and beleeue it Thei that beleeue it doe followe it and conforme their liues thereafter But the greater number whiche bee thei that beleeue not dooe construe and take the same Woorde in a false sense contrary to the true meanyng of the holie Ghoste and thereof it commeth to passe that there spryng and growe vp so many false Teachers But ful slenderly haue we heretofore harkened vnto this admonitioÌ„ For what dreames soeuer haue been obtruded and preached vnto vs wee rashely and without iudgement haue been readie to accept embrace and allowe the same And by this meanes wee haue rushed headlong into suche a brainsicke doltishenesse that wee haue verily thought the Pope with the rable of his Chapleins and MuÌ„kishe Clergie could not erre And thei whiche should and ought to haue kept vs from errour were the firste that taught this doctrine vnto vs. Here wee learne that wee are vnexcusable if wee beleue amisse or followe and allow any false and erroneous doctrines ignoraunce shall not excuse vs seeyng wee haue been so diligently warned aforehande And God hath expressely charged that euery one should bee able to iudge of that whiche is preached and to giue a reason of the doctrine whiche he hath receiued if wee neglecte or make small accoumpt thereof wee are in a forlorne case it shal not auaile vs I saie to plead ignoraunce The daunger is no lesse then the hazarde and losse of the saluation of our own Soules And therefore it behooueth eche one to knowe whiche is the true Woorde of God that he maie adhere and cleaue vnto it and whiche is false doctrine that he maie flee and eschue it Of suche kinde of admonitions that we should take heede of false doctrines wee haue in many places of the Scriptures greate store Sainct Paule in the laste Sermon that he made to the Ephesians when he tooke his leaue of theim and was now readie to departe toward Hierusalem forewarned theim of these thynges saiyng I knowe that after my departyng greeuous Woolues shall enter in among you not sparyng the flocke And of your owne selues shall menne arise speakyng peruers thinges to drawe Disciples after them Act. xx Christ also foresheweth no lesse to his Disciples Math. xxiiij When any shall saie to you Loe here is Christ or there beleeue it not For there shall arise false Christes and false Prophetes and shall shewe greate signes and wonders so that if it were possible thei should deceiue the verie electe Againe S. Paule j. Timo. iiij hath these woordes The Spirite speaketh euidentlie that in the latter tymes some shall departe from the Faithe and shall giue heede vnto Spirites of errour and doctrines of Deuilles whiche speake lyes through hipocrisie and haue their Consciences burned with an hote yron forbiddyng to marie and commaundyng to abstaine from meates whiche God hath created to be receiued with giuyng thankes c. As these premonitions were bothe vehemently and seriously vttered so ought we to haue taken more heede and to haue been the wiser in looking to our selues But we haue had no regard to theim thei haue little or nothyng auailed vs yea we haue suffred our selues still to be wilfully seduced and nozzeled in errour Let vs now see who these false Teachers are of whom S. Peter here speaketh Truely I doe thinke it was not without the singuler and hidden councell of God that our Popishe Prelacie were called and tearmed by the name and title of Teachers and Maisters to the ende euery one might plainly see who thei were whoÌ„ S. Peter meant For he vseth here the same verie woorde False Teachers or false Doctours and Maisters he saieth not false Prophetes or false Apostles Whiche priuilie shall bryng in damnable heresies HEresies Sectes vowed Orders and Professions of life he therefore calleth damnable for that who soeuer haltereth hym self into any of the same is in a damnable case and in the state of perdition Thei shall priuillie saith he bring in Heresies and Sectes For thei shall not openly detecte the Gospell and Scripture of falshood nor directly charge it with vntruthe for that were a cleane contrary course and would flatly altogether marre the drift of their malicious plat but thei shall vnder pretence of greate cloked holinesse still retain the names of God Christ Faithe Churche Baptisme Sacramentes and suche like and shall bee contente to suffer the same to bee honoured and reuerenced But vnder these names thei shall sâ—ilie creepe in and priuilie foiste in doctrines of their owne forgyng and stampe altogether discrepant and derogatorie from the right honour and worship that is due vnto God And therefore there is greate difference betweene preachyng directly against Christe and preachyng couertly and hypocriticallie vnder colour of truely worshippyng Christe As for example if I should thus preache Christe is the Soonne of God perfect God and perfect manne and he that beleeueth in hym shalbee saued this preachyng is true and aduouchable by the Gospell and Scriptures Now if another should come and preache thus Christe is not the Sonne of GOD neither was he euer incarnate and Faithe doeth not Iustifie this maner of preachyng were moste false and moste directly contrarie vnto all truthe But of suche plaine and palpable godlesse doctrine S. Peter doeth not in this place speake neither dooe our Papistes and Munkishe Mawmettes so grosselie deale but thei priuilie coigne a counterfaicte kinde of doctrine and foiste it in among vs in steede of true and sounde religion As when thei saie thus It is true that Christe is bothe perfecte God and perfecte Manne and that he suffred death for our sinnes in whom whosoeuer beleeueth not caÌ„ not be saued These and suche like Articles as thei affirme to bee true so doe thei holde that thei appertaine and serue for the vulgare and common sorte of people Lett vs therefore saie thei institute some perfecter waie and preciser trade of Life Let vs binde men by Vowe to Chastitie to Pouertie and to an Obedience to their professed Rules let vs teache them to builde Abbaies Monasteries Celles and Hermitages and lette vs flatly perswade them that if thei zelously and deuoutly doe the same thei shalbe sure assone as the breathe is out of their bodies to goe straight to Heauen When these and suche like dotages are preached and colorablie instilled into mennes myndes that there is nothing more excellent blessed then Virginitie nothing more meritorious then counterfaite feigned Obedience that MuÌ„kes and Freers liue a farre better and perfecter life then others Here in these poinctes there is no open defiaunce in flat woordes made against the sinceritie of Christian doctrine herein is neither Faithe nor Baptisme expresselie denied neither yet doe thei renounce or denie Christe to bee the Sauiour of the Worlde but yet neuerthelesse the doctrine of truthe is here couertly impugned and clouded with deuises of mannes owne inuention and menne are thereby drawen and seduced from the right waie and are brought to an ouerweenyng
shalbe driuen to saie as Ezechias did Esay xxxviij I saied in the middest of my daies I shall goe to the gates of the graue As if he should saie O Lorde God is Death come vppon mee so sodainly For thei that liue without faithe are loath to dye the longer they liue the more they desire to liue and the more of this painted holinesse that hath appeared in them the terribler and dreadfuller is Death vnto them namely to those that haue such tender spiced consciences exercise and afflict themselues in these woorkes of their owne whiche they take to be meritorious For it is vnpossible that any man should ouercome Death by any humaine strength Wheresoeuer Faithe is not there must the conscience needes tremble and dispaire But where Faith is there Death seemeth many times to tary too long ere he come whereas to the Faithlesse and vnbeleeuyng it alwaies commeth sooner then thei would haue it Sainct Peters meanyng therefore is that thei whiche set abroache suche Sectes and Heresies and consequently denye Christ dye moste vnwillingly and that with horrour and desperation For it can not otherwise bee seyng thei stand doubtfull of their saluation vsing these or suche like tearmes Who can tell whether God wilbee mercifull vnto mee and forgiue me my Sinnes or no And thus while thei stande in doubte with these wordes Who can tell and who knoweth their consciences can neuer be merie nor quiet And the longer that thei continue plunged in this waueryng doubte the more terribler still will Death bee vnto them whiche can neuer bee ouercome vnlesse synne and guiltinesse of conscience be first taken awaie Sodaine Death therfore destruction and damnation shall come vppon them so that thei shall alwaies remaine in perpetuall death And many shall followe their damnable waies THat this hath come to passe accordyng to Peters prediction all men well knowe For there were almoste no Parents but thei desired and were willyng to make some one of their Children either a Priest or a Munke a Nunne or some like ydle Votarie Therefore foolishe Fathers made foolisher Children while they mislikyng and beeyng wearie of the troubles disquietnes and discommodities of Matrimonie meant hereby to ease and ridde their children from the same by tying them thus to a vowed Profession thinkyng thereby to make them liue both quietly ydlie and delicately Wherein thei shewed themselues merely ignoraunt what an holy thing Mariage is and how blessed the troubles and greeues thereof are Sainct Peter therfore in these wordes foretolde how the worlde should bee pestered with Priestes Munkes Nunnes and Votaries To whiche Profession most of the Youth of the worlde betooke themselues euen as if it had bin into the clutches and clawes of the Deuill so that alas too truely hath S. Peter foreshewed that these damnable waies should bee followed of many By whom the waie of truth shalbe euill spoken of AND this also wee both haue seen and at this daie in many places of the Worlde dooe see to come to passe For he that feareth GOD and studieth to leade a Christian life is sure to bee euill reported of rahated and detested and the true syncere profession of the Gospell shal not escape the rancorous note of spightfull reprehension but hee spurned against and ill thought of as though it were Heresie and Errour If any man in zeale of truthe should preache and tell them that their Sectes bee contrarie to the doctrine laied downe in the Gospell for that thei carie men awaie from Faithe to Workes thei straightwaies with open mouth crye out against him and saie Accursed art thou for thou seducest the worlde They heinouslie also blaspheme God tossyng and turnyng the wordes of Christe which waie thei list to serue their owne turnes of expresse Commaundementes makyng Consultations Counsailes deliberations and dispensations forbiddyng that whiche Christe plainly allowed and did and makyng that to bee as Sinne which is no Sinne yea whosoeuer he bee that speaketh against these their blasphemous treacheries and enormious prankes shalbe sure to bee condemned and burned to ashes For the waie of truthe is a right vertuous life and syncere conuersation without any halting or hypocrisie This truth beeyng onely sett downe in the Worde of God and by faith firmely beleeued is that waie wherein all true Christians ought to walke Which waie and truth these fellowes can not in any wise abide but blaspheme reuile slaunder and condemne it to the ende they maie establishe extoll magnifie and mainteine the peeuishe pedlarie of their owne shamelesse Sectes And through couetousnesse shall they with fained wordes make marchandise of you COuetousnesse for the moste parte is the companion of Heresie These sowers of faâ—â—e doctrine generally haue chiefest respect vnto their bellie as in our daies hath been manifestly seen For none of them would either patter up a Masse of mumble vp their Vigiles as thei called them without money Among them no peine no Paâ—er â—oster No 〈◊〉 nor Colledge no Monasterie nor Freerie was erected and peopled till order was taken for their maintenaunce and that euen riotously and abundantly neither was there any of these Houses that for Gods sake onely would doe any thyng for any man Money must be had without it there was no dealing if purse were penilesse there was nothyng to bee gotten at the handes of these pitifull Lurdaines and holie Maisters But where true Faith beginneth to be preached there is very little money stirryng it bryngeth no stoare of pence at all for then downe goe Pilgrimages Bulles and Pardons will not bee bought of any man Abbayes and Nunneries are not esteemed vpon all whiche notwithstandyng more then halfe the wealth of Christendome was bestowed and no profite at all redoundyng or commyng thereof to any man sauyng onely to these greasie Priests Munkes Freers and Nunnes But by what waies and meanes doe thei thus scrape together and rake to themselues so muche money With fained woordes saieth S. Peter shall they make marchandise of you For they haue coigned certaine smooth speeches to serue their turnes whereby to cozen men of their money as when thei saie If thou wilt bestowe so many hundreth Crounes vppon our blessed Ladie or vpon this or that Sainct thou shalt therein doe a merueilous meritorious woorke thou shalt buye therewith so many Pardons and for so many thousande yeres thou shalt haue cleare remission of all thy Sinnes and finally thou shalt deliuer so many of thy Freendes Soules out of Purgatorie c. These and suche like wordes are deuised and feigned for none other purpose but to picke mens purses and gleane their money from them For in all these triflyng trashe which thei sell so deare and where withall thei scratch together suche huige Summes of money there is not a mite of merite grace or remission of Sinnes how muche soeuer they boast wrest the holie and precious Worde of God to bleare the eyes of the Worlde and to serue their auaritious appetites So also of
sundrie whiche would think there were none other life after this and therfore would passe their daies lewdely inordinately and accordyng to the deuises of their own sensuall lustes In deede at Rome and in Italie this Prophesie is long ago fulfilled and thei that come from thence to vs bryng with them this opinion that what filthie and wicked life they leade there the same doe they teach vs and those Countries where they chaunce to inhabite But a little before the latter daie suche maner of men must needes bee as Christe himself foretolde Matth. xxiiij As the dayes of Noah were so likewise shall the commyng of the soonne of man be For as in the daies before the floud thei did eate and drinke marie and giue in mariage euen vntill the daye that Noah entred into the Arke and knew nothing till the floud came and tooke them all awaie so shall also the commyng of the sonne of man be And a litle after in the same Chapter Bee ye readie for in suche a tyme as ye thinke not will the sonne of man come Againe Luc. xxj As a snare shal that day come vppon all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth Againe Luk. xvij As the Lightening that lighteneth out of the one parte vnder Heauen shineth vnto the other parte vnder Heauen so shal the sonne of man be in his daie That is it shall come merueilous sodainly and moste vnlooked for when as the Worlde shall liue in moste senselesse securitie and the Woorde of God altogether deryded and contemptuously skorned This therefore shalbee a signe and a token of the neere approchyng of the latter daie when as menne shall loosely liue accordyng to their owne wilfull lustes and pleasures and whē as thei shall presumptuously aske Where is now the promise of his commyng The Worlde hath continued thus long and euery thyng is in the same case as it hitherto hath been what straunge thyng shall there now happen Sainct Peter therefore forewarneth vs that we bee not lightly caried awaie with these wicked speeches but rather knowe that thei bee vndoubted signes and tokens that this daie will come and that verie shortlie For this they willingly knowe not that the heauens were of old and the earth that was of the water and by the water by the woorde of God Wherefore the worlde that then was perished ouerflowed with the water THei are suche peruerse and frowarde persones saieth he that thei disdaine and grudge to bestowe any tyme or labor in learnyng the truth in so muche that with a flearyng disdaine thei resiste and can not be brought so muche as euen to reade the Scriptures Yea thei are so wilfull and obstinate that thei will not seeme either to thinke or know how that the same thyng came to passe also in the olde worlde when Noah builte the Arke Namely how that the Earth beeyng separated frō the water was in the beginnyng made by the Woorde of God and how againe the same Earth was whollie ouerflowed and drouned with water and how that menne liued then so secure and carelesse that thei looked for no harme to come vnto theim neither thought of any destruction at hande And yet sodainly the Floud couered theim all Of all whiche these peruerse and froward persones are willyngly and wilfully ignorant The plaine meanyng of his woordes is as if he should saie If God then destroied the Worlde with water and by a terrible example declared that he was able to droune it vniuersallie how muche more will he destroie it now hauyng so muche and so often in plaine and sundrie wordes and in so many seuerall places threatened and promised thesame Heauen and Earth had their Beginnyng and Creation by the Woorde of God thei were not from euerlastyng And the Waters that rested aboue in the Cloudes were by a Firmament separated from the Waters whiche were in Seas and Riuers vpō the Earth belowe So that the Earth which was ouerwhelmed and surrounded with the Deepe was by the Worde of GOD parted from the Waters and became drie lande standyng and beeyng hemmed in by the Waters And that whiche Moses at large describeth is by Saint Peter here but lightly touched By the same Worde of GOD whereby thei were made and created are all thynges therein preserued and gouerned For it is not there Nature so to stande or to remaine in suche situation and therefore if God by his vnspeakable power did not vpholde preserue and gouerne theim all thynges would quickly come to a wrecke and ruine and bee sonedrenched couered and wholly ouerflowed with Water But mightie is thee Worde whiche God spake whē he saied Lette the waters vnder the heauens bee gathered into one place and let the drie lande appeare That it let the Waters depart aside and giue place that the drie lande maie bee seen and that menne maie dwell thereon for otherwise as I saied afore by Nature the water would ouerflowe and couer the whole Earth Whiche that it so commeth not to passe is as straunge a miracle as any is among all the woorkes of God Now saieth Sainct Peter These wilfull flouters and stiffe-necked deriders are so peruerse and incōsiderate that thei maliciously thinke skorne to shewe this honor to the holie Ghost to reade the Scriptures and therein to see how God keepeth preserueth and gouerneth the worlde within the water wherby thei might well perceiue and see that all thynges are in the handes of GOD and therefore sithe he hath once alreadie destroied the world by bringing therevpon the general Deluge so also when it pleaseth him can he doe vnto vs. For the example thereof ought so greatly to mooue eche one of vs that as he then performed that whiche afore he threatened so we should now none otherwise think but that he will surely abide by his woordes and doe that whiche he hath spoken concernyng vs. But the Heauens and Earth whiche are now are kepte by the same Woorde in stoare and reserued vnto fier against the daie of Iudgement and of the destruction of vngodlie menne IN the old tyme when God drouned the whole Worlde in the generall Floude the waters in moste abundaunce gushed out of the Cloudes aboue spouted out of the bowelles of the Earth belowe and on euery side suche streames encreased that nothyng was now to bee seene but Waters the Earth accordyng to her Nature beyng all drouned and couered vnder the Waters But God promised that hee would neuer thence forthe destroie the Worlde with waters any more makyng a couenaunt and giuyng his Rainbowe in the Cloudes for a signe thereof Genes ix Therefore he will nexte consume and destroye it with Fire so that there shall then nothing appeare but Fire as aforetyme there was nothyng seene but water Hereof also S. Paule ij Thess j. When the Lorde Iesus shall shewe hymself from heauen with his mightie Angells in flamyng Fier rendryng vengeance to them that doe not knowe God and whiche doe not obeye vnto the
the Christian Congregation whereas in deede thei be but the Spotts and Wennes of the Common wealth the Skumme and Filthe of the people and the detestable vizardes of hypocriticall holinesse thei keepe iolie cheare and fare moste deliciously accordyng to the old Adage or Prouerbe whiche calleth delicate and daintie cates morselles for a Priest Finallie thei are without feare and care verily thinkyng that Sathan hymself is not able to ouerthrowe them The flocke thei feede nothyng at all but are rather themselues the rauenous Wolues that deuoure and eate vp the Sheepe Thei are Cloudes that are caried on high and swaied alofte in the Aire For thei haue enstalled themselues in the chiefest places and beste roumes and carie all the credite and countenance in the Churche thei ought to teache others but thei care nothing at al for that suffryng them to bee caried hither and thither into the Foggie miste of errour and ignoraunce by the Deuill the professed enemie of mankinde Thei are also fruitlesse and naked Trees such as are in the beginning of Winter bearing neither fruite nor leaues yet thei occupie a roume as other Trees doe Thei beare a shewe of the Bishopps of Christ but thei haue in them no peece nor parte neither of hym nor yet of his Woordes or Workes but are dead at the rootes They are also ragyng waues of the Sea that is euen as the windes in the Sea do tosse and stirre the waues this waie and that waie so are thei also caried whither soeuer Sathan driueth them They foame out their owne shame euen as a pot that hath a greate heate vnder it thei are so full of malice that it runneth ouer at the brim thei are so nozzeled in spightfulnesse and crueltie that their swellyng and cankered stomackes can not holde it but must needes cast vp and vomite out all their beastly filthinesse and therwith also defile and pollute others They are wandryng Starres such as they call planetes retrograde hauyng their motion backwarde in like maner these fellowes whose life and doctrine is nothyng but errour seduce and beguile bothe themselues and all those that followe them And therefore there is reserued for them the mist of darkenesse for euer In these wordes and examples Iude hath depaincted and set out our Massyng mates and pollshorne Prelates who vnder the name of Christ and of the Churche doe bring in a Sea of moste lewde and execrable maners and yet neuerthelesse vnder pretence thereof dooe catche and rake vnto themselues all the wealth of the Worlde and bryng all mens heades vnder their girdles And Enoch also the seuenth from Adam prophecyed of suche saiyng Behold the Lorde commeth with thousandes of his Sainctes to giue iudgment against all men THis place is not any where read in the Scripture which is an other reason why some of the auncient Fathers would not admitt receiue this Epistle as canonicall howbeit this is no sufficient cause whereby to disallowe or reiect any Booke for S. Paule also ij Timot. iij. nameth Iannes and Iambres two aduersaries of Moses whose names notwithstandyng are not read in the whole Byble beside Howsoeuer mens iudgements haue béen or bee we will not presently stande vpon that poinct But this is true that God from the beginnyng of the Worlde hath euer reueiled his Woorde to some wherein to the beleeuers grace and saluation is promised but to the vnbeleeuers iudgement and damnation is threatened and so it still continued euen till the Ascension of Christ from whiche tyme the Word of God hath been openly and generally preached ouer all the Worlde But before the natiuitie of Christ GOD still chose some to himself whom he vsed as it were a certaine threede from hande to hande to deliuer the manifestation and publication of his Word first from Adam to AbrahaÌ„ then from him to Dauid and so to the Virgin Marie the mother of Christe and others moe to whom he reueiled and deliuered his truth The Gospell therfore was alwaies preached in the world but neuer so openly as now in these latter daies After this sorte did this Patriarch Enoch preache and publish the Word of the Lorde whiche vndoubtedly he had learned of his Father Adam by influence from the holy Ghost For it is recorded of hym in the Scriptures Gen. v. that he led an vpright and godly life and therefore was taken vp of God and was no more seen Wherevppon sprong that fable that hee should come againe before the daye of Iudgement whiche thing is not to bee looked for vnlesse wee will vnderstand it in this sense that he shall come againe in spirite namelie for that his preachyng dooeth fitly iumpe and agree to the tyme next afore the generall Iudgement as here this present place very truely agreeth thereto wherein he speaketh so certainly of the laste Daie as if he had presently seene it with his eyes The Lorde saieth he commeth with thousandes of his Sainctes that is with an infinite multitude For these words must needes be vnderstood onely of the last Daie wherein the Lorde will come to Iudgement with all his Saintes For when he first came into the Worlde he came not with many thousandes of his Sainctes but alone and that not to iudge but to giue Grace And to rebuke all the vngodlie among them of all their wicked deedes whiche they haue vngodlie committed THis place doth Iude not vnaptly here inferre directly sounding against false Guides and counterfaite Teachers whiche he knewe in greate swarmes should come a little afore the last Daie but it seemeth also very aptly to beare this interpretation and signification that the Lorde at his comming will first destroye and quight ouerthrowe the Pope with al his imperious PoÌ„tificalitie For to such a great mischieuous euill there is none other helpe or remedie for the vtter abolishyng and quite takyng of hym awaie For so long as the Worlde endureth there will neither bee ende of hym neither can there any reformation and amendment in hym be hoped for And truely this place can not bee vnderstoode of any other then of our Papistes who so miserably and lamentablie seduce the Worlde For a more forlorne desperate and wicked life then that of the Papistes can not possiblie be imagined wherein as thei impiously alreadie wallowe so wil thei still continue worse and worse pretending notwithstanding greate sanctimonie and holinesse vnder the name of Christe whom thei vse as a cloke to contriue and hide all their villaynous treacherie Vnder the name of Papistes wee may vnderstande both them and all the rable of seducyng Imposters and deceiuers beside which shal come a little before the last Daie and all suche as embrace and followâ— their godlesse impietie This place therfore that he here alleâ—geth is to be vnderstood of the last daie of Iudgement Wee see of whom he speciallie meaneth that the saied Iudgement is to be looked for Whervpon wee conclude that our tyrannous Shauelinges and shauen Tyrauntes are with tremblyng
the old birth proceeded and came of Seede the newe Birth also must needes be of some Seede But what Seede is this Truely not fleshe and blood What then Nothing that is corruptible and mortall but euen the eternall and liuyng worde This is all that whereby we liue whereby we are nourished and haue our beyng and whereby specially as he here saieth we are regenerated But how and by what meanes is this wont to bee dooen and brought to passe God sendeth out this his Worde to 〈◊〉 the Gospell whiche casteth seede into the hartes of menne â—f this Seede abide and sticke Fast in the harte then is there presently readie the holie Ghoste who fashioneth a newe manne whiche becomneth altogether of an other fort their he was afore hath other deuises thoughtes and cogitations other wordes and other woorkes And thus is he whollie and altogether altered Whatsoeuer thou aforetyme diddest est huc and auoide now thou pursuest and seekest what soeuer thou â—aâ—ste sought thou now fleest The state of Corporall generation is suche that the Seede whiche is in manne hath his alteration and remaineth not still Seede But the Seede of the Spirite can not bee chaunged but remaineth one for euer so entirely alteryng chaungyng me that I am transmitted and altered into it and the corruption and euill whiche naturally dwelleth in me is quite abolished And therefore this is a wonderfull kinde of Birthe and of a merueilous Seede For all fleshe is as grasse and all the glorie of man is as the flower of grasse The grasse withereth and the flower falleth awaie But the word of the Lord endureth for euer THis place is takeÌ„ out of the xl Chap. of Esaiâ— Where a voice saied vnto the Prophete Crie And he saied what shall I crie To whom the voice saied Crie thus All fleshe is grasse and al the glorie thereof as the flower of the feeld The grasse withereth and the flower fadeth a waie but the word of the Lorde standeth for euer These wordes hath S. Peter here brought in and alledged For this Epistle is as I saied bothe riche and grounded vpon the aucthoritie of sondrie Scriptures Now the meanyng of the Scripture here alledged is this The woorde of the Lorde endureth for euer But whatsoeuer is fleshe and blood the same is as corruptible grasse Bee a manne of neuer so flourishyng and gallant age bee he neuer so riche and mightie neuer so wise and iuste neuer so braue freshe and beautifull all whiche appertaine to the flower yet doeth the flower in the ende wither awaie and that whiche in gallante age and beautie lately excelled is waxed olde and become ilfauoured that whiche earst was riche is growne to be poore and so forthe also all other thinges fade awaie sauyng onely the Woorde of God Whiche Seede can neuer perishe nor decaye And this is the Worde whiche is preached among you AS though he should saie you neede not to seeke farre how to come to this Woorde for behold you haue it euen before your eyes It is that Worde whiche wee preache vnto you by this you maie qualifie and restraine all wicked desires Thou needest not to seeke farre for it onely looke to this that thou gladly embrace it when it is preached vnto thee For it is so neere vnto thee that it maie bee heard As Moses also saieth in the xxx of Deuter. The worde which I commaunde thee this daie is not farre of from thee that thou shouldest neede to goe farre to seeke it as either to goe vp to heauen or to goe ouer the Sea to fetche it but it is verie neere vnto thee euen in thy mouthe and in thy harte It was straightwaies preached and heard but when it hath feased and takeâ— full possession of thy harte it can not any more dye and vanishe awaie neither dooeth it suffer thee to dye but saueth thee so long as thou stickest and cleauest faste vnto it As when I heare how that Iesus Christ died for me and bore all my synnes and purchased heauen for me and also how he hath giuen all that he hath vnto me now dooe I heare the Gospell and glad thynges I meane the Worde of God beyng preached whiche peraduenture quickly passeth awaie and is forgottenâ— but if it bee effectually receiued with the harte and that thou throughlie embrace hym in faithe then can not he any more slippe from thee nor be forgotten This truthe no Creature whatsouer is able to ouerthrowe the Gates of hell shall neuer preuaile againste it Yea although I sticke faste in the Iawes of the Deuill yet if I be able to take holde vpon and to apprehende this Woorde I muste needes bee bailed and deliuered thence and shall remaine where the Woorde remaineth And therefore it is not without good cause that the Apostle here in effect saieth that there is none other Worde to bee looked for then this whiche we haue preached vnto you To this purpose tendeth that whiche Paule in the firste to the Romaines saieth I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christe for it is the power of God vnto saluation to all that beleeue The Woorde is the Diuine and eternall power of God For although the voice sounde or speeche dooe quicklie vanishe and passe awaie yet the kernell that is to saie the knowledge and truthe contained in that voice remaineth stil As when I putt a Goblet or Iugge of wine to my mouthe I drinke vp the Wine the Goblet or Iugge remaining still vnspent So also y e Word which being brought vnto vs by voice descendeth into the harte and there beginneth to haue life the voice remainyng still without and vanishyng awaie And therefore it is well tearmed the power of GOD yea rather God hymself For so he saied vnto Moses Exod. iiij I will be in thy mouthe And in the lxxxj Psalme Open thy mouthe wide that is shewe forthe boldlie speake out bee an hungred and I will fill it I my self beyng present with thee will speake enough So also Christe in the xiiij of Ihon saieth I am the waie the truthe and the life he that cleaueth therevnto the same is borne of God Therefore this Seede is the Lorde our God hymself All which thinges serue to this end to instruct and teache vs that wee can not possibly bee relieued and holpen by woorkes and the Woorde be it neuer so small a thyng in shewe when it is vttered out of the mouth and in apparaunce seeme nothyng glorious and honorable yet is there in it a kinde of suche incomparable vertue and force as maketh so many the children of God as faithfully cleaue thereunto Iohn 1. VpoÌ„ suche an excellent staie and goodnesse leaneth our saluation This is the first Chapter of this Epistle wherein thou seest with what singuler Arte and cunnyng sainct Peter handleth and preacheth Faithe Whereby it manifestly appeareth that is Epistle is the very Gospell or glad Tydynges it self Now followeth next the seconde Chapter wherein he teacheth vs
beaten doune all the reste would easily and with little adode bee repressed and vanquished For this oftentimes annoyeth and hurteth our neighbour and that so closely and secretly as that it can not bee descried or espied Sainct Peter calleth that Wantonnesse when with sasciuious woordes and gestures the luste of the harte and minde is stirred vp and although no actuall dealyng ensue therevpō and when either in speakyng or in listenyng to others that vse lende and vnchast talke a manne any waie intemperately behaueth hymself so that anone after there bee enkindled naughtie desires and inordinate motions yea and many tymes burst out into open acte Thereout sometyme spryngeth Idolatrie also whiche in the sight of God is a thyng abhominable This mischieuous wickednesse if wee bee not warie and carefull to keepe our Faith vnspotted will goe nere to touche vs. For if we once loose and make shipwracke of our Faithe wee are moste sure withall to loose God also and so shall we committ more grosse and horrible Idolatries then euer any Gentiles did and therefore it standeth vs greatly in hande to looke well to our selues Wherein it seemeth to theim straunge that ye run not with them vnto the same excesse of riot therefore speake thei euill of you Whiche shall giue accoumptes to hym that is readie to iudge quicke and dead YE haue heretofore ledde a Heathenishe life and now because ye haue forsaken that trade it semeth vnto theim that still wallowe in the same myre a verie straunge thing yea a verie foule and foolishe parte of you not stickyng to saie Loe what foolishe fellowes bee these that thus thei renounce all worldly iolitie and dispossesse theimselues at once from all the delightes of this life But suffer ye them to haue this their vaine talke let theim accoumpte this your conuersion and alteration very straunge and let them dispraise and despise your purpose as wilfull and absurde The daie will come when thei must be called to their reckenyng and giue an accoumpt of their dealynges and therfore in the meane space commit ye all thynges vnto God that will iudge all thynges accordyng to right For vnto this purpose was the Gospell preached also vnto the deade that thei might bee condemned accordyng to menne in the fleshe but might liue accordyng to God in the Spirite Now the ende of all thynges is at hande THis place againe is somwhat straunge and difficile The woordes dooe plainly saie that the Gospell was preached not onely to the liuyng but also to the Dead and yet neuerthelesse he addeth these wordes That thei might be condemned accordyng to menne in the Fleshe Now thei that are dead haue no Fleshe wherefore these woordes can not be vnderstoode otherwise then of them that be aliue How soeuer wee take it the phraze is somewhat straunge Whether the whole texte and sentence in this place bee perfecte or whether some woordes be missyng I will not take vpon me to define But thus doe I vnderstande this place and am certainly perswaded in the same that it belongeth nothyng to vs how and after what maner GOD meaneth to condemne the Gentiles whiche dyed many hundred yeares agoe For it behooueth vs rather to looke and consider what he will doe to them that yet are aliue in the worlde This woorde Fleshe is so to bee vnderstoode as was afore declared to witte that it entierly signifieth the whole Man as he liueth as also he is called all Spirite when he careth for the thinges that be of the Spirite These be so mingled together as if one should say of him that is woūded this man is whole if but onely the better parte in hym bee whollie cured For hee is saied to be wounded but onely in that parte wherein he was striken So likewise in a Christian man the Spirite ought to haue the chiefe Souereigntie Therefore saieth hee that thei are condemned in the fleshe that is accordyng to the outward man but accordyng to the inwarde man which is the Spirit thei bee saued and liue But how commeth this to passe that he saieth they liue and yet notwithstandyng calleth them dead Truely accordyng to my poore skill and capacitie for I will not that this my interpretation should preiudice and forestall the meanyng of the holie Ghost but that I dutifullie yeeld my self to them that bryng a better I dooe thinke that by those whom he calleth Dead he meaneth Infidels For it carieth no likelihood of truth to saie that the Gospell was preached to them that bee departed out of this life Vnlesse saincte Peters meanyng bee this that the Gospell was so generallie and vniuersallie in the worlde proclaimed and so openly in euery place rong out that it was hidden neither to the quicke nor to the dead neither to Aungelles neither yet to Deuilles that is to wit It was not preached secretly in corners and in huckermucker but so publickly and openly that al Creatures if thei had cares to heare might heare accordyng to the tenour and effect of that Commission and charge giuen by Christe himself Mar. xvj Goe ye into all the worlde and preache the Gospell to euery Creature Now when it is in this sorte preached it findeth some whom accordyng to the Fleshe it condemneth but in Spirite it maketh them to beginne to liue Now the ende of all thinges is at hande AND this sentence also seemeth very straunge There are now passed aboue a thousande and fiue hundreth yeares since Sainct Peter wrate this Epistle whiche is no small tyme to looke for the ende of all thinges to approache But he saieth that the ende of al thinges is alreadie come and is now present And so saieth sainct Iohn also in the seconde Chapter of his first Epistle This saieth he is the last tyme Vnlesse therefore suche an excellent Apostle had plainly saied that the ende of all thinges is at hande it might haue been saied again that he had erred and not tolde the truth But now must wee stedfastly beleeue that no liyng but a true Apostle hath spoken it What he meaneth in so saiyng he himself declareth in his seconde Epistle where he yeeldeth a reason why he saieth that this so long a space is but a shorte tyme and nere at hande One daie saieth he is with the Lorde as a thousande yeares and a thousande yeares as one daie But wee must vndoubtedly thinke that there resteth not so many yeares till the dissolution and ende of the world as haue continued from the beginnyng vnto the tyme wherein this was written Neither must wee looke that this life shall continue yet twoo or three thousande yeares from the natiuitie of Christ for the ende wil bee sooner then wee thinke Be ye therefore sober and watchyng in praier But aboue al thinges haue feruent loue amōg you for Loue couereth the multitude of sinnes HEre wee see to what ende Continencie Sobrietie are needefull and whereto thei serue to wit that we maie bee the readier to praie bothe for
his heauenly graces and benefites Wee haue the influence of his Diuine power woorkyng in vs whiche promoteth and furthereth vs vnto all thynges that pertaine vnto life and godlinesse that is when wee beleeue wee receiue so many benefites of hym that God bountifully bestoweth vpon vs euen the giftes of his power whiche power is diffused into all and euery our actions bothe is and also effectually woorketh in vs. What soeuer we speake or what soeuer wee doe it is not wee but GOD in vs that speaketh and doeth He is in vs strong mightie and omnipotence yea euen when wee suffer torment and affliction when wee are killed and dye and when before the worlde wee are altogether seelie and weake In somuche that when wee haue not this power of God there is in vs no strength at all no facultie no habilitie Now whereas Sainct Peter saieth that all thynges are giuen vnto vs of his Diuine power his meanyng is not as though wee should bee able to make Heauen and Earth and to woorke Miracles and doe wonders For what good would that doe vnto vs But wee haue all the giftes of his godly and Diuine power in vs so farre as is necessarie and profitable for vs. And therefore the Apostle addeth further these woordes That pertaine to life and godlinesse That is to saie wee haue all thynges by his godlie and diuine power moste abundantly giuen vnto vs that wee should dooe good and alwaies liue in vertuous estate and blessednesse Through the knowledge of hym that hath called vs. THis mightie power and greate grace of God proceadeth not from elswhere then from this perfecte and sounde knowledge of GOD. For when thou throughlie knowest hym for thy God he dealeth with thee as God After this maner also sainct Paule j. Cor. j. saieth In all thynges ye are made riche in hym in all kinde of speeche and in all knowledge as the testimonie of Iesus Christe hath bin confirmed in you so that ye are not destitute of any gift This is the greatest and the moste necessarie gift of all others that God can giue vnto vs whiche wee ought not to exchange for all other riches that is either in Heauen or in Earth For what would it auaile thee although thou couldst goe through Fire and Water without takyng any harme and woorke all kinde of Miracles and wonders if thou shouldest want this For there bee a greate many condemned that haue been able is woorke suche Miracles But this exceedeth and farre surmounteth all Miracles in that God bestoweth and giueth so greate a power vnto vs wherby al our sinnes are forgiuen vs and abolished quite out of remembraunce Death Sathan and Hell beyng vtterlie vanquished and swallowed vp Whereby we possesse our Consciences without feare and haue our hartes ioyful merie and bold without beyng afraied of any thing All whiche the knowledge of GOD that calleth vs doeth affoord and bryng vnto vs. Vnto glorie and vertue AND after what sorte was that Callyng wherewith God called vs Forsooth this God sent his holie Gospell into the World and caused the same to bee proclaimed and preached abroade for the whiche no man euer made any labour no man euer praied or made any entreatie to him but before any one so much as once thought of it he offred and gaue this grace vnto vs and powred the same moste aboundantly vppon vs all that he alone might haue all the glorie and praise and wee enioying suche a benefite should ascribe this power and vertue al onely to him For it is no worke of our owne but his And therefore seeyng that this Callyng is none of our owne neither coÌ„meth of our selues it is not mâ—â—te that we should lift vp our selues in pride as though we had brought it to passe of our selues but he is onely to bee glorified of vs and all thankes are to bee giuen vnto hym for so mercifullie bestowyng and giuyng his Gospell vnto vs and withall also for so strengthenyng vs with power and vertue against Sathan Death Hell and all mischieues at once whatsoeuer Whereby moste greate and precious promises are giuen vnto vs SAinct Peter hath added this to shewe forth and declare the nature and force of Faithe For when we knowe God to bee ours wee haue also with hym by Faith eternall life and the power of God wherby wee ouercome and get the victorie both of Death and Deuill And yet for all this we do not see these things neither yet feele wee them although all thinges be promised vnto vs. We haue al things but thei yet appeare not but in the last daie we shall plainly discouer and see all thinges present and apparantly laied open vnto our eyes Wee beginne here in this Worlde but wee come not to any ful fruition or perfection thereof in this life But we haue this promise that we liue here by the mightie power of God and that after this life we shalbe euerlastingly blessed He that faithfully beleeueth these thinges hath the some as it were alreadie in possession he that beleeueth not hath them not but is sure to perishe eternallie How greate and how precious these promises are Sainct Peter further yet declareth saying That by them ye should bee partakers of the godlie nature in that ye flee the corruption whiche is in the worlde through lust THis benefite wee haue by the power of Faithe that wee thereby are made partakers of God and come into a certein participation and communion of his diuine nature This is suche a sentence as the like ye shall not reade againe neither in the olde Testament nor yet in the newe Howbeit among the Painims and Heathen writers it is often read that wee partake with the very diuine nature it self But what is this nature of God Euerlastyng truth righteousnesse iustice wisedome eternall life peace ioye pleasure and al goodnesse that can bee named He now that is partaker of the nature of God is seized and priuiledged in all these to wit that he shall liue for euer enioye perpetuall and endlesse peace pleasure ioye and mirth bee pure holie iust and able to withstand and supplant Sathan Sinne Death Peters wordes therefore sounde as though he should saie thus Looke how vnpossible it is to take from God euerlastyng life and eternall truth so impossible is it also that these thinges should be taken from you If any man hurt you he must needes also hurt God For he must first oppresse God that seeketh to oppresse a right Christian All these properties are comprehended vnder this worde Diuine or Godly Nature whiche worde be therefore vsed because it containeth in it so large a signification These bee greate and singuler benefites if wee faithfully beleeue the veritie of them But all that is here set doune is as afore was declared Doctrines wherevppon the groundwoorke of our Faith is laide for that whiche here is written is rather to declare and shewe what greate and excellent benefites grow vnto vs through
And when thei lifted vp their eyes thei sawe no man saue Iesus onely And as they came downe from the Mountaine Iesus charged them saiyng Shewe the Vision to no man vntill the Sonne of man rise againe from the dead This therefore whiche here Sainct Peter writeth hath this meanyng That Gospell which I haue preached and shewed vnto you of Christ and of his commyng I haue not sucked out of myne owne fingers endes nor feigned out of myne owne braine neither yet receiued I the same from vaine and Sophisticall Pratlers and Ianglers that can roundely and readily talke and tattle of matters such as the Greekes were Whereas in truthe all that which thei with finenesse of EloqueÌ„ce and galantnesse of phrazes painted out thinkyng them selues therein greate Wisemen was nothyng els but mere toyes trifles and vanities These and suche like persones wee neither haue giuen eare vnto neither followed and sought after that is wee dooe not preache vnto you the doatyng dreames and foolishe fantasies of Men But we are moste sure of our doctrine and of the certaintie thereof that it is of GOD because we haue bothe heard it with our eares and seen it with our eyes To witte when wee were present with Christe in the Mounte and there bothe sawe and heard his glorie from heauen proclaimed Whose glorie was suche that his face shined as the Sunne and his clothes were white as Snowe and wee also heard a voice from the high Maiestie of the Father saiyng This is my beloued Sonne heare hym Therefore euery Preacher ought to be so sure and so farre from any doubtyng of the certaintie of his doctrine and of the Woorde whiche he preacheth that he should not feare to scale and confirme the same with his death seyng it is the Woorde of Life whiche he hath in hande The Apostles therefore were certainly assured of the truthe of the Gospell whiche thei preached and were out of all doubt that it was the true and infallible Worde of GOD and withall that the Gospell is none other thyng then the preachyng of Christe And therefore none other preachyng is to bee heard because the Father will not haue any other This is my beloued Sonne sâ—â—th he heale hym Let hym be your Schoole maister and your Teacher as if he should saie when ye heare hym ye heare me And therefore saieth S. Peter wee haue preached and made knowen vnto you that Christe â—s â—e Lorde and Ruler of all thynges and that all power is deliuered ouer vnto hym whiche power he also hath whiche faithfullie beleeueth in hym These thynges haue not wee deuised and forged by our owne imaginations but wee haue bothe seen and heard them by the Reuolation of God who hath commaunded vs to heare this Christ alone But what is the cause that S. Peter here seuereth the Power of Christ from his Commyng His Power is in that he is Almightie and able to dooe all thynges And againe in that he hath all thinges in subiection vnder his feete This his Power shall perpetually continue and stande in force so long as the worlde hath continuaunce and so long as Fleshe and Bloud hath any beeyng vpon earth This entire power of the Kyngdome of Christe shall haue continuaunce and force till the laste daie and then shall an other worlde begiane when as Christe shall deliuer vp his Kyngdome vnto God his Father whereof is spoken by S. Paule j. Cor. xv Christe is the firste fruictes then thei that are of Christe whiche shall bee at his commyng and then shalbee the ende when he hath deliuered vp his Kyngdome to GOD euen the Father c. And againe When all thynges shall bee subdued into hym then shall the Sonne also hymself bee subiecte vnto hym that did subdue all thynges vnder hym And whereto tendeth all this Is not the Kyngdome of God the Father now at this presence and are not all thynges now also subdued vnto hym I aunswere S. Paule in the self same place expoundeth hymself yeldeth a reason of his wordes saiyng That God maie be all in all that is what soeuer a man longeth after what soeuer he desireth to haue that shall God bee vnto hym that as S. Peter saied afore we maie bee partakers of the Diuine Nature And therefore what GOD hath the same shall we haue and what soeuer is needefull and necessarie for vs shalbee ministred vnto vs what soeuer any manne requireth as Wisedome Righteousnesse Fortitude and Life it shalbe giuen to vs which wee now beleeue by hearyng with our eares and truely possesse in the Worde of God But then shall the Woorde ceasse and our Soules shall open and displaie themselues and shall see and feele all thynges present And this is it that bothe S. Peter and S. Paule meane that now in this while the power of Christes Kyngdome beareth all the aucthoritie now dooeth the Woorde raigne and exercise his Empire by whiche Woorde he now raigneth in his humanitie ouer Deuilles Synne Death and Helle. And all these thynges shall not till the laste daie bee plainly manifested For although God doeth raigne for euer alwaies yet is not the same manifestly to vs apparaunced He seeth vs but we see not hym And therefore it behooueth that Christ should resigne his Kyngdome ouer vnto hym that wee also maie see and then shall wee truely bee the Brothers of Christe and the Soonnes of God In this sorte Receiued he of God the Father honour and glorie as here S. Peter saieth when as the Father subiected all thynges vnto hym and made hym Lorde of all glorifiyng and dignifiyng him with these woordes This is my beloued Soone in whom I am well pleased And in these woordes S. Peters meanyng is to confirme his Doctrine and preachyng that it might bee knowen from it wheÌ„ce it was Besides this seyng of the Maiestie of Christ and hearyng of the voice of the Father concernyng Christe it was needefull also that the holie Ghoste must woorke withall and confirme him in that he had bothe seen and heard the more to make hym to beleeue it and that he might bothe boldelie preache and zelouslie confesse the same to others Wee haue also a moste sure worde of the Prophetes to the whiche ye doe well that ye take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place vntill the daie dawne and the daie starre arise â—n your hartes HEre commeth S. Peter nerer to the matter and of that whiche he here saieth this is the verie meanyng All that I preache vnto you is to this ende that your Consciences maie bee surely settled strengthened in the truthe and that your hartes maie be firmely fixed vpon the same not suffryng your selues to bee caried a ware from it by any meanes because wee are out of all doubte that wee haue the verie pure and sincere Worde of GOD. For the Gospell is a matter of greate waight and importaunce and therefore we ought to be most diligent carefull and precise that wee keepe
sawe their obstinate perseueraunce in Sinne My Spirite shall not alwaies striue with Manne because he is but fleshe his daies shalbe an hundreth and twentie yeres Genes vj. And a little after in the same Chapter I will destroye from the Earth the Man whom I haue created from Man to Beast to the creepyng thyng and to the Foule of the Heauen c. These wordes did Noah in his daiely Sermons preache and beate into their heades withall also buildyng the Arke accordyng as God had commaunded hym and that in the full space of an hundreth yeres But thei were so senselesse of their estate and so frozen in the dregges of their accustomed Synnes that thei laughed him to skorne and grewe still more and more obstinate and rebellious The Sinnes wherefore God brought the Floud vppon the Worlde as it appeareth in the same sixte Chapter of Genesis were that the Soonnes of God that is the Children of the holie Fathers degenerated from the Faith and knowledge wherein thei had been trained taught For seing the daughters of MeÌ„ that thei were faire thei tooke them wiues of all that thei liked Of whom were borne mightie Gyantes and lawlesse Tyrantes whiche did all thynges accordyng to their owne lustes and as beste liked themselues This was the cause why God punishing their sinnes drouned the whole Worlde And tourned the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrhe into ashes condemned them and ouerthrewe theÌ„ and made theim an ensample vnto them that after should liue vngodly THis third example is of the fiue Cities whiche God destroied as we read Genes xix Ezechiel also in his xvj Chapter speakyng hereof in the persone of God and appliyng his woordes by waie of vpbraidyng to Hierusalem saieth This was the iniquitio of thy Sister Sodom Pride fulnesse of Bread abundauÌ„ce of Idlenesse both in her and in her daughters neither did she strengthen the hande of the poore and needie but thei were hautie and committed abhomination before me therefore I tooke theim awaie as pleased me Sodome and Gomorrha and the Territories thereof till the Lorde destroyed them were as Moses witnesseth Genes xiij as the Paradise or gardein of the Lorde aboundyng and flowyng with plentie of Wine and Oile in theim all thynges that to the life of man were either necessarie delightfull or commodious were in moste aboundaunce to bee had in so muche that the common sorte beleeued that God hymself had chosen it for his owne peculier habitation and dwellyng And therefore as Moses in the same Chapter saith the people thereof were wicked and exceeding sinners against the Lorde leadyng their liues accordyng to the leuell of their owne leude lustes Whiche inordinate beastly and wicked lustes their owne vaine curiositie and the greate plentifull aboundaunce and Idlenesse whiche thei enioyed procured and brought vnto them As wee at this daie by experience doe set that the wealthier aâ—y Cities be the wantoner and dissoluter life the people therein lead but where Famine Penurie or other extremities pinche there the Citezeins are nothyng so muche giuen to loosenesse and Sinne. And therefore God vseth to exercise and enure those that be his and whom he loueth with hard cheere and slender pittaunces because they maie the better walke in integritie of life These therefore are the three dreadfull Examples wherewith S. Peter threateneth the vngodlie whiche he here aptly alledgeth and bringeth in as fitlie hittyng the persones of whoÌ„ he here speaketh who he saieth liued euen as these Sodomites and Gomorrheans did whose greeuous punishement is heere laied before them for their greater terrour And therefore these thynges agree in eche respect and verie fittly are to be applied namely and specially vnto the Pope with his Cardinalles Bisshoppes Munkes Friers Nunnes and all the rest of his filthie Spiritualtie and rumpwood retinue For thei beyng appoincted to be as it were Angels in the places of Apostles truely to preache and expounde the Woorde of God in steade of beyng suche Angelles for the name Angell is a worde of Office and not of Nature signifiyng a Messenger or an Embassadour wherevppon all Preachers of the Truthe who are the Messengers of GOD are called in the Scriptures Mala. ij j. Cor. xj by y e name of Angels thei do cary vs headlong with themselues into the dungeon of error and quite reuolte from their loyall allegiaunce to GOD by mere Pride and Apostacie like these of whom S. Peter here speaketh aduauncyng theimselues aboue God and will haue no Lorde ouer them but bee Lordes themselues and of them selues And yet will thei bee called Apostolicall hauyng nothyng in theim but onely a vaine braggyng shewe of the bare name and title as heere afore in this Chapter thei are named by the name Angelles who properly are not so This blasphemous route therefore of Pope and Popelynges for that thei haue conspired with the Deuill against God and denied hym that is their Creatour are kepte faste fettered in Chaines of darkenesse vnto damnation whose Iudgement as he saied afore ceasseth not neither dooeth their damnation sleepe although as yet it bee not fullie and completly come vpon them Againe thei bee herein also like vnto the old Worlde who although thei haue the Prophetes and the Woorde of GOD preached vnto them yet did thei blaspheme and as it were defy hym and as Moses writeth of them tooke to theim selues Wiues accordyng to their owne lustes and likynges and became mightie Tyrauntes and Gyantes in the earth Gen. vj. Now a little let vs see whether all the properties and dealynges reported by Moses to be in those men of the old World bee not nowe moste manifestly resiaunte and inuested in our Popishe Clergie For thei now be greate mightie and dreadfull Tyrauntes thei liue of all menne moste delicately moste riotouslie and euen as thei liste theimselues thei haue moste aboundaunt store and plentie of all thynges thei oppresse the Worlde and with their tyrannous exactions and bloodie cruelties ouercrowe all Christendome and yet maie no manne speake one woorde or once open his mouthe against them no not Kynges and Princes Againe if thei bee disposed to take a waie a mannes Wife or his daughter from hym thei maie with suche impunitie dooe it that no man maie dare so muche as complaine of their violence and if any doe complaine yet are thei themselues the iudges of the matter and so it shall be euen as good to saie nothyng at all for amendes hee shall haue none at all Finallie by all the shiftes and driftes by all the waies and meanes that thei can possibly deuise to pill and poll robbe and spoile rake and scrape by cosonage pillage exaction tribute commaundementes licenses depredations and al other suttle trickes whatsoeuer thei hale and pull thei catche and snatche vnto theim without hoe without measure without conscience without shame And if any manne in any sorte laye his lawfull claime or touche any thyng whiche thei pretende to be theirs and whiche thei haue in theirs
and gouerned by others For suche bee the menne that are begotten of Fleshe the Spirite beegetteth other maner of persones Thus hath God in his Scriptures very properly and aptly tearmed and sette them out in liuely colours namely thereby to giue vs to vnderstande and knowe what is to bee thought of them The Asse beeyng a dumme beaste and daiely accustomed to the yoke and burdeÌ„s signifieth the People whiche must bee content bothe to bee snaffled brideled sadled ridden vpon and to goe whiche waie thei are bidden And as this Asse was violently dealt withall and greeuously beaten when she went out of the waie and was forced to goe still forwarde till she came into suche a straite Lane where shee could not any waie either starte aside for the narownesse of the place nor goe on for the Angell that withstoode and stopped her so that she was driuen to fall doune So the poore people so often as thei feele theim selues to be hardly dealt withall and to be caried into vnsuffeâ—able errours and faine would goe aside out of that wicked waie straighwaies these seducyng Balaamites were readie with rigour and violence to bryng them into their erring waie againe and therein compelled and enforced them to goe till it pleased God to open our mouthes and to putte his Woordes therein so that now his name be praised euen young children doe talke of it Whereby their brainsicke madnesse is so notoriously detected that though thei be moste shamelesse and impudent yet can thei not choose but blushe thereat And here out of this place our Balaamites maie very fitly bee answered when as thei bragge and crie out accordyng to their wonted order that it is not meete for the Laie people as thei call theÌ„ to read the Scriptures nor to talke and conferre of the same one with an other but rather to giue eare and hearken what the Generall Councelles doe decree and what soeuer thei agree vpon that onely to bee beleeued and embraced Maie we not thus answere them That GOD speaking by a poore Asse reprooued the Prophete whiche satte on her backe of madnesse Thei now therefore beeyng infatuated and their harte whollie possessed with couetousnesse what marueile is it though God stirre vp the poore common people to declare and shewe foorthe his truthe whom thei hitherto haue surcharged with heauie burdeins and driuen whiche waie thei lifte none otherwise then a dumme seelie Asse seruyng onely to carie burdens This is therefore the similitude that sainct Peter sheweth betweene Balaam and our blinde Popishe Guides These are Welles without water and Cloudes caried about with a tempest SOlomon in the xxv of his Prouerbes vseth a similitude saiyng A manne that boasteth of false liberalitie is like Cloudes and Winde without Raine So saieth sainct Peter here in this place Thei are Welles without water and Cloudes caried about with a tempest that is they boaste of great things but thei performe nothyng thei are like Welles that are stopped and dried vp hauyng in them no water at all and yet thei beare theimselues highly vppon that title and boste themselues to bee the true Welles But the Scripture calleth theim Welles whiche teache and from whom doeth flowe and issue good and wholesome doctrine wherewith the Soules of men maie be refreshed This is the office that thei ought to doe and for this are thei appointed But alas sauyng onely the name there is no suche thyng in theim as likewise thei call theimselues Shepeheardes whereas in verie deede thei be rather rauenyng Wolues Againe thei be as Cloudes caried hither and thither with the winde Not as the thicke and blacke Cloudes that destill and droppe doune Raine vpon the earth but as the thinne and light fleetyng Cloudes in the Aire whiche are tossed and caried about hither and thither out of whom there commeth no Raine at all Euen so likewise doe these Pompous Prelates vaunt and bragge and carie loftie and high countenaunces in the Churche seducyng the worlde with their owne vaint guegawes and Traditions beyng like to light windetossed Cloudes and are contented to swaie whiche waie soeuer Sathan lifteth to carie them and to preache what soeuer maie be to his likyng but not so much as one Worde of the pure and sincere Gospell of God Which Gospell Word because none preacheth but thei that be true Preachers and Teachers therefore are thei in the v. of Esaie and other places of the Scriptures tearmed Cloudes because thei doe destill and lette fall into the hartes of their Auditorie the sweete and comfortable Water of Gods truthe and mercie To whom the blacke darknesse is reserued for euer THey liue now euen at their own pleasures euery thing accordyng to their owne hartes desires prospereth and hath good successe but there is a glommie daie toward them there shall come vpon them euerlastyng darkenesse although now thei neither beleeue it nor feele it For in speakyng swelling wordes of vanitie they beguile with wantonnes through the lustes of the fleshe them that were cleane escaped from them whiche are wrapped in errour IF ye aske how they can bee called Welles without water and Cloudes without raine sith thei preache very much euery where S. Peter maketh you this answere thei preach in deede and rayne enough and enough but their preachynges are nothyng els then swellyng and proude woordes wherewith they accloye and fill the eares of the poore seelie people whom thei make to beleeue that what thei speake is right good and Catholike whereas indeede there is nothyng more vaine fonde and childishe Thus are our lubberly Monkes wont with braue and plausible words to boaste and vaunt their Obedience Pouertie and Chastitie and all because thei would be thought of the common people to be of all menne the holiest whereas all their doings and preachinges are nothyng but mere iugglynges deceites and collusions not hauyng in theim either Faithe or Charitie And so is also this loftie vaine bragge of theirs that the state and office of a Bishoppe is an estate of perfection whereas thei that bee in that mitred state dooe nothyng but Pompously ieste the streates awaited vppon with a greate retinue of Suiters and Seruauntes as though their were great Lordes and fare like Princes riding vpon braue horses like gallant Caualieres Without any regard had to their Pastorall charge sauyng that now and then thei hallowe a Churche or consecrate an Altar or Baptize Belles for with these and suche like swellyng and vaine wordes their whole Pontificiall Law is full thwackte pestred Thei beguile with wantonnesse through the lustes of the Fleshe them that were cleane escaped from them whiche are wrapped in errour THE drifte of these Welles and these Teachers is none other but to entangle and catche in their snares the selie Soules that had scarcely afore escaped As namelie children lately Baptized and newly receiued into the Church and washed from their synnes deliuered from Adam and engraffed into Christ them I saie waxyng somwhat bigge