a. Church of christ builded on y e xii apostles equally clxiiii b Christ suffred his paines with ioy and gladnes in the higher part of his soule but by the lower portion he was in greatest payne fol clxxxxiiii a. Christes faith was first set forth by homly rude fishers and was reproued and pursued by the mightiest people of the world and yet it preuailed fol. ccxx b Christ preached in spirit to the spirites that were harde of beleif in Noes time is vnderstand .ii wayes fo ccxxiiii d Circuit or compasse about the deuill vseth fol. clxii d. Cleanes of life is necessary for receiuing of grace fo cxxx a Codrus king of Athenis died for his couÌ„treis sake fo xlix a Couetous men be like molles fol. vi c Counsel or policie worldly many times lacketh the spirite of counsell fol xv d Counsell of Gamaliel fol. xviii c the gifte of Counsell was in Iethro whiche Moises lacked fol. xxiiii c d Christen man winneth when he is thought to lose falshead loseth when he is glad of his winninge fol. cxxxiii b Consubstantiall that word is not founde in scripture yet it must nedes be vsed fol. xx d Conception of Christe in the virgins bodye is somewhat like the generation of a worme of the moist earth by the heate of the sonne fol. lxxviii a. and .ccxxi. c Communion much mutabilitie in ministring the communion amongest the heretikes fol cccxii d CommunioÌ„ of saintes is conformite to the coÌ„pany of holy men women as wel quicke as dead fol. lxxxv c â— Commaundementes of God be moral lawes oughte to be red in churches on sondaies holydaies lxxxx a Coueringe of sinnes is of two maners fol cclii a Correction beginneth at the churche fol. cclxxvi c Colchis where it is sayd the golden flece was is in Ponto fol. cx b. Counsell Nicene was kept in Bithinia Eodem d. Comming to Christ is by fayth fol. cliiii c Corner stone the Hebrues tale of that stone fo clv c. d new Conuerses to Christ suffreth much wo and persisteth in goodnes fol. ccxxxviii d. the Companie in Bristowe brought the common gaines into the handes of a fewe fol. ccxi b CoÌ„messatioÌ„s be al extraordinary banketings fo ccxxxiiii c Crime is described fol. cclxxxv c in Croked thinges the midle swarneth from the extremities fol. cccviii d Creation what maner a thinge it is fol. lxxv a. Crosses by the high wayes deuoutlye erecte maliciouselye cast downe fo lxxxxv a. Cure we haue euery one of his neighbour fol. cclxv d. Curiositie about new knackes and new learning is reproued with remedy against the same fol. clxxv b. c Cuthbert Sainte Cuthberte receiued an anngell for his gest fol. cclxi b. c D. DArke sayinges of Christe made manye to erre euen in Christes time fol. xxxvii d Dampned bodies how they shal euer endure fol. lxxxvii a the Deuils sinne is irremissible why fol. lx a Desire of the holy fathers to se Christ. fol. cxxvii a b Death of a faire death and of a foule death fo ccxli b Diuine productions fol. ix c Difference betwixt the minde of a fole and of a wise man about the affections fol. lvii c. Diuision of tongues was the greatest stroke that euer man was striken withall after the losse of originall iustice lx d Differ not to beleue why by example fol. lxxi c Die to sinne fol. lxxxii b. Discretion of spirites is necessary for him that shall studye scriptures fol. xcix b. c. Dowries or giftes of a glorified body fo lxxxvi c Dowries or giftes of a glorious body declared fo cclxxxi a Detraction and a remedy against detractours fol. cxlvii b Desier to haue is couetousnes and so is desire to saue folio cclxviii b. c Dukes Captaines and officers dueties vnder the kinge folio clxxxi b the Deuill killinge the latter Adam lost the first Adam and all his posteritie fol. ccxxvii a the Deuil medleth not with some walketh through some and compasseth about some fol. cccix d E. EArth is diuersly vnderstand folio lxv d Election of two maners fol. cxii c Elia the newe citie of Ierusalem fol. cxxviii b Embringe dayes fasted with prayers for orderinge of preistes fol. cclxxxiiii b Enuy is described is mete for no place but for hel cxlvii d Enuy commeth of vayne glory fol. cc. lxiiii d. Enuy how it may be put away by sufferinge in the fleshe folio ccxxxiii a. d Enuied and disdained is al new conuersion as wheÌ„ Saul prophecied fol. ccxxxvi c d Epicures felicitie fol. xlv c Epictetus determination of the affections fo lvii d Ephesus is a citie in the countrey of Asia the lesse fo cxi a Eue the first woman was made for two vses and in both she was excedingely punished fol. xcvi c Extremities of fortitude fol. xxvii a Examples of the gospels to forsake our parentes for to folow Christ in religion fo lii d Exhortation to seruauntes to their maisters fol xliii v Example of Christes paines in his most tender body shuld be our armour and defence fo ccxxx c Example of concord betwixt man and wife the lampraye with the veuemous viper geueth fo ccv c. Examples declareth and easeth our faith fo ccxxi b. F. FAbles pleasauntly couereth truthes fol. lxi d Faith is diffined and that it is necessarye for mans saluation fol. lxxi a b Faith hope and charitie be presupposed to the .vii. giftes of the holy goost fol v b Faith helpeth intelligence and contrary wise fol x. d Faith at rest and vnexercised anone decayeth fo lxxii c Faith is the instrumente by whiche God preserueth vs in goodnes fol. cxxii a Faith ouercommeth all worldlines and sinne is declared generally Eodem b Fear is necessary fol. lviii d Fear is deuided into sixe members after Damascen lxiiii d Fear is deuided into mundane seruile filial or chast EodeÌ„ Feare presupposeth a loue fol lxiiii d Feare seruile of god though it be not sufficient yet it doth good fol lxvi c Feare seruile and chast feare be like the feare of an adulteres wife and of a chast wife fol. lxvii c d Fear seruile is like the heare or bristel that leadeth bringeth in the threde fol lxix b Feare that is one of the seuen gifte of the holy goost is humilitie fol lxx b the rule of oure Faith is the whole booke of holye scripture fol. lxxiii a the Father in trinitie is neither elder nor more of power then the sonne or the holy Goste fol. lxxiiii d Flatterers of their lordes beleue not on one God properlye Eodem c Flateringe proueth a man fol. cxâ—iiii â— c Flattering hostes and tapsters that wil let vs in our iourney to heauen fol. clxxiiii b Fleshe desireth ease new inuentions and swetenes of tasting and touchinge Eodem c Flesh desireth against the spirite and the spirite against the flesh is vnproperly spoken fol. clxxvii a Feblenes of our wittes to vnderstande the holye scriptures fol. lxxxxix a Felowes to Christ. fol. ciiii c.
chylde the father and if at the fyrst he haue not suche louinge feare of his mayster yet beware of his angre feare correctiō as the bondman or prentise doth by vsing thy self to do wel for suche seruile feare thou shalte find ease in wel doing shal begin to do well for loue so of a good seruaunt thou shalt be made a good sonne faithfull and louing to thy maister and by that thy maister shall loue the better thē any child he hath Prou. Si sit tibi seruus fidelis sit tibi tanquam anima tua Euen as him self you must do your seruice with simplicitie of hearte sayth S. Paule withoute doublenes so that as you shew your self outward to be diligent and true so you must be in hearte inwardlye euen as you should serue Christ that bought vs with whom it boteth no man to dissēble you muste not serue to the eye while your maister loketh vpon you as it were to please men but as the seruauntes of Christ doing the wil of God with good mind and with a good will as seruing our Lord God that hath geuen your maisters power ouer you and hath made you subiecte to them not as doinge seruice vnto men for the power that they haue ouer you cometh of God therefore if ye be false to theim you be false to God that wylleth you to be true to your maisters And S. Paule wylleth Titus his disciple byshop of Candy to commaund al seruantes to please their maisters in al thinges that is not contrary to Gods pleasure non contradicentes nō fraudātes alia littera nō responsatores non suffurantes no choplogikes that wil countersay their maisters geuing them thre wordes for one be it well be it yll be it true be it false that your maisters sayth you should be contēt geue thē no answer but let them say what it please thē you muste be no lurchers or priuey pykers or stealers but in al thing shewing good fidelitie that so you may adourne do worshyp to the doctrine of Christ in al thinges for y e good liuing of the scholer is the ornament worshyp of the maister But now I pray you yf the maister bidde his seruaūt to entre into religiō is the seruaunt bounde to obey his maister in that If his master bidde him take ordres and be a preist is the seruaunt bound to obey his mayster if his maister bidde him take a wife and be maried is the seruaunt bound to obey him in these cases or in suche other No verelye for where S. Paule or S. Peter biddeth the seruauntes obey theyr maisters in all thinges you muste vnderstande this in all thinges parteininge to bodelye workes and not spiritual workes in workes parteining to the administration guiding and orderinge of theyr maisters housholde and of his tēporall busines and not parteining to such a perpetuall yoke as is matrimonye Haec est enim gratia si propter Dei conscientiam sustinet quis tristitias patiens iniuste Because he had bydde seruauntes obey their maisters althoughe they were crabbed and out of the schole of Christes doctrine yf they were infideles or oute of the schole of discrete iudgement in correction In these wordes he geueth them spirituall and goostly counsayle and comforte saying This is a speciall gyfte of grace of the holy gooste if anye of you suffer sorowe and payne wrongfully propter conscientiam Dei hauing in his conscience a respect to the pleasure of God which would not the seruaunt to grudge against his maister and also remembring the reward that God will geue to al them that for his sake suffreth more then els thei were bound to suffre S. Paule sayth Phil. i. Vobis donatum est pro Christo non solum vt in eum credatis sed ut etiam pro illo paciamini It is geuen you for a speciall gifte of grace not onely to beleue vpon him i. Cor. xii Alij datur fidesin eodem spiritu by the holy spirite of God the holy gooste to one is geuen faith by whiche we beleue on Christ on his holy worde but also for Christ it is geuē you sayth Paule as a speciall grace to suffre for Christes sake as many holy Apostles and martyrs did for when the heat of the loue of God is inspired into the soule of man by the spirite of God the holy goost it geueth a certaine gladnes and a certain swetenes to a man which suffreth him not to be deiecte with anye aduersitie but maketh him bold and constant against all vexation Example we haue of the Apostles whiche after they had receiued the holy goost at this holy time of Whitsontide Ibant gaudentes a conspectu consilii quoniam digni habiti sunt pro nomine Iesu contumeliam pari Actu v. when they were reuiled threatned and well beaten for their settinge forth and preachinge Christes faith and were commaunded they shoulde do so no more they went with mery hartes from the counsayle of the Scribes and Phariseis that they were conuented and called afore because it had pleased God to thinke them worthye to suffre suche despites for Christes sake We se also by experience that heate causeth and maketh boldnes in man and beaste therefore the beastes that haue hootest hartes be moost bold and for this cause the lion is bolder then is the horse or an oxe because his harte hath in it a more feruente heate then the other haue in theyr hartes So when the holy goost inspireth the feruencie and heate of his loue into the hart of any man or woman it maketh that person wonderous bolde to suffer persecution and all maner of payne yea martyrdome propter conscientiam dei as S. Peter speaketh knowinge in his conscience that it is Gods pleasure he shoulde not reneige God but rather constantly suffre all aduersitie for Gods sake This feruent heate made S. Paule to say Rom. viii Certus sum quia neque mors neque vita c I am sure that nether death nor life nor the aūgels nother thinges presēt nor thinges to come nether any other creature maye disseuer or put vs a parte frome the charitie and loue of God whiche is in Christ Iesu our Lorde So the seruauntes that be tormented and beaten and vexed with bitter and feruent wordes must take it as a kynde of martirdome this they must suffre euer hauinge a timerouse conscience towardes God and surely theyr rewarde shall not be forgotten at length though they suffer for a tyme. Quae est enim gratia si peccantes collaphisati suffertis What thanke shall you haue yf you do noughtelye and play the sluggardes or the false bribers in youre maisters busynes and then for your noughtye doynge be well boxed beaten and canueste and so suffer as you deserue What thanke shal you haue for your suffering none at all Sed si benefacientes patienter sustinetis haec est gratia but if you do well and then suffer
is meruayle And surely if thou prospere and go forwarde for a season thou shalte haue one mischaunce or another that shall set thee further backewarde in a daye then two or three good yeares hath sette thee forwarde Nowe let vs see whether this good mannes saiyng be not consonant and agreynge to the scriptures He imputeth much of his thrift to the feare of God to the seruice of god accordyng to this sayth the prophet Psal. xxxiii Non est inopia timentibus eum They that feare God haue no pouertie for eyther they be ryche â–ª or at the leaste wyse be verye well pleased wyâ—â— that little that they haue which passeth all goâ—d and precious stoones Est autem questus magnus pietas cum sufficientia i Timo. vi i. est Animâ— sua sorte contento Pietie or mercie with a hart content wyth that a manne hathe is a greate gaynes and winnynge Et psal â–ª Beatus vir quitimet dominum in mandatis eius volet nimis â–ª Gloria diuitie in domo eius Blessed is the manne that feareth God his will shall be verye muche in his commaundmentes Royaltie wealthe and riches shall be in his house Dispersit dedit pauperibus He shall be able to distribute and geue to the poore people where he that lacketh such fear of GGD shall be ready to begge and borowe of his neighbours Sainte Ambrose Li. ii devocatione gentium ca. ix sheweth that the grace of God by the meanes of feare prepareth and maketh readye the will of man to receiue the giftes of God makinge oure willes to consente to the inclinacion of grace mouinge vs to goodnesse for there is no vertue in him that wyll not consente to take vertue There muste be a consente of the will or els vertue will not bee there no more then thou canste make a horse to drinke of the water if his appetite be not to drinke This consente of the wyll is caused diuers wayes sometime by the exhortation of the Preacher sometyme by lectures lessons or instruction and sometyme by feare and yet amonge al these feare is most of efficacitie to make the wil of maÌ„ to enclyne or consente to Goddes pleasure and to receyue hys Grace Did not feare make Pharao Kinge of Egypte after seuen terrible plages that he and all hys Lande excepte the countrey where the people of Israell dwelled were punished wyth all to saye Peccaui etiam nunc Dominus iustus est ego populus meus impij Exod. ix I haue offended and done noughte nowe againe Oure LORDE is righteous I and my people be wycked Feare made him somewhat to relent bende and stope if he had so continued it hadde be better for hym he moughte peraduenture a receyued grace at lengthe And all sainte Stephans longe Sermon whiche sainte Paule hearde afore the Iewes stoned sainte Stephan to deathe at which tyme sainte Paule was presente and kepte the tormentours clothes All the preachinge of the Apostles and all the good examples of the good people newly conuerted to Christes sayth wrought not so muche in hym to make hym leaue his obstinacie and malyce agaynste christian people as did the feare that he tooke in that terrible strooke that he hadde commynge towarde the citie of Damascus where he woulde haue take vp all the christian menne and women that he could there haue founde would haue brought theÌ„ to Hierusalem to be put to martirdome accordynge to the commission that he had for that purpose And I doubt not but one shipwracke or peril on the sea or to haue a shippe taken with the Frenchmen now in this tyme of warre shuld make a marchauntmanne to remember GOD and to feare GOD and to mollifye his hart to consente and to receyue suche gyftes of grace as God woulde inspire into hys hearte and to serue GOD and to drawe to Godly wisdome more then all the Sermones that hathe bene made here all thys Wytsontyde whers as for lacke of feare of GOD they little regarde God or his giftes but take all thinges as thoughe they came of them selues and not of GOD for the more they haue the lesse Godlye they bee And for these considerations saithe the Prophete and also Salomon Inicium sapientiae â—imor domini The feare of God is the beginnyng of wisdome what vertue can make a maÌ„ so blessed as this feare for it is the begynner and getter of Godlye wisdome and also the maister or teacher of Godlie wisedome And euen lyke as by suche feare the soule of man obteyneth wisedome so by the same it proceadeth and profiteth more and more in wisdome so that it dothe conserue and kepe wisedome and concurreth wyth wisedome so necessarily that if feare of GOD once go awaye Godly wisedome will not tarye but thy wisdome will vanishe away to very folly to sinne mischiefe and all vnhappines Damascen orthodoxe fidei Libro ii ca. xv deuideth feare into sixe membres In cunctationem verecundiam erubesceÌ„tiam stuporem terrorem agoniaÌ„ whyche shoulde be to longe particularlye to declare but thys I shall aduertise you that euerye one of them maye be mundane seruyle or filiall Mundane or worldelye feare whiche is called humane feare or mannes feare that commonlye troubleth the minde of worldly men coÌ„meth of worldelye loue and of carnall loue For all feare presupposeth a loue to the thing that he feareth to lacke or to lose if a man loued it not he would not feare to lacke it or loose it August lxxxiii questi Nowe because that worldly loue leaneth and cleaueth faste to the worlde to worldly welth and to carnall ease and to carnal lust as to the ende in whiche he putteth his felicitie it can not be good but must nedes be verye nought Therfore when a man feareth to lose his temporall riches honour aucthoritie office or pleasure familiarite mastership or frendshyppe delicate fare or swete morsels in so much y t rather than he would lose them he woulde be redy to swarue from the rectitude and stregthnes of iustice and to be a flatterer and to encorage his mayster in his iniquitie rather then to lose his maysters fauour telling truth This is a worldly and carnall feare and very nought and damnable and suche was the feare that the Scribes and Phariseis had sayinge Si dimittimus eum sic c. If we let him scape thus then all the people wyll beleue vpon him and then the Romains wyll come and take our place and our people into captiuitie And Adam oure fyrste father for ouer muche loue that he had to his newe wyfe and for feare of discomfortynge her if he shoulde not haue eaten with her of the sayde forbydden frute broughte vs all to the calamitie miserye and wretchednes that we be in And how many haue we hearde of that for feare least they shuld lose promotion fauour or frendshippe that they haue loked for hath fallen to preache and teache pernitious heresies and many others to speake agaynste reason
husbande but she is afrayde of her husbande least he punyshe her and cast her of The feare that she hath of her husbaÌ„d is onely because she loueth her wicked purpose and feareth leaste her husbande spye her with a faute more then for any loue she hath vnto hym The other wife in my case is a chast wife intendinge no nother but to liue in coniugall chastite accordinge to the lawe of matrimonye with her owne husbande and to refuse all other for his sake and for the loue of him Both of these wyues feare theyr husbandes but not after one maner the fyrst feareth leaste her husband come and take her with the faute the other feareth leaste her husband wil be gone or will be longe awaye from her and absent him self from her sight and out of her company The feare that the first wife hath of her husband is like the bondmans feare or the lewde seruauntes feare this hath muche perturbation trouble of minde and payne annexed whiche standeth not with charitie as S. Iohn sayth in his epistle for charitie expelleth suche feare of payne punishment But because my sermon is not onely to maried men to maried women ye shal vnderstand that almyghtye God hath maried vs all to his onelye begotten sonne our sauiour Iesus Christ by fayth Saint Paule the Euangelistes and preachers solemnised this mariage as S. Paule saith for his part desponsaui vos vni viro virginem castam exhibere Christo. I haue maried you to one man that ye kepe your selfe as a chast virgin vnto Christ the beutifullest spouse that euer was Speciosus forma pre filijs hominum The great loue and charitie that he had to vs dyenge for vs beynge his enemies is a very greate cause why we shoulde loue him agayne Then let all vs and euerye one of vs as his spouse and wife examine oure selfe and our consciences whether we be chast wiues or aduouterers Let euerye man aske his owne conscience this question wilte thou haue thy husband to come to the as yet or no but that he shall yet longer tary Now I haue knocked at the dores of your heartes but what the conscience of euerye one of you saith inwardly to your self I can not heare it cometh not to mine eares I am a mortal man know not the secrets of your hert but he y â— is absent bodely present by the streÌ„gth of his maiestie hath heard you what you think If a man wold say vnto you lo Christ is here now tomorow shalbe the day of iugement you wuld not say I feare me wuld god Christ were come would God to morowe were the daye of dome For they that so would say loueth God vehemeÌ„tly if it were said vnto theÌ„ he wil yet tary leÌ„ger they would be afrayd least he would tary away any longer and yf he came they woulde be afrayde least he would go from them agayne and would saye with S. Paule Cupio dissolui esse cum Christo. I woulde faine haue my soule losed from my body and to be with Christ. Yet againe I aske you another question â–ª If God him selfe woulde come and speake vnto you in his owne voice although he ceaseth not to speake vnto vs by his holye scripture and woulde saye vnto a man wylte thou sinne then sinne Do what soeuer thinge deliteth the or please the what soeuer thinge thou louest on earth let it be thine owne whosoeuer thou arte angry with all let him die whosoeuer thou wylt beate let him be beaten whosoeuer thou wylte iudge let him be iudged whosoeuer thou wylt condemne let him be condemned no man shall resist the no man shall say to the why doest thou so no man shall say whye hast thou done so no man shall say do no more as thy lyst thou shalt haue haboundaunce of all thinges that thou desyrest and thou shalte lyue in them and continue with them not for a season or for a litle space but for euermore onelye one thinge I warne the that my face thou shalt neuer se. If you mourne for this sayinge if youre heartes be sory to heare this it is a signe that the chast feare remaininge for euer is spronge vp in you But I saye to you ye shall neuer leaue these pleasures that I haue rehearsed ye shall euer continue with them and they with you what wyl you haue more Surely the chast fear wolde wepe and wayle and woulde saye I hadde leuer thou wouldest take awaye all these pleasures rehearsed and let me see thy face The chaste feare woulde crye out aloude with the prophete in the Psalme O Lorde God of powers conuert vs and shewe thy face and wee shall be safe One thinge I haue asked of our Lorde and that I shall require that I maye dwell in the house of our Lorde that I maye see the will of our God and visite his holy temple Nowe good frendes if euerye one of vs will examine our owne Consciences after this maner as I haue nowe spoken how many of vs shall we finde that hathe this chaste feare this louing feare of the chaste wife the holy feare that continueth for euermore I pray God there be many suche amonge vs. They that haue not such feare let theim begin at the least wise wyth seruile feare that I spoke of let them liue well for feare of the paynes of Hell that so with coÌ„tinuaunce they maye haue a swetenesse in well doinge and at the laste do well for loue For the sayde seruile feare is not vtterlye to be condempned for it is a good gift of GOD as faith vnfourmed or without fashion hope vnfourmed Sapience and science vnfourmed the giftes of tonges the grace to do cures and suche other as the Apostle speaketh of .i. Corin. xii Not decked nor garnished with charitie whiche is the fashion and beautye of all other gyftes of grace And the sayde seruyle feare is the very waye to bring in chaâ—itie lyke as when a manne soweth in cloothe the nedle goeth afore and maketh the waye for the threde to come after not because the nedle shall sticke there still in the clothe but shall passe and go throughe that the threde may come after and bide still there And when a man soweth in leather the threde hathe a bristle or a harde heere craftelye set and ioyned to the former ende of the threede After the Nall hathe made the waye then afore the threde the sayde heere goeth not because it shall there abide still in the hoole but because it shall leade and gyde the threade that commeth after and muste there remaine styll So dothe the feare of paynes of Hell prepareth awaye to loue in asmuch as by ofte doinge well for feare a manne shall fynde some ease in well doinge and at lengthe shall do well for verye loue and therefore the Prophete saide Initium sapienciae timor domini The feare of GOD is the beginnynge of wisedome whiche is true of the
seruile feare that serueth or dothe well onelye for feare of payne and it is true also of the feare that groweth in processe which is partlye for feare partly for loue that is called Timor inicialis this is the next meane to the chaste feare or holye feare that remaineth for euermore But nowe finallye to speake of the seuenth gift of the holie Gost whiche as the Prophete Esay sayeth rested on our sauiour Christ. It is not mundane humane nor carnal feare nother the seruile feare or the bondmannes feare His good and gracious workes that he did on earthe he did not for feare of the paynes of Hell or for feare of anye other punishmentes It was the holye feare that remayneth for euer It was louynge and reuerende feare of God suche as all the angels in heauen haue nowe And that maye begin in vs grow vp with charitie here on earth and shal shote vp and growe vp with euerlastinge charitie or loue that shall neuer fall awaye or fayle but shall euer abide more and more in euerlastynge glory This feare dothe not importe anye perturbation or trouble of minde but rather a certayne reuerence towarde almightye God Suche is the feare that the angels haue in heauen where is no trouble of minde or vnquietnesse but readye and ioyful obedience to almighty God And such reuerende feare of the father hadde our sauiour Christe as appeareth in manye places of the gospell where hee protesteth hym to dooe the commaundementes of his father and to fulfyll his pleasure with manye suche like Honorifico patrem c. Thus he did lowlye and reuerently magnifie his father by reason of his manhode by whiche he was inferiour and lower and subiect to his father And in his manhode he hadde these seuen giftes of the holye Gooste restynge on hym as Esai saide and as I haue declared in times paste And this gifte of dreade or feare of GOD after scolasticall doctours is Humilitie which was most excellently in our sauiour Christ Phili. ii Humiliauit semetipsuÌ„ dominus noster Iesus Christus c. Our Lorde Iesus Christe did humiliate him selfe kepynge obedience euen to hys death on the crosse for whiche God the father exalted him gaue him a name aboue al names that all creatures in heauen earthe or hell shall bowe the knee to this blessed name of Iesus and all tonges shall confesse that our Lorde Iesus is in the glorye of god his father there to be mediatour a meane and intreater for vs to bringe vs as his coparteners and coenheritours wyth him to his inestimable glory in heauen and that we maye all come to that enheritaunce he graunt vs for his infinite mercy that for vs dyed Amen An homilie or sermon of the articles of our christian faythe FAyth as saynt Paule sayth to the Hebrewes is y e beginnynge of heuenly ioyes that we hope to come vnto makinge our wits surely to assente agree to thinges that wee do not yet see nor knowe by experience Euerlastyng lyfe shall stande in the clere knowledge of the Godhead and of the glorified manhode of our sauiour Christ knitte in one persone to the seconde persone in Trinitie one God with the father and with the holye Gost. This knowledge and sighte wee shall haue in heauen clearelye and perfitelye whiche wee haue here but darkelye by heresaye But let vs leane fast by our fayth to this that we hearesaye by Gods scriptures and liue accordinglye and wee shall not faile to come to the cleare knowledge in heauen where we shall knowe God as he knoweth vs without corporall similitudes to conduct vs to that knoweledge and without anye impedimente Without faieth it is impossible to please GOD. For he that wyll come to God muste neades beleue as the Apostle saythe Hebre. xi Wee muste not diffarre nor refuse to beleue so longe tyll wee can declare or proue by reason the articles or poyntes that wee be bounde to beleue for if wee woulde be so daungerous it myght chaunce that by the difficilitye of the scriptures of the things that we shuld beleue we myght be withdrawen and kept backe from the merite and rewarde of our faythe for euer He that woulde so differ to beleue shoulde be like a manne almoste deade for honger whyche hauynge breade and meate offered hym woulde not open hys mouthe to eate thereof tyll hee knewe who made the breade and dressed the meate and howe and wyth what instrumentes or tooles it was made and dressed He were like to be deade for honger afore he came to that knoweledge Better it were for him firste to take hys meate and saue his lyfe and afterward if nede were at leasure to laboure for such knoweledge if he myght obtayne it So best it is for vs with an open harte to beleue as wee be taughte by Christes churche and to feede oure soules with suche Godly foode and to saue our liues by fayth afterward by exercise to attaine to more distincte and playne vnderstandynge of that wee do beleue accordynge to suche measure of fayth as shall please God to distribute to euerye one of vs. There was neuer manne saued from the beginnynge of the worlde neither shall be to the ende of the same but by his beliefe on Goddes rewarde prouided for his faithfull people by the merite of our sauiour Christe as by the mediatoure and meane to come thereto The holye menne and women that were afore Christes incarnation by the space of fiue thousande yeres and more were saued by their fayth of saluation by the mediatour that was to come and in signe thereof they vsed their sacrifices afore the lawe written and also in the tyme of the lawe writte by Moyses as figures to proteste and signifie the misterie of the mediatour which the auncientes and they that hadde higher reuelation and that were best learned among them beleued more distinctlye and plainelye then the younger and simpler sorte did or were bounde to beleue And nowe in the plentuoâ—s tyme of grace bothe yonge and olde be bounde to haue expresse faythe of Christes incarnacion alreadye exhibited and perfourmed and of suche articles and pointes as be commonlye declared and openlye set furthe in the churche concernynge our saluation by our sauioure Christe as the onelye meane to obtayne the same Al be it they that haue clearer wyttes and they that be sette in aucthoritye and offyce speciallye to haue the rule and cure of Christes flocke be bound more expreslye dystynctlye and playnelye to haue the knoweledge of subtyller and hygher consyderations consernynge the Articles of oure faythe then the rude and vnlearned folcke so that they maye by their knoweledge and learnyng declare the truthes and the possibilitie of the same to them that be ignorant and would learne i. Pet. iii. To declare I saye but not to proue by reason the veritie of them They must also bee able to replye and conuince theim that frowardely woulde repugne and countersaye anye article of
because Christ in his parable saith that the shepherd cast the sheepe vpon hys shoulders gaudens being glad and mery but seyng all this concerneth his paineful passion on the crosse in which he suffred paines vntollerable how can it be that he with ioye and gladnes cast his straied shepe vpon his shoulders ▪ it was to his payne and not to his pleasure as it semeth In verye dede although he bore our sinnes that is to say the paines for our sinnes to his paines ache and smarting yet knowing what shoulde come of it he was gladde to take the paine and to saue hys shepe For in this you must vnderstande that the reasonable soule of Christe comprehending both wytte and wyll eleuate to the contemplation and fruition of almighty God is called the superioure hyghest parte of the soule The same soule applyed to inferiour and lower thinges is called the lower porcion or lower part of the soul As when the witte or will is applyed or inclined to the fiue wittes or to theyr sensuall appetites or to other lower worldly busines paines or pleasures all beit when the witte or will is exercysed aboute anye suche lower matters in an order to Gods pleasure they belong to the higher porcion and may be called the higher porcion of the soule largely or comonly speaking of the higher porcion To our purpose although the lower part of y e soule of Christ had sorowe paine wyth the sensible powers of the bodye that smarted and aked right sore with the flesh which was most tender in Christ because he was of most pure tender complexion In the higher part of his soule both wayes had euer ioy and gladnes As for the first way in the contēplacion and fruition of the godhead there is no doubt for it gaue Christes soule beatitude euen such ioy and gladnes as he hathe in heauen now After the second maner also whē Christe consydered hys paynefull passion as the meane appointed by the father to redeme mans soule to bring home the sheepe that was lost strayed away by sinne he toke the paines with a good will and very gladly We haue a like example of Saint Paule which by the higher part of his soule and by his deliberate and well aduised will desired to be dissolued and to be with Christ all beit the wyll vnite in amitie and loue to the sensuall appetite desyred to abyde styll in the fleshe and to lyue In lyke maner were the blessed Martyrs whyche in theyr bodyes suffered vnmeasurable tormentes and greuous paynes yet remembring Gods pleasure the rewardes that they should haue for the same they toke thē gladly with good chere And so it standeth together that Christ bearing y e paine for our sins vpō his backe on the crosse yet bore thē gaudens with ioy and gladnes in the higher porcion of his soul knowing that by his paines and bi his death mā shoulde be restored to fauoure agayne that afore was attainted out of Gods fauour And that where we were afore like straied shepe out of the blessed flocke of Gods faithfull people nowe we be conuerted and turned agayn to the pastor and bishop of our soules as S. Peter said to thē that he wrote vnto To the pastor the shepherde the feder of our soules our sauiour Christ whom afterward in his epistle .v. chap. He calleth the prynce of pastors maister of the craft the chief shepherd of the shepherds the chiefe feeder of the feeders the chiefe bishop of the bishops the chiefe curate of all curates and not onely of the flocke Him al pastors and curates aswel spiritual as temporal must folow Here I should speake more largelye of pastors and bishops but I shall deferre it vnto the .v. chapter of this epistle where God helping that matter shalbe more largely entreated Now I shal exhort you as well maisters as seruantes men and womē to consider that we haue a shepherd and an ouerseer in heauen our sauiour Christ therfore you maisters order your seruāts as you would Christ should order you with mercy and fauour And you seruantes so order your selfe to youre maysters as thoughe you serued Christ with simplicitie of harte without doublenes serue not onely to the eye whyle your maysters loketh vpō you playing the wantons while they be absent for if you doe so you are double harted which is cōtrary to simplicitie and plainnes serue as though you serued God and not mā and so being in bonde seruice you shal make your hartes free and at libertie and shall tourne bondage into libertie of hart and shal serue god and seruinge hym you raygne you bee lyke kynges ruling and cōmaunding and kepinge vnder your affections and wayward appetites of the body and so you maye come to suche fortune that you may be maisters ouer them that be free men yea and maye peraduenture be maisters ouer your maisters children Seruo sensato liberi seruiēt Eccle. x. And we haue hearde sometimes of seruauntes which in processe of time haue bought theyr maisters childrens inheritaunce or theyr goodes but these be no dastardes but wytty seruantes that come to such exaltacion And so you see that God euer requiteth rewardeth the true seruant eyther bodely and temporally is in this example rehersed or gostlye giuing him quietnes of minde by which he shall serue his maister truely and so doing he serueth Christe and shall come to hym for so is hys wyll that who soeuer serueth hym should finally be there as he is And that we all may so serue him in our calling in the seruice that god hath appointed vs to that we mai at the last com to him he graūt vs for his infinite mercye that for vs died Amen ¶ The .xi. treatise or sermon The third chapiter SImiliter et mulieres subdite sint viris suis vt si qui non credunt verbo per mulierum conuersationem sine verbo lucrifiant c. Here in the fyrste parte of this thirde chapiter the blessed Apostle ascendeth from the informacion that he gaue to them that be in seruile state of whiche I entreated in my laste sermon vnto them that be ioyned together in the yoke of mariage First speaking to the wiues and ordering them toward theyr husbandes also in theyr exteriour behauiour And consequently he teacheth the husbands theyr duties toward theyr wiues S. Peter saith Similiter et mulieres c. likewise womē must be subiect to theyr owne husbandes Likewise saith s. Peter as I haue spoken of the subiectiō of the seruantes to their maisters so I must aduertise counsel the wiues to obedience subiectiō according to their calling that thei do reuerence vnto theyr husbandes wyth feare as Saint Paule saith Ephe. v. Vxor autem rimet virum suum Let the wife feare her husbande wyth such louing fear as I haue spoken of afore more for loue fearing to displease him then for strokes or punishment And in the same
and to talke that with their mouth that they haue not thoughte with theyr heartes This carnall and worldly feare yf it be with deliberation aduisement is very nought and dampnable where as yf it come of the infirmitie and weakenes of the fleshe whiche naturallye abhorreth death and abhorreth tortures imprisonmentes seruitude bondage and lacke of libertie and of accustomed pleasures then yf this feare be but sodayne though it trouble thy affection wyll or appetite verye sore there is no peryll in it it is natural it can not be well auoyded specially the fyrst motions of this feare And for the comfort of infirme and weake persones least any man or woman susteyninge suche feare shoulde dispayre of saluation oure Sauioure Christ to declare that he was a very man that this carnall feare of the flesh is not euer dampnable but naturally ensuing and folowinge the infirmitie of the fleshe did vouchesafe to susteine suche feare in his owne affection or wyll when afore his passion he begonne to be afrayde and to be wery Marc. xiiii he begonne to be afrayd of the death that he should to and to be wery of the trouble that the Iewes put him to and that he knewe they woulde put him to more greuouslye afterward and this feare vexed him so sore that for very agony and payne his swete of his body was like bloude trikeling downe to the ground A merueilous parturbation of minde that he was in for that space but it dyd not longe continue And therefore the Euangelist Marke sayd Cepit pauere tedere He begonne to be afrayde and to be werye It begon with hym but it dyd not continue for anone reason checked this sensualitie and ruled it directing all his wyll to the pleasure of his father and so he proceded forth to his paynefull passion with a verye good wyll ruled by reason to consummate perfourme and ende the thinge for whiche he came into oure nature by his blessed incarnation In like maner there is no mundane carnall or naturall feare coÌ„minge sodenly vpon a man that can dampne a man if it continue not to longe and if it do not ouercome reason But if it so ouercharge the mynde that for any suche feare a man do forsake iustice or do the thinge that shalbe contrarye to Goddes pleasure then such worldly and carnall feare is vâ—tuperable and dampnable Seruyle feare hath the next place whiche some wryters doth vtterly dampne and say it is very noughte but it can not be so for ye knowe by experience that a mayster hadde leuer haue a prentyce or a seruaunte that woulde do his worke for feare of strokes or for feare of beatynge then to haue suche a prentyce that wyll nother do his worke for beatynge nor for feare of displeasinge of his mayster nether yet for loue Of the fyrste maye come some good at length but the other is desperate and of him commeth noughte but angre and vexation of minde to his maister he must be put oute of seruyce and caste of Seruyle feare hath his name of a seruaunte a slaue or bondeman it is suche feare as is in the seruaunte prentyce or bondeman or in a shrewde scholer whiche wyll do no good but onelye for feare of betynge So sayth S. Augustine seruyle feare of God is when a man withdraweth and kepeth him selfe frome sinne for feare of the paines of hel and for feare least he shalbe damned with the deuyls in hell for euermore Although this feare be insufficient for mans saluation yet it is verye good and profitable for by this groweth a vse and a custome of iustice or of well doynge for he that oft tymes doth wel although it be for feare shall fynde ease thereby and at length shal haue a pleasure in well doynge and a loue to iustice or well doynge thoughe it were hard and paynfull for hym at the beginninge and so the seruilitie the bondage of the feare beginneth a litell and a litell to swage and to be excluded and it waxeth and beginneth to be amicable louing feare by whiche a man doth well partlye for loue and partely for feare And this the doctours call timor initialis and it is the meane and next way to the filial feare the chast and holye feare that beginneth here and shall remayne and continue in heauen for euermore as the prophete sayth Timor domini sanctus permanet in seculum seculi Psalm xviii The holy feare of God abydeth for euermore it commeth of charitie whiche neuer fayleth The foresayde seruyle feare of Goddes iustice and of his punyshment of synners prepareth a waye to the filial and charitable feare but when charitie and louinge feare is once gotten the former feare of punyshment vanysheth and goeth awaye for the more that the loue is the lesse is the feare of punyshment The good that a man doth for loue hath no spyce of the bondage or of seruyle feare therefore sayth Saint Iohn i. Ioh. iiii Timor non est in charitate sed perfecta charitas foras mittit timorem quoniam timor penam habeâ— qui autem timet non est perfectus in charitate In charitie there is no feare but perfyt charitie dryueth out feare for feare hath payne annexte and he that feareth is not perfyt in charitie Nowe these wordes of S. Iohn semeth contrary to the wordes of the Prophete Timor domini sanctus c. The holye feare of God abydeth for euer To this I aunswere fyrst bringing in this example that lyke as one blaste of winde of the belowes bloweth and fylleth two organ pipes or moo so may one breath or inspiration of the holy spyryte fyl two heartes and styrre two tongues the two organ pipes so blowen by one breath concordeth and agreeth full well so maye two heartes inspired with one holye spirite concorde and agre as ye shall perceaue so that ye wil geue diligent audience The Prophete in his sayinge addeth this worde Sanctus or castus he calleth it holye feare or chast feare the Euangelist Saynt Iohn doth not adde these wordes therefore let vs put difference betwixt two feares and so shal we vnderstand the consonaunce and concorde of these two organ pipes the holye Prophete and the blessed Euangeliste There be men that feareth hell paynes least they burne there with the deuils this feare bringeth in charitie but when he hath broughte in charitie this feare auoydeth and charitie remaineth If a man feare onely for punyshment then a man loueth not him that he so feareth he desireth not that is good but exchueth that that is yll Notwithstandinge in as muche as a man is ware and feareth that that is yll he correcteth and amendeth him self and beginneth to desire that is good that so there may be in him holy loue and chast loue holy feare and chast feare A man can not better declare make playne these two feares then if a man put example of two wiues one aduoutresse and disposed to take others beside her
dead corps or of any other vncleane thinge Saint Paule calleth them neady and pore principles for they nother geue grace to the vsers nother geueth to the ministers any spiritual power to remit sinne The priest bi his order had power to kil the cow and to burne her and to mingle the asshen with running water to sprinkle it vpon the vnclene and so to purge him from an externall irregularitie of his flesh that so he might lawfully come into the courts of the tabernacle staÌ„d amongst honest meÌ„ where as afore he ought not so to do And for this thapostle saith they sanctify folkes for the clensyng of the flesh â–ª Heb. ix Euen like as when a prelate dispeÌ„seth with a bastard or with a maÌ„ that hath but one eye that he may be made priest bi this dispensation he geueth him not any grace but only taketh away the irregularitie maketh hym able to be ordered where afore he was not so ¶ Of the thirde maner of ceremonies were sacred or halowed things to gods seruice As y e tabernacle teÌ„ple y e parts of theÌ„ the courts about them the implementes and vtensils as cruets cuppes morters caudrons and kettles And so were certayne dayes and solemne feastes as the vii day of the weke the seuenth yere the Iubily yere with a great multitude more which should be to long here to be rehearsed ¶ The obseruances were certain religious maners of liuinges that the people of Israell and the holy fathers their progenitours as the electe and chosen people of GOD vsed to shewe them selues distincte and differente from all Idolaters of which the world was then full In Moses time almighty God expressely commaunded theÌ„ by Moyses and Aaron to obserue keepe a prescise maner in their diet They should eat no fleshe of any four foted beastes but onely of such as were both clouen foted and did also ruminat his meat or chew quyd All other they should repute vnclene and not eat of theÌ„ They should nother eat porke pigge hare nor conyes with many others They were forbidden all fish that had not both finnes and skales tench eles congres loches culles with manye others were not for for them of birdes all raueners liuynge by prey as haukes grifes kites and all kinde of rauens or crowes and such like and swanne flesh with many others they were forbidden as things vnclene to be eaten to be touched And they sholde not drinke nor occupie the water or other liquor that any such or any part of them had falleÌ„ into the vessell conteynynge such liquor should be couÌ„ted vnclene and if it were an earthen vessell it should be broken and cast away Albeit brokes welles mayrs pondes and cesternes made to gather water and to kepe them mighte be occupied for drinke and to dresse meat although such filthy forbidden thinges had fallen into them How they shold punysh theÌ„ selues with fastyng In the feast of expiation or clensynge many other seasons and how the wiues vowe to offer or to fast or to do any such like thing of deuotion should be approued by her husbande as sone as he knew of it or els not to binde her And in case he wold say coÌ„trary on the first day that he knew of his wiues vow she was discharged he with out fault but if he deferred it til the morow theÌ„ next folowing she was bound to perfourme her vow And if theÌ„ he wold coÌ„pel her to do coÌ„trary he should beare the perill of her iniquitie transgressing breaking her vow The vowes promises of y e maids dwelling within their fathers houses did likewise binde if the father saide not coÌ„trary on the first day that he knew therof if afterward he wold say nay on his perill the synne was his As coÌ„cerning their raiment thei should wear no cloth woueÌ„ of wollen linneÌ„ threde together as be our carpets tapstry works They shold also haue in the skirts of their gownes certain ribands in color reseÌ„bling the skie on a clere day No man shold wear a womans garmeÌ„t nother any womaÌ„ a mans garmeÌ„t for that was abhominable afore god Of yokinge their cattell in their plowes of sowyng their vyneyards their feldes And of the very birdes neasts thei had ceremonial obseruances appointed theÌ„ In al these this is to be taken for a generall rule that suche ceremonies as semeth to be without ani sad reason without any necessitie or profite in kepyng of theÌ„ or eschuyng theÌ„ Almighty God intended to remoue his people farre of froÌ„ the â—ites of Idolatry in which such thinges as be here forbidden were vsed The payn for not obseruing these ceremonies in manye cases was death whereby thei were very daÌ„gerous painful vntollerable as s Pet. saith thei wer so heuy y t nother Iewes in his tyme beynge nother their forefathers coulde bear theÌ„ Act. xv They were very many to the number of .vi. hundred or aboue of whiche some were verye chargeable what payne and charge was it for euerye manne to appeare in Ierusalem three times in the yere how farre of so euer he dwelled Likewise to kepe holy day all the .vii. th yere in deuotioÌ„ nother to plow nor to sow nor to gather corne so in the space of two yeres together they had but small sustenaunce ¶ Nowe wee haue hearde howe these Lawes bounde the Iewes to obserue and keepe theim vnder the paynes expressed for transgressours of the same it is necessarye to knowe howe they binde vs christen people in the tyme of grace exhibited and geuen vs by oure Sauioure Iesus Christe For this you shall vnderstande that the morall preceptes because they be consonant and agreing to the light and iudgement of right reason whiche is one in all men naturally printed in their Soules at their creation they must nedes binde vs christian people as well as they bounde the Iewes Al be it the Iewes as verye ignare rude vnperfitly and grosely vnderstode the saide morall coÌ„maundements as thinking it sufficient to kepe this coÌ„maundemeÌ„t Thou shalt not kill if they held their handes they thought it none offence to be angry w t their neighbour To imagine mischefe against him This imperfectioÌ„ of their grosse vnderstanding our sauiour Christ clerely taketh away forbiddyng vs to be angry with our neighbour inwardly in our harte or by exteriour signes in word hand or in couÌ„tenauÌ„ce Mat. v. takynge away the very rote of homicide The iudicialles of Moises law as giuen by him hath this imperfection annexed that they make a man to doe well for feare of punyshment more then for loue And feare hath euer payn annexed and therfore Moyses law was called the law of feare and by that is a painefull law It woulde abhorre a mans hart to heare how many tymes the payne of deathe is inculcated and repeted among the sayd iudiciall lawes specially but they as giuen by Moyses bindeth not vs ChristeÌ„ people notwithstandinge because
owne daughters whiche he woulde neuer haue done if he had kepte sobernes Sobernesse is conseruer of frendship amitie of peace where dronkennes breaketh theÌ„ Spes iubet esse ratas Ad prelia trudit inermem Horac It maketh all thinge sure y t a man wold haue If the dronken maÌ„ wold kil the deuil surely he wil thinke he caÌ„ do it while his cups be in He will fight though he lack both weapon and harneâ—s and wyll breake a loueday and fall to variaunce wyth his best frende yea thoughe it be his owne brother Where contrary sobernes excheweth suche rashenes and auoydeth perils Sobernes requiteth one good turne for an order and abhorreth pride and arrogaÌ„cy and kepeth his housholde in measure with honestie and kepeth fidelitie trustely with euery man that putteth trust in hym Where dronkenes by pride of harte bringeth furthe vnkindenesse as pride dothe euer for a proud manne thinketh all thinges done of dutye that a man doth for hym so neuer regardeth to do good for good againe The sober man kepeth his housholde in measure where the dronkarde is euer in extremities Finally Sobernes may be called the mother of all vertues and dronkennesse mother of all vices Therfore without lothsome excesse y e belly wold be filled for what profite doth it to take to much of that that thou shalt lose by and by Nature is coÌ„tent with a very litte Therfore if thou charge it ouer much either thou shalt by that thou hast taken haue little pleasure or els greate hurte Therfore Saint Peter saieth we must be sober and generally we muste be perfect in all workes of vertue and so shall boldely hope to see the glorye of Christe Where contrary he that no good doth and liueth viciously may be sore afrayed of that glorious commyng lest he come to shortly and to soone for hym Quasi filij obedientie non coÌ„figurati prioribus ignorantiae vestre desiderijs As childreÌ„ of obedieÌ„ce or obedient children vnto the monicion and holesome lessons of your father not forgettynge that I haue taught you Shew not your selues like vnto your olde blindenes in carnall vyces and in all other inâ—quitie to which you were geuen afore you were called out of the darkenes of ignoraunce vnto the light of faythe by your spirituall fathers the Preachers of the worde of GOD among you but conforme your selues to that holye one that called you whiche was chieflye our sauiour Christe by whose word published amonge theim by the Preachers and speciallye by Sainte Peter that hadde laboured amonge them they were reduced and broughte to the light of knowledge that so sayeth Saint Peter you may be holy firme and fast in goodnesse agaynst vyce againste trouble and vexation for that is the signification of this woorde Sanctus firme faste and sure in goodnes that is holye in all your conuersation and dealyng lyke as he that called you is holie To confirme that Saint Peter alledgeth the saiynge of almighty GOD in the .xix. Chapter of Leuiticus coÌ„maundynge the people of Israell and by them all vs faythfull and true Israelites christian people Sancti estote quoniam ego sanctus sum dominus deus vester Be you holye for I your Lorde GOD am holye And our Sauiour Christe in the Gospell hath a like saiynge Mat. v. Estote vos perfectisicut pater vester celestis perfectus est Be you perfect as your heauenly father is perfecte Where this worde sicut As importeth not equalitie but a certaine imitation or folowinge as Saint Paule biddeth Estote imitatores dei folowe God as nigh as mannes fragilitie wil permitte or suffer though no creature can attayn to be equall with God in holines or perfection And here good neighbours I should by these wordes of S. Peter exhorte you to be fast sure and stedfast in the good opinions that you haue bene reduced vnto by catholike preachers where afore by pseudapostles and leude preachers you were seduced and broughte into sinistre opinions in whiche you walked darkely and blyndely contempninge the sacramentes and ceremonies of Christes churche and so vsinge a leude libertye you fell to all desires of darke ignoraunce liuing carnally nother regardinge prayers fasting abstinence nor chastitie For surely this is the effect of suche lewde libertie as some men would vendicate and claime by the Gospell where there is nothinge more contrary to the Gospell Et si patrem inuocatis eum quae sine personarum acceptione iudicat c. In these wordes the Apostle perswadeth and reasoneth that we oughte to be of cleane lyfe sobre and perfecte that we maye obediently and reuerently hope and loke for glorye at the reuelation and comminge of Christ in his glory sayinge If you call him your father that iudgeth without parcialitie according to euery persons worke see that you be conuersaunt in feare and in your conuersation haue feare for the time that you be here abidinge in this worlde In which wordes he willeth vs to considre almightie God as oure father and also as our iudge In that he is oure iudge we owe vnto him feare as to oure Lorde and maister that maye do with vs what shall please him and in that he is our father we owe vnto him loue as to oure maker and regeneratour Accordinge to the saying of Malachi i. Si pater ego sum vbi est honor meus si dominus ego sum vbi est timor meus If I be youre father as you call me Pater noster qui es in coelis where is the honour that you owe to me If I be youre lorde where is the feare that you owe to me Saynte Peter ioyneth them both together meaninge that we owe vnto almightie God loue as to our father and feare as to our lorde and iudge and specially because he iudgeth withoute parcialitie or affection to any partie hauinge respecte to a mannes workes and not to the personne But yet here riseth a doubte vppon Saynte Peters wordes â–ª that God iudgeth without parcialitie it semeth contrary by the wordes of Malachye the Prophet aforesaid where the worde of God sayd by that Prophet in the fyrst Chapter Nonne frater erat Esau Iacob dicit dominus dilexi Iacob Esau autem odio habui They had done nother good nor yll as S. Paule sayth Roman ix therefore not for any thinge of their parte God sayde I loued Iacob and I hated Esau and then in verye dede for that that God loued Iacob Iacob proued a good man and for that he hated Esau Esau proued nought and all his posteritie for the mooste part And Iacob for his goodnes and for good workes folowinge of the same was saued where Esau or they of hys issue for theyr noughtie liuinge were reproued and dampned therefore of this it semeth that God was partiall in his election because there was no cause in the parties wherfore one shuld be electe rather then the other and also in the sequele that came thereof dampninge
sinne or to the increase of his damnation Another maner of couerynge oure synnes is when they be so couered that God seeth them not and that is to saye that he imputeth them not to vs nor leyeth them to our charge for after the maner of speakinge of scripture then he seith sinnes and loketh vpon them when he punisheth them and then he seith them not when he doth not punisshe them And therefore the prophet sayde in another place Auerte faciem tuam a peccatis meis Tourne awaye thy face from my sinnes As who shoulde saye with the eyes of thy mercy loke vppon me and se me but see not my synnes but as it were one that had forgotte theim punysshe theim not knowe theim not but forgeue them and impute theim not to me nor laye them to my charge And in this case be they that wythoute gyle or dissimulation vttereth theyr synnes Of suche it is sayde Nec est in spiritu eius dolus In suche a mans spyryte there is no gyle where contrarywyse they that vseth gyle and clookynge theyr faultes howe muche the moore they laboure in defence of theyr synnes boastynge their owne merites and their owne well doinges and seith not their owne iniquities nother speaketh of theim so muche their goostlie fortitude and might decaieth and waxeth weaker And therefore againste proude men that trusted muche in their owne good dedes and would not be a knowen of their faultes Christe putteth a parable of the proude Pharisei and the humble publicane The Pharisei praised him selfe of his vertues but he spoke nothinge of his faultes The publicane cloked not dissembled not vsed no gyle but toke vpon him as he was and therefore the one was iustified and iudged for a good man where the other was condempned Christe defended the Publicane and gaue sentence acquitinge him as not giltie and couered his sinnes not any more to impute them to him or to laye them to his charge where the proud Pharisei euen in the temple in the Surgions shoppe and vnder the Surgions hande shewed forth his whole limmes where he was not sicke nor soore declaringe his vertues but his sinnes he couered and hidde from the Surgion and therfore he was not cured he might haue sayd Quoniam tacui inueterauerunt ossa mea dum clamarem tota die Because I helde me styll my bones wexed olde and decayde to noughte while I cryed al day longe The bones of the soule be vertues for as the bones of the bodye maketh the bodye stronge so doth vertues make the soule stronge These bones these vertues decayeth and draweth to nought whyle we be styl and cry al day longe A straunge maner of speakinge of the scripture It is euē of the same maner that I spake of nowe The Pharisei was styll and helde his tounge and yet cried to loude he was styll clokinge and hidinge his faultes with scilence and yet he was loude ynough bosting and praysing him selfe of his vertues and of his well doinges of whiche he shoulde haue spoken not a worde and therfore his vertues auailed him not to saluation of his soule but decaied to nought as his soule did So good neighbours there be inough and to many of vs that crye loude inough boastynge and praysinge our well doinges yf anye be but to speake and confesse our faultes we be styll ynough and holde our tonges As manye men of their glottenye of drinkinge men vnder the borde of ryottinge and surfettinge and of wastfull bankettinge and of theyr pryde malicious taunting of pore men of sclaunderinge and backebiting they take no remorse or grudge of conscience but rather reioyce in mind make much boasting outwarde of the same They vse not to reuele vtter such faultes to theyr goostly father and to almighty God with contrition and sorow for them but rather glorieth in their ill doinges to the increase of theyr owne dampnation If they woulde with a lowly heart vncouer them to the surgion he woulde make them whole where as if they be hidde they wil rankel and fester to euerlastinge corruption Pryde maketh a man to hide his faultes to his dampnation Charitie putteth awaye Pryde Charitas enim non inflatur Charitie is not proude and therfore it disposeth a man to humilitie making him contente to shewe him selfe as he is to the surgion and so he shall be cured and well at ease before God Beatus enim cui non imputauit dominus peccatum He is blessed to whose charge oure lorde God hath not layde any sinnes but geuing him charitie couereth his synnes S. Peter cōsideringe this exhorteth vs aboue all thinges to haue charitie for it couereth the multitude of sinnes And therfore it may be called a holesome and healthfull garment for the soule for diuers necessarye properties of a garment Fyrste like as a garment conserueth and kepeth a mannes lyuelye and naturall heate within him so doeth charitie conserue the lyfe of the soule so that he that lacketh it lacketh lyfe and is dead i. Ioh. iii. Qui non diligit manet in morte He that hath not loue or charitie abideth in death he is all colde and stiffed This liuely heate of the soule is conserued and saued by kepinge the commaundementes of god which be al comprehēded in loue or charitie accordinge to Christes aunswer to a certayne learned man that apposed him saying maister what shall I do to haue euerlastinge life Christ apposed him again in his owne learning what is written in the lawe howe reade you He aunswered Thou shalte loue God aboue all thinges with thy whole hearte with thy whole soule with all thy strength and with all thy mynde And thy neighbour as thy selfe Thou sayest wel sayeth Christ Hoc fac uiues do that and thou shalt liue And all this is done by kepinge the ten commaundementes of God In the thre fyrste commaundementes we be taught howe to order our loue towarde God and in the seuen last howe we shall extende our loue to our neyghbours And yf we perfourme and fulfyll these for loue we shall please God and deserue heauen by them where as yf we kepe them onely for feare we would do the contrary if we might and be no thanke worthye Albeit better it is to fulfyll the commaundementes for feare then not to fulfyll theim at al for by oft doyng wel for feare we may gendre a loue to wel doing so at last we shal do wel for loue and shall haue a swetenes in wel doinge Second charitie is compared to a garment for like as a garmēt defēdeth a man in external heat in colde in wet drie wether so doeth charitie award defend the soule in prosperitie in aduersitie For as s. Paule saith Diligentibus deum omnia cooperantur in bonū To them that loueth God al thinges worketh to good for both prosperitie aduersitie God is to be lauded thanked when al thinges that man liueth by cōmeth plētifully whē the