Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	age_n	church_n	time_n	2,142	5	3.6322	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B15342	A treatie of iustification. Founde emong the writinges of Cardinal Pole of blessed memorie, remaining in the custodie of M. Henrie Pyning, chamberlaine and general receiuer to the said cardinal, late deceased in Louaine. Item, certaine translations touching the said matter of iustification, the titles whereof, see in the page folowing	Pole, Reginald, 1500-1558.; Copley, Thomas, Sir, 1534-1584, suggested trans.	1569 (1569)	STC 20088; ESTC S102468	222,799	366

touching the questiō of our Iustification Which he decideth thus farr to wit whether faith without good woorkes may saue a Christian man or no. The occasion of S. Augustines Treatie of saith and vvorkes Where vnto he was moued by a corrupte opinion of some menne in his time For whereas whole countries then were not yet fully conuerted to Christe and therefore diuers of al ages as they were brought to the faith came yearly to be christened some were of opinion that as manie as would beleeue the right faith though they liued vngodly yet might be receiued to Baptisme and be saued through faith and the Sacramentes without good workes Against whome he wrote this godly and learned Booke entituled De Fide operibus of faith and woorkes prouing therein at large that faith without good life can saue no manne And bicause the value and estimation of good workes hath been and yet is called in question to wit what accompte God maketh of them and whether any reward be geuen vnto them especially of life euerlasting and whether they be necessarie and able to healpe vs to attaine the same I haue also chosen certaine Arbitrators touching the especial and chiefe workes commended by Christe as Praier Fasting and Almes dedes And those suche men that in their handes thou mayste without daunger put thine opinion and iudgement For Praier I haue chosen S. Chrysostome for Fasting S. Basil and S. Leo for almose deedes S. Cyprian and S. Leo againe The first and second Confessors but so liuing for certaine yeares that they daily looked to be Martyrs The third also a Confessor but such as in his life by a Generall Councell of 630. Bishops was called S. Leo and since his death hath ben so taken of the Churche Concil Chalcedo Sess 3. and hath also for his most excellent learning bene surnamed Leo the Greate The fowrth a flower of the worlde in his life for vertue and learning and in his death a moste constante and vndoubted Martyr S. Cyprian and S. Augustine liued in Africa S. Basil in Asia S. Leo in Europa S. Chrysostome parte of his life in Asia parte in Europa And so by these doo we heare as it were speaking in them the voice of the whole Catholike Church 1. Tim. 3. which is the piller and staie of truthe against the whiche no man well aduised will frame him selfe a singular opinion For vnto the Churche is the holy Ghost the teacher of al trueth promised Ioan. 15. 16. which promise no priuate man hath Their Antiquitie is suche that the latest and lowest of them al liued within 400. yeres after Christe Peruse and way without affection gentle Reader the Treaties of these holy Fathers I might require thee also to stand to their decision bicause there is no exception to be taken against them But that I leaue to Gods gracious working and thine owne good will bicause I take not vppon me to be Iudge of the cause but a motioner toward peace Only this muche I saie of them that whereas Iudges should be voide of hatred freendshippe enmitie and pittie Salust de bel Catil these men are suche For as S. Augustine saieth of them and of others like Nullas nobiscum Aug. contra Iulia. Lib. 2. vel vobiscum amicitias attenderunt vel inimicitias exercuerunt Neque nobis neque vobis irati sunt neque nos neque vos miserati sunt Quod in Ecclesia inuenerunt tenuerunt Quod didicerunt docuerunt quod à patribus acceperunt hoc filijs tradiderunt They neither regarded friendshippe nor were at enmitie with vs or you they were neither angry with vs nor you nor tooke compassion of vs or of you Looke what they founde in the Church that they held suche as they learned they taught what they receiued of their Fathers that deliuered they to their children Take therefore Christen Reader if thou be a childe of the Churche these thy Fathers lessons Aske thy Fathers saieth the holy Scripture and they will shew thee Deut. 32. enquire of thy Elders and they will tell thee These be thy Fathers these be thy Elders These are suche of whom Christe saied he that heareth you heareth me Lucae 10. he that dispiseth you dispiseth me These are the high Pastours of Christes Church of whom Christ saied Matth. 18. he that heareth not the Churche let him be to thee as an Heathen and Publicane These are the lightes of the Church of whom Christe saied You are the light of the worlde Matth. 5. Acto 13. whose predecessours saied also of them selues that they were placed to be a light to Nations to woorke saluation euen to the vttermost of the earth Of whome also an other saied He that knoweth God harkeneth vnto vs. 1. Ioan. 4. He that is not of God harkeneth not vnto vs. In this we trie the Spirite of Truthe and the Sprite of Errour If thou wilt then be lead by Truthe and not seduced by Errour harken to these holy and learned Fathers all Bishoppes and chiefe Pastours in the Churche of Christe in that time and age whiche the Aduersaries them selues accompte for the purest Let these hardely be thy Arbitrers in decision of these present controuersies They lacked no learning to know the Truthe They wanted no vprightnesse to write as they knewe They can not be partiall They knewe neither parties They liued taught and flourished in the time of Truth by the Aduersaries owne Confession To speake farder in the commendation of these most holy and learned Fathers it were but a vanitie There nedeth no candle when the day light shineth Where good wine is there nedeth no garland to hange out These Fathers commends them selues All the Christian worlde reuerenceth them and crediteth them as holy Fathers as most learned Doctours as singular lightes of the Churche of Christe bothe Greke and Latin. To whom this publike testimony of all Christendome suffiseth not to him nothing will suffise Reade therefore Christian Reader Vse and peruse And reading these remember that thou readest not any writer of late yeares any priuate learned man any particular Iudgement or doctrine But that thou readest in these the doctrine of the primitiue Churche Auncient and generally approued Fathers briefely the publike Testimony and common voice of all Christendom And that not certaine of their sayinges culled out from the whole but their whole and full Treaties word for word as they wrote them laied before thee Last of all not any suche writinges as they wrote by waie of controuersy as against an Aduersary but partly a settled and deliberated doctrine such as S. Augustines Treatie is partly Homelies and sermons made and pronounced to the whole people suche as all the rest are in whiche kinde of exercise the Pastour of Goddes people will be most aduised what he speaketh and muche more what he writeth To make an ende Thou hast hitherto hearde learned men prouing and debating matters now in controuersy

Faith to witte the faith of God towarde man in keeping his promise and the faith of man towarde God in beleeuing his worde and seing also that of Gods faith there is no question nor doubt it foloweth that when so euer mention is made in the Scripture of mans faith alone and in his owne kinde that faith is vnderstanded whereby man is faithful vnto God Chrysost hom 31. in Gen. that is as S. Chrysostome saith Wherby man geueth credite vnto his saiyngs and wordes For expounding these wordes Credidit Abraham Deo Abraham beleued God he saith Credidit dictis Dei He gaue credite to Gods wordes and sayinges In this sense S. Augustine saith August de verb. Apostol s●m 16. De spiri lite cap. 31. Ad fidem quid pertinet Credere What appertaineth to faith To beleue And bicause a man might aske also what it is to beleeue to put that out of doubt he saith in an other place Quid est enim credere nisi consentire verum esse quod dicitur What is it els to beleeue but to consent that the thing which is saide is true By this rule as many in al ages as haue beleued the Gospel after the right and true vnderstanding of the Catholique Churche keeping themselues within the same Churche Vincent Lyrinen aduers haeres haue ben called faithful and Catholiques Ille est verus Germanus Catholicus qui veritatem Dei qui Ecclesiam qui Christi corpus diligit c. He is a true and right Catholike saith Vincentius Lyrinensis that loueth the truth of God that loueth the Church that loueth the body of Christ Who is a true Catholique that estemeth nothing more then Gods religion and the Catholike faith no not the authoritie and loue of any man father husband or whatsoeuer not wit eloquence nor philosophie not welthe riches or honour but despising al these things and remayning fast and stable in faith what soeuer he shall knowe that the Catholique Church hath holden from auncient time vniuersally doth determine to holde and beleeue only that Such then are faithful and Catholikes that beleeue the Catholike and auncient faith vniuersally receyued as Vincentius saieth that beleue God and geue credite to his words as S. Augustine and S. Chrysostome say And if they be also of life good and vertuouse then be they called boni Catholici August in Praefatio Psal 31. Ser. 31. de verb. Apost good Catholikes if they be of yl conuersation they be called fideles iniqui vniuste faithful mali Catholici yll Catholiques faithful and Catholikes bicause they haue faith yll bicause their life is vngodly if they forsake the faith as Iulianus did they be called Apostates But as long as they keepe the Catholike faith of Christes Churche Note thoughe their lyfe be wicked and they damnable yet be they not called infideles but faithful and beleeuers And sith no man can be called faithfull but he that hath faith and it is faith to beleeue and to beleeue is but to assente vnto trewth by this it is proued that the propertie of faith in his owne kinde is to beleue the Gospel and to assente vnto the trewth of God. S. Augustine saith Euchiri cap. 6. 7. 9.117 Faith in his ovvne nature August in Praefatio Psal 32. A man doth learne by the Crede what is to be beleeued by the Pater noster what is to be hoped and by the commaundementes what is to be loued And albeit faith and charitie must be both in a good man yet as he saieth Quod credit fidei est quod operatur charitatis est it is the property of faith that a man beleueth and of charitie that he worketh Faith in his owne kinde may be alone and parted from charitie and hope Iacob 2. Enchirid. cap. 8. Ser. 4. de Collect. For not onely euil men but euen Diuels doo beleue and tremble but as S. Augustine saith They neither hope nor loue And Leo saith Multis quibus auferre non potuit fidem sustulit charitatem From many hath the Diuell taken awaye Charitie from whome he could not take awaye Faith. In this sorte doth the Scripture many tymes speake of faith as it is in it selfe and in his owne nature Heb. 11. saying Fides est substantiarerum sperandarum Prima in cap. 11. ad Heb. Faith is the substance of thinges that are to be hoped for It is called the substance of them saieth Primasius bicause vnto such thinges as be taught by the worde of God though they be not sene yet faith geueth a being in our soule assenting vnto them and beleeuing them as well to be true as though they were seene with our bodily eyes In the same place it is saied By faith we vnderstande that the worlde was sette in order by the woorde of God. And this is faith in his owne kinde that is to say a beleeuing and assenting vnto truth Somtime the Scripture speaketh of faith as it is accompanied and ioyned with other vertues and geeueth vnto faith the properties of such vertues as are ioyned with it So is it said Heb. 11. that by faith Abel offered Sacrifice Noe feared God Abraham obeyed Moyses suffred affliction not that these are the properties of faith in his owne nature Faith ioyned vvith other but bicause the Fathers beside faith had these vertues also Abell the vertue of religion Noe the feare of God Abraham obedience Moyses patience So it is likewise said of charitie Omnia suffert oīa credit oīa sperat She suffreth al things beleueth al things hopeth al things And yet saith S. Austine truly In Prafa Psal 31. Quod credit fidei est It cometh of faith that a man beleueth And likewise of patience that he suffereth and of charitie that he loueth and worketh wel Trewe it is that none of these vertues alone and by it selfe maketh a good man. For it is a rule in Philosophie that vertues be linked together And yet as trewe it is that euery vertue hath her owne natural property wherby she worketh somwhat in a good man So faith beleueth hope trusteth charitie loueth prudence chooseth fortitude beareth temperance refraineth whose properties ioined together with other like make vppe an absolute and perfecte goodnes But bicause both faith and also the Scriptures were giuen to men Ioan. 5. to thintente they should haue life euerlasting by them knowing and doing the wil of God S. Paule commendeth specially the faith that doth not only reste in opinion and beleuing of truthe but that is actiue and working through charitie toward that ende saiyng In Christe Iesu neither circumcision Gala. 5. nor to be without circumcision auaileth ought but faith that worketh through charitie declaring thereby Leo ser 7. de Epipha A notable Rule De fide oper c. 14 De spiri lit ca. 32. Epistola 105. Enchir. cap. 8. De Gra. et lib. arbi cap. 7. that faith of it selfe

looke for it Hebrae 11. By faith Abraham dwelled like a stranger in the land of promise we are required like strangers and Pilgrimes 1. Pet. 2. Gen. 22. to absteine from carnal desiers that warre against the soule God said to Abraham offer in sacrifice thy only sonne whom thou louest Christe saith vnto vs If a man come vnto me and do not hate that is to say Luc. 14. cānot be cōtent to leaue and to lacke for my sake his father and mother wife and children brothers and sisters yea and his own life also he cānot be my scholer Hom. 36. in Gen. Discamus et nos obsecro a Patriarcha Dei credere dictis Let vs I pray you saith Chrysostom learne of the patriarch to credite Gods wordes The Prophet Esaie saith of Christ Dominus iudex noster Dominus legifer noster Esai 33. Dominus Rex noster ipse saluabit nos The Lord is our iudge the Lord is our law maker the lord is our king he shal saue vs. He is then not only a promiser and sauiour but he is also a iudge a law maker and a king As a sauiour he redemeth and promiseth As a law maker he appointeth orders As a king he geueth cōmandementes As a iudge he threateneth malefactors Who so beleueth him as a sauiour and beleueth him not as a law maker as a kinge and as a iudge he beleueth one parte of Christ but not the whole Abraham beleued his promise that in his seede all nations should be blessed Gen. 15. Gala. 3. Gen. 17. wherein he tooke him for a redemer He beleued him as a lawemaker taking circuncision by his appointement He beleued him as a king leauing at his commandement his country kinred and inheritance he tooke him for a iudge saying Gen. 12. Qui iudicas omnem terrā nequaquam facies iudicium hoc Gen. 18. Thou that iudgest al the earth wil not doo this iudgement Let vs learne to truste his promise He saith 2. Cor. 6. I will dwell emong them I will walke emong them I will be their God Rom. 8. Ioan. 6. and they shal be my people if God be for vs who shall be against vs He that beleueth in me hath life euerlasting Let vs beleue him as a Lawe maker receiuing the Sacramentes and rites of the newe testament as Abraham receiued circumcision Gen. 17. Matt. 19. Ioan. 15. Let vs beleue his commandementes also he hath said If thou wilte come to life keepe the commandementes you be my frendes if you doo such thinges as I commaund you Let vs beleue his menasses and threateninges Matth. 3. He hath said Euery tree that beareth not good fruit shal be cutte downe and caste into the fier Ser. 16. de ver Do. Non times ne te iudicet Deus vbi est fides Arte thou not afraied saith S. Augustine that God wil iudge thee where is faith If we beleue his promises and not his orders not his commandementes nor threateninges that is beleue him in some thinges and discredit him in other we be not the right children of Abraham who was euerywhere and in all thinges faithful but rather bastarde sonnes such as the Scripture speaketh of Deut. 32. infideles filij vnfaithful children S. Cyprian wil say vnto vs How can he say that he beleueth in Christ De simpli Praelato who doth not that Christ hath commanded him to doe or how shall he come to the rewarde of faith that wil not keepe the faith of the commandement Basil in consti exercit ca. 1. S. Basill will say Nos fidem non habemus ipsi We beleue him not as one not able to reliue we shunne to take vppon vs that good and light yoke of his we shunne to entre into the kingdome of God by the narowe gate He beleueth not nor crediteth Christe saith S. Basill that fleeth his yoke and will not entre by the strait gate And yet he may beleue that Christ is God and man the Sauiour and redemer of the world but he beleueth him not as Abraham did louingly and willingly to obey him Imitare fidem Abrahae Basil ibid. A nevve Faith. Folow Abrahams Faith saith S. Basill If a man imagine and frame vnto him selfe a new deuised faith persuading him selfe assuredly and vndoubtedly that all his sinnes be forgeuen in Christe and for his sake Esai 53. for that he hath taken our sinnes vppon him further assuring him selfe that for this faithes sake he is the Sonne and heire of God Rom. 8. and heire partener with Christe although he neither suffer with him to be glorified together with him nor die with him to liue together with him it may trewely be saied of such a one Credit Christum nō credit Christo he beleueth that Christ is but he crediteth not Christ he hath a faith of his owne but he hath not Abrahams faithe for if he had he would as well be contente to crucifie the lustes and vices of his body as desire to liue with Christ as well suffer Gala. 6. as reigne with him Fidelis sermo It is a trewe saying 1. Tim. 1. and by all meanes worthy to be imbrased that Christe Iesus came into this worlde to saue sinners Fidelis sermo It is also a trewe saying If we haue died with him we shall liue with him 2 Tim. 2. Marke this vvel if we suffer with him we shall reigne with him if we denie him he will denie vs if we beleue not he remaineth trewe he can not denie him selfe Who so beleueth one of these Scriptures and careth not for the other he hath not Abrahams Faith nor is his childe For Abraham beleued God that is as Chrysostome saith Credidit dictus Dei. Gaue credite to Goddes woordes obeying and folowing them not one but all Wilte thou knowe good Reader what Abrahams Faith was and how thou maiste be made his childe Learne by example of him whom trewth it selfe declared to be the trewe Sonne of Abraham Zacheus standing before Christ at what time he came into his house Luca 15. saied Lo I geue the one halfe of my goodes to the poore and if I haue deceiued any man in ought I restore him fowre times as muche bicause he beleued the wordes of Christe Date elemosinam c. Geue almes and all is cleane to you ●sal 5. He said I geue the one halfe of my goods to the poore And bicause he beleued that God hateth all vniust dealers he saied if I haue deceiued any man in ought I rendre fower for one And beleuing these thinges whiche to a carnall man seeme harde and doing them so readily for Christe his sake we doubte not but he beleued likewise all other pointes of Faith as readily Whereuppon Iesus saied vnto him Luca. 19. This date health and saluation is come to this house bicause he also is the Sonne of Abraham And how he was the Sonne of

deede Note Nouatus his heresy was that suche as fell into deadely sinne after their Baptisme coulde not be absolued by the prieste Cyprianus lib. 4. Epistola 2. neither restored to the Church againe but muste be lefte vnto Gods iudgemente and yet did he exhorte men to doo penance and satisfaction to waile and weepe night and day for theire sinnes S. Cyprian saith of him that he was Misericordiae hostis Cypria li. 1. epist 1. interfector poenitentiae The enimie of mercie the killer of penaunce bicause though he exhorted men to satisfaction and penance yet saith he Cypria li. 4. epist 2. He tooke away the medicine and remedie that came of satisfaction Operari tu putas rusticum posse c. Thinkest thou the husbandman can worke if thou say to him Trimme thy ground with all skill of husbandry plie thy tillage diligently but thou shalte reape no corne at haruest thou shalt haue no vintage thou shalt take no profite nor fruite of thy oileyearde thou shalt gather no apples of the trees As suche an exhortation to husbandrie were inough to discourage the good husband from his trauaile And as they killed penance saith S. Cyprian that tooke away the fruit of it Note euen so doo they hinder nowe a daies the dooing of good workes that commend them in wordes and take away the rewarde of them in deed Nemo enim sine fructu imperat laborem Pacia epistol 1. ad Sympronia for no man saith Pacianus enioineth labor without profite Neither is there any profite or rewarde that a true Christian man passeth vppon if it perteine not to life euerlasting for this life and all that belongeth vnto it he is taught to sette litle by Therefore the Church exhorteth al men to doo good workes but it keepeth not backe the liberall promise of life eternal which Christ hath annexed to them S. Paule saith be ye stedfaste and vnmoueable euer plentifull in euery worke of our Lord. And why 1. Cor. 15. Scientes quòd labor vester non est inanis in Domino Knowing that your labour is not idle in our Lorde And when he saith in our Lord he meaneth no temporall nor worldely rewarde It is not onely a comfortable saying Chrysost ho. 8. in Gen. but a trueth taught by the Scripture that a Christian man should directe all his doinges to serue God in hope of life euerlasting Lette vs not fainte and be wearie of well doing Gala. 6. saith S. Paule for we shall reape it in his time without fainting Heb. 11. This cogitation maketh men quietly and contentedly to beare aduersitie Moyses did chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to haue a pleasure of sinne for the time But what made him content so to doo Aspiciebat enim in remunerationem He loked to the rewarde Prima ib. in cap. 11. ad Hebr. Ita quando quisque aduersi aliquid patitur Euen so euery man when he suffereth any aduersitie should call to remembrance what rewarde he shall receiue thereby at Goddes hande The lacke of this cogitation maketh vs many times to fainte in well doing Chrysost hom 22. ad Hebr. Omnia nobis difficilia videntur All thinges seeme heard to vs saith Chrysostome bicause we haue not the remembrance of God. This cogitation maketh men contente to take vppon them a painefull kinde of life whiche otherwise they would flee De adulter cōiug lib. 2. cap. 20. Note S. Augustine saith that diuers being sodeinly taken and required to be Preestes whereby they muste liue chaste all theire liues were contente to doo it Sperantes se illustrius in Christi haereditate fulgere Trusting to shine the brighter in Christes inheritance This cogitation caused Martyrs willingly to susteine all paine and tormente Confessours to leade a vertuouse and straite life Virginnes to dispise worldelie pleasures of all whiche it may truelie be saied Aspiciebant in remunerationem They looked to the rewarde This hope maketh seruauntes doo good and true seruice to theire maisters in which sense S. Paule saith Quodcunque facitis ex animo operamini c. Coloss 3. What so euer ye doo doo it hartelly as it were vnto our Lord and not to men knowing that of our Lorde you shall receiue the rewarde of inheritance And when I speake this muche of good workes and of the rewarde due vnto them what workes I commende thou knowest good Reader by that which I haue saied in the 13. Chapter of the first Booke An answere to certeine obiections made against the rewarde of good workes THE XIIII CHAPTER BVT all this notwithstanding yet some lette not to say that the workes of faith which Christian men doo can not deserue rewarde of life euerlasting neither stande in Goddes iudgemente as well bicause they be vnperfite as also bicause no man liueth here withoute sinne and fewe without greate sinne and breache of some of the commaundementes Iaco. 2. and then is it written Who so offendeth in one is made giltie of all and thereby say they all our workes be infected and consequentely excluded from that greate rewarde To the firste pointe I answere Note vvel these tvvo kindes of perfection in iustice There be two kindes of perfection in iustice the one such as is in God the Angelles and that happie company of men who being presente with God enioy the sighte of the Deitie An other such as may be founde in men being yet Pilgrimes from God and liuing in this worlde In comparison of the first kinde of perfection no man is iuste neither any iustice of man be it neuer so exquisite and perfite can stande in the iudgement of God. In that respecte it is true Iob. 15. Ecce inter Sanctos eius nemo immutabilis coeli nō sunt mundi in conspectu eius Lo emong his Saints and holy none is immutable and the heauens in his sight be not cleane Mar. 10. So is it vnderstanded saith S. Augustine Nemo bonus nisi vnus Deus quia omnia quae creata sunt c. No man is good August de perfect iustitiae but onely God bicause all thinges that be created though God haue made them very good yet if they be compared with the Creator and maker they be not good with whom if they be compared they be not In the same sense is it said Non intres in iudicium c. Entre not into iudgement with thy seruaunt bicause no man liuing shal be iustified in thy sight This is meant by it saith S. Augustine Aug. vt suprà entre not into iudgement with thy seruant Noli me iudicare secundùm te qui es sine peccato Iudge me not after thy selfe who arte without sinne And where he saith no man shal be iustified he referred it to that perfection of iustice which is not in this life In the same manner doth S. Hierome expounde the place Li. 1.

to thy children suche a Father as Tobie was Geeue vnto thy chyldren profitable An example and holesome preceptes suche as he gaue vnto his sonne Geeue in charge vnto thy chyldren as he charged his sonne Tob. 14. saying And nowe my Sonne I geeue thee in charge serue God in truth and doo before him that whiche pleaseth him The preceptes of Toby to his sonne Tob. 4. and charge thy children that they doo iustice and geue almes and be mindeful of God and blesse his name at all tymes And agayne My most deerly belooued sonne haue God in thy mind all the dayes of thy life and transgresse not his Commaundementes Doo iustice all the dayes of thy lyfe and walke not in the waye of iniquitie For if thou deale in truth respecte shall be had vnto thy woorkes Of thy substance doo almes deedes and turne not awaye thy face from any poore man. So shall it come to passe that the face of God shall not be turned from thee Geaue Almes my sonne according to that thou haste If thou haue plentye of substance geeue the more largely thereof if thou haue scarse and but a litle yet geeue parte euen of that litle And feare not when thou geeuest Almes for thou layest vppe to thy selfe a good rewarde againste the daye of necessitie Tob. 12. For Almes deliuereth from deathe and suffereth not to goe vnto hell A good woorke is geeuing of Allmes vnto all them whiche doo it in the sighte of the Highe God. What a pageaunt or game is that deerly belooued bretheren the setting foorth whereof is honoured with the presente behoulding of God him selfe If at suche largesse and liberalitie as the Gentilles bestowed vppon shewes it seemed a greate and a gloriouse matter to haue presente the Proconsules or Generalles of Armies and greate coste and charge was bestowed by suche menne to please greate personnages howe muche more noble and greater is the glorie of our charge where wee haue God and Christe the behoulder thereof Howe muche more plentifull ought the preparation heere to be and howe muche more bowntifull the coste where all the vertues of heauen assemble all the Angelles meete to the sight and beholding thereof Where to the defraver of the charge not a triumphant chariot or Consulship is asked but eternall lyfe is geeuen nor the vayne and temporall fauoure of the common people is sought The frute of Almes deedes but the perpetuall rewarde of the heauenly kingdome is receyued And that these dull barren and pinching peny fathers woorking nothing towardes the frute of their saluation may be the more ashamed of them selues that the shame of their reproche and vilenesse may stryke the deaper into their filthy consciences let eche man set before his eyes the diuell with his garde that is to saye let him imagine the diuel with his traiterous people and children of death to leape foorth in presence and euen there Christe him selfe being presente and iudging to callenge with prowde comparison Christes people A liuely Representation and to prouoke and require that an accompte and rekoning of both sortes may be taken saying in this wise I for these that thou seest heere with me haue neither receyued buffets nor endured scourging nor suffered the Crosse nor shed my bloud nor redeemed this my familie with the price of any Crosse and passion No neither doo I promise them the kingdome of heauen or restoring them to immortalitie call them home agayne to Paradyse and yet see howe sumptuouse games and pageantes howe great Treasures what rare thinges long and moste chargeably sought they prouide for mee Yea laying to pleadge ingaging or selling outright all their goods and possessions to sette foorth to the vttermost these games and pageants Yea and if the pageants frame not handsomly to their honesty they are with wordes of reproch and hissing often tymes driuen out of the stage yea and sometime almost stoned to death with the furie of the people Nowe Christ let me see such fetters foorth of sightes and shewes of thy side Shew me these riche men flowing in aboūdance of welth whether though thy selfe fittest aloft in thy Churche and lookest on them they make vnto thee any suche chargeable presentes by engaging or selling their goodes Naie rather by chaunging for the better the possession of them translating them into heauenly treasures In these vaine and worldly shewes before men That vvhich S. Cyprian speaketh heere of plaies and pageants may be applied to banquetinges excesse in apparall and such other not novv common euerie vvhere nobody is fedde none clothed none susteined with comforte of meate and drinke Al the charge betweene the madnesse of the setter foorth and the foly of the beholder through a prodigall and foolish vanitie of disceiuing pleasures is loste and commeth to naught Yet emong thine thou arte thy selfe clothed and fedde in thy poore and needy and thou promisest eternall lyfe to suche as woorke All this notwithstanding thy people being thus honoured by thee with Diuine rewardes and heauenly giftes are scarse to be compared in number with myne that haue at my hande for all their coste no rewarde but damnation What shall we aunswere herevnto deerely beloued brethren By what meanes may we defende the mindes of the ryche menne ouerwhelmed with suche a sacrilegiouse barrennesse and as it were palpable darkenesse By what excuse may we purge our selues whoe are fewer in number then the Diuelles seruauntes who doe not repaie vnto Christ for the price of his Passion and bloude no not so muche as small trifles Christe hath geauen vnto vs commaundementes a revvard to such as vvorke and punnishment to the idle he hath instructed his seruauntes what they haue to doe he promiseth rewarde to suche as woorke and threatneth punnishment to the vnfruitfull He hath vttered his sentence and tolde vs before what iudgement he wil geue What excuse can there be to the negligent What defense to the barren and nigarde but that to the seruaunt who doth not that which he is cōmaunded our Lord wil do that whiche he threatneth Mat. 25. saying When the Sonne of man shal come in his glory and al his Angels with him then shal he sit in the throne of his glory and all Nations shall be gathered together before him and he shal diuide them one from an other as the shepheard diuideth the shepe from the gotes and shal place the sheep on his right hand but the gotes on the left then shal the king say vnto them which shal be on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father receiue the kingdome which hath ben prepared for you from the beginning of the world for I haue ben hungry and you gaue me to eate I haue ben thirsty and you gaue me drinke I haue ben harborles and you led me in naked and you clothed me sick and you visited me I haue ben in prison and you came vnto me Then shal the iust answere