is within vs For it is the holy ghost and no other thyng that doth quicken the mindes of men stirring vp good and godly motions in their heartes which are agreeable to the wil commaundement of God suche as otherwyse of their owne crooked and peruerse nature they shoulde neuer haue That whiche is borne of the fleshe sayth Christe is fleshe and that which is borne of the spirite is spirite As who shoulde saye Man of his owne nature is fleshly and carnal corrupt and nought synnefull and disobedient to God without any sparke of goodnes in hym without any vertuous or godly motion onely geuen to euyl thoughtes and wicked deedes As for the workes of the spirite the fruites of fayth charitable and godly motions if he haue anye at all in hym they proceede only of the holy ghost who is the onlye worker of our sanctification maketh vs newe men in Christ Jesu Dyd not Gods holy spirite miraculously worke in the childe Dauid when of a poore shephearde he became a princelike prophet Dyd not Gods holy spirite miraculously worke in Matthewe sitting at the receipte of custome when of a proude Publicane he became an humble and lowly Euangelist And who can choose but maruayle to consyder that Peter shoulde become of a simple fisher a cheefe and mightie Apostle Paul of a cruell and bloody persecutour a faythful disciple of Christe to teache the Gentiles Suche is the power of the holy ghost to regenerate men and as it were to bryng them foorth a newe so that they shal be nothyng lyke the men that they were before Neyther doth he thynke it sufficient inwardlye to worke the spirituall and newe byrth of man vnlesse he do also dwell and abide in hym Knowe ye not sayth saint Paule that ye are the temple of God and that his spirite dwelleth in you Knowe ye not that your bodies are the temples of the holy ghost which is within you Agayne he sayth You are not in the fleshe but in the spirite For why The spirite of God dwelleth in you To this agreeth the doctrine of saint John wrytyng on this wyse The annoyntyng whiche ye haue receaued he meaneth the holy ghost dwelleth in you And the doctrine of Peter sayth the same who hath these wordes The spirite of glory and of God resteth vppon you O what comfort is this to the hearte of a true Christian to thynke that the holy ghost dwelleth within hym If God be with vs as the Apostle sayth who can be agaynst vs O but howe shall I knowe that the holy ghost is within me some man perchaunce wyll say Forsoth as the tree is knowne by his fruite so is also the holy ghost The fruites of the holy ghost accordyng to the mynde of saint Paule are these Loue ioy peace long sufferyng gentlenes goodnesse faythfulnesse meekenes temperaunce c. Contrarywyse the deedes of the fleshe are these Adultrie fornication vncleannesse wantonnes idolatrie witchcrafte hatred debate emulation wrath contention sedition heresie enuie murther drunkennesse gluttonie and such lyke Here is nowe that glasse wherein thou muste behold thy selfe and discerne whether thou haue the holy ghost within thee or the spirite of the fleshe If thou see that thy workes be vertuous and good consonant to the prescript rule of gods worde sauouring and tastyng not of the fleshe but of the spirite then assure thy selfe that thou art endued with the holy ghoste Otherwyse in thynkyng wel of thy selfe thou doest nothyng els but deceaue thy selfe The holy ghost doth alwayes declare hym selfe by his fruitefull and gratious gyftes namely by the worde of wysedome by the worde of knowledge whiche is the vnderstandyng of the scriptures by fayth in doyng of miracles by healyng them that are diseased by prophesie whiche is the declaration of Gods mysteries by discerning of spirites diuersities of tonges interpretation of tonges and so foorth All whiche gyftes as they proceede from one spirite and are seuerally geuen to man accordyng to the measurable distribution of the holy ghost Euen so do they bryng men and not without good cause into a wonderfull admiration of Gods diuine power Who wyll not marueyle at that whiche is wrytten in the Actes of the Apostles to heare their bolde confession before the counsell at Jerusalem And to consyder that they went away with ioy and gladnesse reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebukes and checkes for the name and fayth of Christe Jesus This was the myghtie worke of the holy ghost who because he geueth patience and ioyfulnesse of heart in temptation and affliction hath therefore worthyly obtayned this name in holye scripture to be called a comforter Who wyl not also marueyle to reade the learned and heauenly sermons of Peter and the disciples consyderyng that they were neuer brought vp in schole of learnyng but called euen from their nettes to supply roomes of Apostles This was lykewyse the mightie worke of the holy ghost who because he doth instruct the hearts of the simple in the true knowledge of God and his holy worde is moste iustly tearmed by this name and title to be the spirite of trueth Eusebius in his ecclesiasticall historie telleth a straunge storie of a certayne learned and subtill Philosopher who beyng an extreame aduersarie to Christ and his doctrine could by no kynd of learnyng be conuerted to the fayth but was able to withstande all the argumentes that coulde be brought agaynst hym with litle or no labour At length there started vp a poore simple man of small wit and lesse knowledge one that was reputed among the learned as an ideote And he on Gods name woulde needes take in hande to dispute with this proude Philosopher The Byshoppes and other learned men standyng by were marueylously abashed at the matter thinking that by his doynges they shoulde be all confounded and put to open shame He notwithstandyng goeth on and begynnyng in the name of the Lorde Jesus brought the Philosopher to suche poynte in the ende contrary to all mens expectation that he coulde not choose but acknowledge the power of God in his wordes and to geue place to the trueth Was not this a miraculous worke that one seely soule of no learnyng shoulde do that whiche many byshops of great knowledge and vnderstanding were neuer able to bryng to passe So true is the saying of Bede Where the holy ghost doth instruct and teache there is no delay at al in learnyng Much more myght here be spoken of the manyfolde gyftes and graces of the holy ghost moste excellent and wonderfull in our eyes But to make a long discourse through all the shortnes of tyme wil not serue And seing ye haue heard the cheefest ye may easily conceaue and iudge of the rest Nowe were it expedient to discusse this question Whether all they whiche boaste and bragge that they haue the holy ghost do truely chalenge this vnto them selues or no Which doubt
mens heads as repentaunce amendement of life and speedye returnyng vnto the lord God of hoastes And no maruayle why For we do daily and hourely by our wickednes and stubburne disobedience horriblye fall awaye from God thereby purchasing vnto our selues yf he shoulde deale with vs accordyng to his iustice eternall dampnation So that no doctrine is so necessarie in the Churche of God as is the doctrine of repentaunce amendement of lyfe And veryly the true preachers of the Gospell of the kingdome of heauen and of the glad and ioyfull tidinges of saluation haue alwayes in their godly sermons and preachinges vnto the people ioyned these two together I meane repentance and forgeuenes of sinnes euen as our Sauiour Jesus Christe did appoynt him selfe saying So it behoued Christe to suffer to ryse agayne the thirde day and that repentance and forgeuenes of sinnes should be preached in his name among all nations And therefore the holy Apostle doth in the actes speake after this maner I haue witnessed both to the Jewes to the Gentiles that repentaunce towardes God and fayth towards our Lord Jesu Christe Dyd not John Baptist Zacharias sonne begin his ministerie with the doctrine of repentaunce saying Repent for the kingdome of God is at hande The like doctrine did our sauiour Jesus Christe preache hym selfe and cōmaunded his Apostles to preache the same I myght here alleage very many places out of the prophetes in the whiche this most holsome doctrine of repentaunce is very earnestly vrged as most nedefull for all degrees and orders of men but one shal be sufficient at this present tyme These are the words of Joel the prophete Therfore also nowe the Lorde sayth Returne vnto me with al your heart with fastyng weepyng and mournyng rent your heartes and not your clothes and returne vnto the Lorde your God for he is gratious and merciful slow to anger and of great compassion and redy to pardon wickednes Wherby it is geuen vs to vnderstād that we haue here a perpetuall rule appoynted vnto vs which ought to be obserued and kept at all times that there is none other way whereby the wrath of god may be pacified and his anger asswaged that the fiercenes of his furie and the plagues or destruction which by his ryghteous iudgement he had determined to bring vpō vs maye depart be remoued and taken away Where he sayth But nowe therefore sayth the Lord returne vnto me It is not without great importaunce that the prophete speaketh so For he had afore set foorth at large vnto them the horrible vengeaunce of god which no man was able to abide and therfore he doth moue them to repentaunce to obtayne mercie as yf he shoulde say I wyl not haue these thinges to be so taken as though there were no hope of grace left For although ye do by your sinnes deserue to be vtterly destroyed and God by his righteous iudgemēts hath determined to bryng no smal destruction vppon you yet nowe that ye are in a maner on the very edge of the sworde yf ye wyll spedyly returne vnto hym he wyll most gently and most mercifully receaue you into fauour again Wherby we are admonished that repentaunce is neuer to late so that it be true and earnest For sith that God in the scriptures wylbe called our father doubtlesse he doth followe the nature and propertie of gentle and mercifull fathers which seeke nothing so much as the returning againe and amendement of their chyldren as Christe doth aboundauntly teache in the parable of the prodigall sonne Doth not the Lorde hym selfe say by the prophete I wyll not the death of the wicked but that he turne from his wicked waies and liue And in another place If we confesse our sinne God is faythfull and righteous to forgeue vs our sinnes and to make vs cleane from all wickednesse Whiche moste comfortable promises are confyrmed by manye examples of the scriptures When the Jewes dyd wyllingly receaue and embrace the wholesome counsel of the prophete Esai God by and by dyd reache his helping hande vnto them and by his angell dyd in one nyght slea the moste worthye and valiaunt souldiers of Sennacheribs campe Whereunto may kyng Manasses be added who after al maner of dampnable wickednes returned vnto the Lorde and therefore was hearde of hym and restored againe into his kingdome The same grace and fauour dyd the sinfull woman Magdalene Zacheus the poore theefe and many other feele All whiche thynges ought to serue for our comfort agaynst the temptations of our consciences whereby the deuill goeth about to shake or rather to ouerthrowe our faith For euery one of vs ought to applye the same vnto hym selfe and say yet nowe returne vnto the Lorde neyther let the remembraunce of thy former lyfe discourage thee yea the more wicked that it hath ben the more feruent and earnest let thy repentaunce or returnyng be and foorth with thou shalt feele the eares of the Lorde wide open vnto thy prayers But let vs more narowly loke vpon the cōmaundement of the Lorde touchyng this matter Turne vnto me sayth he by his prophete Joel with al your heartes with fasting weping and mourning Rent your heartes and not your garments c. In which wordes he comprehendeth al maner of things that can be spoken of repentaunce whiche is a returning agayne of the whole man vnto God from whom we be fallen away by sinne But that the whole discourse thereof may the better be borne away we shall fyrst consyder in order foure principall poyntes that is from what we must returne to whom we must returne by whom we may be able to conuert and the maner howe to turne to GOD. First from whence or from what thynges we must returne Truely we muste returne from those things whereby we haue ben withdrawē pluckt and led away from god And these generally are our sinnes which as the holy prophete Esai doth testifie do separate God and vs and hide his face that he wyll not heare vs But vnder the name of sinne not only those grosse wordes and deedes which by the common iudgement of men are counted to be filthy and vnlawfull and so consequently abominable sinnes but also the filthy lustes and inwarde concupiscences of the fleshe whiche as saint Paul testifieth do resist the wyll and spirite of God and therefore ought earnestly to be brydled and kept vnder We must repent of the false and erronious opinions that we haue had of god and the wicked superstition that doth breede of the same the vnlawfull worshipping and seruice of God and other lyke All these thinges must they forsake that will truely turne vnto the Lorde and repent aryght For sith that for suche things the wrath of God commeth vpon the children of disobedience no ende of punishment ought to be looked for as long as we continue in such thinges Therfore they be here condempned
that were in deede to deface Christ and to defraud him of his glorie But they meane this and this is the vnderstandyng of those and suche lyke sayinges That God of his mercie and especial fauour towards them whom he hath appoynted to euerlastyng saluation hath so offred his grace especially and they haue so receaued it fruitfully that although by reason of their sinfull lyuyng outwardly they seemed before to haue ben the children of wrath and perdition yet nowe the spirite of God mightily workyng in them vnto obedience to Gods wyll and commaundementes they declare by their outward deedes and lyfe in the shewyng of mercie and charitie which can not come but of the spirite of God and his especiall grace that they are the vndoubted chyldren of God appoynted to euerlastyng lyfe And so as by their wyckednesse and vngodly lyuyng they shewed them selues accordyng to the iudgement of men which folowe the outward appearaunce to be reprobates and castawayes So nowe by their obedience vnto Gods holy wyll and by their mercyfulnesse and tender pitie wherin they shew them selues to be lyke vnto God who is the fou 〈…〉 yne and spryng of all mercye they declare openly and manyfestly vnto the sight of men that they are the sonnes of God and elect of hym vnto saluation For as the good fruite is not the cause that the tree is good but the tree must firste be good before it can bryng foorth good fruite so the good deedes of man are not the cause that maketh man good but he is firste made good by the spirite and grace of God that effectually worketh in hym and afterwarde he bryngeth foorth good fruites And then as the good fruite doth argue the goodnesse of the tree so doth the good and mercyfull deede of the man argue and certainely proue the goodnesse of hym that doth it accordyng to Christes sayinges Ye shall knowe them by their fruites And if any man wyl obiect that euil and naughty men do sometymes by their deedes appeare to be very godly and vertuous I wyll aunswere so doth the crab and choke peare seeme outwardly to haue sometyme as fayre a redde and as melow a colour as the fruite whiche is good in deede But he that wyl byte and take a taste shall easily iudge betwixt the sower bytternesse of the one and the sweete sauorines of the other And as the true christian man in thankfulnesse of his heart for the redemption of his soule purchased by Christes death sheweth kyndly by the fruite of his fayth his obedience to God so the other as a marchaunt with God doth all for his owne gayne thynking to win heauen by the merite of his workes and so defaceth and obscureth the pryce of Christes blood who only wrought our purgation The meanyng then of these sayinges in the scriptures and other holy wrytinges Almes deedes do washe away our sinnes and mercie to the poore doth blot out our offences is that we doing these thynges accordyng to Gods wyl our duetie haue our sinnes in deede washed away and our offences blotted out not for the worthinesse of them but by the grace of God which worketh al in al and that for the promise that God hath made to them that are obedient vnto his commaundement that he which is the trueth might be iustified in perfourming the trueth due to his true promise Almes deedes do wash away our sinnes because god doth vouchsafe then to repute vs as cleane and pure when we do them for his sake and not because they deserue or merite our purgyng or for that they haue anye suche strength and vertue in them selues I know that some men to much addict to the aduauncing of their good workes will not be contented with this aunswere no maruaile for suche men can no aunswere content nor suffice Wherfore leauing them to their owne wylful sense we wyll rather haue regarde to the reasonable and godly who as they most certaynly know and perswade them selues that al goodnes al bountie al mercy al benefites al forgeuenes of sinnes whatsoeuer can be named good and profitable either for the body or for the soule do come only of Gods mercie and mere fauour not of them selues So though they do neuer so many so excellent good deedes yet are they neuer pufte vp with the vayne confidence of them And though they heare and reade in gods word and other where in godly mens workes that almes deedes mercy and charitablenes doth wash away sinne and blot out iniquitie yet do they not arrogantly and proudly sticke and trust vnto them or bragge them selues of them as the proud Pharisee did lest with the Pharisee they shoulde be condemned but rather with the humble and poore Publicane confesse them selues sinfull wretches vnworthye to looke vp to heauen callyng and crauyng for mercie that with the Publicane they may be pronounced of Christ to be iustified The godly do learne that when the scriptures saye that by good and mercifull workes we are reconciled to Gods fauour we are taught then to knowe what Christe by his intercession and mediation obteyneth for vs of his father when we be obedient to his wyl yea they learne in such maners of speakyng a comfortable argument of Gods singuler fauour and loue that attributeth that vnto vs and to our doynges that he by his spirite worketh in vs and through his grace procureth for vs And yet this notwithstandyng they crye out with saint Paule Oh wretches that we are acknowledge as Christe teacheth that when they haue all done they are but vnprofitable seruauntes with the blessed kyng Dauid in respect of the iust iudgementes of God they do tremble and say Who shal be able to abide it Lorde if thou wylt geue sentence accordyng to our desertes Thus they humble them selues and are exalted of God they count them selues vyle and of God are counted pure and cleane they condemne them selues and are iustified of God they thinke them selues vnworthy of the earth and of God are thought worthy of heauen Thus of Gods worde are they truely taught how to thynke ryghtly of mercyfull dealyng of almes and of Gods especial mercie and goodnesse are made partakers of those fruites that his word hath promised Let vs then folowe their examples and both shew obediently in our lyfe those workes of mercie that we are commaunded and haue that ryght opinion iudgement of them that we are taught and we shal in lyke maner as they be made partakers and feele the fruites and rewardes that folowe such godly lyuyng so shall we knowe by proofe what profite and commoditie doth come of geuyng of almes and succouring of the poore The thirde parte of the Homilee of almes deedes YE haue alredye hearde two partes of this treatise of almes deedes The fyrste howe pleasaunt and acceptable before God the doyng of them is the second how muche it behoueth vs and how profitable it is to apply our selues vnto them Nowe in the
hath purified our heartes by fayth to the sincere acknowledging of his Gospel and imbracing of his mercies in Christe Jesu that so at this his table we receaue not only the outwarde Sacrament but the spirituall thing also not the figure but the trueth not the shadowe only but the bodye not to death but to lyfe not to destruction but to saluation which God graunt vs to do through the merites of our Lord and Sauiour to whom be all honour and glory for euer Amen The seconde part of the Homilee of the worthy receauing and reuerent esteeming of the sacrament of the body and blood of Christe IN the Homilee of late rehearsed vnto you ye haue hearde good people why it pleased our sauiour Christe to institute that heauenly memorie of his death and passion and that euery one of vs ought to celebrate the same at his table in our owne personnes and not by other You haue hearde also with what estimation knowledge of so hygh mysteries we ought to resort thyther You haue hearde with what constant fayth we shoulde clothe and decke our selues that we myght be fit and decent partakers of that celestiall foode Nowe foloweth the thirde thing necessarie in him that woulde not eate of this breade nor drinke of this cuppe vnworthyly which is newnesse of lyfe and godlinesse of conuersation For newenesse of lyfe as fruites of fayth are required in the partaker of this table â—e maye learne by the eating of the tipicall lambe whervnto no man was admitted but he that was a Jewe that was circumcized that was before sanctiâ—â—ed Yea Saint Paul testifieth that although the people were partakers of the Sacramentes vnder Moyses yet for that some of them were still worshippers of images whoremongers tempters of Christe murmurers and coueting after euill thinges God ouerthrewe those in the wyldernesse and that for our example that is that we Christians shoulde take heede we resorte vnto our Sacramentes with holinesse of lyfe not trustyng in the outwarde receauing of them and infected with corrupte and vncharitable maners For this sentence of GOD must alwayes be iustified I wyll haue mercie and not sacrifice Wherefore â—ayth Basâ—l it behoueth him that commeth to the bodye and blood of Christe in commemoration of hym that dyed and rose agayne not only to be pure from all filthynesse of the fleshe and spirite least he eate and drinke to his condempnation but also to shewe out euidently a memorie of hym that dyed rose agayne for vs in this point that he be mortified to sinne and the world to liue now to God in Christe Jesu our Lorde So then we must shewe outwarde testimonie in folowyng the signification of Christes death amongst the which this is not esteemed least to render thankes to almightie God for all his benefites briefely comprised in the death passion resurrection of his dearely beloued sonne The which thing because we ought chiefly at this table to solempnise the godly fathers named it Eucharistia that is thankesgeuing As yf they should haue sayde Nowe aboue all other tymes ye ought to laude and prayse god Now may you beholde the matter the cause the begynning and the ende of all thankesgeuing Nowe yf you stacke ye shewe your selues most vnthankfull and that no other benefite can euer stirre you to thanke God who so litle regarde here so many so wonderfull and so profitable benefites Seeyng then that the name thing it selfe doth monishe vs of thanks let vs as saint Paul sayth offer alwayes to god the hoste or sacrifice of prayse by Christe that is the fruite of the lippes which confesse his name For as Dauid singeth He that offereth to God thankes and prayse honoureth hym But howe fewe be there of thankfull personnes in comparison to the vnthankfull Loe ten Lepers in the Gospell were healed and but one only returned to geue thankes for his health Yea happye it were yf among fourtie Communicantes we coulde see two vnfaignedly geue thankes So vnkinde we be so obliuious we be so proude beggers we be that partly we care not for our owne commoditie partlye we knowe not our duetie to God and chiefely we wyll not confesse all that we receaue Yea and yf we be forced by Gods power to do it yet we handle it so coldely so drylye that our lippes prayse him but our heartes disprayse hym our tongues blesse hym but our lyfe curseth hym our wordes worshippe hym but our workes dishonour him O let vs therfore learne to geue God here thankes aright and so to agnise his exceeding graces powred vppon vs that they beyng shutte vp in the treasure house of our heart maye in due tyme and season in our lyfe and conuersation appeare to the glorifying of his holye name Furthermore for newenesse of lyfe it is to be noted that Saint Paul wryteth that we beyng many are one bread and one body For all be partakers of one bread Declaring thereby not onlye our Communion with Christ but that vnitie also wherin they that eate at this table shoulde be knitte together For by discention vaineglory ambition strise enuying contempt hatred or malyce they shoulde not be disseuered but so ioyned by the bonde of loue in one mysticall bodye as the cornes of that bread in one lofe In respecte of which strait knot of charitie the true Christians in the tender tyme of Christes Churche called this supper loue As yf they shoulde saye none ought to sit downe there that were out of loue and charitie who bore grudge vengeaunce in his heart who also dyd not professe his kynd affection by some charitable reliefe for some parte of the congregation And this was their practise O heaueÌ„ly â—anket then so vsed O godly ghestes who so estemed this feast But O wretched creatures that we be at these daies who be without reconciliation of our brethren whoÌ„ we haue offended without satisfying them whom we haue caused to fall without any kynde of thought or compassion toward them whoÌ„ we myght easyly relieue without any conscience of slaunder disdayne misrâ—poet diuision rancour or inwarde bitternes Yea being accombred with the cloked hatred of Caine with the long couered malice of Esau with the dissembled falshood of Ioab dare ye presume to come vp to these sacred and fearefull mysteries O man whyther rushest thou vnaduisedly It is a table of peace and thou art redy to fight It is a table of singlenes and thou art imagining mischeefe It is a table of quietnesse and thou art geuen to debate It is a table of pitie and thou art vnmercifull Doest thou neyther feare GOD the maker of this feast nor reuerence his Christe the refection and meate nor regardest his spouse his beloued ghest nor weighest thyne owne conscience which is sometime thyne inwarde accuser Wherfore O man tender thyne owne saluation examine and trye thygood wyl and loue towardes the chyldren of God the members of Christe the heyres of the heauenly heritage
Christe the same is not his And by turnyng the wordes it maye be as truely sayd If any man be not of Christe the same hath not his spirite Nowe to discerne who are truely his and who not we haue this rule geuen vs that his sheepe do alwayes heare his voyce And saint John sayth He that is of God heareth Gods worde Whereof it foloweth that the popes in not hearing Christes voyce as they ought to do but preferring their owne decrees before the expresse worde of God do playnely argue to the worlde that they are not of Christe nor yet possessed with his spirite But here they wyll alleage for them selues that there are diuers necessarie poyntes not expressed in holy scripture whiche were left to the reuelation of the holy ghost Who beyng geuen to the Churche accordyng to Christes promise hath taught many thynges from tyme to tyme which the apostles coulde not then beare To this we may easily aunswere by the playne wordes of Christe teachyng vs that the proper office of the holy ghoste is not to institute and bring in newe ordinaunces contrary to his doctrine before taught but to expound declare those thynges whiche he had before taught so that they might be wel truely vnderstode When the holy ghost sayth he shall come he shall leade you into all trueth What trueth doth he meane Any other then he him self had before expressed in his word No. For he sayth He shal take of myne and shew it vnto you Agayne he shall bryng you in remembraunce of all thynges that I haue tolde you it is not then the duetie and part of any christian vnder pretence of the holy ghost to bryng in his owne dreames and phantasies into the Churche but he must diligently prouide that his doctrine decrees be agreeable to Christes holye testament Otherwise in making the holy ghost the aucthour thereof he doth blaspheme and belye the holy ghost to his owne condempnation Now to leaue their doctrine and come to other poyntes What shall we thynke or iudge of the popes intollerable pryde The scripture sayth that God resisteth the proude and sheweth grace to the humble Also it pronounceth them blessed which are poore in spirite promising that they which humble them selues shal be exalted And Christe our sauiour wylieth all his to learne of hym because he is humble and meeke As for pryde saint Gregorie sayth it is the roote of all mischeefe And saint Augustines iudgement is this that it maketh men deuilles Can any man then whiche eyther hath or shall reade the popes lyues iustly say that they had the holy ghoste within them First as touching that they wil be tearmed vniuersall byshoppes and heades of all Christian Churches through the world we haue the iudgement of Gregory expresly against them who wrytyng to Maritius the Emperour condemneth John bishop of Constantinople in that behalfe calling him the prince of pryde Lucifers successour and the forerunner of Antechriste Saint Barnarde also agreeing thereunto sayth What greater pride can there be then that one man should preferre his owne iudgement before the whole congregation as though he onlye had the spirite of God And Chrisostome pronounceth a terrible sentence agaynst them affyrming playnly that whosoeuer seeketh to be cheefe in earth shall finde confusion in heauen and that he whiche striueth for the supremacie shall not be reputed among the seruauntes of Christe Agayne he sayth To desire a good worke it is good but to couet the cheefe degree of honour it is mere vanitie Do not these places sufficiently conuince their outragious pride in vsurping to them selues a superioritie aboue all other aswell ministers and byshops as kynges also and Emperours But as the Lion is knowne by his clawes so let vs learne to knowe these men by their deedes What shall we say of hym that made the noble kyng Dandalus to be tyed by the necke with a chayne and to lye flat downe before his table there to gnaw bones lyke a dogge Shal we thynke that he had Gods holy spirite within hym and not rather the spirite of the deuil Such a tyraunt was pope Clement the sixt What shall we say of hym that proudly and contemptuously trode Fredericke the Emperour vnder his feete applying the vearse of the Psalme vnto him selfe Thou shalt go vpon the Lion and the Adder the young Lion the Dragon thou shalt tread vnder thy foote Shal we say that he had Gods holy spirite within hym not rather the spirite of the deuyll Suche a tyraunt was pope Alexander the thirde What shall we say of him that armed and animated the sonne against the father causing him to be taken to be cruelly famished to death contrary to the law both God and also of nature Shall we say that he had Gods holy spirite within hym and not rather the spirite of the deuyll Suche a tyraunt was pope Pascall the seconde What shall we saye of hym that came into his popedome lyke a foxe that raigned lyke a Lion and dyed lyke a dogge Shal we say that he had Gods holy spirite within hym and not rather the spirite of the deuyll Suche a tyraunt was pope Boniface the eyght What shall we say of hym that made Henrye the Emperour with his wyfe and his young childe to stande at the gates of the Citie in the rough winter bare footed and bare legged only clothed in lincie wolâ—ie eatyng nothyng from mornyng to nyght and that for the space of three dayes Shal we say that he had Gods holy spirite within hym and not rather the spirite of the deuyll Suche a tyraunt was pope Hildebrande moste worthy to be called a fyrebrand if we shal tearme him as he hath best deserued Many other examples might here be alleaged As of pope Jone the harlot that was delyuered of a chylde in the hygh streate goyng solempnly in procession Of pope Iulius the seconde that wilfully cast Saint Peters keyes into the ryuer Tiberis Ofpope Vrban the sixte that caused fiue Cardinals to be put in sackes and cruelly drowned Of pope Sergius the thirde that persecuted the dead bodye of Formosius his predecessour when it had ben buried eight yeres Of Pope John the. xiiii of that name who hauing his enemy deliuered into his handes caused him first to be stripped starke naked his beard to be shauen and to be hanged vp a whole day by the heere then to be set vpon an Asse with his face backward towardes the taile to be caryed round about the Citie in dispite to be miserablye beaten with roddes laste of all to be thrust out of his countrye and to be banished for euer But to conclude and make an ende ye shall breefly take this shorte lesson Wheresoeuer ye fynde the spirite of arrogancye and pryde the spirite of enuye hatred contention crueltie murder extortion witchcraft necromancie c. Assure your selues that there is the spirite of the
But yet I woulde not haue you carelesse without watching For the deuill will assaye to attempt all thinges to interrupte and hynder your heartes and godly purpose if ye will geue him anye entrye For he will eyther labour to breake this godly knot once begun betwixt you or els at the leaste he will labour to encumber it with diuers greefes and displeasures And this is his principall craft to worke dissention of heartes of the one from the other That whereas nowe there is pleasaunte and sweete loue betwixt you he wyll in the steede thereof bryng in moste bitter and vnpleasaunt dyscorde And surelye that same aduersarye of ours doth as it were from aboue assault mans nature and condition For this folly is euer from our tender age growen vp with vs to haue a desyre to rule to thynke hyghlye by our selfe so that none thynketh it meete to geue place to another That wicked vyce of stubburne will selfe loue is more meete to breake and to disseuer the loue of heart then to preserue concorde Wherefore maryed persons must apply their myndes in moste earnest wyse to concorde and must craue continually of God the helpe of his holy spirite so to rule their heartes and to knit their myndes together that they be not disseuered by any diuision of discorde This necessitie of prayer must be oft in the occupying and vsing of maryed persons that oft tymes the one shoulde pray for the other lest hate and debate do arise betwixt them And because fewe do consyder this thing but more fewe do perfourme it I saye to praye diligently we see howe wonderfull the deuill deludeth and scorneth this state howe fewe matrimonies there be without chydinges brawlings tauntinges repentinges bitter cursinges and fyghtinges Which thinges whosoeuer do commit they do not consyder that it is the instigation of the ghostly enemie who taketh great delyght therein For els they woulde with all earnest endeuour stryue agaynst these mischeefes not onely with prayer but also with all possible diligence Yea they woulde not geue place to the prouocation of wrath which stirreth them either to such rowgh sharpe words or stripes which is surely compassed by the deuill whose temptation if it be folowed must needes begin weaue the web of all miseries and sorrowes For this is moste certaynly true that of suche beginninges must needes ensue the breache of true concorde in heart whereby all loue must needes shortly be banished Then can it not be but a miserable thing to beholde that yet they are of necessitie compelled to lyue together which yet cannot be in quyet together And this is most customably euery where to be seene But what is the cause thereof Forsoth because they will not consyder the craftie traynes of the deuill and therefore geueth not them selues to praye to God that he woulde vouchsafe to represse his power Moreouer they do not consyder how they promote the purpose of the deuill in that they followe the wrath of their heartes whyle they threate one another whyle they in their follye turne all vpsyde downe whyle they will neuer geue ouer their ryght as they esteeme it yea whyle manye tymes they will not geue ouer the wrong parte in deede Learne thou therefore if thou desyrest to be voyde of all these miseries if thou desyrest to lyue peaceably and comfortablye in wedlocke howe to make thy earnest prayer to God that he would gouerne both your heartes by his holy spirite to restrayne the deuils power whereby your concorde may remayne perpetuallye But to this prayer muste be ioyned a singuler diligence whereof saint Peter geueth this precept saying You husbandes deale with your wyues accordyng to knowledge geuing honour to the wyfe as vnto the weaker vessell as vnto them that are heyres also of the grace of lyfe that your prayers be not hyndered This precept doth particulerly parteyne to the husband For he ought to be the leader aucthour of loue in cherishing and increasing concorde whiche then shall take place if he will vse measurablenesse and not tirannie if he yelde some thinges to the woman For the woman is a weake creature not endued with like strength and constancie of mynd therefore they be the sooner disquieted and they be the more prone to all weake affections dispositions of mynde more then men be and lighter they be and more vaine in their fantasies and opinions These thinges muste be consydered of the man that he be not to stiffe so that he ought to winke at some thinges and must gentlye expounde all thynges and to forbeare Howbeit the common sorte of men doth iudge that suche moderation should not become a man For they say that it is a token of womanishe cowardnesse and therfore they thynke that it is a mans parte to fume in anger to fyght with fiste and staffe Howbeit howsoeuer they imagine vndoubtedlye Saint Peter doth better iudge what should be seeming to a man and what he should most reasonablye perfourme For he sayth reasoning should be vsed and not fyghting Yea he sayth more that the woman ought to haue a certayne honour attributed to her that is to say she muste be spared and borne with the rather for that she is the weaker vessel of a frayle heart inconstant and with a worde soone stirred to wrath And therefore consydering these her frayleties she is to be the rather spared By this meanes thou shalt not onlye norishe concorde but shalt haue her heart in thy power and wyll For honest natures wyl sooner be retayned to do their duetie rather by gentle wordes then by stripes But he which wyl do al thynges with extremitie and seueritie and doth vse alwaies rigour in wordes stripes what wyll that auayle in the conclusion Ueryly nothyng but that he therby setteth forwarde the deuilles worke he banisheth away concorde charitie and sweete amitie and bryngeth in discention hatred and yrkesomnes the greatest greefes that can be in the mutuall loue and felowship of mans lyfe Beyonde al this it bryngeth another euil therewith For it is the destruction and interruption of prayer For in the tyme that the mynde is occupyed with discention and discord there can be no true prayer vsed For the Lordes prayer hath not only a respect to particuler persons but to the whole vniuersall In the whiche we openly pronounce that we wyll forgeue them which hath offended against vs euen as we aske forgeuenes of our synnes of god Which thyng how can it be done ryghtly when their heartes be at discention Howe can they pray each for other when they be at hate betwixt them selues Now if the ayde of prayer be taken away by what meanes can they sustayne them selues in any comfort For they can not otherwyse eyther resist the deuill or yet haue their heartes stayed in stable comfort in al perilles and necessities but by prayer Thus all discommodities aswell worldly as ghostly folowe this frowarde testinesse and cumbrous fiercenes in maners