proude in their own conceiptes neither to trust in the vncertaintie of their riches but to be riche in good woorkes and good deedes to geue gentlely without frowardnes c. The other wisedome called beastly wisedome they haue that be ouer muche geuen to the pleasure of their bellies and consequently to the pleasure of the flesh and lechery For of glotony foloweth lecherye and this is the wisedome of them that studieth nothinge so muche as howe they may please their bellies as where to get a delicate cup of wine and good chere These S. Iude in his epistle calleth spottes for they spotteth and defouleth thē selues by ebrietie and surfets and spotteth other mē by their yll examples and euill occasions geuing Hi sunt inquit in epulis macule conuiuantes sine timore seipsos pascētes Against al these speaketh our sauiour Christ. Luc. vi Ve qui saturati estis quia esurietis Wo be to you that be farced stuffed and full fed for you shall be a hungred at your iudgement when ye shall beg refreshing and none shalbe giuen you and this paine with which Christ doth threaten voluptuous persones is inflict and laid on mens neckes somtimes here in this world as we haue seen by many men which hath mispende all that their fathers left them goodes and landes and all and haue be ready to begge or steale for very nede and for very lack of their accustomed fare Much like vnto Esau whyche for a messe of potage sold his first frutes Gene. xxv et Contempsit quod vendidisset And he litle estemed yea rather despised that he had so sold them So these yong ruflers be not sory but rather doth maligne and freate and chafe and be readye to fighte when a man would vmbrayde them for so mispendynge all their substance worse then the prodigall and wastefull sonne that is spoke of in the gospel which after that he had scattered and wasted by his lose liuing all the goodes that his father left hym yet at the last he tooke remorse and repentaunce and returned home to his father againe The third euill wisdome is called diuellishe wisdome which they haue that be wise and wittye inough to do mischief but good they cā do none They be wylye to circumuent men and to deceiue them in all busynes exchaunges bargayning bying and selling and such other exercyse And such be they also that by oppression leapeth vpon mens shoulders like Apes as muche as in them is keeping them downe that they shall neuer come vppe a lofte to anye thrifte or ryches and that wyll be gladde to wayte men a shreud turne so that no man shall espye them or knowe that they do it and many times when they haue done a man a shreude turne will make a man beleue that they be their best frendes All these be carnall wysedomes and worldlye wysedomes that bringeth a man to death euerlasting Rom. viii prudentia carnis mors est And it is counted very folyshenes afore God Of suche wisedome speaketh Christe Luc. xvi The chyldren of thys wicked worlde all sette in malignitie and myschiefe be wyser then the chyldren of light the children of grace the children of God And he geueth laude and prayse to the father because he hath hid the misteries and secretes of the trewe faith of Christ from them that be worldly wyse and farre casting and hath reueled vttred and declared them to suche as be chyldren that is to saye small and little in malice humble and lowlye in harte and spirite For on suche the holye goste wyll spredde hys gyftes and on none of theym that thyncke theym selues so worldlye wyse whyche be verye fooles afore God The apostle Saynte Iames capit iii. declareth what is this godlye sapience or wisedome commynge from almightye GOD aboue by the effectes and properties of it Firste saithe he it is chaste in deedes and in exteriour behauiour for where the filthynesse of lecherye is there is no vertue that can please God and thys is contrarye to beastlye wysedome Then it maketh peace as wel wythin a mannes selfe or in a mannes owne conscience as outwarde to others dyrectlye agaynst dyuellysh wysdome that is euer quarelyng and waytyng shrewd tournes It keepeth a measure and good manner in worde and deedes And so doth nother beastly wisedome nor diuellish wisedome Easye to be counselled or intreated where earthly wisedome according to the properties of the earth is hard to be perswaded agaynste his lucre or aduauntage Agreing with good men as none of the other three wisedomes doth And full of mercy in hart and dede And full of good fruites that is to say good workes wheras of the other wisedomes cōmeth no goodnesse but it be colourable vainglorious or for some sinistre purpose Iudging without simulacion or faining Not shewing iustice and indifferencye outward bearing indignacion and parciality in hart inward Such an humble hart had Salomon when he made his supplicacion and peticion to God in Gabaon .iii. Regum .iii. where he offered to God a thousand hostes or beastes to be all burned in Gods honour as the maner was then sayinge I am but yonge and knowe not how to beginne nor how to procede or make an ende of my matters Therfore giue vnto me thy seruaunt O good Lorde a disciplinable hart ready and apt to learne what and howe I ought to doe that I maye iudge thy people and dyscerne or put difference betwyxte good and yll wythoute whyche no man can be able to iudge these people they be so many in nomber Thys desyre and prayer of thys yonge kynge Salomon pleased GOD wonderouselye well And because he asked not long life nother riches nother the death of his enemies but onely wisdome to geue discrete iudgement Almighty god said to him I haue done as thou hast said Dedi tibi cor sapiens intelligēs in tantū vt nullus ante te similis tui fuerit nec post te futurus sit I haue geuē thee a heart indued with Sapience and intelligence in so muche that among all the kinges of Israell that haue bene afore thee or that shall come after thee there was neuer none like thee Here ye haue expresse mencion of the two firste giftes of the holy gost Sapience and Intelligence wittines or fine and cleare vnderstandyng Of the which Sapience properly serueth for iudgement in speculatiue causes chiefely concernyng almighty God and celestiall creatures and verities or truthes about the same iudgyng and determining that to them a mā shold surely adhere leyne to refuse the contraries as false repugnant to the truth And I must nowe speake vnitely or ioyntly of the gift of sapiēce of y e gift of intelligence or vnderstandyng as the prophet Esay rehearseth them coupled and linked together because one of them adourneth and helpeth another For Sapience is much the lesse if it lack Intelligence or wittines And wittinesse without discrete iudgement of Sapience is very vnprofitable
in the noughty sorte of christen people deposirio sordium carnis a clensinge and wasshinge away of the filth of the flesh by the water of baptisme when they were christened but it preuayled not to eternall saluation because they lacked a faythfull conscience well instructed examined and tried towarde GOD by the resurrection of Christ from the dead that like as he rose from the dead so our consciences should ryse frome deade workes of synne to liuelye workes of grace and vertue no more to dye or synne agayne whiche is in the right hande of God swalowynge vp consuminge and destroyinge death that so we might be made inheritours of euerlastinge life That a man swaloweth he consumeth so that it shall no more appeare in the fourme and fashion that it was of afore so Christe made by his death that death shuld be consumed in as much as by his death the deuyl that is the auctor causer of death was ouercome his heart was burst He begilinge and deceiuyng oure fyrste parentes kylled them â–ª and made them and all theyr posteritie subiect to death but kylling the latter man the latter Adam our Sauioure Christe he loste the fyrste man oute of his snares whiche kylled his hearte and was verye death to him He had power to bringe all them to death that descended of Adam whome he hadde kylled yf they came of hym by carnall propagation takinge of him the spotte of sinne but abusinge his libertie and procuringe the death of our moost innocent Sauioure Christe that came not of the sede of Adam by generation betwixt two parentes nor had any spotte of sinne by Adam he was worthy to lose his libertie and so he loste an infinite numbre of them that he thought him self sure of and dayly loseth his expectation and none can gette but suche as wylfully wyll runne into his daunger After this victorye ouer the deuyll Christ went vp into heauen as S. Peter sayth here and had subiect vnto him Aungels potestates and vertues where S. Peter expresseth three orders of Aungels of heauen to be subdued and subiecte vnto Christ by them vnderstandinge al the residue of the Aungels which as S. Dionise in his boke de celesti Hierarchia writeth according to that he had learned of his maister S. Paule by whome he was baptised and also taughte in the catholyke fayth be diuided into .iii. Hierarchies Euery Hierarchie conteyninge .iii. orders of Aungels and so they make nine ordres in the whole Saint Dionise that wrytte his booke of these heauenly creatures was S. Paules disciple and scoler and learned of him that could best declare the truthes of theim in as muche as he was rapte into heauen and there sawe suche secretes as a man might not speake Notwithstandinge as muche as semed to agree to mortall mans capacitie for to knowe as was mete and profitable for men to learne he declared to this blessed S. Dionise and to others of his disciples that had theyr wittes illuminate aboue others whiche the sayde S. Dionise committed to writing in his boke rehearsed that the posteritie that shoulde come after him in Christes churche mighte be instructe by the same In the sayde boke he rehearsed the names of euerye order of aungels in euery one of the saide Hierarchies The fyrste and highest Hierarchie conteyninge the .iii. orders Seraphin Cherubin and Thronos The seconde conteyneth Dominationes virtutes potestares The thirde Hierarchie and lowest hath in it these thre orders Principatus Archangelos et Angelos As appereth by s. Dionise in the sayde boke Cap vi vii.viii .ix. And by S. Gregory Homil .xxxiiii. super Euangelia All these were subiecte and subdued to Christes manhod when he came to heauen by his marueilous ascension Of all these orders Saint Peter in this place rehearseth thre orders one of the loweste Hierarchie Angelis and two of the middle Hierarchie potestates et virtutes by them vnderstandinge all the other Aungels which though they were euer sith theyr fyrst creation subiecte and subdued to Christes Godheade yet here in this place he maketh speciall mention of theyr subiection to Christ that he might shewe that the humanitie of Christ was so exalted and set alofte by his ascension whiche Saint Peter here speaketh of that it was preferred and set aboue the excellencie of all the Aungels of heauen Accordinge to the sayinge of the Prophet Omnia subiecisti sub pedibus eius And Saint Paul phil Dedit illi no men quod est super omne nomen vt in nomine Iesu omne genu flectatur celestium terrestrium infernorum GOD the father hath geuen hym a name aboue all names that to his name all creatures in heauen in earth and of hel shall bowe the knee and be subdued and obediente vnto him To whome be all honour and glorye for euer Amen The .xiiii. treatise or sermon The fourth Chapiter CHristo igitur passo in carne vos eadem cogitatione armamini quia qui passus est in carne de siit a peccatis c. The blessed Apostle Saynt Peter in diuers places of this epistle that we haue in hande vehemently extolleth and coÌ„mendeth the most aboundant mercy of God by whiche he hath regenerate and gotten vs agayne to lyfe where we were afore by oure carnall parentes gotten to death And we see by experience that one that hath a greate affection or vehement loue to any thinge wyll be euer busie as it were one that coulde neuer haue done or that woulde be euer gladde to speake of it So Saint Peter coulde neuer geue thankes ynoughe he euer inculcateth bringeth in the remembrauÌ„ce of the benefyt of oure redemption because we shoulde euer haue it in minde And because it is not ynough to remember it but we must also in our liuinge conforme oure selues to the same holynes he geueth vs manye holesome morall lessons and fatherly exhortations teachinge vs to lyue vertuousely and holyly contrarye to vices and vicious liuinge And because our regeneration and sanctification coÌ„meth by baptisme whiche taketh his efficacitie and strength of Christes bloude shedde in his payneful passion therfore euer amonge he speaketh of the excellente mysterye of the sayde passion of Christe and of his gloryous resurrection by whiche as he sayd in the ende of the thyrde Chapiter whiche I declared in my laste sermon vpon the same he swalowed vp drowned and consumed death of the soule to make vs heyres of lyfe euerlastynge And in as muche as the worlde and the spyryte be aduersaries and euer at variaunce euen so be worldlye and carnall personnes enemyes to spirituall personnes Spirituall I call good lyuers that worketh accordynge to the inclination and styringe of the holye spyryte the holye gooste Then considerynge that the carnall people be the more sorte and the greater number and the good lyuers be fewer in number it is no maâ—ueyle that good people suffereth muche wo vexation and trouble in this worlde that were able to ouerthrowe a
a. Church of christ builded on y e xii apostles equally clxiiii b Christ suffred his paines with ioy and gladnes in the higher part of his soule but by the lower portion he was in greatest payne fol clxxxxiiii a. Christes faith was first set forth by homly rude fishers and was reproued and pursued by the mightiest people of the world and yet it preuailed fol. ccxx b Christ preached in spirit to the spirites that were harde of beleif in Noes time is vnderstand .ii wayes fo ccxxiiii d Circuit or compasse about the deuill vseth fol. clxii d. Cleanes of life is necessary for receiuing of grace fo cxxx a Codrus king of Athenis died for his couÌ„treis sake fo xlix a Couetous men be like molles fol. vi c Counsel or policie worldly many times lacketh the spirite of counsell fol xv d Counsell of Gamaliel fol. xviii c the gifte of Counsell was in Iethro whiche Moises lacked fol. xxiiii c d Christen man winneth when he is thought to lose falshead loseth when he is glad of his winninge fol. cxxxiii b Consubstantiall that word is not founde in scripture yet it must nedes be vsed fol. xx d Conception of Christe in the virgins bodye is somewhat like the generation of a worme of the moist earth by the heate of the sonne fol. lxxviii a. and .ccxxi. c Communion much mutabilitie in ministring the communion amongest the heretikes fol cccxii d CommunioÌ„ of saintes is conformite to the coÌ„pany of holy men women as wel quicke as dead fol. lxxxv c â— Commaundementes of God be moral lawes oughte to be red in churches on sondaies holydaies lxxxx a Coueringe of sinnes is of two maners fol cclii a Correction beginneth at the churche fol. cclxxvi c Colchis where it is sayd the golden flece was is in Ponto fol. cx b. Counsell Nicene was kept in Bithinia Eodem d. Comming to Christ is by fayth fol. cliiii c Corner stone the Hebrues tale of that stone fo clv c. d new Conuerses to Christ suffreth much wo and persisteth in goodnes fol. ccxxxviii d. the Companie in Bristowe brought the common gaines into the handes of a fewe fol. ccxi b CoÌ„messatioÌ„s be al extraordinary banketings fo ccxxxiiii c Crime is described fol. cclxxxv c in Croked thinges the midle swarneth from the extremities fol. cccviii d Creation what maner a thinge it is fol. lxxv a. Crosses by the high wayes deuoutlye erecte maliciouselye cast downe fo lxxxxv a. Cure we haue euery one of his neighbour fol. cclxv d. Curiositie about new knackes and new learning is reproued with remedy against the same fol. clxxv b. c Cuthbert Sainte Cuthberte receiued an anngell for his gest fol. cclxi b. c D. DArke sayinges of Christe made manye to erre euen in Christes time fol. xxxvii d Dampned bodies how they shal euer endure fol. lxxxvii a the Deuils sinne is irremissible why fol. lx a Desire of the holy fathers to se Christ. fol. cxxvii a b Death of a faire death and of a foule death fo ccxli b Diuine productions fol. ix c Difference betwixt the minde of a fole and of a wise man about the affections fol. lvii c. Diuision of tongues was the greatest stroke that euer man was striken withall after the losse of originall iustice lx d Differ not to beleue why by example fol. lxxi c Die to sinne fol. lxxxii b. Discretion of spirites is necessary for him that shall studye scriptures fol. xcix b. c. Dowries or giftes of a glorified body fo lxxxvi c Dowries or giftes of a glorious body declared fo cclxxxi a Detraction and a remedy against detractours fol. cxlvii b Desier to haue is couetousnes and so is desire to saue folio cclxviii b. c Dukes Captaines and officers dueties vnder the kinge folio clxxxi b the Deuill killinge the latter Adam lost the first Adam and all his posteritie fol. ccxxvii a the Deuil medleth not with some walketh through some and compasseth about some fol. cccix d E. EArth is diuersly vnderstand folio lxv d Election of two maners fol. cxii c Elia the newe citie of Ierusalem fol. cxxviii b Embringe dayes fasted with prayers for orderinge of preistes fol. cclxxxiiii b Enuy is described is mete for no place but for hel cxlvii d Enuy commeth of vayne glory fol. cc. lxiiii d. Enuy how it may be put away by sufferinge in the fleshe folio ccxxxiii a. d Enuied and disdained is al new conuersion as wheÌ„ Saul prophecied fol. ccxxxvi c d Epicures felicitie fol. xlv c Epictetus determination of the affections fo lvii d Ephesus is a citie in the countrey of Asia the lesse fo cxi a Eue the first woman was made for two vses and in both she was excedingely punished fol. xcvi c Extremities of fortitude fol. xxvii a Examples of the gospels to forsake our parentes for to folow Christ in religion fo lii d Exhortation to seruauntes to their maisters fol xliii v Example of Christes paines in his most tender body shuld be our armour and defence fo ccxxx c Example of concord betwixt man and wife the lampraye with the veuemous viper geueth fo ccv c. Examples declareth and easeth our faith fo ccxxi b. F. FAbles pleasauntly couereth truthes fol. lxi d Faith is diffined and that it is necessarye for mans saluation fol. lxxi a b Faith hope and charitie be presupposed to the .vii. giftes of the holy goost fol v b Faith helpeth intelligence and contrary wise fol x. d Faith at rest and vnexercised anone decayeth fo lxxii c Faith is the instrumente by whiche God preserueth vs in goodnes fol. cxxii a Faith ouercommeth all worldlines and sinne is declared generally Eodem b Fear is necessary fol. lviii d Fear is deuided into sixe members after Damascen lxiiii d Fear is deuided into mundane seruile filial or chast EodeÌ„ Feare presupposeth a loue fol lxiiii d Feare seruile of god though it be not sufficient yet it doth good fol lxvi c Feare seruile and chast feare be like the feare of an adulteres wife and of a chast wife fol. lxvii c d Fear seruile is like the heare or bristel that leadeth bringeth in the threde fol lxix b Feare that is one of the seuen gifte of the holy goost is humilitie fol lxx b the rule of oure Faith is the whole booke of holye scripture fol. lxxiii a the Father in trinitie is neither elder nor more of power then the sonne or the holy Goste fol. lxxiiii d Flatterers of their lordes beleue not on one God properlye Eodem c Flateringe proueth a man fol. cxâ—iiii â— c Flattering hostes and tapsters that wil let vs in our iourney to heauen fol. clxxiiii b Fleshe desireth ease new inuentions and swetenes of tasting and touchinge Eodem c Flesh desireth against the spirite and the spirite against the flesh is vnproperly spoken fol. clxxvii a Feblenes of our wittes to vnderstande the holye scriptures fol. lxxxxix a Felowes to Christ. fol. ciiii c.
such after him haue a certain feare in them and worketh rather of a tendernesse or nashnes of hart then of fortitude or manlinesse Contrary to this we rede of Iudas Machabeus the valiant captaine that whē Lisias protectour of that huge part of Asia betwixt the riuer of Euphrates and the ryuer of Nilus in the absence of Anthiocus the king had send by the commaundement of the sayde kyng into the land of Iuda .xl. M. footemen and .vii. M. horsemen to inuade that land and to destroy it handsmothe so that there should remayne no memorie of the Iewes in all that lande Then this noble captain Iudas Machabeus gathered his people together and after fasting that daye with feruent and deuout prayer to God made a solempne exhortacion to hys people where he saide to my purpose Melius est nos mori in bello quam videre mala gentis nostrae et sanctorū .i. Mach. iii. It is better for vs to dye in battail then to se the trouble paines of our nacion of holy mē Wher he preferred death temporal to experience of misery chosed rather to dye then to sustaine the calamitie wretchednes shame that they should come to if their enemies shoulde haue the ouerhand ouer them yet the true fortitude manlines in Iudas Machabeus passed the mālines of al the paignim cōquerours that Aristotle could recite Aristotle saith also fortis quanto est virtuosior felicior tanto fit in morte tristior ▪ A manly man the more that he hath of that vertue the more felicitie that he hathe the more heuy sorowful he is at his death because that by death he is depriued disapointed of y e greatest felicitie benefit goodnes that may com to man which felicitie after him maye be gotten in this world For though they put an immortalitie of the soule yet of the state of soules after this present life they litle determine but leaue it so ragged that a man can not tell what to make of it But where the Philosopher saith for a conclusion fortis quanto est c. his faithe was no better but we by our faith know that the life to come is much more excellent then this presēt life full of misery and wretchednes euer mutable and vnconstant Notwythstandyng for the naturall amitie betwixt the soule and the body they be ful lothe to departe asundre naturally feareth such departure therefore in the ouercōming of this feare in the contempt of this life in ieopardinge on great perils for equitie and iustice sake for the faith of Christ and for the life to come standeth principally our fortitude this gift of the holy gost by which the holy goste moueth our soules setteth vs furth to obtain come to the end of euery good worke that we begin and maketh vs to escape passe al perils that maye let our good purpose And where the paines of death or the fear of death many times ouerthroweth turneth the fraile minde of mā that mā of him selfe can not ouercome the perils of this world come to y e reward of his labors but gyueth ouer hys good purpose afore it be parfite and perfourmed Here the holie goste helpeth mans minde giuyng a certain boldnes and trust to come to rewarde euerlasting in heauen as to the most parfite ende of all good woorkes and the very escape of all perils To this end the true fortitude this gift of the holy gost hath hys principall eye and respect This excellent gifte of fortitude or manlynesse rested in our Sauiour Christ as Esay speaketh and made him to put away and shake of the passions of our fraile mortalitie which made him to feare death and to be pensyfull and heauye when he sweat water and blood in his agonie remembring the death that he should to But anone he cōsidered hys fathers pleasure by fortitude went fourth to mete thē that were sent to take hym and consequentlye suffred his painfull passion on the crosse as he was determined for to doe Wherefore God the father exalted him and gaue him a name aboue all names and that is had in reuerence of al creatures Many we rede of in the olde testament and in the new that boldlye contempned deathe for iustice sake whyche had euer their principall respect and eye to reward euerlasting As Esaye which wyth a sawe was deuided in two partes Ieremye the Prophet was stoned to deathe for preaching to the people the word of God And .ii. Mach vii is writtē a marueilous story of a mother her .vii. sōnes in which this gift of the holy gost the gift of fortitude or mālines appereth excellently When she with her .vii. sonnes were conuented afore the kinge and the iudges they were required to eate certaine meates that were prohibited and forbidden by the lawe and to fal to the rites of gentilitie which they refused constantlye and therfore were condemned to dye were brought to execution the eldeste sonne had first his tonge cut out of his heade then the heere and skinne of his head striped of together his fingers and toes cutte of and when he was almost spent yet he was cast into a great vessell like a friynge panne and fire put vnder there he was broyled and fryed vntill he was deade His mother his brothers lokynge on him and one comfortynge another manfullye to dye in Gods quarell and for the kepynge of his lawes saiynge Deus aspiciet veritatem consolabitur in nobis God will loke vppon the truthe and will haue comforte among vs. The second was likewise serued sauinge that his tonge was not cut out and at his laste ende saide to the kynge Tu quidem scelestissime c. O thou moste mischeuous manne thou destroyest vs in this presente life but the king of all the worlde will raise vs vp againe in the resurrection of life euerlastyng that dyeth for his lawes The thirde shewed furth his handes and his tonge and said I haue the possession and vse of these thinges from heauen aboue but now I despise them for the lawe of God because I hope and trust to receiue them of him againe And euen so all the brothers were arayed vntil they came to the seuenth And that marueilous mother comforted them euerye one saiynge I can not tell howe you did appeare within my bodye for I gaue you not spirite and lyfe and I did not ioyne together the limmes of euerye one of you but the creatoure and maker of the worlde that fourmed and fashioned mannes natiuitie and that founde the originall beginnynge of all thinges wyll restore vnto you agayne with hys mercy both spirite lyfe euen as you now despyse your selues for hys lawes sake Antiochus the kinge thinkinge him selfe to be dispised and set at nought counsayled the mother that she shold entreate geue good counsail to the youngest sonne and to saue his life if it might be
the mynde here he calleth it the spirite Wee vse not to call the minde anye thinge els but the reasonable porcion and parte of the soule And sometime the Apostle ioyneth them bothe together Ephesians iiii Renoua mini spiritu mentis vestre be you renewed in the spirite of your mynde whiche is noughte els but your minde as in an other place hee vseth lyke manner of speakinge Collossians ii In expoliatione â—dip oris carnis The bodye of oure fleshe that is to say the fleshe and suche maner of speakinge we vse in the Englysh tounge the citye of Brystowe whiche is no more to saye but Bristowe The Citye of London is but London The towne of Wells is no more but Wells And nowe to my purpose I thinke that Sainte Peter in this present salutacion taketh the spirite for the whole soule of man comprisynge reason and the sensible powers wyll and sensualitie whiche all together is sanctified by the holye Goste infusinge and powring faith and charitie into our soules when we came to the grace of Christendome and by thys as I sayde wee be made obedient to Christes faythe and readye to fulfill his commaundementes Et aspersionem â—anguinis Iesu Châ—isti And you be electe accordinge to Goddes knowledge to haue the bloode of Iesu. Christe sprinckeled and cast vppon you The bloode of Abell the fyrst Martyr was shedde and sprinckeled on the grounde wheÌ„ Cain his brother kylled him but this blood sprinckelinge cried for vengeaunce Genesis iiii Vox sanguinis fratris tui clamat ad me de terra saieth almighty GOD the voyce of thy brothers bloude cryeth vnto me from the grounde as thoughe GOD sayde Thy deede is so manyfest that it neede none accuser the verye bloude shedde on the grounde declareth thy manslaughter cryeth for vengeance Nunc igitur maledictus eris super terram que aperuit os suum suscepit sanguinem fratris tui de manu tua Therefore saythe almyghtye GOD thou shalte be cursed vppon the grounde whyche hath opened her mouthe and hathe receyued the bloode of thy Brother from thy hande The bloude of Christ cryed for mercie and forgyuenes yea for theym that crucified hym Pater ignosce illis quia nesciunt quid faciunt Father forgyue theym saythe Christe for they knowe not what they do Therfore Saynte Paule comparynge these twoo aspersions together saythe Accessistis ad sanguinis aspersionem melius loquenteÌ„ quaÌ„ Abel Heb. xii ye become to the sprinckling of blood that speaketh better then Abels bloud spake To this aspersion we come by baptisme in which the efficacitie and strengthe of Christes passion commeth vpon vs putteth away â—ynne blame takinge his strength 〈◊〉 to do at the bloode of Christ shed for our redemption that they that be sprynckled with the bloode of Christ might auoyde and escape from the power of the diuel as the people of Israel by the bloude of the Lambe escaped and went out of the bondage of Egipt We see also in Moyses lawe that euery thing that should be â—anctified were wont to be sprinckeled wyth the bloud of the sacrifices killed for that purpose signifying the clensing and halowing of our soules by the bloude of Christ. Gratia vobis pax multiplicetur This is the conclusion of Saint Peters salutacion or recommendacion in whiche he gyueth them his blessing of grace peace Origene vpon a like blessing saith I think that this blessing of peace grace which is giueÌ„ to Gods welbeloued seruaÌ„ts to whoÌ„ the Apostels writeth is no lesse of strength theÌ„ the blessyng that the holy Patriarch Noe gaue vnto his sonnes Sem and Iaphet which was fulfylled by the holye Goste vpon them that were so blessed And lykewyse no lesse strength then the blessing that Abraham had of Melchisedeche or then the blessynge that Iacob had of his father Isaac or then the blessing that the twelue Patriarches hadde of theyr father Israell Then I saye that thys blessynge that Saynt Peter gaue theym that he wrytte vnto was no lesse then the sayde blessinges for he had in hym selfe the holye spirite and in the holye spirite he wryt hys letter and in the same spirite he gaue his blessing Then by the same holye spirite they shall take theyr blessynges that be blessed of the Apostles or of theym that haue the holye spirite wythin them speciallye if they be founde worthye and in whom the blessynge maye fall or els the sayinge of Christe shall bee brought to passe that he saythe in the Gospell Si fuerit ibi filius pacis pax vestraÌ„ veniet super eum sin autem pax vestra ad vos reuertetur If there be the chylde of peace your peace shall fall vpon hym and if no your peace shall retourne to you agayne And that is wrytte of peace is lykewyse to be vnderstande of grace for Saynte Peter ioyneth together grace and peace for peace is neuer withoute a speciall grace of GOD nor grace without peace Therefore where is lacke of grace there canne be no peace and where wee haue no peace wee maye be sorye that wee lacke grace This grace and peace the Apostle prayeth that it maye be multiplyed vppon them that he wrytte vnto that is to saye that it maye growe and encrease euer more and more from daye to daye And because hys meanynge was not onelye by theym that he had seen wyth hys bodelye eyes in the countries where he hadde laboured but also to all other nations that shoulde heare or see thys hys blessed Epistle It is not to be doubted but thys blessyng of grace and peace he wysheth also to vs speciallye if we may saye wyth the Prophet Aduena egosum apud te peregrinus sicut omnes patres mei Psalm â–ª xxxviii I am as a straunger with thee good Lorde and a Pilgrame or wayfaring man as all my forefathers haue beene he wrytte his letter to suche straungers therefore if we counte oure selfe as such straungers not setlyng our mindes to much in the worlde but countynge oure selues not to haue anye citie or stedfast abiding here but stretching and settinge fourthe our selues to the euer lastinge citye of heauen and to the glory to come Then let vs take heede to his blessed doctrine in this Epistle take it said vnto vs aswell as vnto them that al we may by his instruction come to such grace as may bring vs to glory euerlasting through the help of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ The seconde sermon BEnedictus deus et pater dnÌ„i nostri Iesu Christi c. After his salutacion here the apostle proceedeth to hys matter and processe in this Epistle or letter remembring hys pastorall office and dutie aswell to them that he writ vnto as to vs and all Christen people that shall come after vs specially if we take our selues as straungers and wayfaring people in this world He entended by his writing to confirme theym and vs by theym in the faithe that they
dwelleth dawes and crowes the vawtes and rouffes be so ruinous that no man dare well come vnder them Where is Troye where be the olde Emperies and monarchies of the Assirians of the Caldeis Medes Persies and of Rome whose Emperours had vnder them in maner all the worlde for theyr tyme Where is the deuotion that noble men and ryche marchauntes hath had to magnifie and encrease Goddes seruice to his honoure If God had not preserued our mooste gratious Soueraigne Kinge Henry the eyght whiche by his princelie zele loue and deuotion to God hath erecte this Cathedrall Churche of Bristowe and manye other suche within this Realme God knoweth what case diuine seruice should haue bene in All thinge waxeth olde and decayeth in processe of time so that corruption and decayeth in processe of time so that corruption and deathe is the ende Seconde how frequēt and many infirmities raigneth we see dayly infections of pestilence pockes great and small these new burninge agues and innumerable others more then the Phisicions haue written of in their bookes These contaminate and defowleth mens bodies by infections aches and paines euen to death And what corruption and infection of maners commeth to the soule by euill examples ill wordes and suche other occasions it were to long to be spoken of nowe Thirde the comon sterilitie and barennes of the grounde the great scarsitie of all maner of vitall and of fruites of the earth we feele it so many times to our great paine and discomfort that it nede not to be declared But the inheritance that as saint Peter saith here is kept for vs in heauen hath thre proprieties cōtrarie to these thre rehersed ther is no rotting ruine corruptiō or decay but immortalitie cōtrarie to all feare of death There is no feablenes of sicknes ther is none infection of body by corrupt ayre nor of soule by temptacion or by euill example for into that glorious citie and dwelling place can no vncleane thynge enter or come Thirde there shall nothing welow or wyther away but shall euer be kept freshe and floorishing by that well of life almighty God Ther shall be no lothesomnes or werynes by long vse and continuaunce as there is in all worldly plea pleasures there shall all good men and women shine like the sonne Math. xiii Oh good Lorde what beutie and brightnes shal our soules haue when our bodies shall be as bright as the sunne There shal be no heauines no labour no payne no sorowe no feare no death but euer still shall continue health of bodye and minde There shall neuer rise discentiō or debate betwixt neighbour and neighbour no miserie no nede or necessitye no hunger no thurst no cold to hurt the ne heate to enflame thee no faintnes for fasting no sluggardie for much eating no temptacion of oure gostly enemies The fleshe shal not resist against the spirite ther shal be no wil to sinne nor possibilitie to offēd But our sauiour Christ wil giue vs suche pleasure with the companye and felowship of the glorious angels as no hart can think nor any tonge expresse This ioyfull inheritaunce is conserued and kept in store in heauen saith sainte Peter for you that by vertue and power of god be kept by faith vnto saluation whiche is readye to be shewed in the last time at the generall iudgement Here he saithe that this inheritaunce is kepte in store not for all men that be regenerate by baptisme but onely for suche as perseuer and continue in goodnes to the ende by Gods speciall preseruation For perseuerance commeth principallye of God and of our selfe but secundarelye and is necessary for all them that will be saued Nam in cassum bonum agitur si ante terminum vite deseratur saith saint Gregory Good workes be done but all in vayne if they be left and giuen ouer afore the ende of a mans life For he that gyueth ouer and ceasseth to do wel afore he haue proued the vttermost of it or be come to the ende is lyke an Ape whose condition is when he tasteth the vtter hull or huske of an nutte and perceiueth it sowre and bitter casteth awaye the nutte afore he hathe tasted the swetenes of the curnell And cur Sauiour Christ saith in the parable of hym that woulde borowe breade of hys neyghbour Luke xi Si perseuerauerit pulsans c. If he continue still knockyng if hys frende wyll not giue it hym because he is his frende yet for hys importunitie continuall crauynge he wyll ryse and gyue him as manye as he hath neede of And he telleth vs what is the instrument or meane by which God dothe preserue vs and make vs to perseuer and continue in grace and good liuynge It is faithe and suche lyke faithe as I spoke of hope euen nowe sayinge that God hath regenerate vs by hys greate mercye into a lyuelye hope and so the faythe by whyche GOD keepeth vs is a lyuelye faithe adorned with Charitie and with good woorkes accordinglye By faithe Christe abydeth in oure hartes by whose presence wee ouercome all assaultes of oure gostlye enemyes Fayth maketh vs to vnderstande the fylthe and vncleanenesse of synne that so wee maye abhorre synne and flee from it Hec est victoria que vincit mundum fides nostra i. Iohn v. Thys is the victorye that ouercommeth the worlde oure faythe saythe Saynte Iohn it ouercommeth the pleasures of the fleshe tellynge vs that the fleshe is lyke a fellon giltye and most worthly condempned to mortalitie and death and euer still resisting and feighting against y e spirite wherfore it deserueth rather tortures paine and punishment then delicates or plesures Faith also maketh vs to know that the Apostle saith Si secundum carnem vixeritis moriemini if ye liue after the pleasures of the fleshe ye shall die wherefore if ye haue folowed your carnall pleasures eating and drinking reuealing and rioting in this holye time of Christmas lately past which ye should haue spent in deuotion and holynes ye muste repent your faulte and do penaunce therefore Faith maketh vs to contemne and dispise worldly wealth and riches as the dyuels mowse snatch and snare that maketh a man to catche hold others mens goodes so long till the diuell hath caught them and hold them in his danger Saint Paule saith i. Tim. vi Qui volunt diuites fieri incidunt in tentationes et in laqueum diaboli c. They that wil be made riche falleth into temptacions and snare of the dyuell and into many desires vnprofitable and noysom which drowneth men into death and destructiō therefore he biddeth the sayde Timothe to commaunde the riche men of the worlde not to be to highe in their own conceite nor to trust in the vncerteintie of their riches but in the liuinge God which giueth vs all thinges abundantly aswell to bring vs to the eternall fruition of the glorious Godhed as to liue by in this worlde Fayth contempneth despiseth honours
Centurio a captain in Capharnaum came to Christ praying him to helpe his seruant that was yll vexed with a paulsy Christ offered to come him selfe to the mans house to heale his seruaunt No saith he I am not worthye to receiue you into my house but once say the word and my seruant shall be whole and according to his beliefe so he sped for his seruant was whole by and by after the maister had confessed his beliefe An other that was impotent by a pawlsye and his frendes coulde finde no waye to bringe him to Christe for preasse of people that were about him in the house At the last they were fame to vntile the house and let him in by the roofe of the house Quorum fidem vt vidit dixit homo remittuntur tibi peccata tua et ait paralitico tibi dico surge tolle lectum tuum vade in domum tuam Luke v. Mark ii He saw the faith of them that so conueyed the syckeman in at the roofe of the house and forgaue the man his sinnes and cured him of his pawlsy at the contemplation of theyr faith that brought him to Christe And this texte maketh plainly for our purpose for here it appeareth that by the faith of other men this sickman had aswell soule health as bodely healthe for he had his sinnes forgiuen him for his soule health and was rid of his pawsy for his bodely healthe And euen so it was generallye of Christes cures that he did which were euer full and perfite for he healed the whole man soule and bodye for he vsed not to heale the bodye but he woulde fyrste heale the soule because that the infirmities of the body commeth comonly of the sinnes and syckenes of the soule either originall or actuall The Gospels hath many suche examples in whiche it is plaine that the belief and praiers of others helpeth against bodely sickenes then muche more it helpeth against this daungerous sickenes of the soule that is originall synne the common malander and mischiefe of all the issue of Adam which if it be not cured and healed wyll surely let hym that is diseased with it from the sight of the glorie of God for euer For as I saide God regardeth more the health of the soule then of the body And consideringe that the infantes haue the said originall sinne by an other mans preuarication and transgression reasonable it is that they be releued and discharged of the same by the meane of other mens faith as by the vniuersall faith of the church and by the faith of the godfathers and godmothers and of other assistents at the christening of the childe so that we muste not exclude or denie the mercye grace of God from any man or woman borne into this worlde but that after their bodelye birthe to death they be new borne to life by Gods holye worde and by water with the inspiration of grace of the holye spirite the holye Gost. And by this that I haue said you maye answer to the chiefe reason of the Anabaptistes that they vse against the said veritie alledging that Christ sayth Math xviii Qui crederit baptisatus fuerit saluus erit He that beleueth and is baptised shall be saued and he that beleueth not shal be dampned Of this they take that it is necessary for him that shall be baptised that he beleue Now say they infantes lackynge the vse of reason cannot beleue therefore they be vnmete to be baptised I tolde you that they be saued by the beliefe of the church and beleueth in the beliefe of the church and in the belief of theyr Godfathers and godmothers other assistents representing the church as I declared by diuers examples of the gospell as wel of soule health as of bodely health procured of Christ by the belief of others or els as the scholasticall doctours sa◠very well in receyuing of the sacrament of baptisme the grace of faith is infused and powred in to the soule of him or her that is baptised and so they haue the habyte or theologicall vertue of fayth or the thing by which afterwarde as they increase in the vse of reason they may beleue actually and in dede Example a Phisicion though he be fast a sleepe he hath the science of phisicke but yet if you put an vrinall in his hand he cannot iudge the disease of the sickman as longe as he is a slepe albeit he hath the sciēce in his soule by which whē he waketh he can iudge according to his learning And I trust you haue now herd sufficiently of the new birthe that saynte Peter speaketh of which is more to be pondred then the carnall byrth by corrubtible matter for the sede cause of this generation is vncorruptible it is the worde of God that abideth for euer therfore consideringe whereof we came and be gotten to life and to God we ought to haue special cleanenes in our life and to chastice oure soules vnder obedient charitie and in fraternall loue attentius more earnestly then we haue don and more diligently cōsidering the nobilitie of thys our second byrthe by the vncorruptible seede of Gods holye worde that abideth for euer and hath bene preached among vs as saint Peter sayth in the ende of hys first chapter And now you haue heard the first chapiter of this first epistle of saint Peter declared as my poore wyt and learning wold serue me I pray God it may be to hys pleasure and to the edifying and profyte of oure soules Amen ¶ The fift treatise or sermon The second chapiter DEponentes igitur omnem malitiam et omnem dolū simulationes et inuidias et omnes detractiones sicut modo geniti infantes rationabiles sine dolo lac concupiscite In the fyrst chapiter of this epistle which I haue passed ouer and expounded as God put into my minde the blessed Apostle saint Peter chiefelye magnifyeth our regeneration and seconde byrth by which we be borne to life euerlasting where throughe oure carnall parentes we were borne to dye Fyrst he giueth thankes to God that hath done so moche for vs as so to get vs againe to the inheritance of heauen that wil neuer be corrupt that neuer wil be defowled nor fade or wither away and in the meane season will bring vs to the soule healthe by Christes faith that al the old prophets labored to see and to obteine but thei were answered that it would not be for theyr time but all the labours that they tooke in prayers contemplacion and study should serue for them that shuld come after which be wee that haue sene and heard the trouthe by theym that haue preached Christes gospel continually sithe the holye Gost was sent from heauen in sensible signes of fyrye tounges sone after Christes gloryous ascention And for this consideration sainte Peter exhorteth vs to be cleane of lyuinge and while we be here to liue in feare considering the indifferencye of our iudge in
geueth good comforte sayinge if you be vmbrayded and missaied for vsynge vertue and iustice that is for Christes sake you be blessed for euerlastinge blessing is promised you And that perteineth to honoure to glorye and to the vertue of GOD and also his holye spirite resteth vpon you In this present lyfe you shall be worthye to haue honoure in youre good workes and for well doynge and vertuous lyuinge Nam honor est praemium virtutis Honor is the rewarde for vertue and in time to come you shall be partakers of Christes honour And nowe you shall haue the glorye of a pure cleare conscience whiche is the glory of a Christen man and the very waye to come to glorye of body and soule Gloria nostra haec est testimonium conscientie nostrae ii Cor. i. This is my glory saith S. Paul the witnes of mine owne conscience without remorse or grudge for my conuersation hath be in simplicitie amonge you without carnall or crafty subteltie or deceipt saith S. Paule Euen like glorye of your owne consciences shall reste vpon you whiche shall comfort you agaynst the insulties and sclauderous raylinge of all your aduersaries Let them say what they wyll you can not let them you know your selues cleare and fautles and the vertue and strength of God ouer the deuyll and all his membres shall also reste vpon you and no marueyle for his holy spirite the holy goost the causer of these benefites and of all other goodnes resteth vpon you and therefore as muche as in them is almightie God that resteth in you is missaid and rayled at in you but as in you and for your part and as you muste take it he is glorified and that is said redoundeth to his glorye by you Nemo autem vestrum patiatur vt homicida aut fur aut maledicus aut alienorum appetitor When you take paine and be rayled on for iustices sake you maye be gladde But I woulde not sayth S. Peter here that any of you shoulde suffer for manslaughter as a murtherer or as a thefe or as a sclaunderer or backbiter or blasphemer or as one that goeth about to take awaye other mens goodes to spoile and robbe them The theues suffer imprisonmēt and death for theyr offences this paine they suffer for theyr iniquitie Heretikes be likewise put to shame and many times to death for theyr misbeleife and heresies and for blaspheminge and missayinge Gods holy scriptures to the yl example and peruerting of many a christen soule bringing them also to like damnation There be none such to be reputed blessed for theyr paines sufferyng because it is not for Christe nor for iustice sake but for theyr owne faultes yll doinges and ill sayinges but yet some suche men and women that haue so suffred for theyr faultes be so obstinate in theyr malice and so glory in theyr errors and iniquitie that they be not ashamed to saye they beare theyr crosse with Christe when they beare theyr fagottes in open penaunce to escape theyr burninge They beare theyr crosse in dede as the thefe dydde that was hanged on Christes lefte syde not to theyr saluation but to theyr cōdempnation which they here beginne and in hell shall consummate perfourme and continue the same for euer Si autem vt Christianus non erubescat sayth S. Peter If you suffer as a Christen man or woman eyther displeasures in body and goodes or by wordes for that thou arte a good Christen man or liueste like a good christen man or woman be not ashamed what so euer be sayd or done against the but rather glorify God giue laude and prayse and thankes to God that hath geuen the grace to be thought worthye to suffer contumely or despites for Christes name Glorificet autem deum in isto nomine quoniam tempus est vt incipiat iudicium a domo dei For nowe is the time for the iudgement of God to beginne at the house of God The iudgement beginneth in our lyfe time for whiche you muste note that the iudgement of God is of two maners one is priuie and secrete the other shall be manifest and openly knowen to all men and women The fyrste is in this life the other shalbe at the day of dome and the generall iudgement For almighty God will leaue no ill vnpunished therfore in as much as he sharpely wyll punishe sinfull persons with the intollerable paynes of hell with the deuylles after this lyfe he suffreth them to take their pleasure while they be here a while and to leade a mery life in welth in prosperitie but at a trise sodenly they be plucked awaye and descendeth downe into hell to that vntollerable and eternall iudgement And when God sendeth to such malefactours any paynes or trouble they fret and chafe rayle and grudge agaynste GOD and in theyr rage dyeth and beginneth theyr hell with paynes and sorowe here that hereafter in hell shall continue for euermore no tounge can expresse the sorowe and paynes that there shall be But others that by suche strokes and correction as God sendeth them be exercised for theyr purgation and be made better and better taketh them for a warning to conuert and amend their liues such correction doth thē much good Therfore it is written Iob. v. Beatus homo qui corripitur a domino Blessed is the man or woman that is correct and punished of our lord God And the reason is this for if mannes correction maye be good and holesome then Gods correction muste nedes be much more holesome for man knoweth not parfitly the maner and measure of holsome correction neither is omnipotent to take awaye the punishment when it is ynoughe or when he lyste ▪ nor to do good and to ease a man in tyme conuenient but God by his omnipotency by that he is almightie and knoweth all thinges he knoweth how much or how litle he maye punishe his childe and seruaunt and he euer punisheth hym to do him good either to trie him and to proue his constauncy or to make him amende his lyfe For there is no man liuinge that can say he is all cleare but that he hath sinned or done amisse and many things that in our iudgement semeth to be iust and well done yet in the iudgemente of God they may be nought For man seith and iudgeth after the exterior apparaunce but God seith the secretes of the heart and al other circūstaunces And in as much as all mankinde was at the beginning iustly condempned for the offences of Adam God will not easely deliuer vs from that malandre neither from so greate a disease which also maketh that sinnes be euer ready and we euer running headlong to them but iustice good liuing is full of labour and payne and is hard to come to but that loue and charitie maketh that easy to them that loueth God whiche to other is very painefull And this is the occasiō of this priuie iudgement of God by which he sendeth