thou his Sonne in whom thou reposed greater confidence and trust then in thy â—â—rnal father and mother and that he will in all thy necessitie bee readie to helpe thee euen for Christes sake our onely Mediatoure and Sauiour Suche a Faithe as this commeth not of any humaine power but GOD planteth thâ— same in vs for that Christe with his Blood deserued and merited it to whom therefore be hath giuen this glorie that beyng set on his right hande he by his diuine power might settle and staie a sure faithe in vs. Hitherto therefore wee haue heard how saincte Peter exhorteth vs first to girde vp the loynes of our mynde and also sincerely to walke in a perfecte faithe Then consideryng how deare a price this hath coâ—te Christe that wee should haue our conuersation in feare not bearyng our selues hold vpon this that we are named ChristiaÌ„s sith God is suche a iudge as respecteth no maintes persone one more then an other but iudgeth equally without any parcialitie Now proceedeth he further and endeth this first Chapter saiyng Seeyng your Soules are purified in obeiyng the truthe through the Spirit to loue brotherly without â—â—inyng Loue one an other with a pure harte feruently Beeyng borne a newe not of mortall seede but of immortall by the woorde of God who liueth and indureth for euer For all fleshe is as grasse and all the glorie of man is as the flower of grasse The grasse withereth and the flower falleth awaie But the worde of the Lorde endureth for euer and this is the worde whiche is preached among you SAinct Paule in the fifte to the Galath rekoneth vp the fruites that followe faithe The fruites of the Spirit saieth he are Loue Ioye Peace long suffering Gentlenesse Goodnesse Faith Meekenesse Temperance So also here doeth saincte Peter teache vs whiche bee the fruietes of faithe To witte to purifie our Soules in obeiyng the truthe through the Spirite For where true Faithe is it bryngeth the bodie vnder and in subiection and bridleth the lustes of the fleshe and although it make not a cleare riddaunce and dispatche thereof yeâ— makers it the Bodie subiect to the Spirite and â—s with a bridle qualifieth the wilde motions thereof The same meanyng also hath sainct Paule where he speaketh of the fruictes of the Spirite It is a greate and busie peece of woorke to bryng the Spirite to Maister and beare rule ouer the Bodie and to represse the wilfull affections and fleshlie desires naturally engraffed in vs from our parentes For it is not possible for vs to liue well no not in the state of Wedlocke without speciall Grace I saie nothyng what wee can doe herein beyng without Grace But why saieth he Purifie or make chaste your Soules and not rather your Bodies Surely he full well knewe that the lustes and concupiscences of the fleshe accompainie vs to our Graues and are neuer quenched in vs although wee bee Baptized till our diyng daie Now it is not inough for a manne to conteine hymself from the acte doyng and to be outwardly chaste and a virgine his harte in the meane while boilyng in filthie desires of fleshly lustes but wee must earnestly endeuour our selues with all diligence that our Soules maie bee chaste so that this chastitie maie proceede and come from the harte and that the Soule maie bee at continuall enemitie and warre with all naughtie desires and still fight againste them till it be cleare deliuered from them And it agreeth very well that is here added that we must purifie our Soules in obeiyng the truthe through the Spirit Muche hath been preached and spoken of Chastitie and many Bookes haue been written concernyng it The Aucthours whereof haue taught vs with long Fastyng abstinence from fleshe wine and suche like to quenche these filthie motions of concupiscence and luste Whiche although some what thei helpen therevnto yet could thei not be sufficient neither could thei beate doune the inordinate desires of the flesh Sainct Hierom writeth of hymself that he so punished and pinched his Bodie that he was euen like an Ethiopian yet neuerthelesse he so little therewith profited that he many tymes dreamed he was in Rome in companie of Gentle women and faire Maiders S. Bernard also so punished and with suche abstinence almoste so spoiled his bodie y t it stonke loathsomely as afore I haue declared These holy men were greeuously teÌ„pted for with those outward thinges thei thought thei could restraine and quench their temptations but because the remedies whiche thei vsed were externall and outwarde and were applied outwardlie and not inwardly where in deede the disease was harboured thei could not serue as sufficient and able to maister and kill those desires of the mynde with whiche thei warred But S. Peter in this place sheweth vs a moste true and Soueraigne remedie wherewith to cure this euill to witte Obedience to the truthe through the Spirite Whiche the Scripture in other places also setteth doune as in the 11. of Esaie Faithfulnesse shalbe the girdle of his reynes This is the true Cataplasme wherewith the Reynes are to be girded whose soundnesse must proceede from the inner thinges to the outwarde and not contrariwise from the outwarde to the inner For the Soare whiche we would cure lieth not outwardlie in the kerther or clothes but deeyng bredde inwardlie ragingly raigneth and lyeth in the Bloud Fleshe Marrowe and Veines Therefore it is not the beste waie with outwarde thinges to goe aboute to represse and quenche fleshly concupiscence the bodie with fasting and labours may be brought into greate debility and weakenesse and at leÌ„gth thereby be vtterly marred spoyled and brought vnto death but to bee cased from euill desires it can not But Faithe is able to quenche them and so to keepe them vnder that thei shall bee brought to giue place and yeeld vnto the Spirite So also speaketh the Prophete Zacharie in his 9. Chapter of wine whereof Christe first drinketh whiche maketh them maydens to whom hee drinketh and forecasteth Then arare of other wine is wont to enkindle and stirre vp naughtie desires but this wine to wit the Gospell represseth the same and maketh the harte chast And this is it that S. Peter here meaneth when hee saieth where Truthe is bolden fast in the harte and obedience thereunto giuen through the spirite that that and none but that is the truest cure presentest remedy against this daungerous euil and mischiefe beside which there is none other that can be found so able to driue awaie and qualifie these euill cogitations and vaine thoughtes For wheÌ„ this remedie the Gospell I meane is entered and taken possessioÌ„ within the harte all naughtie leude motions do straightways giue place and vanishe awaie Let hym that wil trie this matter and hee shall duely finde it so to bee as all they that haue made triall thereof doe very well know But the Deuill doth not easely suffer any man to come to that poinct as in harte so to embrace the
of euill doers thei maie bee ashamed whiche slaunder your good conuersation in Christe For it is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well doyng then for euill doyng For Christe also hath once suffred for sinnes the iust for the vniust that he might bryng vs to God and was put to death concernyng the fleshe but was quickened in the spirite By the whiche he also went and preached vnto the spirites that are in prison Whiche were in tyme passed disobedient when once the long sufferyng of God abode in the daies of Noe while the Arke was preparing wherein fewe that is eight soules were saued in the water To the which also the figure that now saueth vs euen Baptisme agreeth not the puttyng awaie of the filth of the flesh but in that a good cōscience maketh request to God by the resurrection of Iesus Christ Whiche is at the right hande of God gone into heauen to whom the Angels and Powers and Mighte are subiect Likewise let the wiues bee subiecte to their Housbandes that euen thei whiche obey not the word maie without the woorde bee wonne by the conuersation of the wiues While thei behold your pure conuersation which is with feare SAincte Peter in this place namely speaketh of those Wiues whiche in his tyme had vnbeleeuyng Housebandes and again of suche faithful Housebandes as yet had Heathen and Ethnick wiues For it oftentymes happened in those daies that the Apostles preached the Gospell emong vnbeleeuyng Pagans and Infidelles emong whom it was often seen that the one of the parties to witte either the Housebande or the Wife was conuerted and wonne vnto Christe the other still wallowyng and persisting in errour Now if this charge of Wiues subiection and obedience to their housbandes were so straightly commaunded then how muche more is it behouefull and necessarie to performe and shewe it forth now adaies The office therefore of a Wife saieth sainct Peter is this to bee loyall and subiecte to her Housebande yea though he bee an Infidell and a Heathen And here he inferreth the cause why it is conuenient and behoouefull so to doe That euen thei whiche obeye not the worde maie without the woorde bee wonne by the conuersation of the wiues WHen the Housebande seeth that his Wife liueth orderly innocently and honestlie he is thereby moued and prouoked to embrace the like Christian Faithe and godlinesse And albeeit the office of preachyng bee not committed nor allowed vnto Women yet ought thei neuerthelesse so honestly to demeane and behaue themselues in maners and conuersation that euen thereby thei maie allure and drawe their Housebandes vnto Faithe Wee reade that the vertuous Matrone Monica Mother vnto sainct Augustine conuerted her houseband a little afore his death vnto the Faithe of Christ and after that her Soonne Augustine also But wee must note that this is an externall office and outward charge not to bee doen of any woman with intent thereby to bee iustified For by all this obedience shall not a woman bee saued For euen emong the Heathen Infidelles wee maie finde some Wiues in eche respecte verie duetifull seruiceable and debonaire to their housebandes but that obedience of theirs raught no farther then to content serue and please their housebandes For so did God ordaine and appoincte Genes iij. when he saied to the woman Thou shalt be subiecte to thy Housebande and he shall rule ouer thee whiche is one of the punishmentes that God there inflicted and laied vpon Women But yet this is as I saied afore appertainyng to outward conuersation and belongeth to the bodie not to the Spirite Women haue here greate cause to reioyce in that thei knowe what Worke to doe to please God withall For this is suche a greate treasure as a wife can not haue a greater nor more precious in that she certainely knoweth that when she sheweth suche subiection and obedience to her housebande she highlie pleaseth God therewith and doeth that whiche to hym is right acceptable then whiche knowledge and persuasion what can be tide vnto her more ioyfull and gladsome And therefore she that is desirous to bee a right Christian wise let her thus thinke with her self I will not respect what maner of persone my housebande is with whom I am now coupled in mariage whether he bee Iewe or Gentile good or badde but I will drawe my self to this consideration and respecte onely that God hath appoincted me to bee this mannes Wife and linked me vnto hym in the bandes of Matrimonie and therefore as I am bounde so will I in all poinctes bee subiecte and obedient vnto hym This persuasion beeyng once throughlie settled in her liuyng in suche duetifull obedience all her Workes bee bothe acceptable and commendable If any bee so wilfull and waiwarde whom these reasons doe not moue to suche a one doubtlesse no other persuasions will be auaileable By beatyng a man shall doe no good if he thinke thereby to bryng his wife to be tractable and duetifull for in castyng out one Deuill by beatyng he shall bee sure to beate in twoo as badde or worse as in our common Prouerbe we are wont to saie O that Wiues throughlie knewe this doctrine and exhortation of Saincte Peter how happily and blessedlie should thei liue But our peruerse and crooked Nature is suche that what God commaundeth none are willyng to followe but what mannes idle braine deuiseth after that men runne headlōg Furthermore God hath willed this Commaundement of wiues obedient subiection to their housbandes to bee so firmely and inuiolablie obserued that he hath graūted power and aucthoritie to the housebandes to dissolue vndoe disalowe and to make frustrate and of none effecte any vowes made by their wiues if thei mislike the same As wee read Num. xxx And that for none other cause but to liue therby at home in peace quietnesse and tranquillitie And thus muche firste of the office and duetie of Wiues towarde their Housebands now next the Apostle setteth doune how a Wife ought to behaue her self towardes all others Whose apparailyng let it not be outward as with broided haire and golde put aboute or in puttyng on of apparaile But let the hidde man of the harte bee vncorrupte with a meeke and quiet Spirite whiche is before God a thyng muche set by THis treasure and inward garnishement we maie not thinke here to be commaunded and prescribed onely for Wiues but the same stretcheth ought to bee construed as ment also of Men. Here maie some aske this question Whether these saiynges of Saincte Peter concernyng Womens apparaile bee straightly commaunded or no Wee reade of Queene Esther how that she ware a Croune of gold on her head and putte on her roiall apparaile that was very rich precious and meete for a Quene Esth ij and .v. Iudith also apparailed her self moste brauelie and magnificently Iud. x. But in bothe places we finde it thus explaned that thei did it not for any vaine delite that thei had therein
for euill doyng IT can not possibly bee that thei to whom heauen is appoincted for their enheritaunce should here in this worlde liue in quiet state according to the desire of Nature seeyng the same happeneth not to those that be of the worlde and which haue neither parte nor portion in the kyngdome of heauen It is an Iniunction indifferently appertainyng and equally alike liable vnto all Adams children and posteritie whiche was denounced to Adam by the mouthe of God hymself Gene. iij. In the sweate of thy browes shalt thou eate thy breade And vnto Eue In sorrowe shalt thou bryng forthe Children Seyng therefore that these externall incommodities are indifferently and alike inflicted vpon all persones how muche more meete is it for them to beare the Crosse vpon their shoulders who shortly after shall bee translates hence into the heauenlie kyngdome there to enioye endlesse blisse and life euerlasting Therefore saieth he if the will of God bee so it is better that ye suffer for well doyng Thei whiche suffer for euill dooyng and deseruedly cary aboute with them an euill conscience and are tormented with a double punishemente Whereas true Christians abide onely but she one haste of that paine because although thei suffer outwardly muche paine grief anguishe smarte vexation tribulation and torment in their Fleshe yet haue thei inwardly in their Spirite and conscience greate ioye and consolation But here he hath set doune certaine limited boundes how we should submit our selues to affliction And in that he saieth If the will of God bee so he giueth vs a profitable lesson and warnyng that none should bee so madde to imitate the custome and maner of the Donatistes of whom Saincte Augustine maketh mention who snatching certaine textes and places of the Scripture touchyng suffryng and affliction killed themselues and wilfully threwe themselues headlong doune into the Sea GOD hath no pleasure in seeyng vs to doe any kind of harme vnto our selues or to seeke any newâ—angled deuise of bodily annoyance Let this bee our drifte and shoote anker sincerely to wâ—lke in Faithe and brotherly loue and then if it please the Lorde to laye the Crosse vpoÌ„ vs lett vs ioyfully embrace it as it please hym to exempte vs from trâ—â—ble let vs not wilfully and willyngly 〈◊〉 it And therefore 〈◊〉 preposterous course doe those 〈◊〉 hâ—â—te Spirites take whiche vse to whippe and perâ—e yea many tymes to 〈◊〉 themselues with beatyng thinkyng by that meanes to 〈◊〉 and winne Heauen This kinde of newe founde Religion and wilfull counterfaite humilitie and affliction in this outward punishement of the bodie S. Paule forbiddeth to be vsed Coloss iij. We must mortifie our bodie and subdue our members that thei growe not wanton â—r waxe â—aseiâ—iâ—â—s but wee maie not violently destroye them This is the meanyng of these wordes If the will of God bâ—â— so whiche is as muche to saie as if God bee pleased to 〈◊〉 any kinde of Crosse or persecution vnto vs For then it is better to suffer and them therein out the happier and blessedder if for well doyng thou abide and suffer afflictioÌ„ For Christe also hath once suffred for sinnes the iuste for the vniuste HEre againe doeth sainct Peter propounde and sette before vs for a paterne to imitate our Lorde Christe and his bitter Passion after the rule whereof wee ought to frame our selues and not presume to prescribe vnto our selues any newe deuised singularitie For as Christe is a Patterne to all Christian Beleeuers and to them all is sette doune for an Example so ought all men in generalitie to imitate his steppes and in all their actions professions and functions of life what soeuer betide to haue respect vnto him and after his dealynges semblablie to conforme themselues And Sainct Peters woordes in effecte sounde thus Christ was iuste and suffred for well dooyng for our sakes that were vniuste But he sought not to sayng the Crosse vpon hym but taried the tyme till the will of GOD did so appoincte that he should drinke of the Cuâ—â—e of his painfull Passion Hym now ought wee to take is by Example and in the whole course of our life diligeÌ„tly â—â—â—â—presse and resemble And this example Saincte Peter here namely setteth doune vnto vs because he hath alreadie taught euery sorte of persones in what trade soeuer thei liue their seuer all offices and dueties concludyng the same with this example of Christes Passion And this is here to bee noted that he saieth that Christ suffred once which is as much to saie as that Christ suffred and satisfied once for al euen for all the sinnes of the whole worlde and not that he should for euery seueral sinne seuerally die By which his death once for all he hath cleane taken awaie al the Synnes of so many as in Faithe approche nexe vnto hym and faithfully beleeue in hym All which are now deliuered froÌ„ the daunger of Death as surely and as certainly as he hymself is now deliuered and freed from the power of Death The iuste for the vniuste AS though he should saie How muche more ought we to bee willyng to suffer beyng so sinfull and so many waies deseruyng it seeyng that Christ was content to suffer death for our sakes beeyng hymself moste iuste for vs that were vniuste and clogged with the chaines of so many moste horrible Sinnes wickednesse and transgressions That he might bryng vs to God ALL this is spoken onely to instructe and teache vs in what sorte the Passion of Christe was to witte suche that he died not for any cause of his owne but to the intent to reconcile and bryng vs to GOD. How can that bee wilt thou saie Did he not offer vp hymself I aunswere True it is that he offred vp hymself on the Crosse for so many of vs as beleeue in hym In whiche his offryng and oblation he offred vs vp also so that so many of vs as stedfastly beleeue on hym must also with hym accordyng to the fleshe suffer and be killed euen as he suffred and died God hath here in such estate placed vs that wee liuyng in the Spirite might yet due in the fleshe as afterwardes sainct Peter declareth But as we are offred vp with Christ that is as we dye with Christ euen as he accordyng to the fleshe truely died so doe we liue with hym in Spirite euen as he hymself doeth Spiritually liue And was put to Death concernyng the fleshe but was quickened in the Spirite THis woorde Fleshe in the Scripture is a common vsuall woorde as also this woorde Spirite is whiche twoo vocables the Apostles doe euer in a maner set the one against the other Now the meanyng of these woordes is this Christe in his Passion died and was taken out of this life whiche is fleshe and blood suche fleshe and blood as manne here in this worlde is cladd withall the offices and functions whereof are these Goyng Standyng Eatyng Drinkyng Sleapyng Watchyng Seeyng Hearyng Touchyng Feelyng and to speake all
hunger is as the Prouerbe saieth the beste sauce those pinches maketh this meate meruailous sauorie For the harte and conscience when thei once beginne to haue feelyng of their miserie and wretched state can heare nothyng that is so pleasaunte as the Gospell thei whollie rely vnto it thei smell afarre of the delicacie and toothsomnesse thereof and can not bee fullie satisfied therewith So was the song of the blessed virgine Marie He hath filled the hongrie with good thinges In the meane season those stiffe mynded persones that trust to their owne holinesse and leaue to their owne woorkes and righteousnesse haue neither any feelyng of their Synnes and wickednesse neither enioye any tast of these thynges here spoken of As for example when any that is hungrie sitteth at a table eche kinde of meate sauoureth well and hath a good relishe in his mouth whereas to hym that is full stomacked nothing sauoreth well but all meates yea the beste and daintiest dishes seeme loathsome Therefore vseth the Apostle these woordes If so be that you haue tasted how bountifull the Lorde is as though he should saie If you haue not as yet tasted this my preachyng to you is but in vaine To whom comyng as vnto a liuyng stone HEre againe taketh he holde of Scriptures afore tyme written and bryngeth in the xxviii of Esaie saiyng thus Heare the woorde of the Lorde ye mockers because ye haue saied wee haue made a couenant with Death and with Hell are wee at an agreement and haue made falshood your refuge Therefore thus saieth the Lorde Beholde I will laie in Zion a Stone a tried Stone a precious corner Stone a sure foundation c. This place doeth saincte Paule also alledge and it is one of the principallest places of the Scripture For Christe is that precious Stone whom God hath laied for the foundation and vppon whom wee are to bee builded And here beholde how S. Peter taketh these wordes and interpreteth them of Christ Again that which Esaie calleth Trustyng in hym that saieth S. Peter to be the same that to bee builded vpon hym is And this is truely and aptly to expounde the Scriptures Thei that builde laie their foundation in suche a place where it maie continue faste and remaine firme so that it may beare vp the whole house and frame that is builded vpō it And euen so doth this liuyng Stone which is Christ vphold and beare all this spirituall buildyng And to be builded vpon hym is nothyng els but that we all together repose our trust confidence and hope whiche wee haue in our selues whollie vpon hym Disalowed of men but chosen of God precious HEre againe he alledgeth a place out of the Cxviij Psalme of the Prophete Dauid The same Stone whiche the builders refused is become the hedde Stone of the corner and it is merueilous in our eyes Whiche place Christ hymself also citeth in the xxj of Matthewes Gospell and is repeted in the fourth of the Actes The Stone whiche you builders reiected and set nought by You saieth he are the builders For thei taught the people preached many thynges enacted sondrie ordinaunces and Lawes but thei made men nothyng thereby but Meritemangers Hypocrites Wherevpon Christe pronouncyng sentence vppon them calleth them plaine Hypocrites and the generation of Vipers and pronounceth many terrible sentences vpon theim reckonyng theim among Synners and not for suche greate holie men as thei would faine haue semed This can thei not abide but reiect hym and saie Hereticke forbiddest thou to doe good woorkes Thou shalte dye the death for thy so saiyng And therefore saieth saincte Peter here This same corner Stone vpon whiche you must be builded is euen likewise refused and set at naught This as the Prophet saieth appeareth merueilous in our eyes and seemeth verie straunge and so wonderfull that vnlesse the Spirite did teache it vs no man by reason could conceiue in Therefore saith he before God this Stone is chosen and precious and of so high price and value that it taketh awaie Death recompenseth for Synnes deliuereth from Hell and laste of all giueth also vnto vs the Kyngdome of Heauen Ye also as liuelie Stones be made a spirituall house HOw and by what meanes are wee builded Euen by the Gospell and preaching of the Woorde The Builders are thei that preache Thei that are builded are suche Christians which heare the Gospell thei are the Stones whiche must be laied and couched vpon this corner Stone so that wee repose our whole truste vppon hym and that out harte leane onely vpon hym and so bee at reste Now it followeth that wee must so directe and frame our selues that wee maie expresse shewe forthe and imitate that course of life that he ledd For it is verie meete that I who am builded and laied vpon hym by faithe should freme my self to the same workes that he did and shewe forth the same conuersation Which order all menne generally and ioyntly ought and are bounde to resemble And this issueth forth and proceedeth frō Faithe and is the woorke of Loue that we should mutuallie bee morteised and ioyned out into an other that we all together maie make one buildyng The same reason hath sainct Paule also j. Cor. iij. Howbeeit not altogether after the same maner that this is You are saieth he the Temple of God It is not the materiall house made of woodd and stone which is his House a Spirituall house is that whiche he requireth whiche is the Churche of Christe in whiche wee are all through one Faithe equall That whiche one is an other is all builded together within our selues mutuallie and emong our selues cemented couched framed and knitte together by Loue without al maliciousnesse guile hypocrisie enuie and euill speakyng as afore hath been declared An holie Priesthood HEere taketh he awaie that outwarde and corporall Priesthood whiche was in the old Testament as also that outward Temple all whiche he quite remooueth and saieth thus That outwarde and externall pampe of Priesthoode is now cleane ceassed now therefore beginne yea newe Priesthood and offer other Sacrifices but so that all thynges be Spirituall Here haue we had somewhat adoe for that wee haue mainteined and affirmed that these persones whiche commonlie of late yeres haue been called and tearmed by y e name of Priestes are not Priestes before God at all and that assertion prooued we cheeflie out of this place And therefore vnderstande it aright and beare it well in mynde That if any should bee so wilfull in suche sorte to wreste and teare in peeces for I will not call it expounde this place as that the same were to be meant of a double Priesthoode whiche some blusteryngly and boldly haue auouched that is to witte bothe of a Spirituall and also of a Corporall Priesthoode will hym to cleare his eyesight and a little better to awake his senses For sainct Peter saieth thus Be ye builded into a Spirituall or holie Priesthood Now demaunde of
neither cursed when he giltleslie was brought before the Iudge and therfore thou must also not here looke alwaies to bee iustlie dealt withall but as it were whollie to neglecte and not to care how indifferentlie and rightlie Iustice in this respect is ministred vnto thee but when thou haste wrong offred thee saie rather to thy wrong I thanke GOD herevnto am I called that I should suffer wrong For why should I complaine sithe Christe my Lorde and Sauiour who was guiltlesse and innocent euery waie complained not And here hath Saincte Peter alledged certaine woordes out of the liij Chapter of Esaie the Prophete where it is thus saied that He had committed no wickednesse neither was any guile founde in his mouthe And these woordes By whose stripes ye were healed mentioned also in the same Chapter vers v. Christe was so pure that there was not so muche as one euill woorde in his tongue he was worthie to haue had all honoure at their handes he deserued to bee kneeled vnto and as it were to bee caried in the armes of all menne Finallie he had power and aucthoritie enough to haue reuenged hymself if it had so pleased hym but he suffered hymself rather to bee reuiled mocked blasphemed and laste of all put to death and yet not once opened he his mouthe Why therefore shouldest thou bee any whitte vnwillyng to suffer persecution and wrong sith thou art nothyng but Synne Thou shouldest rather hartilie thanke God and highlie extoll his gracious goodnesse who hath accoumpted thee worthie to bee like to his Christe and not to repine and mutter nor to bee vnpacient when thou art wronged seeyng that the Lorde hymself neither reuiled nor threatened againe but earnestly praied for his Enemies But thou wilte peraduenture saie Sall I allowe and thinke well of them that deale Iniuriously with me and saie that therein thei doe well I aunswere No. But saie rather thus in thine harte although I haue not deserued this hard dealing nor to bee thus wrongfully entreated yet will I willyngly suffer these thynges for my Lorde God his sake who beeyng moste innocente was for my sake euill entreated and moste wrongfully dealte withall Commit thy cause to God who is a righteous Iudge and he will abundauntly recompence all thy sufferynges euen as Christ committed his cause vnto his Father in heauen Who his owne self saieth Saincte Peter offered vp our Synnes in his bodie on the Tree that is he suffered death not for any cause of his owne but for our sake and for our Saluation whom wee through our Synnes crucified and nailed on the Crosse But alas wee are yet verie farre from suche kinde of sufferyng wrong And therefore if thou be a sincere and a true Christian thou muste imitate Christe in this poincte and bee hartily sorie for them that hurte thee praiyng earnestly for thē vnto almightie God that it maie please hym to forgiue theim and not to punishe theim for the same For alas thei doe more hurte thereby to them selues in their Soule then thei doe harme to thee in thy Bodie This if thou throughly consider and in harte rightly waigh thou canst not choose but be presently eased of all inward grief and willyngly suffer all thynges with pacience And finallie wee are to remember that wee our selues aswell as thei a little afore ledde a wicked life but are now at length tourned vnto Christe as sainct Peter in the knittyng vp of this Chapter saieth For ye were as sheepe goyng astraye but are now returned vnto the sheepherde and bishop of your soules AND this place also hath hee taken out of Esay Chapter liij Where he saieth thus All wee like sheepe haue gone astraie wee haue tourned euery one to his owne waie But now saieth sainct Peter wee haue gotten a Sheepeheard The Sonne of God is come doune for our sakes to bee our Sheepeheard and our Bishoppe hee by giuyng vnto vs his Spirite feedeth vs and so guideth leadeth vs by his Word that wee are now certaine and sure of our Saluation Therefore if thou acknowledge and confesse that thy Sinnes are cleane washed and taken awaie by him thou art his Sheepe and hee is thy Sheepeheard and thy Bishoppe This is the greatest comfort that all Christians haue Thus haue wee fullie finished two Chapters of this Epistle wherein Sainct Peter hath firste laied doune and plainlie taught the sinceritie of Faith and secondarily the sincere workes of Loue and herein also hath hee treated of twoo sortes of Workes namely aswell of those woorkes whiche wee are all bounde in generalitie to shewe vnto the Magistrate as also those dueties that Seruauntes owe vnto their Maisters And what sainct Peter here speaketh of Seruaunts thesame also appertaineth vnto certaine other sortes of men namely Artificers Hirelinges and all sortes of mercenarie seruantes whatsoeuer Now next he laieth downe lessons how man and wife shoulde Christianly liue together The third Chapter LIkewise let the wiues be subiect to their housbandes that euen thei which obey not the worde may without the worde bee wonne by the conuersation of the wiues While thei behold your pure conuersation whiche is with feare Whose apparailyng let it not be outwarde with broyded haire and golde put about or in puttyng on of apparell But let the hid man of the harte bee vncorrupt with a meeke and quiet spirite which is before God a thyng much set by For euen after this maner in time past did the holy women whiche trusted in GOD tier themselues and were subiect to their husbandes As Sara obeyed Abraham and called hym Sir whose daughters ye are whiles ye doe well not beyng afraide of any terrour Likewise ye housbandes dwell with them as men of knowledge giuyng honour vnto the woman as vnto the weaker vessell euen as thei which are heires together of the grace of life that your praiers bee not interrupted Finally be ye al of one minde one suffer with an other loue as brethren be pitifull be courteous Not rendring euill for euill neither rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise blesse knowyng that ye are thereunto called that ye should be heires of blessing For if any man long after life and to see good dayes let him refraine his tongue from euill and his lippes that thei speake no guile Let him eschewe euill and doe good let hym seeke peace and followe after it For the eyes of the Lorde are ouer the righteous and his eares are open vnto their praiers the face of the Lorde is vpon them that doe euill And who is it that will harme you if ye followe that whiche is good Notwithstanding blessed are ye if ye suffer for righteousnesse sake Yea feare not their feare neither be troubled But sanctifie the Lorde God in your heartes and bee readie alwaies to giue an answere to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you and that with meekenesse and reuerence Hauyng a good conscience that when they speake euill of you as
iudgeth accordyng to the hearte and faithe and not accordyng to the persones or outwarde workes And therefore we ought so to iudge as God himself iudgeth that is that we must haue all one mynde and one iudgement that vnitie and concorde maie flourishe and remaine in the world that our hartes may continue vndisseuered and not bee drawen asunder for these outwarde by matters so that we are to deeme allow and think well of the worke that any other doeth so long as the same is not of it self Sinne. Of this Concorde speaketh sainct Paule ij Cor. xj where hee saieth thus I feare least as the Serpent beguiled Eue through his subtiltie so your myndes should bee corrupt frō the simplicitie that is in Christ whiche is as muche to saie as I feare least the Deuill likewise deceiue you and drawe your simple heartes and agreing myndes into diuision and discord Likewise Phil. iiij The peace of God whiche passeth all vnderstandyng preserue your hartes and myndes in Christ Iesus And why is the Apostle so carefull for our hartes and mindes Truely because therevpon al other thinges doe depende For if I once fall into a reprobate sense and bee possessed with a peruerse vnderstandyng I make a general shipwrack of all together As if I bee a Monke and therein fullie perswade my self that my woorkes are more regarded and esteemed before God then other mens and should saie I thanke thee O GOD that I am become a Monke my profession is farre better then the vulgare state of maried life therevppon straightwaies necessarilie ariseth a swelling arrogancie of the minde and a vaine puffyng vp of the hart can not but be there where I seeme in myne owne eyes to bee more iust and righteous then others be and in respect of my self contenme other men By whiche meanes I wilfullie beguile my self for there is no maried woman liuyng in the true and sincere Faithe of Christ but is muche more esteemed before God then I with my lowsie Profession and witlesse Vowe Therfore when we acknowledge assuredly knowe that Faithe bringeth with it all thinges that be expedient and needefull for a Christian man to haue then are wee all of one mynde heart and iudgement without makyng any difference of workes or preferryng one before an other Thinke therefore that this place of S. Peter is not to bee vnderstoode of any externall mynde but of a spirituall and internall iudgement in thinges and suche as before GOD are highly set by that life and doctrine maie vniformallie agree together and that the same thing that séemeth good to an other maie seeme also good to vs and also that that maie bee likyng and pleasaunt to an other that is liked and pleasaunt vnto vs as afore hath been declared This hearte and this mynde haue thei that be right Christians and this ought thei with all care and diligence to looke vnto that by no meanes it quaile accordyng to sainct Paules exhortation For assoone as the Deuill by his malice ouerthroweth this hart and this minde straightwaies is the bonde of true vnitie broken asunder and all thinges at once come to an vtter confusion One suffer with an other LET one haue a care for an other lett the necessitie of thy Neighbour no lesse moue thy hearte then if the case were thine owne yea thinke it to appertaine vnto thee And when hee hath sustained any hindraunce losse or mischaunce doe not thou reioyce thereat neither thus thinke with thy selfe It is well enough if some worse thing had happened vnto him he hath well deserued it For where charitie is there is so muche and so greate care for the state of our Neighbour that if any mishappe befall vnto hym it should no lesse pearce our heartes then if it had chaunced vnto our selues Loue as Brethren LEt euery one accoumpte an other as his owne Brother the whiche how to bee vnderstood is very easie for euen Nature her self teacheth vs. Wee see that thei whiche bee naturall borne brethren liue in a more neerer bonde of loue and are more carefull zealous willing and readie one to assist an other then any other freends be The same must wee now dooe beeyng all Brethren together by Baptisme insomuche that our verie Parentes after our baptisme are to vs in the place and steede of Brethren for that wee haue the same giftes graces and benefites at Christes hande by Faithe whiche thei haue Be pitifull one to an other THE Greekes in this one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comprehende all this sentence whiche to expresse againe in one worde in Latine wee must bee driuen to call it Viscerosi And I knowe not how better to interprete and explaine it then by a comparison or similitude Behold marke how a Father or Mother is affected towarde their Childe that if a mother see her Infant to suffer any extremity or wāt her harte and bowelles earne within her And thence is this forme or phraze of speakyng borowed whiche is very vsuall and often in the Scriptures One Historie thereof we haue in the first Booke of Kynges Cap. iij. Where it is declared how two women contended before Kyng Solomon for a young Infant whose it should be for either of them laied claime vnto it The Kyng therefore purposing to trie out whether of them was the right mother of the Childe could deuise no better waie to bolt out the truth then by nature it self by whiche pollicie he tryed out the matter For hee saied to the women Thou saiest that the liuyng Childe is thine and she saieth it is hers Bryng mee therefore hither a Sworde and diuide the Infant in twaine and giue the one halfe to the one and the other halfe to the other By whiche wise pollicie hee founde out which was the true mother of the Childe For the Scripture in the self same place recordeth that straightwaies the bowelles of her compassion were mooued in loue towarde her Childe and that she cried out and saied Oh my Lord not so but let her rather haue the whole Childe and staye hym not Wherevpon the King presentlie gaue iudgment saied This is the true mother of the Childe deliuer him vnto her Herehence maie wee gather the very true sense of this worde here deliuered vnto vs by saincte Peter to signifie an entyer compassion and most hartie affection And that we should be none otherwise mutuallie affected one towarde an other then they that are naturall Brethren by bloud that euery ones whole harte marowe veines and all the powers of our mynde and bodie be totallie moued with compassion at the mishappes of an other and that we ought to beare suche a zealous mutuall hartie and motherly affection one toward an other that if any thing with thē miscarie it should euen pearce vs as it were to the death Suche a mynde ought one Christian to beare towardes an other But I feare there are but a very fewe to bee founde whiche so entierly with their harte loue
at one woorde what soeuer is naturally to bee doen in this bodie and is fraile and transitorie To all these died Christe Saincte Paule calleth these the Naturall or Animall bodie for that all other Creatures haue the vse of all these actions as well as we But his fleshe died not in any other sorte but accordyng to the fleshe that is accordyng to those Naturall and corporall functions whiche are done and exercised by the bodie To this life I saie Christe died so that all these functions likewise died and ceassed in hym and hee hymself transported into an other life And beeyng quickened accordyng to the Spirite tooke vnto hym a life Spirituall and supernaturall comprehendyng and possessyng in it self all that life whiche Christe now possesseth as well in Bodie as in Spirite Who now hath not any longer suche a carnall Bodie as he had afore but a Spirituall bodie And thus doeth sainct Paule expounde this place The very same hope wee also at the latter daie to enioye to witt that our fleshe and bloud shall passe and bee altered in to a spirituall life wherein these our Bodies shal no more eate and drinke begette children digest concoct euacuate or any suche like but shall 〈…〉 in Spirite and this bodie shall bee as clearâ— as nâ—w the Sâ—nne is yea 〈◊〉 clearer Fleshe and bloud shall not thenceforth bee naturall there shall then be no suche function either 〈◊〉 or corporall suche as other Creatures now 〈◊〉 aswell as wee These bee in a maner the woordes whiche sainct Paule vseth j. Cor. xv The first man Adam saieth he was made a liuyng Soule and the last Adam was made a quicknyng Spirite And it there followeth That as we haue borne the Image of the earthie and naturall Man so shall we beare the Image of the spirituall and heauenlie From Adam wee haue all the offices and functions naturall euen as brute Beastes haue accordyng to our outwarde senses and faculties But Christe liueth in the Spirit and is fleshe and bloud but not so as he did afore all outwarde functions of bodily Senses are ceassed in hym he neither sleepeth nor watcheth and yet knoweth he all thinges and is in euery place Suche also shall wee bee for he is the first fruictes the oblation and first boxâ—re as S. Paule saieth of the 〈…〉 that is he is the first that arose from the dead and tooke vnto him a spiritual life Therefore Christ doeth now liue accordyng to the Spirite that is to saie He is still very perfect Man but he hath a spiritual Body And therfore that whiche is here saied is not so to 〈◊〉 taken as we vsually doe wheÌ„ we separate Fleshe and Spirite asunder the one from the other but that the Bodie and Fleshe are now spirituall and that the Spirite is bothe in the Bodie and with the Bodie For sainct Peters meanyng is not here that Christe was raised by the holie Ghost but he vseth this worde Spirite after a general maner 〈◊〉 if a man should saie the Spirit doth this or that In whiche wordes is not simplie meant the holie Ghoste but rather that inwarde working and effectuall force whiche worketh in vs by the operation of the holie Ghost By the whiche he also went and preached vnto the spirites that are in person Whiche were in tyme passed disobedient THis place I dooe take to bee as obscure and harde to bee vnderstoode as any in the newe Testament insomuche that I confesse my self not yet to haue founde out the certaine meanyng thereof First the words them selues doe sounde as though Christe had preached vnto Spirites I meane the Soules of them that would not beleeue in the tyme that Noah built the Arke The sense thereof beeyng somewhat harde to conceiue hath hitherto so entangled mee that neither can I aduouche any sounde interpretation of it neither any other as yet that hath takeÌ„ in hand the exposition thereof Some peraduenture will not sticke to take these woordes so as that Christe after his deathe on the Crosse went downe into Hell and preached to the Soules there with whiche vain opinion I meane not here to enter disputation But mee thinkes these wordes doe very well admit an other sense meanyng to wit that our Lorde Christ after his ascension into Heauen came in Spirite and preached albeeit not bodilie For hee speaketh not now with any bodilie voyce as he also vseth none of the other functions of corporall or bodily nature And therefore let vs take the wordes to signifie and meane accordyng as thei sounde that is in Spirite and that he preached to the Spirites in that his spirituall life Wherevppon it also followeth that his preachyng then was spirituall emplantyng the same in their hartes and Soules so that there was no neede for him to goe in bodie and preache with mouth for the same These words of sainct Peter proue not that after he dyed he went doune vnto the Ghosts that are in Hell to preache vnto them For he saieth thus In whiche he went c. Whiche is asmuche as if he had saied After he was deade accordyng to the fleshe and quickened accordyng to the Spirite that is after hee had laied doune and left his life in the fleshe and all other naturall workes and functions of his bodie and had now taken vnto him a spirituall life and conuersation as now he hath and doeth in heauen then hee went and preached to the Spirites c. Now it is most euident and certaine that Christ descended not eftsoones to Hell after he had receiued this his newe glorified life And therefore wee must vnderstande that he made this preachyng after his Ascension into Heauen Seyng therefore that the wordes doe well beare to be vnderstood of a Spirituall preachyng wee are to thinke that S. Peter in this place speaketh of the Office of Christe for that as the worde is outwardly preached by Voyce so worketh he inwardly in the harte Hee enioyned his Apostles to preache the Gospell bodily but yet is hee hymself present spiritually and whatsoeuer the Apostles vtter in outwarde speeche to the bodily eares of men that doethe he speake and preache into the hartes and myndes of them inwardlie And then preacheth hee to the Spirites whom the Deuill holdeth captiue and in thraldome so that wee take this worde went and these wordes preachyng to the Spirites that are in prison accordyng to the accoumpt and computation of God himself because in the sight of Christe thei that haue been long since are euen in the same state as thei bee that now presently liue For his Kyngdome reacheth to the deade aswell as to the liuyng In that life wherein hee now liueth the Beginning the Middle and the ende of the Worlde are conteined and reckened after one and the same accoumpt all as one although in this life these thinges bee not reckened so but eche thyng accordyng to his orderly succession as the Sonne after the Father and so of others All thinges