places of the gospels calleth God hys father and hym him selfe the sonne of God he is true and verye truthe and cannot lye he is the onelye begotten sonne in the fathers bosome euerlasting as the father is He was afore Abraham was made afore all other creatures not made but begottē of the substaunce of the father very God of God the father Not two Gods but one God and one light and of one substaunce with the father By whom as by his wysedome and craft the father made all creatures as saint Iohn saith al things were made by him he is our Lorde which ye must here vnderstand bi his humanitie manhod for by reason of the Godhed we may sai so of the father and of the holy gost although it be not so expressed in the Apostles Creede For God is oure Lord so we should cal him by reason of his vniuersal dominiō ouer al mankind ouer al other creatures The Lorde importeth a vage dominiō and vncertain power but there is no power dominiō or authoritie so certain as the power that God hath ouer vs wherefore it semeth we may not conueniently call him the Lorde And moreouer we vse to saye the Lorde speaking of suche Lordes as haue nothing to doe with vs as the lorde of Dale the lord of Kilmayn and such like whereas if we were theyr tenauntes or otherwise held of thē we woulde say my lord of Dale or our Lord of Dale and so of others Wherfore professing our due subiection to almightye God we shoulde in common speeche cal him our Lord not dimissing our selues from our allegeaunce to his highnes And I haue knowen verye honest mē that in cōmunicatiō long afore the new translations of the bible came abrode vsed sometimes to sweare by the Lord no more intending or meaning to sweare by God then by any Lorde in the isles of Orchadie so thynking to sweare by they could not tell what or by nothing albeit lest thei should offend them that be addict to the new gise I haue aduertised them to leaue suche sayinges tyll men may be better informed But to my purpose now because all power in heauen and earth was giuen to Christ and all thyng was subiecte vnder his fete and he in his manhood taught his Apostles and all vs by them and in his manhode redemed vs and in the same shall iudge vs therfore we maye iustlye by that reason call hym our lord and maister as it is expressed in this article THe third article was added by S. Iames brother to saint Iohn the Euangelist son of zebedi called Iames the more That was conceiued by the holy gost and borne of the virgine Marie the authoure and doer of this conception was the whole trinitie the father the sonne the holy gost for the workes of the trinitie outwarde amonge creatures be vndyuided so that what so euer one persō doth the same thing doth all three persons But in asmuch as thys blessed incarnation of Christ came of the mere goodnes grace mercy and loue of God whiche is appropriate to the holy gost as power to the father wisedome to the sonne Though all these agreeth to all three persons therefore the scripture sayth as very true it is that the holy gost was the deer thereof but how it was performed done we can better beleue thē declare it faith may do very muche in this article and in all other articles of our faith speche can do very litle Saint Austine faith that lyke as by the heate and influence of the sunne a worme is gēdred of the moyst earth so by the inspiration of the holy goste santifyinge the hart of the virgin the flesh of Christ was cōceiued formed facioned of the flesh of y e virgin without the worke of any sede of man workyng to the same and therefore Christ sayd of himself by the mouth of his prophet that he was a worme and not a man because he was not conceyued as other men be In this marueilous conception the profite and whole nature of man soule and bodi together was vnite and ioyned in one person vnto the sonne of God and neither to the father nor to the holy gost because there should be no confusion but that he that was the sonne of god shuld also be the sonne of man Borne of Mary the virgin he that came to renew the nature of man cankered with sinne chose a new maner to be borne of a mayde and not of a corrupt woman And whē the God of maiestie tooke hys bodye and was borne of a vyrgine hee was no more polluted nor defowled then when he made manne of the earthe as when the Sunne or fyre woorketh on the claye he amendeth and hardeneth that he toucheth and fyleth not it selfe And it is as possyble credyble and lykelye that hee was borne of a virgine as that he made Adam of earth and Eue the first woman of the rybbe of Adams side all is the woorke of God to whom nothing is impossible Great was the prerogatiue of that virgine Mary and the loue that god had to her in that that his onely begottē son by whom he made all the worlde he gaue vnto her to be the fruite of her wombe and her naturall sonne God that made all thyng was made man of her purest bloud to renewe mankinde that by synne was brought to nought While the sonne of God was in his fathers glory not descending to our infirmitie he was vnknowen but when that worde of God was made man and dwelled amongest vs he was seene and knowen on earthe and was conuersaunt with menne for whose sakes he that is Lorde of all the world is made our brother comming forth being borne of the blessed virgine euer close and cleane with out any aperture or diuision of her blessed body euen like as after his resurrection he came into the chambre among the disciples the doores beyng shut and like as the sunne beames commeth through the glasse and breaketh it not SAint Andrewe layde his portion to thys shotte or gathering by these woordes of the fourthe article That suffered vnder Ponce Pilate was crucified dead and buried Thys Ponce Pilate was president and ruler of the countrey and highest iudge there set in his authority by Tiberius the Emperoure of Rome to whom the most part of the world was then subiecte he is here named not for any honestie to his parson but for to declare the time when Christ suffred The death on the crosse he those and neyther to haue his necke broken nor his bones burst as being cast downe from a hyll as his neighbours were aboute to serue him in Nazereth Luke .iiii. where he was brought vp in youthe neyther to be stoned to death as the Iewes would haue killed him when he hid him self and went out of the temple Iohn .viii. And al was for our health and for to saue vs for as saint Austine saith we can not
and wee haue receiued by the preaching of the woorde of God in vertuous liuing agreinge to the same He beginneth his processe with laudes and thankes to God the father of heauen for his aboundant and great mercy in this that he hath regenerate and begotten vs againe to lyfe by our sauiour Christ. Where we afore by our carnall parentes were generate and gotten to dye Therefore he saythe blessed be God and father of oure Lorde Iesu Christ that is to saye God that is the father of our Lord Iesu Christ the first person in trinitie fountain wel and original beginning of the whole trinitie to which saynt Peter geueth his laudes and thankes not excluding any person in trinitie for the father and the sonne and the holy Gost haue all one Godhead equall glory and coeternall maiestie For this you must vnderstande that thys word blessed hath diuers significations according to the thinge that it is ioyned withall When we say blesse God or saye blessed be GOD it is a woorde of thankes and is as muche to saye as laude prayse and thankes be to GOD. For by oure blessynge GOD wee cannot increase hys glorye neyther make hym anye thinge the better by oure thankes although so doyng we accomplish do our boundē dutie to him but when God blesseth vs hys willing well to vs or saying wel by vs is his dede Therefore when hee blesseth vs hee gyueth vs some gyfte of grace or temporall subsidye and healpe by his mere liberalitye and gentlenesse and not of dutie nor of our deseruinge Thyrde when the father or a frende blesseth the chyld he giueth him temporall goodes or wysheth hym well and prayeth for him well to doe as Isaac blessed hys sonnes Iacob and Esau and lykewyse Iacob and other holye Fathers blessed theyr children as I sayde of Sainte Peters blessynge in the later ende of the salutacion of this Epistle Saynte Peter as I sayde begynneth wyth thankes offeringe to GOD at the beginninge a sacrifice of laude remembryng the sayinge of the Prophet Sacrificium laudis honorificabit me The sacrifice of laude and praysinge shall doe me honour saithe almighty God And like as hee that will doe bodely sacrifice to God muste doe it by the handes of a Priest or of a Byshoppe So this sacrifice of laude Saint Peter offereth to GOD the father by the handes of the great Priest and Byshoppe oure Sauiour Iesus Christe makynge mention of hym sayinge pater domini nostri Iesu Christi The Father of oure Lorde Iesus Christe And by thys Sainte Peter gyueth vs good example to begynne all our woorkes wyth thankes and praise to hym for hys owne glorye and with desyringe and praying for his grace to preuent vs to set vs forwarde at the beginning of our workes and to be concurrent and workynge wyth vs in all our affayres and proceadynges in oure businesse Qui secundum misericordiam suam magnam regenerauit nos in spem viuā per resurrectionē Iesu christi ex mortuis Whiche accordynge to hys great mercye by the resurrection of Iesu Christ from amonge the deade hathe begotten vs againe into a liuelye hope Accordynge to the rate of mannes offence almighty GOD multiplieth his mercye And thoughe all synnes compared to almightye God againste whom they be committed be infinite yet considerynge the frowardenes of the hart and wyll of the sinner some sinnes be more greuous then other be and require proporcionablye greater abundance of mercy in the forgeuynge of them then other dothe Therefore saynt Paule thoughe he were a blasphemer and a persecutour of christen people yet because he did it ignorantlye for lacke of fayth he found mercye and was forgeuen his sinnes i. Timo. i. But kinge Dauid coulde not pretend ignorance in his takynge of an other mannes wife neither in causyng Urye the same womannes husbande that neuer offended hym to be slayne vniustly These synnes were greate and horrible therefore he cryed and called for great mercye Miserere mei deus secundū magnam miam tuam And for manifolde mercye accordynge to his manifolde sinnes Then let vs accordyng to this consider the miserable case that mankinde was in afore we were regenerate by Christe and we shal perceyue that our regeneration by baptisme takyng his strength at Christes passion came of mercy yea of great mercy and of manifold mercy Our firste father Adam at his firste creation had the supernatural gifte of originall iustice geuen him for him selfe and for all his posteritie and issue This gift of originall iustice in him made a perfect tranquillitie and quietnes in al the powers of his soule so that his will by this originall iustice shuld obediētly do after the pleasure of god and all the inferiour sensible powers should likewise obeye the wyll so directed and ruled by originall iustice the will should haue preuented the sensible powers so that vnlawefull appetites should neuer haue bene in them As for to synne in adulterye with an other mans wyfe or for to steale or take away an other mans goodes Men shoulde haue hadde none such vnlawfull lustes And by the same gyft the wyll should haue commaunded the sensible powers at tyme and place conuenient to exercise their appetites accordyng to iustice As to vse naturall generatiō at tymes conuenient with a mans owne wife to eate and drinke as reason and iustice would There shuld haue bene no discention stryfe or debate betwixte man and man but continual rest peace And in thys case all mankinde should haue bene if Adam hadde kepte his obedience to almighty GOD but as a punishemente for his disobedience to God all hys inferiour powers disobeyed their superiours And this gyfte of originall Iustyce was geuen hym for hym selfe and for all hys posteritie And therefore lyke as God woulde hym to haue kepte it so he woulde all hys posteritye to haue dooen and requireth it of all menne and women that euer came of Adam by carnall propagacion for wee all ought to haue it And therefore almightye GOD iustelye requireth of euerye persone hauynge in hym the nature of manne that gyfte of originall Iustyce whyche hee gaue to the whole nature of manne And nowe the lacke of that originall Iustyce wyth the debte or duetye to haue it is called originall synne whyche maketh all the Issue and children of Adam the chyldrene of Goddes indignation and anger And so wee by that bee lefte free from Iustice and bonde to synne and to dampnation A myserable case that wee be in synne and be made the chyldrene of anger and of dampnation afore wee haue the vse of Reason and afore wee can dooe anye synne And beside that wee be made subiecte to all miserie vexation syckenesse and trouble whyle wee be here For if Adam hadde kepte hys obedience to GOD there shoulde nothynge haue disobeyed vs nother wynde nor rayne heate nor colde to distemper vs. And then to consider howe for thee lacke of the sayde gyfte of originall Iustyce wee
and kepte companye wyth theim to wynne theim to Christe where the Iewes that were conuerted to Christ thought he did nought and so they toke him as deuided from Christe by occasions geuen of theim wyth whiche he was conuersaunt thoughe he did all for Christes sake and to wynne al maner of menne to Christe Nowe as for pietas in parentes the worshipfull loue and honour that we owe to our fathers and mothers nature teacheth vs the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes of God as an exposition or declaration of the law of nature teacheth vs the same This honour coÌ„sisteth not only in cap knee for â—hi parents might sterue for defaut for al thy curtesy but it staÌ„deth iÌ„ ministratioÌ„ of necessary helpe coÌ„fort in their nede But this kind of pietie or loue due to our pareÌ„ts doth not so sore binde vs but that we maie diminishe of it for to do seruice vnto God Etiam in operibus superero gatioÌ„is in thinges y t we be not bouÌ„d to do but take them of deuotion whiche be now ralled will workes As saint Hierome declareth in diuerse places and speciallie in his firste pistle Ad heliodorum exhortinge him to solitarye lyfe and religion to leaue the yonge babies his nephewes collinge him and hanginge on his necke to leaue his mother though she would with wepynge eyes shewe him the brestes that gaue him sucke in his childehode though his father would lye prostrate ouerthwart the dore to stoppe him the waye he shoulde not sticke for all suche for Solum pietatis genus est in hac re esse crudeleÌ„ It is a kind of reuerend honor of God by it self in this thing to be cruell He saieth likewise ad rusticuÌ„ Monachum in like case Crudelitas ista pietas est This crueltie is reuerende honour to God And in a pistle ad MarcellaÌ„ de egrotatioÌ„e blesille He briÌ„geth in exaÌ„ples of the gospel Iohn Iames left their father Zebede in the boate patchyng his nettes folowed Christ. Mathewe y e customer left his countynge borde whereby he was wont to gette his liuynge and his wiues liuynge and his childrens and folowed Christe An other Luke .ix. was bid folowe Christe Christe so bade him he answered Sir I praye you let me firste go home and burye my father Christ bade him let other menne alone with buriynge the deade Come thou with me learne to preach the word of GOD. Tu autem vade annuncia regnum dei Another said he wold folow Christ but he wold fyrst bestow his riches that he had at home vpon his parentes or kinsfolkes or such other Christ bad him come on forward loke not backwarde like a noughty plowman for such shall not come to heauen Of these sayth S. Hierome there Pieâ—atis genus est impiuÌ„ esse pro domino It is a kinde or one maner of Goddes worship impium esse to be cruell sore or vnlouinge for Christes sake as he meaned perswadinge to religion or solitarye life Of the same in an epistle Ad fabiolaÌ„ de vestitu sacerdotuÌ„ vpon these wordes Superpatre suo et matre sua noÌ„ inquinabitur S. Hierome saith Multa noâ— facere cogit affectus duÌ„ propinquitateÌ„ respicimus corporuÌ„ corporis anime offendimus creatoreÌ„ Qui amat patrem aut matrem super Christum non est Christo dignus discipulus ad sepulturam patris ire desiderans saluatoris prohibetur imperio Quanti monachorum dum patris matrisque miserentur suas animas perdiderunt But maysters yf in Saynte Hieroms time religion had ben lyke to religions as they be nowe a dayes trowe ye that Saynte Hierome woulde so earnestly haue exhorted men to them no no oure religiouse men they be but parietes dealbati very counterfect appearing and not beynge religious no more lyke the religion in Saynt Hieromes time then an apple lyke an oyster as is playne by his writinges and by the Ecclesiasticall stories of Eusebius and the Tripartite story and suche other Yet one word more de pietate Another way it is taken for benignitie mercy pitie or coÌ„passion on our indigent poore and nedy neighbours and thus takinge it we vse to call the workes of mercy workes of pitie that we do on our poore neighbours And thus Paule .i. Tim. ii taketh it when he teacheth good and honeste wemen how they shoulde araye and trimme them selfe without golden riche and costly abilimentes fruntlets or bracelettes without pearles or precious stones not platting or settyng abrode theyr lockes like stales or baites to take the deuyll withall but rather in theyr apparell to vse a certayne bashfulnes and sobernes not like commen wemen that studieth how gloriously and disgysedly they maye make a shewe and set forth theyr fleshe to sale and to be vttered but rather as good wemen shuld aray them selfe vt decet mulieres promittentes pietatem per opera bona as besemeth wemen promising or shewinge pitie by good workes Therefore in the same epistle he exhorteth Timothe to the same sayinge Exerce teipsum ad pietatem Exercise thy self to pitie to do men good For that is profitable for all thinges and hath promyse of the lyfe that is now present and of the life to come That mercy and pitie is rewarded in this worlde it is sayd Prouerb .iii. Da pauperibus implebuntur horrea tua saturitate vino torcularia redundabunt Geue vnto the pore people and thy barnes and store houses or ware houses shalbe made full and thy wyne presses shall ouerflowe with wine And .ii. Corin. ix it is sayde Qui administrat semen seminanti et pauem ad manducandum prestabit multiplicabit semen vestrum angebit incrementa frugum iustitie vestre vt in omnibus locupletati habundetis in omnem simplicitatem He that sendeth sede to the sower wyll also geue breade to eate and wyll multyplye your sede and wyll encrease the gaynes of the grayne of your iustice that you maye be made riche in all thinges and maye habounde into all simplicitie and playnes of lyuinge And that the workes of pitie or mercye hath promise of the lyfe to come it is playne in the Gospell Math. xxv when the sonne of man shal come in his maiestie and all his aungels with him then he shall sitte on the seate of his maiestie and all nations shall be gathered afore him and he shall deuide them aparte euen as the shepehearde parteth the shepe from the goates and he shall set the shepe on his righte hande and the rancke and stinckinge goates on the lift hande And then that kinge wyll saye to theim that be vpon his righte hande O ye children of my father come take possession of the kyngedome that is prepared for you for I was an hungred and you gaue me meate I was a thirste and you gaue me drinke I was harbourlesse and you harboured me and so forth of other workes of mercye for whiche he wyll geue to the mercyfull man or woman lyfe
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
be so prone and headstronge to all actuall Synnes as to pride couetuousnesse anger enuye and such other whyche all make agaynste saluation and worketh to dampnation euerlastynge All these miseries and wretchednes considered it is playne that mankynde hath nede of greate mercy and manifolde and abundant mercy to releue hym And therfore Saynt Peter sayde that almightye God by his greate mercye regenerate vs and gote vs again to life agaynst al these mortal deadly miseries The regeneration new begettyng is by the water of baptisme wyth y e words the cooperation and working of the holy spirit without whiche no man maye see the kyngdome and glorye of God By this the dutye or debt of originall iustice is washed away so that GOD will require it no more of vs but he geueth vs in the stede of the sayde originall Iustice an other gyfte equiualent and as good to helpe vs to heauen as it was whiche is the grace that maketh vs in the fauoure of God againe and acceptable to hym This gifte God sendeth into our soules with fayth at our Baptisme and will still at all tymes require it of vs lyke as afore he required the saide originall iustice so that the former debt and dutye of originall Iustice is chaunged into this latter debte and dutie to conserue and kepe the grace geuen vs at our baptisme And yet the mercy of God is so great toward miserable mā that if it mischaunce vs to lose the same baptismall grace by sinne he hath prouided vs an other helpe the seconde table a seconde remedy by penaunce to washe awaye our sinnes and to make vs cleane againe that we may recouer his grace and fauour So that like as originall iustice after it was lost was recompensed by the grace of baptisme so the grace of baptisme after it is lost by actuall sinne is recompensed by grace geuen vs with remission of our sinne bi penance And so loke how necessary baptisme is to wash vs frō the deformitie of originall sinne and to restore vs to grace so necessary is penāce to clense vs frō the deformitie of actual sinne cōmitted after baptisme to restore vs to grace fauour of god And euē like as God requireth originall iustice of al men that be not baptised as of Turkes Saracens Paignims and Infidels which all receiued it in Adam and as for lacke of it they remayne the children of anger of damnation so of al that be christened he requireth the said grace geuē with baptisme they that haue lost it by deadly sinne remaine the children of damnation except thei be healed by penaunce whiche shal geue them grace equiualent to the baptismal grace like as I said that baptisme geueth grace equiualent to originall iustice Al be it the disobedience and rebellion of the powers of our soules for lacke of the foresayde originall iustice dothe remayne in vs as a payne for Adams synne and as a nours◠and a breader of actuall synne and because almightye GOD while he dothe scourge vs doth not forgette to be mercifull he leaueth the sayde disobedience and rebellion of the powers of our soules as a matter of vertue if we will labour and striue against it to ouercome all vices that it woulde incline vs to By this regeneration also all actuall synnes mortall and veniall be cleane forgeuen when anye manne or woman dothe worthelye receiue it He hathe begotten vs againe sayeth saynt Peter into a liuelye hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christe By whiche the Apostle meaneth that lyke as there be two maner of fayethes a deade fayth and a liuelye fayeth so there be two maners of hope a deade hope and a lyuelye hope Hope is the expectation and lokynge for euerlastyng beatitude and ioye throughe grace and our merites Then the hope of hym that will hope and loke to come to heauen and wyll doe no good thynge to brynge him thither is a deade hope and a presumption rather then hope Thys considered the blessed manne Iob whose hope on God was so firme and sure that he sayde Etiam si occiderit me in ipso sperabo Iob. xiii Althoughe he wyll kyll mee yet I wyll hope and truste vppon hym Yet he sayeth there Veruntamen vias meas in conspectu eius arguam ipse erit saluator meus Non enim veniet in conspectu eius omnis ypocrita I wyll discusse my lyfe accuse myne offences afore hys face And then he wyll be my Sauioure For there is no Hypocrite none that wyll shewe oute warde more hope deuotion or holinesse then they haue in deede that shall come in hys sight Therfore lyke as wee haue powred into vs at our regeneration or Baptisme a liuelye fayeth so wee haue a liuynge or liuelye Hoope that lyke as Christe rysse from deathe to a lyfe immortall so shall wee dooe for the father of heauen so disposed and ordeyned for vs that hys sonne shoulde dye for vs that when hee hadde destroyed deathe by hys resurrection he myghte geue vs good example and lyuelye Hope that wee shoulde lykewyse ryse agayne from death to lyfe For lyke as he dyed for to shewe and geue vs Example not to feare Deathe so he roose agayne because wee shoulde surelye hope lykewyse to ryse agayne Into an inheritance that is vncorruptible vndefowled and neuer fadynge conserued and kepte in store in heauen The inheritaunce of Heauen as the Apostle saythe here hathe three excellente properties whyche wee maye ymagine by three contrarye properties whiche no purchaser wyll haue in anye Patrimonie manour or Lordshippe that he shoulde bye or purchase for him selfe to inhabite or dwell in Firste if it bee a rotten grounde where all thynge anone moulleth the tenauntes and mortises of tymber buyldynge rotteth oute and loseth their pynnes The walles or rouffes gathereth a mosse or a wylde Fearne that rotteth out the Lyme and Morter from the stones And where the Sea or freshe water weareth out the ground so that all thinges that there is in shorte space commeth to nought Hee is not wyse that wyll bestowe hym selfe or hys money on suche a grounde Second if there bee in the Lande or House any infectyue or pestylente Ayre disposynge menne to manye infirmityes and genderynge adders snakes or todes or these stingyng scowts or gnats that will not suffre men to slepe a man shoulde haue litle ioye to dwel in such a manour Third if it be suche a grounde where all thinge withereth and dryeth awaye for lacke of moysture where hearbes proueth not and trees groweth not to theyr naturall quantitie where the leues waxeth yelowe and falleth at Lammas tyde where men soweth a busshel and reapeth a peck and for redde wheate reapeth like rye or otes that is bestowed on suche a purchase is but cast awaye The inheritaunce of this transitorye worlde hath all these noughty properties rehersed and manye worse townes and towres castels and manours decayeth continuallye and where noble men haue dwelled nowe
other beare one with another like the louing members or lims of one mistical body of Christ. Let vs take example of our own lims in our own bodies if one hande be not able to do thy busines anon cōmeth the other hand to worke and if thy handes wyl not serue thou settest to thy foote yea if nede be thy teth and al. If any part of our bodie be hurt the eyes seketh for a plaister the fete laboreth to seke a surgion the tonge laboreth declaring the griefe and praying for help so euery part of our bodies taketh paine laboreth one for an other and with an other so considering that we be the lymmes of Christes body we should louingly one bear with an other to releue the paine and laboure that we see our neighbour susteine If there be iii. or .iiii. bearing a great burden if ther be a good felow or two that wil com set to theyr shulders to bear with them this wil greatly lighten theyr burthē ease them comfort theym so when he that is in paine seeth other men sory ready to set to their handes to releue him ease him and comfort him this mitigateth his paine wondersly and this is true as wel in spiritual infirmities of the soule as in bodely paynes and infirmities After this maner saynt Paule toke the diseases of other men ii Cor. xi Quis infirmatur et ego non infirmor Who is sicke or weake in his faith or in vertue or anye point of vertuous liuing but that I am sick with him being as sory for him as I should be for my selfe if I were so diseased Quis scandalizatur et ego non vror Who is offended as who should say there is no man offended takinge occasion of desperacion or of any sin by the painefulnes of trouble or by il example of others but that I am burned for his sake with the flames of charitie taking compassion for him with him ◠And euen so we al shuld euery one beare an others burden thinking an other mans misfortune as his own Charitie requireth y t we should after this maner take our neighbours hurt or displesure thē you maye perceiue of this how far they be frō charity that reioyce of other mens harme or displeasure and wil insult and vmbraid them of it and make it worse rather thē better Fraternitatis amatores you must loue the fraternitie the brotherheade not onely your brothers as we be al brothers in God our father and in Christ our regeneratour that hathe gotte vs againe by baptisme but we must also loue the brotherhead that is to say the company vnitie and knotte of the brothers all together for although enerye man and woman by him selfe muste be loued yet we muste more loue the comontie or comon concord of them all together then the perticular persons of the same or then any particular companye amonge the same whole multitude Heretikes haue gathered to them special companies which they haue called a brotherhed as now in our time mani callith their confederacie the brotherhead but they be but patched peces and cantels of the brotherhead They diuideth disperseth scattereth that vniuersal and comon brotherhead that Saynt Peter here speaketh of rather then aduanceth it or dothe it any good They be cantels broken of from the catholike vniuersal brotherhed of faithful christē people they semed somtime to be of the brotherhed but they wer not trueli stedfastly of them for as s Iohn saith .i. Ioh. ii If they had bene of thē they wold haue taried with thē but by theyr swaruing away they manifestly shew thē selues that they wer no true members of Christes misticall body the catholik churche but rather like superfluous corrupt humors euomited cast out to releue ease the bodie that was infected by thē If men had not better loued theyr priuate singuler opinions then the comon fraternitie there should neuer so many heresies haue sprong vp among Christen poople When the comon knot of fraternitie is once broken then men take theyr libertie and run at large euery man as his opiniō will draw him till at the last they marre all And euyn so it is in cities and townes and great cominalties except men loue better the comontie and the comon wealth then theyr singuler profit and auantage the state of the towne or citie decayeth and all goeth to ruine Examples we rede of the Romanes which while they magnified the comon wealth prospered wonderouslye but after they had broughte the rule and authoritie of the citie into the power of a few persōs so that none should rule but they And afterwarde when they were striken with ambition and desyre of honor that euery man would be a lorde and a ruler anon by intestine battels seditions and parts taking al cam to nought they lost all theyr royaltie and dominions a great deale faster thē they had got them afore You haue in this citie erect a certaine confederacie which you call the companye I pray God it may do well but I perceiue a certaine mundanitie in it a worldlye couetous caste to bring the gaines that was indifferent comō to al the marchants of this citie into the handes of a fewe persones Therefore good neyghbours loue the whole brotherhed vniuersal companie of Christes faithful people diuide it not if ther be any cantel broken out pray for them that thei may returne and come home againe to the great flocke and congregation of Christen people and that they may hereafter loue the whole fraternitie Misericordes you must be merciful Our sauiour Christ in the gospell exhorting vs to mercye like as our father in heauen is mercifull putteth thre kindes of mercie Luc. vi One consisteth in not iudging nor condempning our neighbour of ani mortal crime without euident signes For he that withoute euidence of a manyfest facte or of such signes as can not be countersayd excused by any tergiuersacion will iudge hys neighbour and inwardly condempne him as a malefactour hath a cruel hart and is not merciful The second kinde of mercy that our sauiour speaketh of ther standeth in forgiuing offences done to vs like as we wolde be forgiuē Dimittite et dimittetur vobis forgiue and you shall be forgiuen But because that in the naughty world that now runneth by ouermuch suffering ill persons may take occasions of boldnes to do yll It is not at al times necessary to forgiue both the offence and the iniury The offence and displeasure of minde and the yll wil to the person that hathe offended thee muste nedes be forgiuen and layd away but the wrong done vnto thee thou mayst redresse by the order of the lawes euer without any sinister desyre or purpose to vndo or notabli to hurt him that thou suest at the lawes Notwithstanding if thou forgiue the iniuri aswel as the offence it is a dede of superogacion wel done shal not
and strength and to furnysh and to set forth the beutie of the whole worlde and to saue them selues by a certayne methaphoricall prudence or a similitude of prudence or prouision as you see that whē a yong tree groweth nigh vnto a great tre y e yong tree wyl grow outward frō the greater tree as it were to saue it selfe frō the shadow or dropping of the greater tree naturally prouiding for his owne safegarde by suche a naturall prudence or prouision The brute beastes also desyreth that is good for them by a certaine comon prudence which is and may be called A prouision for thinges to come bi remembrance of thyngs past As a Horse or a Cowe that hath be fed in a good pasture or wintred in a warme stable wyll draw to the same againe when thei haue nede But mā which is a reasonable creature prouideth for the thing that is good for him self or for thē that lōg to him bi prudence more properly taken which is recta ratio agibilium circa hominis bona et mala vi Ethi id est ratio rectificatiua agibilium The reason or a qualitie or a vertue in the reasō that maketh streight setteth in order al things that mā doth to obtaine that is good to exchew that is bad It is also the vertue by which a manne can gyue good counsail make wise prouision for al thinges that longeth to a mans life But then in as much as the wiseman saith Contra bonum malū est et contra malum bonū Euery good thing hath an enemie and so hath eueri vertue or at the lest wise an Ape or a counterfeter that semeth a vertue is none but rather a vice So there is a certaine prudēce of hipocrites that pretendeth a grauitie and a politique cast in all theyr affaires and doinges yet they loke more for vayne prayse of the people and that they may be seene to be wise and politique then for anye right or streight intencion to do anye good by theyr policie to Gods pleasure or to do any man good by the same Because that Prudence and sapience be sometyme taken for one as appeareth where the Apostle sayth Ro. viij Prudentia carnis mors est The prudence of the fleshe is deathe And there ryght he saythe Sapientia carnis inimica est deo The Sapience or wisedome of the fleshe is enemye to God Therefore as Saynte Iames maketh a distinction of three maner of wysedomes Iacob iij. So we maye diuide prudence or prouidence callynge some earthly prudence or wisedome some beastlye wysedome and some dyuelishe wisedome or prouision Earthly prudence or wisedome is the wisedome of them that studyeth vehemently and farre casteth to gette the wealthe and ryches of the world and drowneth them selues in the same euen as it were Moles or Wants that be neuer well but when they be toylynge or moylynge in the earth and there they be wyser and can better skil then any other beast Euen so be these worldly wise men whiche be neuer well but when they be gathering riches mucke of the worlde more seruing theyr riches then seruing God Agaynste which speaketh our sauiour Christ Nemo potest duobus dominis seruire deo et mammone No man can serue two maysters God and his goodes or ryches The Phariseis that were couetous men hearde thys and laughed hym to scorne therfore they heard ve vobis diuitibus you suche rych persons shall haue wo euerlastinge for the ioye that you nowe take in your riches Beastlye wisedome they haue that obey the pleasure of the bealy and applyeth theyr wyttes chiefelye to content the same in that folowing the propertye of very beastes to which Christ sayd Ve vobis qui saturati estis quia esurietis Wo be to you that be farced and stuffed full of meates for you shall be a hungerd bothe here and in the worlde to come Esau for greedynes of a messe of potage lost hys fyrst frutes yea made but a trifle of it he toke no thought for his losse worsse then the prodigall and wastefull sonne that is spoken of in the gospel for when he had spent al he toke repentance returned to his father agayne asked mercye and had it But our spill paynes that drinketh wasteth all that theyr fathers or frendes hathe lefte them loueth nothing wors then to heare of their ryote and waste and wyl be readye to fighte if a man speake to them of it and wyl sweare woundes and nayles that if they had twise as muche more it should go the same way they would sell euery ynche of it Suche men be wearye of theyr wealthe they can not beare wealth and plentye they can not beare so heauye a burden therefore they must learne to beare light to beare pouerty and beggery and for landes rents and worship full estate must hop in a cutted cote proficientes in peius proceding and going furth euery daye into worsse and worsse Diuelishe wisedome or prudence they haue that by example of the deuyl exalt them selues to the vttermost of theyr power He would haue exalted him selfe aboue the sters of heauen aboue the estate of all angels and said he would be like the highest equall and as good as God Esay xiiii Mark the sequel that folowed of his pride and beware of it Veruntamen in infernum deijcieris in profundum laci but thou shalt be cast into hell into the depest of the lake and so he was ouerturned from the gloriousest angell in heauen and made the fowlest dyuell in hell and yet proud men semeth worsse then he was for he desired no more but to be like GOD and equall with God but the proude man woulde be better then God For where God woulde haue his will fulfilled and done when it is iuste and good the proude man would haue his will done and fulfilled whither it be right or wrong Against al these worldly prudences and wisedomes saith almighty God as it is rehersed .i. Cor. i. I shall destroy the wisedome of worldlye wise men and shall reproue the prudence and prouidence of suche prudent persons Hath not God saith the Apostle made the wisedome of the world very foolishnes It hath pleased almightye God to saue faithfull people by the preaching of the gospell whiche worldlye wisemen repute and take as very foolishnes and as a foolishe thinge They take theyr policie and worldly prouidence as thoughe it came of theym selues and not of God and therefore they thanke not God for it neither honour him but rather labour and studie to destroy his honour to quēch it and therefore God of his iust iudgement many times taketh that awaye from theym that he gaue them so that while they thincke them selues wise they proue verye fooles and God turneth theyr cast and theyr drift to a frustratorie vayne and foolishe end contrarye to theyr expectacion The prudence and wisedome that Sainte Peter in this place of his epistle that wee