as siluer and golde from your vaine conuersation receiued by the traditions of the fathers But with the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot Whiche was ordeined before the foundation of the worlde but was declared in the last tymes for your sakes Which by his meanes doe beleeue in God that raised him from the dead and gaue him glorie that your faith and hope might be in God Hauing purified your soules in obeying the truthe through the Spirit to loue brotherly without fainyng loue one an other with a pure harte feruently Beyng borne a newe not of mortall seede but of immortall by the worde of God who liueth and indureth for euer For all fleshe is as grasse and all the glorie of man is as the flower of grasse The grasse withereth and the flower falleth awaie But the worde of the Lord endureth for euer and this is the worde whiche is preached among you ¶ The first Chapter Verse 1 Peter an Apostle of Iesus Christ to the straungers that dwell here and there throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia Elect accordyng to the foreknowledge of God the Father vnto the sanctification of the Spirite through obedience and sprincklyng of the blood of Iesus Christ THis is bothe an inscription and subscription Thou seest here in the verie beginnyng that that whiche is here written is the Gospell He saith that he is an Apostle whiche signifieth a Legate or Messenger that doeth by woorde of mouthe the businesse whiche he hath receiued in charge which name beeing so englished of the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is now commonly knowne what it signifieth I haue not thought it good by any other phraze or terme to expresse and translate it Howbeeit properly it signifieth hym that declareth something by worde of mouth not a mere carier of letters but a messenger that with liuely voice deliuereth his errand and by wordes vttereth his commission and charge and suche in Latine we call Oratores that is Orators Whereas thē he calleth himself the Apostle of Iesus Christ it is as much as if he had saied I haue charge from Iesus Christ to preache of this same Iesus Christe vnto you Marke here how at the first thei are excluded debarred whatsouer thei be y t preache any of the dreggie and doatyng doctrines of seelie foolishe and vaine men for he is a messenger of Iesus Christ whiche doeth that whiche Christ hath commaunded hym If he preache any other thyng he is not Christes messenger and therefore in no wise to bee heard But if he preache that whiche Christe hath enioyned hym then is he to bee heard and to heare hym is as muche as to heare Christ hymself beyng present To the Straungers Elect. THe Apostle wrote this Epistle to those Countries that are here mentioned Thei were in tyme paste Christian but are now in miserable subiection and slauerie vnto the Turke among whom thou maiest perhaps euen at this daie finde some that faithfullie beleeue in Christe Pontus is a greate and large countrie bordering vpon the sea next vnto it is Cappadocia the borders and limites of whiche twoo countries are almoste conioyned On the hinder parte is Galatia on the former toward the Sea Asia and Bithynia all situate toward the Easte greate and large Countries Paule preached personallie in Galatia Asia whether he did y e same also in Bithynia I doe not certeinly know But in the furthermost two it is certain that he did not preache Straūgers are thei whom we call Forreiners namely such as come frō some other place and not borne in the Countrie wherein wee are Now the Apostle calleth them so because thei had been Gentiles Neither is it to be thought straunge that Peter beeyng the Apostle of the Iewes did neuerthelesse write also vnto the Gentiles The Iewes call those Proselites that is admitted to the state of the Iewes who beeyng not lineallie of their stocke and of the blood of Abraham had notwithstandyng embraced Iudaisme and submitted theim selues to the obseruation of their lawe To these therefore the Apostle writeth who before had been Gentiles and therefore no members of the common wealthe of Israell but beeyng now conuerted to the faithe had adioyned them selues to the faithfull Iewes Wherefore he calleth them Straungers Elect whom vndoubtedly hee none otherwise reputeth then true Christians and to these alone he writeth Whiche maner of callyng theim containeth in it no common doctrine as wee shall hereafter more at large heare Accordyng to the foreknowledge of GOD the Father HE calleth thē Elect but how Surely not of them selues but accordyng to the ordinance of GOD. For it lieth not in our owne powers to bryng our selues vnto heauen nor to haue faithe when wee liste neither will God receiue into heauen all whom so euer Naie hee will verie diligently and circumspectly sifte examine and trie all them that be his Awaie therefore with all mannes doctrine of free will and of all strength in our selues this thing dependeth not of our but of Gods good will and election Vnto sanctification of the Spirite God hath predestinate vs to be holie and that spirituallie These woordes holie and spirituall the Belligods of the Romishe Cleargie haue shameleslie taken from the true professors of the Gospell and entailed the same vnto their Maumetishe Monkerie whiche state thei doe now call holie and spirituall Euen as thei haue doen by this name Churche so that thei will haue none but the Pope and his mitred Bishops to bee the Churche saiyng that the Churche hath commaunded this and that whereas thei in the meane tyme at their pleasures doe and determine what thei liste Holinesse consisteth in nothyng lesse then in this that one bee a Monke a Freere or a Nunne or to bee a Shauelyng and weare a Coule or some peltyng religious habite The word Spirit signifieth that we should be holie in hart inwardly and in spirite before God And this is saied especially for this cause to shewe that nothing is holie but that whiche God maketh holie in vs. For at that tyme the Iewes had many outward sanctifications but the true sanctification thei had not This then is the meanyng of sainct Peter God hath predestinate you to this ende that now at the laste ye should bee holie in deede accordyng as sainct Paule saieth in the fourthe to the Ephesians In righteousnesse and true holinesse that is in holinesse whiche is sincere and altogether entire For suche outwarde holinesse as the Iewes had is nothyng esteemed nor regarded before God After this sort doeth the Scripture call vs holie and Sainctes when wee beleeue beeyng as yet liuyng here on earth But our Rabbines the Papistes haue taken this name from vs saiyng that we are not Holie but that thei onely are Holie whiche are in heauen We must therefore repossesse and againe take this notable name vnto vs. Thou must needes be Holie yet must thou not thinke that thou haste
Will not here define whether in this place S. Peter speake of an outwarde Incontinencie or no or whether he doe as Sainct Paules order is call all those thynges Fleshly whiche a man yet liuyng in this bodie and carnall life committeth and dooeth without Faithe But I am of opinion that S. Peter in this place vseth an other maner of reason Neither doe I thinke that he taketh this worde Soule in suche a sense as Sainct Paule doeth who taketh it for Spirite But that he somewhat more déepely as I suppose considered the proprietie of the Greeke Howebeit it is not greatly materiall whether a man vnderstande this place as meant of all carnall affections or els onely of an externall and outwarde intemperaunce This profitable lesson notwithstanding is hereby taught vs that no man in this life can be perfectly holie and throughly pure from sinnes This place the Schoole men haue grossely mistaken rouyng farre wide from the true meanyng thereof For thei thinke it to bee onely spoken and meant of theim that bee Sinners As though the holie ones were cleare without all euill lustes and carnall affections But he that will profitablie searche and read the Scriptures must with iudgement and discretion waigh and throughly sifte the nature sense and signification of euery woorde for the Prophetes vse sometymes so to speake of them that be holie as that thei seme to pronounce theim pure and altogether cleare from all maner of Sinnes Againe sometymes thei so speake of theim as that thei confesse theim yet to haue euill affections corrupt motions and to fight against Synne This diuersitie and varietie that in apparaunce seemeth to bee in theim marueilouslie grauelleth and offendeth these greate Rabbines and wonderfullie blindeth their Senses from rightlie vnderstandyng the true meanyng of the Scriptures Thus therefore staye thou thy self and for thy sure conceiuyng of this and suche like places bee at this resolution Thou oughtest to consider Christians after twoo sortes namely accordyng to their inwarde and hidden life to witte Faithe and also accordyng to their outwarde and open life that is to saie the Fleshe Now if thou consider and respecte a Christian accordyng to Faithe he is all pure and without all filthe and vncleannesse but after the flesh he is not so For the woorde of GOD can abide no vncleane thyng to reste in that harte where it is throughlie and faithfullie receiued so that the harte whiche faste cleaueth vnto the Woorde can not but thereby bee throughlie purged and entirely cleansed Therefore in faithe all thynges are perfecte accordyng to that saiyng afore wherein wee are sayed to hee Kynges Priestes and the peculier People of GOD. But for so muche as wee hauyng Faithe are as yet cladde in this fleshe and dwell on this Earth it can not bee but that now and then wee feele within our selues sundrie corrupt and Earthly affections as Impacience feare of Deathe c. And these bee the diseases remainyng yet of the old Manne For Faithe hath not yet here raught to hir perfection nor gotten a full power ouer the fleshe This maiest thou plainlie and euidentlie vnderstande by the Parable Luke x. of a certaine man Who goyng doune from Hierusalem to Hiericho fell among Theeues who robbed hym of his raimente and wounded hym verie sore and departyng lefte hym halfe dead on whom in the ende a certaine Samaritane tooke compassion boūd vp his woundes powred in Oile and Wine sett hym on his owne beaste and brought hym to an Inne and made prouision for hym Here thou seest that this man was cared for his cure prouided for anone after he was wounded and now beeyng out of daunger of Death was lefte sicke in deede but not vnto Death howbeeit he was not as yet fullie healed and cured His life is preserued and he left aliue but yet is he not come to his perfecte healthe he is lefte in the charge of the Phisitious to bee cured and dressed afterward Euen so wee that beleeue haue Christ all and entire and are assured of eternall life but our perfecte and consummate healthe wee haue not yet obteined for some reliques of the old Adam remaineth yet still within vs. To the same purpose serueth that other Parable mentioned by Christe Matth. xiij The Kyngdome of heauen is like vnto Leauen whiche a woman taketh and hideth in three Peckes of Meale till all bee leauened For when the Meale is begonne to bee kneaded the Leauen is all there but it hath not yet sowred and pearced the whole lumpe of Dowe the mixture is not yet fullie perfected yet the Meale is therein still till it bee fullie Leauened and more Leauen maie not bee put vnto it So also whatsoeuer thou oughtest to haue thou haste it alreadie by Faithe whereby thou haste taken holde of the Worde and embraced it but it hath not yet throughlie soaked and pearced into thee and therefore it needes must bee so long in woorkyng vntill thou be whollie renewed And in this sort oughtest thou to discerne and interprete the Scripture And not so to Iumble and mangle the textes thereof as dooe the Papistes Therefore when in the Scriptures thou readest of holie meime that are saied to bee perfecte thou must thus vnderstande it that accordyng to Faithe thei were altogether pure and without synne But all the reste was fleshe and therfore could not bee entierly cleane Wherevpon Christians in their praiers desire to bee dissolued and ridde of this bodie or fleshe that thei maie whollie attaine to an entire puritie Thei that other wise teache neither haue any feelyng nor yet any sounde taste of the same And therevpon it commeth to passe that thei speake euen as thei thinke within themselues and as thei can comprehende by their owne reason and therefore thei can not choose but bee deceiued This hath been a stumblyng blocke to many yea of them that haue been accoumpted worthie and famous for their holinesse and sanctimonie and who haue taught and written verie muche Origene speaketh not one worde hereof in his Bookes Hierome neuer vnderstoode thē Augustine also would haue had small knowledge thereof if he had not so much buckled with the Pelagians Some whē thei speake of holie men thei so muche extol and dignifie them as though either thei had been of some higher degree and excellencie then other Christians or els as though thei had had no feelyng of this Flesh or as though thei had not complained thereof aswel and as muche as wee Therefore saieth Sainct Peter You are all cleane and haue your full righteousnesse there now remaineth nothyng for you but y t you stoutly fight againste these wicked and naughtie affections And so also speaketh Christe Iohn xiij He that is washed needeth not sauyng onely to washe his feete For it is not enough that the heade and handes bee cleane and therefore albeeit he saie that thei are all cleane yet neuerthelesse he requireth theim to washe their feete But what meanyng hath Saincte Peter
thei lye in awaite to ensnare and drawe into errour Whom thei ought rather to teache the principles and groundes of Faithe and Charitie and how to beare the Crosse of Christ but alas thei instill nothyng into their tender myndes but praises of their Hypocriticall Woorkes whereby it commeth to passe that thei seelie younglynges are caried backe againe into errour although afore thei had escape out thence But how doe thei thus beguile men with wantonnesse to the lustes of the Fleshe and what baites dooe thei vse for the accomplishyng thereof Forsooth these holie Priestes Monkes Freers NuÌ„nes and the reste of those marked mates dooe saie and teache theim that thei ought not to Marie but to liue in single life vnto the whiche thei binde theim faste by Vowes and preceptes In whiche dooyng thei clogge and beguile menne incensyng and incityng theim to the lustes of the Fleshe wherein thei suffer theim miserably to burne without allowyng vnto theim that lawfull remedie whiche God hath ordeined Here wee sée that S. Peter speaketh of none other but of those false Teachers and Bussardly guides whiche are aflote and raigne like Princes in the Churche of God ouer poore Baptized and beleeuyng Christians Promisyng vnto them libertie and are themselues the seruauntes of corruption for of whom soeuer a manne is ouercome euen vnto the same is hee in bondage THei extoll praise and vaunte their holie Orders their religious Sectes and sinnelesse professions into the whiche who soeuer doeth enter shall bee saued as that moste Swinish and impudent Dominicane Thomas writeth affirming that who soeuer professeth hymself a MoÌ„ke is in that state of perfection wherein he was at the tyme wheÌ„ he was newlie Baptized and that thereby he shall assuredlie merite the ioyes of heauen and haue full remission of his Sinnes through his owne Workes These and suche like blasphemies of them must wee listen and giue eare vnto beeyng nothyng at all ashamed to compare their owne dirtie dreames and triflyng toyes vnto Faithe and Baptisme whiche bee Gods owne proper Woorkes and institution Who hauyng the Spirite of GOD in hym and hearyng these horrible blasphemies can suffer them and holde his peace Now these and suche like madde conclusions and impious Sentences our Monkes doe traine vp Youth withall Finallie whiche is not the least poinct to be meruailed at theim that be the aucthours of these detestable errours thei haue canonized and Saincted whereas theim that bee the true Sainctes in deede thei haue murthered and burnt to ashes For if they after they haue escaped from the filthinesse of the worlde through the knowledge of the Lorde and of the Sauiour Iesus Christe are yet entangled againe therein and ouercome the latter ende is worse with them then the beginnyng SAinct Peter heere proueth and sheweth reasons why thei be the Seruauntes of corruption For to knowe Christe throughly and truely is to knowe what he is to wit our onely Sauiour and Redeemer who of his owne mere goodnesse and grace hath freelie pardoned and forgiuen vs our Sinnes Through this knowledge wee escape iniquitie and are deliuered from the filthinesse of the Worlde Whiche corruption and filth they hauing in their baptisme renounced and put of are againe myered and throwne hedlong into the same whensoeuer they departe and start from Faith to trust in their owne vile Works For where Faith faileth and is absent there is not the Spirit present and where the Spirite is wantyng there is nothing but fleshe and there can no cleannesse bee And after this sort hath it fallen out hitherto in the Churche Rome at the first hearkened vnto embraced the pure Gospell but afterward it declined and turned aside into bypathes of maÌ„s deuised doctrines so that now it swarmeth with al maner of abhominations and is become the common Synke of all blasphemous impietie The latter ende thereof is therefore farre worse then the beginnyng because they are now become farre more desperate and forlorne Ethnikes then euer they were before they heard the Worde of God For it had been better for them not to haue knowen the waye of righteousnesse then after they haue knowen it to turne from the holy Commaundement giuen vnto them But it is come vnto them accordyng to the true prouerbe The dogge is returned to his owne vomit and The sowe that was washed to the wallowyng in the myer THis Prouerbe hath S. Peter taken out of the Booke of the Prouerbes where SolomoÌ„ hath these words As the dogge turneth againe to his owne vomite so a foole turneth to his foolishnesse Prou. xxvj And so also by the mâ—â—â— when as in Baptisme thei haue forsaken all wickednesse are washed cleane from their filthie life and haue be taken themselues coâ—â—â—re conuersation of Faithe and Charitie and afterwarde fall backe and infidelitie and a trust in their owne Workes they â—â—myere and deraye themselues againe in the filthinesse of their formed 〈◊〉 This place therefore ought not in any wise to bee applyed to Workes as these Papistes vse was to doe who after auriculer confession and shrift were wont thus to enioyne theÌ„ whose confession thei heard Take heede that from hencefoorth thou bee chast milde gentle pacient c. But thei ought rather thus to enstruct and teache them If thou haue a desire to become vertuous and godlie humbly praie vnto GOD by hartie and earnest praier that it would please hym to graunt vnto thee a true and sincere Faith and thence beginne to liue godlie and to departe from wickednesse and impietie For when thou art possessed of a true sincere Faith good Works will straightwaies followe and issue from it then shalt thou liue chast and pure other remedie is there none to ridde thee from the daunger of synne For although for a whyle thou mayest hide and restraine wickednesse and impietie in thyne harte yet will it burst out in open flames at length This is now the seconde Chapter of this his seconde Epistle wherein the Apostle hath forewarned and foretolde vs what maner of Teachers false Seducers should afterward come among vs and miserablie misleade vs. We can pretend no excuse but that we haue had sufficient warnyng aforehand howbeit wee haue little regarded it and therefore our fault is the greater in that wee haue thus sleightly esteemed the Gospell and swerued from the sweete doctrine comprized in the same whereby wee haue through our lewde liues prouoked the heauier wrath of God against vs. Wee are all not vnwillyng to heare the Pope with his lubberly Drones to bee inueighed againste and for their monstruous marchandize of Christian Soules to bee condignely taunted and reproued but few of vs taketh any occasion thereby to amende his owne life or to refourme his former conuersation For it is no tryfling matter or laughyng toye but a serious case and of greate importaunce suche whereat our hartes ought to treÌ„ble and quake for feare These thinges therefore are most earnestly and diligeÌ„tly to be bothe spoken and
it beginneth in vs so that by faith wee haue a certein feelyng thereof but in heauen it shall bee so greate that the harte of man is not able to comprehende it yet shall we enioye the same when we come thither Thus thou seest how Saincte Peter teacheth vs to arme and prepare our selues by the Scriptures For hitherto hath he described what it is to preache the Gospell and how it was foretolde by the Prophetes that it should bee after this sorte preached and taught Now hee proceedeth and hereafter exhorteth vs by faithe to embrace and by loue to followe suche preachyng of the Gospell saiyng Wherfore girde vp the loynes of your mind bee sober and trust perfectly on the grace that is brought vnto you by the reuelatiō of Iesus Christ As obedient children not fashioning your selues vnto the former lustes of your ignorance But as he whiche hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all maner of conuersation Because it is written Bee ye holy for I am holy THis is an exhortation to faith the meaning wherof is this Forasmuche then as so greate thynges are preached and giuen vnto you by the Gospell whiche euen the Angels doe desire with pleasure to beholde see that ye faithfully cleaue vnto them and with an assured trust and affiance repose your hope therein that your faithe maie bee sincere and sounde and not any fained opinion or dreame Girde vp the loynes of your mynde SAinct Peter speaketh here of the spirituall girdyng of the mynde like as if a man should corporally girde a sworde vppon his loynes Of which girdyng Christ maketh mention Luke 12. where he saieth Let your loynes be girded about In some places of the Scripture Loynes signifie carnall lust or concupiscence But sainct Peter speaketh here of Spirituall Loynes Whereas the Scripture speaketh of the bodie and calleth that part the Loynes from whence from the Father proceedeth naturall generation according as we read Gen. 46. that Christ should spring out of the Loynes of Iuda Wherefore corporally to girde the Loynes signifieth nothing els then chastitie as it is in Esay Chap. 11. Righteousnesse shall be the girdle of his Loynes and faithfulnesse the girdle of his reynes that is by onely faithe filthie and vnlawfull lust is restrained and brideled But the spirituall girdyng whereof the Apostle here speaketh is after this sorte As a Virgin is in bodie chast and entire so the mynde through faithe whereby it is espoused to Christ is spiritually sounde and sincere Howbeit as sone as it reuolteth from faithe to false and erroneous doctrine it is violate and corrupted wherevppon the Scripture commonly calleth Infidelitie and Idolatrie by the names of adulterie and fornication namely when the mynde sticketh to the doctrines of mē and forsaketh faithe in Christ From this Sainct Peter here dehorteth when hee biddeth to Girde vp the loynes of the mynde which in effect is asmuche as if he should saie Ye haue now heard the Gospell attained vnto faithe see then that ye persist therein and suffer not your selues to be defiled corrupted with false doctrine waueryng in vncertentie now this waie now that waie The Apostle sainct Peter vseth here a certen peculiar and proper kinde of speeche not suche as sainct Paule vseth when he saith Gird vp the loynes of your mynde Hee calleth that the Mynde which we otherwise call the thought as when I saie I thinke thus that this is right and as sainct Paule saieth so dooe wee thinke suche is our opinion so it seemes vnto vs. And by this meanes doeth the Apostle here moste properly signifie Faith meanyng thus much in effect Ye haue now attained to a true thought and are setled in a right perswasion that wee are iustified by faithe onely persist strongly herein girde it fast vnto you and valiauntly sticke thereunto let no man pull these sounde opinions out of your hartes and then shall yee prosperously persener and stande There will many false teachers arise who will forge doctrines of men thereby to corrupte your mynde and looze this girdle of Faithe wherefore in harte receiue this admonition whiche I giue you aforehande that the Doctrine of Truthe maie be well fixed in your mynde and that you maie valiauntly persiste therein Those Hypocrites whiche truste to their woorkes and liue an honest and vertuous life as it appeareth outwardly dooe verily thinke and are fully perswaded that God muste needes receiue theim into heauen because of their woorkes This maketh them proude presumptuous and glorious in their owne conceiptes As that Pharisey mentioned in the 18. of Luke and whereof also Marie maketh mention in her song commonly called Magnificat where she vseth the same woorde whiche thou readest here in Sainct Peter He hath scattered the proude in the imagination of their hartes that is he hath ouerthrowne and brought them to confusion in the deuises of their owne myndes and thoughtes Bee sober THis Sobrietie perteineth outwardly to the bodie and is an especiall woorke of Faithe For although manne bee iustified yet is he not free from euill desires In deede Faithe hath begonne to restraine and bridle the fleshe notwithstandyng the same doeth continually striue against it and assaulteth it with sondrie sortes of desires whiche goe aboute accordyng to the concupiscence thereof againe to burst forthe and preuaile Wherefore the Spirite hath daiely muche adoe to bridle and restraine them and it must therefore without intermission haue continuall fight with them and alwaies take greate heede of the fleshe least that at any tyme suche is the craftinesse thereof it vndermine and supplant Faithe By the premisses it appeareth how farre thei deceiue theim selues whiche boste that thei haue Faithe and coumpt that sufficient liuyng in the meane season according to their owne lustes and desires For where true Faithe is there muste needes bee an earnest endeuour to keepe the bodie vnder and to holde it as it were with a bridle from outragyng and doyng what it listeth herevpon it is that sainct Peter here exhorteth vs to bee sober Howbeit he biddeth vs not as it were to destroye our bodie or to weaken it more then is meete as some haue doen whiche haue made them selues mad by ouer muche fastyng yea some haue quite pined and consumed themselues a waie In this fonde error for a tyme was sainct Bernard although he was otherwise an holy man For he afflicted his bodie with so great abstinence that by reason of noysome breathe whiche hee gott thereby no man could abide to stande neere hym or bee in his companie But hee was at length deliuered from this error and willed his brethren that thei should not too much pine and pinche their bodies For he well sawe that by that vndue abstinence he had made himself vnfit to serue his brethren Wherefore Sainct Peter requireth no more then that wee be sober that is that wee doe so muche and so farre restraine the fleshe as wee feele the wantonnesse and vnrulinesse thereof
contained the summe of a true Christian life As thou liuest therefore so shalt thou receiue and so will God iudge thee And therfore although God iudge vs accordyng to our woorkes yet neuerthelesse this remaineth also alike true that good workes are onely the fruictes of Faithe whereby it shalbe easie to finde and trie where Faithe is and where is Infidelitie And therefore will God iudge thée accordyng to thy workes and will thereby laie it face to face to thy charge whether thou haue Faithe or no. As no man can better confute a Lyer then by his owne woordes And yet neuerthelesse it is plaine that by those words he is not made a Lior but he was a Lyer afore that he vttered any lye because that a lye must needes proceede from the harte into the mouth Take therefore these same woordes of Sainct Peter in a moste simple sense and in such sorte that you vnderstande workes to be the fruictes and seales of Faithe and that God doth iudge men according to these fruictes whiche can not but ensue and followe a true and sounde Faithe to the intent it maye manifestly appeare where Faithe remaineth in the harte and also where Infidelitie lodgeth God will not iudge accordyng to these interrogatories and questions whether thou be called a Christian or no or whether thou bee baptized or not but hee will thus question with thee Sirrha if thou bee a Christian where bee thy fruictes whereby thou art able to confirme and approue thy faithe And therefore saieth sainct Peter forasmuche as you haue suche a father which iudgeth not accordyng to any mans person see that yee haue your conuersation in the tyme of your dwelling here in feare that is to saie Feare ye this Father not in the feare of punishment and reuenge for so the wicked reprobates and Deuilles dooe feare hym but feare ye hym least he should forsake you or withdrawe his holie hande from you Euen as an honest and good childe standeth in feare least hee should offende his father or commit any thyng that should not bee well liked of hym Suche a feare doeth God require at our handes whereby wee maye loathe and abhorre sinne and diligently studie to helpe out neighbour so long as we haue to liue in this worlde That Christian that beleeueth well is possessed of all the goodes and benefites of God and is the childe of God as wee haue heard afore declared but the tyme that hee here hath to liue is nothyng els then a kinde of Sequestration or Pilgrimage For his Spirite by faithe is alreadie in heauen by the whiche hee is euen a Lorde of all thynges But God therefore suffreth hym yet for a tyme to liue in the fleshe and to bee conuersant in bodie vpon the earth purposelie that he should help others and bryng them with him to heauen And therefore wee ought no otherwise to vse this worlde nor to make any other accompt thereof but as Straungers or wayfaring men are wont to doe who commyng into their Lodgyng or Inne make no further reckoning but to haue at their Hostes handes meate drincke and lodging for one night and no longer thei doe not chalenge and laie claime vnto their Hostes whole substaunce After the same sorte ought euery one to accoumpt of his wealth and richesse euen as though thei were none of his to take therof onely so much as is sufficient for the maintenance and nourishment of his bodie and with the rest to relieue and helpe his needie neighbours Therefore the life of a Christian man is no otherwise but as a mansion for one night For wee haue here no permanent dwellyng place wee must haue our desire thither where our Father is namely heauen And therfore wee ought to abandon and laie aside all lasciuiousnesse and dissolute life and to passe as sainct Peter saieth the time of our dwellyng here in feare Knowyng that ye were not redeemed with corruptible thinges as siluer and golde from your vaine conuersation receiued by the traditions of the fathers But with the precious bloud of Christ THis saieth he ought to prouoke and stirre you to employe your conuersation in the feare of God consideryng how greate a price your redemption coste Heretofore ye were Citezins of the worlde liuyng vnder the tyrannous rule of the Deuill now hath God deliuered you from suche lamentable and desperate conuersation and hath brought you into an other place so that now you are Citezens in heauen and but Straungers and Pilgrims on earth But marke ye wel how muche God hath bestowed on you and how vnvaluable and exceedyng greate that treasure is wherewith you are redeemed and brought into that happie case to become the children of God Therefore passe your time and conuersation in feare and take ye good heede least if ye should contemne and neglect these thynges ye loose this so excellent and precious a treasure And what treasure is that whiche is so excellent and precious wherewith wee are redeemed Not these corruptible thinges Golde or Siluer but the moste precious bloud of Christe the Sonne of God This treasure is so excellent and of price so inescimable that no sense or reason of man is able to comprehende it insomuche that one small droppe of this most innocent Bloud had been fullie sufficient for the sinnes of the whole worlde But it pleased the eternall Father so aboundantly to poure out his Grace vpon vs and with suche a price to procure and worke our Saluation that he would haue his moste deare Sonne Christ to shed all his bloud and to bestow and giue vnto vs all his treasures at once And therefore he requireth vs that we doe not as it were cast awaie into the ayre or make small accoumpt of suche a greate Grace but rather so to esteeme of it that wee maie bee stirred and mooued vnto feare that liuyng therein wee maie not deserue est sones to be depriued of this so surpassing a treasure And this withall must diligently be noted and considered how that sainct Peter here doeth saie that ye were redeemed from your vaine conuersation which ye receiued by the traditions of the fathers For by this hee vtterlie throweth downe that perswasion that wee are wont moste commonly to leane vnto thinkyng that all our dooinges ought to bee allowed and well liked of because the same of an olde custome haue had lonâ— continuaunce and because our Auncestours and predecessors aâ—â—â—ng whom there haue been many wise and good men haue so obserued them For thus hee saieth Whatsoeuer our fathers haue either enacted or doen all was ill and consequently those thinges that you haue learned of theim concernyng the worshippe of God are so corrupt and naught that God muste bestowe the blond of his owne Sonne to redeeme and free men from the same Whatsoeuer now therefore is not washed awaie by his bloud is altogether by the fleshe infected and accused Wherevpon it followeth that the more earnestly that any man striueth to attaine to
thou his Sonne in whom thou reposed greater confidence and trust then in thy â—â—rnal father and mother and that he will in all thy necessitie bee readie to helpe thee euen for Christes sake our onely Mediatoure and Sauiour Suche a Faithe as this commeth not of any humaine power but GOD planteth thâ— same in vs for that Christe with his Blood deserued and merited it to whom therefore be hath giuen this glorie that beyng set on his right hande he by his diuine power might settle and staie a sure faithe in vs. Hitherto therefore wee haue heard how saincte Peter exhorteth vs first to girde vp the loynes of our mynde and also sincerely to walke in a perfecte faithe Then consideryng how deare a price this hath coâ—te Christe that wee should haue our conuersation in feare not bearyng our selues hold vpon this that we are named ChristiaÌ„s sith God is suche a iudge as respecteth no maintes persone one more then an other but iudgeth equally without any parcialitie Now proceedeth he further and endeth this first Chapter saiyng Seeyng your Soules are purified in obeiyng the truthe through the Spirit to loue brotherly without â—â—inyng Loue one an other with a pure harte feruently Beeyng borne a newe not of mortall seede but of immortall by the woorde of God who liueth and indureth for euer For all fleshe is as grasse and all the glorie of man is as the flower of grasse The grasse withereth and the flower falleth awaie But the worde of the Lorde endureth for euer and this is the worde whiche is preached among you SAinct Paule in the fifte to the Galath rekoneth vp the fruites that followe faithe The fruites of the Spirit saieth he are Loue Ioye Peace long suffering Gentlenesse Goodnesse Faith Meekenesse Temperance So also here doeth saincte Peter teache vs whiche bee the fruietes of faithe To witte to purifie our Soules in obeiyng the truthe through the Spirite For where true Faithe is it bryngeth the bodie vnder and in subiection and bridleth the lustes of the fleshe and although it make not a cleare riddaunce and dispatche thereof yeâ— makers it the Bodie subiect to the Spirite and â—s with a bridle qualifieth the wilde motions thereof The same meanyng also hath sainct Paule where he speaketh of the fruictes of the Spirite It is a greate and busie peece of woorke to bryng the Spirite to Maister and beare rule ouer the Bodie and to represse the wilfull affections and fleshlie desires naturally engraffed in vs from our parentes For it is not possible for vs to liue well no not in the state of Wedlocke without speciall Grace I saie nothyng what wee can doe herein beyng without Grace But why saieth he Purifie or make chaste your Soules and not rather your Bodies Surely he full well knewe that the lustes and concupiscences of the fleshe accompainie vs to our Graues and are neuer quenched in vs although wee bee Baptized till our diyng daie Now it is not inough for a manne to conteine hymself from the acte doyng and to be outwardly chaste and a virgine his harte in the meane while boilyng in filthie desires of fleshly lustes but wee must earnestly endeuour our selues with all diligence that our Soules maie bee chaste so that this chastitie maie proceede and come from the harte and that the Soule maie bee at continuall enemitie and warre with all naughtie desires and still fight againste them till it be cleare deliuered from them And it agreeth very well that is here added that we must purifie our Soules in obeiyng the truthe through the Spirit Muche hath been preached and spoken of Chastitie and many Bookes haue been written concernyng it The Aucthours whereof haue taught vs with long Fastyng abstinence from fleshe wine and suche like to quenche these filthie motions of concupiscence and luste Whiche although some what thei helpen therevnto yet could thei not be sufficient neither could thei beate doune the inordinate desires of the flesh Sainct Hierom writeth of hymself that he so punished and pinched his Bodie that he was euen like an Ethiopian yet neuerthelesse he so little therewith profited that he many tymes dreamed he was in Rome in companie of Gentle women and faire Maiders S. Bernard also so punished and with suche abstinence almoste so spoiled his bodie y t it stonke loathsomely as afore I haue declared These holy men were greeuously teÌ„pted for with those outward thinges thei thought thei could restraine and quench their temptations but because the remedies whiche thei vsed were externall and outwarde and were applied outwardlie and not inwardly where in deede the disease was harboured thei could not serue as sufficient and able to maister and kill those desires of the mynde with whiche thei warred But S. Peter in this place sheweth vs a moste true and Soueraigne remedie wherewith to cure this euill to witte Obedience to the truthe through the Spirite Whiche the Scripture in other places also setteth doune as in the 11. of Esaie Faithfulnesse shalbe the girdle of his reynes This is the true Cataplasme wherewith the Reynes are to be girded whose soundnesse must proceede from the inner thinges to the outwarde and not contrariwise from the outwarde to the inner For the Soare whiche we would cure lieth not outwardlie in the kerther or clothes but deeyng bredde inwardlie ragingly raigneth and lyeth in the Bloud Fleshe Marrowe and Veines Therefore it is not the beste waie with outwarde thinges to goe aboute to represse and quenche fleshly concupiscence the bodie with fasting and labours may be brought into greate debility and weakenesse and at leÌ„gth thereby be vtterly marred spoyled and brought vnto death but to bee cased from euill desires it can not But Faithe is able to quenche them and so to keepe them vnder that thei shall bee brought to giue place and yeeld vnto the Spirite So also speaketh the Prophete Zacharie in his 9. Chapter of wine whereof Christe first drinketh whiche maketh them maydens to whom hee drinketh and forecasteth Then arare of other wine is wont to enkindle and stirre vp naughtie desires but this wine to wit the Gospell represseth the same and maketh the harte chast And this is it that S. Peter here meaneth when hee saieth where Truthe is bolden fast in the harte and obedience thereunto giuen through the spirite that that and none but that is the truest cure presentest remedy against this daungerous euil and mischiefe beside which there is none other that can be found so able to driue awaie and qualifie these euill cogitations and vaine thoughtes For wheÌ„ this remedie the Gospell I meane is entered and taken possessioÌ„ within the harte all naughtie leude motions do straightways giue place and vanishe awaie Let hym that wil trie this matter and hee shall duely finde it so to bee as all they that haue made triall thereof doe very well know But the Deuill doth not easely suffer any man to come to that poinct as in harte so to embrace the
but rather that thei contemned and little esteemed that gorgeous furniture whiche thei did weare but for the tyme the better to compasse and bryng aboute their godlie and zealous purposes The same aunswere maie wee make here That it is the duetie of eche godlie woman to bee in mynde so vertuouslie affected as that she maie wholly contemne this gaie attire and womannishe brauerie for if thei once linke thē selues in loue therewith the nature thereof is suche that thei will daiely seeke more and more to prancke theim selues and will keepe neither meane nor order therein but wantonly and licenciously without ende couet the continuall maintenaunce of suche vaine and dissolute prodigalitie A Christian Woman therfore ought vtterly to despise this outward deckyng and worldlie gallantise but yet so that if her Housebande will haue her so to dooe or any other honeste respecte require the same it is to bee borne withall and tolerated Howbeeit it is moste to bee wished and thei are moste especially so to frame themselues in their attire and deckyng as sainct Peter here teacheth them to witte to bee inwardly garnished and decked with a milde and gentle spirite Thy brauerie and furniture is gaie and gallant enough if thou decke and attire thy self to content and please thy Housebande Christe requireth no suche thyng at thy handemaie he is highly offended if thou trimme thy self to the intent to please the eyes of other men or because thou seekest thereby to bee dignified and called faire louely or beautifull But thy cheefest care ought to bee to carie this precious furniture and incomparable garnishement afore spoken of in thy harte farre from all corruption as saincte Peter saieth and to leade a decent honeste and chaste life It is a sure token that thou haste very small workyng of the Spirite in thee if thou feele thy self to bee muche giuen to this phantastical worldly and outward brauerie For if Faith and the Spirite were truly settled within thee thou wouldest sooner stampe and treade it vnder thy feete then to take delite and pleasure therein And thou wouldest saie as Esther did Esth xiiij Thou knowest Lorde that I hate and haue no delight in this Croune whiche I weare on my head and that I weare this gorgeous apparell euen againste my will If I were not compelled so to doe to please my Lorde the Kynges eye I had leifer tread it vnder my Feete A wife thus mynded can not herein but bee muche the dearer and acceptabler to her housbande And therefore Saincte Peter willeth Matrones and Wiues to sett their delite in attiryng and garnishyng themselues with this inwarde furniture and to bee endued with a meeke and quiet Spirite hauyng their heartes voide and free from all corruption In aduising them to be meeke and gentle spirited his meanyng is not onely to restraine them from licencious gaddyng abroade and other open and outwarde misdemeanours of the worlde but his meaning is that thei should with muche more heede and carefulnesse looke to themselues that their myndes inwardlie bee incorrupt and that thei constantlie perseuere in a true and sincere Faithe not suffryng the same any waie to be empayred or violated And thus it commeth to passe that the hart willingly containeth it self within his limitted boundes without breakyng out into any disorder and be thinketh how it maie please their housbande And suche an harte is an exceedyng pleasure and acceptable attyre before God If a woman bee neuer so richely apparelled in cloath or beaten golde and garnished all ouer euen to the foote with Gemmes and precious Stones of price inestimable this her apparell must needes bee very magnificent and sumptuous but no woman can be any waie so richlie and brauely attired as in any respect to be comparable to that vnualuable attyre of the Soule whiche before God is a thyng muche esteemed and set by Golde and precious Stones in the eye of the worlde are thinges highly esteemed and of singuler price but before God thei bee thinges filthie abhominable and of none accoumpt That woman therefore is gorgeouslie and richlie attired before God whiche hath a quiet and gentle spirite for seeyng that before God it is a thyng so highly set by it can not but bee a thing of singuler greate excellencie and ful of maiestie A Christian soule alreadie hath whatsoeuer Christ himself hath because Faithe bringeth together with it al good thinges And this is suche a precious treasure and riche attire that no man can sufficiently and according to the worthinesse thereof esteeme and prize it For it is highly esteemed and prized by God himselfe The perswasion and inculkyng of these reasons will bee muche behouefull expedient and forcible to drawe womens myndes from the desire of this worldly pompous apparell wherevnto thei are by nature otherwise muche enclined and so to bring them in loue with this inwarde garnishyng that thei maie of themselues willingly loathe and detest all worldly and outwarde brauerie For it can not be that a vertuous Christian woman hearyng these thinges and inwardly in harte digesting them but she straightwaies entreth into this consideration with her self Beholde if this braue attyre and sumptuous apparell bee nothyng at all regarded before God why should not I also contemne and despise it But if I must needes weare it I will dooe it onely to please my housbande thereby whose pleasure it is to haue it so and vnto whom God hymself hath expresselie commaunded me to be obedient A woman thus minded is truely garnished and decked in her Spirite Now moreouer sainct Peter bringeth in the example of holie women thereby to drawe and prouoke other women to this Christian purpose and consideration saiyng For after this maner in tymes past did the holy women which trusted in God attyre themselues and were subiect to their Housbandes As Sara obeyed Abraham and called him Lord AS thei attyred themselues so is it meete that you also decke your selues for so is his meanyng and to bee loyall and obedient to your housbandes as Sara was vnto Abraham who called him Lorde as in the Scripture it appeareth Gen. xviij When as the Aungell came to Abraham and saied to Sara his wife this tyme tweluemonth thou shalte beare a Sonne she laughed and saied After I am waxed olde and my Lorde also shall I giue my self to lust Whiche place Saincte Peter here fitlie remembred and aptly alledged For Sara would not haue called her housbande Lorde if shee had not been subiect and obedient vnto hym and carefully bent to please hym Therefore he afterwarde saieth Whose Daughters ye are whiles ye dooe well not beyng afraide of any terrour WHat meaneth hee by this admonition Doubtlesse this The nature and disposition of women is for the moste parte tymorous and fearefull of euery wagging of a Strawe and is easilie drawen to shake and tremble at euerie shadow which is the cause that there is in that Sexe such stoare of magicall Impostures and supersticious enchauntmentes whiche
requireth that the Man be the head and gouerne and the Woman to be subiect and obedient That your praiers be not interrupted WHat meaneth Sainct Peter by these woordes Forsooth euen this that if wee will not directe our doynges herein by this rule of reason but deale sensually roughly selfwilledly vnreasonably vnquietly and waiwardly and as men that will neuer bee pleased looke to haue euerie thyng to fall out iumpe accordyng to our owne wilfull deuises Wée maie not thinke but that the Wife also hath her diseases and imperfections and so shall the one neuer please nor content the other nor greatly care the one for the other the one neuer yeeld an inche to the other neuer pardon and forget any thyng the one to the other Nor the one to like well of that which is doen by the other or of the one to thother and in these outragious garboiles how can thei praie and saie Forgiue vs our trespasses as wee forgiue them that trespasse againste vs. By this praier we must fight against the Deuill and therefore it behooueth vs to agree emong our selves These are those true and moste excellent good Workes that herein wee are required to ensue and put in practise Whiche if thei were throughlie inculked and preached vnto vs and that wee effectuallie and entirely would agnize and remember theim wee should haue all thinges at home in moste quiet case and peaceable tranquillitie Hitherto now wee haue heard how a Christian man ought to vse and behaue hymself in sundrie vocations and kindes of life and priuatelie also one with an other Now he will teache vs how all maner of men generallie are to behaue theimselues Christianlie one to an other and what comely conuersation outwardlie thei are to vse Finally bee ye all of one mynde one suffer with an other loue as brethren bee pitifull bee courteous ALL that he here saieth carieth none other meanyng but that wee should loue one an other For that whiche the Scripture elswhere comprehendeth in fewe woordes is here somewhat at large paraphrazed and expoūded The meaning therefore of sainct Peter here is as though he should saie This is the summe of all that can be commaūded and prescribed concernyng your outward conuersation that you bee all endued with one mynde affected alike and linked in harte and iudgemente alike that whatsoeuer seemeth right and good to one maie semblably bee so thought and deemed of others Wee can not all of vs doe one and the self same Woorke euery one must worke for hymself and in that vocation wherein it hath pleased God to place him The Housbandes charge is not as the Wiues nor the Seruauntes office as the Maisters and so of others It is too too foolish and ridiculous that some of our maisterlie leaders haue taught how that we must all doe the same thynges and woorke the same Woorkes Of this stampe are those dreaming Popelinges that are still beatyng into our heades their liyng Legendes of Sainctes preachyng thereout vnto vs that this holie Saincte did this and that holie Saincte did that inferryng therevpon that wee also must doe the same Doubtlesse Abraham when he would haue Sacrificed his soonne Isaac beeyng so peculiarlie commaunded to doe by God did therein a moste excellente and worthie act but when the Gentiles and other Nations would imitate his dealyng therein without any expresse commaundemente of God and sacrifice their children that dealyng of theirs was abhominable before God So did Salomon moste godlie and well in buildyng a Temple vnto the Lorde for the whiche God moste liberallie recompenced hym now thervpon sodainlie starte vp our blinde foolishe and pratlyng Buzzardes who teache vs that wee also must builde Churches and Chapells whereas in truthe there is no suche thyng commaunded vnto vs of God And herevpon it commeth to passe that whereas wee ought among our selues to haue all one mynde and one iudgement but diuerse woorkes the case is turned cleane vpside doune and wee all seeke to doe one self same woorke and to haue disagreyng iudgementes and contrary mindes which is flatlie repugnaunt to the Gospell All men are now therefore to be taught that it is required at all our handes that wee should thinke all one thyng bee all of one iudgemente and like affection but yet that wee muste woorke diuerslie that wee haue one harte but yet many handes Wee must not all followe one and the same woorke but euery one must exercise his owne woorke For otherwise wee could not perseuere and continue in one mynde and one harte That whiche is outward must needes bee diuerse so that euerie one must abide in that whiche he is commaunded vnto and wherevnto he is called This is a true sound doctrine for this life and needefull of all men to bee throughlie knowen and effectuallie practized for the Deuill is moste busie in this poinct yea and hath alreadie in many brought his purpose to passe that fewe men continue in the function peculierlie incumbent vnto theim but blindlie runne on and seeke to discharge their owne peculier offices by the woorkes of others wherevppon there hath growen among vs muche iarryng disagreemente Monkes snappyng at Priestes and Priestes kickyng at Monkes and euery seuerall Profession of life spightyng an other For euery one would haue his owne Profession and trade to bee accoumpted beste and therevppon hath growen vp suche a table of sondrie professed Religions one seekyng to be had in estimation before an other Thus the Augustine Friers sought to outcountenaunce and deface the Preachyng Friers and the Carthusians still grunted against the Minorites So that thei are all growen to bee seuerall and distincte Sectes and in no Profession or trade of life hath there beene lesse agreemente then among these holie religious Orders for so sauyng your reuerence thei must bee tearmed But if one should preache vnto theim that no Woorke before GOD excelleth other but that all thynges by Faithe are made equall that our hartes should continue vniforme and that wee all should be alike mynded or if one should saie This Order or Profession wherin the Bisshop liueth is before God of no more acceptation then the order of life wherein the poore Laiemā liueth or that the kinde of life that a Nunne hath professed is no better then the state of a maried woman and so of the residue I am sure thei can not abide to heare it for euery one striueth to bee accoumpted of greater excellencie then other What will thei saie how can it bee but that this stricte and austere trade of life whiche wee haue vowed and professed muste needes bee muche better and excellenter then the plaine profession of the Laitie Therefore to bee of one mynde and of one iudgement signifieth that euery one should so thinke of his owne worke and profession as of an other mans so that he accoumpt and think the maried state to bee as good as the vowed state of chastitie and virginitie and that all thinges are equal before God who
iudgeth accordyng to the hearte and faithe and not accordyng to the persones or outwarde workes And therefore we ought so to iudge as God himself iudgeth that is that we must haue all one mynde and one iudgement that vnitie and concorde maie flourishe and remaine in the world that our hartes may continue vndisseuered and not bee drawen asunder for these outwarde by matters so that we are to deeme allow and think well of the worke that any other doeth so long as the same is not of it self Sinne. Of this Concorde speaketh sainct Paule ij Cor. xj where hee saieth thus I feare least as the Serpent beguiled Eue through his subtiltie so your myndes should bee corrupt frō the simplicitie that is in Christ whiche is as muche to saie as I feare least the Deuill likewise deceiue you and drawe your simple heartes and agreing myndes into diuision and discord Likewise Phil. iiij The peace of God whiche passeth all vnderstandyng preserue your hartes and myndes in Christ Iesus And why is the Apostle so carefull for our hartes and mindes Truely because therevpon al other thinges doe depende For if I once fall into a reprobate sense and bee possessed with a peruerse vnderstandyng I make a general shipwrack of all together As if I bee a Monke and therein fullie perswade my self that my woorkes are more regarded and esteemed before God then other mens and should saie I thanke thee O GOD that I am become a Monke my profession is farre better then the vulgare state of maried life therevppon straightwaies necessarilie ariseth a swelling arrogancie of the minde and a vaine puffyng vp of the hart can not but be there where I seeme in myne owne eyes to bee more iust and righteous then others be and in respect of my self contenme other men By whiche meanes I wilfullie beguile my self for there is no maried woman liuyng in the true and sincere Faithe of Christ but is muche more esteemed before God then I with my lowsie Profession and witlesse Vowe Therfore when we acknowledge assuredly knowe that Faithe bringeth with it all thinges that be expedient and needefull for a Christian man to haue then are wee all of one mynde heart and iudgement without makyng any difference of workes or preferryng one before an other Thinke therefore that this place of S. Peter is not to bee vnderstoode of any externall mynde but of a spirituall and internall iudgement in thinges and suche as before GOD are highly set by that life and doctrine maie vniformallie agree together and that the same thing that séemeth good to an other maie seeme also good to vs and also that that maie bee likyng and pleasaunt to an other that is liked and pleasaunt vnto vs as afore hath been declared This hearte and this mynde haue thei that be right Christians and this ought thei with all care and diligence to looke vnto that by no meanes it quaile accordyng to sainct Paules exhortation For assoone as the Deuill by his malice ouerthroweth this hart and this minde straightwaies is the bonde of true vnitie broken asunder and all thinges at once come to an vtter confusion One suffer with an other LET one haue a care for an other lett the necessitie of thy Neighbour no lesse moue thy hearte then if the case were thine owne yea thinke it to appertaine vnto thee And when hee hath sustained any hindraunce losse or mischaunce doe not thou reioyce thereat neither thus thinke with thy selfe It is well enough if some worse thing had happened vnto him he hath well deserued it For where charitie is there is so muche and so greate care for the state of our Neighbour that if any mishappe befall vnto hym it should no lesse pearce our heartes then if it had chaunced vnto our selues Loue as Brethren LEt euery one accoumpte an other as his owne Brother the whiche how to bee vnderstood is very easie for euen Nature her self teacheth vs. Wee see that thei whiche bee naturall borne brethren liue in a more neerer bonde of loue and are more carefull zealous willing and readie one to assist an other then any other freends be The same must wee now dooe beeyng all Brethren together by Baptisme insomuche that our verie Parentes after our baptisme are to vs in the place and steede of Brethren for that wee haue the same giftes graces and benefites at Christes hande by Faithe whiche thei haue Be pitifull one to an other THE Greekes in this one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comprehende all this sentence whiche to expresse againe in one worde in Latine wee must bee driuen to call it Viscerosi And I knowe not how better to interprete and explaine it then by a comparison or similitude Behold marke how a Father or Mother is affected towarde their Childe that if a mother see her Infant to suffer any extremity or wāt her harte and bowelles earne within her And thence is this forme or phraze of speakyng borowed whiche is very vsuall and often in the Scriptures One Historie thereof we haue in the first Booke of Kynges Cap. iij. Where it is declared how two women contended before Kyng Solomon for a young Infant whose it should be for either of them laied claime vnto it The Kyng therefore purposing to trie out whether of them was the right mother of the Childe could deuise no better waie to bolt out the truth then by nature it self by whiche pollicie he tryed out the matter For hee saied to the women Thou saiest that the liuyng Childe is thine and she saieth it is hers Bryng mee therefore hither a Sworde and diuide the Infant in twaine and giue the one halfe to the one and the other halfe to the other By whiche wise pollicie hee founde out which was the true mother of the Childe For the Scripture in the self same place recordeth that straightwaies the bowelles of her compassion were mooued in loue towarde her Childe and that she cried out and saied Oh my Lord not so but let her rather haue the whole Childe and staye hym not Wherevpon the King presentlie gaue iudgment saied This is the true mother of the Childe deliuer him vnto her Herehence maie wee gather the very true sense of this worde here deliuered vnto vs by saincte Peter to signifie an entyer compassion and most hartie affection And that we should be none otherwise mutuallie affected one towarde an other then they that are naturall Brethren by bloud that euery ones whole harte marowe veines and all the powers of our mynde and bodie be totallie moued with compassion at the mishappes of an other and that we ought to beare suche a zealous mutuall hartie and motherly affection one toward an other that if any thing with thē miscarie it should euen pearce vs as it were to the death Suche a mynde ought one Christian to beare towardes an other But I feare there are but a very fewe to bee founde whiche so entierly with their harte loue
with stoare of muche godlie and wholesome doctrine and therefore to bee accoumpted as golden and among the beste and moste absolute Epistles that are Not rendryng euill for euill neither rebuke for rebuke â—ut contrariwise blesse knowyng that ye are theâ—eunto called that ye should bee heires of blessyng YEt he continueth his exposition of Loue more at large instructyng vs further how we should behaue our selues toward them that hurte and persecute vs. The meanyng of the Apostle is this when thei persecute trouble moleste and hurte you dooe not you the like againe vnto them but for the euill that thei doe vnto you require ye good vnto them againe When thei ceuile and slaunder you take heede that ye doe not the like vnto theÌ„ but contrariwise blesse them praie for them and wishe well vnto them And this is a moste excellent point and office of Loue But O Lorde how fewe is the number of suche Christians But why must wee not render euill for euil but contrariwise good for euill Doubtlesse saieth he because ye are herevnto called that ye should bee heires of blessyng Whiche ought bothe to admonishe and to inuite and allure you herevnto In the Scripture we Christians are called a blessed people blessed euen by God hymself For God saied vnto Abraham Gene. xij In thy Seede shall all Nations of the Earth be blessed Seeyng therefore that God hath so bountifully powred this blessyng vpon vs that he might take a waie from vs all the curse and malediction whiche we had drawen from our first Parents which Moses denounced vnto all those that did not beleeue it is verie meete and requisite that wee beeyng thus graciouslie blessed should so vse and behaue our selues in eche respecte as that this maie be saied and verified on vs behold this is a blessed people And therefore sainct Peters meanyng herein is as though he should haue saied Consider with your selues and behold GOD hath infused and bestowed this his gracious fauour vpon you to take awaie all curse and malediction from you and hath not imputed nor laied to your charge the blasphemie where with ye haue dishonoured hym neither hath he for the same punished you as ye haue well deserued but contrariwise hath moste liberally and franckly bestowed the richesse of his grace and benediction vppon you who in respecte of your continuall blasphemie were worthie of al maner of malediction and curse for where stedfast Faithe wanteth there can the harte none otherwise doe but still curse and blaspheme God Now therefore endeuour your selues so to deale with others as it hath been dealt with you Curse not reuile not but doe good and speake well yea although others raile on you and speake all maner of euill against you and paciently suffer when iniurie and wrong is offred vnto you And now he bryngeth a place out of the xxxiiij Psalme where the Prophet Dauid saieth thus For if any man long after life and to see good dayes let hym refraine his tongue from euill and his lippes that thei speake no guile HE that would enioye a pleasaunt and delightsome life and not dye the Death but see good daies that all thynges maie prospere and goe well with hym lette hym refraine his tongue from speakyng euill and that not onely against his freendes whiche is a moste viâ—e qualitie and resemblyng the Nature of verie Serpentes and Vipers but his meaning is thus muche more let hym carie aboute with hym an honest and good meanyng mynde let hym refraine his tongue from speakyng any harme euen against his Enemies yea when hee is thereto prouoked and hath greate cause ministred vnto hym to reuile and speake amisse Yea lette hym restraine his lippes also saieth he that thei vtter no guile For there be not a fewe whiche outwardly in mouthe speake well and bidde their neighbour freendly Good morowe whiche inwardly in harte thinke cancardly and spightfully euen wishyng them at the Deuill These men are thei that haue no right nor interest in the inheritaunce of blessyng Thei be euill fruites of an euill Tree And thus dooeth Saincte Peter fitly referre the place whiche he alledged concernyng Woorkes vnto the roote inwardly namely vnto the Harte And this is the verie true and proper interpretation hereof There followeth alâ—o afterward in the afore alledged place of the Psalmist these woordes Let hym eschue euill and doe good let hym seeke peace and followe after it THE worlde thinketh the beste waie to purchase this peace is to require wrong with wrong and one displeasure with an other But this is not the right waie to attaine vnto it For there was neuer yet any Kyng that by this meanes could winne peace at his Enemies handes The Romaine Empire grewe to suche might and Maiestie thâ—â— it subdued and ouerthrew all that againstoode it and yet could it neuer retaine the people that were Subiecte vnto theim in their due obeisaunce And therefore this course and order of repressyng our Enemies with force is not the beste waie to purchasse and confirme stedfast peace emong vs. For if we ouercome and suppresse one Enemie there will arise vp tenne yea twentie till we our selues bee brought to confusion But hee taketh the right and orderly waie to seeke after peace and shall surely finde it whiche refraineth his tongue escheweth euill and rendreth good for il This is another maner of waie then the Worlde taketh or hath skill of Now to decline from euill and to doe good signifieth to refraine either from hearyng or speakyng any wordes of spight and malice and not to seeke requitall of iniuries Seeke after peace this waie and thou shalt bee sure to finde it For when thyne enemie hath serued his owne mynde and fullie satisfied his angrie humour in doyng what he can against thee if thou againe replie not againste hym with bitter and bityng wordes neither storme and fret at his iniuries thou shalt ouerthrowe hym in his owne turne and get the vpperhande of hym in the swaie of his owne maliciousnesse For in this sort did Christ ouercome his Enemies vppon the Crosse and not with any sworde or materiall weapon Requitall of one iniurie with an other and one shrewde turne with an other encreaseth furie and setteth parties at further iarre then thei were afore wheras pacience and suffraunce procureth quietnesse and ease But some will saie how can this so bee it standeth not with manhood neither can flesh and bloud abide so to deale I confesse it is more then is simplie in man thus to dooe but beeyng assisted with supernall grace and thus paciently tolerating iniuries without desier of actuall reuenge thou shalt be sure to speede as this next sentence purporteth to wit For the eyes of the Lorde are ouer the righteous and his eares are open vnto their praiers and the face of the Lorde is vpon them that doe euill IF thou thy self seeke not priuate reuenge neither recompence euill for euil there sitteth one in the Heauens euen the Lorde
spightfull enuie and cancarde hatred am I not a greate deale the fitter to deale louingly and gentlie with my neighbour I haue oftentymes afore saied that although by Faith we bee fullie iustified and haue Christe with all his merites fullie our owne yet ought wee to applye our selues to good Workes and to seeke all that wee can the benefite and commoditie of our Neighbour For we are neuer perfectly purged and cleane so long as we dwell in this worlde there is no man but feeleth and findeth in his Bodie a Storehouse of many euill lustes and filthie desires For Faithe beginneth to mortifie Sinnes and to bryng with it an heauenly life but it is not as yet here perfect and strong enough to doe that which it would Euen as Christe reasoned of the Samaritan which was not yet wholly restored to health although his woundes were bounde vp and charge enough giuen for his curyng and looking to so fareth it with vs. For wheÌ„ we beleue our woundes are bound vp that is to saie the infection and disease which by propagation is deriued into vs from Adam is begonne to bee healed whiche is brought to passe as wee see in some remisselie and slowly in other some speedily and quickly accordingly as euery one chastiseth himself and represseth his flesh and hath a fuller measure of Faithe giuen vnto hym And therefore when we haue attained these two Faithe and Charitie our next studie and care ought to be euen vntill wee dye to skowre and pourge these reliques of Synne yet harboroughyng within vs. And therefore saieth sainct Peter Arme ye your selues likewise with the same mynde that is confirme your myndes and strengthen your hartes in this cogitation to dooe as Christ hath dooen afore you For if wee be right Christians wee ought thus to thinke with our selues My Lorde GOD hath suffred for me hath shew his precious blood for me and hath suffred Death on the Crosse for me why should I bee suche a bastarde to bee vnwillyng to suffer any kinde of affliction For if our Lorde hymself issue out into the brunte and breaste of the Battaile how muche more meete is it for vs beyng his poore Seruauntes ioyfully to abide and vndertake any daunger These cogitations would animate vs to pearce into and boldely to aduenture to giue the â—nsect vpon any daungerous assaies what soeuer This woorde Fleshe signifieth not onely the Bodie consistyng of Fleshe and Blood Skinne and Bones but all what soeuer commeth from Adam So saieth God Genes vj. My Spirite shall not alwaies striue with manne because he is but Fleshe And Esaie likewise Chap. xl All Fleshe shall see the sauyng health of God That is it shalbee manifest before all menne in the worlde So also saie wee in our Creed I beleeue the resurrection of the Fleshe that is that all mennesh all arise againe Fleshe therefore signifieth the whole and entire Manne euen as he liueth in this life Now the wâ—â—rkes of the Fleshe are in an excellent order reckoned vp and recoumpted by sainct Paule Gala. v. And not those grosse actions and workes of the Fleshe onely as Fornication but the chiefest and greatest vices that bee as Idolacrie and Heresies whiche bée resiauÌ„t not in the Bodie onely but rather in the Reason Note therefore that Manne together with his Reason Will and all inward motions Soule and Bodie is called Fleshe and that because with al his powers bothe inwardly and outwardly he pursueth and himteth onely for those thynges that are carnall and delightfull to the Fleshe Euen so saieth Saincte Peter in this place that Christ suffred in the Fleshe whereas it is certaine that his Passion was not onely in the Fleshe but in his Soule also whiche adode that moste extreme agoine whereof Esaie speaketh And after the same sorte must we also take this that followeth He whiche suffreth in the Fleshe ceaseth from Synne For this is not the meaning of it that he whiche hath his head chopped of or his bodie onely dismembred ceasseth from synnes but this suffryng in the Fleshe comprehendeth in it what soeuer it bee that aggreeueth and vtterly discontenteth Man or that whiche shalbee his happe willinglie to suffer and beare what Miserie Calamitie Vexation or necessitie so euer it bee For there are a greate sorte that beeyng sounde in bodie are notwithstandyng inwardly in mynde greatly perplexed and disquieted and in harte greeuously tormented Now if these grieues be laied vpon them for Christes cause it is good and commobious for them for he that is afflicted in the Fleshe saith he ceasseth from Synne For this purpose is the Crosse very profitable because thereby Synnes are qualified and greatly alaied For when a Manne once beginneth earnestly and from the verie bottome of his harte to repente it is wonderfull to see how soone and how quickely Luste Enuie hatred and other synnes doe vanishe awaie and ceasse Wherefore GOD hath laied the Crosse on vs thereby as it were to compell and pushe vs forwarde as well to beleeue in hym and to put our thirst in hym as also that wee should reache our helpyng hande one to an other through Loue. That he henceforthe should liue as muche tyme as remaineth in the Fleshe not after the lustes of menne but after the will of God OVr partes and dueties are as in the whole course of our life so by the Crosse and daiely chastifyng of our selues to conquere and subdue our Fleshe and to bryng it in subiection not with intent therby to merite any thyng toward our Saluation but to shewe our selues gratefull and duetifull vnto God Not after the lustes of menne saieth he that is We must not doe it to please either our selues or others thereby For wee must not fashion our selues like vnto this worlde as Saincte Paule writeth in the xij Chapter to the Romaines Whatsoeuer the worlde requireth of vs that must we refraine and forbeare For it is sufficiente for vs that wee haue spent the time paste of the life after the luste of the Gentiles walkyng in wantonnesse lustes drunkennesse in gluttonie drinkynges and in abhominable Idolatries WEE haue alreadie too muche cockered our selues and been too muche giuen to our owne waÌ„ton delites for before wee receiued the Faithe wee spente our tyme and bestowed our liues accordyng to our owne sensuall appetites in no better sorte then very Gentiles And therefore we must striue and endeuour our selues to consecrate and direct the residue of our life according to the will of God and to doe that whiche maie bee acceptable vnto him For we haue our Enemie within our owne bosome wee foster and nourishe hym within our owne fleshe there and from thence the craftie and moste Pestilent enemie as it were out of an ambushe priuily and secretly setteth vpon vs and that not with any grosse and apparaunt vices but rather with the credite iolitie and estimation of the Fleshe which is called by Sainct Paule The wisedome of the Fleshe j. Cor. j. This beeyng now
therefore looke diligently and warely to hymself and he shall finde all this to be most true as thei that haue been tempted can not bee ignoraunt And therefore wee are more then twise miserable that liue here so carelesly and retchlesly For if we would enter into coÌ„sideration with our selues of this our life present we should see good cause for vs to crye out and call for help none otherwise then if wee were beset with a nuÌ„ber of murtherous Theeues This caused Iob to saie that the life of man on Earth is a mere Warfare and a continuall temptation or fight But why then will ye saie doth God place vs in this life beeyng so full of miseries Truely for this cause that our Faith maie be exercised and encreased and that we should be the gladder and willinger to departe hence and further that Death might become more sauoueie vnto vs and bee the earnestlier of vs desired Whom resist stedfast in the Faithe WEE must bee sober and watche but yet to this ende that our bodies maie bee fit and readie for the conflict and battaile and yet this is not sufficient to ouercome the Deuill withall These weapons are onely auaileable for this respect that the bodie maie bee the lesse occasioned to sinne But the true weapon wherewith wee must giue the ouerthrowe and foyle to our Eenemie is Faithe For if wee take sure holde of GOD in his Worde and in harte constantly cleaue therevnto by Faithe the Deuill shall neuer bee able to vanquishe vs but like a daunced Cowarde straight waies runne out of the fielde If thou canst saie This hath my Lord my God spoken this I do stedfastly beleue hereupon I staie my self hereunto doe I leane thou shalt see the Deuill quickly like a Micher sneake awaie and departe with whom all beautinesse all ill concupiscence and iuste all wrath all couetousnesse all faint-hartednesse and desperation vanishe and packe awaie also But suche is the â—uctletie and craft of the Deuill that he will hardlie suffer thee to come to that poynct but will vse all the meanes that hee can to plucke this weapon out of thy hande Whiche he easily bryngeth to passe when he hath once ensnared thee in a drowsie slothfulnesse and made thy bodie vtterly vnapt for the battaile and giuen to nothyng els but to lasciuious wantonnes For by that meanes with little adoe he wringeth out of thy hande the Sworde of the Spirite which is the Worde of God as he did by our firste Graundmother Eue. She had the Word of God wherevnto if she had firmely and stedfastly adhered shee had not fallen But when the Deuill sawe her negligently and carelesly to regarde the Worde he easilie pulled it out of her harte and so obteined that whiche he would haue Sainct Peter therefore hath here sufficiently warned vs that wee should striue and fight against the Deuill To which battaile and encountrie it nothyng auaileth to runne vp and doune hither and thither for any good Worke whiche thou of thy self canst doe but this onely must thou haue care vnto that thou constantlie sticke and stedfastly by faithe embrace the Worde of God If the Deuill then approache thee and goe about to hurle thee into pensiuenesse of minde and desperation by reason of thy manifolde sinnes and transgressions before committed betake thou thy self straightwaies to the Word of God wherein remission of all thy Synnes is promised commit thy self wholly thereunto and thou shalt see that he will quickly packe awaie and be gonne from thee Knowyng that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren whiche are in the worlde MEruaile ye not that ye must suffer temptatioÌ„s of the Deuill let this rather comforte you that you suffer not the same alone For there bee a greate many of you and ye are all Brethren and ye must all suffer and endure the same All they take your partes and in this conflict are aiders and helpers vnto you Thus hast thou this former Epistle of S. Peter somwhat largelie expounded In the whiche thou art taught euen fullie and abundauntly the whole summe of Christian doctrine and wherein also thou maiest see Faithe Loue and the Crosse right aptly and copiouslie described and maiest also read many godlie instructions and necessarie premonitions how to wage battaile and continue fight with that greate Dragon the Deuill Whiche Epistle who so euer hath rightly and throughlie learned hath no doubte a riche Storehouse of all suche thynges as any waie concerne sincere and true Christianitie In somuche that he shall not neede any other doctrine or helpe beside this as in deede there is none other Sauyng that God of the aboundaunte store of his mercie and bountie teacheth the same doctrine in sundrie and many other places of the Scriptures For other then this that is here sett doune by sainct Peter there is nothyng that can be taught or that needeth to bee displaied sith he herein hath omitted nothyng of all those thinges whiche are expediente and behoouefull for a Christian to knowe Finallie he here deliuereth the partes of a faithfull Preacher and good Pastour to witte that he should accoumpt it his bounden duetie not onely to feede the Sheepe but also to bee carefull for them and to praie for theim that God maie graciouslie encrease theim in goodnesse and strengthen theim in Faithe whereby thei maie bothe receiue and heare the Word and also digest vnderstande and bryng forthe the fruites therof And thus with a praier in the ende he concludeth saiyng And the GOD of all grace whiche hath called vs vnto his eternall glorie by Christe Iesus after that ye haue suffred a little make you perfect confirme strengthen and stablishe you IN this Praier he commendeth them to God The God saieth he who aâ—â—de is the giuer of all Grace and that not pinchyngly or in parte but who moste liberally and aboundauntly as it were by full heapes powreth all his Graces vpon you who hath called you through Christe that ye should enioy and be partakers of eternal glorie that not for any merite of your own but by through Christ Whom if ye haue ye also haue through Faithe in him not for any merite of your owne eternall life and felicitie He it is that shall make you perfecte that you beeyng by hym strengthened maie growe and stande faste readie to woorke all good woorkes He also shall confirme and stablishe you that you shalbee able to suffer and abide all thynges To hym bee glorie and Dominion for euer and euer Amen THis praise is that Sacrifice whiche the duetie of all vs which bee Christians is to offer He addeth yet a fewe woordes moe By Syluanus a faithfull brother vnto you as I suppose haue I written brieflie exhortyng and testifiyng how that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stande ALthough I am not ignoraunte that ye haue heard and learned these thynges afore so that ye greatlie neede not to bee taught the same againe at my
and selflikyng of theimselues trustyng in their owne Merites Woorkes and rotten Ceremonies Thei beleeue that Christ the Sonne of God in his humanitie suffred death and rose againe the third daie that he is the Sauiour of the worlde c. but thei doe not firmely and onely trust in hym for if thei did thei would not so scrupulously bee tied to their owne Lowsie trashe and beggerly Traditions After the same maner did thei beare the Laitie in hande that they could not attaine to saluation except they did after their directions Ye are Christians saie thei we confesse but this is not enough ye must doe suche and suche good workes ye must build Churches in the honor of this and that Sainct ye must erect and founde Monasteries and Abbayes ye must buie certaine Trentalles of Masses to be saied or song for you ye must pyue awaie your selues with fastyng and suche like Thus haue the séely poore people been beguiled and thus haue thei been perswaded and brought to shew themselues as well likers of these trumperies thinkyng it to be the Kynges high waie to heauen and these rotten workes of blinde deuotion to be of all workes the best because they sawe them which caried the tytle of the Church to allowe and followe the same so that in processe of tyme there grewe to bee as many Factions Sectes and Religions as there were Cities yea almoste as there were Men. Whereas they should rather haue taught them thus Ye are Christians aswell as thei that bee an hundred myles distant from you ye haue all one Christ one Baptisme one Faith one Spirite one Worde one God there is no worke that ye of your selues are able to doe towarde your saluation or able to bring you to the perfection of a right Christian If this Doctrine might generally bee preached men should be kept in the fellowshippe and vnitie of one Common Faith neither would there bee any difference at all in thinges appertainyng to God but all would be alike and one the same that an other is This Communion and vnitie thei haue broken and disioynted in that thei seduce and misleade vs in teachyng vs that wee must merite heauen by our Workes drawyng vs thereby from Faith to our own Pharisâ—icall deedes S. Peters wordes therefore if he bee well marked caâ—ie this meanyng There shall arise among you Sophisticall Scholemen Doctors Teachers Priestes Munkes and suche like beyng the very offall and Skumme of the Worlde who shall bryng in pernicious sectes odible orders damnable heresies and seduce the Worlde with their lying and false Doctrines These these doubtlesse are thei of whom the Apostle here speaketh For thei are all thus perswaded and verely beleeue that their willfully Professed Orders are meritorious to theÌ„ and shall bryng them to saluation and perswade others also to put confidence and trust in them If this were not their opinion who would thinke but thei would rather liue free abroade then as thei do cage and empound themselues in their Cloysters as it were in Prisons Euen denying the Lorde that hath bought them THei are readie to saie that thei doe not denye the Lord but if this question be demaunded of them what thei meane or what they seeke to get through these their vowed ProfessioÌ„s if thei beleeue as thei saie thei doe that they are redéemed by Christ and that their sinnes are washed awaie by his bloud Thei will quickly aunswere that forsooth Faith alone is not sufficient and therefore they must haue the helpe of good Workes Thus with mouth they confesse God and in harte flatly renounce hym Consider also what pithie and vehement words S. Peter here vseth They denye saieth he the Lord that hath bought them Thei ought to bee subiect vnto hym as vnto their supreme Souereigne Lord whose inheritaunce thei are Now they dooe beleeue that he is the Lorde and that he redeemed the worlde by the sheadyng of his precious bloud but that he redeemed them thei cannot nor doe not beleeus neither dooe thei acknowledge and take hym for their Lorde for thei saye and confesse that he hath bought and redeemed them but yet thei are not perswaded that that is enough and sufficient because thei must thei saie discharge and satisfie for their sinnes by their Works To whom this answere maie wel be made If thou canst doe any worke to take awaie thy Synnes what good hath Christe by his death doen vnto thee For there can not bee twoo Christes to take awaie Synnes Hee as good right it is must bee acknowledged to be the onely Redeemer and taker awaie of Sinnes Whiche beeyng graunted to bee true as it is moste true thou thy self canst dooe no maner of worke to take away thy sinnes If thou do goe about or think any whit by thy works to merite Heauen thou canst not truly saie thou beleeuest that he taketh awaie thy Sinnes And this is flatly to denye Christe For although these fellowes doe acknowledge Christe to bee the Lorde yet doe they denye that he bought them Thei beleeue that he sitteth in heauen and is Lorde but the takyng awaie of Sinnes whiche is his proper and peculier office thei nippe and take quite from hym and attribute it vnto their owne woorkes and by that meanes leaue nothyng to hym but the bare name and tytle ascribyng his power woorke vertue and office vnto themselues And therefore Christ moste truely foretolde that there should come many in his name and saie I am Christ and shal deceiue many Math. xxiiij Mar. xiij For these Iusticiaries and Meritemongers thus tying Saluation to Woorkes shewe foorth in their so doyng as though they should saie not I am called Christe but I am Christ Whereby thei snatch and applye vnto themselues that office whiche is onely proper and peculier vnto Christ and so thrust Christ out of his seate and place themselues therein This is so euidently knowen that no man can truely denye it And therefore worthily doeth S. Peter tearme them damnable pernicious Heresies for thei leade a man straight to Hell insomuche that I greatly feare least in a thousande of them there is scarcely one saued For whosoeuer of them wilbee saued must quight abandon himself and all that of himself he hath or can doe yea he must franckly confesse and from the harte pronounce these wordes The rules of my vowed Obedience are nothyng worth my Chastitie can not saue me my workes can not take awaie any parte of my Sinnes c. And bryng vpon themselues swift damnation THeir damnation shall come vppon them sooner then thei thinke although God seeme to deferre his commyng and to tarie long yet will he hasten his iudgment and come tyme enough to their cost But this shall not bee corporallie and visiblie to the eye but so and in suche sorte as it is sett downe in the l.v. Psalme They shall not liue out halfe their dayes that is Death shall catch holde of them sooner then thei think so that thei
the Sacrament of the blessed bodie and bloud of Christe what other thyng practized they but a shamelesse marchandyzing for they vsed the same in a maner to none other purpose but as a baite to catche men and to wryng money from them Iudge and consider now good Reader whether sainct Peter many hundreth yeeres agoe hath not notably and liuely set forthe and described our holie Romishe Clergie with their vsuall properties Whose iudgement long agone is not farre of and their damnation sleepeth not THeir iugglyng paltrie for that is S. Peters meaning shal not alwayes cōtinue in such iolitie neither shal thei choppe and chaunge and vse marchandize of you euer when thei are come to their highest ruffe and statelinesse then shall they haue a sodaine downefall and a heauie iudgement and destruction shall quicklie light vpon them It is euen now at hande they shall not escape As S. Paule also saieth ij Tim. iij. Their madnesse shalbee euident to all men that thei maie be confounded God open their eyes and graunt thē grace to turne vnto hym by true and earnest repentaunce and to forsake and detest these their wicked and fruictlesse Sectes sith they here maie learne that they are nothyng els then Sectes of perdition and condemnation For albeit there bee some not altogether peruerted and desperatelie seduced in these Sectes yet are the Sectes themselues nothyng els then vndoubted and certein Sects of damnable perdition After this sorte therefore hath S. Peter here described the filthie and wicked life of these Popish Monsters which he sawe would come to passe after the syncere Doctrine of the Gospel preached by y t Apostles Now laieth he before our eyes three straunge and terrible examples of them whom God hath condemned and in his iustice punished to wit the Aungelles the whole Worlde and the Cities of Sodome and Gomorrhe For if God spared not the Angels that had sinned but cast them downe into hell and deliuered them into chaines of darknes to be kept vnto dānation IN these words S. Peter terrifieth thē that liue in securitie and wilfully wallowe in their wickednesse as we see in thē whiche bee the Popes sworne Suppliantes and are deepely drowned in the dregges of his filthy Traditions for thei looke so bigge and vaunt thēselues so impudentlie as though thei would treade whom thei liste vnder their feete S. Peter therefore in this place speaketh to this purpose as if hee should say Is it not a meruailous malapert saucinesse and presumptuous boldnesse in them thus impudently to seeke to establishe and maintaine by force and violence their Heilishe impietie as though thei thought that GOD were in awe to theim and that he would spare and winke at theim who spared not the Aungelles As if he should saie The verie Sainctes and holie ones are wonderfullie afraied to see so seuere a Iudgemente namely in that GOD spared not his excellent Spirites and moste noble Creatures which were farre perfecter and wiser then wee but bindyng theim in Chaines of darkenesse caste them into Hell This is that seuere Iudgement and dreadfull damnation wherein the prisoners appoincted to the same are kept in Chaines and can not by any meanes escape out of the handes of God but are kept in holde to bee throwne into vtter darkenesse whereof Christ speaketh in the Gospell Math. viij xxij and xxv Here also doeth S. Peter shewe that the deuilles haue not yet that punishement laied vpon them wherevnto thei are condemned but remaine and continue in obstinacie and desperation lookyng euery minute and momente for their Iudgement euen as a Felon or other malefactour that is condemned to die and despairyng of any releasse hardeneth hymself in obstinacie and groweth still worse and worse The punishement wherevnto thei are iudged is not yet laied vpon them but thei are kept for it in chaines of darkenesse that is in their malicious obstinacie of mischief and desperation Neither hath spared the olde Worlde but saued Noah the eight person a Preacher of righteousnes and brought in the floud vpon the worlde of the vngodlie THis example also is so terrible and so full of horror as none in the whole Scripture more beeyng able to appall and shake the conscience euen of him that is right strong in Faithe For when this and suche like places of Scripture and suche sharpe Iudgemētes of God come into a mannes minde that is diyng who in his harte deepely considereth theim how can hee but tremble and shake and be brought to the verie brinke of desperation vnlesse his Faithe be moste strong and constant For what man is he in all the worlde that would not be merueilously daunted and dismaied to consider how that emong so many thousandes of men as were then in the worlde no mo should be saued aliue but eight persones And what had thei committed thinke ye why God should so in his seuere iudgemente at once destroye the whole worlde in the floud drounyng bothe Men and Women Maisters and Seruauntes Yong and Old Beastes of the field and Birdes of the Aire Forsoothe the cause of so generall a destruction was their wicked and abhominable life Noah was a iuste manne and a preacher of righteousnesse he liued fiue hundreth yeres before the floud what tyme GOD commaunded hym to builde the Arke whiche he made within the space of an hundred yeres after and liued alwaies an holie and godlie life Wherein wee are to note and consider what a Crosse this good man bare in what perilles daūgers and extremities he was lapped when as he must in worde and deede openly professe hymself a Christian that it one that truely and vnfeinedly trusted in God For it is not possible that Faithe should be Idle or lye hidde without shewyng it self openly to the Worlde before menne aswell in preachyng as in sinceritie and integritie of life It is therefore verie like that long before he was commaunded to builde the Arke hee executed the office of Preachyng and francklie vttered the Worde of God and that not in one place and Region onely but doubtlesse in many other and sundrie Countries And therefore it could not be chosen but that he suffred many and the same verie greuous persecutions In so muche that S. Peter here saieth it had neede to be a speciall priuiledged protection and a peculiar and Spirituall assistaunce from aboue that should in suche a desperate and forlorne tyme relieue and helpe hym els had he been quickly dispatched and no waie could hee haue escaped death For he that sincerely and zelously preacheth the Worde of GOD can not escape the enuious onsettes and bitter battries of many and that of them whiche cary the countenaunce of wisedome modest life and sanctimonie But when this holy manne had so long tyme in vaine continued his preachyng to the men of that Age and thei neuer a whit repentyng their lewde life but still contemnyng the Word of God and growyng worse and worse GOD saied at length after that hee
expectation reserued sorthe last daie and commyng of the Lorde whether the same come and approche with speede or staie yet somewhat longer And of all their cruell speakynges whiche wicked synners haue spoken against hym IN these wordes he both reprooueth their life and reprehendeth their saiynges and it is as much as if he should saie Thei speake presumptuously and malapertly against the Lord and against his commyng they bee impudent and tooto arrogant thei deryde and blaspheme hym as S. Peter also in his Epistle writeth of them He speaketh not here of their life as it is defiled and deformed with sinnes and iniquities but as it is giuen ouer and entierly addicted to woorke all impietie I call that Impietie when the life is led without Faith although the outwarde conuersation bee not altogether flagitious and damnable Euill works be in deede the fruictes of Impietie but Impietie it self is properly called that life whiche glittereth outwardly with a gaie shew of hypocriticall workes whereas the harte is vtterly voyde of Faithe Suche impious persons saieth he the Lord will reproue because the presumptuous doctrine whiche thei boldly teache thei stiflie defende and obstinately maintaine leanyng alwaies to their owne brainsicke glosses and constructions and not sufferyng themselues to bee conuerted and turned to the truthe but are harder then the Flint and will neuer desist from condemnyng and blasphemyng the doctrine of true godlinesse Here we see how liuely these wordes of Enoch paint out and describe these kinde of persons that are and should foyst themselues into the Churche towarde the latter ende of the Worlde whiche vndoubtly are y e Papistes as to euery man euidently appeareth These are murmurers complainers walkyng after their owne lustes whose mouthes speake proude thynges IF a man finde fault with their dealynges and reproue them as vnlawful and dissonaunt to the Worde of God he shalbee sure to bryng himself thereby into a pecke of troubles they will murmure repine and gnashe their teeth at him As for example if a man should but leaue out or omit any peece or parte of the Bishoppes ordinarie style and wonted tytle they straightwaies with open throates crye out Contempt and Disobedience There is no waie left to withstand their lawlesse lustes and selfwilled dealinges for thei bragge that they haue power bothe ouer our bodies ouer our soules thei haue gotten into their handes bothe the Swordes so that they can not bee compelled by Lawe to dooe that is iust and right and that any man should preache against them that can thei not at any hand abide They haue exempted thēselues and all theirs from all maner of taxe tribute and imposition so that no man dare once touche any thing that belongeth vnto them finallie thei are growen to that degree of tyrannie that no man dare presume to preache a worde contrarie to the order of their peeuish Proceedings To alledge any Scriptures against them it is altogether bootelesse for they saie that none maie expoūd or enterprete the same sauing thei themselues By which meanes it is come to passe that in all places and in all thinges they liue as licentiously as thei list For these saiynges can not bee wrested or applied against vs professours of the true Gospell for that wee reuerently and dutifully submitt our selues and yeeld our obedience aswell to the Scriptures as to the ciuile Power from bothe whiche thei wilbe free and not compellable by any Last of al their Decrees and Cannons be pestered and thwacked full of proude arrogant and swellyng wordes vtterly voyde of all good and godlinesse Hauing mens persones in admiration because of a vantage THis hitteth their natures and dispositions very iumpe for thei iudge all thinges accordyng to the person In all the whole Popes Canons ye shall not once finde it commaunded that the Bisshoppe should humble himself beneath the poore Parishe Priest nor any of the fruictes of a Christian life whatsoeuer But al thinges rather sounde thus Let the Curate bee vnder the Priest the Priest vnder the Bisshoppe the Bisshoppe vnder the Archbishoppe the Archbishoppe vnder the Patriarch and the Patriarch vnder the Pope Finallie how euery one should weare his Habite his Amyse his Weede and Cowle after what fashion he should clippe his hayre shaue his crowne and beard and make his apparaile how many Benifices and how many Prebendes he might keepe c. Thus thei brought all thinges to certaine externall Ceremonies and traditions of their own makyng and wholly occupied themselues in mere childishe foolish and friuolous trifles which thei had in greate accoūpt and estimation yea thei iudged it no lesse then deadly sinne if any man should refuse to adore reuerence these their boyishe toyes And therefore very well saieth Iude in this place Thei haue mens persons in admiratiō for thei lappe vp their lewd and loude lyes in vizardes of hypocrisie and only admire those gaie shewes that are visiblie obiect to the eye All this while thei neuer speake woorde neither knowe any thyng as they should knowe of Faith of Charitie or of the Crosse And yet the poore vulgare people suffer themselues still to be beesotted with these Popishe Bugges and thinke themselues to doe very acceptable seruice to God in giuing all their Goods Substaunce and Patrimonie to feede these filthie Swine in the Stye of this their lewd sensualitie But ye beloued remember the woordes whiche were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lorde Iesus Christ How that thei told you that there should be mockers in the laste tyme whiche should walke after their owne vngodlie lustes THis place also giueth some occasion to thinke that this Epistle was not written by Saincte Iude the Apostle because the Aucthour hereof reckeneth not hymself among the other Apostles but speaketh so of theim as though thei had preached long before his tyme whereby it maie well bee thought that this was rather written by some other godlie man that had read Sainct Peters Epistle and out of it culled and gathered these woordes and Sentences Who these mockers bee wee haue afore declared and who thei also bee that walke after their owne lustes not onely carnall and fleshely lustes but those rather that sauour of horrible impietie wherin thei liue in eche respect accordyng to their owne inordinate desires neither reuerencyng the Ciuile Magistrate nor obeiyng the Worde of God but liue so loosely and contemptuously that thei neither obediently acknowledge any externall nor yet internal Gouernement Al Lawes aswell Diuine as Humaine thei flatly despise and sette at naught and so flye in the Aire in the middle betweene Heauen and Earth euen as thei are hoised vp and caried aloft by their Maister the Deuill These are makers of sectes Fleshely hauyng not the Spirite HEre he alludeth to that whiche sainct Peter in his Epistle saied That there should come false Teachers whiche priuilie should bryng in damnable heresies These are thei that disobediently breake asunder the vnitie of Faithe and beyng not