and wee haue receiued by the preaching of the woorde of God in vertuous liuing agreinge to the same He beginneth his processe with laudes and thankes to God the father of heauen for his aboundant and great mercy in this that he hath regenerate and begotten vs againe to lyfe by our sauiour Christ. Where we afore by our carnall parentes were generate and gotten to dye Therefore he saythe blessed be God and father of oure Lorde Iesu Christ that is to saye God that is the father of our Lord Iesu Christ the first person in trinitie fountain wel and original beginning of the whole trinitie to which saynt Peter geueth his laudes and thankes not excluding any person in trinitie for the father and the sonne and the holy Gost haue all one Godhead equall glory and coeternall maiestie For this you must vnderstande that thys word blessed hath diuers significations according to the thinge that it is ioyned withall When we say blesse God or saye blessed be GOD it is a woorde of thankes and is as muche to saye as laude prayse and thankes be to GOD. For by oure blessynge GOD wee cannot increase hys glorye neyther make hym anye thinge the better by oure thankes although so doyng we accomplish do our boundē dutie to him but when God blesseth vs hys willing well to vs or saying wel by vs is his dede Therefore when hee blesseth vs hee gyueth vs some gyfte of grace or temporall subsidye and healpe by his mere liberalitye and gentlenesse and not of dutie nor of our deseruinge Thyrde when the father or a frende blesseth the chyld he giueth him temporall goodes or wysheth hym well and prayeth for him well to doe as Isaac blessed hys sonnes Iacob and Esau and lykewyse Iacob and other holye Fathers blessed theyr children as I sayde of Sainte Peters blessynge in the later ende of the salutacion of this Epistle Saynte Peter as I sayde begynneth wyth thankes offeringe to GOD at the beginninge a sacrifice of laude remembryng the sayinge of the Prophet Sacrificium laudis honorificabit me The sacrifice of laude and praysinge shall doe me honour saithe almighty God And like as hee that will doe bodely sacrifice to God muste doe it by the handes of a Priest or of a Byshoppe So this sacrifice of laude Saint Peter offereth to GOD the father by the handes of the great Priest and Byshoppe oure Sauiour Iesus Christe makynge mention of hym sayinge pater domini nostri Iesu Christi The Father of oure Lorde Iesus Christe And by thys Sainte Peter gyueth vs good example to begynne all our woorkes wyth thankes and praise to hym for hys owne glorye and with desyringe and praying for his grace to preuent vs to set vs forwarde at the beginning of our workes and to be concurrent and workynge wyth vs in all our affayres and proceadynges in oure businesse Qui secundum misericordiam suam magnam regenerauit nos in spem viuā per resurrectionē Iesu christi ex mortuis Whiche accordynge to hys great mercye by the resurrection of Iesu Christ from amonge the deade hathe begotten vs againe into a liuelye hope Accordynge to the rate of mannes offence almighty GOD multiplieth his mercye And thoughe all synnes compared to almightye God againste whom they be committed be infinite yet considerynge the frowardenes of the hart and wyll of the sinner some sinnes be more greuous then other be and require proporcionablye greater abundance of mercy in the forgeuynge of them then other dothe Therefore saynt Paule thoughe he were a blasphemer and a persecutour of christen people yet because he did it ignorantlye for lacke of fayth he found mercye and was forgeuen his sinnes i. Timo. i. But kinge Dauid coulde not pretend ignorance in his takynge of an other mannes wife neither in causyng Urye the same womannes husbande that neuer offended hym to be slayne vniustly These synnes were greate and horrible therefore he cryed and called for great mercye Miserere mei deus secundū magnam miam tuam And for manifolde mercye accordynge to his manifolde sinnes Then let vs accordyng to this consider the miserable case that mankinde was in afore we were regenerate by Christe and we shal perceyue that our regeneration by baptisme takyng his strength at Christes passion came of mercy yea of great mercy and of manifold mercy Our firste father Adam at his firste creation had the supernatural gifte of originall iustice geuen him for him selfe and for all his posteritie and issue This gift of originall iustice in him made a perfect tranquillitie and quietnes in al the powers of his soule so that his will by this originall iustice shuld obediētly do after the pleasure of god and all the inferiour sensible powers should likewise obeye the wyll so directed and ruled by originall iustice the will should haue preuented the sensible powers so that vnlawefull appetites should neuer haue bene in them As for to synne in adulterye with an other mans wyfe or for to steale or take away an other mans goodes Men shoulde haue hadde none such vnlawfull lustes And by the same gyft the wyll should haue commaunded the sensible powers at tyme and place conuenient to exercise their appetites accordyng to iustice As to vse naturall generatiō at tymes conuenient with a mans owne wife to eate and drinke as reason and iustice would There shuld haue bene no discention stryfe or debate betwixte man and man but continual rest peace And in thys case all mankinde should haue bene if Adam hadde kepte his obedience to almighty GOD but as a punishemente for his disobedience to God all hys inferiour powers disobeyed their superiours And this gyfte of originall Iustyce was geuen hym for hym selfe and for all hys posteritie And therefore lyke as God woulde hym to haue kepte it so he woulde all hys posteritye to haue dooen and requireth it of all menne and women that euer came of Adam by carnall propagacion for wee all ought to haue it And therefore almightye GOD iustelye requireth of euerye persone hauynge in hym the nature of manne that gyfte of originall Iustyce whyche hee gaue to the whole nature of manne And nowe the lacke of that originall Iustyce wyth the debte or duetye to haue it is called originall synne whyche maketh all the Issue and children of Adam the chyldrene of Goddes indignation and anger And so wee by that bee lefte free from Iustice and bonde to synne and to dampnation A myserable case that wee be in synne and be made the chyldrene of anger and of dampnation afore wee haue the vse of Reason and afore wee can dooe anye synne And beside that wee be made subiecte to all miserie vexation syckenesse and trouble whyle wee be here For if Adam hadde kepte hys obedience to GOD there shoulde nothynge haue disobeyed vs nother wynde nor rayne heate nor colde to distemper vs. And then to consider howe for thee lacke of the sayde gyfte of originall Iustyce wee
whiche thyng he moost earnestly attempted afterwarde when he made his father to forsake the Citye and to shyfte for hym selfe as well as he coulde Thys came of suche flatterynge coâ—ses There is a manner of kyssynge whiche is a faynynge kissynge And soo Ioab kyssed Amasa ii Regum xx fearynge that he woulde aspire into the fauour of the kinge that he shoulde be lyke to putte hym oute of fauoure when he mette hym at an oportunitie for hys purpose came to hym flatterynge and toke him by the chynne wyth the one hande and kissynge hym drewe out hys skeen or hanger wyth the other hande and stroke Amasa in the syde so sore a wounde that hys guttes fell about hys feete Here was a fayning cosse fainyng loue where was nought els but malyce and hatred There is an other trayterous cosse and suche kissynge vsed Iudas to our Sauioure Christe not for anye loue whiche he ought to haue had towarde hym but onelye to geue to the Souldiours and Seruauntes of hys companye a sygne that they might knowe Christe and then set hande on him and craftelye to carye hym awaye Abducite caute as he hadde geuen theim instructions The traytour was afrayed nowe that he hadde gon so farre lest Christ should by his mighty power haue scaped frome theim as hee myghte if hee wold inuisibly as he did at Nazareth when the malicious people for hys preachyng for reprouyng their vyces rubbing them on the gall they woulde haue pytched hym downe the clefe or rocke on which their citi stode was builded on TheÌ„ Iesus transiens per medium illorum ibat Inuisibly he scaped awai that neuer a maÌ„ spied him This Iudas knew he could doe and therfore he â—ade them beware and conuey him away craftely There is an other baudy or lecherous cosse as the adulterous woman or the courtisan kisseth the youngman as it is write Pro. vii ApprehensuÌ„ deosculatur inuenem procaci vultu blaÌ„ditur She colled the yong man kissed him with her fliering couÌ„tenance flattered him All these maners of kissing must be left and you must amonge you saith s Peter to his scholers that he writ vnto kisse like dowes with peaceable cosses chast cosses in signe of peace loue And this was much vsed in the primatiue church and afterward eueÌ„ to our time in the holy church at the holy time of masse when the priest in some places specially in chathedral churches kisseth the deacon then the deacon goeth downe to the step of the quere kisseth the rectors they go euery one on hys side and kisseth the seniors and they vpward on both the sides the quere til all the quere haue geuen the cosse of peace one to another And this is daiely obserued in the cathedral church of wells at high masse euen to this present time And because y t as it is written in Genises Our corrupte nature is prone to noughtines more theÌ„ to goodnes in asmuch as some haue more folowed carnalitie and carnall loue then chaste loue the people haue misused the said cosse of peace turninge it to wantannes Therfore such kissing of peace at the masse hath bene left where hath bene present both men and women wheÌ„ the priest hath geuen the cosse of peace saiynge to his minister Pax tibi ecclesie dei He kisseth the paxe of siluer or other mettall or other honest stuffe that is caried about through the churche that they that wil not chastly louingly kisse one another may at the lest wise kisse that pax so by imitation folowing the vsage of the primitiue church the couÌ„sell of s Peter here willing vs one to kisse an other in a holy cosse or euery one kissig y e said pax that an other hath kissed which is no smal signe of concorde amitie frenship Where contrary he that loueth not another wil not with a good wil kisse nor touch that that his aduersary hath kissed or touched Gratia vobis oibus qui estis in Christo Iesu. Amen He begonne his epistle with harty prayer for grace to them that were dispersed as straungers in Pontus Galatia c. Gratia vobis pax multiplicetur And eueÌ„ so he endeth his epistle or letter wisshyng praiyng for grace to al them that be constant and remaine stedfast in Christe Iesu to whom with the father and with the holy Gost be all honour and glorye for euer Amen FINIS Sco. iii. di xxxiiii xxxv King Henry the eight set forthe a boke agaiÌ„st Luther in defence of the popes aucthority
And euen like the gift of counsayle without fortitude or manlinesse is of no price Nother manlines without counsell or good aduisement No more is science without pietie or pietie without the discretion of science And fear muste haue some of the saide giftes concurrent with it or els no good will come of it Then to our purpose Because that our knowlege naturally beginneth at some of our fiue exteriour or outward senses which we call the .v. wits if our knowledge shall be eleuate aboue that his common course to heauenly matters as be thinges parteyning to our fayth it hath nede of some supernaturall light by whiche it may ascende and pearce into the knowledge of such thinges as by his natural power he caÌ„ not attayne to As that there be three persons in one substaunce of the Godhead And that the father by his fecund and fruteful memory produceth and getteth his onely begotten sonne the second person in trinitie And that the father and the sonne by their fecunde and frutefull will bringeth forth the holye gost coeternall and of equall might and power with theÌ„ both And y â— that one God thus distinct in thre persons by his endles and mighty power at his pleasure and wheÌ„ he thought good made all the world of nought And that by his onelye goodnes he mainteneth and preserueth the same so that if he would once withdrawe his hande of maintenaunce but one little moment from hys creatures they should sodainely fall to nought as they came fro And that all the glorious company of aungels he made to honour him like as all other creatures after their kindes and maners doth And where as some of the aungelles swarued from the grace that they were creat in and were damned to be the horriblest creatures and in most payne of all creatures of the world the others persistyng standinge in their goodnesse were confirmed in grace so that now they can not fall but continuallye remayneth in the glorious fruition sighte and loue of God euer ready to do his commaundemeÌ„t in heauen and at his pleasure here in earth toward vs mortall men Hebr. i. These and such high misteries of heauenly matters to perceiue and as it were by the sharpenes of mans witte to pearce into theÌ„ as man may here in this grose and corruptible bodye perteyneth properly to the gifte of vnderstandynge Ad donum intellectus And the more perfectly that this gifte is inspired into man by the holy gost the more distinctly and plainely he shal perceiue such hie secrets though perceue theÌ„ as he shall do hereafter in glory we can not yet And by mature and wise iudgement to discerne these verities from their contraries perteyneth properly to the gifte of Sapience or godly wisdome Ad donum sapientiae As to discerne one God from the false Gods To know that the .iii persons in Trinitie be equall in power and not one of them minister or seruaunt to the other as Arrius saide To know that there is but one maker of all thinges no more and not to put two creatours one of good thinges an other of euyl thinges as Manicheus saide And to iudge when the angels of God doth trulye Gods message And to discerne them from the aungels of darknes which many times disguise them selues into the fashion of the angels of light These and such other hye iudgementes in heauenly causes ê‘teineth properly to the gift of sapience or godly wisdome For this supernaturall gift of Sapience the wise man prayed Sapi. ix Da mihi sedium tuarum assistricem sapientiam Geue me the wisdome from aboue that is euer assistent bi thy seat of glory and from thence is deriued and infused or send downe to menne Because that Si quis erit consummatus inter filios hominuÌ„ si ab illo fugerit sapientia tua in nihilum computabitur If a man be neuer so profound and excellent in mans wisdome if he lacke this godlye wisdome good Lord he shall not be estemed wise but rather a fole in as much as worldly wisdome is counted but folishnes afore God .i. Corin. iii. And the prophet Dauid prayed that he might obtayne thys supernaturall gift called Donum intellectus the gift of intelligence wittinesse or fine and cleare vnderstandyng saying Psal. cxviii Da mihi intellectum vt discam mandata tua Geue me intelligeÌ„ce that I may learne thy coÌ„mandementes Where it is highly to be noted that this noble king and prophet whiche so well knew Gods lawes and that saide he had kept Gods eloquent sayinges yet nowe he prayed for finer and clearer vnderstandyng by whiche he might yet better ascende and pearce into the same And we haue nede so to pray as the prophet did that this gift of Intelligence may be geuen vs to helpe our fayeth like as in many cases our faith helpeth our intelligence or vnderstandyng accordyng to the saying of Esay vii Nisi credideritis non intelligetis As saint Augustine and others redeth that letter Excepte ye beleue ye shall not vnderstande For many thinges there be whiche except ye beleue ye can not vnderstande as the articles of our fayeth with other like And many truthes there be that we can not beleue except we haue vnderstandyng either by hearyng the preacher by instruction or by study as Paule sayth Ro. x Fides ex auditu auditus autem per verbum Christi And this is acquisite fayth gotten by laboure studie or hearyng and so is vnderstandyng proporcionablye to the same whiche bothe be made more firme fast and certaine by fayth infused and by Intelligence or vnderstandynge infused and geuen from aboue of the holy gost And this gift of Intelligence is neuer withdrawen from good men specially about such thinges as be necessary for mannes saluation to be knowen although some men haue it in a higher degree theÌ„ some other haue but about other thinges not necessary to be knowen it is withdrawen to pul men downe that the matter occasion of pride and curiositie may be taken away and lest men should be to proud of gods gifts and accordyng to this speaketh saint Iohn i. Ioh. ii Vnctio eius docebit vos de omnibus The oyntment infusion or inspiration of the holy goste will teach you in all thinges necessary to be learned although very good men hauyng the grace that maketh theÌ„ acceptable and in the fauour of God may be dul and little or nought perceiue of other truthes without whose knowledge a man maye come to heauen wel inough Chrisostome in a sermon De spiritu sctoÌ„ vseth a more familier playner distinction of these two giftes Sapience and Intelligence saiyng When it besemeth a doctour or a teacher to speake plainely his gifte is called the spirite of Sapience And where nede is that the hearer do wittily perceiue that is spoken the gifte that he muste haue is named the spirite of vnderstanding which also is called the spirite of reuelation wheÌ„ nede is to learne
nother to be without payne and to take thy ease or thy pleasure generallye as Epicure sayde But rather to saye and answere that we were made and brought forth into this world for to worshippe God whiche begote vs to doe hym seruice And this after Lactancius is called Pietas Dei parentis agnitio ▪ The knowlege of God our father and maker not speaking of bare and naked knowledge of GOD as they hadde Qui cum cognouissent deum non sicut deum glorificauerunt Roma .i. Whiche when they knewe GOD did not honour him as GOD nother thanked hym for his gyftes but played the fooles fallynge to Idolatrye makynge Goddes of menne birdes and beastes Therfore sayth s Augustine .iiii. ciui ca. xxiii Pietas vera est verax veri dei cultus And as he saythe .x. ci ca. i. it is called by the Greke word Latria which is properly that seruice that perteineth to the worshippyng of God may be called also by an other latine word Religio Religion which properly signifieth the worshippyng of God and taketh his name secundū Lactanciū li. iiii ca. xxviii A religando ▪ because that by the bonde of the seruyce and worshippe that wee owe to God GOD hathe bounde manne to hym to do hym seruice as to our Lord and master and to do him worshyppe honour and reuerence as to our father Thus he hath bounde vs to hym by the faythe that he infused and poured into vs at oure christenynge and wee haue bounde our selfe to hym by our promysse that wee there professed for hys sake to renounce refuse and forsake the deuyll and all hys pompe and proude workes and so all wee were there made religious persones applied and appoynted chiefelye to thys seruyce that I nowe speake of pietas that is to saie the true worshippynge of GOD or the inwarde habite qualitie or gifte of the soule by the holye Goste geuen to man or woman by whiche a manne or a woman hauing it is inclined to goodnesse and made well disposed well minded prompte and ready to serue GOD and to do hym worshippe But because it is playne by the Prophet Esay where my matter is grounded that all these gyftes rested in the manhode of our Sauioure Christe whom he called the flower that shoulde rise vp out of the rodde springynge forthe from the roote of Iesse Let vs searche the scriptures whether it do appere by his actes that he hadde this gift Luke ii when he was twelue yere olde and able to take some labours he wente wyth his mother and wyth his foster father to Hierusalem They casting no perylles wente homewarde after the solemnitie of the feast thinking that Christe hadde been in the companye of the neighbours that thē went together homwarde frō Hierusalem after the maner as Pylgrymes vsed to go in flockes togither Thus they passed the way a whole daies iourney afore thei missed him when thei missed him it was no nede to bid thē seke they had lost their greatest iewel They sought him among their frends acquaintance and coulde not finde him the nexte daye they returned backe to Hierusalem the thirde day they sought all aboute in the Citye the fourth daye that is post tridium after thre dayes they found him in the temple sittynge among the doctours hearynge them and askynge questions of them He first hearde them reade and teache and then asked questions and opposed them Woulde GOD our Bible clerkes woulde so do nowe adaies that they woulde firste heare and learne and afterward to oppose for so they should profite them selues and theim that they do oppose Where nowe when they do oppose it is wythout anye learned maner and more for a vayne glorie or for to publishe and open mennes ignoraunces rather then to instruct them and that appeareth for commonlye they be doinge most busie with theim that be vnlearned rather then with them that be learned Our sauiour Christe occupied not him selfe soe but gate him selfe amonge the verye beste of the doctours that were in the Temple firste geuinge good aduertens and audience to their saiynges and then opposynge them for their learnynge And after thys maner his Parentes founde him occupied hys mother saide vnto hym Sonne why haue you serued vs so your father and I with sorowe and care haue sought you And Christe said vnto them why sought you me Know ye not that I muste nedes be in those thinges that be my fathers Or aboute my fathers busines Where he called the resorting and commyng to the temple and there to be occupied in contemplation in preachinge readynge teachinge disputynge or reasonyng his fathers matters his fathers businesse And in this he declared this gift of pietie that I nowe speake of to be in him and that by this gifte he was inclined so to do and so to occupy him selfe in the seruice of his father and in the worshippyng of almighty God And after when s Iohn Baptiste was cast in prison then came our sauiour Christe abroade and preached his holye doctrine in Galilee and other places Luke iiii and in his progresse he came to Nazareth where he was nourced and brought vp in his childhode And there came into the churche on the Sabboth daie as he was wont to do and stode vp and redde a porcion of the scripture as the maner was The scripture was of the prophecye of Esay ca. lxi Spiritus domini super me propter quod vnxit me euāgelizare pauperibus misit me c. After he had redde it he clasped vp the booke deliuered it to the clerke or minister that hadde the kepyng of it and sate downe like a doctour ▪ or a reader in his chaire or on his stole and expounded and declared the same scripture appliyng it to him selfe as the true litterall sence of that scripture did pretende saiynge Hodie impleta est hec scriptura in oculis vestris Now this scripture is fulfilled afore your eyes The holye spirite of God was on him and did annointe him and sende him to preach to the poore people that be poore in spirite and lowlye in herte All this was the seruice of his father redoundyng to his worshippe and to his fathers honour he applied all his preachinge Ioh. xiiii The sermon that you haue hearde is not mine but it is my fathers that sende me Also Ioh. xv In this my father is glorified that you maye bringe furthe muche fruite and may be made my scholers He did not attribute or geue it to his owne glorye or prayse that his disciples increased in knowledge and in the fruite of good works comming of the same but to the glorye and prayse of his father Likewise that his disciples and we by them be Christes disciples he willeth vs to geue laudes and glorie therfore to the father although y e fathers glorie and his by reason of his Godheade were is all one Thus ye may well perceiue through the Gospels howe vehemently and earnestly he was
seruile feare that serueth or dothe well onelye for feare of payne and it is true also of the feare that groweth in processe which is partlye for feare partly for loue that is called Timor inicialis this is the next meane to the chaste feare or holye feare that remaineth for euermore But nowe finallye to speake of the seuenth gift of the holie Gost whiche as the Prophete Esay sayeth rested on our sauiour Christ. It is not mundane humane nor carnal feare nother the seruile feare or the bondmannes feare His good and gracious workes that he did on earthe he did not for feare of the paynes of Hell or for feare of anye other punishmentes It was the holye feare that remayneth for euer It was louynge and reuerende feare of God suche as all the angels in heauen haue nowe And that maye begin in vs grow vp with charitie here on earth and shal shote vp and growe vp with euerlastinge charitie or loue that shall neuer fall awaye or fayle but shall euer abide more and more in euerlastynge glory This feare dothe not importe anye perturbation or trouble of minde but rather a certayne reuerence towarde almightye God Suche is the feare that the angels haue in heauen where is no trouble of minde or vnquietnesse but readye and ioyful obedience to almighty God And such reuerende feare of the father hadde our sauiour Christe as appeareth in manye places of the gospell where hee protesteth hym to dooe the commaundementes of his father and to fulfyll his pleasure with manye suche like Honorifico patrem c. Thus he did lowlye and reuerently magnifie his father by reason of his manhode by whiche he was inferiour and lower and subiect to his father And in his manhode he hadde these seuen giftes of the holye Gooste restynge on hym as Esai saide and as I haue declared in times paste And this gifte of dreade or feare of GOD after scolasticall doctours is Humilitie which was most excellently in our sauiour Christ Phili. ii Humiliauit semetipsuÌ„ dominus noster Iesus Christus c. Our Lorde Iesus Christe did humiliate him selfe kepynge obedience euen to hys death on the crosse for whiche God the father exalted him gaue him a name aboue al names that all creatures in heauen earthe or hell shall bowe the knee to this blessed name of Iesus and all tonges shall confesse that our Lorde Iesus is in the glorye of god his father there to be mediatour a meane and intreater for vs to bringe vs as his coparteners and coenheritours wyth him to his inestimable glory in heauen and that we maye all come to that enheritaunce he graunt vs for his infinite mercy that for vs dyed Amen An homilie or sermon of the articles of our christian faythe FAyth as saynt Paule sayth to the Hebrewes is y e beginnynge of heuenly ioyes that we hope to come vnto makinge our wits surely to assente agree to thinges that wee do not yet see nor knowe by experience Euerlastyng lyfe shall stande in the clere knowledge of the Godhead and of the glorified manhode of our sauiour Christ knitte in one persone to the seconde persone in Trinitie one God with the father and with the holye Gost. This knowledge and sighte wee shall haue in heauen clearelye and perfitelye whiche wee haue here but darkelye by heresaye But let vs leane fast by our fayth to this that we hearesaye by Gods scriptures and liue accordinglye and wee shall not faile to come to the cleare knowledge in heauen where we shall knowe God as he knoweth vs without corporall similitudes to conduct vs to that knoweledge and without anye impedimente Without faieth it is impossible to please GOD. For he that wyll come to God muste neades beleue as the Apostle saythe Hebre. xi Wee muste not diffarre nor refuse to beleue so longe tyll wee can declare or proue by reason the articles or poyntes that wee be bounde to beleue for if wee woulde be so daungerous it myght chaunce that by the difficilitye of the scriptures of the things that we shuld beleue we myght be withdrawen and kept backe from the merite and rewarde of our faythe for euer He that woulde so differ to beleue shoulde be like a manne almoste deade for honger whyche hauynge breade and meate offered hym woulde not open hys mouthe to eate thereof tyll hee knewe who made the breade and dressed the meate and howe and wyth what instrumentes or tooles it was made and dressed He were like to be deade for honger afore he came to that knoweledge Better it were for him firste to take hys meate and saue his lyfe and afterward if nede were at leasure to laboure for such knoweledge if he myght obtayne it So best it is for vs with an open harte to beleue as wee be taughte by Christes churche and to feede oure soules with suche Godly foode and to saue our liues by fayth afterward by exercise to attaine to more distincte and playne vnderstandynge of that wee do beleue accordynge to suche measure of fayth as shall please God to distribute to euerye one of vs. There was neuer manne saued from the beginnynge of the worlde neither shall be to the ende of the same but by his beliefe on Goddes rewarde prouided for his faithfull people by the merite of our sauiour Christe as by the mediatoure and meane to come thereto The holye menne and women that were afore Christes incarnation by the space of fiue thousande yeres and more were saued by their fayth of saluation by the mediatour that was to come and in signe thereof they vsed their sacrifices afore the lawe written and also in the tyme of the lawe writte by Moyses as figures to proteste and signifie the misterie of the mediatour which the auncientes and they that hadde higher reuelation and that were best learned among them beleued more distinctlye and plainelye then the younger and simpler sorte did or were bounde to beleue And nowe in the plentuoâ—s tyme of grace bothe yonge and olde be bounde to haue expresse faythe of Christes incarnacion alreadye exhibited and perfourmed and of suche articles and pointes as be commonlye declared and openlye set furthe in the churche concernynge our saluation by our sauioure Christe as the onelye meane to obtayne the same Al be it they that haue clearer wyttes and they that be sette in aucthoritye and offyce speciallye to haue the rule and cure of Christes flocke be bound more expreslye dystynctlye and playnelye to haue the knoweledge of subtyller and hygher consyderations consernynge the Articles of oure faythe then the rude and vnlearned folcke so that they maye by their knoweledge and learnyng declare the truthes and the possibilitie of the same to them that be ignorant and would learne i. Pet. iii. To declare I saye but not to proue by reason the veritie of them They must also bee able to replye and conuince theim that frowardely woulde repugne and countersaye anye article of
sonne of God is gotten aske not the maner how for the angels cannot tel The Prophetes were ignorant thereof Esay saith his generation who can declare as who should say no creature We muste beleue it and reason no farther in it Not that the father is elder then the sonne neyther of greater power but that like as the fyre is not without heate neither the sunne in the fyrmament without brightnes so was the father neuer without the sonne neither had any power to do any thing but y t the sōne had y e same power to do the same like him and so hath the holy gost the third person in trinitie product and brought forth by the will of the father and of the sonne coeternally with the father with the sonne Almightynes of power is here applyed to the person of the father by appropriation although it agre to the almighty sonne to the almighty holy gost not three almighties but one God almyghtie And by this that we beleue him to be almightie we haue a great comfort and lighte to beleue all the articles that folowe in our creede for if he be almighty he may make heauen and earthe of nought he may make a man to be borne of a virgin he may forgiue synnes and giue life euerlasting Maker of heauen and earth maker by creation that is to say without any matter or stuffe to make it of That a man maketh he maketh of somewhat or of some stuffe therefore he can be no creatour but almighty god made heauen and earth of nothing therefore he is iustly called the creator of heauen and earth What is here to be vnderstande by thys woorde Heauen there be two opinions for which ye shall first vnderstand that heauen is called one maner of wise the empiriall heauen aboue the starrye skye and aboue all the orbes that moueth there in which is neyther place nor vacuitie neyther time but onelye thinges leading a most blessed life Thys farre Aristotle dreamed and discussed primo de celo mundo and it agreeth with holy scriptures and with holy doctours there putting the felicitye of Aungels and men that shall be saued in the fruition that is to say in the clere sighte and loue of God ther most aboundantly shewing his glory This the prophet in the psalme calleth the kyngdome of GOD saying to God of the same Thy kingdome is the kingdome of all worldes as who should say whatsoeuer nomber of yeares can be thoughte or spoken of thys kingdome passeth it for this king almighty God was neuer wythout a kingdome by which it semeth to be eternal and euerlasting for it is the very clerenes of God coeternal with him and not created with other visible creatures and to thys were admitted and receiued the holy angels after their creation for so long space and such durance as God knoweth best afore that he made heauen and earthe that Moyses spoke of And of this minde is Saynte Basile as appeareth in the first homilye of hys exameron Heauen is taken an other waye for the bodies aboue as Sunne Moone Sterres with the orbes and circles there Heauē is called also the thirde maner all that is aboue the earth and so the sayde bodies aboue with the speires of the fyre and of the ayre be compriseed vnder one name of heauen so it is taken in the psalme when we say the birdes of the heauen for the birdes of the ayre And after this opinion so taketh Moyses this word Heauen when he saythe that in the begynning God made heauē earth And by the Earth there is to be vnderstande the water and earth together whiche as then were not dysseuered and diuided tyll the thirde daye when the earth first appeared drye The seconde opinion which is more comon taketh this worde Heauen for the empiriall heauen replenished and fulfilled with the glorious companye of Angels whiche was made together with the earthe vnderstandynge by the Earthe the firste vnfacioned matter or stuffe of which almighty God made disposed and garnyshed al other kindes of creatures that may be sene or feled as wel in the firmament aboue as vnder it to his owne glorye to do seruice vnto man Therfore we haue great nede to take hede that vsing Gods creatures for our profite or pleasure we in no case dyshonoure God vsing thē contrary to his honour contrary to his pleasure intent that he made them for THe seconde article saynte Iohn Euangelist layd to this shotte or gathering which is this And in Iesu Christe his onelye sonne our Lorde euer repeting this word And I beleue so that this is the sentence And I beleue on Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord. The second persone in trinitie the coeternall sonne of the father knowing afore the worlde beganne the syn of Adā of the miserable case that mā shuld com to was determined to saue mākinde frō the danger of the same therfore he was euer worthi to be called a sauiour Iesus is as much to sai as a sauior thē this name was his for euer it is y e name that y e father gaue him by productiō in his godhed was newly diuulged published bi the angell to our blessed Lady his mother afterward to his foster father Ioseph with y e interpretacion of y t name saying Ipse eni saluū faci po s. a pec eorū For he shall saue the people from their synnes which onely God can do and none other ▪ Gods pleasure was that the same name that he had in his Godhed should also be his name in his humanite for his humanitie was the instrument and mean by which he wrought and perfourmed our saluation and redemption Iesus and Christ signifieth one person that was borne of the virgine Mary yet there is some difference betwixte the names Iesus is his proper name as we say Hēry Thomas Roger or suche like Christ is the name of a sacrament as sainte Austine speaketh or of an office super epist. Io. tract iii. as we say a king a prophet a priest Christ is as much to saye as anoynted and he was anoynted before all other men by the chiefest oyntment which is the holye gost one God with him and with his father of which oyntment the anointyng with oyle is the sacrament and signe It foloweth his onely sonne which as saint Peter writeth was not declared by any fables But by that that he with Iohn Iames sawe and hearde on the holye hill where Christ shewed them the maiestie of his glorious body as it shuld be after hys resurrectiō because they shuld not fear nor wauer when they saw the miserable processe of his painful passiō Therfore sayth he ii Pet. i. Christ toke of God the father honour and glory by a voyce comming downe to him from the great doynge glorye after thys maner this is my welbeloued sonne in whom I haue pleasure gyue eare vnto hym And Christ in manye
places of the gospels calleth God hys father and hym him selfe the sonne of God he is true and verye truthe and cannot lye he is the onelye begotten sonne in the fathers bosome euerlasting as the father is He was afore Abraham was made afore all other creatures not made but begottē of the substaunce of the father very God of God the father Not two Gods but one God and one light and of one substaunce with the father By whom as by his wysedome and craft the father made all creatures as saint Iohn saith al things were made by him he is our Lorde which ye must here vnderstand bi his humanitie manhod for by reason of the Godhed we may sai so of the father and of the holy gost although it be not so expressed in the Apostles Creede For God is oure Lord so we should cal him by reason of his vniuersal dominiō ouer al mankind ouer al other creatures The Lorde importeth a vage dominiō and vncertain power but there is no power dominiō or authoritie so certain as the power that God hath ouer vs wherefore it semeth we may not conueniently call him the Lorde And moreouer we vse to saye the Lorde speaking of suche Lordes as haue nothing to doe with vs as the lorde of Dale the lord of Kilmayn and such like whereas if we were theyr tenauntes or otherwise held of thē we woulde say my lord of Dale or our Lord of Dale and so of others Wherfore professing our due subiection to almightye God we shoulde in common speeche cal him our Lord not dimissing our selues from our allegeaunce to his highnes And I haue knowen verye honest mē that in cōmunicatiō long afore the new translations of the bible came abrode vsed sometimes to sweare by the Lord no more intending or meaning to sweare by God then by any Lorde in the isles of Orchadie so thynking to sweare by they could not tell what or by nothing albeit lest thei should offend them that be addict to the new gise I haue aduertised them to leaue suche sayinges tyll men may be better informed But to my purpose now because all power in heauen and earth was giuen to Christ and all thyng was subiecte vnder his fete and he in his manhood taught his Apostles and all vs by them and in his manhode redemed vs and in the same shall iudge vs therfore we maye iustlye by that reason call hym our lord and maister as it is expressed in this article THe third article was added by S. Iames brother to saint Iohn the Euangelist son of zebedi called Iames the more That was conceiued by the holy gost and borne of the virgine Marie the authoure and doer of this conception was the whole trinitie the father the sonne the holy gost for the workes of the trinitie outwarde amonge creatures be vndyuided so that what so euer one persō doth the same thing doth all three persons But in asmuch as thys blessed incarnation of Christ came of the mere goodnes grace mercy and loue of God whiche is appropriate to the holy gost as power to the father wisedome to the sonne Though all these agreeth to all three persons therefore the scripture sayth as very true it is that the holy gost was the deer thereof but how it was performed done we can better beleue thē declare it faith may do very muche in this article and in all other articles of our faith speche can do very litle Saint Austine faith that lyke as by the heate and influence of the sunne a worme is gēdred of the moyst earth so by the inspiration of the holy goste santifyinge the hart of the virgin the flesh of Christ was cōceiued formed facioned of the flesh of y e virgin without the worke of any sede of man workyng to the same and therefore Christ sayd of himself by the mouth of his prophet that he was a worme and not a man because he was not conceyued as other men be In this marueilous conception the profite and whole nature of man soule and bodi together was vnite and ioyned in one person vnto the sonne of God and neither to the father nor to the holy gost because there should be no confusion but that he that was the sonne of god shuld also be the sonne of man Borne of Mary the virgin he that came to renew the nature of man cankered with sinne chose a new maner to be borne of a mayde and not of a corrupt woman And whē the God of maiestie tooke hys bodye and was borne of a vyrgine hee was no more polluted nor defowled then when he made manne of the earthe as when the Sunne or fyre woorketh on the claye he amendeth and hardeneth that he toucheth and fyleth not it selfe And it is as possyble credyble and lykelye that hee was borne of a virgine as that he made Adam of earth and Eue the first woman of the rybbe of Adams side all is the woorke of God to whom nothing is impossible Great was the prerogatiue of that virgine Mary and the loue that god had to her in that that his onely begottē son by whom he made all the worlde he gaue vnto her to be the fruite of her wombe and her naturall sonne God that made all thyng was made man of her purest bloud to renewe mankinde that by synne was brought to nought While the sonne of God was in his fathers glory not descending to our infirmitie he was vnknowen but when that worde of God was made man and dwelled amongest vs he was seene and knowen on earthe and was conuersaunt with menne for whose sakes he that is Lorde of all the world is made our brother comming forth being borne of the blessed virgine euer close and cleane with out any aperture or diuision of her blessed body euen like as after his resurrection he came into the chambre among the disciples the doores beyng shut and like as the sunne beames commeth through the glasse and breaketh it not SAint Andrewe layde his portion to thys shotte or gathering by these woordes of the fourthe article That suffered vnder Ponce Pilate was crucified dead and buried Thys Ponce Pilate was president and ruler of the countrey and highest iudge there set in his authority by Tiberius the Emperoure of Rome to whom the most part of the world was then subiecte he is here named not for any honestie to his parson but for to declare the time when Christ suffred The death on the crosse he those and neyther to haue his necke broken nor his bones burst as being cast downe from a hyll as his neighbours were aboute to serue him in Nazereth Luke .iiii. where he was brought vp in youthe neyther to be stoned to death as the Iewes would haue killed him when he hid him self and went out of the temple Iohn .viii. And al was for our health and for to saue vs for as saint Austine saith we can not
was sayd in his name to synne and to hell Osee. xiii â–ª O death I will be thy death O hell I wyll bite the. He that eateth occupieth all that he eateth he that byteth taketh part and leaueth part so dyd the soule of Christ take that part of the prisoners in hell whiche dyed in charitie lefte behind him in tormentes and paynes with the deuylles â–ª all them that besyde oryginall synne hadde committed mortall synne and dyed without satisfaction for the same SAynt Thomas put the syxt article of our fayth sayinge The thyrde daye he rose agayne from death For on Sondaye earlye in the breakynge of the daye while it was somewhat darke he ioyned his soule vnto hys body and rose from death to lyfe and came forth of his chest or graue and oute of the monument or caue in the whiche the graue was beynge fast shutte with a greate stone rouled to it for a dore â–ª and surelye sealed And forthwith came the Aungell from heauen and remoued the stone that was rouled to the doore of the sayde caue and satte vpon it to declare that Chryste was rysen and gonne and anone came the thre Maries and they sawe and hearde the Aungels appearynge to theim lyke men whiche tolde theim that Chryste was rysen but they scarselye beleued the Aungelles rather thinkynge that his precyouse bodye was stolen and caryed awaye oute of the graue Notwithstandynge as they were bydde they wente to geue knoweledge to the Disciples whiche then kepte them selues together in greate pensifenes for the losse of theyr mayster and as close as they coulde for feare of shrewes Marye Magdalene made beste spede and tolde Peter and Iohn what she hadde sene and hearde and consequentlye the same day and other dayes folowinge as well the sayde holye women as the Apostles and other Disciples were by euidente and sensible signes well assured that he was bodelye rysen in dede and not fantasticallye nor faynedlye He was the fyrste that euer ryse to lyfe immortall neuer to die againe Other there were that were reised frome death to lyfe by the power of God but after certaine yeares they died againe Christe rose by his owne power and neuer died againe therefore the Apostles called him the beginninge and fyrste begotten amonge dead men Col. i. The beginner and cause of his owne resurrection whiche was by his owne power and also of oure resurrection that lyke as he died for oure sinnes and rose againe to iustifie vs so we shoulde mortifie oure selfe to sinne that we may rise againe with him and liue to God walkinge in a newe life whyle we be here that finallye we maye rise with oure bodies and soules glorified to immortall lyfe Oure olde manne was crucyfied with Christe that the bodye of synne myghte be destroyed that we shoulde no more doe seruice to sinne Oure olde man signifieth oure olde lyuinge in synne lyke Adam the fyrste manne that synned of whose offence descended to all his posteritie the nourishinge and feadinge of sinne the darte and pricke of death whiche the Apostle manye times calleth by the name of sinne this we must mortifie and kyll that so the bodye of synne maye be destroyed We lyue to synne when we lyue after the inclination of the sayde nurse and breder of synne so that synne reigne in our mortall bodies to obeye the desires of sinne And contrary we die to sinne when we do not the desires of sinne neither folowe the inclinations of sinne that so the body of sinne may be destroyed in vs the bodye of sinne is the whole rable and multitude of sinnes together like limmes of one body as fornication vncleanes auarice contention wrath gyle brauling dissension heresies enuye ryot or surfet and suche other when these be mortified in vs then we dye with Christ. And this mortification we must buselye and continually beare vpon vs and then we shal be sure to liue with him by renewinge of our liuinge contrarie to vice vsing iustice and vertue that so we may giue light of good example to all others that they may glorifie and laude God in vs that finally we and they with vs may ryse to immortall glorye THen foloweth the seuenth article whiche S. Barthelomew put to this gathering and it is this He ascended into heauen and sitâ—eth on the righte hande of GOD the father almightie That is to saye the condition of our nature whiche he toke of the virgin his mother he toke vp with him and set it on the ryght hand of his father aboue the skye and aboue all the orders of aungels and aboue al thinge that is named not only in this world but also in the world to come Therefore let vs ascende vp in deuoute heart with Christ while we be in this presente lyfe that when the daye of the generall resurrection shall come we may folowe him ascendyng in body thither as he is gone afore vs bodelye openinge the waye for vs. Mich. ii For lyke as he rose from death to life to make vs lykewise to ryse so he ascended to make vs to ascende For whiche purpose we must well knowe and remeÌ„ber that with Christ ascendeth not pryde nether couetousenes lechery or any other synne he was our phisition he cured vs and made vs once hole but he toke with him none of our malaÌ„ders therfore yf we come after him we must leaue all these and cast them of least they presse vs downe that we may not ascend to that glorious place wher Christ sitteth on the ryght hande of his father that is to saye equal with the father by his godhead and in the inheritaunce and highest wealth and glory of God by his humanitie to entreate for vs as our attourney towarde the father To sitte belongeth to a iudge because oure sauioure nowe beinge in heauen considereth and iudgeth all mens actes and at the laste shall manifestlye and openly come to iudge them and to geue sentence therefore it is sayd that he sytteth Saynt Steuen sawe him standing on the fathers right hande as one redy to fyght for hym and to helpe him constantlye to suffer the persecution of the Iewes where ye must not ymagine any materiall body or ryght hand or lyfte hande in the godhead or any material stoles to sit on in heauen it is a maner of speakinge of the scripture by a similitude rather then that there be any such partes there in dede And likewise to sitte or stande in heauen signifieth no more but there to be at his pleasure and to shewe hym selfe as it please his maiestie THe eyght article saint Mathew the Apostle and Euangelist sayd From thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade In the same body he wyl come to the iudgemeÌ„t in whiche he ascended into heauen to iudge all christen and hethen for all we that be hath be shall be shall stande afore Christes seat of iudgement that euery man maye receaue the duetie of his bodye as he hath
thy goodes to healpe and to saue thy neadye brother and do it not of pride or boastynge but of thy mooste entier and inwarde swetenesse of mercye towarde hym Peraduenture thou wilt saye why shoulde I geue my money to saue him from harme He is none of mine let him perishe in his owne iniquitie noughtines I haue nothing to do with him If thou answer or think after this maner the loue of our father of heaueÌ„ abideth not in thee And if the loue of our father abideth not in thee thou art not borne or gotten of God then how canst thou glorye or be gladde that thou art a christeÌ„ man Thou hast the name but thou hast not the dede of a christian man Renati noÌ„ exsemine corruptibili sed incorruptibili c Borne again not by any corruptible sede but by an iÌ„corruptible sede bi the word of the liuing god that abideth for euer Here y e blessed apostle s. Peter reasoneth swadeth vs to cleannes of life to chastice our soules in obedient charitie in fraternal loue by reason of our spiritual birthe There is no naturall gentleman of birthe but if it soo chaunce that for the tyme hee be moued to dooe a myscheuous deede if a discrete man woulde moue hym to the contrarye recitynge hys Progenye and Auncestoures saiynge beware what ye do remeÌ„ber your blood distayn not your kinred shewe your self a gentleman not as a furious beast or a bawdy villaine or as a churle or a thefe least al your kinred and louers will be ashamed of you If there be anye gentlenes in the person such vmbrayding and rehersall shall make him to leaue hys naughtye purpose and to take a good way with him and not to defoule his kinred with any vilany Accordynge to that saith saint Peter much more you should dispose your selfe to goodnes considering your regeneration and second natiuitie which was not by corruptible seede of man and woman but by the vncorruptible sede that is to say by the word of God that abideth for euer It is but a pore glory to be proude of the filthie substaunce that man is gotten by nor of the bodies or bloode of theyr carnal fathers and mothers which fadeth and continually runneth to corruption As Esay the prophet saith Esa. xl Omnis caro vt fenum omnis gloria eius tanquam flos agri exaruit fenum et flos eius decidit verbum autem domini manet ineternum All fleshe is lyke grasse of the medowe and hys glori that is to sai carnal lust or pleasure is like the floure of the medow that maketh a pleasant shewe for the time and so doth carnall delectacion content and please for a while but euen as the floure within awhile withereth and falleth a way so doth carnall ioye fade and fall it abideth not but many times turneth to repentance but the worde of God that is the seede by which you were gotten and made the children of God by regeneration by your seconde getting abideth for euer giueth life euerlasting to theÌ„ that be gotten bi it And this is the holi word that hath â—en preached among you saith saint Peter by me by other Apostles By this holye woorde of God you were first instruct and taughte to leaue your old vaine errours and vices and to renounce the deuyll wyth all his pompe and all his naughtye workes And by the word of God concurrent and ioyned with the element of water you wer baptised goten to Christ made his children wher afore you were the children of Gods yre of dyspleasure as all they be that after that waye be not new borne to God by baptisme The former carnall generation or birthe saueth no man nor woman the seconde doth and therefore it is necessarie for all them that shal be saued what sexe kynde or age so euer they be of contrarye to the secte and heresy of the Anabaptists that woulde haue no man baptised till they were of yeares of discretion in so much that they baptise again al them that in childhoode were christened leauing all youth in dispeyre of saluation withoute anye way or helpe to be saued and in worse case then the infantes of the Iewes were which by Moises law should be circumcised on the eyght daye after they were borne and by that circumcision should not perish but be saued For as saint Paul saith Roma v. Si vnius delicto multi mortui sunt multo magis gratia dei donum vnius hominis Iesu Christi in plures homines abundauit Wher the Apostle compareth the offence of Adam to the grace of Christ for the grace of Christe is muche stronger and may extende and sprede it selfe further then the offence of one pure and frayle man might do therefore in asmuche as death crept in among men by one Adam then muche more by our sauiour Christ one man and God in one parson of power infinite the gift of grace is dilated and spred vpon all men that be made apte to receiue it which is onely by baptisme actuallye receiued or els in vowe or purpose And therefore in asmuche as the synne of Adam killed all infantes it must needes be that Christes grace in the sacrament of baptisme shal quicken the same infantes and make theym spirituallye alyue againe in Christe or els as I sayde it shoulde be weaker then Adams synne also because Christ saith Iohn iii. Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua et spiritu sancto non potest introire in regnum dei Except a manne be borne againe by water and the holye spirite he cannot entre into the kyngdome of heauen And euen lyke as they that were circumcised in theyr infansye knewe not what it meaned that they suffered with great paine neither perceyued anye thinge of the promysse that God made to them that suffred it In like maner baptysme saueth oure chyldren infauntes althoughe they perceyue nothynge what is done vnto them neyther the reason thereof But Christ that saide Sinite paruulos venire ad me Mathewe xix Let babes or children come to me hathe prouyded armes to beare theym to hym which be the armes of our mother holy church by whose eares also they be cathechised or instruct and by her mouthe they confesse their faithe and in her faith they be saued And this is very reasonable that other mens faith may helpe in thys sacrament of soule health as wel as other mens faith hath helped them that haue be bodely diseased in sicknes and sores of theyr bodie speciallye because God estemeth and regardeth more the health of the soule then of the bodye We haue in the gospell of the Canaan womans doughter that by the importune sute and prayer of her mother she was delyuered from the dyuell that she was obsessed with all O mulier magna est fides tua fiat tibi sicut vis Math. xv fides tua inquit non fides filie And also
lacke of glorye which doubtlesse was a greuous payne for theim that daylie and hourely loked for it as the wisemanne saithe Pro. xiii Spes que differtur affligit animam The hoope that is prolonged and put of vexeth and punisheth the minde Amonge these were manye of them that were swalowed vp in the water at Noes floude Yet diynge penitent as I sayd of which saint Peter here maketh special mencion vnderstandynge by them all the rest of the holye fathers that were in the same pryson and in the paine of lacke of glory To these spirites or souls of theim thus beinge in that painefull Prison where they were payned with the hōger thirst of eiger and gredy desire to see the glorie of God Christe came in spirite in his soule while his bodye laye stil in the sepulchre and preached declared and reueiled vnto them that the high misterie of his painful passion was exhibited and perfourmed and mans raunsome payed by the price of his precious bloude and there he was conuersaunt with them to their greate consolation and comfort and to the confusion of all the deuyls in hell tyll the time when it pleased him to vnite and ioyne his soule to his body againe agaynst the time of his glorious resurrection and then toke away with him suche as were to his pleasure as he sayde afore that he woulde do Ego si exaltatus fuero à terra omnia traham ad meipsum If I be lyft vp from the grounde I shall drawe all thinges to me as well in hell as in earth for of both he drewe a great part to him According to this speaketh the increate wysedome of God the seconde person in Trinite Eccle. xxiiii Penetrabo omnes inferiores partes terre inspiciam omnes dormientes illuminabo omnes sperantes in domino I shall pearce and entre into all the lower partes of the earth and I wyll loke on all theim that be a slepe whose bodies rest in their graues in the slepe of peace and I wyll geue light to all them that hope in theyr Lord God And Saint Augustine in the .cxxvii. sermon sayth Omnia ab stulit vtique electa electi quamuis in tranquillitatis sinu tamē apud inferni claustra tenebantur Non enim infideles quosque pro suis criminibus aeternis suppliciis dedicos ad veniam dominus resurgendo reparauit sed illos ex inferni claustris rapuit quos suos fide actibus recognouit Christ toke awaye with him all that were electe and chosen for suche althoughe they were in the bay or bosome of tranquillitie ease and reste yet they were kepte and holden within the clausures of hell For our lord Christ when he rose did not repaire or restore to pardon and forgiuenes all infideles and such as for theyr crimes or mortall sinnes were deputed to euerlastinge paynes and punishmentes but them he plucked out of the cloysters and clausures of hell whiche he knew for his owne by their fayth and by their dedes For the soule of Christe ioyned to the Godhead from whiche it was neuer separate descended into the said darke place gaue light to thē that were ther kept in prison By occasion of that he spoke of Noes shyppe in whiche a fewe lyues were saued by the water that is to saye the liues of Noe and of his wife and the liues of theyr three sonnes and of theyr thre wiues .viii. personnes in all the blessed apostle Sainte Peter declareth the allegorye of the same fygure sayinge that like as the sayde .viii. personnes or liues were saued from drowninge beynge lifte vppe in the shippe a flote aboue the grounde euen so sayth he In like fourme and maner you be saued by baptisme from dampnation euerlastinge Non carnis depositio sordium sed conscientiae bone interrogatio in Deum The water alone is not the thinge that doth it althoughe his propertie be to washe away the filth and vncleanes of the body but it is the examination and discussion of a good cōscience toward God saith S. Peter because that in the water the worde doth make cleane the soule as S. Augustin speaketh tract .lxxx. in euangel Iohan. Uppon these wordes Iam vos mundi estis propter verbum quod locutus sum vobis Ioh. vx Take away the holy sacramentall wordes from the water and what is the water but bare water Accedit verbum ad elementum fit sacramentum The worde ioyned to the element of water maketh the sacramente For the water can nor of it selfe haue suche strengthe as to touche the body and withall to clense the soule but onely by the worde And by the worde not because it is soūded or said by him or her that doth christe but because it is beleued According to that S. Peter had said Act. xv Fide purificans corda eorum God clensith theyr hartes by fayth the water and the worde concurringe with the same fayth Then this clensing of the soule must not be attribute to the water excepte we put to the worde and then ioyne theim both together and they shall be of suche strength that they may purge and make cleane the least chylde that euer was borne whiche as I haue sayde in tymes past beleueth in the fayth of the churche lyke as he or she that is of discretiō beleueth by his own faith Al these circumstances S. Peter speaketh in few wordes Conscientie bone interrogatio in deum the examination or discussion of a good wel beleuing conscience toward God comprehending as wel the cathechisation or instruction going afore the baptisme where y e party may haue such oportunitie as the Sacramentall wordes with the water with faith and all together According to this saith S. Paul Eph. v. Christus dilexit ecclesiam et seipsū tradidit pro ea vt illā sancti ficaret mūdans eā lauachro aque in verbo vite Christ loued his churche deliuered him self to sinfull mennes handes that he mighte make her holye clensynge her with the lauer of water in the worde of lyfe This blessed Sacramente of baptisme by whiche we be regenerate and gotten agayne to God was signified by the water that drowned the earth and earthly carnall people and saued the eyght liues that then were saued And that the water of the sayde flud saued none that were out of the shippe signifieth that all heretikes that be out of the common receaued fayth of the churche althoughe they were in the water although they be christened and glorieth to be called christen men yet by the same water they shall be drouned into hell by which the ship the catholike churche was lifte and borne vp into heauen and saued as the materiall shippe of Noe was lifte vp into the ayre aboue grounde and saued by water And lyke as they that were drowned in Noes floude had theyr corpsis wasshed from exterior fylth of theyr bodies whiche preuayled them not against drowninge so there was
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
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