste vpon god fo cccvii b Calling or election of two maners fol. cxii c. d. Cain for lacke of Goddes feare was punished with feare folio lix b. Calis Malis is called in latin Calpe and why it is called ill Calis fol cvii. b c. Capadotia situation fol. cx c. Carnal in liuing and carnal in knowledge fo cli c. d Carnal and wanton company must be left thoughe it be to thy paine fol. ccxxxii d Ceremonies were layde on the Iewes to kepe them frome Idolatrie fol. xxxi c. Cephas and his interpretation fol. cii a Ceremonie hath his name whereof and what they be folio lxxxviii c. d Ceremonies haue bene vsed frome the begynninge folio lxxxix a b Ceremonies whiche semeth to be of small reason and profitte why they were commaunded fol. lxxxxii b Ceremonies of the olde tyme were of foure manners folio lxxxx c. Ceremonies of the Iewes were .vi. c. or more and verye painefull and chargeable fol. lxxxxii b c. Ceremonies of Christes church be of iiii maners sacrifices Sacramentes halowed thinges and obseruaunces fol. lxxxxiii c Christ hid the glory of his godhead and why fol. i. b c Christ might haue geuen to the apostles as great comforte as the holy gost did and why Christ reserued the best part of learninge for to be taught by him fol. ii a b c Christen men varieth from the Philosophers in certayne conclusions of fortitude fol. xxvii b c Children be no mete hearers of diuinite why fo xxxiii a Christ had the true gift of pietie fol. xlvi b Christ firste heard the doctours read and teache and afterwarde asked questions of them Eodem c Christ reasoned not with the ignoraunt as many doth but with the very best of the doctours Eodem d. At Christes supper s. Peter begon to vnderstande Christes wordes except ye eat the flesh of a man c. fol xxxviii c Christ feared to comfort them that feaâ—eth fol. lxv c. Chast spouses to christ how they mai be knowen fo lxviii b Christe signifieth an office as a kinge a preiste or suche like fol lxxvi c Christ why he chose the death on the crosse fol lxxix a Christ was of most pure complexion therfore his woundes were moost painefull fol lxxix b. Christ descended into hel in soul why he descended lxxx c Charitie is compared to a garment fol ccliii c. d Christ is a stombling stone to whome fol clviii a b Christ is called a stone why fo clv.
carnalitie nor bringeth any man to carnall liberty As in very dede this opinion of no Purgatorye dothe Here I will not contende aboute this vocable Purgatory I meane the middle or meane place betwixt heauen and hell in whiche some soules be stayd afore they can come to that most pure and cleane citye into which nothing can enter excepte it be of the cleanest sorte For whiche place if I coulde imagine a more accommodate and conuenient vocable or terme I woulde be glad to vse it bicause the scriptures hath not the sayd word Purgatory Albeit I knowe ryght well that in all Scripture wee reade not this worde Trinitas or thys woorde Consubstancialis yet God forbid that we should denye the blessed Trinitie in the Godhed the sonne to be consubstanciall and of one substance with the father or the holye gost to be of one substance with the father and the sonne Arrius that pernicious heretike when he was conuinced and compelled by aucthorities and reasonynge to graunte that all three persons in trinitie were of one and equall substance had none other refuge but to sticke in the vocable or terme homousion that we call in latine consubstantialis or vnius substantiae and in Englyshe of one substance because that word is not vsed in scripture he would none therof althoughe he could not denye the thinge a poore cloke of defence God knoweth to graunte the thinge and to varye in the name Therfore so that I might agree with this audience and they with me that there is suche a staye and a meane place of punishment after this life I would not care thoughe I neuer called it Purgatorye but let A. be his name To denye the sayde A. and to say y t there is no such thing bringeth a man to a carnall libertye and geueth man occasion boldly to continue in sinne to hys liues ende trusting then to crye God mercye for his misliuynge and then to go through as they speake I trow they meane to go by and by to heauen as well as he or she that hath liued in vertue prayers paine and penance all the dayes of their liues And so shoulde they be in beste case that be lechers aduouterers couetous brybers and oppressioners and extorcioners vserers periurers dicers and carders hunters and haukers and all suche of the worst sort where contrarye the true beleue that he that hath not done condigne and conuenient penaunce here shall be punished greuously accordynge to the grauitie of his misliuynge afore he enter into that most clere and pure city though god may of his absolute power forgeue such alonge misliuer for one woorde of repentaunce at his laste ende Yet this will make a manne beware of him self and to amende his liuynge surely thinkyng as the truth is that for his vicious pleasures in whiche he hath delited in his lyfe tyme and hath not sufficiently satisfied for hys faulte he shall haue afore he come to heauen suche punishement and payne as the lest parte therof shall greue hym more then all his vnlawefull pleasures haue done hym solace or comforte Thys counsayle and conformitie of good and faythfull people wythdraweth menne from sinne where contrarye Consilia impiorum fraudulenta the disceiptful counsayles and conuenticles of wycked menne rather prouoketh and geueth menne comforte to continue in sinne I was once in a soleme audience where I hearde a famous preacher laboure sore to impugne the sayde meane place saiynge that if it there were anye such place at all it is a place of ease quietnesse and rest alledgyng for his purpose the woordes of the Canon of the Masse after the seconde memento Qui nos precesserunt cum signo fidei dormiunt in somno pacis Where we praye for them that begone afore vs wyth the caracter printe and signe of christes faythe and sleapeth in the sleape of peace These menne lyke as they take the wordes of the Masse and of the seruyce of the churche when they semeth to make for theyr purpose woulde GOD they coulde be so contente to alowe and admit the same in other tymes and places It foloweth there right Ipsis domine omnibus in Christo quiescentibus locum refrigeri◠Iucis pacis vt indulgeas deprecamur Where we pray our Lord God fauourably and with cheryshing to giue them a place of cooling and refreshing contrarie to heate a place of light contrarye to darkenes a place of peace contrary to trouble and vnquietnes either by perplexitie and confusion of minde or by terrible visiōs or otherwise Now if their new purgatory be a place of tranquillitie a place of lyght and a place of rest and peace it should be but all labour lost for vs so besyly to pray that they may come to suche a place seyng that they haue it alredy Then to theyr allegacion Dormiunt in somno pacis you must vnderstand these wordes by a like saying of our sauiour Christ Ioh. xi After that he had a messager sent to him from Martha and Mary that Lazar their brother was sore sicke he taried in the place where he was then beyonde Iordaine for the space of two dayes and then sayd to his dysciples Lazarus amicus noster dormit Lazar oure frende sleepeth I will go into Ieurye where he dwelleth and wake him of his slepe Then sayde his disciples Sir if he sleepe he will be safe anone when he hath slept inoughe They were as wyse then as oure newe purgatorye menne be nowe They thoughte Christe had spoken of that rest that man and beast must nedes haue after theyr labours or els shall fayle and dye whyche wee call commonlye sleepe But Christe meaned of the sleape of deathe Dixerat autem Iesus de morte eius As he expressed by and by playnely saiynge Lazarus mortuus est Lazarus is deade And thys is it that holye churche in that place of the masse calleth sleapynge in the sleape of peace as Christe spoke in like case And as the Prophete speaketh in hys persone Psal. xv Caro mea requiescet in spe My bodye shal rest in hope to ryse againe Then consideryng that holy church after the maner of holye scripture vseth to call death by the name of sleape wee muste be wise and well ware to what thinges what wordes may agree and by reason wherof they do agre or els by our words we maye deceiue our audience as well as oure selues If we thinke that this slepe or death cōmeth to man by reason of the soule we erre very sore for the soule neuer dyeth but is immortall as well by the consent of the paynym Philosophers as by the auctoritie of holy scripture Deus Abraham deus Isaac deus Iacob Exod. iii. Non est autē deus mortuorū sed viuentium Mat. xxii Abraham slepeth and Abraham is wakyng Abraham is dead and Abraham is aliue The one parte you wyll graunte for it is true the other is the saiynge of Christe whiche can not be false The firste is
such after him haue a certain feare in them and worketh rather of a tendernesse or nashnes of hart then of fortitude or manlinesse Contrary to this we rede of Iudas Machabeus the valiant captaine that whē Lisias protectour of that huge part of Asia betwixt the riuer of Euphrates and the ryuer of Nilus in the absence of Anthiocus the king had send by the commaundement of the sayde kyng into the land of Iuda .xl. M. footemen and .vii. M. horsemen to inuade that land and to destroy it handsmothe so that there should remayne no memorie of the Iewes in all that lande Then this noble captain Iudas Machabeus gathered his people together and after fasting that daye with feruent and deuout prayer to God made a solempne exhortacion to hys people where he saide to my purpose Melius est nos mori in bello quam videre mala gentis nostrae et sanctorū .i. Mach. iii. It is better for vs to dye in battail then to se the trouble paines of our nacion of holy mē Wher he preferred death temporal to experience of misery chosed rather to dye then to sustaine the calamitie wretchednes shame that they should come to if their enemies shoulde haue the ouerhand ouer them yet the true fortitude manlines in Iudas Machabeus passed the mālines of al the paignim cōquerours that Aristotle could recite Aristotle saith also fortis quanto est virtuosior felicior tanto fit in morte tristior ▪ A manly man the more that he hath of that vertue the more felicitie that he hathe the more heuy sorowful he is at his death because that by death he is depriued disapointed of y e greatest felicitie benefit goodnes that may com to man which felicitie after him maye be gotten in this world For though they put an immortalitie of the soule yet of the state of soules after this present life they litle determine but leaue it so ragged that a man can not tell what to make of it But where the Philosopher saith for a conclusion fortis quanto est c. his faithe was no better but we by our faith know that the life to come is much more excellent then this presēt life full of misery and wretchednes euer mutable and vnconstant Notwythstandyng for the naturall amitie betwixt the soule and the body they be ful lothe to departe asundre naturally feareth such departure therefore in the ouercōming of this feare in the contempt of this life in ieopardinge on great perils for equitie and iustice sake for the faith of Christ and for the life to come standeth principally our fortitude this gift of the holy gost by which the holy goste moueth our soules setteth vs furth to obtain come to the end of euery good worke that we begin and maketh vs to escape passe al perils that maye let our good purpose And where the paines of death or the fear of death many times ouerthroweth turneth the fraile minde of mā that mā of him selfe can not ouercome the perils of this world come to y e reward of his labors but gyueth ouer hys good purpose afore it be parfite and perfourmed Here the holie goste helpeth mans minde giuyng a certain boldnes and trust to come to rewarde euerlasting in heauen as to the most parfite ende of all good woorkes and the very escape of all perils To this end the true fortitude this gift of the holy gost hath hys principall eye and respect This excellent gifte of fortitude or manlynesse rested in our Sauiour Christ as Esay speaketh and made him to put away and shake of the passions of our fraile mortalitie which made him to feare death and to be pensyfull and heauye when he sweat water and blood in his agonie remembring the death that he should to But anone he cōsidered hys fathers pleasure by fortitude went fourth to mete thē that were sent to take hym and consequentlye suffred his painfull passion on the crosse as he was determined for to doe Wherefore God the father exalted him and gaue him a name aboue all names and that is had in reuerence of al creatures Many we rede of in the olde testament and in the new that boldlye contempned deathe for iustice sake whyche had euer their principall respect and eye to reward euerlasting As Esaye which wyth a sawe was deuided in two partes Ieremye the Prophet was stoned to deathe for preaching to the people the word of God And .ii. Mach vii is writtē a marueilous story of a mother her .vii. sōnes in which this gift of the holy gost the gift of fortitude or mālines appereth excellently When she with her .vii. sonnes were conuented afore the kinge and the iudges they were required to eate certaine meates that were prohibited and forbidden by the lawe and to fal to the rites of gentilitie which they refused constantlye and therfore were condemned to dye were brought to execution the eldeste sonne had first his tonge cut out of his heade then the heere and skinne of his head striped of together his fingers and toes cutte of and when he was almost spent yet he was cast into a great vessell like a friynge panne and fire put vnder there he was broyled and fryed vntill he was deade His mother his brothers lokynge on him and one comfortynge another manfullye to dye in Gods quarell and for the kepynge of his lawes saiynge Deus aspiciet veritatem consolabitur in nobis God will loke vppon the truthe and will haue comforte among vs. The second was likewise serued sauinge that his tonge was not cut out and at his laste ende saide to the kynge Tu quidem scelestissime c. O thou moste mischeuous manne thou destroyest vs in this presente life but the king of all the worlde will raise vs vp againe in the resurrection of life euerlastyng that dyeth for his lawes The thirde shewed furth his handes and his tonge and said I haue the possession and vse of these thinges from heauen aboue but now I despise them for the lawe of God because I hope and trust to receiue them of him againe And euen so all the brothers were arayed vntil they came to the seuenth And that marueilous mother comforted them euerye one saiynge I can not tell howe you did appeare within my bodye for I gaue you not spirite and lyfe and I did not ioyne together the limmes of euerye one of you but the creatoure and maker of the worlde that fourmed and fashioned mannes natiuitie and that founde the originall beginnynge of all thinges wyll restore vnto you agayne with hys mercy both spirite lyfe euen as you now despyse your selues for hys lawes sake Antiochus the kinge thinkinge him selfe to be dispised and set at nought counsayled the mother that she shold entreate geue good counsail to the youngest sonne and to saue his life if it might be
that is done thoroughe all the worlde and he that is excommunicate and caste oute of this vnitie looseth his parte of all the sayde good workes THen foloweth the eleuenth article expressed by Iude otherwise called Thadeus the brother of Iames the lesse aforesaid The forgiuenes of synnes It concerneth the amotion and puttinge awaye the thinge that is yll and moost noysome to man that is synne whiche by the auctoritie that Christe gaue to the Apostles and by them to theyr successours ministers of the Churche and by the vertue of the Sacramentes is losed and taken awaye For while we be in this worlde howe greate so euer oure sinnes shall chaunce to be they may be all wasshed awaye by the strength that Christ left in his Sacramentes THen foloweth the twelfth and laste article of the Crede layde to this shot or gatheringe by S. Mathy that was chosen to make vp the perfite number of the .xii. Apostles after that Iudas the traiter was gone frō them had hanged him selfe it is this The resurrection of the bodye and life euerlastinge that is to saye glorye rialtie and ioye euerlastinge of bodye and soule It is verye necessarye for vs stedfastly to beleue this article to take from vs the feare of death for if we thoughte there were no lyfe hereafter we might well feare death as a thinge most horrible whiche nowe we take as a necessary meane and highe waye to eternitie and life euerlastinge Therefore we shoulde not vndiscretely mourne or cry for feare of our owne death neither for the death of our frende consyderinge that it maketh for the profyt of oure bodies and of our soules for euer stil from the time of mannes conception in his mothers body tyll he be buried he maye take hurt and may be corrupt but he shall rise agayne vncorruptible by the dowrye or gyfte of impassibilitie neither fyre weapon syckenes neyther anye other thinge can hurte him Lykewise in this life mannes body is dymme and darke and geueth no lyghte but it shall rise in glorye clearenes and brightnes by the gyft of clearnes Mannes body is nowe dull and heauy and longe a mouinge and not able to styrre it selfe withoute laboure but it shall ryse nymble and quicke able to moue from place to place how farre distant soeuer they be in a twinkelinge of an eye by the will and commaundement of the soule and this shall be by the dowry or gifte of Agilitie Our body is now grosse and no more able to be present with an other bodye then the body of a brute beaste but it shall rise so spirituall fine and pearsing that it may goo thorough an other body and be present in one place with an other body by the gifte of Subtilitie euen like as I said afore that the body of oure Sauiour Christ came from the wombe of the vyrgyn Marye and as he came amonge his disciples when the doores were shutte so that his fleshe bones and bloude were present with the ooken boordes and yren twistes of the doore or with the walles withoute any diuision of his body or of the dore or of the yren workes or of the walles These wōderous indumentes dowries and gyftes of a body glorified were shewed in oure Sauiour Christes body at his transfiguration for our comforte declaringe that like as he shewed them in him selfe then so we shoulde assure our selfe to haue them in vs when we shall rise to life euerlastinge Where contrary they that shall be dampned shall haue theyr bodies vncorruptible for they shall euer endure passible and subiecte to all paynes of extreme heate extreme colde without any meane besyde the worme and grudge of minde frettinge and gnawinge theyr owne consciences whiche shal neuer cease Their bodies shall be dimme darke heuy and shal supplye the rowmes of cheynes fetters and stockes to kepe them downe in that detestable pryson of hell Then fynally to speake of life euerlastinge of body and soule in heauen what tonge is able to tell or what wytte can compasse how greate the ioyes of that high citie be to be amonge the companies of blessed spirites and holy aungels and to beholde the countenaunce of the Godheade euer presente with them and not to be dismayde with feare of death and to reioyce of the gyfte of euerlastinge incorruption withoute disease or sickenes for there shall be no paine sorowe nor mourninge There shalbe no feare of pouertie no feablenes of sickenes there no man shall be hurte no man shall be angry no man shall enuy or disdaine an other there shall be no couetousnes no hunger no gaping for promotion or honoure no feare of the deuill there shal no diuels lie in waite for to tempt vs no feare of hel there shalbe no death of body or soule but a life full of pleasure indued with immortalitie there the blessed folke shal shine like sterres and they that teacheth other to liue wel shalbe like the brightnes of the firmament Wherfore there shalbe no night no darkenes no cloudes no sharpenes of colde or heate but there shalbe such temperature and measure of all thinges as no eye hath sene no eare hath hearde neither any mans hert hath comprehended or attained to but onely of them as haue be worthie or shalbe founde worthy to haue the same pleasures whose names be written in the boke of life euerlastinge In whiche boke that we maye be registred he graunte vs for his infinite mercy that for vs died Amen An homilie or sermon intreatinge of Ceremonies and mannes lawes GOod Christen people forasmuch as now of late manye mē hath so litle fauored the Ceremonyes of Christes churche also mannes traditions or lawes made by man reputing them inualide and of no strength to bynde Christen people to obserue and kepe them that they haue runne into so greate peruersitie as to despise as wel such laudable vsages as hath ben vsed among christen people continually sith the time of the Apostles vnto our dayes as also to reiecte the very Sacramentes of God the principal Ceremonies of oure faith to the extreme daunger of their owne damnation and of all thē that haue geuen faith to theyr doctrine because you shal not erre in like opinions but rather shal know how necessary Ceremonies be that so you may haue a loue to thē ye shal first hear the aūcientie of Ceremonies then the necessitie of Ceremonies And consequentlye somewhat I shall speake of mannes traditions and lawes and of the strength that they haue to bind men that be subiect to the same lawes to kepe them For the first ye shall vnderstande that this vocable or latyn worde Ceremonie as Valerius Maximus wryteth in the fyrst booke of his stories hath his name of a towne in Italy called Cerete into which towne whē the citie of Rome was taken by the frenchmen the preist of Quirinus and the professed maidens called Vestales virgines with theyr Idolles and other sacred thinges after their maner that they could
dwelleth dawes and crowes the vawtes and rouffes be so ruinous that no man dare well come vnder them Where is Troye where be the olde Emperies and monarchies of the Assirians of the Caldeis Medes Persies and of Rome whose Emperours had vnder them in maner all the worlde for theyr tyme Where is the deuotion that noble men and ryche marchauntes hath had to magnifie and encrease Goddes seruice to his honoure If God had not preserued our mooste gratious Soueraigne Kinge Henry the eyght whiche by his princelie zele loue and deuotion to God hath erecte this Cathedrall Churche of Bristowe and manye other suche within this Realme God knoweth what case diuine seruice should haue bene in All thinge waxeth olde and decayeth in processe of time so that corruption and decayeth in processe of time so that corruption and deathe is the ende Seconde how frequēt and many infirmities raigneth we see dayly infections of pestilence pockes great and small these new burninge agues and innumerable others more then the Phisicions haue written of in their bookes These contaminate and defowleth mens bodies by infections aches and paines euen to death And what corruption and infection of maners commeth to the soule by euill examples ill wordes and suche other occasions it were to long to be spoken of nowe Thirde the comon sterilitie and barennes of the grounde the great scarsitie of all maner of vitall and of fruites of the earth we feele it so many times to our great paine and discomfort that it nede not to be declared But the inheritance that as saint Peter saith here is kept for vs in heauen hath thre proprieties cōtrarie to these thre rehersed ther is no rotting ruine corruptiō or decay but immortalitie cōtrarie to all feare of death There is no feablenes of sicknes ther is none infection of body by corrupt ayre nor of soule by temptacion or by euill example for into that glorious citie and dwelling place can no vncleane thynge enter or come Thirde there shall nothing welow or wyther away but shall euer be kept freshe and floorishing by that well of life almighty God Ther shall be no lothesomnes or werynes by long vse and continuaunce as there is in all worldly plea pleasures there shall all good men and women shine like the sonne Math. xiii Oh good Lorde what beutie and brightnes shal our soules haue when our bodies shall be as bright as the sunne There shal be no heauines no labour no payne no sorowe no feare no death but euer still shall continue health of bodye and minde There shall neuer rise discentiō or debate betwixt neighbour and neighbour no miserie no nede or necessitye no hunger no thurst no cold to hurt the ne heate to enflame thee no faintnes for fasting no sluggardie for much eating no temptacion of oure gostly enemies The fleshe shal not resist against the spirite ther shal be no wil to sinne nor possibilitie to offēd But our sauiour Christ wil giue vs suche pleasure with the companye and felowship of the glorious angels as no hart can think nor any tonge expresse This ioyfull inheritaunce is conserued and kept in store in heauen saith sainte Peter for you that by vertue and power of god be kept by faith vnto saluation whiche is readye to be shewed in the last time at the generall iudgement Here he saithe that this inheritaunce is kepte in store not for all men that be regenerate by baptisme but onely for suche as perseuer and continue in goodnes to the ende by Gods speciall preseruation For perseuerance commeth principallye of God and of our selfe but secundarelye and is necessary for all them that will be saued Nam in cassum bonum agitur si ante terminum vite deseratur saith saint Gregory Good workes be done but all in vayne if they be left and giuen ouer afore the ende of a mans life For he that gyueth ouer and ceasseth to do wel afore he haue proued the vttermost of it or be come to the ende is lyke an Ape whose condition is when he tasteth the vtter hull or huske of an nutte and perceiueth it sowre and bitter casteth awaye the nutte afore he hathe tasted the swetenes of the curnell And cur Sauiour Christ saith in the parable of hym that woulde borowe breade of hys neyghbour Luke xi Si perseuerauerit pulsans c. If he continue still knockyng if hys frende wyll not giue it hym because he is his frende yet for hys importunitie continuall crauynge he wyll ryse and gyue him as manye as he hath neede of And he telleth vs what is the instrument or meane by which God dothe preserue vs and make vs to perseuer and continue in grace and good liuynge It is faithe and suche lyke faithe as I spoke of hope euen nowe sayinge that God hath regenerate vs by hys greate mercye into a lyuelye hope and so the faythe by whyche GOD keepeth vs is a lyuelye faithe adorned with Charitie and with good woorkes accordinglye By faithe Christe abydeth in oure hartes by whose presence wee ouercome all assaultes of oure gostlye enemyes Fayth maketh vs to vnderstande the fylthe and vncleanenesse of synne that so wee maye abhorre synne and flee from it Hec est victoria que vincit mundum fides nostra i. Iohn v. Thys is the victorye that ouercommeth the worlde oure faythe saythe Saynte Iohn it ouercommeth the pleasures of the fleshe tellynge vs that the fleshe is lyke a fellon giltye and most worthly condempned to mortalitie and death and euer still resisting and feighting against y e spirite wherfore it deserueth rather tortures paine and punishment then delicates or plesures Faith also maketh vs to know that the Apostle saith Si secundum carnem vixeritis moriemini if ye liue after the pleasures of the fleshe ye shall die wherefore if ye haue folowed your carnall pleasures eating and drinking reuealing and rioting in this holye time of Christmas lately past which ye should haue spent in deuotion and holynes ye muste repent your faulte and do penaunce therefore Faith maketh vs to contemne and dispise worldly wealth and riches as the dyuels mowse snatch and snare that maketh a man to catche hold others mens goodes so long till the diuell hath caught them and hold them in his danger Saint Paule saith i. Tim. vi Qui volunt diuites fieri incidunt in tentationes et in laqueum diaboli c. They that wil be made riche falleth into temptacions and snare of the dyuell and into many desires vnprofitable and noysom which drowneth men into death and destructiō therefore he biddeth the sayde Timothe to commaunde the riche men of the worlde not to be to highe in their own conceite nor to trust in the vncerteintie of their riches but in the liuinge God which giueth vs all thinges abundantly aswell to bring vs to the eternall fruition of the glorious Godhed as to liue by in this worlde Fayth contempneth despiseth honours
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
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
because Christ in his parable saith that the shepherd cast the sheepe vpon hys shoulders gaudens being glad and mery but seyng all this concerneth his paineful passion on the crosse in which he suffred paines vntollerable how can it be that he with ioye and gladnes cast his straied shepe vpon his shoulders ▪ it was to his payne and not to his pleasure as it semeth In verye dede although he bore our sinnes that is to say the paines for our sinnes to his paines ache and smarting yet knowing what shoulde come of it he was gladde to take the paine and to saue hys shepe For in this you must vnderstande that the reasonable soule of Christe comprehending both wytte and wyll eleuate to the contemplation and fruition of almighty God is called the superioure hyghest parte of the soule The same soule applyed to inferiour and lower thinges is called the lower porcion or lower part of the soul As when the witte or will is applyed or inclined to the fiue wittes or to theyr sensuall appetites or to other lower worldly busines paines or pleasures all beit when the witte or will is exercysed aboute anye suche lower matters in an order to Gods pleasure they belong to the higher porcion and may be called the higher porcion of the soule largely or comonly speaking of the higher porcion To our purpose although the lower part of y e soule of Christ had sorowe paine wyth the sensible powers of the bodye that smarted and aked right sore with the flesh which was most tender in Christ because he was of most pure tender complexion In the higher part of his soule both wayes had euer ioy and gladnes As for the first way in the contēplacion and fruition of the godhead there is no doubt for it gaue Christes soule beatitude euen such ioy and gladnes as he hathe in heauen now After the second maner also whē Christe consydered hys paynefull passion as the meane appointed by the father to redeme mans soule to bring home the sheepe that was lost strayed away by sinne he toke the paines with a good will and very gladly We haue a like example of Saint Paule which by the higher part of his soule and by his deliberate and well aduised will desired to be dissolued and to be with Christ all beit the wyll vnite in amitie and loue to the sensuall appetite desyred to abyde styll in the fleshe and to lyue In lyke maner were the blessed Martyrs whyche in theyr bodyes suffered vnmeasurable tormentes and greuous paynes yet remembring Gods pleasure the rewardes that they should haue for the same they toke thē gladly with good chere And so it standeth together that Christ bearing y e paine for our sins vpō his backe on the crosse yet bore thē gaudens with ioy and gladnes in the higher porcion of his soul knowing that by his paines and bi his death mā shoulde be restored to fauoure agayne that afore was attainted out of Gods fauour And that where we were afore like straied shepe out of the blessed flocke of Gods faithfull people nowe we be conuerted and turned agayn to the pastor and bishop of our soules as S. Peter said to thē that he wrote vnto To the pastor the shepherde the feder of our soules our sauiour Christ whom afterward in his epistle .v. chap. He calleth the prynce of pastors maister of the craft the chief shepherd of the shepherds the chiefe feeder of the feeders the chiefe bishop of the bishops the chiefe curate of all curates and not onely of the flocke Him al pastors and curates aswel spiritual as temporal must folow Here I should speake more largelye of pastors and bishops but I shall deferre it vnto the .v. chapter of this epistle where God helping that matter shalbe more largely entreated Now I shal exhort you as well maisters as seruantes men and womē to consider that we haue a shepherd and an ouerseer in heauen our sauiour Christ therfore you maisters order your seruāts as you would Christ should order you with mercy and fauour And you seruantes so order your selfe to youre maysters as thoughe you serued Christ with simplicitie of harte without doublenes serue not onely to the eye whyle your maysters loketh vpō you playing the wantons while they be absent for if you doe so you are double harted which is cōtrary to simplicitie and plainnes serue as though you serued God and not mā and so being in bonde seruice you shal make your hartes free and at libertie and shall tourne bondage into libertie of hart and shal serue god and seruinge hym you raygne you bee lyke kynges ruling and cōmaunding and kepinge vnder your affections and wayward appetites of the body and so you maye come to suche fortune that you may be maisters ouer them that be free men yea and maye peraduenture be maisters ouer your maisters children Seruo sensato liberi seruiēt Eccle. x. And we haue hearde sometimes of seruauntes which in processe of time haue bought theyr maisters childrens inheritaunce or theyr goodes but these be no dastardes but wytty seruantes that come to such exaltacion And so you see that God euer requiteth rewardeth the true seruant eyther bodely and temporally is in this example rehersed or gostlye giuing him quietnes of minde by which he shall serue his maister truely and so doing he serueth Christe and shall come to hym for so is hys wyll that who soeuer serueth hym should finally be there as he is And that we all may so serue him in our calling in the seruice that god hath appointed vs to that we mai at the last com to him he graūt vs for his infinite mercye that for vs died Amen ¶ The .xi. treatise or sermon The third chapiter SImiliter et mulieres subdite sint viris suis vt si qui non credunt verbo per mulierum conuersationem sine verbo lucrifiant c. Here in the fyrste parte of this thirde chapiter the blessed Apostle ascendeth from the informacion that he gaue to them that be in seruile state of whiche I entreated in my laste sermon vnto them that be ioyned together in the yoke of mariage First speaking to the wiues and ordering them toward theyr husbandes also in theyr exteriour behauiour And consequently he teacheth the husbands theyr duties toward theyr wiues S. Peter saith Similiter et mulieres c. likewise womē must be subiect to theyr owne husbandes Likewise saith s. Peter as I haue spoken of the subiectiō of the seruantes to their maisters so I must aduertise counsel the wiues to obedience subiectiō according to their calling that thei do reuerence vnto theyr husbandes wyth feare as Saint Paule saith Ephe. v. Vxor autem rimet virum suum Let the wife feare her husbande wyth such louing fear as I haue spoken of afore more for loue fearing to displease him then for strokes or punishment And in the same
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
oyntment it giueth a fragraunt and swete sauour And like as God seÌ„deth welth and wo indifferently to good men and to yl men for causes best knowen vnto his wisedome euen so he sendeth our end and death sometime to euil meÌ„ easy and worshipful in the sight of the world and to good men shameful and vilenous as men taketh it Many men desireth a good death and a fayre death and feareth and abhorreth a fowle deathe And yet to saye the truthe all maner of death is a good death to them that be good and to sinneful persons almaner of deathe is a fowle death as Saint Austine declareth in his booke de disciplina Christiana Therfore if thou be afraid of a fowle death thou muste feare a fowle and a sinneful life for if thou loue a fowle and a sinnefull life and wouldest haue a fair end thou louest better thy death then thy life which I declare after this maner All things that a man loueth he would fayne haue them fayre and good as in example If thou loue thy coate or thy gown thou wouldest fayne haue it fayre and good Thou louest thy friende thou wouldest fayne haue hym good Thou louest thy sonne or thy childe thou wouldest be glad he were good Thou louest thy house or thy chamber thou wouldest fayne haue it fayre and good Then how is it that thou woldest fayn haue a fayre and a good death at thine ending Is it not for like causes that thou hast a speciall loue to it And therfore thou praiest God consideringe that thou must once dye that God woulde sende thee a fayre deathe and that God would saue thee from a fowle deathe Thou art afrayd to dye yll but thou art not afrayde to liue yl therfore thou louest thy death better theÌ„ thy life Amende thy yll lyfe and neuer feare an yll death For noÌ„ potest male mori qui bene vixerit he can not die ill that hath liued well But agaynste this you will peraduenture obiect thus hath not mani good meÌ„ ben drowned by tempest or by ship wraâ—k in y e seas lost theyr liues w t their goodes al Hath not many good men ben slain amoÌ„gest theyr enemies in battell Hath not theues kylled mani good men in theyr own houses or els bi the hie way side â–ª Hath not some good meÌ„ bene killed with wilde beastes yea many al to torne in peces with such wild beasts and haue you not herd of som innoceÌ„ts y t haue ben hanged on y e galowes as felons murderers or like malefactours Be not al these yl deathes be thei not fowl deathes Aske the eyes of the carnal and fleshly maÌ„ they will say they be fowle deathes ill deathes But examine aske the eyes of our faithe they wyll iudge theÌ„ and cal theÌ„ fayre deathes because that God saith by the prophet preciosa est in conspectu domini mors sanctoruÌ„ eius The death of the holye good men is precious of great price estimacion in the sight of our lord Be not such deathes as I haue spoken of the veri deathes that blessed Martyrs whose martirdomes we kepe highe holy in Christes churche haue suffered for Christes sake Therfore let vs endeuour our selues to haue a good life while we be here then whatsoeuer occasioÌ„ we haue to die we shal go out of this world to rest quietnes that shall be without al feare of trouble shal neuer haue end The riche glotoÌ„ y t is spoke of in the gospel y t went eueri day in purple soft silkes fared euery dai delicately it is to be thought that he died in a soft bed in fine shetes costly couÌ„terpoints or couerlets but streight out of theÌ„ he was cast into hell where he begged one drop of water to cole his tong to refresh him could not get it Pore Lazar the begger died in his maÌ„gie cloutes ful of matter of his sores amoÌ„g the dogs that licked his scabs w tout meate or drink in huÌ„ger thurst he could not get the cruÌ„mes scraps that fel froÌ„ y e rich maÌ„s bord yet out of al this miseri he weÌ„t streight into Abrahams bosom a place of rest quietnes without any disteÌ„perance to trouble him or to disease hym Take hede of theyr ende and by that consideracion iudge whiche was the better death eyther the ryche gloton which died into hel or the deathe of poore Lazar which dyed into health rest quietnes I dout not but your minde giueth you that poore Lazar dyed the better deathe excepte you would wyshe to dye in riche clothes to be powdred with costly spices and your soules to stynke in hell and to begge water and none to haue gyuen you What profeit got the riche gloton by his gaye tumbe of fyne marble or of touche stone or els of some costly mettal more then the pore man by his homely buryal litle or none Therefore to conclude thou shalt learne to dye well and to dye a fayre death if thou wilt learne to liue wel Our sauiour Christ led the most blessed and vertuous life that euer any man liued and therfore though his death semed to his enemies the cruell Iewes moste vile and vilanous yet it was the marueylous death that killed deathe and killed also the auctour and causer of all death Therefore finallye consideringe that the ende of vs all is come at hande as saint Peter saithe here let vs take example of Christ and of his holy word and also of holy men and women that hath taken paynes to folow his steps and let vs conforme our lyuinge vnto their liues and let vs arme our selues with the coÌ„sideracion and busie remembrance of Christes life and of his passion his death as I sayd at the beginning of this exhortacion then there is no doubte but whether we dye by lande or by water we shall dye a precious and a good death that shalbe the meane and high way to quietnes rest and ioyes in euerlastinge life with Christe Estote itaque prudentes et vigilate in orationibus therfore be you prudent and watch in praiers These wordes of sainte Peter with certaine that foloweth be red in Christes churche for the epistle of the day on the sunday within the octaues of the ascension which is the sunday next afore Whit suÌ„day Saint Peter considering the manifold troubles of this world that vertuous faithful people be euer cumbred with al and also considering the shortnes of our abode here that it wil away and is come to an ende therefore he saithe be you prudeÌ„t and watch in praiers Be you prudeÌ„t he saith there be diuers maners of prudence The Philosopher saithe that omnia naturaliter bonum apperunt Al things naturally desyreth the thing that is good for theym and so doth the thinges that lacketh theyr senses after theyr maner for they naturally desireth to come to theyr natural quaÌ„titie
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
sinne or to the increase of his damnation Another maner of couerynge oure synnes is when they be so couered that God seeth them not and that is to saye that he imputeth them not to vs nor leyeth them to our charge for after the maner of speakinge of scripture then he seith sinnes and loketh vpon them when he punisheth them and then he seith them not when he doth not punisshe them And therefore the prophet sayde in another place Auerte faciem tuam a peccatis meis Tourne awaye thy face from my sinnes As who shoulde saye with the eyes of thy mercy loke vppon me and se me but see not my synnes but as it were one that had forgotte theim punysshe theim not knowe theim not but forgeue them and impute theim not to me nor laye them to my charge And in this case be they that wythoute gyle or dissimulation vttereth theyr synnes Of suche it is sayde Nec est in spiritu eius dolus In suche a mans spyryte there is no gyle where contrarywyse they that vseth gyle and clookynge theyr faultes howe muche the moore they laboure in defence of theyr synnes boastynge their owne merites and their owne well doinges and seith not their owne iniquities nother speaketh of theim so muche their goostlie fortitude and might decaieth and waxeth weaker And therefore againste proude men that trusted muche in their owne good dedes and would not be a knowen of their faultes Christe putteth a parable of the proude Pharisei and the humble publicane The Pharisei praised him selfe of his vertues but he spoke nothinge of his faultes The publicane cloked not dissembled not vsed no gyle but toke vpon him as he was and therefore the one was iustified and iudged for a good man where the other was condempned Christe defended the Publicane and gaue sentence acquitinge him as not giltie and couered his sinnes not any more to impute them to him or to laye them to his charge where the proud Pharisei euen in the temple in the Surgions shoppe and vnder the Surgions hande shewed forth his whole limmes where he was not sicke nor soore declaringe his vertues but his sinnes he couered and hidde from the Surgion and therfore he was not cured he might haue sayd Quoniam tacui inueterauerunt ossa mea dum clamarem tota die Because I helde me styll my bones wexed olde and decayde to noughte while I cryed al day longe The bones of the soule be vertues for as the bones of the bodye maketh the bodye stronge so doth vertues make the soule stronge These bones these vertues decayeth and draweth to nought whyle we be styl and cry al day longe A straunge maner of speakinge of the scripture It is euē of the same maner that I spake of nowe The Pharisei was styll and helde his tounge and yet cried to loude he was styll clokinge and hidinge his faultes with scilence and yet he was loude ynough bosting and praysing him selfe of his vertues and of his well doinges of whiche he shoulde haue spoken not a worde and therfore his vertues auailed him not to saluation of his soule but decaied to nought as his soule did So good neighbours there be inough and to many of vs that crye loude inough boastynge and praysinge our well doinges yf anye be but to speake and confesse our faultes we be styll ynough and holde our tonges As manye men of their glottenye of drinkinge men vnder the borde of ryottinge and surfettinge and of wastfull bankettinge and of theyr pryde malicious taunting of pore men of sclaunderinge and backebiting they take no remorse or grudge of conscience but rather reioyce in mind make much boasting outwarde of the same They vse not to reuele vtter such faultes to theyr goostly father and to almighty God with contrition and sorow for them but rather glorieth in their ill doinges to the increase of theyr owne dampnation If they woulde with a lowly heart vncouer them to the surgion he woulde make them whole where as if they be hidde they wil rankel and fester to euerlastinge corruption Pryde maketh a man to hide his faultes to his dampnation Charitie putteth awaye Pryde Charitas enim non inflatur Charitie is not proude and therfore it disposeth a man to humilitie making him contente to shewe him selfe as he is to the surgion and so he shall be cured and well at ease before God Beatus enim cui non imputauit dominus peccatum He is blessed to whose charge oure lorde God hath not layde any sinnes but geuing him charitie couereth his synnes S. Peter cōsideringe this exhorteth vs aboue all thinges to haue charitie for it couereth the multitude of sinnes And therfore it may be called a holesome and healthfull garment for the soule for diuers necessarye properties of a garment Fyrste like as a garment conserueth and kepeth a mannes lyuelye and naturall heate within him so doeth charitie conserue the lyfe of the soule so that he that lacketh it lacketh lyfe and is dead i. Ioh. iii. Qui non diligit manet in morte He that hath not loue or charitie abideth in death he is all colde and stiffed This liuely heate of the soule is conserued and saued by kepinge the commaundementes of god which be al comprehēded in loue or charitie accordinge to Christes aunswer to a certayne learned man that apposed him saying maister what shall I do to haue euerlastinge life Christ apposed him again in his owne learning what is written in the lawe howe reade you He aunswered Thou shalte loue God aboue all thinges with thy whole hearte with thy whole soule with all thy strength and with all thy mynde And thy neighbour as thy selfe Thou sayest wel sayeth Christ Hoc fac uiues do that and thou shalt liue And all this is done by kepinge the ten commaundementes of God In the thre fyrste commaundementes we be taught howe to order our loue towarde God and in the seuen last howe we shall extende our loue to our neyghbours And yf we perfourme and fulfyll these for loue we shall please God and deserue heauen by them where as yf we kepe them onely for feare we would do the contrary if we might and be no thanke worthye Albeit better it is to fulfyll the commaundementes for feare then not to fulfyll theim at al for by oft doyng wel for feare we may gendre a loue to wel doing so at last we shal do wel for loue and shall haue a swetenes in wel doinge Second charitie is compared to a garment for like as a garmēt defēdeth a man in external heat in colde in wet drie wether so doeth charitie award defend the soule in prosperitie in aduersitie For as s. Paule saith Diligentibus deum omnia cooperantur in bonū To them that loueth God al thinges worketh to good for both prosperitie aduersitie God is to be lauded thanked when al thinges that man liueth by cōmeth plētifully whē the
geueth good comforte sayinge if you be vmbrayded and missaied for vsynge vertue and iustice that is for Christes sake you be blessed for euerlastinge blessing is promised you And that perteineth to honoure to glorye and to the vertue of GOD and also his holye spirite resteth vpon you In this present lyfe you shall be worthye to haue honoure in youre good workes and for well doynge and vertuous lyuinge Nam honor est praemium virtutis Honor is the rewarde for vertue and in time to come you shall be partakers of Christes honour And nowe you shall haue the glorye of a pure cleare conscience whiche is the glory of a Christen man and the very waye to come to glorye of body and soule Gloria nostra haec est testimonium conscientie nostrae ii Cor. i. This is my glory saith S. Paul the witnes of mine owne conscience without remorse or grudge for my conuersation hath be in simplicitie amonge you without carnall or crafty subteltie or deceipt saith S. Paule Euen like glorye of your owne consciences shall reste vpon you whiche shall comfort you agaynst the insulties and sclauderous raylinge of all your aduersaries Let them say what they wyll you can not let them you know your selues cleare and fautles and the vertue and strength of God ouer the deuyll and all his membres shall also reste vpon you and no marueyle for his holy spirite the holy goost the causer of these benefites and of all other goodnes resteth vpon you and therefore as muche as in them is almightie God that resteth in you is missaid and rayled at in you but as in you and for your part and as you muste take it he is glorified and that is said redoundeth to his glorye by you Nemo autem vestrum patiatur vt homicida aut fur aut maledicus aut alienorum appetitor When you take paine and be rayled on for iustices sake you maye be gladde But I woulde not sayth S. Peter here that any of you shoulde suffer for manslaughter as a murtherer or as a thefe or as a sclaunderer or backbiter or blasphemer or as one that goeth about to take awaye other mens goodes to spoile and robbe them The theues suffer imprisonmēt and death for theyr offences this paine they suffer for theyr iniquitie Heretikes be likewise put to shame and many times to death for theyr misbeleife and heresies and for blaspheminge and missayinge Gods holy scriptures to the yl example and peruerting of many a christen soule bringing them also to like damnation There be none such to be reputed blessed for theyr paines sufferyng because it is not for Christe nor for iustice sake but for theyr owne faultes yll doinges and ill sayinges but yet some suche men and women that haue so suffred for theyr faultes be so obstinate in theyr malice and so glory in theyr errors and iniquitie that they be not ashamed to saye they beare theyr crosse with Christe when they beare theyr fagottes in open penaunce to escape theyr burninge They beare theyr crosse in dede as the thefe dydde that was hanged on Christes lefte syde not to theyr saluation but to theyr cōdempnation which they here beginne and in hell shall consummate perfourme and continue the same for euer Si autem vt Christianus non erubescat sayth S. Peter If you suffer as a Christen man or woman eyther displeasures in body and goodes or by wordes for that thou arte a good Christen man or liueste like a good christen man or woman be not ashamed what so euer be sayd or done against the but rather glorify God giue laude and prayse and thankes to God that hath geuen the grace to be thought worthye to suffer contumely or despites for Christes name Glorificet autem deum in isto nomine quoniam tempus est vt incipiat iudicium a domo dei For nowe is the time for the iudgement of God to beginne at the house of God The iudgement beginneth in our lyfe time for whiche you muste note that the iudgement of God is of two maners one is priuie and secrete the other shall be manifest and openly knowen to all men and women The fyrste is in this life the other shalbe at the day of dome and the generall iudgement For almighty God will leaue no ill vnpunished therfore in as much as he sharpely wyll punishe sinfull persons with the intollerable paynes of hell with the deuylles after this lyfe he suffreth them to take their pleasure while they be here a while and to leade a mery life in welth in prosperitie but at a trise sodenly they be plucked awaye and descendeth downe into hell to that vntollerable and eternall iudgement And when God sendeth to such malefactours any paynes or trouble they fret and chafe rayle and grudge agaynste GOD and in theyr rage dyeth and beginneth theyr hell with paynes and sorowe here that hereafter in hell shall continue for euermore no tounge can expresse the sorowe and paynes that there shall be But others that by suche strokes and correction as God sendeth them be exercised for theyr purgation and be made better and better taketh them for a warning to conuert and amend their liues such correction doth thē much good Therfore it is written Iob. v. Beatus homo qui corripitur a domino Blessed is the man or woman that is correct and punished of our lord God And the reason is this for if mannes correction maye be good and holesome then Gods correction muste nedes be much more holesome for man knoweth not parfitly the maner and measure of holsome correction neither is omnipotent to take awaye the punishment when it is ynoughe or when he lyste ▪ nor to do good and to ease a man in tyme conuenient but God by his omnipotency by that he is almightie and knoweth all thinges he knoweth how much or how litle he maye punishe his childe and seruaunt and he euer punisheth hym to do him good either to trie him and to proue his constauncy or to make him amende his lyfe For there is no man liuinge that can say he is all cleare but that he hath sinned or done amisse and many things that in our iudgement semeth to be iust and well done yet in the iudgemente of God they may be nought For man seith and iudgeth after the exterior apparaunce but God seith the secretes of the heart and al other circūstaunces And in as much as all mankinde was at the beginning iustly condempned for the offences of Adam God will not easely deliuer vs from that malandre neither from so greate a disease which also maketh that sinnes be euer ready and we euer running headlong to them but iustice good liuing is full of labour and payne and is hard to come to but that loue and charitie maketh that easy to them that loueth God whiche to other is very painefull And this is the occasiō of this priuie iudgement of God by which he sendeth
excellencie of the ministers of the newe testament to the glory and ryaltie of the ministers of the old testament That thing that floorished and was had in glorye and riallie esteemed was not glorified in this behalfe in respecte of the excellent glorye of the thinges of the new testament of Christe As the Apostle sayth a litle before Si ministratio mortis litteris deformata in lapidibus fuit in gloria ita vt non possent intendere filij Israell in faciem Mois◠propter gloriam vultus eius que euacuatur quo modo non magis ministratio spiritus erit in gloria ii Cor. iii. If the seruice of death described and written with letters in the stones of the two tabels was had in glory and reuerence so that the people of Israell coulde not looke vpon the face of Moyses which was the minister of that lawe for the glorie and shyning bryghtnes of his face which is sone taken away for it taried not How then can it be that the seruice of the spirite by the grace of the new Testament should not be in glorie muche more He calleth the ministration and seruice of the olde leuits priestes of Moyses law the ministration and seruice of death bycause that Moyses lawe was the occasion of death of the soule not of it self but by the malice and yll will of man whiche commonly laboreth and inclineth to the thing whiche is forbidden so runneth headlonge to breake the commaundementes of God whiche be set forthe by Moyses law and consequently to run headlong to death euerlasting And also Moyses law is full of the comminations and threateninges of the death of the body for the breakinge of it He that gathered stickes on the holy daye was put to deth he that missayde his father or mother should die for it and such other Yet the ministers of the same were had in glorie great reuerence whiche the Apostle declareth by the glory shyninge brightnes of the face of Moyses when he came downe from the mount from GOD bringinge downe with him the lawes then his face had certayne bright shining beames comming from it which appered to the people like hornes ascending vpward from his face so that the peoples eyes could not abyde the sight to loke vpon him but runne backe awaye from him in so muche that he was fayne to put a veyle or a couerynge ouer his face when he spoke to them and when he went vp to talke with God he vncouered his face and when he should declare Goddes pleasure to the people he couered his face agayne that they myght more easly aproche and looke vpon him and heare him as it is playne in the story Exo. xxiiii Of this the Apostle Saynte Paule argueth If the ministration and seruice of death whiche also is euacuate abolished and gon were had in glory and reuerence as it was in deede as appereth by the storie now rehersed then muche more the ministration and seruice of the spyrite of the new law and Testament in whiche the holye spiryte of GOD is gyuen to faythfull people whyche is also the seruice of loue and of libertie of the soule must needes be had in glory and in reuerence For in comparyson of the glory of the lawe of the Gospel and of the law gyuen by Chryst the former glory and clearenes of Moyses law is not seen but vanysheth awaye euen like as the light of the Moone or of the sterres is hyd and sheweth not by the light of the son in a clere day Then saith Chrisostome conuerting his contemplacion to our misteries of the new testament of Christ and to the ministers of the same Let vs consider among other thinges how it is cōmytted to them here dwelling on earth in thys mortall bodye to dispence and bestowe the treasure and riches of heauen for it is giuen to priestes to haue suche power as almighty God would neyther giue to the angels nor to any of the archangels or to any other angels of heauē For it was neuer sayd to any of them whatsoeuer thou loosest on earth shal be losed in heauen whatsoeuer thou bindest on earth shall be bounde in heauen This bonde toucheth the very soule of men and reacheth vp euen to heauen aboue so that whatuer the priest doth in this behalfe here beneth on earth almighty God doth ratifie and alowe the same aboue in heauen and he beyng the lord and mayster doth aproue the sentence of his seruāt Now what maye a man call this els but that in maner al the power in heauen is committed and graunted to the priest for Christ sayth whosoeuer sinnes you forgiue thei be forgiuen and who soeuer sinnes you restrayne or bynde they be restraint bound Tel me saith Chrisostom what power can be giuen greater then this one The father hath giuen to the sonne al power in heauē and earth But now I see saythe Chrisostome the same power the sonne hath giuen to the prest which the father hath giuē to him Imagyn that if a noble king had gyuen to one of hys faythfull and true seruauntes or subiectes power to caste into prison whom it pleased him and to take him out of prison againe or ani other prisoner that he thought wel to do such a man should be counted a marueilous man and in great fauour with his souerayne and worthy to be highly estemed of all the realme And it were a plaine madnes for anye man to despise such an auctoritye euen so it were a manifest madnes to despise or litle regard that authoriti without which we can not obtain our soule helth here in this world saith Chrisostom nor can obtaine the good promisses of the ioyes of heauē Here you must vnderstand Chrisostom that he speaketh of them that be of age and dyscretiō and hath time and oportunitie to vse the sacramentes which the priest ministreth For no man can come to heauen except he be regenerate by water and by the holy gost and he that eateth not the fleshe of Christ drinketh not his blood can not haue life euerlasting Al these thynges be performed and brought to passe by the priest thē how can it well be that without theyr helpe wee may escape the euerlasting fyre of hell or obtaine or wyn the reward of the eternall garlande and crowne of glorye These bee they these be they I say to whom the spiritual trauelyng and the byrthes or deliueraunce of soules to God be put to and they be put in credite and trust with thē By them we put on vs Christe for our garment when we be made Christen men by theym we be buried with Christ by baptisme as Saint Paul speaketh and be made the limmes and the members of hys blessed body For these consideratiōs we ought to feare them to do them more honour then to our carnall father for by our carnall parentes we be borne ex sanguinibus voluntate carnis of bloud the peasure of
the flesh but these men these priests be the aucthors and doers of that byrth which we haue of God and of that blessed regeneration and trew liberty by which we be made the children of God by adoption and speciall grace The Iewes priestes of Moyses law had power not to pourge clense the bodie from leprie of them that were infecte with the same disease but rather to discerne iudge whether men were purged or not purged from that disease and yet was their priesthod in hie estimacion and ambitiously desired as appered bi Chore Dathan and Abyron which for their obstinate and greedie desyre sanke into Hell the earth opened and swalowed them vp with all theyr confederacie Then coÌ„sider how the priesthod of the new Testament is amplified made of more sanctimonie by reason of the most holie misteries and sacramentes with whiche it is exercised then euer was the priesthod of Moyses law For Christes priestes doth not only declare and iudge whether men be purged fro the lepres of the soule or not but rather doeth purge them in deede by the power that Christ hath geuen to them Therfore after Chrisostom looke howe great difference there is betwixt vehement loue and desire of a thing and the contempt or despising of a thing so greatly thei that despiseth the holy priesthod of Christes ministers be more detestable to be reproued then euer were Chore and Dathan and their confederacy which with so ardent and feruente desyre aspired to the priesthod of Moyses time The one sanke downe into the gapinge earth which swalowed theÌ„ downe into Hell then let not the other thinke to escape without more shame and vengeauÌ„ce Moreouer yet further to compare the priestes to our naturall parentes Almighty God hath geueÌ„ to priestes more power vpon vs then to our naturall parentes For our parentes begetteth vs into this present temporall lyfe but the priestes getteth vs into euerlasting life Our carnall parentes can nother saue vs from temporall sickenes nor froÌ„ temporal death but the priestes not only when they regenerate vs by water and with the holy spirite or when by their holy doctrine they recouer vs from vice to vertu but also when we be bodyly sicke also sicke in our soule they cure and heale vs obtayning by the succour and help of their prayers bothe health of body and soule witnesseth S. Iames Iaco. vlt. Infirmatur inter vos aliquis accersat presbiteros ecclesie orent super euÌ„ vngeÌ„tes euÌ„ oleo in nomine dnÌ„i oratio fidei saluabit infirmuÌ„ et alleuiabit euÌ„ dominus et si in peccatis sic remittentur ei WheÌ„ any maÌ„ amoÌ„ge you is sicke let him sende for the priests of the church let them pray ouer him anoynt him with oyle in y e name of our Lord the praiers of faythfull persoÌ„s shal saue y e sick our lord shal set him vp agayn And if he be in sinnes they shalbe forgiueÌ„ him Natural pareÌ„ts cannot help theyr children if they offende against princes or kinges in anye poynt of treason or greuous offence where priestes many times obteineth grace mercy and fauour for theyr spirituall children not of mortall princes but of almighty God wheÌ„ he is offended with them Well thys excellencie of priesthod coÌ„sidered which I haue now at large declared euer presupposing their excellency power and auctority to be principallye vpon the soule of man in such things and doinges as be toward God to whom be all honour glory for euer Amen ¶ The .xix. treatise or sermon WOrshipful frendes I truste you remember that in my laste sermon that I made in this place I entred on the fift chapter of Saynt Peters first epistle In which I declared vnto you how Saynte Peter like as he had giuen good and godly lessons to all kynde maners of men and women maryed and single masters and seruauntes bondmen and freemen so because the ministers of the church shuld not lak learning he instructeth prelates and priests and informeth theÌ„ of theyr dutie alluring al priestes to giue credence to his doctrine by that he professeth him selfe to be a priest and one of such experience of the affayres of our Sauiour Christe that had sene as well the glory of Christes glorified body at his transfiguration as also the vexacion that he suffred in the whole processe of his painful passion and that he was partaker of the same And then consequentlye I descended to speake of the order of priesthode and of the dignity of the same which I declared at large bi the scriptures and by the auncient writers holye fathers And I had litle thanks for my labour specially of them that beinge priestes be ashamed of that name and of likelyhood would faine de discharged of theyr order if they could tell howe most agreued they were with me because I said nothing in the defence of theyr shameful and incestious bawdry which they would couer wyth the name of matrimony so by them sclaundring that holy sacrament Then I declared many properties of a good priest which to exchew prolixitie I will now not rehearse againe for I trust you haue not al forgotten them These properties of a good priest or prelate thus declared let vs see what Saint Peter now here in the letter willeth them to do Pascite qui in vobis est gregem dei Feede the flocke of God that is vnder your hand Because that now lateli this matter of the diuersitie of shepeheards and pastours was very well and aboundantly handled and declared I wil passe ouer it presupposing these good properties afore rehersed of him that shal be a good shepheard or pastour We must take heede to our charge Act. xx Atten dite vobis vniuerso gregi in quo vos spuÌ„s sâ—tuÌ„s posuit episcopos regere ecclesiaÌ„ dei quaÌ„ acquisiuit sanguine suo Take hede to your selfe sayth S. Paule to the priestes prelates of Ephesus and to all the whole flocke in whiche the holy goost hath set you bysshops Lo here he calleth them byshops they were not then all in such preminence or so set in aucthoritie or superioritie aboue others as bishops were then sone after and be now but he meaneth priestes afore he called them maiores natu ecclesie the elders of the church or congregation Now he calleth the same byshops these S. Paule biddeth take hede to their flocke Saynt Peter byddeth them feede their flocke as Christe had commaunded Peter to feede his lammes and to feede his sheepe his people whiche should be lyke laÌ„mes full of simplicitie tractablenes and geÌ„tlenes which Christ willeth all them that wilbe saued by him to vse So Saynt Peter descendeth as by an ordinate Iherarchie and giueth like charge to such as he had constitute and ordeyned to be curates after him willing them to feede the flocke prouidentes non coacte prouiding for theÌ„ without coaction They must wyth discrete solicitude and studie prouide such