to saue them selues that they should not lose their place and the people Ioh. xi Lest if the Romaines should heare of such a man to be in their couÌ„trey that had so great a retinew of disciples as Christ had they might peraduenture surmise a conspiracie consequently some coÌ„mocion rebellion against the Emperours power which might be occasioÌ„ that he should send an army into the couÌ„trey destroy the countrey and take them all 〈…〉 captiuitie This was a far cast 〈…〉 was not the gift of counseâ—â— coÌ„ming of the holy gost therefore it proued not with theÌ„ but went all against theym for the feare that they feared fortuned to theÌ„ cleane coÌ„trary to their miscoÌ„triued counsell For in deede the Romaiâ—s came at length and destroyed the couÌ„trey toke the â—ople into miserable captiuitie because none that had to do in thys matter should scape vnpunished the vengeaunce began at the great men that were taken for chief Iudges in the condempnation of Christ. For Herodâ— was depriued of his kyngdome by Caius the emperour and was banished perpetually to Lions in Fraunce and with him Herodias his incestious concubine by whose meanes blessed S. Iohn baptist was beheaded As Iosephus antiquitatum lib. xviii ca. xiiii writeth And Pilate after he had ruled in Iewrye ten yeares was dryuen home to Rome by Vittellius general gouernour of Siria to answer to such iniuries and tirannye as he had done in the countrey As Iosephus writeth Antiquitatum lib. eodem cap. vii And at Rome because he was an vniust Iudge against Christ he was vexed and put to so much trouble sorowe and mischiefe that desperatlye he beat hym selfe to death with his owne handes as Eusebius wryteth in the ecclesiasticall storye the second boke and .vii. chapter And the citie of Ierusalem and the people of the Iewes for their iniquitie against Christ were by the Emperour Vespasian and Titus hys sonne subdued and destroyed euen in the time of theyr Pâ—schâ—l feast at which time they had done their malice â—gainst Christe because the tyme of vengeaunce might answer agree to the time of the muse of the same At the paschal time they sâ—ed the most innocent blood of Christ euen then the vengeance for his bloud fel vpoÌ„ them vpoÌ„ their childreÌ„ and issue according to their own desire saying Sanguis eius super nos super filios nostros Let the vengeaunce for his bloud sayd they lye vpon vs and vpon our children And so it did for euen at the same time of the yere .xlii. yeres after the Emperoure Vespasian and his sonne Titus after they had destroyed the chiefe Townes and strongest fortalicies and holdes of the Realme came to besiege that citie and in the whole tyme of that battaile toke prisoners lxxxxvii thousaÌ„d And at the same siege were slaine and that dyed by famine and moreyne commyng chiefely of the stinche of the dead corpses liyng vnburied to the number of a .xi. C. thousand as Iosephus writeth in the seuenth boke of the Iewes battayle and .xvii. Chapter Therfore it foloweth in the psalme rehersed Qui habitat in coelis irridebit eos Almightye God that dwelleth in heauen wyll laugh theÌ„ to scorne as he did in dede wheÌ„ he rose froÌ„ death to life againe notwithstandyng y â— they thought him sure inough being once dead notwithstandyng al the kepers that were set to kepe his body froÌ„ stealyng Et duÌ„s subsannabit eos Our Lorde will wring the nose at theÌ„ which wordes importeth a greater indignation anger then derision dothe and was put in execution at thys moste horrible strage and destruction of that citie and at the takyng away of the saide prisoners whiche they feared when they said that if they let Christ scape their handes the Romayns would come and take their citie and carye away the people Here you may see what it is to take couÌ„saile against god The wise maÌ„ saith Pro. xxi Non est sapientia non est prudentia non est consiliuÌ„ contra dominum There is no sapieÌ„ce there is no wittines there is no counsayle against our lord God Sapience is the cognition and iudgement of diuine and high causes which is not amonge heretiks that soweth cocle yl sedes among the corne settyng forth sectes and diuisions Suche wisdome how well learned so euer it semeth to be is not the true sapience because it is againste our lord God which is the god of peace and not of dissention Also be thy capacite neuer so quicke to perceiue and vnderstande the lessons of holye scripture Yet if thou haue amaruÌ„ zelum a bitter affectioÌ„ trustyng by thy learning to checke rebuke other men or to allure other to thy sect factioÌ„ or opinion as some meÌ„ haue done reasoning agaynst Purgatory because they would by that destroye prayers for the dead and so coÌ„sequently put downe abbeys chauntries whiche were founded for such praiers or if thou glory to much in thy learnyng al this maketh contra dominum against God and is not the true vnderstandyng or wittines that is the gifte of the holye goste And likewise of the thirde gyfte of whiche wee nowe entreate Donum cosilii As longe as thy caste leaneth ouer muche to mannes imagination and setteth not God afore but rather worketh agaynste God as ye hearde of these that compassed and counsayled for the deathe of Christe so to saue theim selues it is not the counsaile that is the gyfte of the holye Gooste for it is agaynste our Lorde GOD. It leaueth to muche to worldlinesse and to mannes caste grounded on malyce and euyll will therefore it coulde not holde Accordynge the faiynge of Gamaliell that honourable learned manne among the Iewes wheÌ„ the chiefe rulers among theÌ„ laied their heads together toke theyr counsayle how to put y e apostles to death for preching the fayth of Christ Up stode this Gamaliell and gaue theÌ„ better counsayle aduertisyng theÌ„ to beware how they ordred these men meanyng the apostles of Christe not sodainly to precipitate their iudgmeÌ„t against theÌ„ for this precipitacion of sentence sodaynelye wythout mature deliberation or aduisement is the contrary to the gyft of counsayle that we now speake of that is the thirde gyfte of the holye gost Thys he persuaded by two examples firste of one Theudas whyche after Iosephus vsynge superstitious craftes toke vpon hym to be a great Prophet and so deluded the people that he made manye of theim to sell their goodes and care for nothynge but to folowe hym And so brought a greate multitude after hym to the water side of Iordane to the noumber of foure hundred disciples where he promised them wythin thre dayes nexte folowynge to deuide the water and to go ouer with them drye shodde as Iosue did wyth hys companye But whyle they were tariynge for thys myracle came on them the Capitayne of the countrey wyth hys Armye and strooke of Theudas heade and destroyed and
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
oyntment it giueth a fragraunt and swete sauour And like as God seÌ„deth welth and wo indifferently to good men and to yl men for causes best knowen vnto his wisedome euen so he sendeth our end and death sometime to euil meÌ„ easy and worshipful in the sight of the world and to good men shameful and vilenous as men taketh it Many men desireth a good death and a fayre death and feareth and abhorreth a fowle deathe And yet to saye the truthe all maner of death is a good death to them that be good and to sinneful persons almaner of deathe is a fowle death as Saint Austine declareth in his booke de disciplina Christiana Therfore if thou be afraid of a fowle death thou muste feare a fowle and a sinneful life for if thou loue a fowle and a sinnefull life and wouldest haue a fair end thou louest better thy death then thy life which I declare after this maner All things that a man loueth he would fayne haue them fayre and good as in example If thou loue thy coate or thy gown thou wouldest fayne haue it fayre and good Thou louest thy friende thou wouldest fayne haue hym good Thou louest thy sonne or thy childe thou wouldest be glad he were good Thou louest thy house or thy chamber thou wouldest fayne haue it fayre and good Then how is it that thou woldest fayn haue a fayre and a good death at thine ending Is it not for like causes that thou hast a speciall loue to it And therfore thou praiest God consideringe that thou must once dye that God woulde sende thee a fayre deathe and that God would saue thee from a fowle deathe Thou art afrayd to dye yll but thou art not afrayde to liue yl therfore thou louest thy death better theÌ„ thy life Amende thy yll lyfe and neuer feare an yll death For noÌ„ potest male mori qui bene vixerit he can not die ill that hath liued well But agaynste this you will peraduenture obiect thus hath not mani good meÌ„ ben drowned by tempest or by ship wraâ—k in y e seas lost theyr liues w t their goodes al Hath not many good men ben slain amoÌ„gest theyr enemies in battell Hath not theues kylled mani good men in theyr own houses or els bi the hie way side â–ª Hath not some good meÌ„ bene killed with wilde beastes yea many al to torne in peces with such wild beasts and haue you not herd of som innoceÌ„ts y t haue ben hanged on y e galowes as felons murderers or like malefactours Be not al these yl deathes be thei not fowl deathes Aske the eyes of the carnal and fleshly maÌ„ they will say they be fowle deathes ill deathes But examine aske the eyes of our faithe they wyll iudge theÌ„ and cal theÌ„ fayre deathes because that God saith by the prophet preciosa est in conspectu domini mors sanctoruÌ„ eius The death of the holye good men is precious of great price estimacion in the sight of our lord Be not such deathes as I haue spoken of the veri deathes that blessed Martyrs whose martirdomes we kepe highe holy in Christes churche haue suffered for Christes sake Therfore let vs endeuour our selues to haue a good life while we be here then whatsoeuer occasioÌ„ we haue to die we shal go out of this world to rest quietnes that shall be without al feare of trouble shal neuer haue end The riche glotoÌ„ y t is spoke of in the gospel y t went eueri day in purple soft silkes fared euery dai delicately it is to be thought that he died in a soft bed in fine shetes costly couÌ„terpoints or couerlets but streight out of theÌ„ he was cast into hell where he begged one drop of water to cole his tong to refresh him could not get it Pore Lazar the begger died in his maÌ„gie cloutes ful of matter of his sores amoÌ„g the dogs that licked his scabs w tout meate or drink in huÌ„ger thurst he could not get the cruÌ„mes scraps that fel froÌ„ y e rich maÌ„s bord yet out of al this miseri he weÌ„t streight into Abrahams bosom a place of rest quietnes without any disteÌ„perance to trouble him or to disease hym Take hede of theyr ende and by that consideracion iudge whiche was the better death eyther the ryche gloton which died into hel or the deathe of poore Lazar which dyed into health rest quietnes I dout not but your minde giueth you that poore Lazar dyed the better deathe excepte you would wyshe to dye in riche clothes to be powdred with costly spices and your soules to stynke in hell and to begge water and none to haue gyuen you What profeit got the riche gloton by his gaye tumbe of fyne marble or of touche stone or els of some costly mettal more then the pore man by his homely buryal litle or none Therefore to conclude thou shalt learne to dye well and to dye a fayre death if thou wilt learne to liue wel Our sauiour Christ led the most blessed and vertuous life that euer any man liued and therfore though his death semed to his enemies the cruell Iewes moste vile and vilanous yet it was the marueylous death that killed deathe and killed also the auctour and causer of all death Therefore finallye consideringe that the ende of vs all is come at hande as saint Peter saithe here let vs take example of Christ and of his holy word and also of holy men and women that hath taken paynes to folow his steps and let vs conforme our lyuinge vnto their liues and let vs arme our selues with the coÌ„sideracion and busie remembrance of Christes life and of his passion his death as I sayd at the beginning of this exhortacion then there is no doubte but whether we dye by lande or by water we shall dye a precious and a good death that shalbe the meane and high way to quietnes rest and ioyes in euerlastinge life with Christe Estote itaque prudentes et vigilate in orationibus therfore be you prudent and watch in praiers These wordes of sainte Peter with certaine that foloweth be red in Christes churche for the epistle of the day on the sunday within the octaues of the ascension which is the sunday next afore Whit suÌ„day Saint Peter considering the manifold troubles of this world that vertuous faithful people be euer cumbred with al and also considering the shortnes of our abode here that it wil away and is come to an ende therefore he saithe be you prudeÌ„t and watch in praiers Be you prudeÌ„t he saith there be diuers maners of prudence The Philosopher saithe that omnia naturaliter bonum apperunt Al things naturally desyreth the thing that is good for theym and so doth the thinges that lacketh theyr senses after theyr maner for they naturally desireth to come to theyr natural quaÌ„titie
within the territory of Sidon he found a woman gatheringe a few stickes to make her a fire he desiered her to geue him a little water to drinke and a morsel of bread She answered and said she had no bread I haue no more said she but a handfull of meale in a steen and a litle oyle in a gearre I gather nowe saide she duo ligna two stickes as a man woulde saie a fewe stickes to bake it and make breade for my sonne and me and when we haue eaten that we haue no more we will dye No saide Helye be not afraied Thus saith the God of Israel Thy steen of meal shal not faile or lack nor thy gearre of oyle shall be any thing lesse tyll the time when GOD shall sende rayne vpon the earth For in dede this fortuned in the time of the lōg famine that was in y t coūtrey for lack of rayne by the space of three yeres an halfe accordynge to the prayer and peticion of the same Prophete Helye for the correction and punishement of Achab the kyng and Iesabel his quene and of their false prophetes and of their people And as the Prophete promised so it proued in dede By this example you se howe the pore hospitalitie of the saide good woman exhibited and bestowed on Helye was recompensed with plentie sufficiente where all the countrey els was in greate penurye and neade And here you shall note that this meale in the Steen that was so longe reserued and continued by the word of the Lorde God of Israell was a figure and signified the most reuerende and blessed Sacrament of the Aultare The wydowe that was so longe susteined with this meal signified Christes holy church the whole congregation of faythful men and womenne whiche by that that Christe her spouse and husband was slayne and buried and then rose again and departed from her into heauen and hath left her viduate and without hys visible presence althoughe he hath left her hys blessed bodye and bloude in this blessed Sacrament whiche this wydowe all faiethfull folkes muste bake and digest with the sayde two trees signifiynge the remembraunce of his paynefull passion that he suffered on the crosse for a crosse is made commonlye of two trees acccordynge to Sainte Paules saiynge As oft as you shall eate this breade or drinke of this cuppe you shal shewe the death of our Lorde vntill he come and shall shewe him selfe in his glorious maiestie at the generall iudgemente which tyme thoughe it shall be a terible and an horrible time to sinners and to all damnable persons yet it shal be a time of grace of solace and comfort to al his true louyng seruauntes This was signified by y e raine that came from Heauen vppon the earth when Helye sayde that the Steen of meale should not fayle nor the gearre of oyle shoulde not be diminished tyll GOD sende rayne from heauen for the comforte of the countrey as his grace shall come for the comfort of vs all at that daye This meale and Oyle were continued so longe to sustaine .iii. persons not by any natural power but by the supernatural power of God And so is his bodye made of breade and wine by the worde of Christe and by his Godlye and infinite power aboue nature Therefore let not naturall reason cumber it selfe in the examination or triyng how it maye be but stedfastlye beleue that thus it is for so God saith And although it be called bread and the cuppe of wine as well in the Gospell as of S. Paule yet there is nother bread nor wine after the consecration but very fleshe and bloud Tell me how a handful of meale and a little oyle coulde continue so longe ▪ and to feade so manye persons and I shall tell thee howe of a little breade and wyne shall be made a perfect body of a manne and hys bloude Thou canst saye no more to the firste question but Hec dicit dominus Deus Israell As Helye sayde Thus sayth the GOD of Israell and thus it was in dede And euen so I saye vnto thee Thus sayeth the God of Israell our Sauiour Christe Thys is my bodye This is my bloude And therefore so it is and muste neades be so in dede And so shall continue Donec veniat vntyll he come to the generall Iudgemente in his visible maiesty amonge vs. And then shall cease this blessed Sacramente in whyche for the tyme wee see Christes bodye enigmatically and in a straūge similitude by our fayeth whiche maner of seinge hym shall then cease when we shall see him face to face in hys owne likenesse when he shall cast downe and treade vnder his feete all theim that nowe so despitefullye rayle and geste and mock his blessed bodye that he hath left vs in this blessed Sacramente for our comfort And nowe to returne to the storie In processe of tyme it chaūced that the sayde good wydowes childe dyed to her great discomforte And she desired the Prophet Helye to praye for hym that he mighte reuyue and lyue agayne And so the Prophete did the chylde reuiued the Prophete gaue him to his mother aliue agayne Loe here was another notable recompence for hospitalitie exhibited to this good man Firste the sauegarde of all their liues seconde the raysynge of the chylde from death to life agayne Likewise it is writ iiii Reg. iiii of the blessed Prophete Helise that he vsed to resorte to an honest house in the towne of Suna where a worshipfull woman maistresse of the house perceyuynge hym to be a holy man exhorted her husbande to make for the sayde Helise a Parloure wyth a bedde in it and a table and a cheare and a place to set hys candle on And so thei did The said prophet resorted thither diuers tymes and lodged in the same parlour and hadde good cheare on a time when he was minded to pay for his cheare he bade Giezi his seruaunt to aske of her whether she had anye matters to do with the kinge or with any of the counsaile or with anye great man in the courte or with the Capitayne in the Warres that hee might be suter for her and speake for her She aunswered that shee dwelled amonge her owne frendes and kinred and neaded none of his helpe in any such matters Then saide Giezi to his master you must vnderstande that she hath neuer a childe and her husbande is an aged man as who should saie it shuld be most comfort for thē both if they might haue issue by your praier wherupō the Prophete promised her that she shoulde conceiue a sonne by a certayne daie that he appoynted and so she did to the great comfort of the husbande and of the wife This was a notable reward for their hospitalitie bestowed vpon their gest that holye Prophet In processe of tyme the same childe fell sicke on a certayne disease that begōne with a feruent ache in his heade and died vpon the same Then
Leuaunt sea stayeth at the bay of Issus Eastward cvii d. Leuaunt and myddle earth sea is described and his courses fol. Eodem Litle sinnes must be kylled ccxxxi c Libertie of the Gospell fo xix d Liue to sinne fol lxxxii c Life of a good christen man is desier fol clxxiiii a Libertie not to be vsed as a cloke for malice or my sliuinge folio clxxx d Loue the man hate the vyce fol ccxv c d Loynes of our mynde what they be and that they must be tucked vp fol cxxx a Liberall men be best beloued fol â–ª ccxli d M MAnda remanda c. Esa xxviii is expounded clxii a Maniche is heresy fol lxxiii a Maried we be to Christ by fayth fol. lxviii a Mary was full of grace how fol iiii b Maries prerogatiue fol lxxviii c. Mary was deliuered w tout any aperture of her body Ibid Mans traditions or mans lawes which binde vnder paine of deadly synne and which not fo xcvi d Makers of lawes be Gods helpers and muste beware of certaine faultes fol. xcvii c Make not our bodies more precious then Christ made his body fol â–ª ccxxix Malice fol cxlv d Maried men must laye awaye their swellinge and poyson when thei company with their wiues that is euer ccvi a Make a diner meritoriously fo cclvii b Messias Christus vnctus be all one fo ci d Men be princes greatest in their owne houses fo cxcvi b Mercie of thre maners fol. cccxi c Mithridates kinge of Ponius kept open warre wyth the Romans .xlvi. yeres fo c.x. b Milke signifieth playne doctrine of the plentie of milke folio cl a. b. Milke sowre and crudded fo c.liii a. b Modesty is described fol. ccxiii b Moyses had fortitude performing the counsell of Iethro folio xxvi b. Moyses wyshed to be striken out of gods booke is vnder stande fol. li. b. a Mother and her .vii. sonnes manfullie suffred death folio xxviii d. Mourning vndiscrete is taken away beleuing on the article of resurrection of the body fol. lxxxvi c. Morale lawes what they be fol. lxxxix c. Moral laws byndeth all men fo lxxxx a Murmuringe and grudginge is the propertye of a swyne folio cclxiiii c N. NArrations yf they be sobre doeth good to the audience folio lxi d. Narration of .ii. craftes men of whiche the better witted thriued worse fo lxii a. b. Name a good name is a treasure highlye to be regarded and he that taketh it away cannot be forgiuen withoute restitucion that the restitucioÌ„ is verie hard fo cxlvii c Numbre of prisoners taken in the siege of Ierusalem and of them that were slayne and died by mortyn fol. xvii a. O. OBey our rulers not tyrannes fol. cccv c. d. Obedience not coact but with charitie is required fol. cxl a. Obsecracion signifieth a vehemeÌ„cy in desyre for an others sake fol. clxxi d. Obedience of Sara is an example to all wiues fo cciii c Obseruaunces of the olde law fol. lxxxxi b Obseruauncee in Christes churche fo lxxxxiiii d Offer thy self to die rather then renege god or his faythe folio cccvi a. Offended men be by Goddes longaâ—imite and longe suffraunce and so it was in olde time fo clxâ— d Oyle signifieth the holy gost fo iii. d Old man signifieth our olde liuing fol. lxxxii b. Originall iustice is declared fo cxvii c. d. Originall sinne fol. cxviii â–ª a. Orders of Angels were all subiecte to Christ. fo ccxxvii d Orderinge of priestes and the ceremonies aboute the same folio cli d. clii a. b Our lord why Christ is so called that our lorde agreeth to God better then the Lorde fo lxvii a Ore dunge to stone the slewthfull is vnderstand clxxiiii d P. PArcialite when it is vsed fo cxxxiiii a Paule wyshed to be seperate from Christ for loue to hys countrey men is vnderstande fol. li. c Paule was very obstinate at the first in kepinge Moyses lawe fol. xxxi b Passions many Christ suffred fo cxxviii c Paule and the worlde were crucified one to an other folio ccxxxii b. Paine that christ suffred for vs we must take as our owne by compassion fo cxc a. b Payntinge thy heere with red or bright colours is a prophecienge of the flaminge fire of Hell whiche thou shalte come to fol. cc. d. Penaunce is the moste paynfull Sacramente of Christes churche with comforte to ease the same fo lxxxxiiii b. Penaunce is necessarie is declared fol. cxix a Penall lawes how they bynde fo xcxvii b. c Peter was bysshop of Antioche and how longe he taried there and that he came from thens to Rome fo cv c. d Penaunce the Niniâ—ites shall condemne them that wyll not do penaunce fo clx c. d Peace must be sought and runne after els the worlde wil haue it awaye fo ccxvii b. Pilate how he dyed fo xvi c. d Piete or pitie is diuerslie taken in latyn and also in Englyshe fo xliiii b Pietas is diffined after lactance and after Saynt Aug. folio xlv c Pietas is called latria in greeke and in Latin Religio folio â—odem Piete or reuerende worship we owe to God to our countrey and to our parentes and the order of these folio xlviii b. c. Pietas signifieth mercie pitie and compassyon fo lv a b Pitie on studentes of the vniuersities is best bestowed folio liiii c. d Pilgreme what it signifieth and how that vocable hath ben vsed fo clxxii d. Pylgrems must obserue .vi. thinges in theyr iourney folio clxxiii a. b Plato and Aristotels scole that the .iiii. affections must be moderate fol. lvi a. Preachers must haue sapience and the heares intelligence folio xi d. Prosperite and aduersytie good and yll be coÌ„mon to good and yll and why fo ccxli b Preachers may not ceasse perceyuinge that their audience profitteth not fo xii c. Preachinge profeicteth manie maner of wayes fo xiii b Priestes rayment different from lay mennes rayment is a necessary ceremony fo lxxxxiiii c Precipitacion of sentence is contrarie to the gyft of counsell fol. xxiii a. Prophecye necessarie at the orderynge of Pryestes folio cclxxxv a Priesthoddes excellencie fo cliiii d. Prelates and Priestes must not be lordly nor lowringe folio clvii a Proufe of man by trouble and by flatteryng fol. cxxiiii b. Prayse the iudge shal gyue vs for the woorkes of Iustice and honesty like as for the workes of mercye folio cxxv c. d Preachynge of the Gospell is called a smell or a sauoâ—r folio cxxx b. Precious is the stone our sauiour Christ and layde in the foundacion fo clxiiii a. b. Priestes and kinges we be all men and women how wyth a distinction of priesthod fol. clxvii a. b. Priestes spiritually be they that offreth to God acceptable sacrifice fo clxviii d. Priesthod the Sacrament and of his excellency fo clxix c. Prophecie in the orderinge of a priest what it signifieth fol. clxx b. c. Precellent is a higher terme then excellent fo
such after him haue a certain feare in them and worketh rather of a tendernesse or nashnes of hart then of fortitude or manlinesse Contrary to this we rede of Iudas Machabeus the valiant captaine that whē Lisias protectour of that huge part of Asia betwixt the riuer of Euphrates and the ryuer of Nilus in the absence of Anthiocus the king had send by the commaundement of the sayde kyng into the land of Iuda .xl. M. footemen and .vii. M. horsemen to inuade that land and to destroy it handsmothe so that there should remayne no memorie of the Iewes in all that lande Then this noble captain Iudas Machabeus gathered his people together and after fasting that daye with feruent and deuout prayer to God made a solempne exhortacion to hys people where he saide to my purpose Melius est nos mori in bello quam videre mala gentis nostrae et sanctorū .i. Mach. iii. It is better for vs to dye in battail then to se the trouble paines of our nacion of holy mē Wher he preferred death temporal to experience of misery chosed rather to dye then to sustaine the calamitie wretchednes shame that they should come to if their enemies shoulde haue the ouerhand ouer them yet the true fortitude manlines in Iudas Machabeus passed the mālines of al the paignim cōquerours that Aristotle could recite Aristotle saith also fortis quanto est virtuosior felicior tanto fit in morte tristior ▪ A manly man the more that he hath of that vertue the more felicitie that he hathe the more heuy sorowful he is at his death because that by death he is depriued disapointed of y e greatest felicitie benefit goodnes that may com to man which felicitie after him maye be gotten in this world For though they put an immortalitie of the soule yet of the state of soules after this present life they litle determine but leaue it so ragged that a man can not tell what to make of it But where the Philosopher saith for a conclusion fortis quanto est c. his faithe was no better but we by our faith know that the life to come is much more excellent then this presēt life full of misery and wretchednes euer mutable and vnconstant Notwythstandyng for the naturall amitie betwixt the soule and the body they be ful lothe to departe asundre naturally feareth such departure therefore in the ouercōming of this feare in the contempt of this life in ieopardinge on great perils for equitie and iustice sake for the faith of Christ and for the life to come standeth principally our fortitude this gift of the holy gost by which the holy goste moueth our soules setteth vs furth to obtain come to the end of euery good worke that we begin and maketh vs to escape passe al perils that maye let our good purpose And where the paines of death or the fear of death many times ouerthroweth turneth the fraile minde of mā that mā of him selfe can not ouercome the perils of this world come to y e reward of his labors but gyueth ouer hys good purpose afore it be parfite and perfourmed Here the holie goste helpeth mans minde giuyng a certain boldnes and trust to come to rewarde euerlasting in heauen as to the most parfite ende of all good woorkes and the very escape of all perils To this end the true fortitude this gift of the holy gost hath hys principall eye and respect This excellent gifte of fortitude or manlynesse rested in our Sauiour Christ as Esay speaketh and made him to put away and shake of the passions of our fraile mortalitie which made him to feare death and to be pensyfull and heauye when he sweat water and blood in his agonie remembring the death that he should to But anone he cōsidered hys fathers pleasure by fortitude went fourth to mete thē that were sent to take hym and consequentlye suffred his painfull passion on the crosse as he was determined for to doe Wherefore God the father exalted him and gaue him a name aboue all names and that is had in reuerence of al creatures Many we rede of in the olde testament and in the new that boldlye contempned deathe for iustice sake whyche had euer their principall respect and eye to reward euerlasting As Esaye which wyth a sawe was deuided in two partes Ieremye the Prophet was stoned to deathe for preaching to the people the word of God And .ii. Mach vii is writtē a marueilous story of a mother her .vii. sōnes in which this gift of the holy gost the gift of fortitude or mālines appereth excellently When she with her .vii. sonnes were conuented afore the kinge and the iudges they were required to eate certaine meates that were prohibited and forbidden by the lawe and to fal to the rites of gentilitie which they refused constantlye and therfore were condemned to dye were brought to execution the eldeste sonne had first his tonge cut out of his heade then the heere and skinne of his head striped of together his fingers and toes cutte of and when he was almost spent yet he was cast into a great vessell like a friynge panne and fire put vnder there he was broyled and fryed vntill he was deade His mother his brothers lokynge on him and one comfortynge another manfullye to dye in Gods quarell and for the kepynge of his lawes saiynge Deus aspiciet veritatem consolabitur in nobis God will loke vppon the truthe and will haue comforte among vs. The second was likewise serued sauinge that his tonge was not cut out and at his laste ende saide to the kynge Tu quidem scelestissime c. O thou moste mischeuous manne thou destroyest vs in this presente life but the king of all the worlde will raise vs vp againe in the resurrection of life euerlastyng that dyeth for his lawes The thirde shewed furth his handes and his tonge and said I haue the possession and vse of these thinges from heauen aboue but now I despise them for the lawe of God because I hope and trust to receiue them of him againe And euen so all the brothers were arayed vntil they came to the seuenth And that marueilous mother comforted them euerye one saiynge I can not tell howe you did appeare within my bodye for I gaue you not spirite and lyfe and I did not ioyne together the limmes of euerye one of you but the creatoure and maker of the worlde that fourmed and fashioned mannes natiuitie and that founde the originall beginnynge of all thinges wyll restore vnto you agayne with hys mercy both spirite lyfe euen as you now despyse your selues for hys lawes sake Antiochus the kinge thinkinge him selfe to be dispised and set at nought counsayled the mother that she shold entreate geue good counsail to the youngest sonne and to saue his life if it might be
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