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
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
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
a. Church of christ builded on y e xii apostles equally clxiiii b Christ suffred his paines with ioy and gladnes in the higher part of his soule but by the lower portion he was in greatest payne fol clxxxxiiii a. Christes faith was first set forth by homly rude fishers and was reproued and pursued by the mightiest people of the world and yet it preuailed fol. ccxx b Christ preached in spirit to the spirites that were harde of beleif in Noes time is vnderstand .ii wayes fo ccxxiiii d Circuit or compasse about the deuill vseth fol. clxii d. Cleanes of life is necessary for receiuing of grace fo cxxx a Codrus king of Athenis died for his couÌ„treis sake fo xlix a Couetous men be like molles fol. vi c Counsel or policie worldly many times lacketh the spirite of counsell fol xv d Counsell of Gamaliel fol. xviii c the gifte of Counsell was in Iethro whiche Moises lacked fol. xxiiii c d Christen man winneth when he is thought to lose falshead loseth when he is glad of his winninge fol. cxxxiii b Consubstantiall that word is not founde in scripture yet it must nedes be vsed fol. xx d Conception of Christe in the virgins bodye is somewhat like the generation of a worme of the moist earth by the heate of the sonne fol. lxxviii a. and .ccxxi. c Communion much mutabilitie in ministring the communion amongest the heretikes fol cccxii d CommunioÌ„ of saintes is conformite to the coÌ„pany of holy men women as wel quicke as dead fol. lxxxv c â— Commaundementes of God be moral lawes oughte to be red in churches on sondaies holydaies lxxxx a Coueringe of sinnes is of two maners fol cclii a Correction beginneth at the churche fol. cclxxvi c Colchis where it is sayd the golden flece was is in Ponto fol. cx b. Counsell Nicene was kept in Bithinia Eodem d. Comming to Christ is by fayth fol. cliiii c Corner stone the Hebrues tale of that stone fo clv c. d new Conuerses to Christ suffreth much wo and persisteth in goodnes fol. ccxxxviii d. the Companie in Bristowe brought the common gaines into the handes of a fewe fol. ccxi b CoÌ„messatioÌ„s be al extraordinary banketings fo ccxxxiiii c Crime is described fol. cclxxxv c in Croked thinges the midle swarneth from the extremities fol. cccviii d Creation what maner a thinge it is fol. lxxv a. Crosses by the high wayes deuoutlye erecte maliciouselye cast downe fo lxxxxv a. Cure we haue euery one of his neighbour fol. cclxv d. Curiositie about new knackes and new learning is reproued with remedy against the same fol. clxxv b. c Cuthbert Sainte Cuthberte receiued an anngell for his gest fol. cclxi b. c D. DArke sayinges of Christe made manye to erre euen in Christes time fol. xxxvii d Dampned bodies how they shal euer endure fol. lxxxvii a the Deuils sinne is irremissible why fol. lx a Desire of the holy fathers to se Christ. fol. cxxvii a b Death of a faire death and of a foule death fo ccxli b Diuine productions fol. ix c Difference betwixt the minde of a fole and of a wise man about the affections fol. lvii c. Diuision of tongues was the greatest stroke that euer man was striken withall after the losse of originall iustice lx d Differ not to beleue why by example fol. lxxi c Die to sinne fol. lxxxii b. Discretion of spirites is necessary for him that shall studye scriptures fol. xcix b. c. Dowries or giftes of a glorified body fo lxxxvi c Dowries or giftes of a glorious body declared fo cclxxxi a Detraction and a remedy against detractours fol. cxlvii b Desier to haue is couetousnes and so is desire to saue folio cclxviii b. c Dukes Captaines and officers dueties vnder the kinge folio clxxxi b the Deuill killinge the latter Adam lost the first Adam and all his posteritie fol. ccxxvii a the Deuil medleth not with some walketh through some and compasseth about some fol. cccix d E. EArth is diuersly vnderstand folio lxv d Election of two maners fol. cxii c Elia the newe citie of Ierusalem fol. cxxviii b Embringe dayes fasted with prayers for orderinge of preistes fol. cclxxxiiii b Enuy is described is mete for no place but for hel cxlvii d Enuy commeth of vayne glory fol. cc. lxiiii d. Enuy how it may be put away by sufferinge in the fleshe folio ccxxxiii a. d Enuied and disdained is al new conuersion as wheÌ„ Saul prophecied fol. ccxxxvi c d Epicures felicitie fol. xlv c Epictetus determination of the affections fo lvii d Ephesus is a citie in the countrey of Asia the lesse fo cxi a Eue the first woman was made for two vses and in both she was excedingely punished fol. xcvi c Extremities of fortitude fol. xxvii a Examples of the gospels to forsake our parentes for to folow Christ in religion fo lii d Exhortation to seruauntes to their maisters fol xliii v Example of Christes paines in his most tender body shuld be our armour and defence fo ccxxx c Example of concord betwixt man and wife the lampraye with the veuemous viper geueth fo ccv c. Examples declareth and easeth our faith fo ccxxi b. F. FAbles pleasauntly couereth truthes fol. lxi d Faith is diffined and that it is necessarye for mans saluation fol. lxxi a b Faith hope and charitie be presupposed to the .vii. giftes of the holy goost fol v b Faith helpeth intelligence and contrary wise fol x. d Faith at rest and vnexercised anone decayeth fo lxxii c Faith is the instrumente by whiche God preserueth vs in goodnes fol. cxxii a Faith ouercommeth all worldlines and sinne is declared generally Eodem b Fear is necessary fol. lviii d Fear is deuided into sixe members after Damascen lxiiii d Fear is deuided into mundane seruile filial or chast EodeÌ„ Feare presupposeth a loue fol lxiiii d Feare seruile of god though it be not sufficient yet it doth good fol lxvi c Feare seruile and chast feare be like the feare of an adulteres wife and of a chast wife fol. lxvii c d Fear seruile is like the heare or bristel that leadeth bringeth in the threde fol lxix b Feare that is one of the seuen gifte of the holy goost is humilitie fol lxx b the rule of oure Faith is the whole booke of holye scripture fol. lxxiii a the Father in trinitie is neither elder nor more of power then the sonne or the holy Goste fol. lxxiiii d Flatterers of their lordes beleue not on one God properlye Eodem c Flateringe proueth a man fol. cxâ—iiii â— c Flattering hostes and tapsters that wil let vs in our iourney to heauen fol. clxxiiii b Fleshe desireth ease new inuentions and swetenes of tasting and touchinge Eodem c Flesh desireth against the spirite and the spirite against the flesh is vnproperly spoken fol. clxxvii a Feblenes of our wittes to vnderstande the holye scriptures fol. lxxxxix a Felowes to Christ. fol. ciiii c.
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
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
beleue vpon hym And beside that offendeth in wordes againste Christe and againste his blessed Sacramentes after the maner aforesayde our Sauiour Christe is Lapis offensionis petra scandali As sainte Peter sayeth here he is a stumblyng Stone such a one as men take harme of and be agreued withall not for occasion geuen of hym but by the pryde of mens hartes and sturdinesse or hardnes in not beleuynge The Iewes were offended and thought amisse of Christe because they sawe him in the infirmitie of his flesh They sawe him eat and drinke slepe and laboure as other men did They knewe his bryngynge vp in youthe and where he was nursed and who was his mother who were his kinsfolkes This made a great meyny of them to shake him of and in no wise to beleue vppon him and by that this stone fell vpoÌ„ them al to crasshed theÌ„ to naught Quia super quem ceciderit lapis iste conteret enim Math. xxi On whom so euer this stone falleth it wyl braye hym and crashe hym And in that place Christe sayeth that some men falleth on this stone and breaketh or hurteth theim selues on it And on others this Stone falleth and brayeth theim or crassheth them as corne or other grayne is brayed betwixt two mill stones or in a querne They that conseruynge and kepynge their fayeth yet falleth sometymes to synne They fall vpon the stone and taketh harme and be hurt by their fall As when a christen man or woman not erring in the articles of our fayth yet by infirmitie of the flesshe or by temptation of the deuill falleth to synne they fall on Christe this liuynge Stone and hurteth theim selues right sore bringynge them selues in daunger of death and damnation euerlastyng and makyng them selues more vnable to resist synne an other tyme for the oftener thou sinnest the more redy thou shalt be to sinne againe and the more vnable to resist temptation but when a man or woman falleth to infidelitie or to heresie then fare well For this stone falleth vpon them and breaketh theim to duste and to asshen euerlastynge Qui non credit iam iudicatus est He that beleueth not is iudged already The sentence is geuen and past in the mynde and foreknowledge of the iudge our Sauioure Christ. Because that saint Peter saith here that Christ was Lapis offensioÌ„is Petra scandali The stone that men shoulde take hurte by and that by him men shoulde take occasion to fall euen as the prophetes hadde saide of him afore And as the Gospels reherseth of hym likewyse I thinke it necessarye to demore and tarye in the declaration of that maner of speakynge of the Scriptures and what is meaned by the same Luke ii It is written that when Christes foster father and Mary his mother presented him in the temple as the lawe was The holye and well disposed man Symeon toke hym in hys armes with great ioye because he knew it was he that shold be the consolation and comforte of Israell And he knewe the tyme was then come or very neare hande when Christe shoulde come He knewe it also by reuelation of the holye Gooste that then moued hym to goe to the Temple as it is there sayde Et venit in spiritu in templum Where after great ioye of that he hadde seene he then desiered to be let go in peace to dye And among other thinges he saide this plainely to Marye the blessed Mayde and mother of Christe as a cordiall or rather a corosiue Ecce positus est hic in ruinam in resurrectionem multorum in Israel insignum cui contradiceretur Et tuam ipsius animam pertransibit gladius Loe sayeth he Thys childe is set to make men fall and to make many men to ryse among the people of Israel And he is set as a signe or a mark that folke wil couÌ„tersay speke against And as for your part said he to Marie his mother the sworde of sorowe shall pearce your harte which yet shall redound and turne to the comfort of manye others Here you see that this blessed man sayde that Christe shoulde be the ruyne of many a one and suche a one as should be countersaid and spoken against of manie others And. Mat. xi When sainte Iohn Baptist sente two of his disciples to Christe to aske him a question for their learnynge whether it was he that they loked for that aboute that time they knew shoulde come to saue mankinde or whether they should loke for another Because they shoulde not saye as the Iewes were euer ready and wonte to saye Tu de te ipso testimonium dicis testimonium tuum non est veruÌ„ Thou bearest witnesse of thy selfe thy witnesse is not true Christe referred them to his workes that by them he might allure them to beleue vpon him knowynge that the blinde were made to see The lame were made to goe The leprouse be made cleane the deafe to heare â–ª The deade were raysed to lyfe againe and that the poore were taughte the Gospell and good tydynges of lyfe euerlastynge And at laste he saied vnto theim Beatus est qui non fuerit scandalizatus in me Blessed is hee that by me taketh none occasion to fall or to offende In whiche wordes Christe touched the messengers and manye others by them They sawe hym a mortall man as other were they could scarce beleue any Godhed in him yet seinge that Christ knewe their wan and fainte beleue and the secretes of their hartes this made them to haue more affiance beleue vpoÌ„ him for it is aboue y e knowlege of a pure maÌ„ to knowe y e secretes of an other mans minde They knewe he spoke by theÌ„ he knew they wer offended by y t thei saw in him And not onely these messengers of sainte Iohn but also manie a thousand others be offended by Christe and by Christes woordes euerye daye Because men see not the bloud runne about the Priestes fingers in the masse at the fractions of the Sacrament they be so harde harted and so dul in beleue that thei wil not beleue that Christ saide true when he saide this is my bodye or my fleshe and bloude in the sacrament of the aultare because thei perceiue not by it as they do bi other fleshe and bloud in the Shambles not beleuing that Christe by his Godlye power causeth and maketh his owne fleshe and bloud there secretelye vnder the fourme of breade and wyne for to augment and encreace the merite of our fayeth which shold be smal or none if we saw that with our bodelye eyes that wee see by the fayethfull eyes of our christen hartes They that be addict and wedded to their carnall senses their fyâ—e wits be offended and agreued to here that they muste beleue that thinge that they see not And euen so they iudge by sacramentall confession of sinnes thinkynge men no more bounde nowe to be confessed nother anye otherwyse then to God because that
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
one feuer or 〈◊〉 other hed ache colick y e stone gowts runninge legges dropsye and palsye All these biddeth vs beware and geueth vs warninge afore But manye there bee that wyll take no warninge by these infirmities but be as maliciouselye disposed in blasphemy couetousnesse euen whyle they be subiecte to such diseases as thei were in healthe They neuer remembreth death till they be so taken that they can nother stirre hande nor foote and can scarsely speake or heare As we haue knowen of these hel houndes ruffrans and riatours that by their life time had neuer deuotioÌ„ toward god nether regarding masse nor other diuine seruice not her the sacrament of Christes churche which when they haue bene taken w t feruent sicknes y t they could not by the helpe of phisitions recouer haue fallen to raginge blasphemyng swearyng and so died desperatly After whych soden death foloweth and preuenteth the disposynge of a mannes Soule to GOD or of hys goodes to the worlde all the sayde messagers infirmities and diseases they bringe shrowde ridinges to the bodye and bee nothinge pleasaunte for the sensuall appetite in as muche as they putte menne to paine And healpe to drawe menne to the graue but to the reason they shoulde bee welcome for they be medicynable and holesome for the soul in as muche as they letteth menne and kepeth menne from synne and maketh theim more feruent to please GOD and to liue vertuouslye When mens infirmities be multiplyed and commeth one vpon an other men will make haste to know God and to come to God amending their lyues And s Paule consideringe that virtus in infirmitate perficitur .ii. Cori. xii vertue is made parfite in infirmitie in as much as sickenes and weakenes of body is the matter and occasion to exercise Pacience to exercise Temperaunce and Chastitye and also by syckensse knowynge a mannes owne infyrmitie he shall be made more lowlye and meeke and so stronge to exercise him selfe in vertue And also because that vertue is neuer so parfite as when it hath some infirmitie contrarye that it maye striue agaynste as Chastitie when it is not tempted by carnall concupiscence is not so parfite as when it is tempted and so pacience is moste excellent that is proued and tempted by vexacion of Shrowes and by displeasures and therefore Saynte Paule saith LibeÌ„ter gloriabor in infirmitatibus meis vt inhabitet in me virtus Christi I shall gladlye and wyth a good wyll reioyce and be proude in myne infyrmities that so I may be conformable to Christ hauing vertues in me more eminent and more excellent then els they woulde haue bene Propter quod placeo mihi in infirmitatibus meis in contumelijs in necessitatibus in persecutionibus in angustijs pro Christo. I please my selfe as a proud manne dothe when I am weake and sicke or diseased in bodye and when I am dispitefullye vexed and when I am in greate and extreame neade in persecution in distresse or in streictes Cum enim infirmor tunc potens sum When I am sicke and weake then I am strong and mightye Ambrosius Verum est quia tunc vincit christianus cum perdere putatur tunc perdit perfidia cum se vicisse gratulatur plaudit â—gitur cum illi insultatur surgit cum premitur It is true that the apostle saith for then a christen maÌ„ ouercoÌ„meth and hath the ouerhande when he is thought to lose and to haue the worse And then falshode loseth when he is glad of his winnyng or that he hathe ouercome and gotten the vpper hand And therfore saint Paule was most glad and proude in God when men kicked and wrought displesures against him and he rose vpward when men thought they pressed hym downe An other common messager of deathe is example of others that we see plucked away from vs euery daye of all ages of all states and degrees As well vnthrifts and noughty liuers as blessed meÌ„ of the best sort There is no daie but we heare of the death of one or other bi which we may assure our selues that we shall go after And almightie God many times suffreth blessed men and good liuers to dye sodainely and sometimes more miserably in the reputation of the worlde then tyrantes extorcioners and bribers and such other of the worst sort Temporall wealth and temporall penurye and pouertye is common as well to good folke as to the bad folke and so is that we call miserable death a faire deathe For the first S. Aug. i. ci dei ca. viii Temporalia bona mala vtrisque voluit esse coÌ„munia vt nec bona cupidius appetantur quo mali quoque habere cernuntur nec mala â—â—piter euiteÌ„tur quibus boni plerumque afficiuÌ„tur God woulde that good thinges and ill chaunces should be coÌ„men to good men and to bad because good things shold not be to gredely desired whiche we se noughty persoÌ„s to haue and enioy nor yll things should not be shamefully eschued and abhorred whiche moste commonlye good people hath and be combred with all The most diuersity is in the vse and occupiynge of prosperitie and of aduersitie For a good man is neuer the prouder for prosperitie nother ouercast broken or marde by aduersitie where contrary a noughty person in felicitie is corrupt by pride and arrogancy and with infelicitie with yll chaunces aduersite is sore vexed and punished many tymes brought to desperation yet besyde thys almyghty God showeth his meruelous worke in the distribucion or deuidinge of prosperite and aduersite as well as of a good death and a foule death in that that if GOD shoulde by and by correcte euerye synne wyth some manifest paine he should leaue nothinge to bee punished at the generall iudgemente â–ª and agayne if GOD did punyshe no no faulte nor synne nowe in this presente life menne woulde thynke there were no Godlye prouidence at all or that GOD cared not for the worlde or what that menne did in the worlde And lykewyse when menne praye for prosperitye or for sufficiencye herein thys world if God would not of his liberall goodnes graunt men somwhat of their peticioÌ„s somtimes among meÌ„ wold think that he had nothing to do with them or that worldly wealth pertained not to him and were none of his to bestow when he wolde and again if he should graunt theÌ„ to eueri man that wold aske for them meÌ„ wold serue god for none other thing but for them and the seruice of God should not make vs godly and deuout toward him but rather gredy and couetouse to the world Therefore although there be no dissimilitude betwixt the thinges that good meÌ„ naughtye men in differently suffereth yet there is great diuersitie and differeÌ„ce betwixt the sufferers As if a man chafe in his hand or els against the fyre talow or greace it giueth an horrible stinckynge smell where as if you likewise chafe by the same fyre a pleasant
haue in hande woulde haue vs to vse is spirituall prudence the wisedome of the spirite of the whiche S. Paule speaketh Ro. viij Prudentia autē spiritus vita et pax The wisedome of the spirite by which man worketh according to the inclination of the holi spirit is life and peace that is to saye it is the cause of life euerlasting and of peace and quietnes here to ioyn them together it is the cause of life with peace and quietnes euerlasting in heauen Thys wysedome no sinner hathe as appeareth manye wayes Fyrst because a sinner loseth a great inheritaunce for a little trifle of pleasure as Esau did for a messe of potage as I sayd afore And it is writte Iob. xxviij Sapientia non inuenitur in terra suauiter niuentium Wysedome is not founde in the londe or countrey of them that liueth delicatelye all at pleasure Seconde sinners lacketh prudēce for they little regarde to recouer theyr inheritāce againe where they might so doe with a little labour and payne like them that be spoken of in the psalme pro nihilo habuerunt terram desiderbilem The Israelites estemed not the delectable lande that was promised them but would rather haue turned backe agayne into Egipt euen so do synners desperately litle regarde the land of life euer lasting in heauen Thirde a synner lacketh prudence because he doth wilfully cast him selfe into the snares of him that will not fayle to draw him and strangle him to death euerlastynge Byrdes that bee meshede in a nette canne not gette out when they woulde wythout helpe but the more they stryue the sorer they be holden in the nette Euen so saythe the wyseman Prouer. v. Funibus peccatorum suorum vnusquisque cōstringitur Euerye synner is wrapt and streyned wyth the ropes of hys owne synnes and the more hee laboreth striueth and strugleth to saciate and content hys vicious appetite the harder he is holden and meshed in delectation and in custome of hys synne and so he prepareth and dresseth his owne death Sapi. i. Deus mortem non fecit impij manibus ac pedibus accersierunt eam God made not the death of sinne but wicked men with hand and foote haue called it in and pulled it to theym Fourth it is plaine that synners lacketh prudence and wysedome by that they be not afrayde of the iustice of God knowyng that he hath iustlye condempned so manye Angels for synne and that the Angels were made diuels for breakinge theyr obedience to God And that so manye men and women be dampned for transgressynge and breakynge hys commaundementes and that our fyrst parentes and all theyr posteritie were strycken wyth mortalitie and necessitye to dye for disobedience and for synne and that for synne all the worlde was destroyed with water and that for synne the fiue cityes Sodome Gomor and theyr neyghbours were destroyed wyth fyre brymstone and suche horryble stynckynge tempest And thus it is euident euerye waye that a synner lacketh the spirituall prudence and wysedome that we speake of Thys godlye prudence that we speake of hathe three operacions and woorkes of whyche commeth theyr effectes proporcionablye one is prouision the seconde is Circumspection the thyrd maye be called Caution or warynesse To prouision wee be moued by example of foure poore litle beastes that be spoken of Prouer. xxx Quatuor sunt minima terre ipsa sūt sapientiora sapientibus There be .iiii. of the least thinges breding on earth and they be wiser after theyr maner thē some wise men be And here we must take our examples of vnsensible thinges and of brute beasts and dumme creatures according to the counsayl of holy Iob. xii Ieterroga iumenta docebunt te volatilia celi et indicabunt tibi loquere terre respō debit tibi et narrabunt pisces maris Aske the beasts and they will teache thee and so of others Then it may be sayde that we aske these dumme creatures questions to learne witte by them whē we consider theyr naturall disposicions examinyng and discussing and searching out theyr naturall operacions and vertues And then they answer vs and teache vs when by consideracion of them we ascende and rise vp to the knowledge of god or to som learning to which we come by consideration of their properties As here in our purpose we be answered by the worke of the Emyt and taught to exchewe slouthe and to prouide for the time to come he is one of the foure that the wise man referreth vs to saying formice populus infirmus qui preparat in messe cibum sibi One is the poore Emytte or Pismyre which in haruest and in time of fayr weather prouideth meate to lyue by in winter of whose diligence and prouision he spoke afore Prou. vi Vade ad formicam o piger considera vias eius disce sapientiam O thou idle man or woman go to the Emytte and consider hys labours and payne that he taketh and learn witte He hath no ruler captayne or scolemayster but onely his owne naturall inclinacion and dysposicion where we be many waies taught to prouide as well by almighty God in his scriptures and by the preachers as by our maisters and by good example giuers and yet the said poore beast hath a cast of prouision that many of vs lacketh for he prouideth aforehand in fair weather meate to lyue by in winter and in fowle weather when he may not labour and so the slouthful man may learne by him In so muche as so little a worme lacking a captaine gide or scoolemaister taught onely by nature prouideth so handsomely for her selfe while she maye styrre about and laboure against the time to come Muche more we that be reasonable creatures made after the ymage of God and called to the sight of his glory and that be helped with so many maisters and teachers hauing him that made vs for our gyde and captayne ought and must nedes for shame gather together the graynes and frutes of good woorkes by which we may liue the euerlasting life in time to come Thys present life is like the sommer or the haruest time for nowe in the heate of temptacion and trouble is the tyme to gather y e merites of rewardes euerlastinge the good woorkes for which we shall be rewarded in heauen The daye of dome and the time after this life maye be called winter for then will be no time to labour for a mans liuing but euery man and woman shall be compelled to shewe furth that he hath layd vp in the barne or garnard of his former workes by his life tyme and vpon them he shall lyue or perishe for hunger for accordinge to theym he shall haue his rewarde Lepusculus plebs inualida qui collocat in petra cubile suum Here is som diuersitie of translations for that in our text is called lepus culus in other is called herinacius and hericius Mus. And in the psalm Ciii it is sayd petra refugi
fruites of y e earth proueth largely when God maketh the sonne to shine vpon good bad men indifferently and sendeth rayne to the iust men as to the vniust these and such other pertaine to temporal lyfe prosperitie he that wil not loue god laud him for thē is very vnkind By this almighty god sheweth what he reserueth and kepeth in stoore for them that be good whyle he geuethe all suche pleasures to theym that be noughte Then yf thou haue plentye thanke GOD that gaue it thee or yf thou lacke yet thanke God for he is not taken from the that geueth all thinges thoughe his gyftes be withdrawen for a time Remember what holy Iob sayde when he was spoyled of al that he had Dominus dedit dominus abstulit sicut domino placuit ita factum est sit nomen domini benedictum This is verye true charitie towarde God that so laudeth God in prosperitie that yet it kepeth a man vp that he be not broken nor ouerthrowen in aduersitie And here is hyghlye to be considered the true sentence and mynde of holy Iob concerninge prouidence cure or prouision about thinges longinge to man whiche many of the paignim philosophers imputed to desteny or to fortune or to influence of the sterres or suche other causes For Iob sayth Dominus dedit GOD hath geuen it to me Where he confesseth that worldly prosperitie commeth to man not by chaunce nor by desteny nor by influence of the sterres nor onely by mans studye and laboure but of Gods dispensation disposinge And in that he sayth Dominus abstulit God hath taken it away he confesseth that aduersitie commeth to man also by Goddes prouidence meaninge by this that man hath no iust cause to cōplaine or grudge against God if he be spoyled of al temporal goodes gifts For the things that God geueth gratis without any deseruing of vs he may geue them for a time or els to a mās last ende as it pleaseth him Therefore when he taketh them away afore our end or when we haue most nede of thē there is no cause why we shuld complaine And when holy Iob sayth Si cut domino placuit ita factum est sit nomen domini benedictum He declareth that considering that if a mā be spoyled of all that euer he hath yet if he loue God he shuld conforme his wil to Gods wyll so not to be supped vp or ouercome with sorow but rather to be glad to geue thankes to God y t it hath pleased him to fulfil his will vpon hym as the apostles did Ibant gaudentes a conspectu consilii quoniam digni habiti sunt pro nomine Iesu contumeliam pati they went from afore the coūsell nother wepynge nor grudginge but with a mery heart that it had pleased GOD to repute thē worthy to suffre despites for Christes name and for his sake As if a sicke man take a bytter potion he should be glad so to do in hope of helth that he trusteth to receiue by the medicine And so if God visit his louer with aduersitie doubtles it is for some better purpose that he knoweth better then we Therfore although the flesh woulde grudge yet reason shoulde be contente glad of it Thyrd like as a garment couereth a mans secretes and vncleanly partes that a man would not haue sene so doth charitie couer the vnclenlines of the soule so that withoute it the soule goeth naked Therfore it is sayd Apo. xvi Beatus qui vigilat custodit vestimēta sua ne nudus ambulet videāt turpitudinem eius Blessed is he that walketh as one regarding caring for his owne saluation sauegard and that kepeth his raiment of vertues lest he walke naked at y e day of the generall iudgement that all the aungelles holy cōpany cōming w t Christ may se his filthines Fourth Charitie is the wedding liuery or garment without which no man can be alowed to sit at Christes feast but if he presume to come without it he shall be taken vp and bound hand and fote and cast into the darke dongeon of hel It is written Hester iiii that it was not lawfull for any man to entre into the court of kinge Assuerus beynge clothed in sackclothe or such vile rayment Assuerus by interpretation is as muche to saye as beatitude so it maye not be that anye man withoute charitie beynge as one wrapt in a sacke or vyle ragges of vices to come into the courte of euerlastinge beatitude in heauen This is the heauenlye vertue by whiche mortall men yet here liuinge be made lyke the inhabitauntes of heauen Of this vertue it is written Can viii Valida sicut mors dilectio Loue or Charitie is mightie and stronge as death The strength of Charitie coulde not haue ben more nobly expressed For who can resist or withstande death Fyre may be withstanden weapons may be withstanden kynges and men of greate power maye be withstanden but when death commeth it selfe alone who resisteth or withstandeth it There is nothing stronger then it and therefore charitie is compared vnto the strength of it And because that Charitie kylleth in vs that we were afore kylleth synne with whiche we were infect afore and maketh vs as we were not afore therfore it causeth in vs a certayne death suche as he was deade with that sayde Mihi mundus crucifixus est ego mundo The worlde is crucified kylled and deade to me and I to the worlde This is the vertue that neuer falleth nor faileth but in the highe and heauenly citie aboue is consummate and made parfit and set in highest perfection that here is feable and weake and abideth much trouble and hath many interruptiōs It foloweth in the text of this epistle Hospitales inuicem sine murmuratione You shall kepe hospitalitie and open householdes or your houses open one to another without yl wil or grudginge Saynt Paule commendinge the constancie and stedfast fayth of the holye patriarchs Abraham Isaac and Iacob and others amonge other vertues specially commendeth them Quod confessi sunt se hospites aduenas super terram declarantes se patriam inquirere Heb. xi because they confessed and toke them selues as gestes straungers or waifaring men in y e land whiche was promised thē as a peculier inheritaunce yet they setled not theyr mindes on it but euer had an eye to thinheritaunce that should neuer fayle which is heauen aboue signified by the sayd lāde that they were in then by this geuing vs exāple that while we be here how greate so euer welth and ryches patrimonie landes or reuenues God geueth vs yet we shoulde not setle our mindes to fast on them as in them to prefixe our ende our felicitie as men thinking none other heauē but that we should euer by example of such holy fathers set forwarde our selues to wyn the sure habitatiō of heauen y t neuer decaieth nor faileth taking our selues while we
God But when he that hathe receiued all suche benefites at Gods hande lyueth not well but viciouslye hee payeth not that hee ought he giueth no thanke to the gyuer nor bestoweth these giftes to Gods honour nor to the profite of Gods poore people nor to the wealthe of hys owne poore neyghbours no more then other gyftes of grace that God hath gyuen hym The giftes of nature as bodelye strengthe must be bestowed not as an instrument of mischief to fighting quareling brawling or to theft or murder or such like but must be bestowed in good exercise auoyding of idlenes As the wisemaÌ„ saith Quicquid potest manus tua instanter operare nihil est enim apud inferos quo tu properas Whatsoeuer thy hand can worke do it buselye for there is no worke to do in hel whither thou makest haste by thy idlenes Likewise beutie of face in whyche most part of women excedingly glorieth shoulde not be vsed as an instrument of mischiefe to allure any person to concupiscence by curious and wanton trimming thy self like a staale to take y e diuell And so the gifts of grace as cunning learning perspicuitie clerenes of wyt shoulde euer do good to thy neighbour and not onely to please thy selfe And riches that God sendeth muste be so bestowed that in any wise we beware of couetousnes and of nigardnes as Christ biddeth vs. Luke xij Videte cauete ab omni auaritia quia non in abundantia cuiusquam vita eius est Take heede beware of all couetousnes for a mans life standeth not in the aboundaunce of hys possession Where our Sauiour Christe forbiddeth not onely desyre to haue but also desyre to saue Desyre to haue dampneth many a one as it is playne of robbers theues and brybers and of suche as deceyue men in byinge and sellynge and they that gyueth false euidence or beareth false witnes to wynne and gette a lyuing or to gette the greate mans fauour or els peraduenture to saue theyr owne liues For after Saint Austine this auarice and couetousnes to saue a mans owne life is an horrible auarice greatly to be feared that a man for hys mortall lifes sake wyll loose him which where he was imortal was made mortal to make the immortal and to giue the life euerlasting It were better to dye for truth and to saue the life of the soule by which thou mayst come to euerlastinge life then to loose that life and to be brought to death euerlasting we shoulde be content rather to contempne thys wretched lyfe then to commit any sinne we should be content to say with him Nudus egressus sum de vtero matris mee nudus reuertar illuc Iob grudged not in al hys calamitie but tooke it thankfullye and said I came out of my mothers belye al naked bare and so I wil returne thither agayne Naked he was without bodely aparel but he hadde plenty of rayment that would neuer rotte So better it were for vs to be brought to such myserye as Iob was yea and that oure enemye or a tormentour that thursteth mannes blood should slaye vs oute of hande then that wee shoulde by oure owne tounge for anye desyre of lyfe or of lucre or aduauntage slaye oure owne soules And where Christe sayde Cauete ab omni auaritia c. he speaketh specially agaynst thys couetuousnesse and desyre to saue as appeareth by the parable there of a ryche manne whose landes hadde broughte fourthe a ryche croppe of grayne In so muche that he studyed by hym selfe and sayde what shall I dooe nowo â–ª This will I doe I will take downe and breake mine old barnes and I will make them larger and there I wyll bestowe and laye vp myne encrease and all my goodes and then I wyl say to my self O my soul thou hast goodes inough laid vp for mani yeres now take thy rest eate drink make feastes and bankets at thy pleasure But God sayd to hym Oh thou foole this night thei wyll take thy soule from thy body and then the goods that thou hast gotten who shal haue theÌ„ And euen so and in like case is he saith Christ that hourdeth and storeth for himselfe and is not ryche to godwarde Generally all suche as doe not vse the giftes that God hath giueÌ„ them but drowne them and hide them all to theym selues and nothing to the wealthe of theyr neighbours theyr houshold felowes Gods folkes all such be slothfull stuardes and be like him that Christe spoke of Math. xxv in the parable of a greate man that went from home into a straunge countrey and left his goodes among his seruauntes to be employed and occupied for his profit in his absence To one he gaue fiue talentes to an other two to the third he gaue one talent and this man that had but one talent in stocke knitte hys maisters money in a cloute and hyd it in the earth and did no good vpon it When the mayster came home and shoulde syt in hys audite where euerye man had labored vpon theyr maysters stock and had gotten good encrease thys last man brought the mony whole again excused hym self laying the fault on hys maister saying I know that you be a rough man a sore cruell man a hard man you wil loke to gather wher you nothing cast abrod and you will reape wher you nothing sowed therfore I thought good to be sure without any los thus I haue hid it lo here it is you haue your owne good againe But for his slothe his talent was taken from him and he was cast into exteriour darkenes where shalbe weping gnashinge of teeth This was for his slothe and negligence in which he offended fearing vndiscretly his maisters sharpenes But other stuardes ther be that I spoke of afore that without feare of God payeth shrewd paymente abusyng Goddes gyftes to theyr owne lust and likinge and to hurt theyr felowes Gods seruantes Of such stuardes take example Math. xxiiij Si autem dixerit malus seruus in corde suo moram facit dominus meus venire ceperit percutere conseruos suos manducet autem et bibat cuÌ„ ebriosis veniet dominus seruiâ—llius in die qua non sperat hora qua ignorat et diuidet eum partemque eius ponet cum hipochritis illic erit fletus stridor dentium If the shrewd seruaunt say in his minde my mayster is long a comming vpoÌ„ that beginneth to strike and hurt his felowes to eate and drinke with drunkerdes his Lorde and mayster will come when he thincketh not â–ª will diuide his soule from his bodie and wil laye his part with hipocrites his soule with false christen people with such as beginneth well and end noughtely that semed good Christen men yet dissemblers they were and inwardly noughty liuers and dampnable into hell Luc xij readeth it Et cepit percutere pueros et ancillas and beginneth to strike the children
the maides By the youth of the children by the womankinde vnderstaÌ„ding theÌ„ that be fraile that easely and sone taketh occasion to do nought In the saide exterior darknes shalbe weping for smoke heate gnashing of teethe for cold It is said in the verse of the psalme aboue rehersed Iustus autem miseretur triâ—uet The iust man the true seruant and stuard to God is merciful lendeth al the gifts of nature and of grace that God hath giuen him he applieth to Gods honour and to do good to hys neighbour and such welth riches as god hath lent him he parteth with his needie neyghbour and bestoweth on workes of mercye pitie And if he be trueli a iust man although he be but pore in worldly riches yet he is riche in soule Loke in his cofer thou shalt finde it voyd and empty but loke consider his soule and thou shalt fynde it full of charitie He hathe no stuffe nor substaunce outward but inwardly he hath charitie passinge all worldlye treasure And if he finde nothing to giue outward yet he giueth and lendeth beneuolence good will he gyueth counsell yea and he helpeth by prayer and is soner heard of God and doth more good then he that giueth breade and meate He hath euer somwhat to giue that hathe his brest ful of charity The very poore people leÌ„deth gyueth among theÌ„ selues one to an other of the treasure of theyr good wylles they be not al baren and vnfruteful The blinde man is led by him that seeth whych lendeth his eyes because he lacketh mony to lend because y t with in him he had a good wil which is the treasure of y e poore Holye Iob saithe .xxix. Oculus fui ceco pes claudo I was an eye to the blinde the foote to y e lame helping theÌ„ not onely with my goodes but also if nede required settinge to my helpynge handes without any attourney or proctour Of the bestowing of the goodes of fortune he sayth Pater eram pauperum In which woordes for the vehemencie of his mercy and pitie he leaueth the name of a dispensatour or stuarde and vseth the name of a father conuerting the office of charity into the affection and ferueÌ„t loue natural vsing them on whom he bestowed his charitie pitye almes as intierly and louingly as a father vseth the childe as though he did his charitie not only for dread of God but also for fatherly loue vnto his neighbours Would God al we ChristeÌ„ people in which there should abound more plenty of grace then was in men of the old time would bestow vse our lords tresure the gifts of nature of grace of fortune after the example of thys blessed father that so we might be counted good dispensatours stuards of the maniform graces of god as blessed S. Peter willeth vs for to be Charissimi nolite peregrinari in feruore qui ad teÌ„ptationem vobis fit quasi noui aliquid vobis coÌ„tingat My very welbeloued frends be not dismayde or troubled in your mindes in the feruencie heate of persecutioÌ„ vexation y t now is so hot agaynst you which heate almighty God suffreth to com vpon you for your trial to trie you proue you Meruel not be not troubled I sai as though any newes or straunge thing betide you or chauÌ„ced vnto you for it is the old maner that good meÌ„ susteine harme and displeasure by shrewes wher afore in the processe that I declared in my laste sermon the Apostle Saint Peter had exhorted them that he wryt to to communicate louingly to bestowe vpon theyr neighbours such giftes as God had giuen them Now consequentlye he teacheth them to take payne and to abide sorow and affliction yea euen to death martirdome if y e case requyre saying Nolite peregrinari as our text hath it maruel not saith the other text But in asmuch as when a man is sore dismaid troubled his wits seme to be fro home straying and not close together therefore it is sayd here noliâ—e peregrinari be not you in that case as men out of them selues in such hot and perilous times but consider that such perturbacion and trouble coÌ„meth vnto you to tempt you not by temptacion that shall condempne you for God so tempteth no man but to trye you and proue you whether you be stedfast or wauering in your faith and in all other goodnes as he sayde afore in the fyrste chapiter Now you must be sory in diuers temptacions that the triall and proofe of your faythe much more precious then golde that is tryed by the fyre may be found worthy to haue land glorye and honour at the reuelation and shewynge of Iesus Christ at the day of iudgement Thys is no newes for so suffered Christ for vs all and so must they suffer that wyll liue a true Christen life and so in the primitiue church suffred many a one martirdom for Christes sake of which thing they that Saint Peter wryt to had good knowledge and experience In a feruent and a cruell battel the souldiers perceiueth and taketh an excellent comfort by the manlynes of theyr captain and by examples of mightye men that haue bene praysed for theyr noble actes It is verye vnfytting vnmete for a souldier to sit at ease in hys hale or tent or in his lodgynge at hys pleasure while his captayne laboreth sore and is in peryll in the battell among his enemies and it is as vnseming that where the captaine is sore hurt and wouÌ„ded the souldier studieth to slepe in a whole skin and beareth neuer a skar in his bodye Our sauiour Christ is our chiefe captayne in our dayly battel against our gostly enemyes let vs take example of him and folow his steppes after the counsell of saynt Peter in the beginning of thys chapiter where he wylleth vs to be armed with the remembrauÌ„ce of Christes passion that he suffred in his fleshe And Sainte Paule biddeth vs lay away al the burden of sinne that is about vs and with pacience run to the battel that is sette furth agaynst vs like as the Apostles and Martirs other blessed saintes suffred theyr bodyes to be torn rent and mangled loking vpoÌ„ Christ the authour of our faith and perfourmer maker perfite the same and inwardly considerynge his paynes that he suffered for vs all whyle hee might haue had ioy and pleasure yet he suffered death on the crosse and dispised shame he regarded not the shame that his enemies thought thei put him to Let vs remember him that suffered such contradiction and countersayinges against him and let vs not be weary nor shrinke in oure mindes considering that if we be felowes and partakers of his paines we shalbe likewise partakers of comfort with him .ij. Cor. i. And therfore if it be coÌ„fort for vs to hear of the abundant reward that we shal receiue for our paines taking let not the pain of
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