at one woorde what soeuer is naturally to bee doen in this bodie and is fraile and transitorie To all these died Christe Saincte Paule calleth these the Naturall or Animall bodie for that all other Creatures haue the vse of all these actions as well as we But his fleshe died not in any other sorte but accordyng to the fleshe that is accordyng to those Naturall and corporall functions whiche are done and exercised by the bodie To this life I saie Christe died so that all these functions likewise died and ceassed in hym and hee hymself transported into an other life And beeyng quickened accordyng to the Spirite tooke vnto hym a life Spirituall and supernaturall comprehendyng and possessyng in it self all that life whiche Christe now possesseth as well in Bodie as in Spirite Who now hath not any longer suche a carnall Bodie as he had afore but a Spirituall bodie And thus doeth sainct Paule expounde this place The very same hope wee also at the latter daie to enioye to witt that our fleshe and bloud shall passe and bee altered in to a spirituall life wherein these our Bodies shal no more eate and drinke begette children digest concoct euacuate or any suche like but shall 〈…〉 in Spirite and this bodie shall bee as clearâ— as nâ—w the Sâ—nne is yea 〈◊〉 clearer Fleshe and bloud shall not thenceforth bee naturall there shall then be no suche function either 〈◊〉 or corporall suche as other Creatures now 〈◊〉 aswell as wee These bee in a maner the woordes whiche sainct Paule vseth j. Cor. xv The first man Adam saieth he was made a liuyng Soule and the last Adam was made a quicknyng Spirite And it there followeth That as we haue borne the Image of the earthie and naturall Man so shall we beare the Image of the spirituall and heauenlie From Adam wee haue all the offices and functions naturall euen as brute Beastes haue accordyng to our outwarde senses and faculties But Christe liueth in the Spirit and is fleshe and bloud but not so as he did afore all outwarde functions of bodily Senses are ceassed in hym he neither sleepeth nor watcheth and yet knoweth he all thinges and is in euery place Suche also shall wee bee for he is the first fruictes the oblation and first boxâ—re as S. Paule saieth of the 〈…〉 that is he is the first that arose from the dead and tooke vnto him a spiritual life Therefore Christ doeth now liue accordyng to the Spirite that is to saie He is still very perfect Man but he hath a spiritual Body And therfore that whiche is here saied is not so to 〈◊〉 taken as we vsually doe wheÌ„ we separate Fleshe and Spirite asunder the one from the other but that the Bodie and Fleshe are now spirituall and that the Spirite is bothe in the Bodie and with the Bodie For sainct Peters meanyng is not here that Christe was raised by the holie Ghost but he vseth this worde Spirite after a general maner 〈◊〉 if a man should saie the Spirit doth this or that In whiche wordes is not simplie meant the holie Ghoste but rather that inwarde working and effectuall force whiche worketh in vs by the operation of the holie Ghost By the whiche he also went and preached vnto the spirites that are in person Whiche were in tyme passed disobedient THis place I dooe take to bee as obscure and harde to bee vnderstoode as any in the newe Testament insomuche that I confesse my self not yet to haue founde out the certaine meanyng thereof First the words them selues doe sounde as though Christe had preached vnto Spirites I meane the Soules of them that would not beleeue in the tyme that Noah built the Arke The sense thereof beeyng somewhat harde to conceiue hath hitherto so entangled mee that neither can I aduouche any sounde interpretation of it neither any other as yet that hath takeÌ„ in hand the exposition thereof Some peraduenture will not sticke to take these woordes so as that Christe after his deathe on the Crosse went downe into Hell and preached to the Soules there with whiche vain opinion I meane not here to enter disputation But mee thinkes these wordes doe very well admit an other sense meanyng to wit that our Lorde Christ after his ascension into Heauen came in Spirite and preached albeeit not bodilie For hee speaketh not now with any bodilie voyce as he also vseth none of the other functions of corporall or bodily nature And therefore let vs take the wordes to signifie and meane accordyng as thei sounde that is in Spirite and that he preached to the Spirites in that his spirituall life Wherevppon it also followeth that his preachyng then was spirituall emplantyng the same in their hartes and Soules so that there was no neede for him to goe in bodie and preache with mouth for the same These words of sainct Peter proue not that after he dyed he went doune vnto the Ghosts that are in Hell to preache vnto them For he saieth thus In whiche he went c. Whiche is asmuche as if he had saied After he was deade accordyng to the fleshe and quickened accordyng to the Spirite that is after hee had laied doune and left his life in the fleshe and all other naturall workes and functions of his bodie and had now taken vnto him a spirituall life and conuersation as now he hath and doeth in heauen then hee went and preached to the Spirites c. Now it is most euident and certaine that Christ descended not eftsoones to Hell after he had receiued this his newe glorified life And therefore wee must vnderstande that he made this preachyng after his Ascension into Heauen Seyng therefore that the wordes doe well beare to be vnderstood of a Spirituall preachyng wee are to thinke that S. Peter in this place speaketh of the Office of Christe for that as the worde is outwardly preached by Voyce so worketh he inwardly in the harte Hee enioyned his Apostles to preache the Gospell bodily but yet is hee hymself present spiritually and whatsoeuer the Apostles vtter in outwarde speeche to the bodily eares of men that doethe he speake and preache into the hartes and myndes of them inwardlie And then preacheth hee to the Spirites whom the Deuill holdeth captiue and in thraldome so that wee take this worde went and these wordes preachyng to the Spirites that are in prison accordyng to the accoumpt and computation of God himself because in the sight of Christe thei that haue been long since are euen in the same state as thei bee that now presently liue For his Kyngdome reacheth to the deade aswell as to the liuyng In that life wherein hee now liueth the Beginning the Middle and the ende of the Worlde are conteined and reckened after one and the same accoumpt all as one although in this life these thinges bee not reckened so but eche thyng accordyng to his orderly succession as the Sonne after the Father and so of others All thinges
thou his Sonne in whom thou reposed greater confidence and trust then in thy â—â—rnal father and mother and that he will in all thy necessitie bee readie to helpe thee euen for Christes sake our onely Mediatoure and Sauiour Suche a Faithe as this commeth not of any humaine power but GOD planteth thâ— same in vs for that Christe with his Blood deserued and merited it to whom therefore be hath giuen this glorie that beyng set on his right hande he by his diuine power might settle and staie a sure faithe in vs. Hitherto therefore wee haue heard how saincte Peter exhorteth vs first to girde vp the loynes of our mynde and also sincerely to walke in a perfecte faithe Then consideryng how deare a price this hath coâ—te Christe that wee should haue our conuersation in feare not bearyng our selues hold vpon this that we are named ChristiaÌ„s sith God is suche a iudge as respecteth no maintes persone one more then an other but iudgeth equally without any parcialitie Now proceedeth he further and endeth this first Chapter saiyng Seeyng your Soules are purified in obeiyng the truthe through the Spirit to loue brotherly without â—â—inyng Loue one an other with a pure harte feruently Beeyng borne a newe not of mortall seede but of immortall by the woorde of God who liueth and indureth for euer For all fleshe is as grasse and all the glorie of man is as the flower of grasse The grasse withereth and the flower falleth awaie But the worde of the Lorde endureth for euer and this is the worde whiche is preached among you SAinct Paule in the fifte to the Galath rekoneth vp the fruites that followe faithe The fruites of the Spirit saieth he are Loue Ioye Peace long suffering Gentlenesse Goodnesse Faith Meekenesse Temperance So also here doeth saincte Peter teache vs whiche bee the fruietes of faithe To witte to purifie our Soules in obeiyng the truthe through the Spirite For where true Faithe is it bryngeth the bodie vnder and in subiection and bridleth the lustes of the fleshe and although it make not a cleare riddaunce and dispatche thereof yeâ— makers it the Bodie subiect to the Spirite and â—s with a bridle qualifieth the wilde motions thereof The same meanyng also hath sainct Paule where he speaketh of the fruictes of the Spirite It is a greate and busie peece of woorke to bryng the Spirite to Maister and beare rule ouer the Bodie and to represse the wilfull affections and fleshlie desires naturally engraffed in vs from our parentes For it is not possible for vs to liue well no not in the state of Wedlocke without speciall Grace I saie nothyng what wee can doe herein beyng without Grace But why saieth he Purifie or make chaste your Soules and not rather your Bodies Surely he full well knewe that the lustes and concupiscences of the fleshe accompainie vs to our Graues and are neuer quenched in vs although wee bee Baptized till our diyng daie Now it is not inough for a manne to conteine hymself from the acte doyng and to be outwardly chaste and a virgine his harte in the meane while boilyng in filthie desires of fleshly lustes but wee must earnestly endeuour our selues with all diligence that our Soules maie bee chaste so that this chastitie maie proceede and come from the harte and that the Soule maie bee at continuall enemitie and warre with all naughtie desires and still fight againste them till it be cleare deliuered from them And it agreeth very well that is here added that we must purifie our Soules in obeiyng the truthe through the Spirit Muche hath been preached and spoken of Chastitie and many Bookes haue been written concernyng it The Aucthours whereof haue taught vs with long Fastyng abstinence from fleshe wine and suche like to quenche these filthie motions of concupiscence and luste Whiche although some what thei helpen therevnto yet could thei not be sufficient neither could thei beate doune the inordinate desires of the flesh Sainct Hierom writeth of hymself that he so punished and pinched his Bodie that he was euen like an Ethiopian yet neuerthelesse he so little therewith profited that he many tymes dreamed he was in Rome in companie of Gentle women and faire Maiders S. Bernard also so punished and with suche abstinence almoste so spoiled his bodie y t it stonke loathsomely as afore I haue declared These holy men were greeuously teÌ„pted for with those outward thinges thei thought thei could restraine and quench their temptations but because the remedies whiche thei vsed were externall and outwarde and were applied outwardlie and not inwardly where in deede the disease was harboured thei could not serue as sufficient and able to maister and kill those desires of the mynde with whiche thei warred But S. Peter in this place sheweth vs a moste true and Soueraigne remedie wherewith to cure this euill to witte Obedience to the truthe through the Spirite Whiche the Scripture in other places also setteth doune as in the 11. of Esaie Faithfulnesse shalbe the girdle of his reynes This is the true Cataplasme wherewith the Reynes are to be girded whose soundnesse must proceede from the inner thinges to the outwarde and not contrariwise from the outwarde to the inner For the Soare whiche we would cure lieth not outwardlie in the kerther or clothes but deeyng bredde inwardlie ragingly raigneth and lyeth in the Bloud Fleshe Marrowe and Veines Therefore it is not the beste waie with outwarde thinges to goe aboute to represse and quenche fleshly concupiscence the bodie with fasting and labours may be brought into greate debility and weakenesse and at leÌ„gth thereby be vtterly marred spoyled and brought vnto death but to bee cased from euill desires it can not But Faithe is able to quenche them and so to keepe them vnder that thei shall bee brought to giue place and yeeld vnto the Spirite So also speaketh the Prophete Zacharie in his 9. Chapter of wine whereof Christe first drinketh whiche maketh them maydens to whom hee drinketh and forecasteth Then arare of other wine is wont to enkindle and stirre vp naughtie desires but this wine to wit the Gospell represseth the same and maketh the harte chast And this is it that S. Peter here meaneth when hee saieth where Truthe is bolden fast in the harte and obedience thereunto giuen through the spirite that that and none but that is the truest cure presentest remedy against this daungerous euil and mischiefe beside which there is none other that can be found so able to driue awaie and qualifie these euill cogitations and vaine thoughtes For wheÌ„ this remedie the Gospell I meane is entered and taken possessioÌ„ within the harte all naughtie leude motions do straightways giue place and vanishe awaie Let hym that wil trie this matter and hee shall duely finde it so to bee as all they that haue made triall thereof doe very well know But the Deuill doth not easely suffer any man to come to that poinct as in harte so to embrace the
of euill doers thei maie bee ashamed whiche slaunder your good conuersation in Christe For it is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well doyng then for euill doyng For Christe also hath once suffred for sinnes the iust for the vniust that he might bryng vs to God and was put to death concernyng the fleshe but was quickened in the spirite By the whiche he also went and preached vnto the spirites that are in prison Whiche were in tyme passed disobedient when once the long sufferyng of God abode in the daies of Noe while the Arke was preparing wherein fewe that is eight soules were saued in the water To the which also the figure that now saueth vs euen Baptisme agreeth not the puttyng awaie of the filth of the flesh but in that a good cōscience maketh request to God by the resurrection of Iesus Christ Whiche is at the right hande of God gone into heauen to whom the Angels and Powers and Mighte are subiect Likewise let the wiues bee subiecte to their Housbandes that euen thei whiche obey not the word maie without the woorde bee wonne by the conuersation of the wiues While thei behold your pure conuersation which is with feare SAincte Peter in this place namely speaketh of those Wiues whiche in his tyme had vnbeleeuyng Housebandes and again of suche faithful Housebandes as yet had Heathen and Ethnick wiues For it oftentymes happened in those daies that the Apostles preached the Gospell emong vnbeleeuyng Pagans and Infidelles emong whom it was often seen that the one of the parties to witte either the Housebande or the Wife was conuerted and wonne vnto Christe the other still wallowyng and persisting in errour Now if this charge of Wiues subiection and obedience to their housbandes were so straightly commaunded then how muche more is it behouefull and necessarie to performe and shewe it forth now adaies The office therefore of a Wife saieth sainct Peter is this to bee loyall and subiecte to her Housebande yea though he bee an Infidell and a Heathen And here he inferreth the cause why it is conuenient and behoouefull so to doe That euen thei whiche obeye not the worde maie without the woorde bee wonne by the conuersation of the wiues WHen the Housebande seeth that his Wife liueth orderly innocently and honestlie he is thereby moued and prouoked to embrace the like Christian Faithe and godlinesse And albeeit the office of preachyng bee not committed nor allowed vnto Women yet ought thei neuerthelesse so honestly to demeane and behaue themselues in maners and conuersation that euen thereby thei maie allure and drawe their Housebandes vnto Faithe Wee reade that the vertuous Matrone Monica Mother vnto sainct Augustine conuerted her houseband a little afore his death vnto the Faithe of Christ and after that her Soonne Augustine also But wee must note that this is an externall office and outward charge not to bee doen of any woman with intent thereby to bee iustified For by all this obedience shall not a woman bee saued For euen emong the Heathen Infidelles wee maie finde some Wiues in eche respecte verie duetifull seruiceable and debonaire to their housebandes but that obedience of theirs raught no farther then to content serue and please their housebandes For so did God ordaine and appoincte Genes iij. when he saied to the woman Thou shalt be subiecte to thy Housebande and he shall rule ouer thee whiche is one of the punishmentes that God there inflicted and laied vpon Women But yet this is as I saied afore appertainyng to outward conuersation and belongeth to the bodie not to the Spirite Women haue here greate cause to reioyce in that thei knowe what Worke to doe to please God withall For this is suche a greate treasure as a wife can not haue a greater nor more precious in that she certainely knoweth that when she sheweth suche subiection and obedience to her housebande she highlie pleaseth God therewith and doeth that whiche to hym is right acceptable then whiche knowledge and persuasion what can be tide vnto her more ioyfull and gladsome And therefore she that is desirous to bee a right Christian wise let her thus thinke with her self I will not respect what maner of persone my housebande is with whom I am now coupled in mariage whether he bee Iewe or Gentile good or badde but I will drawe my self to this consideration and respecte onely that God hath appoincted me to bee this mannes Wife and linked me vnto hym in the bandes of Matrimonie and therefore as I am bounde so will I in all poinctes bee subiecte and obedient vnto hym This persuasion beeyng once throughlie settled in her liuyng in suche duetifull obedience all her Workes bee bothe acceptable and commendable If any bee so wilfull and waiwarde whom these reasons doe not moue to suche a one doubtlesse no other persuasions will be auaileable By beatyng a man shall doe no good if he thinke thereby to bryng his wife to be tractable and duetifull for in castyng out one Deuill by beatyng he shall bee sure to beate in twoo as badde or worse as in our common Prouerbe we are wont to saie O that Wiues throughlie knewe this doctrine and exhortation of Saincte Peter how happily and blessedlie should thei liue But our peruerse and crooked Nature is suche that what God commaundeth none are willyng to followe but what mannes idle braine deuiseth after that men runne headlōg Furthermore God hath willed this Commaundement of wiues obedient subiection to their housbandes to bee so firmely and inuiolablie obserued that he hath graūted power and aucthoritie to the housebandes to dissolue vndoe disalowe and to make frustrate and of none effecte any vowes made by their wiues if thei mislike the same As wee read Num. xxx And that for none other cause but to liue therby at home in peace quietnesse and tranquillitie And thus muche firste of the office and duetie of Wiues towarde their Housebands now next the Apostle setteth doune how a Wife ought to behaue her self towardes all others Whose apparailyng let it not be outward as with broided haire and golde put aboute or in puttyng on of apparaile But let the hidde man of the harte bee vncorrupte with a meeke and quiet Spirite whiche is before God a thyng muche set by THis treasure and inward garnishement we maie not thinke here to be commaunded and prescribed onely for Wiues but the same stretcheth ought to bee construed as ment also of Men. Here maie some aske this question Whether these saiynges of Saincte Peter concernyng Womens apparaile bee straightly commaunded or no Wee reade of Queene Esther how that she ware a Croune of gold on her head and putte on her roiall apparaile that was very rich precious and meete for a Quene Esth ij and .v. Iudith also apparailed her self moste brauelie and magnificently Iud. x. But in bothe places we finde it thus explaned that thei did it not for any vaine delite that thei had therein
of Christe but shall tremble and quake for feare and be loathe â—odye wishyng rather still in this life to lye be dred sicke and diseased then once to dye or exchaunge this life for any other Wherefore I will not bee negligent to put you alwaies in remembraunce of these thynges though that ye haue knowledge and bee stablished in the present truth OF this we haue oftentymes spoken afore Albeit GOD hath caused a great light to shine vnto vs in this so mercifull a manifestation of the Gospell so that we both now know what a Christian life is and also what Christian Doctrine meaneth and dooe also see the skope of the whole Scripture to tend to none other ende but this yet neuerthelesse it is expedient and necessarie still to perseuere and go forwarde in preachyng and teachyng without ceassyng and to â—terate inâ—â—lke the self same doctrine from daie to daie if not to learne yet to bee admonished and put in remembraunce of doctrine before learned and receiued For there are twoo Offices in the Church as S. Paule teacheth Rom. xij the one consisteth in Teaching the other in Exhorting He that teacheth let hym take heede to his teaching and doctrine and he that exhorteth to his exhortation Rom. xij Teachyng is where wee laie the foundation of Faithe and preache the Gospell to them that haue not yet heard any thyng thereof Exhortyng or admonishyng is as here sainct Peter saieth to preache to them that haue bothe heard and learned the same afore to encourage them manfully to proceede and continue in their well begonne enterprise and to awake and stirre vp their dull and drowsie natures to goe on forwarde from steppe to steppe and from degree to degree euery daie more and more We are all cladde and laden with this olde rotten Sacke our Fleshe and Bloud which stil pulleth vs doune and draweth vs the wrong waie whereby the Soule is easily â—ulled asleepe and brought into securitie And therefore it is very behâ—mâ—â—ful and necessarie for vs to bee continually exercised euen as a good householder keepeth his Seruauntes and Familie still occupied and calleth vppon them to looke to their businesse leaste they should growe into ydlenesse Now if the dulnesse of our nature bee suche that it must bee called vppon and put in mynde to dooe thinges expedient and behoouefull for externall foode and maintenaunce of the Bodie how muche more conuenient and meete is it that the same bee vsed and putte in practise in matters appertainyng to the Spirite and Soule For I thinke it meete as long as I am in this Tabernacle to stirre you vp by puttyng you in remembraunce SAinct Peter here calleth his Body a Tabernacle wherin the Soule for a time saiourneth and it is a muche like phraze to that whiche is vsed in the former Epistle wher he called the Body of the Woman a Vessell or Droun And after the like sorte speaketh S. Paule ij Cor. v. Wee knowe that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle be destroyed we haue a building giuen of God that is an house not made with haÌ„ds but eternall in the Heauens for the whiche we sigh desiryng to be clothed with our house whiche is from Heauen For so long as wee are in this Tabernacle wee sigh and are hurdened c. And againe But wee are comforted and are bold in this that wee knowe that whiles wee are in the bodie wee are absent from the Lorde But wee had leifer to remoue out of the Bodie and to dwell with the Lorde Here wee see S. Paule calleth this Bodie of ours an House makyng two maner of Dwellynges and twoo maner of Peregâ—inatioÌ„s or absences from home By which phraze of speeche Sainct Peter also here in this place calleth this Bodie a Tabernacle for the Soule to soiourne in by whiche name he doeth muche extenuate the reputation that is commonly made of it and also seth it lower then moste parte of men accoumpt of it for he doeth not call it an House but a Tabernacle 〈◊〉 poore Cotage such as seelie Sheepeheardes vse to dwell in The house is slender and contemptible but the treasure that is laied vp and kept in it is riche and precious Seeyng I knowe that the tyme is at hande that I must laie downe this my Tabernacle euen as our Lord Iesus Christ hath shewed me I will endeuour therefore alwaies that ye also may be able to haue remembraunce of these thinges after my departyng SAinct Peter here testifieth of himself that he is assured of eternall life and that by speciall reuelation from the Lorde he knewe when he should dye all which was doen for our sakes and to confirme and strengthen our Faith For it was very expedient and necessarie that there should bee some suche men that had in themselues a certain perswasion and sure knowledge of their electioÌ„ who might establishe laie the foundation of Faith in others whereby it might bee out of all doubt knowen that they preached not the dreames and fantasies of men but the true and sincere Worde of God Whiche men before thei came to that assuraunce and certaintie God throughly tryed and prooued Therefore saieth sainct Peter I will not onely with my liuely voyce admonishe and put you in remembraunce but I will also committ these my admonitions to writyng and leaue my exhortations written for your directions and instructions that after my death aswell as in my life tyme ye maie bee thereof put in minde by others and bee called vpon to obserue and put the same in vre practise Beholde here what a vigilant care this Apostle had for the safegarde and saluation of Soules and yet neuerthelesse wee see through the malice of Sathan what shamelesse shiftes and cogging marchaundize hath been and still is made of them For wee followed not deceiuable fables when we opened vnto you the power and commyng of our Lorde Iesus Christe but with our eyes wee sawe his Maiestie For he receiued of God the Father honor and glorie when there came such a â—oyce to hym from the excellent glorie This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased And this voyce we heard when it came from heauen beyng with hym in the holy mount HEre S. Peter bringeth in the hystorie of the transfiguration of Christe vppon the Mount written by the Euangelist Mathewe Chapt. xvij Wherein is declared how the Lorde Iesus tooke three of his Disciples viz. Peter Iames and Iohn into an high Mountaine and was there transfigured before them his face shinyng as the Sunne and his clothes beyng white as the Light where also there appeared vnto them Moses and Elias talkyng with hym till at length a bright Cloude shadowed them and a voyce comming out of the Cloude saied This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare hym Whiche when the Disciples heard thei fell on their faces and were sore afraide Then Iesus came and touched them and saied Arise be not afraide
to require Hee appointeth no certen tyme as the Pope hath doen how long wee must faste but leaueth it to euery ones iudgement so to fast that hee bee alwaies sober that hee doe not so surcharge his bodie with ouermuche eatyng and drinking but that he maie haue the perfect vse of reason and knowe how to vse his senses aright and how to liue profitably and beneficially to others in his vocation For it is a very preposterous absurde and vnprofitable thyng to giue a generall precept hereof vnto the whole people or to the Churche for asmuche as wee are vnlike among our selues one hath a strong bodie another a weake so that it is needefull for one to absteine muche for an other to absteine little that the bodie maie neuerthelesse remaine in health and bee fit to doe good workes Againe there bee some that deale cleane contrarily and thinke thei doe very well in fastyng nothyng at all supposyng that thei maie without respecte of tyme eate what thei will But herein thei doe not well for albeit thei haue somewhat tasted of the Gospell yet haue thei profited little or nothyng like vnto the former For thei haue profited no further but onely to contemne the Lawes of the Pope Thei will not girde vp their mynde and senses as Peter here biddeth neither do thei bridle the desires of their bodie that the sluggishnesse and lasciuiousnesse thereof maie bee repressed It is good to faste howbeit the right Faste in deede is to giue the bodie no more nourishmente then is needefull to preserue it in healthe also to exercise it with labours and watchynges least this old Asse of ours become more wanton and lasciuious then is meete Let hym bee restrained and bridled and obedient to the Spirite whiche Saincte Peter calleth here to bee sober Not as some are wont to faste who so excessiuely engorge and pamper them selues with fishe and the beste sortes of wine at one diner that thei make their beallies like a Taber or Drumme with stuffyng and crammyng them so full Truste perfectly on the grace that is brought vnto you SVche is Christian Faithe that with all affiaunce it wholie trusteth to the woorde of God quietly committeth it self vnto it and confidently attempteth whatsoeuer it teacheth Whereupon S. Peter saith then are the loynes of the mynde girded vp then is your faith sincere and sounde when ye doe quietly and confidently commit your selues to the Worde of God and be bolde vpon trust therein hauyng no regarde whatsoeuer thyng of yours commeth into perill whether it bee riches or good name bodie or euen the life it self Excellently therefore hath he in these wordes described a sincere and vnfeined Faithe For Faithe must not be sluggishe and sleepie whiche is rather a dreame then a Faithe but it must bee liuely and effectuall so that one would with all confidence offer him self to all afflictions and troubles whatsoeuer and depende wholy on the Woorde esteemyng indifferently whatsoeuer state God sendeth that wee maie patiently susteine aduersitie as well as enioye prosperitie As for examples sake when I must dye I must confidently commit my self to Christe I muste quietly offer my life for his sake and trustyng to the Woorde whiche can not deceiue I muste boldly and couragiously triumpht ouer myne aduersaries It is needfull moreouer that Faith should passe through without declinyng any waie and that it suffer it self to be hindered and terrified by no meanes that it remoue frō the eyes whatsoeuer it seeth heareth or feeleth Suche a faithe doeth Sainct Peter require whiche consisteth not in thinkyng and woordes but in mightie power and effectuall vertue Further saieth sainct Peter Trust perfectlie on the grace that is brought vnto you that is to saie You haue not deserued this exceadyng greate grace but it is euen freelie offered and brought vnto you For the Gospell whiche declareth and publisheth this grace vnto vs wée our selues haue neither deuised nor found out but the holie Ghost hath sent it frō heauen into the worlde And what thyng is it that is brought vnto vs Forsooth euen the thinges whiche wee haue afore mentioned Namelie that whosoeuer beleeueth in Christe and cleaueth faste vnto his woorde hath together with hym all the benefites and blessynges whiche bee his in so muche that he is thereby euen a Lorde ouer Synne Death Deuill and Helle and is moste certainly assured of euerlastyng life This so greate a treasure is brought home to vs as it were to our owne doores and laied vp in our bosomes without any our owne helpe merite or deseruyng yea euen vnhoped and vnlooked for when we neither knewe of it nor so muche as once thought of any suche matter And therefore the Apostle exhorteth vs that wee should boldlie and vndoubtedlie looke for this Grace because that God whiche offereth and bestoweth the same vpon vs can not in any wise lye By the reuelation of Iesu Christe GOD offereth his Grace to none but by Christ and therefore without this Mediatour lette no mā presume to come into his sight as we haue afore admonished For he will heare no manne but hym that bryngeth with hym Christe his moste deare Sonne to bee his Aduocate and Spokesman as one whom he onely hath respecte vnto and for his sake to all those that by Faithe cleaue faste vnto hym And therefore he requireth at our handes that we acknowledge his Sonne as the persone by whose blood wée are at one with hym and now dare to present our selues before hym For to this ende came our Lord Christ who taking flesh and blood vnto him ioyned hymself with vs that hee might obtaine pardon and purchase Grace for vs at y t hādes of his Father By this faith in Christ were all the Prophetes and Patriarches saued For it behooued all menne generally to beleeue this promise made vnto Abraham In thy seede shall all Nations bee blessed And therefore the Iewes Turkes and all thei that repose any truste in their owne workes hopyng thereby to winne heauen haue no Faithe at all in them And therefore dooeth Peter saie Grace is brought to you but yet by the reuelation of Iesu Christe or to speake it more plainly by this that Iesus Christe is reuealed vnto you In the Gospell it is shewed vnto vs what Christe is that we maie throughly knowe hym namely that he is our Sauiour that he taketh awaie our Sinnes that he deliuereth vs out of all miseries that he reconcileth vs vnto his Father and that without any our workes he doeth iustifie and saue vs. Who soeuer doeth not thus acknowledge Christ is altogether deceiued For albeit thou knowe hym to bee the Sonne of GOD who died rose againe and sitteth now at the right hande of his Father yet hast thou not thereby throughly knowne Christ neither shall this knowyng of hym any whitt auaile thee vnlesse thou proceede a steppe further and bothe knowe and also beleeue that he did all these thynges for thee to helpe relieue and comfort
Worde of God that he maie feele what a good taste and sauour it hath because hee knoweth full well what great power and mightie efficacie is in it to subdue and beate downe all naughtie desires and euill thoughtes Therefore that whiche sainct Peter here speaketh is as though he should thus saie If you bee desirous to remaine and continue chast it standeth you in hande to embrace and shewe your obedience to the truthe through the Spirite that is to saie It necessarily behooueth you not onely to reade and heare the Worde of God but to embrace the same in your hartes And therefore it is not enough that the Gospell bee once preached or once heard but thou must continuallie cleaue vnto it and followe it For this grace hath the Worde that the oftner a man tasteth it the sweeter it still wareth and the pleasaunter it relisheth For albeit it alwaies teacheth one and the same doctrine concernyng Faithe yet can it neuer bee to the godlie and well disposed mindes sufficiently and enough heard Now addeth the Apostle further To loue brotherly without fainyng TO what ende now must wee leade a chast life to the ende thereby to attaine Saluation No forsooth But to the ende and purpose that wee maie serue and doe good to our neighbors What shall I doe that I maie restraine and keepe vnder my Sinnes I must dutifullie obeye the truthe in the Spirite that is to saie the Faithe of the Woorde of God And why doe I bridle and keepe vnder subiection my Sinnes Forsoothe that I maie dooe good to others For I must first bridle and ouermaister my bodie and fleshe through the Spirite and then shall I bee able to profite and doe good to others Loue one an other with a pure harte feruently THe holie Apostles Peter and Paule doe separate and make a difference betwene brotherly Loue and commō Loue a brotherhood is y t bond wherein all Christians ought to be among themselues euen as brothers without any respect or difference for why we haue all in common one Christe one Baptisme one Faithe and one Treasure I can not bee more worthie then thou that whiche thou haste I also haue finallie I am euen as riche as thou Wee haue one and the same treasure sauyng that I peraduenture receiue it more worthily then thou doest as if I should laie it vpp in Gold thou shouldest kepe it in some filthy rag or vise cloute Therefore as wee haue the grace of Christe and all spirituall blessynges common together so also ought we to haue our bodies liues wealth and dignities common one to an other that one maie serue an others turne and necessitie in all thinges Now hee verie significantlie saieth To loue brotherly without fainyng that is without any glosing hypocrisie or dissimulation whiche terme and phraze the Apostles gladlie vse for that vndoubtedlie thei foresawe that wee would not sticke to call one an other Christian or Brother and yet would falsly feinedly dissemblyngly and altogether hypocritically vndermine one an other We haue erected in the world many Fraternities and Brotherhoodes whiche in very deede are nothing els then starke vanities and mere deceiptes altogether deuised inuented brought into the world by the Deuill himself All whiche are wholy and altogether repugnaunt and contrarie to the Faithe and sincere loue of Brethren Christe is aswell myne as hee is sainct Barnardes thine no lesse then he is S. Francis When thou hearest any therefore saie I shall come to heauen if I be one of the Brotherhood of this or that order answere thou thus It is mere paltrie and counterfaited hypocrisie that thou speakest Christe can not abide any suche trumperie he can brooke none other then a common Brotherhood whiche we haue altogether and wilt thou plaie the notorious foole by breakyng of that to erecte and make to thy self any newe vpstart and peculier Brotherhood This truely could I well abide that thou shouldest erecte one but how not whereby to make any peculier helpe to thy Soule but for a certaine number to come together to contribute and gather some treasure for the reliefe of them that bee in necessitie Therefore all we Christiās haue one Brotherhood which we tooke vpon vs in our Baptisme of the whiche brotherhood there is no Saincte that hath any more then thou or I. For looke with how greate a price he was redeemed with so great am I also bought and redeemed GOD bestowed no lesse for my sake then for the greatest Saincte that is sauyng that he peraduenture embraced this treasure better then I doe That is to saie hath a stedfaster and stronger Faithe then I. Furthermore this woorde Loue hath a larger signification then Brotherlinesse because it reacheth also vnto our enemies and those especiallie whiche are not worthie of Loue. For as Faithe sheweth forthe her woorkyng where she seeth nothyng so also ought Loue to see nothing and there especially to exercise her operation where there is in apparaunce nothyng worthy to bee loued but rather all thynges odious and suche as maie breede and procure loathsomnesse Where there is nothyng that can well be liked of euen there ought the effectes of Loue to shewe forthe yea this ought also to be doen feruently saieth Peter and with the whole harte euen as God loued vs at suche time when wee were in euery respect moste vnworthie of his loue Beeyng borne anewe THirdlie al these thinges are therefore of you to be performed and doen because ye are not now as you were before but you are saieth he borne anewe and therefore newe Men. This was not brought to passe through any your owne workes but you needed a newe Birthe For a new man can not be brought forthe by any power of his owne into the worlde but he must first be begotten and borne What Carpenter is able by his owne Arte to make a Tree but the same must needes of it self first grow out of the groūd Therfore euer as we are not made but borne the Sonnes and children of Adam and haue naturally sucked synne from our Parentes so neither shall wee by our owne industrie and labour euer become the children of God but it behoueth vs by a kinde of newe Birth and regeneration so to be This therefore is the meanyng of the Apostle in this place Seeyng therefore that you are a newe Creature it is verie meete and conueniente withall that you demeane your selues after an other order and practise a newe kinde of life As heretofore ye liued in hatred so now vse your conuersation in Loue and let all thinges be transposed and tourned after an other sorte But how came this new Birthe to passe Not of mortall and corruptible seede but of immortall and incorruptible by the woorde of God whiche liueth and endureth for euer OF a kinde of Seede wee are regenerated and newe borne no otherwise then as we see all other thynges to bee borne and generated of Seede in their kinde If therefore
Will not here define whether in this place S. Peter speake of an outwarde Incontinencie or no or whether he doe as Sainct Paules order is call all those thynges Fleshly whiche a man yet liuyng in this bodie and carnall life committeth and dooeth without Faithe But I am of opinion that S. Peter in this place vseth an other maner of reason Neither doe I thinke that he taketh this worde Soule in suche a sense as Sainct Paule doeth who taketh it for Spirite But that he somewhat more déepely as I suppose considered the proprietie of the Greeke Howebeit it is not greatly materiall whether a man vnderstande this place as meant of all carnall affections or els onely of an externall and outwarde intemperaunce This profitable lesson notwithstanding is hereby taught vs that no man in this life can be perfectly holie and throughly pure from sinnes This place the Schoole men haue grossely mistaken rouyng farre wide from the true meanyng thereof For thei thinke it to bee onely spoken and meant of theim that bee Sinners As though the holie ones were cleare without all euill lustes and carnall affections But he that will profitablie searche and read the Scriptures must with iudgement and discretion waigh and throughly sifte the nature sense and signification of euery woorde for the Prophetes vse sometymes so to speake of them that be holie as that thei seme to pronounce theim pure and altogether cleare from all maner of Sinnes Againe sometymes thei so speake of theim as that thei confesse theim yet to haue euill affections corrupt motions and to fight against Synne This diuersitie and varietie that in apparaunce seemeth to bee in theim marueilouslie grauelleth and offendeth these greate Rabbines and wonderfullie blindeth their Senses from rightlie vnderstandyng the true meanyng of the Scriptures Thus therefore staye thou thy self and for thy sure conceiuyng of this and suche like places bee at this resolution Thou oughtest to consider Christians after twoo sortes namely accordyng to their inwarde and hidden life to witte Faithe and also accordyng to their outwarde and open life that is to saie the Fleshe Now if thou consider and respecte a Christian accordyng to Faithe he is all pure and without all filthe and vncleannesse but after the flesh he is not so For the woorde of GOD can abide no vncleane thyng to reste in that harte where it is throughlie and faithfullie receiued so that the harte whiche faste cleaueth vnto the Woorde can not but thereby bee throughlie purged and entirely cleansed Therefore in faithe all thynges are perfecte accordyng to that saiyng afore wherein wee are sayed to hee Kynges Priestes and the peculier People of GOD. But for so muche as wee hauyng Faithe are as yet cladde in this fleshe and dwell on this Earth it can not bee but that now and then wee feele within our selues sundrie corrupt and Earthly affections as Impacience feare of Deathe c. And these bee the diseases remainyng yet of the old Manne For Faithe hath not yet here raught to hir perfection nor gotten a full power ouer the fleshe This maiest thou plainlie and euidentlie vnderstande by the Parable Luke x. of a certaine man Who goyng doune from Hierusalem to Hiericho fell among Theeues who robbed hym of his raimente and wounded hym verie sore and departyng lefte hym halfe dead on whom in the ende a certaine Samaritane tooke compassion boūd vp his woundes powred in Oile and Wine sett hym on his owne beaste and brought hym to an Inne and made prouision for hym Here thou seest that this man was cared for his cure prouided for anone after he was wounded and now beeyng out of daunger of Death was lefte sicke in deede but not vnto Death howbeeit he was not as yet fullie healed and cured His life is preserued and he left aliue but yet is he not come to his perfecte healthe he is lefte in the charge of the Phisitious to bee cured and dressed afterward Euen so wee that beleeue haue Christ all and entire and are assured of eternall life but our perfecte and consummate healthe wee haue not yet obteined for some reliques of the old Adam remaineth yet still within vs. To the same purpose serueth that other Parable mentioned by Christe Matth. xiij The Kyngdome of heauen is like vnto Leauen whiche a woman taketh and hideth in three Peckes of Meale till all bee leauened For when the Meale is begonne to bee kneaded the Leauen is all there but it hath not yet sowred and pearced the whole lumpe of Dowe the mixture is not yet fullie perfected yet the Meale is therein still till it bee fullie Leauened and more Leauen maie not bee put vnto it So also whatsoeuer thou oughtest to haue thou haste it alreadie by Faithe whereby thou haste taken holde of the Worde and embraced it but it hath not yet throughlie soaked and pearced into thee and therefore it needes must bee so long in woorkyng vntill thou be whollie renewed And in this sort oughtest thou to discerne and interprete the Scripture And not so to Iumble and mangle the textes thereof as dooe the Papistes Therefore when in the Scriptures thou readest of holie meime that are saied to bee perfecte thou must thus vnderstande it that accordyng to Faithe thei were altogether pure and without synne But all the reste was fleshe and therfore could not bee entierly cleane Wherevpon Christians in their praiers desire to bee dissolued and ridde of this bodie or fleshe that thei maie whollie attaine to an entire puritie Thei that other wise teache neither haue any feelyng nor yet any sounde taste of the same And therevpon it commeth to passe that thei speake euen as thei thinke within themselues and as thei can comprehende by their owne reason and therefore thei can not choose but bee deceiued This hath been a stumblyng blocke to many yea of them that haue been accoumpted worthie and famous for their holinesse and sanctimonie and who haue taught and written verie muche Origene speaketh not one worde hereof in his Bookes Hierome neuer vnderstoode thē Augustine also would haue had small knowledge thereof if he had not so much buckled with the Pelagians Some whē thei speake of holie men thei so muche extol and dignifie them as though either thei had been of some higher degree and excellencie then other Christians or els as though thei had had no feelyng of this Flesh or as though thei had not complained thereof aswel and as muche as wee Therefore saieth Sainct Peter You are all cleane and haue your full righteousnesse there now remaineth nothyng for you but y t you stoutly fight againste these wicked and naughtie affections And so also speaketh Christe Iohn xiij He that is washed needeth not sauyng onely to washe his feete For it is not enough that the heade and handes bee cleane and therefore albeeit he saie that thei are all cleane yet neuerthelesse he requireth theim to washe their feete But what meanyng hath Saincte Peter
but rather that thei contemned and little esteemed that gorgeous furniture whiche thei did weare but for the tyme the better to compasse and bryng aboute their godlie and zealous purposes The same aunswere maie wee make here That it is the duetie of eche godlie woman to bee in mynde so vertuouslie affected as that she maie wholly contemne this gaie attire and womannishe brauerie for if thei once linke thē selues in loue therewith the nature thereof is suche that thei will daiely seeke more and more to prancke theim selues and will keepe neither meane nor order therein but wantonly and licenciously without ende couet the continuall maintenaunce of suche vaine and dissolute prodigalitie A Christian Woman therfore ought vtterly to despise this outward deckyng and worldlie gallantise but yet so that if her Housebande will haue her so to dooe or any other honeste respecte require the same it is to bee borne withall and tolerated Howbeeit it is moste to bee wished and thei are moste especially so to frame themselues in their attire and deckyng as sainct Peter here teacheth them to witte to bee inwardly garnished and decked with a milde and gentle spirite Thy brauerie and furniture is gaie and gallant enough if thou decke and attire thy self to content and please thy Housebande Christe requireth no suche thyng at thy handemaie he is highly offended if thou trimme thy self to the intent to please the eyes of other men or because thou seekest thereby to bee dignified and called faire louely or beautifull But thy cheefest care ought to bee to carie this precious furniture and incomparable garnishement afore spoken of in thy harte farre from all corruption as saincte Peter saieth and to leade a decent honeste and chaste life It is a sure token that thou haste very small workyng of the Spirite in thee if thou feele thy self to bee muche giuen to this phantastical worldly and outward brauerie For if Faith and the Spirite were truly settled within thee thou wouldest sooner stampe and treade it vnder thy feete then to take delite and pleasure therein And thou wouldest saie as Esther did Esth xiiij Thou knowest Lorde that I hate and haue no delight in this Croune whiche I weare on my head and that I weare this gorgeous apparell euen againste my will If I were not compelled so to doe to please my Lorde the Kynges eye I had leifer tread it vnder my Feete A wife thus mynded can not herein but bee muche the dearer and acceptabler to her housbande And therefore Saincte Peter willeth Matrones and Wiues to sett their delite in attiryng and garnishyng themselues with this inwarde furniture and to bee endued with a meeke and quiet Spirite hauyng their heartes voide and free from all corruption In aduising them to be meeke and gentle spirited his meanyng is not onely to restraine them from licencious gaddyng abroade and other open and outwarde misdemeanours of the worlde but his meaning is that thei should with muche more heede and carefulnesse looke to themselues that their myndes inwardlie bee incorrupt and that thei constantlie perseuere in a true and sincere Faithe not suffryng the same any waie to be empayred or violated And thus it commeth to passe that the hart willingly containeth it self within his limitted boundes without breakyng out into any disorder and be thinketh how it maie please their housbande And suche an harte is an exceedyng pleasure and acceptable attyre before God If a woman bee neuer so richely apparelled in cloath or beaten golde and garnished all ouer euen to the foote with Gemmes and precious Stones of price inestimable this her apparell must needes bee very magnificent and sumptuous but no woman can be any waie so richlie and brauely attired as in any respect to be comparable to that vnualuable attyre of the Soule whiche before God is a thyng muche esteemed and set by Golde and precious Stones in the eye of the worlde are thinges highly esteemed and of singuler price but before God thei bee thinges filthie abhominable and of none accoumpt That woman therefore is gorgeouslie and richlie attired before God whiche hath a quiet and gentle spirite for seeyng that before God it is a thyng so highly set by it can not but bee a thing of singuler greate excellencie and ful of maiestie A Christian soule alreadie hath whatsoeuer Christ himself hath because Faithe bringeth together with it al good thinges And this is suche a precious treasure and riche attire that no man can sufficiently and according to the worthinesse thereof esteeme and prize it For it is highly esteemed and prized by God himselfe The perswasion and inculkyng of these reasons will bee muche behouefull expedient and forcible to drawe womens myndes from the desire of this worldly pompous apparell wherevnto thei are by nature otherwise muche enclined and so to bring them in loue with this inwarde garnishyng that thei maie of themselues willingly loathe and detest all worldly and outwarde brauerie For it can not be that a vertuous Christian woman hearyng these thinges and inwardly in harte digesting them but she straightwaies entreth into this consideration with her self Beholde if this braue attyre and sumptuous apparell bee nothyng at all regarded before God why should not I also contemne and despise it But if I must needes weare it I will dooe it onely to please my housbande thereby whose pleasure it is to haue it so and vnto whom God hymself hath expresselie commaunded me to be obedient A woman thus minded is truely garnished and decked in her Spirite Now moreouer sainct Peter bringeth in the example of holie women thereby to drawe and prouoke other women to this Christian purpose and consideration saiyng For after this maner in tymes past did the holy women which trusted in God attyre themselues and were subiect to their Housbandes As Sara obeyed Abraham and called him Lord AS thei attyred themselues so is it meete that you also decke your selues for so is his meanyng and to bee loyall and obedient to your housbandes as Sara was vnto Abraham who called him Lorde as in the Scripture it appeareth Gen. xviij When as the Aungell came to Abraham and saied to Sara his wife this tyme tweluemonth thou shalte beare a Sonne she laughed and saied After I am waxed olde and my Lorde also shall I giue my self to lust Whiche place Saincte Peter here fitlie remembred and aptly alledged For Sara would not haue called her housbande Lorde if shee had not been subiect and obedient vnto hym and carefully bent to please hym Therefore he afterwarde saieth Whose Daughters ye are whiles ye dooe well not beyng afraide of any terrour WHat meaneth hee by this admonition Doubtlesse this The nature and disposition of women is for the moste parte tymorous and fearefull of euery wagging of a Strawe and is easilie drawen to shake and tremble at euerie shadow which is the cause that there is in that Sexe such stoare of magicall Impostures and supersticious enchauntmentes whiche
lye naked to the sight of GOD and are as now present vnto his eyes and he in one moment or minute of tyme ouerlooketh and surueigheth all that is was or shalbee A thousande yeeres with hym are but as one daie as saincte Peter in his seconde Epistle declareth And therefore the first man is as present vnto him as the man that shalbe last borne for with one glaunce he beholdeth at once the whole Worlde Let this therfore be the meanyng of this place that Christ now preacheth not any more corporallie but is present in his Woorde and thereby preacheth to the Spirites in their hartes And here wee must note that Saincte Peter vseth a Figure named Synecdoche which is when the whole is taken for a parte and contrariwise when the parte is taken for the whole For hee preached not altogether vnto them alone but vnto all that are like vnto them and of semblable disposition to theirs As if a mā for example sake should now saie This man preached among the Heluetians who sometymes were vnder the gouernement of the Dukes of Austria It herevppon by and by followeth not that hee preached to theim that sometymes were Vassalles to the Dukes of Austria and are now long since dead but it sufficeth to saie that he preached to the people dwellyng now in that Countrie which afore liued in suche subiection And thus vnder the name of the parte the whole is many tymes vnderstoode and the whole againe oftentymes is put to signifie the Parte And after this sorte must we by this life haue respect and consideration of the other life This is the beste interpretation in my Iudgemente that can bee for this place howbeit if any manne bryng a better I will bee glad as meete it is to allowe of it But to be plaine I can not at any hande bee perswaded to beleeue that Christe beeyng quickened in Spirite that is hauyng now taken vnto hym a Spirituall life did descende into Helle and preache to the Soules there speciallie seeyng the Scripture is flatte againste any suche matter affirmyng that when thynges are brought to that poinct euery one shall receiue accordyngly as he hath dooen and beleeued Againe it is not certaine in what state the dead remaine To conclude the woordes themselues are against any suche meanyng for the deade Now this is vndoubtedly true that Christe is presente and preacheth in the harte when as the faithfull Minister or vocall Preacher with fruite vttereth and instilleth the Woorde of God into the Eares and therefore wee maie boldly and without daunger admit and embrace this interpretation of this place He to whom God hath reueiled and opened a better exposition I wishe to be followed The verie summe therefore of this our Interpretation is this Christe beyng now quickened in Spirite that is after he was ascended into Heauen preached afterwarde vnto the Soules of menne who afore vsed to preache to their bodies emong whiche Soules there were many Vnbeleuers in the daies of Noah When once the long suffring of God abode in the daies of Noah while the Arke was preparyng where in fewe that is eight Soules were saued in the water HEre againe persisteth Sainct Peter in alledging and insertyng the Scriptures in whiche his purpose is to drawe vs to enure and exercise our selues And out of theim he bryngeth the figure of Noah his Arke whiche be also explaneth It is verie cōfortable and proper to fetche Similitudes from suche maner of Examples as this whiche order Saincte Paule also followed Gala. iiij where he recordeth the mysterie of the twoo Sonnes of Abraham and also his twoo Wiues and afterward expounded the same And Christe also Ihon. iij. speaketh of the Brasen Serpent whiche Moses lifte vp in the wildernesse Num. xxj Suche pithie Similitudes are easily learned and willyngly hearkened vnto and menne commonly take greate delight in the hearyng of theim And therefore Saincte Peter here bryngeth in by waie of comparison the Similitude of the Arke of Noah whereby he briefly and in fewe woordes and yet with a certaine pleasure setteth doune a sure lesson to confirme Faithe And that whiche he here setteth doune to haue come to passe when Noah made the Arke after the same sort standeth the case now that as he and his euen eight Soules were saued in the Arke whiche was caried vpon the Waters so must wee also bee saued through Baptisme that Water did then once saue bothe menne and all Creatures beside and so Baptisme beyng receiued in Faithe drouneth in vs whatsoeuer is carnall and naturall and maketh vs Spirituall And this commeth to passe when wee betake our selues into the Arke whiche signifieth and figureth our Lorde Christ or the Churche of Christ or the Gospell whiche Christe preached or the Bodie of Christe in whiche wee all hange together by Faithe and are deliuered from all euilles euen as Noah by the Arke was saued from beeyng drenched in the Waters Gene. vij Thus we see how this example by hym here brought comprehendeth as it were compendiously and briefly bothe what Faithe is and what the Crosse is what is Life and what is Death Now where soeuer there bee men that whollie depende vpon Christ there certainly is the Churche of Christ and there is vtterly drouned and killed what soeuer is in vs that is euill and that issueth and commeth from our old Adam To the whiche also the figure that now saueth vs euen Baptisme agreeth not the puttyng awaie of the filthe of the fleshe but in that a good conscience maketh request to God YE are not hereby satted in that the filth of your bodies is cleane washed awaie and nothyng els cleansed but the Bodie as the Iewes precisely obserued and vsed to doe for suche kinde of purifiyng is of no moment nor force but it is a good Conscience makyng request to God that saueth you When as ye feele within you a good Conscience chearfullie and confidently daryng to shewe it self and to appeare before God as though there were a couenaunt or bargain betwéene theim and therevppon dare boldly saie This hath my Lorde God promised me and I am sure he will performe it for he is suche a one as can not deceiue If ye thus stedfastly cleaue vnto his Woorde and whollie depende vppon hym you can not misse but bee saued And the Meane whereby we thus obtaine Saluation is Faithe and not any outward Worke that we our selues are able any waies to doe By the resurrection of Iesus Christe THis small portion of woordes hath Saincte Peter purposely added to that whiche went before to shewe a reason of the Faithe that is grounded herevpon because that after Christe died and descended into the lower partes he staied not still there but anone arose againe from the deade For if he had continued still in Death we had remained still in our miserable estate forlorne as wee were afore But because he is risen againe from the deade and now sitteth on the right hande of his
spightfull enuie and cancarde hatred am I not a greate deale the fitter to deale louingly and gentlie with my neighbour I haue oftentymes afore saied that although by Faith we bee fullie iustified and haue Christe with all his merites fullie our owne yet ought wee to applye our selues to good Workes and to seeke all that wee can the benefite and commoditie of our Neighbour For we are neuer perfectly purged and cleane so long as we dwell in this worlde there is no man but feeleth and findeth in his Bodie a Storehouse of many euill lustes and filthie desires For Faithe beginneth to mortifie Sinnes and to bryng with it an heauenly life but it is not as yet here perfect and strong enough to doe that which it would Euen as Christe reasoned of the Samaritan which was not yet wholly restored to health although his woundes were bounde vp and charge enough giuen for his curyng and looking to so fareth it with vs. For wheÌ„ we beleue our woundes are bound vp that is to saie the infection and disease which by propagation is deriued into vs from Adam is begonne to bee healed whiche is brought to passe as wee see in some remisselie and slowly in other some speedily and quickly accordingly as euery one chastiseth himself and represseth his flesh and hath a fuller measure of Faithe giuen vnto hym And therefore when we haue attained these two Faithe and Charitie our next studie and care ought to be euen vntill wee dye to skowre and pourge these reliques of Synne yet harboroughyng within vs. And therefore saieth sainct Peter Arme ye your selues likewise with the same mynde that is confirme your myndes and strengthen your hartes in this cogitation to dooe as Christ hath dooen afore you For if wee be right Christians wee ought thus to thinke with our selues My Lorde GOD hath suffred for me hath shew his precious blood for me and hath suffred Death on the Crosse for me why should I bee suche a bastarde to bee vnwillyng to suffer any kinde of affliction For if our Lorde hymself issue out into the brunte and breaste of the Battaile how muche more meete is it for vs beyng his poore Seruauntes ioyfully to abide and vndertake any daunger These cogitations would animate vs to pearce into and boldely to aduenture to giue the â—nsect vpon any daungerous assaies what soeuer This woorde Fleshe signifieth not onely the Bodie consistyng of Fleshe and Blood Skinne and Bones but all what soeuer commeth from Adam So saieth God Genes vj. My Spirite shall not alwaies striue with manne because he is but Fleshe And Esaie likewise Chap. xl All Fleshe shall see the sauyng health of God That is it shalbee manifest before all menne in the worlde So also saie wee in our Creed I beleeue the resurrection of the Fleshe that is that all mennesh all arise againe Fleshe therefore signifieth the whole and entire Manne euen as he liueth in this life Now the wâ—â—rkes of the Fleshe are in an excellent order reckoned vp and recoumpted by sainct Paule Gala. v. And not those grosse actions and workes of the Fleshe onely as Fornication but the chiefest and greatest vices that bee as Idolacrie and Heresies whiche bée resiauÌ„t not in the Bodie onely but rather in the Reason Note therefore that Manne together with his Reason Will and all inward motions Soule and Bodie is called Fleshe and that because with al his powers bothe inwardly and outwardly he pursueth and himteth onely for those thynges that are carnall and delightfull to the Fleshe Euen so saieth Saincte Peter in this place that Christ suffred in the Fleshe whereas it is certaine that his Passion was not onely in the Fleshe but in his Soule also whiche adode that moste extreme agoine whereof Esaie speaketh And after the same sorte must we also take this that followeth He whiche suffreth in the Fleshe ceaseth from Synne For this is not the meaning of it that he whiche hath his head chopped of or his bodie onely dismembred ceasseth from synnes but this suffryng in the Fleshe comprehendeth in it what soeuer it bee that aggreeueth and vtterly discontenteth Man or that whiche shalbee his happe willinglie to suffer and beare what Miserie Calamitie Vexation or necessitie so euer it bee For there are a greate sorte that beeyng sounde in bodie are notwithstandyng inwardly in mynde greatly perplexed and disquieted and in harte greeuously tormented Now if these grieues be laied vpon them for Christes cause it is good and commobious for them for he that is afflicted in the Fleshe saith he ceasseth from Synne For this purpose is the Crosse very profitable because thereby Synnes are qualified and greatly alaied For when a Manne once beginneth earnestly and from the verie bottome of his harte to repente it is wonderfull to see how soone and how quickely Luste Enuie hatred and other synnes doe vanishe awaie and ceasse Wherefore GOD hath laied the Crosse on vs thereby as it were to compell and pushe vs forwarde as well to beleeue in hym and to put our thirst in hym as also that wee should reache our helpyng hande one to an other through Loue. That he henceforthe should liue as muche tyme as remaineth in the Fleshe not after the lustes of menne but after the will of God OVr partes and dueties are as in the whole course of our life so by the Crosse and daiely chastifyng of our selues to conquere and subdue our Fleshe and to bryng it in subiection not with intent therby to merite any thyng toward our Saluation but to shewe our selues gratefull and duetifull vnto God Not after the lustes of menne saieth he that is We must not doe it to please either our selues or others thereby For wee must not fashion our selues like vnto this worlde as Saincte Paule writeth in the xij Chapter to the Romaines Whatsoeuer the worlde requireth of vs that must we refraine and forbeare For it is sufficiente for vs that wee haue spent the time paste of the life after the luste of the Gentiles walkyng in wantonnesse lustes drunkennesse in gluttonie drinkynges and in abhominable Idolatries WEE haue alreadie too muche cockered our selues and been too muche giuen to our owne waÌ„ton delites for before wee receiued the Faithe wee spente our tyme and bestowed our liues accordyng to our owne sensuall appetites in no better sorte then very Gentiles And therefore we must striue and endeuour our selues to consecrate and direct the residue of our life according to the will of God and to doe that whiche maie bee acceptable vnto him For we haue our Enemie within our owne bosome wee foster and nourishe hym within our owne fleshe there and from thence the craftie and moste Pestilent enemie as it were out of an ambushe priuily and secretly setteth vpon vs and that not with any grosse and apparaunt vices but rather with the credite iolitie and estimation of the Fleshe which is called by Sainct Paule The wisedome of the Fleshe j. Cor. j. This beeyng now
emplainted and resiaunt within vs. For God resisteth the proude and giueth grace to the humble THem that bee so loftie mynded that thei will not yeelde and stoupe God hymself cooleth and deiectâ—th and contrariwise exalteth and aduaunceth those which humble and throwe doune themselues This is a common beaten saiyng in euery mannes mouthe but would God it were aswell vsed and putte in vre in life as it is often and almoste euery where still talked and pronounced with tongue Humble your selues therefore vnder the mightie hande of God FOrasmuche as God so requireth that ye should submit your selues our to an other see that ye doe it willingly and so he will exalt you but if ye doe it vnwillyngly yet shall ye doe it because he will abate your pride and throwe doune your loftinesse That he maie exalt you in due tyme. THinke ye not that he will tarie long but stedfastly trust ye in hym for ye haue his sure promise that this is the hande of GOD and his blessed will and though in the iudgement of flesh the tyme seeme somewhat long yet neuer haue ye any respect to the tyme but committe your selues to be protected and gouerned by the mightie hand of God which moste assuredly in the ende will exalt you Caste all your care on hym for he careth for you YE haue those promises by the whiche ye maie rest in moste perfecte assuraunce that God will neuer forsake you but still take care for you and therefore abandon and caste awaie your owne carefulnesse and lette the Lorde alone deale for you Suffer hym to take the entier charge and care bothe of you and yours These be moste comfortable and sweete woordes and to a Christian Conscience moste chearfull and amiable And why vseth he so many and suche forcible prouocations and reasons to perswade Humilitie Truely because the Nature of man is so stiffe and so stoute that no man almoste willynglie will abase and deiecte hymself or renounce his owne sensuall phantasies And therefore herein he suigâ—â—â—â—y comforteth vs shewyng how that God dooeth not onely looke to vs but also careth for 〈◊〉 and bestoweth euen all the vowelles of his incomparable loue vpon vs. Bee sobeâ— and watche for your aduersarie the Deuill as a roaryng Lyon walketh aboute seekyng whom he maie deuoure HE admonisheth vs to looke to our selues and goeth about to open our eyes that wee slumber not in slouthe or giue our selues to idlenesse not regardyng how nere we bee to daunger and perill And here wee maie behold and see what this life is and how this worthie Apostle hath depainted and set out the same vnto vs insomuche that there is none hauing his Conscience touched with any feare of God but continually wisheth to bee dissolued and to exchaunge it for that other For here we bee in the kingdome of the Deuill and Sathan And as a trauailer or Straunger that commeth into an Inne where he knoweth there are none but Theeues and Murtherers will looke well to himself and bee very carefull for his owne safetie before he will enter into that house if the case so bee that needes he must goe in and will be sure as neere as he can to arme his bodie from the violence of their furies and will not sleepe muche in that house but stande vppon his guarde that he maie departe thence without harme Euen so and with like daunger liue we here on Earth where Sathan beareth the swaie and is Prince who hath so the hartes of men within the daunger of his power that by them he bryngeth to passe whatsoeuer he listeth It is a terrible matter to thinke thereon and therefore S. Peter herein giueth vs a watchworde to beware and admonisheth vs to be carefull and diligent in looking to our selues saiyng Be ye sober For they that be giuen to drunkennes and surphetting and as Swine care for nothyng but for their bellie are fitte for nothyng that good is And therefore wee must endeuour our selues to haue alwaies in readinesse our Armor of Sobrietie And Watche ye saieth he and that not onely spirituallie but also corporallie For a heauie lumpishe and drowsie body when it hath pampered crammed and ingurged it self with meates and drinks is not fit nor able to resist the Deuill seing it is hard enough for them so to doe which are strong in faith and haue plentifull giftes of the Spirite But what is the cause why wee should so muche giue our selues to Sobrietie and watchfulnesse Because saieth hee your aduersarie the Deuill skuddeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he maie deuour For the Deuill neuer sleepeth he is throughly enured and furnished with guile suttletie and malice and carieth that cancarde stomack against vs that he leaueth no waie vnattempted how he maie molest and ensnare vs yea he well knoweth whiche waie to laie his baytes to catch vs bryng vs vnto his lure and therfore he roameth and trudgeth vp and downe like a roaryng and rampyng Lyon that yelleth and roareth hideouslie and horribly as though he would deuoure all that commeth in his waie And therefore hath sainct Peter left vnto vs in writyng this so necessarie and profitable an admonition wherein he discouereth vnto vs our deadly and infernall Enemie that wee should take heede of hym and with S. Paule not bee ignoraunt of his malicious driftes For in that he skuddeth and walketh about his drift and meanyng is thereby to bryng vs into a negligence and securitie wherein if he maie once lulle vs there straightwaies issue and budde out from thence Anger Wrath Contention Arrogance Shamelesnesse contempt of God and all other mischieues whatsoeuer And here note how he saieth that the Deuill walketh about He setteth not vpon thee directly before thy face where he knoweth thou art fenced and garded but he cowardly lyeth in waite to surprize thee behinde at thy backe or aslope on the one side he pryeth and tooteth within thee and without thee very diligently to espie thee at some vauntage where he maie set vppon thee For when he hath attempted thee one waie if he speede not of his purpose he straightwaies taketh an other in hande If he misse his purpose on this side of thee he flingeth to the other omitting no suttle deuise no craftie ambush no cunnyng pollicie to catche thee in a trippe and so to possesse thee If he finde thee strongly armed and fenced on one parte he planteth his batterie to an other side if he bee disappoincted there he chargeth vpon thee and that with incredible speede in an other place he neuer ceasseth but is in coÌ„tinuall practise of mischiefe for thy ouerthrowe and confusion he neuer taketh any pause or staie but still runneth about not suffryng thee to haue any maner of test or intermission And yet wee as men senselesse and carelesse make no reckonyng of this geare neither watche wee to withstande hym whereby he maie easilie and without resistaunce assaile and ouerthrowe vs. Let euery one
therefore looke diligently and warely to hymself and he shall finde all this to be most true as thei that haue been tempted can not bee ignoraunt And therefore wee are more then twise miserable that liue here so carelesly and retchlesly For if we would enter into coÌ„sideration with our selues of this our life present we should see good cause for vs to crye out and call for help none otherwise then if wee were beset with a nuÌ„ber of murtherous Theeues This caused Iob to saie that the life of man on Earth is a mere Warfare and a continuall temptation or fight But why then will ye saie doth God place vs in this life beeyng so full of miseries Truely for this cause that our Faith maie be exercised and encreased and that we should be the gladder and willinger to departe hence and further that Death might become more sauoueie vnto vs and bee the earnestlier of vs desired Whom resist stedfast in the Faithe WEE must bee sober and watche but yet to this ende that our bodies maie bee fit and readie for the conflict and battaile and yet this is not sufficient to ouercome the Deuill withall These weapons are onely auaileable for this respect that the bodie maie bee the lesse occasioned to sinne But the true weapon wherewith wee must giue the ouerthrowe and foyle to our Eenemie is Faithe For if wee take sure holde of GOD in his Worde and in harte constantly cleaue therevnto by Faithe the Deuill shall neuer bee able to vanquishe vs but like a daunced Cowarde straight waies runne out of the fielde If thou canst saie This hath my Lord my God spoken this I do stedfastly beleue hereupon I staie my self hereunto doe I leane thou shalt see the Deuill quickly like a Micher sneake awaie and departe with whom all beautinesse all ill concupiscence and iuste all wrath all couetousnesse all faint-hartednesse and desperation vanishe and packe awaie also But suche is the â—uctletie and craft of the Deuill that he will hardlie suffer thee to come to that poynct but will vse all the meanes that hee can to plucke this weapon out of thy hande Whiche he easily bryngeth to passe when he hath once ensnared thee in a drowsie slothfulnesse and made thy bodie vtterly vnapt for the battaile and giuen to nothyng els but to lasciuious wantonnes For by that meanes with little adoe he wringeth out of thy hande the Sworde of the Spirite which is the Worde of God as he did by our firste Graundmother Eue. She had the Word of God wherevnto if she had firmely and stedfastly adhered shee had not fallen But when the Deuill sawe her negligently and carelesly to regarde the Worde he easilie pulled it out of her harte and so obteined that whiche he would haue Sainct Peter therefore hath here sufficiently warned vs that wee should striue and fight against the Deuill To which battaile and encountrie it nothyng auaileth to runne vp and doune hither and thither for any good Worke whiche thou of thy self canst doe but this onely must thou haue care vnto that thou constantlie sticke and stedfastly by faithe embrace the Worde of God If the Deuill then approache thee and goe about to hurle thee into pensiuenesse of minde and desperation by reason of thy manifolde sinnes and transgressions before committed betake thou thy self straightwaies to the Word of God wherein remission of all thy Synnes is promised commit thy self wholly thereunto and thou shalt see that he will quickly packe awaie and be gonne from thee Knowyng that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren whiche are in the worlde MEruaile ye not that ye must suffer temptatioÌ„s of the Deuill let this rather comforte you that you suffer not the same alone For there bee a greate many of you and ye are all Brethren and ye must all suffer and endure the same All they take your partes and in this conflict are aiders and helpers vnto you Thus hast thou this former Epistle of S. Peter somwhat largelie expounded In the whiche thou art taught euen fullie and abundauntly the whole summe of Christian doctrine and wherein also thou maiest see Faithe Loue and the Crosse right aptly and copiouslie described and maiest also read many godlie instructions and necessarie premonitions how to wage battaile and continue fight with that greate Dragon the Deuill Whiche Epistle who so euer hath rightly and throughlie learned hath no doubte a riche Storehouse of all suche thynges as any waie concerne sincere and true Christianitie In somuche that he shall not neede any other doctrine or helpe beside this as in deede there is none other Sauyng that God of the aboundaunte store of his mercie and bountie teacheth the same doctrine in sundrie and many other places of the Scriptures For other then this that is here sett doune by sainct Peter there is nothyng that can be taught or that needeth to bee displaied sith he herein hath omitted nothyng of all those thinges whiche are expediente and behoouefull for a Christian to knowe Finallie he here deliuereth the partes of a faithfull Preacher and good Pastour to witte that he should accoumpt it his bounden duetie not onely to feede the Sheepe but also to bee carefull for them and to praie for theim that God maie graciouslie encrease theim in goodnesse and strengthen theim in Faithe whereby thei maie bothe receiue and heare the Word and also digest vnderstande and bryng forthe the fruites therof And thus with a praier in the ende he concludeth saiyng And the GOD of all grace whiche hath called vs vnto his eternall glorie by Christe Iesus after that ye haue suffred a little make you perfect confirme strengthen and stablishe you IN this Praier he commendeth them to God The God saieth he who aâ—â—de is the giuer of all Grace and that not pinchyngly or in parte but who moste liberally and aboundauntly as it were by full heapes powreth all his Graces vpon you who hath called you through Christe that ye should enioy and be partakers of eternal glorie that not for any merite of your own but by through Christ Whom if ye haue ye also haue through Faithe in him not for any merite of your owne eternall life and felicitie He it is that shall make you perfecte that you beeyng by hym strengthened maie growe and stande faste readie to woorke all good woorkes He also shall confirme and stablishe you that you shalbee able to suffer and abide all thynges To hym bee glorie and Dominion for euer and euer Amen THis praise is that Sacrifice whiche the duetie of all vs which bee Christians is to offer He addeth yet a fewe woordes moe By Syluanus a faithfull brother vnto you as I suppose haue I written brieflie exhortyng and testifiyng how that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stande ALthough I am not ignoraunte that ye haue heard and learned these thynges afore so that ye greatlie neede not to bee taught the same againe at my